£1000+ damage done in a car wash

AppleCore

Happychappy wrote: »

I hope this doesnt sound cynical, but I think the McLaren team are looking at entering this car wash into the Australian F1 for tomorrow, the acceleration forces enough to throw people makes this a real winner, and no way Ferrari can produce anything like this and failing that the story could always go forward for a Booker prize award for fiction, just need a bit adding to set the scene, when the shutter creaked downwards, all light was cut out and we were alone..... trapped in this casket, everything was dark and it was eerily quiet, suddenly without warning, the machine awoke with flashing red LED eyes and advanced towards us with a menacing growl, soap suds billowing from every orifice...........anyone do better ?

Are you trying to say I'm not telling the truth? Why would I make up something like this? I really was scared, my car was being crushed and I had to get out in an operating car wash to find no stop buttons working and no exit out as the shutters were down. The police who attended said they'd never seen anything like it.

I know it sounds unreal and I never thought anything like this could ever happen myself but it did and to accuse it of being fiction is so hurtful.

I've been on these forums for a while and I'm grateful for all the useful advice I get but I'm already upset and shaken up without judgemental comments.

Kilty_2

The motoring section is always a bit like this, try not to let it get to you.

mikey72

First off sorry to the op, as I've re-read my post, and it comes over badly.

I take it from further responses the car wash was moving normally, it just didn't stop at all when it hit you and kept pushing?

You certainly should pursue the personal injury claim.

Even if you had parked on the guild rails for the brushes, it should have stopped.

It would be better to deal directly with the car wash company insurers, and if they play ball, it won't affect your ncd or excess. If you contact them, and they will, you can cancel the claim with your own insurers. You may have signed up for a credit hire car by now though, so that may need to be discussed.

HSE should be involved, police report, all things that will help.
Claim all expenses you incurred on the day, cost of cleaning your clothes, and even claim back the cost of the car wash that you didn't get.

It may be worth posting/moving this post to the insurance forum.

warehouse

AppleCore wrote: »

Are you trying to say I'm not telling the truth? Why would I make up something like this? I really was scared, my car was being crushed and I had to get out in an operating car wash to find no stop buttons working and no exit out as the shutters were down. The police who attended said they'd never seen anything like it.

I know it sounds unreal and I never thought anything like this could ever happen myself but it did and to accuse it of being fiction is so hurtful.

I've been on these forums for a while and I'm grateful for all the useful advice I get but I'm already upset and shaken up without judgemental comments.

OP, all it would take to convince people would be a picture or 2, or the location of this car wash or the petrol station chain. You seem unable to provide anything like this, which obviously makes people suspicious as there is no reason not to give out this information. Also the fact that you say you were thrown about by the force, then mention it's going to court when the incident happened yesterday makes people even more wary.

If it's genuine then of course everyone will have sympathy with you and wish you the best, but after many years reading these forums I think a few of us are able to spot a "fishy" thread when one appears.

AppleCore

Okay I get what your saying about pictures. I'm reluctant to start showing pictures or naming companies on the internet as I don't want to start causing problems with any claim I may have to make, I know very little about what I can or cannot say or show and the last thing I want to do is put the claim at risk. The insurance company have said to be prepared for the petrol station to say it was my fault and not accept any liability in which case it will go to court for the cost of the repairs and for me to get my excess back.

mikey72

AppleCore wrote: »

Okay I get what your saying about pictures. I'm reluctant to start showing pictures or naming companies on the internet as I don't want to start causing problems with any claim I may have to make, I know very little about what I can or cannot say or show and the last thing I want to do is put the claim at risk. The insurance company have said to be prepared for the petrol station to say it was my fault and not accept any liability in which case it will go to court for the cost of the repairs and for me to get my excess back.

No names or pictures.
It's not us you need to convince.

Get as much evidence as you can.
The police, RAC, make sure the HSE know. It should have been reported, if you don't know for sure, ring them. (The HSE, not the garage).
Hopefully, they will prosecute them.

AppleCore

mikey72 wrote: »

I take it from further responses the car wash was moving normally, it just didn't stop at all when it hit you and kept pushing?

Even if you had parked on the guild rails for the brushes, it should have stopped.

Yep, it didn't stop when it hit the front of my car and continued to crush the front, pushing it back against the metal shutter. There wasn't even any kind of automatic emergency stop which prevented the machinery from continuing when it hit anything solid, it just carried on crushing. The machine only stopped moving forward when the mains isolator was turned off.

There was CCTV, the police have told the petrol station to keep this safe. I'm hoping it will show just how dangerous the car wash was.

mikey72

AppleCore wrote: »

Yep, it didn't stop when it hit the front of my car and continued to crush the front, pushing it back against the metal shutter. There wasn't even any kind of automatic emergency stop which prevented the machinery from continuing when it hit anything solid, it just carried on crushing. The machine only stopped moving forward when the mains isolator was turned off.

There was CCTV, the police have told the petrol station to keep this safe. I'm hoping it will show just how dangerous the car wash was.

You definately need to get the HSE to investigate asap. They need to see, and take, the video, before the car wash insurers request it, and it is "lost in the post" to them.
You need to know which officers attended, if you don't ring the station and find out. If they viewed the video, you will have a witness to it if you need it later. In fact anyone that saw it. RAC man, petrol station attendents name?

Wig

Unfortunately it being the weekend you will have to wait till monday to contact the council but you could try them now on the off chance they are open saturday morning. I'd call the trading standards office (might aswell) and the health and safety office

mikey72

You also need to do a drive past, and check it's still as the police left it, or if anyone is working on it. Take a camera either way, and get a few shots.