Can this day get any crappier?

[Kooky]

Back to driving - meet Father of the Year: http://www.smh.com.au/national/drunk-dr ... -s141.html

[chocolate]

ugh to this day is all i'll say....

[Tas]

snap

[Lichtgestalt]

Starts off with kids being a nightmare, and a toddler clothing crisis, since I haven't caught up with the washing since coming back from Vienna. So I'm late leaving to visit the very nice, but very formal family friend up in the hills. As a result, I'm driving too fast, and in one double carriageway stretch that I thought was 100kph, I was doing (I think) over 120kph when I got flashed by a speed camera. A quick bit of chocolating tells me that not only can I expect a fine of c200 euros, I'm looking at a certain driving ban of one to three months. I am totally stuffed - especially since I got a speeding ticket last month too.

Are you sure with that 200 Euros? If the speed limit was 100 and it was outside the city boundaries you are more likely to look at something around 30 Euros. You also get clocked speed reduced by 3 for potential inacurracy and your speedo is likely to show more than the actual speed.

[cromasaig]

No, I'm not sure, but when I got my other speeding ticket last month for doing 120 in a 100 zone on the autobahn, it cost 94 euros, based on the amount I was over the limit.

Besides, while the cost is painful, the impending ban is much much more of a problem. Still, it's worked even before it's confirmed. I am searching out speed limit signs paranoically now, because my problem is I drive without thinking at UK speeds, ie, at 30 mph in towns, 60-70mph on dual carriageways, and 70-80mph on the autobahn. Need to train myself to get used to German speed changes, which seem much more marked to me (in both directions).

[slinky]

And speaking of crappy days, or at least crappy evenings and cars, I went to pick Mr. S up from work this evening - he had knee surgery on Monday, so I figured, why make him walk to the bus, right? Anyhow, I'm sitting in the car out in front of the building waiting - car is in park - and the guy who pulls up behind me decides to get out of his car without putting in in park Mr. S walks out of the building just in time to see the guy's car hit our car and the back bumper get smashed in. I have to say that car was moving at a decent clip for just being in gear and idling Tomorrow brings the joy of figuring out how auto insurance works here

[Tas]

oh gawd, that brings back a shudder when I had to spend a day on the phone getting the rear ender on my little blue box sorted - AND i was supposedly only planning to go into my full time job a bit late, didn't quite work out that way.....

[Lili Von Shtupp]

Oh Gawd, Slinky I don't envy you. Glad no one was hurt, but good luck with that nightmare.

[BoD]

I still don't understand how auto insurance works here. However, check with you insurer asap and there may well be a requirement to report the accident and get the car inspected within 48hours.

What you will probably end up doing is claiming directly from the other guys insurer (which keeps your NCD intact). As far as I can work out, if the accident was 100% and unarguably the other drivers fault, then you should be able to find a workshop that will do the repair and then claim the costs from the other insurer

[slinky]

Headed to the NTUC inspection place or whatever it is now -- that's what they said we had to do when we called last night. I guess they take the report from me & then tell me what comes next (or at least that's what I hope will happen.....) I'll let you know.

[slinky]

I'm told I need a new bumper and a new boot lid for a total cost of $3k The guy who assessed the damage/took photos, etc. knew it was an Audi that hit me before I told them what kind of car it was -- you can see the 5 rings imprinted on my bumper (didn't notice that bit last night)

I've phoned the other driver to let him know what the damage assessment is so he can decide if he wants to pay up or let his insurance take over and it's a bit worrying that he's not answering his phone nor has he responded to my sms requesting he call me. Hope he's just having a busy day or something....

[Scrummy Mummy]

Definitely inform your insurance company ASAP in case he tries to wriggle out of it.

[slinky]

Definitely inform your insurance company ASAP in case he tries to wriggle out of it.

That part is done - just giving him the option of paying (since he mentioned yesterday he may want to do that) before I tell my insurance to start a claim against his or whatever happens. I guess I'm feeling a little paranoid because his car has no damage at all (or at least nothing visible last night, but then I didn't seen the dent in my boot lid until today) and the fact that he didn't answer the phone & hasn't got back to me yet isn't helping.

[BoD]

Well if the bugger doesn't answer the phone, then you put it though his insurance company. Not your problem

[Fat Bob]

Well, she can only put it through his insurance company if you know who ther insurance company is. Which could be a problem if you weren't in Singapore.

Luckily, you are in Singapore. The LTA keeps all those records, so you will be able to ask LTA for his full details including insurance company and put it direct to them.

check out here

[slinky]

I have his vehicle number, his name and IC as well as the name of his insurance company -- all of which has been given in the report I made this morning. As it stands, it is set up as a 'claim on 3rd party insurance' unless I tell them we are going to settle privately. If he doesn't respond at all, then I'll just get the process started and get the car scheduled to be fixed to be paid for by his insurance.

[Tas]

I wouldn't bother giving him the option anymore, or waste your energy on him, unless there is an advantage to you to settle privately? Do you have to put any cash up front in one or the other option?

[Scrummy Mummy]

I agree. He should be bending over backwards to cooperate.

[slinky]

He just called. Obviously he doesn't like the $3k estimate to fix (neither would I in his shoes, I guess) and he's asking me to take it to a workshop to have an estimate done & will call back with details. I can't see that it would hurt to let him have an estimate done and I've already told him we don't want someone to just attempt to repair it - we want stuff replaced so it is back to it's original condition. There's just about no way they'll get the dent out of the boot lid anyway - it has to be replaced.

[Tas]

erm, I still wouldn't bother, it's his fault, you don't need to waste your time to drive it somewhere to get an estimate. it's no longer your problem, it goes through the insurance. get it done properly. drop it off at the registered dealer tomorrow, dont' get any further involved.

[Fat Bob]

I wouldn't take it to his workshop, it's now up to him to settle it after a quote from IDAC. Since the "I" in IDAC stands for Independant, then that's the quote you should go with.

Running around for him is not your job, your job is to get it fixed and get driving again asap.

claim for rental car whilst yours is off the road too.

[slinky]

You guys are right -- I'm not comfortable going to 'his guy' on this. We want an authorized Honda repair shop to do the work so that we can be sure everything is done exactly as it should be. I've put Mr. S on the case - he's calling the guy and telling him he's more than welcome to pay independently rather than through his insurance i.e. we're not going to force him to make a claim, but we reserve the right to have it repaired at a place we're comfortable with.

[Tas]

I still don't understand the discussion with the guy. It's not about you force him anything. He's damaged your property, he has to pay for it. You have one discussion in which he has two options, either settle privately or through the insurance claim. This is not a discussion. Suggest he has 24hrs to make a choice of payment method, then you intend to progress repair actions.

[slinky]

I'm sure that's what Mr. S is telling him now, Tas. I agree, he should decide pretty much right now - pay out of pocket or claim through insurance. I'd like the car in the shop next week if at all possible.

[Tas]

Whilst I noted earlier that it took a day of phonecalls to sort out my car issues, the payment was a non issue, I told my insurance company his insurance company, I took to insurance car dealer on their list, in the end done - not on iota of further interaction with the guy who rear ended me, and not a dime from me specific to the repairs (other than paying for the battery for the car, it's a strange little story about the car no longer working after the accident, the battery was dead, despite it being serviced 1 day b4 accident, oh and the tow truck whatever....no further negotiation with the person who hit my car)