What's made you grumpy today?

[Paddynabs]

Had a bump in a hire car. That's going to be a world of pain tomorrow. A several page incident report signed by god knows how many managers, followed up with a safety discussion with every manager who has heard about the accident too.

I can't seem to find what you are supposed to do when a police car is driving through a junction. It was my right of way and I was half way across a dual carriageway, with traffic lights, when a rozzer came from my left so I stopped to let them through. Unfortunately the lorry behind didn't. Would the insurance be 50/50 on that as I stopped on a green light?

 

[StevenRB45]

Had a bump in a hire car. That's going to be a world of pain tomorrow. A several page incident report signed by god knows how many managers, followed up with a safety discussion with every manager who has heard about the accident too.

I can't seem to find what you are supposed to do when a police car is driving through a junction. It was my right of way and I was half way across a dual carriageway, with traffic lights, when a rozzer came from my left so I stopped to let them through. Unfortunately the lorry behind didn't. Would the insurance be 50/50 on that as I stopped on a green light?

Nope, you should always be ready to stop if the car in front stops. His responsibility not to hit you.

 

[SB1500]

Booking a day off work to spend it xmas shopping with the mrs and a stinking cold to top it off.......

Booked next Friday off for the exact same reason!

 

[Paddynabs]

Nope, you should always be ready to stop if the car in front stops. His responsibility not to hit you.

I found this advice from Sussex police (amongst other points)

"Don’t panic or brake suddenly. This could slow the progress of the emergency vehicle, and put yourself and other road users in danger."

It could be argued that I did just that by stopping rather than continuing across the junction and risk being t-boned by the copper.

 

[StevenRB45]

I found this advice from Sussex police (amongst other points)

"Don’t panic or brake suddenly. This could slow the progress of the emergency vehicle, and put yourself and other road users in danger."

It could be argued that I did just that by stopping rather than continuing across the junction and risk being t-boned by the copper.

You are always responsible for not hitting the car in front. Same as if someone had run out at the green light, you wouldn't have mown them down just because the light was green.

The only time it would be in doubt is if fraud is suspected or you've deliberately brake checked a vehicle as part of a road rage incident.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I found this advice from Sussex police (amongst other points)

"Don’t panic or brake suddenly. This could slow the progress of the emergency vehicle, and put yourself and other road users in danger."

It could be argued that I did just that by stopping rather than continuing across the junction and risk being t-boned by the copper.

You responded to the road conditions. You stoped as it was safe to do so, you are 100% not responsible if the vehicle behind did not anticipate the road ahead and run up the back of you.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Had a bump in a hire car. That's going to be a world of pain tomorrow. A several page incident report signed by god knows how many managers, followed up with a safety discussion with every manager who has heard about the accident too.

I can't seem to find what you are supposed to do when a police car is driving through a junction. It was my right of way and I was half way across a dual carriageway, with traffic lights, when a rozzer came from my left so I stopped to let them through. Unfortunately the lorry behind didn't. Would the insurance be 50/50 on that as I stopped on a green light?

You've been hit in the rear, as such it'll be none fault.

I found this advice from Sussex police (amongst other points)

"Don’t panic or brake suddenly. This could slow the progress of the emergency vehicle, and put yourself and other road users in danger."

It could be argued that I did just that by stopping rather than continuing across the junction and risk being t-boned by the copper.

No it couldn't be. You're entitled to undertake an emergency stop if required. Any following vehicles need to leave adiquate stopping distances as advised above.

 

[portland_bill]

Leaving Swindon this evening, stopped at a set of lights. There are two lanes. As teh lights turned green, a Mercedes gently moved along the the right lane, that had been empty as the extra lane is hardly necessary, and trundled through the lights ahead of me. Not a problem, his arrival coincided with the light change, just lucky.

100yds later, we move from the 40 limit to a 50. So now being at the front, did he move away? No, we stayed at 40 for the next mile or so, as he seemed to be afraid of the dark, or had problems seeing with a queue of traffic facing, all with their headlights on.
Just about reached 50 and braked hard to pass under a railway bridge, that the full height artics pass under easily. Then slowly back up towards 50.
Into the national limit, stayed at 50. But kept losing speed if oncoming lights were brighter.
Why push to the front when you can make better progress by following the queue? Selfish prat.

 

[Steve145]

Leaving Swindon this evening, stopped at a set of lights. There are two lanes. As teh lights turned green, a Mercedes gently moved along the the right lane, that had been empty as the extra lane is hardly necessary, and trundled through the lights ahead of me. Not a problem, his arrival coincided with the light change, just lucky.

100yds later, we move from the 40 limit to a 50. So now being at the front, did he move away? No, we stayed at 40 for the next mile or so, as he seemed to be afraid of the dark, or had problems seeing with a queue of traffic facing, all with their headlights on.
Just about reached 50 and braked hard to pass under a railway bridge, that the full height artics pass under easily. Then slowly back up towards 50.
Into the national limit, stayed at 50. But kept losing speed if oncoming lights were brighter.
Why push to the front when you can make better progress by following the queue? Selfish prat.

I think I need a large sign on the back of my car: "Don't bother overtaking if you won't then drive to the speed limit".

