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My Accident (the Boring Thread)

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by PerryL, Jun 9, 2021.

  1. I am driving a car from Gloucester to Lydney tomorrow at around 2:30 to 4:30. Quite legally, as I'll be in a motoring school L-car, but keep clear as I DON'T GAF!!!

    I am quite looking forward to it and quite happy to take any advice from the instructor. I am not proud and although I passed my test over 40 years ago, I am not so arrogant as to think that I know it all.

    Found out today, that not only is my sister threatening to never speak to me again if I ever ride a motorbike, but thinks that even if I do the driving assessment, I shouldn't get a car and drive.

    On the one hand, You (as in I) could say that she is being ridiculously over-protective, but on the other hand, she is thinking of how much compensation I could get.

    I will talk to my sol about this (she has the bare-faced cheek to be on holiday at the moment and I'M PAYING FOR THIS!! Well, actually I'm not, as it is no win no fee!) but my sister thinks that if I say that the DVLA prevented me from driving then I deserve more compo, but I think that I have to show that I tried. I'll ask my solicitor when she returns. I may get my car license back, but I am fully expecting them to mess me around on the motorbike side.

    My sister is also worried about my eyesight but I did explain that I did at least six DVLA eye test last year. The assessment centre tell me that I must of passed the last one as the DVLA would not of let me go to the next step if I had not passed.

    This eye test that I did many times at Specsavers: I reckon that less than 50% of the population of car drivers could pass it. It would explain a lot of the bad driving that you see, but if a government passed legislation that banned half of all drivers (and in particular, the wrinklies, then that would be an end of the conservatives.... Actually, come to think of it....
     
  2. Is your sister going to be your carer and run you around if your not allowed to think fir yourself ;)
     
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  3. No. That is why I am going to ignore her!

    Getting a car over, just using taxis is arguable, but the independence of just going to the Forest of Dean for a walk and taking as long as I like and then changing my mind halfway through and going into Cinderford for a coffee, is priceless!

    And that's why, if I ever get my motorbike license back, I will go back to biking. I just would not be happy to leave it - especially if it is a choice made for me, rather than by me!

    I am unlikely to ever work again and had my license suspended, plus never going to run again. All of those choices have been made for me, with me having no say in them. When it was me not sleeping from 4am until 8am and necking an indecent amount of paracetamol, that was all from things that I had no choice in, but just had to endure.

    When it comes back to doing things that I like to do by choice, then I am just going to get on with it.

    My ex is suffering big time with the chemo from cancer. That is not her fault and she has done nothing to deserve it. That is another reason why I am determined to do things that make me happy as none of us know how long we have. By rights, my crash should of killed me - that is what the investigating police officer expected to hear when doing the scene investigation in the dark - and I was prepared and nil-by-mouthed for 24 hours, ready for a leg amputation. I acknowledge that I have been flipping lucky, but I'll be thankful for that and remain unhindered in my future.

    I like to take the positives. I'll never work again but I will have time to travel and do other things. One of which is playing around with motorbikes. If I can't ride them, then that won't be much fun!
     
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  4. Good luck tomorrow P with your first drive that will give your confidence a boost.
     
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  5. Good Luck Perry. :upyeah:
     
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  6. Good luck Pez
     
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  7. Todays's the day! I hope it goes well and you enjoy both the driving and the trip out.
     
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  8. How did it go today P?
     
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  9. bump? go ok?
     
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  10. It was interesting. The car was an impossible to stall, little Hyundai diesel. I quite enjoyed it but struggled a bit with the car. Going uphill on a slight gradient, he kept on telling me to change up to third. My last car was a Mitsubishi Mirage, with a 1.2 petrol, that possessed no torque, whatsoever. This diesel job would be impossible to stall and I guess that is why he likes it as a learner car. On an uphill stretch that I would of struggled to do in 2nd, this diesel job could do it in third, easily!

    The roads around Lydney that he had me on, are narrow and I was trying to be careful to not smash his car up or anyone else's, so I was too cautious.

    I did enjoy it, though and it was a good day out. We are going to do it again on the week after next. He has taken people to the assessment centre before and he reckons that the examiners are right bastads! He reckons that the don't have quotas, like driving test examiners, and can just fail everyone, with impunity!

    Some would say that this plays into my hands as I get more compensation, by a long chalk, if I fail. And doing these lessons with a qualified instructor will not allow the other side to blame me, as I can show that I made best efforts.

    And I did get picked up on some bad habits that I enjoy! Driving with only one hand on the steering wheel and dropping into neutral to cruise up to a red traffic light are both "no nos"!

    And he was not very impressed with my idea of lapping Castle Combe track for extra practice!
     
