I Hit A Dog With My Car - Advice On Court Action

McKneff

Charis wrote: »

I've read this thread with interest, noticing how most posters have been helpful and supportive but some just have to use the forum to make themselves appear superior. I see it has quite the opposite effect.

One thing that has been bothering me is your statement that your mate was so far up your exhaust pipe that he had to swerve around you. In future it might be safer for you if you follow him He should always leave a decent gap between himself and the car in front, because even on a totally clear road there's always a chance of a blow out which might cause the driver in front to brake in a moment of panic. I don't like to think what would have happened if that oncoming bus had been closer.

Good luck with the claim, whatever you decide.

I spotted that a while ago but didnt want to pour oil on troubled waters.
For him to have to swerve around you he was
a. driving too fast to enable him to stop
b. wasnt leaving enough space between him and you

or
c. both.

judgement comes with driving experience, at 18 you just havent got that experience. How long had you been driving and your mate, In my opinion and for what its worth people who have just got a new licence should be restricted to no more than 50 mph no matter what the road is like.

Edit - did you know it was greasy before you set out, if not experience under your belt would have told you that.
If you did know it was greasy then you were indeed driving too fast.........................

propaintballa

McKneff wrote: »

I spotted that a while ago but didnt want to pour oil on troubled waters.
For him to have to swerve around you he was
a. driving too fast to enable him to stop
b. wasnt leaving enough space between him and you

or
c. both.

judgement comes with driving experience, at 18 you just havent got that experience. How long had you been driving and your mate, In my opinion and for what its worth people who have just got a new licence should be restricted to no more than 50 mph no matter what the road is like.

Edit - did you know it was greasy before you set out, if not experience under your belt would have told you that.
If you did know it was greasy then you were indeed driving too fast.........................

Sigh... Just as i expected, everything is blown out of proportion... It wasn't greasy to the extent that i would have easily slid off of the road, and i'm really not prepared to be penalised for my friends actions. I knew the conditions, and 60Mph was safe for the circumstances. Like i said previously, i doubt i would have even been able to stop if i was doing 40Mph.

DaveMacD

mikey72 wrote: »

It's far better to hit a stray animal than to cause a major crash, or swerve and plough through a bus stop full of children.

I can think of a few round here who would think it should be the other way round....

peachyprice

Dr.Shoe wrote: »

The thing I'm thinking is that you shouldn't have been driving at 60 even if the speed limit is thus. If there are loose dogs, children or even normal, sane looking pedestrians around you should kill a bit of speed. If you didn't see the dog until it was too late then you shouldn't have been doing 60 because this means there wasn't clear visibility. What if it had been a small child? Were there parked cars around? Why didn't you see the dog in advance?...

Did you not see the photos of the road in question earlier on? None of those scenarios are likely on the road, which would be why the speed limit is 60.

Ian_W

tandraig wrote: »

relevance? well, if the Op had hit a dog at 60 mph I would expect to see a lot of blood and tissue and fur on the car! perhaps to spare us he washed the car clean, before taking a pic.
OP have you now informed the police and insurance company? you are required to do so you know.

Based on what real life experience - being an avid CSI viewer? You're clearly not a copper as you don't have a clue on when you are legally required to report an accident, despite it being explained several times earlier in the thread. And the OP repeatedly saying it has been reported!

I think the OP is a liar

Based on what? You being a complete plonker judging by the opinionated ignorance you've expressed on here? Bye, bye, no sad loss!

When I was 18 I hit a dog on a 40mph road travelling around the limit when it ran out at speed from a side street. It ran away, though I'm fairly sure it would have been quite seriously injured from the stoved in front grill on my Mini. Wasn't able to trace the owner so I did report it to the police etc and managed to get the grill repaired with a new one from a scrappy.

Thank goodness the internet didn't exist 40 yrs ago as I think I'd have been quite upset if some of the bile and arrogance expressed to the OP had come my way. In the intervening years I have not (touch wood and thank goodness) caused injury to another living thing whilst driving (well apart from a suicidal grouse on the A38 in Devon 2yrs ago) so I don't think hitting that dog made me a bad or dangerous driver. Same goes for the OP, just cos he's a young driver doesn't mean he's a bad or reckless one.

CHR15

Good lord, the GREEN SHUTTERS!!

Is that place still going?? Brings back some fine memories (what about the Greasy Spoon)?

Thought it would have shut down after my crowd abandoned Portland

verybigchris

tandraig wrote: »

I think the OP is a liar

There you go - sue tandraig for libel and that should cover the cost of your repairs

propaintballa

Ian_W wrote: »

Based on what real life experience - being an avid CSI viewer? You're clearly not a copper as you don't have a clue on when you are legally required to report an accident, despite it being explained several times earlier in the thread. And the OP repeatedly saying it has been reported!
Based on what? You being a complete plonker judging by the opinionated ignorance you've expressed on here? Bye, bye, no sad loss!

When I was 18 I hit a dog on a 40mph road travelling around the limit when it ran out at speed from a side street. It ran away, though I'm fairly sure it would have been quite seriously injured from the stoved in front grill on my Mini. Wasn't able to trace the owner so I did report it to the police etc and managed to get the grill repaired with a new one from a scrappy.

Thank goodness the internet didn't exist 40 yrs ago as I think I'd have been quite upset if some of the bile and arrogance expressed to the OP had come my way. In the intervening years I have not (touch wood and thank goodness) caused injury to another living thing whilst driving (well apart from a suicidal grouse on the A38 in Devon 2yrs ago) so I don't think hitting that dog made me a bad or dangerous driver. Same goes for the OP, just cos he's a young driver doesn't mean he's a bad or reckless one.

Thank you buddy.

I'm actually finding this thread even more stressful then the entire situation i face at the moment. I don't see how some people can actually be so rude to others.

somethingcorporate

Jeez, this thread is awesome. If people paid half as much attention to driving as they did to arguing on the internet I'd feel a tad safer on the road.

Got to say I think the OP has shown maturity and responded calmly to the incident (and to the thread for that matter). I've had a near miss with a fox that darted out from beside a bridge in the recent past and I wouldn't like to think of what could have had happened when taking evasive action to miss the poor !!!!!!. Luckily he left as quickly as he arrived!

Anyway, OP, I'd certainly try the softly softly approach with the letters and the call before the threat of court action, from your description he seemed like a reasonable fella so should be more responsive to that approach. If he stonewalls you then I agree with a number of other posters that it's worth the punt of £100 for the chance of having your repairs fully covered.

On a side note, in response to the "your mate was driving too close behind you" - it's a really good point to take on board having been 1 car behind a smash on the M25 this morning where someone was a little bit slow on the break, a little too close to the car in front and bam - 4 cars turned to debris. It's probably a lesson most people learn the hard way (and looking from the people that got out of their BMWs / Audis in the smash this morning didn't look like they were 18-year old, new to driving types!).

Good luck and keep us updated on the progress. :beer:

paulw98

I really hope i never have to meet half the stupid do-gooders here on the road as there will be a que 3 miles long behind them as they pootle along in their 1.0 economical tin cans at 3mph just incase anything from the endless list of "what ifs" should occur. All the time thinking how brilliant they are.