This happens daily to me, there are only 3 overtaking opportunities in 30km on my commute, the rest is solid white lines. I inevitably get overtaken on the first one, as I've upset them by keeping to the speed limit through the village, then, with a cold engine, I'm accelerating slowly, so they come blasting past. Then they drive at 75-80km/h rather than the 90 limit of the road.

Muppets.

They're frequently the same ones who speed in villages.

 

[JCarp16]

They're frequently the same ones who speed in villages.

We get them around here. With their cruise control set to 37mph.

 

[g8rpi]

Had a bump in a hire car. That's going to be a world of pain tomorrow. A several page incident report signed by god knows how many managers, followed up with a safety discussion with every manager who has heard about the accident too.

I can't seem to find what you are supposed to do when a police car is driving through a junction. It was my right of way and I was half way across a dual carriageway, with traffic lights, when a rozzer came from my left so I stopped to let them through. Unfortunately the lorry behind didn't. Would the insurance be 50/50 on that as I stopped on a green light?

You did exactly the right thing. Lorry drivers fault. As it was a hire car and presumably for work you won't be paying anyway even if it was declared 50-50. Personally I'd complain if it was declared 50-50 but practically it doesn't matter.
The guidance on not braking suddenly for an emergency vehicle is for when they are coming up from behind or to a lesser extent towards you. If they are crossing or on another potential collision course emergency braking is the correct response. A nose to tail shunt is always going to be less hazardous than a collision with a sideways vector at the same speed. Even a glancing side contact at any speed can spin or flip a car, possibly into the path of another vehicle.
The hire company will almost certainly have telematics in the car so will be able to tell how fast you were going and how you were hit.


Robert G8RPI.

 

[JCarp16]

Got home had a quick check around the back of the car to see if there was a "please tailgate me like a dangerous t*t" sticker on the back of my car - there was none to be seen. Now confused as to where the bloke in the Ibiza was receiving his instructions from.

 

[portland_bill]

I can understand them wanting to get past the learner car, as they assume it will hold them up, but they could assess first.
I don't understand them tailgating the learner car when a learner is driving. If the learner presses the brake, we STOP! Nothing I can do about that apart from squeak for them to let go, sometimes gets no response.

 

[StevenRB45]

- there was none to be seen. Now confused as to where the bloke in the Ibiza was receiving his instructions from.

If it's anything like round here all the guys who ran shagged vectras have upgraded to shagged Audis, all the guys who ran corsas with drain pipe exhausts now have euro style Seats..

The kinda cars where they all have a touching tribute to a dearly departed friend on the back window..then you one day stumble upon the shrine to 'funboi' or whatever crap nickname he had and find whatever happened involved a straight bit of dual carriageway with a 40 mph limit and a tree that's mysteriously snapped in half. I may be thinking the worst but I don't think he passed away peacefully..

 

[puntofan01]

I wouldn't class going from a snagged Vectra to a shagged audi an upgrade, more a side step really!

That's happened a few times near where I live. 1 guy back in 2014 was racing 1 of his mates down a hill, and smashed into a sign post. Because he wasn't wearing his seatbelt, he was thrown out of his modified car, and eventually died from his injuries. He was found to be over the drink drive limit. I still see a few cars with RIP stickers in them.

 

[Paddynabs]

If it's anything like round here all the guys who ran shagged vectras have upgraded to shagged Audis, all the guys who ran corsas with drain pipe exhausts now have euro style Seats..

The kinda cars where they all have a touching tribute to a dearly departed friend on the back window..then you one day stumble upon the shrine to 'funboi' or whatever crap nickname he had and find whatever happened involved a straight bit of dual carriageway with a 40 mph limit and a tree that's mysteriously snapped in half. I may be thinking the worst but I don't think he passed away peacefully..

Ha! Love it. Me and mrs were having the same conversation last week! All the "Barry" type now drive rough Audi A3's or BMW 530d's. I miss the days of the stupidly be-winging & customized Saxo's and Corsa's. It used to give me a good laugh.

 

[StevenRB45]

rough Audi A3's.

Speak of the devil...

Of course this was a write off he now has a 325ci with a drain pipe exhaust..

 

[portland_bill]

he now has a 325ci with a drain pipe exhaust..

My Mother used to see that type of exhaust as a warning of poor driving. "The size of the exhaust represents the size of the gap between their ears."

 

[g8rpi]

Speak of the devil...

Of course this was a write off he now has a 325ci with a drain pipe exhaust..

And of course they did not make an RS3 until this year so it may be a base A3. Someone in our works car park has a diesel "S3":bang:
I did have a S4 Avant for several years in the late 90's early 00's but it was stock and basically under cover and Audis were uncommon anyway. I would not consider one now for three reasons: The sort of drivers who buy them now and their reputation. The "softening" of the S models and introduction of S-Line. The reduction in service from the dealers as the got busier.

Robert G8RPI.

 

[g8rpi]

Paying £230 to get the radio in the wife's Focus fixed. And thats just the repair, diagnstics and removal was DIY. It's particuarly annoying that it's a known manufacturing quality issue (Blaupunkt / Bosch TravelPilot FX BGA Flash ROM) that was covered by a specal extended warranty up to 2015. It's not a difficult fix if you have the equipment but I'm not interested in doing BGA rework at home and a Blaupunkt in-circuit programmer would only be used once.

Robert G8RPI.