i must have a one off mondeo

hey guys as you all no its near on impossable to find a mondeo (older shape) with out ductape. well i have one and the amount of times i have been slaped up the **** or decided " that will do " with the front bumper squished against a bollard at tesco. my bumpers are still intact and today i got hit square up the jolly roger buy a brand new merc slk and she prety much rote her car off on my tow bar. preparing my self for a brake down and the ductape i looked and all i had some of her lovly paint stuck to my bumper. i never ever felt so smug with my self in my hole life when the police asked me to move my car forward so they could see the damage for there report and get her car on a recovery truck she was crying on the phone to her bloke and i was and still am shocked i still have all my bumpers intact not even one little crack :D
 
id feel like i was getting ripped off if i asked her to trade with the price of fuel id be cheaper to buy a yearly bus pass plus it was my fault apparently i had slammed my brakes on yet i was sat at a t junction waiting to pull out
 

Keith_Beef

Native
Sep 9, 2003
1,404
285
55
Yvelines, north-west of Paris, France.
id feel like i was getting ripped off if i asked her to trade with the price of fuel id be cheaper to buy a yearly bus pass plus it was my fault apparently i had slammed my brakes on yet i was sat at a t junction waiting to pull out

"Your fault" according to whom? I was taught that it is the following driver's responsibility to always leave enough room behind the car in front, to be able to stop safely if the car in front brakes suddenly.
 

Andy BB

Full Member
Apr 19, 2010
3,290
3
Hampshire
I'm guessing that was her excuse! Normally you're right about the following driver being responsible. However, there are an increasing number of cases - particularly at roundabouts - where the lead car accelerates away, then suddenly slams on the brakes, giving the car behind no chance of avoidance. Classic insurance fraud, as all the members of the car in front claim whiplash, loss of earnings, mental stress, PTSD - you name it, they'll claim for it.

One of the reasons your car insurance premiums are rocketing!
 

Keith_Beef

Native
Sep 9, 2003
1,404
285
55
Yvelines, north-west of Paris, France.
However, there are an increasing number of cases - particularly at roundabouts - where the lead car accelerates away, then suddenly slams on the brakes, giving the car behind no chance of avoidance. Classic insurance fraud, as all the members of the car in front claim whiplash, loss of earnings, mental stress, PTSD - you name it, they'll claim for it.

Hmm... I read of a couple of cases of a fraud like that this summer just gone (2012) when I was back in the UK. IIRR, the driver slams on his breaks and the car behind runs into him causing only very minor bodywork damage, but he then claims on insurance for a series of health-related costs, like you said.

I passed my driving test in 1995 and immediately left the UK to live abroad, but I come back every year, sometimes more than once a year. I suppose it could just be an effect of getting older, but I get a very clear impression that roads are ever more crowded and drivers ever more aggressive and incompetent...
 
"Your fault" according to whom? I was taught that it is the following driver's responsibility to always leave enough room behind the car in front, to be able to stop safely if the car in front brakes suddenly.

according to the lady driver i was at fault although my hand brake was up at the time plus it was only me in the car and i am not one of them drivers that look to get a claim from a tap up the back side i have to much of a conshions to try scam a insurance company with whip lash and karma would soon take a run up and kick me in the balls if i was to be honest.
 

Keith_Beef

Native
Sep 9, 2003
1,404
285
55
Yvelines, north-west of Paris, France.
This was my point to start with... somebody runs into your rear end, it's the other driver's fault, end of story. If your hand brake is on, your brake lights are on, right? It's not like you used engine braking to reduce from 70mph to 30mph and the following driver just had to eyeball the distance between the two vehicles.

I wish you well in sorting out the insurance. Stopped at a junction, and a driver runs into you seems like a very simple case.
 

Keith_Beef

Native
Sep 9, 2003
1,404
285
55
Yvelines, north-west of Paris, France.
on my car the rear brake or parking light comes on when handbrake is up. and andy bb apology accepted =D

I just went outside to check on the car I drive at the moment, a 2012 Ford Focus I have on loan, and the brake lights do not come on with the handbrake, even with the engine running!

I'm disappointed but not entirely surprised... I've noticed that manufacturers do a lot of stupid things in their designs, and they seem to be getting worse and worse. But in this case, it looks like the construction and use regulations don't require the brake lights to be linked to the handbrake...

I did a bit of googling and found other people asking why they are not linked. I'm beginning to wonder if most cars are like that, or maybe even all are like that as they leave the factory, but it can be fixed by the owner...
 
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SCOMAN

Life Member
Dec 31, 2005
2,607
458
54
Perthshire
Had a couple of Mondeos all with duct tape and therefore I find it difficult to believe yours doesn't. Could you post pictures and send me yr address so that we may worship your mythical beast ;-). It's definitely her fault btw if she ran into the back of you, someone else already mentioned it, it's her responsibility to leave sufficient room between you to stop. I had a lad in a brand new Clio run into the back of my disco at about 40-50 mph. I had my handbrake on and felt a slight impact his whole engine was shunted into the passenger footwell.
 

Andy BB

Full Member
Apr 19, 2010
3,290
3
Hampshire
All the cars I've ever had over the last 40 years didn't have the handbrake connected to the brake-lights (including my current Mondeo estate!). Useful for surreptitiously slowing your speed when being trailed by the boys in blue:)

ps - no duct-tape on mine either!






...yet.....
 

Johnnyboy1971

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 24, 2010
4,155
26
53
Yorkshire
I have owned over 40 cars in 24 years of driving and not one of them has triggered the rear brakelights when the parking brake was applied.
A couple of weeks ago i had someone have a go at me for putting my car into reverse whilst stationary, they accused me of trying to reverse into them to make a claim.
The ***** never realised that with an auto box you have to go from park through to reverse then neutral and to drive. I had been stopped at some tempory traffic lights and knew they would take ages to change.

I actually wish i didnt drive so i wouldnt get annoyed with othe drivers stupidity.
 

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