Ok so last night I'm at the Mobil station at on the corner of Barry's Point and Anzac in Takapuna. Filling up my car, and happy with the way the world is treating me.
To set the scene, Anzac is a dual carriageway that runs into Takapuna. I needed to make a right-hand turn onto Anzac to get home.
There is a set of traffic lights 50 yards away to the right (where I was to turn). I went to turn to the inside lane, near the kerb, because there was a queue of traffic in the outside lane (probably because that's one way to the Shore-City motorway.
So I get in my car, hit the driveway, stop to check traffic is clear (9pm Thursday in the 'burbs, no traffic), notice the queue in the outside lane and think "inside lane sweet". Go ahead with the turn, and the driver of the car at the end of the queue in the outside lane (whew), *reversed* into the front driver fender of my car as I was making the turn.
I pulled over onto the kerb to assess the damage and she followed suit. Before she'd even finished opening the door the insults were flying at me. I should've seen her reverse lights apparently.
While I'm at it I suppose I really should get those extra eyes for the back of my head, if only I'd had them I might have avoided being at fault *ahem*.
I asked her WTF she was doing reversing backwards along a dual carriageway and she had no answer. Only insults. I got her registration/name/number and decided to deal wtih it in the morning (today).
So this morning I go along to the Police station to make utterly *sure* that my turn was legal. Which it is, I have had 3 different officers confirm it, and I have combed Anzac for any 'no right turn' signs- there is none.
Accordingly, I leave a message on "Hayley's" phone, saying that I've been to the Police, and have had confirmation from both them and my insurance company (we both had 3rd party), that she was in the wrong.
Her father (lol, daddy's girl) rang back instead, and informed me that not only was he an insurance agent (lol), but he had sought the advice of her claims agent (she was with a different company apparently); and this man had advised them *I* was in the wrong.
At which time I pointed out that the opinion of the law is not in dispute, particularly from an anonymous insurance agent. No answer. Went through a chain of evens with Hayley's dear old dad to make SURE we were clear on what happened.
Yep, all clear. Only he sees it as my fault.
I visited both my insurance agent, and hers. Since we both have 3rd party, it was her company who would have to pay the costs of my repairs. I trotted down to NZI to suss it out.
Oops, the lady said- they haven't lodged a claim so we can't help you. So I wonder, why wouldn't they lodge a claim? A quick call to my insurance agent tells me that she has a $900 (count 'em) excess on claims.
No wonder they don't want to claim. They'd have to pay my repairs out of their own pocket.
I speak to the Police about it and they suggest the Small Claims Court. So I leave another message on Hayley's phone saying that if they haven't claimed by Monday then I will apply for a hearing at Small Claims.
An hour or so later I am the happy recipient of an extremely abusive call from Hayley's dad, pointing out that I was being far too serious (oh yeah, of course I should just say it's ok and pay the repair cost myself *cough*), and that he's been in the insurance trade for years and will "rip me to shreds you little fucker". He also said he hasn't made a claim because his daughter's company advised him *not to*.
Why on earth would they do that? Umm maybe because she'd have to pay up
Anyway, even though I did nothing wrong I have lost an entire day to dealing with assholes who do nothing but abuse me because they don't want to pay for their mistake.
Anyone who doesn't believe that 18 year old female drivers are the most agressive and careless on the road can blow me