Close one!

[DBP]

Me and my friend where out in his Polo GTi mk3 today. Was going out to Southampton from Bournemouth. We where near Sainsburys at the time in the left lane. There was a slow moving lorry in th way so we moved out for the over take and as we did a large piece of metal, half the size of his front end, comes tumbling over the top... BANG! We where hit at full force.

Lucky enough we managed to pull the driver over and get all the details. My mates car is a complete wreck and I've hurt my back through it.

We where so lucky though, if we where sitting 4ft further back that would of hit the windscreen!

I know it doesn't look like much but it has done a lot of damage!

[cheezemonkhai]

So what are you saying happened exactly?

Is that Boscome, just before the A31 or somewhere else?

Are you saying the piece of metal was part of the lorry or just something on the road surface?

There doesn't appear to be anything missing off the lorry behind you, so when you say his front end do you mean the lorry or car?

If it the debris was thrown up off the road, do you perhaps think that was why the lorry was going slow when you went to overtake?

I have to be honest and say the car looks damaged, not wrecked.

Looks like a tidy up and respray is needed on the front bumper, the bonnet (including a new washer trim) and the trim in between. (Oh and replacing the reg plate)

What other damage has been done to it that makes you say it's wrecked?

If that was a large piece of metal, then I think you came off with very limited damage.

I'm not quite getting why you're implying it's the lorry drivers fault (if you even are)

[DBP]

Sorry, I wrote it as a final post before I went to bed last night, hence why it doesn't read all to well.

We where heading eastbound on the A31 heading towards Southampton.

As we passed under the A338 over head pass, we noiced a police car pearched above so we decided to very much keep to the speed limit.

Still heading along A31, just before the 4 lanes changed back into 2 (near waitrose), we where slowed down by a large transport lorry, the one in question.

We moved out for the overtake (mirror, signal, manouver)

As our front near side was coming into line with his rear offside a subsantial bit of metal broke free from the top of his load.

It came tumbling off and just hit the floor infront of us, ripping the number plate out, breaking the nearside headlamp, front grille, lower grilles, near side lamp washer and scaping the bumper.

The piece of metal then went under the car.

We pulled up next to the driver and managed to capture his attention.

After a mile of driving me managed to get him pulled over and get all he details.

He didn't seem that bothered about what he had done.

Lucky enough we where able to sort it all out before we left and his company are quite happy to pay for the damage.

The driver was very much at fault as he hadn't properly fixed his load. Infact no effort had been made, he decided to leave the safty neeting off for the journey.

We have already taken it to a body work specialist and he told us what damage had been done and what he would fix.

I hope that is more clear.

[Rhoobarb]

Try for mental anguish and hysterical pregnancy. lol

Joking aside, its good that noone was injured beyond a hurt back and thats the main thing. If the company are willing to repair the damage all the better. It could have been a case of 'prove it!'

[DBP]

Try for mental anguish and hysterical pregnancy. lol

Joking aside, its good that noone was injured beyond a hurt back and thats the main thing. If the company are willing to repair the damage all the better. It could have been a case of 'prove it!'

As I said were very lucky! A few feet back or forward and it could have been the windscreen. I reckon where it happend there are quite a few CCTV cameras we could obtain footage from. Infact, I think I might look into that.

[Irvtheswerv]

You should have reported it to the cops. Traffic cops turn out, prosecute the driver for either insecure or dangerous load. There is no come back then, he is at fault for the accident and company can't wriggle out of it.

[cheezemonkhai]

You should have reported it to the cops. Traffic cops turn out, prosecute the driver for either insecure or dangerous load. There is no come back then, he is at fault for the accident and company can't wriggle out of it.

Yes makes a lot more sense and I agree.

There is a firm that travels along the M27 that often has insufficiently secured loads.

Get it fixed, get it paid for by the company and then report it to the police too, because if they have done it once they might again.

[Tommytom]

Can i ask how you hurt your back ?? :wonder:

[Fester1698]

if you have received an injury it must be reported to the police

[Tommytom]

if you have received an injury it must be reported to the police

Totally agree !

[AA51DEN]

i cant understand how you hurt your back from that either? easy claim from existing injury?

[VWD]

Seen it often from this type of wagon ,so now -I give them a very wide berth . OMHO this sort of wagon needs more than a sheet ( which more often than not they've not got). -But then ,insecure loads don't pose as much of a road hazard as someone doing 2mph over the limit ,so out goes Traffic cops( who'd spot & stop this) and in come "safety " cameras ( which would only act later if the hazard exceeded the speed limit) ( and then only take a photo) .

Edited 18 June, 2010 by VWD

[phantomlurker]

There is a firm that travels along the M27 that often has insufficiently secured loads.

i think i know this company - they have a large amount of blue on their trucks.

