There are idiots everywhere, I'm afraid.  I was once driving down a divided
6-lane street.  There was a long line of cars in the left lane; I was in the
middle lane.  I could see police car lights flashing up ahead in the left
lane.  There had been an accident and the police were working the scene.
All the traffic behind them was stopped.  Just as I approached the end of
this line of stopped traffic (I was in the middle lane, remember) I watched
someone drive right into the back of the last stationary vehicle - which
caused that vehicle to be pushed into the one in front of it and so on.  One
idiot not paying attention turned this into a multi-car accident.  There
wasn't anything I could do.  But as I passed the police officers up ahead I
rolled down my indow, pointed back and called out, "You have another one!"

And yes, what happened to leaving space between you and the vehicle in front
of you?  It irks me no end when I'm stopped for a signal and the person
behind me creeps right up on my bumper.  Sometimes I feel like issuing an
invitation, "Would you like to come sit in my back seat?" LOL

Purrs you're okay and feeling more calm now.  Also that the Audi fool was
issued a citation (and he has insurance to pay for any damage).

Jill

He's clearly not fit to be on the road, it's arrogance and aggression like
that that makes the roads dangerous :( You did the right thing in calling
the police. Here are some lovely purrs from Cav, who is a happy cat today
because the sun has come back.

Jeanette

What a jerk -- purrs for your nerves.  Hope the police and insurance take
care of this for you.
Christine

Sorry to hear about your close encounter.

Calming purrs on the way and dirty litterbox offerings to the idiot.

Lots of calming purrs and prayers for you. Other drivers try to intimidate
women drivers especially if its their (the other driver's) fault. Good thing
you stood your ground, but I don't blame you for being a bit apprehensive.
Jazz & his mama

So I phoned the

He sounds like a right cretin. Well done you for keeping the presence of
mind to call the police..... Mind, knowing you, he sounds a fool to have
started arguing the toss with you! You can be quite a geordie force to
be reckoned with! ;o)

{{{calming HUGS}}}

Helen M

--

Shame you had to have contact with the jackass.  But you handles it right.

This whole idea of blatantly denying you have done something wrong in spite
of all evidence to the contrary is getting more common in society isn't it?
Seems that way to me anyhow.

I had a similar accident and the "lady" wouldn't give me any information
etc.  I simply informed her I was driving directly to the police station
with the information from her car and reporting the accident as a hit and
run.  Funny she was right behind me when we got to the police station.

Jo

Front end offerings (purrs) to you, Helen, for the upset & irritation,
and rear end offerings (preferably messy ones) to the Audi Nazi who
was probably on the 'phone instead of looking where he was going.

Many years ago on the North Circular Rd our entire r-h lane of traffic
had to brake hard for a right-turner across the central reservation:
everone succeeeded except for the prat behind me who complained that
he couldn't understand why I'd braked!  Luckily I had a 3-litre Rover
v his Morris Marina. My slim scratch on the bootlid v his radiator
demolished on the engine block & probable write-off!

Good luck with your claim. Purrs that Herman comes back as good as
new.

Gordon & the TT

Calming purrs sent, plus some litterbox offerings for a certain Audi & its
driver.
Suz
Macmoosette
Thank Heavens There's Only One
=^..^=   =^..^=   =^..^=   =^..^=  =^..^=  =^..^=

Waiting for inspiration. Please hold while I contemplate my navel.

(=':'=)
(")_(")

Calming purrs on their way.  I can see why you'd need them!  I hope the
jerk has good insurance.  Did the police come when you called?  If so,
there will be a police report showing you were stopped at the
intersection when he hit you, which should mean his insurance company
won't argue about paying for repairs to your poor car.

--
Joy

Calming purrs your way, Helen.  I'm glad you are okay.  Hopefully Mr.
Audi will get his just desserts.

Ginger-lyn

Holy cow! Calming purrs en route.

Calming purrs heading south. You and your family seem to meet more than
your fair share of idiots on the road.

Grr! I hate jerks who can't admit fault. I mean, I've done dumb things in
traffic too, but while I am legally not supposed to apologise, if its my
fault (or mostly my fault) I try to let the other driver know that I know
its my fault (if that makes sense).

Lots of calming purrs to you. Hope he gets charged with neg driving and not
giving details as well as having to pay your insurance.

I remember one time I came out of a shopping centre to see three big guys
around a sooped-up "doof doof car" (if you have any stereotypes about how
they looked, youa re probably right) which was parked next to my car. I
drove a "girls car" (ie, a hatchback) and immediately sensed trouble, so I
hurried to get into my car and get going.

