My poor ST :(

[Jamielee96]

Spent almost 13 grand last year on my pride and joy. Ever since I've owned my ST I've treated it like my baby. Everything you could do to look after a car, I do it.

Today was a sad day. I was driving to the shop through some slow moving traffic. The traffic coming down the hill on the right was not moving, and there were cars parked on the left, however it was a wide road and I was still driving on my side.

I was travelling at about 20 mph when all of a sudden a teenager ran out in the road.... He was no older than 15. He ran through the stationary traffic on the right, ignoring the cars signals to him that traffic was moving on the other side, he carried on running across the road and onto my side and before I could see him it was too late. I hit him and knocked him up the left side of the bonnet, down the right wing, damaging the door and destroying the wind mirror. The worst part is, he got up and ran away. I'm obviously grateful the kid wasn't seriously hurt and that he could get up and run. But at the same time, to do wrong and damage my car and not at least stop to say sorry, let alone give me his details, its painful.

Although it would be classed as me running him over, I did no wrong. Was driving on my side of the road 10mph of the speed limit and he ran across the road without looking, when there was a zebra crossing 50 metres back down the road.

Anyway, it hurts me to sit and look at my pride and joy with a screwed wing mirror. Anyone had experience with having a wing mirror replaced by a ford dealer and could give me an estimation on the cost before I go in on Monday?

No matter how well you look after your car, one day someone will screw you :(

[wealdman]

In 2014 I paid £257 to replace the complete wing mirror (the powered variety) on my Titanium after misjudging a narrow gap. Cover was £45, mirror £129 and labour £80 and then VAT. The boss said wing mirror replacement was one of their best sellers.

[Zico]

Sorry to hear of the accident.

Is it worth reporting the incident to the police just in case somebody else reports it to them?

 

 

[Russ]

It should be reported to the police. If the kid later went to hospital and someone else has reported the incident he’ll basically be charged with a hit & run accident.

My son had a similar incident where it was a child who ran across the road, the kids mum said there was no injury to the child and just walked off so when my son phoned me I said go straight to the police & report it. Just as well because the child went to hospital later & the mother reported a hit & run but after being told the incident had been reported and it was she who left the incident, the mother admitted she’d walked across the road whilst texting, allowing her daughter to wander into the traffic! After two visits from the police my son was informed there was no bruising or injury to the child so not to worry as no action would be taken against him. They thanked him for reporting it but did say had he not reported it and there was an injury he’d have been charged and had points on his licence. 

[Bobr]

It's a simple matter to replace the wing mirror.   If you do, when you take the old mirror out, tie a piece of string to the plug before you pull the cable through.   The string can then be used to pull the cable on the new mirror into place.   Otherwise it's  hell of a job.

[CyprusPluto]

How annoying. No doubt you'll find the money and have to forego something else you would have bought with the £257 plus inflation. I also imagine you were pretty shook up and looking back no doubt grateful that he wasn't seriously hurt.

Something similar happened to me a few years ago when a bunch of 'kids' (university students) were laughing and joking and one got pushed into the road, I hit him with my wing mirror. Unlike you, mine wasn't damaged; I stopped and looked back, unfolded my mirror, but there was no way I was going to go back and see if he was alright/confront them (half-a-dozen 18 yr old's and me!). I didn't report it to the police, as there was no damage, but as wealdman says it might be a good idea to do so, just in case the boy reports it later and you can't deny involvement, as your car needs repairing.

[isetta]

what's more annoying is the length of time he has to sue you if he alleges you were at fault.  a person has three years, but if under 18 they have until three years after their 18th birthday so up to his 21st birthday . Also minors usually don't have compensation reduced for contributory negligence by the minor so he may only have to convince the judge you were a little bit at fault to get 100% compensation (whereas an adult has the compensation reduced by the percentage of their contribution of negligence).   And this is why it could be better for this to be officially recorded by the Police with witness statements kept by you in case you need them at a later date (in 5 years time he could need some cash for drugs and see one of those ambulance chasing type lawyers adverts on the telly).

[zain611]

Really sorry to hear about that. I don't know if to feel sorry or angry about the kid. I really hate secondary school students because of how immature and clumsy they are outside their schools. 

I'd highly recommend you getting a dash cam in case something like this happens again and someone blames you at fault. You'll at least have recorded footage. 

Again it does hurt me. People like us who take great care with our cars then for someone to come and ruin it. 

 

[Jamielee96]

Thanks guys, it was reported straight away so hopefully I've done everything I should have.

So painful as I was looking at dash cams only a few weeks back and didn't go through with it.

[GaryPL]

Sorry to hear about your car. I today had some child walking behind mine, bashing the rear with a plastic box he was carrying.  The mother couldn't give a flying fig.  People are just so arrogant and discourteous.  I know this will probably grate with some people, but it's a shame more people aren't hurt albeit not seriously.  They'll soon start learning that roads are places which need careful behaviour by all and not just by those who have more than two wheels.

I would recommend a dash cam though.  When I had a crash because I got cut up on the entry to a roundabout, I swore that I'd never be without one again.  The driver tried blaming me yet his car was loaded up to the roof with junk  (blocking his mirror) and he was driving illegally (uninsured and driving a friend's minicab).  Yet the camera would have dealt with the incident in a few seconds in terms of liability.  Unfortunately these 'non-fault' incidents increase your insurance premiums too.

[zain611]

This is the dash cam I had fitted onto my previous car and soon hopefully will install it into my fiesta. If you want I can try to find the model. This one you can press the red button to highlight a certain segment so it's easier to find when your looking for the file on your laptop. I'm sure it also does this if it detects a sudden shunt. 

[Jonro2009]

I was involved in a similar incident quite a number of years ago I'm sorry to say that I was the pedestrian. I was 15, it was outside my high school and I was running. The road I was crossing was 2 lanes going left, and 2 going right. I was at a crossing and could see the traffic in lane 1 was stationary so I carried on running, my I'm was to stop at the central reservation. I hadn't even considered the traffic in lane 2 which was still moving and then bang. All I remember was being flung in the air, my upper body went over the roof while my legs went down the side of the car. I smashed the windscreen, bent the A pillar, dented the roof and broke the mirror but managed to get up and walk back to school. I can still remember the poor guy that hit me, he was in shock and upset even though it was my fault. Later on I found out that the guy could have made me pay for the damage but the police said he had refused to do that and paid all his own insurance excesses. I felt really guilty so I can't understand why anyone would just run off. I hope you don't feel too bad about it and that you get your car sorted.


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