Been white van manned (update)

[flyingzard]

Coming up to a large traffic lighted roundabout the inside 2 lanes were blocked due to the early morning traffic but the outside lane was clear which was kinda cool as that was the lane i needed. About 3 car lengths from the lights a white trannie van decided that he wanted my lane.

Basically he took my lane whilst i was alongside him The damage to the car was primarily caused by his drivers side wheel wacking me passenger side front alloy. Pushed me clear off the road across a high kerbed central reservation thingy. Came to a standstill in the middle of a 3 lane roundabout!

Steering is shafted and well the piccie shows it all really. It was one 'ell of a whack of a steely on alloy!!

He didnt admit anything but i wasnt expecting him to. He did say that he decided to change his mind on his route to work due to traffic congestion and hence needing my lane but thats all. He then had the audacity to say i was speeding which i wasnt. It was only after then that i thought that if he thought i was speeping then he must have seen me and therefore why pull out on me....!

Anyone had anything similar and can give any good advice? I am hopeful that the evidence is enough to prove that it was his fault but not ever in 18 years of driving needed to make a claim or am i just a little bit nieve and it will blaightenly be classed as knock for knock.

I am heading out tomorrow morning to take some snaps of where i went off roading in the hope that there are tyre marks in the grass to prove thats where he pushed me off the road. probably 40 or more people saw it but did one person stop - not a chuffin chance!

[snakehips]

That really sucks, and that's why I give all white vans a wide berth!
Did you have any witnesses? It's going to be really tough for you to prove fault without a 3rd party corroborating your story.

[Gene Hunt.]

Bad news mate.Just try & get all the details down on paper so there still fresh in you'r mind & then contact the insurance company & give them everything that was said,do a drawing on paper showing were you'r car was at the time of impact etc. 

[wuker]

I that sort of situation I would have called the boys in blue

Let them decide who was at fault, i hope you got all of his details

[flyingzard]

thanks for all your advice. Its currently set as third party (white van man)and that has been sent to his company insurance. Its up to then to accept or deny those claims.

I went back to where it happened earlier to take some photos and where he pushed me off the road there is no more than 18 inch clearance between my tyre track and pole mounted street light!! I was very lucky the twonk didn't do more damage to my car and me!

[sambo]

Being a white van mad myself I would say you were probably in his blind spot which all vans suffer from very badly ( can't look over your shoulder). That and he changed his mind, was in a rush and had to act quick in the traffic and there goes the front end of your car.

Definately sound's like his fault. If you didn't change lanes then there's not much that can go against you? or did you both decide you wanted the outside lane?

Have you got any witnesses?

Sam

[mr magoo]

Nasty nasty damage - really sorry to see 

Clearly his fault - he's changed lanes in to you.

Knock-for-knock doesn't really exist any more - tends to be settled these days on a strict liability basis, eg: 100%/0, 75/25, 50/50 etc.

[pitman4u]

witnesses needed mate. my mum had a similar bump in her lexus last year totaly other drivers fault but wouldnt admit it. so it was her word against his

[Vman]

Get yourself down to the doctors asap, you might have whiplash or something, you can bet the white van man has already.

[flyingzard]

Thanks for advice and kind words. 

I was in the lane already and he definately joined my lane with me alongside him. That i can remember!!

I reckon i must have been in his blind spot although his decision to change lanes was very sudden due to a change of plans on his route due to traffic congestion which he did admit to me. Probably a case of oh i cannot be bothered to sit in traffic, i could go the back way, oh i could make the lights if i did that.... move..... BANG!

Been to my doctor and i have whip lash. Feels a lot better now fortunately.

May have struck the jackpot - above the traffic light there is a CCTV camera pointing down the lane i was in. Waiting on a chap to phone me back from the city CCTV dept. Fingers crossed it was pointing that way on the morning of the accident and that it is angled down enough to see what happened. It'll only be a 2 or 3 frames a sec camera but it should prove that he rammed me off the road if it was looking at us.