What are these people thinking!

[BobL]

Cop and insurance reports are all done with correct dates. Now that I have calmed down a bit I do feel sorry for the guy especially as he is now probably going to now be done for fraud and will have a hefty fine to pay on top of his insurance debts. Being a foreigner I suspect he will probably flee the country.

Someone said to me yesterday, "are you sure he was asleep and not texting"!!!

Now that I think about it he did get out of the car holding his mobile and I was surprised that he did not swerve all that hard to miss me (ever tried steering with a mobile in your hand?)

He probably realizes that driving while using a mobile is an offence but thinks driving while asleep (fatigued) isn't??

[Groggy]

Don't feel sorry for anyone but yourself Bob. If he fell asleep instead of having a 10 min powernap then he deserves to have the law after him. If he was texting then he deserves the same result. I reckon nearly a third of drivers need to lose their licences because of phones and sheer bad behaviour. Unfortunately speed cameras can't generate revenue from that - yet.

[beer is good]

Hi Bob,
Glad to hear that you weren't badly hurt. I am surprised that your van will be written off - it didn't look too damaged in the photo. The scary thing about crashes (the cops don't call them "accidents" any more) is that they are so random. If you had been a minute earlier or later nothing would have happened. I think your next van should be a Western Star prime mover!!

[Fuzzie]

Bob, glad you walk away with only a scratch. With a written report by campus security on record you'd be out of your mind to falsify the insurance claim, apart from it being just wrong.

[BobL]

Bob, glad you walk away with only a scratch. With a written report by campus security on record you'd be out of your mind to falsify the insurance claim, apart from it being just wrong.

I absolutely had no intention of falsifying the reports - I was just relaying what the other driver wanted me to do. The other driver has also been hounding me all weekend with text messages asking me have I reported the accidents and what should he do. I have had to tell him to stop sending me text messages and go get proper legal advice.

[Groggy]

The other driver has also been hounding me all weekend with text messages ...

You should have replied "Don't forget to look up"

[BobL]

You should have replied "Don't forget to look up"

My insurance company recommended not to provide him with any legal advice

[artme]

Glad you are OK Bob! Things could have been much worse.

Sounds like the other bloke is a right drongo.

[HavinaGo]

Bob,

Glad all people OK
Further I hope your Insurance looks after you and gets you back on the road soon.


As a cyclist in Melbourne I must say I never know what other drivers are thinking and only survive using the age old rule "they're out to get me"
--- no I'm not paranoid!

[kiwigeo]

It turns out he works nights and looks after his 2 little kids during the day while his wife works. He admitted he didn't see me and fell asleep in front of two witnesses and I have their written statement to that effect.

What's wrong with these people ??

What's wrong? He didn't do a proper risk analysis before jumping in his car knowing he probably had the motor skills of a person who's technically drunk (proven in studies on shift workers).

[A Duke]

What's wrong? He didn't do a proper risk analysis before jumping in his car knowing he probably had the motor skills of a person who's technically drunk (proven in studies on shift workers).

And people begrudge them their shift allowance.

[BobL]

And people begrudge them their shift allowance.

In the context of this thread I don't understand this response - a shift allowance isn't going to make up for the fact that he was driving fatigued and could have killed us both.

I'm more convinced than ever that he was not tired - but texting. He works from 8 pm to 4 am and is still driving fatigued 13 hours later at 5 pm just doesn't add up. He also steps out of his vehicle immediately after the accident with a mobile in his hand?

Maybe I'll try asking him for a cut of his shift allowance to cover incidentals like;
a) My vehicle had just been serviced and the wheel alignment done ($350)
b) My vehicle has just had $70 worth of diesel put in it
c) Insurance are writing off my vehicle - ie lose a couple of grand in the change over process.
d) I've lost most of my planned weeks holiday to sort out this crap, eg driving wife to-from her work in city traffic so I can use her vehicle to drive to where my vehicle is located and remove the extras from the vehicle, looking for a replacement vehicle, and eventually re-installing extras back into replacement vehicle.

I reckon five grand would cover it

[A Duke]

Sorry BobL it was not a response to the thread but just to kiwigeo's reference to proven in studies on the effects on shift workers and as you say probably has nothing to do with your case at all. It is just that when some one gets something for risking their health and every thing else by working unsociable hours people carry on like it's going to bring down the whole economy and then you see what the CEOs get.
As you say nothing to do with the thread.
Glade to see you were not injured and hope you get the insurance sorted and get mobile again soon.
Regards,

[BobL]

Sorry BobL it was not a response to the thread but just to kiwigeo's reference to proven in studies on the effects on shift workers and as you say probably has nothing to do with your case at all. It is just that when some one gets something for risking their health and every thing else by working unsociable hours people carry on like it's going to bring down the whole economy and then you see what the GEOs get.
As you say nothing to do with the thread.
Glade to see you were not injured and hope you get the insurance sorted and get mobile again soon.
Regards,

No worries - BTW I do support shift workers getting an allowance.

[kiwigeo]

Now that I have calmed down a bit I do feel sorry for the guy especially as he is now probably going to now be done for fraud and will have a hefty fine to pay on top of his insurance debts. Being a foreigner I suspect he will probably flee the country.

Bob, you've done the right thing. You can feel sorry for him and let him off the hook but what are the chances he'll go and kill someone next time he falls asleep at the wheel or texts on his mobile (both dangerous and stupid acts).

Cheers Martin