Them’s the breaks (Oh, and Taxi drivers are wankers).
So, I had my first car accident last night. I still haven’t quite processed properly that it happened, seems kind of like a dream. Still feeling a bit rattled from it, and was surprised how nervous I felt driving again today, as I consider myself a fairly resilient person.
I was on my way to pick up my boyfriend from work (and was actually in HIS car, not mine) in Woolloongabba. Driving along Logan road past the Broadway Hotel, well below the speed limit as I was looking for a park. Spotted one at the very end so slowed down even further and started indicating about 20 metres back from the park. I was in the centre of my side of the road (it has perpendicular parking in the middle of the street and is single lane, probably a lane and a half wide both directions, on either side of the parking spots) and clearly had on my right indicator to park in the centre of the road.
Just as I have begun to turn to the right to pull into the space I notice the front left corner of a car in my peripheral vision to my right, at almost exactly the same time as he slams straight into me. There was no time to react between me seeing him try to cut up the inside of me and him hitting me. And he hit with enough force to push my car to it’s left. He has hit the back of the drivers door, and scraped along the side to stop just behind the front wheel.
It takes me about a minute to process what has happened. Then, after my brain has registered what just happened, I realise it wasn’t my fault and he was trying to cut up the inside of me, even though I was clearly turning into a parking space. Of course, as I realise this I simultaneously notice it is actually a taxi driver (foreign, of course) who has hit me. And he has started climbing out of the car, yelling at me already. Not one to be bullied, I try to roll down my window (as I cannot get my door open) to yell back, knowing full well I am in the clear.
I proceed to crawl across the car and hop out the passenger side. Mr Taxi is still yelling, trying to tell me I was parked on the left-hand side of the road (which is clear from the current position of the cars is impossible). I continue yelling back.
About 2 minutes after this the tow company turns up, having heard the crash from down the road. Luckily they were the loveliest guys and helped get the guy away from me and calmed him down. Having no idea what car accident procedure is I ask the Towies what I need to do, and they explain it all to me. Also mentioning they had an identical crash the week before, involving a young female driver being hit by a taxi. Coincidence?
Luckily all this has happened right outside my boyfriend’s work so he has come down by this stage. The shock has also began to set in for me and I am now shaking quite badly. He phones the cops whilst I fill out driver info etc. Cops tell him as no one is hurt they won’t come to the scene, and if there is dispute over who is at fault we have to go to a police station. So after taking multiple photos, more abuse from Mr Taxi, and organising for my car to be towed, off we head.
We finally find a police station open at this time (around 6:30pm) and I make a statement. The cop calls the driver and asks him to come give one too. I go home as nothing else needed at this time.
Cop phones me later and tells me that the taxi driver is now saying I was pulled over on the left hand side of the road and he thought I was turning into a driveway on the left when I pulled across in front of him, not indicating (all of which is clearly a lie and is shown as such in the photo’s taken). Cop tells me as there are conflicting stories there is nothing they can do, as no cops attended the scene so can’t judge who is at fault, and we need to pursue it ourself.
Our next step is going to be multiple quotes for our repairs, and then decide if it is worth pursuing (the kicker is we realise car only has CTP not comprehensive /wrists).
It just makes me so angry that although Mr Taxi was clearly in the wrong, because he gave a conflicting story (whether he believes it or knows it is untrue), now we have to suffer and probably end up paying for our repairs ourself.
But, lesson learned. We will see what happens from here.
Tagged as Accident, Car, Parking, Road Rules, Taxi + Categorized as Random Rants
THE BASTARD!!! I have to say though, the image of you abusing the crap out of the foreign taxi driver did make me giggle a little – i’m surprised he didn’t run for the hills – obviously unaware of your intimate knowledge of forensics and the finer details of disposing of a body….LOL
Wow, I would have been shaking too Kate……especially as it was the drivers door. I always thought whoever hit was at fault……but maybe not? Surely with your photo evidence and maybe you could chat to the tow truck people that came to the accident – would they not give a statement to help your case? I guess it’s still your word against his, but surely with the photos and a witness (tow truck company) saying that you weren’t parked on the left hand side surely that has to work in your favour because that proves he is lying. Goodluck sorting it all out….it’s painful even when everyone does agree etc.
Sorry to hear but glad you’re ok Kate.
Taxi drivers will never admit it was their fault because they may lose their license …they are wankers, and they know if you have no witnesses you can’t prove anything.
Moral of the story: throw stuff at taxi drivers to maintain the karma balance …most of them deserve it.