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  11. Seems like doing this was a good idea. You've found some weak spots in your driving and can focus on them pre assessment. Compensation for being unable to drive is your right, but I'm sure you'd rather have your license back if possible.

    The important thing was you enjoyed it!
     
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  12. It has had much family discussion, but really, I would like to get my license back, rather than extra compensation.

    Using taxis is all very well, but as I said to my taxi driver today, say I wanted to go for a walk in the Forest of Dean, today and then afterwards, fancied going into Lydney (or wherever) for a coffee, then with my own transport, then I could just do it, with no word, or plans, to anyone - just be spontaneous. I want to do more exploring by train and my local station has free parking (must be one of a few that still does), so, with my own car, I can just get up one morning decide to go to wherever and then drive to the station and get the train. Comeback when I like (or not come back until the next day) and basically do what I like. I'd rather that than some more cash.
     

  13. That’s great P
    Now focus on the positives and don’t play into the hands of negativity. More compensation and failing will only keep you at home.
    You can do this and get more lessons in to build up your confidence
    The more your told you can’t do something your mind will agree.
    Don’t over analyse just enjoy the freedom that sitting in that driving seat does for you and how it makes you feel. :)

    Well done on that first step P you got this
     
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  14. Personal freedom and independence over personal wealth has always been my choice throughout my life. None of us have complete control over these things as you well know and we all have to occasionally accept a situation for what it is.

    This is a heads you win, tails they lose situation for you. If you get your licence back you are mobile in a car and ideally for a bike. If your injuries mean thats not possible, you've strengthened your claim for compensation and you know you've tried your best.

    I'd be doing the same in your shoes.
     
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  15. Sorry Jez, but I have a slightly different take on Perry’s situation.
    Unfortunately you have to play the system otherwise they will stuff you. I may agree that he should show that he’s doing his level best to get back as close as he can to pre accident level, but he should fail (perhaps on purpose), because to me it’s all about the compensation. I see nothing wrong after the claim has been settled for a massive improvement in his health to take place but before that no.
    I think Perry’s physical damages won’t be the lions share of Perry’s settlement, I think it will be based on the loss of his potential income.
    I know Perry has said he’ll never work again, which may be correct, but I’m positive the DWP will try their level best to declare him fit for work at some point even if he thinks he’s not.
    I know Perry may be a bit young (and to rich :)) to worry about state pension, but it’s also something he should take into consideration, if he hasn’t enough stamp paid in he won’t get full state pension, which may be another factor to think about, so he’ll either have to pay for his own stamp or sign on.
    All I’m saying is Perry should get his ducks in a row before making what might be a rash decision and jeopardising his future comfort.
     
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  16. Bless your heart Viv, Post of the week for me ^.
     
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  17. Interesting (to me) that the DWP have been really cool. I think that the pandemic has helped. They said, specifically, not to visit any Jobcentre and basically, "Keep the fook away!" Suits me - and they still pay me every month!

    I will be getting an inheritance in the coming months, that will force me to come clean and stop claiming, as I think that if you have more than so much cash(14k?) then you can't claim. And then there will be whatever compensation that I end up with. But it is all quite strange, as loss of earning potential does seem more important than injury. I almost lost my leg and have endured pain so bad, I was necking anything that I could get hold of. It is impossible to remember pain, though. Now it is just a distant memory. I would neck half a bottle of whisky in a couple of hours during the night, then the paracetamol that I was given (boxes and boxes) and then I would get on to Piriton (that you are told not to mix with alcohol, but I did!) and now it is just a distant memory.

    I complicate things by taking a much lower paid job, coz it was local and I ended up with a dog to look after. I've tried to balance this with my solicitor by saying that I only took a lower paid job coz I wanted to work locally to walk the dog every day. My point being, that this accident ended up with me losing the dog (coz I I would never be able to walk it) amd losing my driving license making it really hard to get anywhere for work. I don't think it fair that the other side benefit form this.

    When I first moved here, I didn't move here for work. I choose it coz it was rural but not far from Bristol Parkway, making it easy to work and stay in London (before I got the dog) during the week. And then I ended up with dog (as my ex couldn't deal with the mutt) and coz I had paid off my mortgage and with three Ducatis, I was in easy reach of some brilliant Welsh roads. I've done a work history that my sol asked for, but I made the point that my earnings dropped off in the last few years coz I could afford to work locally and had a dog to look after, so I wasn't chasing any big well-paid job and didn't want to work long hours as I had a dog to walk.