I didn't make it, and they accused my of marking the doof doof car with my
door.

But they weren't real smart, and they picke dont he wrong person that day.
First of all, I asked them where my passenger was, since if it was my car at
fault, it would have been my passenger door.

Apprantly the saw my "friend" get out.

I was travelling alone...

And then they claimed that they saw "her" do it.

Well, I know that said doof doof car wasn't parked there when I pulled in
(how often do you get two parking spaces side by side in the prime spot?)

And then *showed* me the damage.

The damage was indeed pretty bad. Not only was the paint marked, but the
door actually dinged. Troublewas, since they had a black car, the colour of
the offender's paint was quite clearly red. I drove a white car.

Time for some counter bluff. As you might know, I am a paint chemist. I
don't deal with car paint, but hey, the knowledge is similar.

"Thats red paint, I drive a white car. If you do a pigment analaysis you'll
probably find its an inorganic/organic hybrid, in siliconised polyester
acrylic blend, with a UV resistant overglaze and a zinc-phosphate containing
primer. I am paint chemist, I identify such marks for a living. Using that,
and hte height of the mark, you are probably looking for a red Mazda sedan,
from July 1990 to october1995. If you really think a white, 1984 toyota
hatch could make such a mark, you'll need your own paint chemist and a court
order."

I watched as their mouths hit the floor, smiled politely, and went on my
way.

Drove around the corner, and cried my eyes out. I was scared shitless.

Yowie

I'm so sorry to hear this.
Lots of calming purrs and gentle hugs,

Calming purrs to you. If I remember correctly it is always the other
driver's fault if he runs into the back of you.  I'm glad you weren't
injured.  I got whiplash when this happened to me, and it took almost two
years to get rid of the pain.  The whiplash took two days to come on,
apparently this is typical, so don't say you're not injured yet.

Tweed

Oh, no! That's awful! I sure hope you didn't sustain any injuries beyond
those to your car, and that damages to you car weren't too extreme.

Pan, Francesca and Nina all send their most soothing purrs, Helen. Sorry
about the car and sorry about the Audi fool.  People like that are NO fun to
deal with.  Not to mention that being rear-ended is a pretty clear
indication of the accident being the OTHER driver's fault.  Exchanging
details about insurance etc etc, is required by law in my state, also.  You
were smart to phone the police.   I  remember my  toyota corolla was
totalled about 13 years ago by a young Chinese woman who ran a red light at
a major intersection. I know I had the green light, because I was looking
right at the signal when it changed.  But after ramming into  the driver's
side door, she got out of her car and said "You are crazy!"  The police
officer we got  was no prize, either.  I had to insist she file  a police
report, which is required when an accident causes more than $500.00 of
damage. Since it doesn't take much to reach $500.00 worth of damage, and my
car door looked like a mashed beer can, I really wondered what that
particular officer had been doing on that day at the POlice Academy when
they covered that particular law.

I remember feeling VERY shaky after that episode, so I can understand how
you feel, now.  Just remember, it absolutely wasn't your fault. Hopefully
the Audi Fool's car insurance will make the cost of driving prohibitive for
him for the next two years, at least.

Melissa

Helen S. wrote:

---------------------<snip>----------------------

I'm surprised that he had the nerve to say such a thing.  He knew
better of course.  For the benefit of my fellow USA readers, the
driver's licence tests are much more difficult to pass in the UK than
they are here.

Watch out for delayed effects from the accident.  Some joint pain
doesn't show up for almost a week.  I know, it happened to me.

Helen mentioned in a reply to another poster that Herman,  her car,
was a Merc.  He he!  When my sister visited from the UK and borrowed
my Mercedes, she called it a "Merc" as well.  It grates on the
American ear, as there is a line of autos here called "Mercury", and
they are "Mercs".   <g>

Nerve calming purrs are on the way.  Take care of yourself, Helen.

Regards and Purrs,
O J

Oh poo.  Car accidents are rather less than fun even if you're the
innocent party (trust me - my poor little Micra was rear-ended no less
than three times, twice of those at exactly the same point on the road!)

Were there any witnesses to the accident, who could verify the
appearance of fool?  And, I take it, the police were able to verify that
he was telling the truth from his reg no regarding his name, address,
etc.

Good luck, and litterbox scrapings to the fool.

Calming purrs for you, "healing purrs" for Herman, and a double dose of
litterbox leavings for the other driver.
Sam