Only a matter of time...

[TriumphDave]

Well its finally happened...

5 months as a driving instructor and I've had my first accident.

Pulling out at a junction (on a hill) - learner stalls the car - BANG! - hit on the front offside by a Vauhall Meriva. I'm currently phoning around to sort out a replacement car and enter the insurance maze.

Luckily no-one was hurt - sturdy little cages them Fiestas - so the police didn't get involved.

I'm just surprised it didn't happen sooner (especially with me in charge!)

[BaZa ®]

Don't you have dual controls these days? Or at least have a hand at the ready on the hand brake. The leaner must have pulled out without much of a gap if the Vauxhall could not stop in time.

Lucky it was not a bike instead of the Vauxhall Meriva. It would have then been a mess!

I couldn't do that job...not enough patience.

[TriumphDave]

Yes Baza, I do have duals - no excuses really, it was my own fault although I was slightly distracted by trying to get the learner to restart the car after a stall.

I agree about being glad it wasn't a bike - although a bike would probably have got round us fairly easily - we were only about a yard over the give way line when we got hit. Come to think of it, there was probably enough room for the Meriva to have got round us, but I realise I shouldn't expect other drivers (or riders) to swerve around my learner's mistakes. I'm there to prevent them happening in the first place.

Rest assured it won't happen again - I'll be standing on that dual brake until I'm certain that its safe.

[BaZa ®]

Did your leaner have a short skirt on....

Tell them to get some practice in here:

http://www.107.peugeot.co.uk/peugeot.swf

[Chiefy]

Vauxhall Meriva eh, wasn't that feckin family off the Meriva advert was it?

Sorry to hear of the bump, I assume you've not got to phone around getting your own spares sorted out and negotiating with the assesor. ;)

[TriumphDave]

No Chief,

The car is contract hire so I get a replacement within 24 hrs and they just take the bent one away to be fixed.

I have filed the insurance claim and accepted the blame so I will have to pay a £250 excess up front before they'll fix it.

Another good reason for not letting it happen again!

And No Baza - the learner wasn't wearing a short skirt (although her jeans were fairly tight)

[TriumphDave]

Sorry Chief, I'm a bit dim tonite - just spotted the veiled reference to an absent friend.

Nice one Cheify, I'd pay money to see those pretentious little brats written off, sorry to hear about the knock Dave 'tis a bugger when it comes out of your own pocket, once bitten mate