    The complicating factors are the pandemic and the toughening up on HMRC rules on working through a one man band, ltd company. I used to enjoy the good times of taking the piss on income tax and NI. All that was ending and I don't really know how this will pan out with my claim. I just don't want the other side to benefit.

    My take on it is that if I took a voluntary decision to take over the hound and work locally for much lower money, then I shouldn't be punished for it by getting lower compensation as it is not my fault that i lost the dog to somebody else and can't travel anywhere for work without a driving license.

    We shall see what happens but I really don't give much of a f... The most important thing for me is getting my driving license restored and getting my leg strong enough to handle a big bike again. It's weird (or I am) coz my solicitor said that she didn't see this as the most important things, but they are to me. I am fortunate, in that I have inheritance money coming and have shares in a property company owning two properties in Chiswick, London. And still have two Ducatis (that need putting together, but I can do that now. I've taken a couple of days off as I did the driving lesson in Lydney, yesterday and had my second covid injection today, but should be able to make a start tomorrow.

    And (more importantly) I did my exercise cycling this afternoon! I couldn't do it after inoculation 1, but this time, no problem!

    It's nice not being desperate for the compensation money and being in a position to make Hastings suffer (although they don't get it, yet) and think that I've just faded away into the background.

    I am pretty certain that I will buy a car when I get this license crap sorted. I will be getting an automatic but I drive a geared car for my driving practice and will take the assessment in a geared car, so as not to give the bastids any opportunity to restrict my driving license to an automatic only. Modern automatics seem so much better. A Ford B-Max is a likely candidate.

    But I will fight to get my motorcycle license back if he DVLA put up any more barriers after the driving assessment (which I fully expect them to) but I don't get the mentality of somebody who goes to work every day, in happiness that they know that they are going to behave like a bastid all day. This accident has certainly been a learning experience

    I thought that I had my "reward" motorbike sorted out as the Ducati Supersport S but now not 100% sure. I'm going to stop thinking and coventrate on getting the bikes that I have got, on the road. Whilst writing this, I am having doubts on getting into doing the shim adjustment on my ST2. It's in bits, as I got as far as measuring clearances on the vertical cylinder. I might just do the measuring but not the adjusting. I don't want to make myself get angry. I've had it with anger. I'll finish doing all of the measuring on both cylinders and then see how confident I feel. Maybe, I just need to man-up! I did it years ago on a Darmah, when I was much less experienced and tool-rich. I will do he measuring and then see how confident I feel.
     
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  18. One more thing, any benefit you have received whilst all this is going on Perry will probably be deducted from your compensation when it’s settled.
    Good luck with shim adjustment :upyeah:
     
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  19. A mixture of emotions in there P understandably after all you have gone through.
    i think you have already manned up
    I’m sure measuring is a bit frustrating for you. But you can do it.
    Each step you make moves you forward.
    You got this even in the harder days
     
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  20. Thanks. Sticking in there.

    I'll make contact with my solicitor next week. From what I have gathered, so far, the thrust from the other side's ambition, is to pee me off so much, that I go away. That's not going to happen as I am enjoying the ride! My solicitor doesn't get paid until I do and they must of invested tens of thousand in this. This will end up in court and so they can now come up with any old crap - I expect them to deny that I was even in the country, next! They do all of this crap becoz they know that they are deeply fooked. We have the Police report confirming that it was not my fault and 100% the other driver's fault, although I am at bit disappointed with myself that they didn't think that I was speeding (much) coz I like to kid myself that I am fast! The other driver pleaded guilty to and was prosecuted for driving without due care and attention. The Police report shows that the road was closed for 12 hours and names me as the motorcyclist - they would have gone through my wallet to find out who I was and found my driving license and all will tie up with the number plate.

    Interesting thing (to me) is that many would think that they would make me an offer to try and put the case to bed and know what this has cost them so much. Instead, they seem to prefer to rile up me and my solicitor, thereby ensuring that no deal will be done and they will be made to look stupid in court and incur the wrath of a judge for wasting the court's time. To me, as an ignoramus, this seems quite mad. If insurance companies want to keep down costs, so that they can offer low premiums to encourage more custom, then this seems quite a mad way to run a business.

    Even this driving license hassle does not bother me. I enjoyed the train journey back from Lydney on Thursday, with the driving lesson being quite interesting (as somebody who has not had one for over 40 years!). Getting to know Lydney and a different car is no bad thing. More than a few people have now told me that I could walk across the Severn to Lydney at low tide, but feck that for a game of soldiers and I get the train!

    The human body seem to be incapable of remembering pain. Now, I have none and the sun is shining!

    Also the compensation that I end up with, will not be altered by how annoyed that I get. So, just get on and enjoy life is my outlook!
     
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