Road traffic collision and driver fleeing the scene

drD

Hi

i was wondering if I could have some advice please.
Busy stop start London traffic, and I'm in the second lane, where most of the traffic is (because the first lane is a bus lane alternatingly).
I have ended up colliding with a BMW that came zooming through the first lane. The first lane was not a bus lane at this point, but it was restricted to people turning left at the previous junction (clearly indicated on the road at the junction, and over 100 metres before the junction with road side sign). The BMW clearly wanted to skip all the traffic, ignored the obligatory left turn, and after the junction tried to merge back into our lane where the bus lane started again.
I was pretty fed up at this point of people contributing to the congestion in front by pulling stunts like this and did not let him in. I was nearly bumper to bumper with the car in front. Me, the car in front and the BMW were all stopped in the traffic. The BMW through his open window said to me: "You're gonna have to crash your car then" (I said "Did you see the sign? It was clearly signed out" while pointing back) and the BMW positioned himself at an angle to try and force his bumper between ours in the stationary traffic. When traffic started moving again, I moved off with the car in front of me and the BMW moved to block me off and also accelerated into my lane.
He got a nasty scratch ruining the paint work on the side in the middle of his driver's door. I got some minor scratches on the hard metalwork that sticks out right in front of my left wheel.
I obviously yielded after this.
Traffic stopped again.
He got out of his car to start shouting at me.
I picked up my phone and took a picture of his numberplate and him getting out of his car. When he saw this, he got back into his car and continued to drive as normal with the traffic and all I could do was follow the traffic as safely as possible.

I called the police because the guy clearly had no intentions of giving me his driver details for the insurance, and they told me to not follow him (I was doing it at a distance - the guy kept aggressively weaving in and out of traffic that I wouldn't have been able to follow anyway - and I was driving quite calmly - I wasn't going to put myself in any more danger), and to just make a report online myself (As there was no danger to anyone).

Luckily no injuries and low velocity collision.
I could see further up that the guy was smoking as well behind the wheel, (I got a worse picture of this, but technically that's illegal as well, though the police don't enforce it)

Did I do something wrong? The only things I can think of is that I accelerated with him (should I have yielded anyway?) and that I technically didn't get out of the car myself to offer my details, but by the time for me to make that decision the guy had already shown his intentions by climbing back into his car and keeping driving.

neilmcl

drD wrote: »

Luckily no injuries and low velocity collision.
I could see further up that the guy was smoking as well behind the wheel, (I got a worse picture of this, but technically that's illegal as well, though the police don't enforce it)

Did I do something wrong? The only things I can think of is that I accelerated with him (should I have yielded anyway?) and that I technically didn't get out of the car myself to offer my details, but by the time for me to make that decision the guy had already shown his intentions by climbing back into his car and keeping driving.

No it isn't, unless there was someone under 18 there in the car with him.

I think your insurer would class this as a 50/50 if you give them this version of events, and by rights you mad no attempt to exchange details either so you're just as guilty as the other driver on that score.

Aylesbury_Duck

drD wrote: »

Hi

i was wondering if I could have some advice please.
Busy stop start London traffic, and I'm in the second lane, where most of the traffic is (because the first lane is a bus lane alternatingly).
I have ended up colliding with a BMW that came zooming through the first lane. The first lane was not a bus lane at this point, but it was restricted to people turning left at the previous junction (clearly indicated on the road at the junction, and over 100 metres before the junction with road side sign). The BMW clearly wanted to skip all the traffic, ignored the obligatory left turn, and after the junction tried to merge back into our lane where the bus lane started again.
I was pretty fed up at this point of people contributing to the congestion in front by pulling stunts like this and did not let him in. I was nearly bumper to bumper with the car in front. Me, the car in front and the BMW were all stopped in the traffic. The BMW through his open window said to me: "You're gonna have to crash your car then" (I said "Did you see the sign? It was clearly signed out" while pointing back) and the BMW positioned himself at an angle to try and force his bumper between ours in the stationary traffic. When traffic started moving again, I moved off with the car in front of me and the BMW moved to block me off and also accelerated into my lane.
He got a nasty scratch ruining the paint work on the side in the middle of his driver's door. I got some minor scratches on the hard metalwork that sticks out right in front of my left wheel.
I obviously yielded after this.
Traffic stopped again.
He got out of his car to start shouting at me.
I picked up my phone and took a picture of his numberplate and him getting out of his car. When he saw this, he got back into his car and continued to drive as normal with the traffic and all I could do was follow the traffic as safely as possible.

I called the police because the guy clearly had no intentions of giving me his driver details for the insurance, and they told me to not follow him (I was doing it at a distance - the guy kept aggressively weaving in and out of traffic that I wouldn't have been able to follow anyway - and I was driving quite calmly - I wasn't going to put myself in any more danger), and to just make a report online myself (As there was no danger to anyone).

Luckily no injuries and low velocity collision.
I could see further up that the guy was smoking as well behind the wheel, (I got a worse picture of this, but technically that's illegal as well, though the police don't enforce it)

Did I do something wrong? The only things I can think of is that I accelerated with him (should I have yielded anyway?) and that I technically didn't get out of the car myself to offer my details, but by the time for me to make that decision the guy had already shown his intentions by climbing back into his car and keeping driving.

Yes, you crashed into someone because you were as equally bloody-minded as he was. Although irritating, letting him in would have cost you, what, five seconds? Much less than it took you type all of this out and now have to deal with all the insurance shenanigans that will arise if you or he pursue it. In future, let idiots like that back in because for the sake of pride you've got a damaged car and lots of hassle.

AndyMc.....

That!!!8217;s what happens when two likeminded people meet.

bigisi

I bet you're so glad you made a stand against his pushing in now aren't you?

drD

I don't mind that badly. I have minor scratches only and he's still an idiot. But I take your point that if someone uses their car as an aggressive instrument I should let him get on with it.

facade

You should have kept closer to the car in front then he couldn't have levered in, and would have had to ram you .


However, if the car in front stalls, or has that stop-stop system, you won't be able to drive round it, swings & roundabouts I suppose......

westernpromise

Were you in an Audi?

spadoosh

Did you do something wrong?

Yeh you crashed in to someone.

I appreciate wanting to prove points but the issue with this is its not uncommon for somone else to want to prove a point. At some stage it becomes stupid. If someones driving like an idiot as you observed, its usually better to avoid them, more often than not theyll out stupid you, although in this case you appear to have matched them.

drD

westernpromise wrote: »

Were you in an Audi?

Haha good one! No... a Mercedes!! :rotfl:

mvteng

How did you manage to take the photos?