Bump - experience of this scenario?

[andys]

Chaps.

My missus had a fella hit the front of her car the other day whilst she was queuing / stop / starting in traffic to join motorway. Basically one of those people who didn't want to queue and went for a small gap in front our car but got it wrong. Missus hit the brakes when she saw him try to nip in from the faster moving outer lane - but he hit the front of our car with the rear quarter of his as he was trying to get into a small gap - as per diagram.



Anyone had any experience of this kind of bump?

I spoke to the other chap - the whole thing is with the insurance companies now - he blames my missus for not stopping in time! She was just in her own lane and this chap chanced a gap and got it wrong / cut it too tight and caught our car.

Insurance company say it could be a 'split claim' as no witnesses - his word etc. Missus took good photos at the scene that show what happened.

If anyone has any experience of this kind of scenario - i'd be interested to hear

Cheers.

[Ashlandchris]

Hi Andy,

Sorry to hear about the mishap. I know that it sounds like the fault of the driver that tried to nip in front of your wife, but my understanding is that the following driver has to maintain a safe gap (which is annoying in its own right as it is this safe gap that the chancer tried to nip into).
I am not a lawyer, but AFAIK that is how it works :-(


Yesterday while trying to get from Manchester airport to Sheffield I ended up having to use the Woodhead Pass as every other road was shut. We were queuing in left lane to go straight on at a roundabout, while the RH lane had flowing traffic turning rt. At the last minute one of the cars suddenly braked and tried to nip into a gap between static cars in LH lane, meaning that the big truck following had to slam all on and slide to a halt, barely missing the rear of the car that hadn't managed to get into the gap as there was insufficient room. Had the truck hit the car it would have been the following truck's fault and not the idiot in the car

[PaulRotheram]

From the bump ive had, the solicitor said as clear as day " if theres a bump on the front of one car, and the rear of the other - its the fault of the driver from behind".

I was hit from behind, and had to claim through it and it went smoothly due to them accepting liability. They said the chances of the other party winning, even if they disputed it were slim.

However your best chances here without onboard footage would be a 50/50 i would think.

A few years back you'd get people coasting along, then for no reason slamming on - trying to catch the driver behind out so they could get an easy claim

[andys]

Cheers for the reply - yes it does look like a bit of a grey area - hence wondering of anyone has any experience of this kind of thing !

Thing is - she was leaving a safe gap - in queuing stop / start traffic, so there's nothing you can do if someone decides to try to nip into a gap that ins't being enough and hits the front of your car?

She did stop, but he still hit her - so he basically drove into the side of her - I suspect there was nothing she could have done differently - she braked and stopped as he tried to swing in and he clipped her.

I know all about the driver behind is always at fault sketch - but she was in her own lane - minding her own business when this chap tried to nip in and hit her - damage was to the side of his car as well as ours so i'm hoping he's deemed to be in the wrong.

Also - as he was changing lanes and she was not - he performed the manouver that resulted in the accident.

Wev'e sent pictures etc to Insurance so just have to wait now....

[Northy]

So he hit a stationary vehicle?

G

[andys]

G - she was stop / starting, in 5mph queued traffic, she was moving when he tried to nip in - hence she had to jump on the brakes - she stopped, but as other driver was diving into a very small gap - and he cut it way too fine - he clipped our car as he tried to go into the space in front of her.

Picky of damage to cars - his is the blue one, what do you think chaps - on the bigger picky - the damage is as you would expect - mainly side and a bit to rear - as he went in at an angle.

[Northy]

I'd stress that she was stationary when he hit her if it was me.
I had similar on a roundabout years ago and it went 50/50.

G