Car damaged by HGV

curlygirly3

Hi all I am looking for some advice.
Last week whilst driving on the M4 I was driving down my lane whilst a lorry was driving along the lane next to me. All of a sudden he came into my lane, pushing my car out into the right hand lane (luckily there was no car in it at the time). I had a witness in my car but he didn't stop and no one was hurt. He has caused damage to the side of my car and I am feeling infuriated that I have to pay when it was his bad driving (he was wobbling all over the place before and after the incident). I got his registration plate and his company name, it was a foreign number plate but I have written to the UK company and have heard nothing back. Is there anyway I can seek compensation for what has happened?
Thank you!

neilmcl

I suggest you contact your insurance.

Crabman

You should report this to the police as soon as possible if you haven't already done so.

When I am due to overtake an HGV with foreign number plates I usually go into lane 3 (and increase my speed to fit in there) as I've seen enough near misses.

DUTR

curlygirly3 wrote: »

Hi all I am looking for some advice.
Last week whilst driving on the M4 I was driving down my lane whilst a lorry was driving along the lane next to me. All of a sudden he came into my lane, pushing my car out into the right hand lane (luckily there was no car in it at the time). I had a witness in my car but he didn't stop and no one was hurt. He has caused damage to the side of my car and I am feeling infuriated that I have to pay when it was his bad driving (he was wobbling all over the place before and after the incident). I got his registration plate and his company name, it was a foreign number plate but I have written to the UK company and have heard nothing back. Is there anyway I can seek compensation for what has happened?
Thank you!

Welcome to the forum , but this is a bit from the highway code

5. Lane discipline (264 to 266)

264

You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking. You MUST NOT drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by the police, HA traffic officers in uniform or by signs.
Laws MT(E&W)R regs 5, 9 & 16(1)(a), MT(S)R regs 4, 8 & 14(1)(a), and RTA 1988, sects 35 & 186, as amended by TMA 2004 sect 6


Now, I'm not sure what you mean by MY LANE, if you could not see the driver in the off side wing mirror, then the driver cannot see you.
Especially as you mention none UK plates, which means the vehicle could also be left hand drive.
You are positioning and maintaining your car in the blind spot, with the mass of the lorry, the driver probably doesn't even know he collided with your vehicle, that all said, it is also up to you to reduce the risk of any possible hazards.

Tallaght

He would be in the blind spot on a left hand drive.I gather you were alongside the lorry so when the driver looked in his mirror you were out of view.

GAZ237

Stop messing about writing letters.

Report the accident to the police ( which you should of done within 24hrs) and contact your insurance company, who will deal with it.

DUTR

GAZ237 wrote: »

Stop messing about writing letters.

Report the accident to the police ( which you should of done within 24hrs) and contact your insurance company, who will deal with it.

I agree,
out of interest, following the OP's post

"Last week whilst driving on the M4 I was driving down my lane whilst a lorry was driving along the lane next to me. All of a sudden he came into my lane, (snip) (he was wobbling all over the place before and after the incident). I got his registration plate and his company name, it was a foreign number plate but I have written to the UK company and have heard nothing back. Is there anyway I can seek compensation for what has happened?
Thank you!"

Why would a person driving a motor vehicle and notice a hazard of long wide vehicle driving irratically, position themselves to observe rather than making progress and ensuring they are in a visible and less at risk?

Jamie_Carter

Tallaght wrote: »

He would be in the blind spot on a left hand drive.I gather you were alongside the lorry so when the driver looked in his mirror you were out of view.

And he probably didn't even feel the contact either.

Tilt

GAZ237 wrote: »

Stop messing about writing letters.

Report the accident to the police ( which you should of done within 24hrs) and contact your insurance company, who will deal with it.

Couldn't agree more.

Sonny_Bill

I don't understand why you wouldn't tell your insurance company about this?