I have reported dangerous tailgating by an HGV driver to the company and didn't even get a reply...

PL

[cheezemonkhai]

i think i know this company - they have a large amount of blue on their trucks.

I have reported dangerous tailgating by an HGV driver to the company and didn't even get a reply...

PL

That would be the ones.

I've driven behind one on a road to one of their stations watching the lorries dumping debris all the way.

Ranging from polystyrene down to big chunks of wood depending on the occasion.

The most annoying was one full of sand with no cover, that effectively sandblasted the cars as people drove past.

I've also reported and got no response.

Funny thing is, that I've seen them fully loaded with the nets on the side and debris flying back on many occasions and nothing seems to get done.

The more red based company seem to manage to have nearly all their lorries covered.

I do sometimes wonder if it's worth going to the police, but I'm sure they'd say they need more than one person and also some hard evidence.

[oilburninnut]

Unfortunate thing about scrap tippers is health and safety laws prevent the driver from securing it, in the old days we used to walk the loads now its illeagle, i had a huge piece of aliminium fly off mine on the m6 a couple of years ago and write off a car, i pleaded not guilty in court my soliciter presented the evidence and i was found not guilty, its one of those things unfortunatly, one nonsense law puts road users in danger, but as we know health and safety isn't about saving lives is it?

[cheezemonkhai]

Crazy that Gary :(

Still surprised that the things don't have a cover that goes over the top on an automatic system that won't release the airbrake or similar until it's in place.

Hey ho.

[auroan]

WTF, H&S doesn't stop you securing loads. All you need to the requisit safety equipment and training. FFS H&S is used as a get out for everything know-a-days because most people know no better (including judges) and believe the tripe.

[oilburninnut]

WTF, H&S doesn't stop you securing loads. All you need to the requisit safety equipment and training. FFS H&S is used as a get out for everything know-a-days because most people know no better (including judges) and believe the tripe.

So you advocate a man walking across a non uniformal load of sharp things 15ft up in the air do you? Only the biggest company( incedentally the one in the pic at the top) have the required harnesses and gantrys, i loaded at a small yard no gantry where it was the loaders responsibility to make sure the load was secure as health and safety law prevented me from climbing on top un harnessed and making sure it was secure, i agree its crazy, but its the law, we can go on for ever about what equipment and training all yards should have, but in the real world it just doesn't happen, and the judge agreed quite rightly that it wasn't my responsibility to ensure it was secure as i had no safe way in which to do it.

[oilburninnut]

Crazy that Gary :(

Still surprised that the things don't have a cover that goes over the top on an automatic system that won't release the airbrake or similar until it's in place.

Hey ho.

Trouble is equipment like that is expensive, and haulage operators generally have not got the funds to buy it, the margins really are that tight!!!!

[Captain Sisko]

A mate of mine had a wheelbarrow fall off a van/truck and hit his car.

Just damaged the bumper luckily and not major bady panels

[Dragonrider]

Why would the driver of this vehicle need to walk across the top of his load, he has a a purpose built safety net installed. He just never used it!

I work close to a transfer station and every vehicle must have his net over the load before he is allowed to leave, this doesn't stop some of the small, light litter flying off though.

[oilburninnut]

Why would the driver of this vehicle need to walk across the top of his load, he has a a purpose built safety net installed. He just never used it!

I work close to a transfer station and every vehicle must have his net over the load before he is allowed to leave, this doesn't stop some of the small, light litter flying off though.

good point, apart from lazyness i can only offer 1 other explanation, trouble is with nets and scrap is its ok netting light iron ect but no 1 which shouldn't need netting is getting mixed in with the lighter stuff to try and make the scrap man more money, trouble is the real no1 graded scrap will cut through the net for fun leaving big gaping holes, so when you come to net something that really needs it your in trouble, the other problem with the company pictured is they use a lot of inexpierienced agency drivers, and scrap tipping is just not the place to learn, its positivly deadly!!!!

[DBP]

Hi all, finally got the info back on this...

The damage to my friends car is £1789 and their insurance is more than willing to pay for it, So all is good.

As for the driver...

This isn't the first time it has happened apparently, he has left his load unsafe before and apprently he has been cautioned for turning up to work drunk. Soon as he got back to the depo he was heavily disciplined for it.

[cheezemonkhai]

Hi all, finally got the info back on this...

The damage to my friends car is £1789 and their insurance is more than willing to pay for it, So all is good.

As for the driver...

This isn't the first time it has happened apparently, he has left his load unsafe before and apprently he has been cautioned for turning up to work drunk. Soon as he got back to the depo he was heavily disciplined for it.

Police involved and the guy fired would be my expectation of what is required to make any difference if you ask me.