tru_beauty601
Member
- Apr 14, 2008
- 38
- 0
- 6
Let us share our tales of injustice!!
One day, I was on my way to one of Rolls-Royce's factories, where they make jet engines. It was an interesting site, I don't know how much you know about the construction of a jet engine... basically though, theres a hub in the middle, that's got loads of blades attached to it, each of which has a spacer between the blade and the hub... there they had a big white box, you put all the bit in the box, just put together not stuck and it lazer wold the whole thing in one go. They were also attempting to machine the whole thing from a single block, I saw a half finished one that was pretty cool.
Now, the thing that I can remember most pertanently throughout my journey there was how much I was aware of, I was very aware of a BMW behind me that was driving in a slightly irratic manner, I was also aware how casual I was being in arrive there quite late, when I drove past a busy school, stopped for the lollypop lady, and so on. About 5 miles before my destination I stopped at some traffic lights, there was a van in front of me and we were both turning left, after the van turned, I looked, there was a crest of a hill in front but nothing appearing close enough to be of danger, so I also turned.
I was driving a Ford Mondeo Estate at the time (Ford Taurus Wagon [sp?]) and I'd gotten half way into the road I was turning into when I heard this massive smash, I stopped and was quite shocked, then I walked around my car and saw all the side of it was smashed in, turned around and could see some guy in a Ford Escort who'd also smashed into the BMW, who'd plowed backwards into the guy behind him. Quite dramatic for a 30 mph limit.
I went over to the guy who hit me and said "are you ok" and he said "I had no chance, you came from nowhere" and then I went to the guy in the BMW and said "are you ok" and he said "ow my shoulder" amidst the moans.
So I called the police and ambulance and then, very unwillingly my boss, to tell him that I'd smashed the company car... He was a bit of a monster but it actually turned out to be a good marketing exersize. In the back of the car I had a 'magic' tool cabinet and as a company we'd prided ourselves on the best software and now (prototype, whoops) hardware in the world, we used to laugh at reversing patent actions from multi-billion pound corporates who could have gobbled us up. This thingy-ma-gig had whizzed out of the back of my car about 15 meters into the middle of the junction. Later, at my demonstration for Roll-Royce, it worked perfectly, quite bit of spray paint and you'd never know.
When the police arrive they seemed completely unconcerned, I said "can I go now, I've got an important client to meet" and they said "yes" a tow truck came, some guy with a brush swept up and they all left.
Later, I was concerned that my wheel arch was nearly rubbing the rear tyre and didn't fancy risking the 250 mile trip home, so I put the car into a local garage and, following some bizzare negotiation with my Boss.... strange man,,,, put it in the be fixed. While I was waiting the police phoned and asked me to go all the way back to give a statement, so I jumped in a taxi and said "take me to the nik.... guv" so he did.
At the police station, they said "do you think that was your fault" and I said "there's a hill in front of me and the guy didn't touch my car for about 10 seconds, there was space for him to avoid, but upon the nuke that went off in my ears, he them span his car, one and a half times, and hit someone about 20 meters away on the other side of the road, who's car then smashed into the back of the person behind in the queue... I think I didn't see him, I don't think he was doing any much less than Mach 2 and I'm sure that I checked before I turned" ... they said "ok" and I left.
Later 2 things happened in quick succession. First I got a visit from someones insurance company and had a long interview with them and my boss. They said that the cost was somewhere in the region of £200,000 and that would be pay, blah blah blah, and I think we all decided that it would probably be knock for knock (i.e. each pays each's share) unless the police decided something else.
2 days later, I got a letter from the Police saying:
Dear Mr SiAiS,
We have decided to apportion the blame here to you, because we put your name in a hat and Sergant Bigglesthwaite picked your name, being the highest ranking officer.
Please delete as appropriate:
a) I'd like a fine and points for driving without due care and attention
b) I'd like a driving course in St Albans, charge £200
Yours faithfully,
PC Plod
....
My boss gave me 200 quid and I went off to St Albans for the test. It was pretty awesome actually, I got most of the questions wrong in the into about road safety, what do signs and lines mean etc.
Then, we went out for a drive. It was aweful, dual control so my feet kept hitting the levels above the pedal, I felt like I was on my driving test. But not bad, I was on a country road following some guy who was driving at about 20 mph and my instructor, and the end of the road said "why didn't you overtake him" and I said "I don't know" and he said "if you were in your car you'd have overtaken him, next time, overtake him" ... so I did. Then the other guy (we were in pairs had a go).
The other guy was funny, he was a choffeur and had arrive in his flashy stretched Mercedes. Apparently he got done for being across the other side of the road when a police car came around the corner... probably in a rush to get Ma Hat Megandi to a summit, or summit. In fact, everyone on the driving course had been called in for doing nothing wrong.
Afterwards we went to McDonalds and had a coffee. Our instructor first said "I don't know why you're here, your driving is perfect, what did you do?" so we told him, and he said "everyone who comes here is an excellent driver, I only every had one person who couldn't" then he went on to show us his medals, he'd taught SAS drivers, done anti-terrorist stuff for the Queen, and mainly taught advance police driving. So, for the remainder of the 1.5 days left, he taught us how to drive incredibly fast, in total safety, on public roads. He also taught us the theory of J-turns and avoidance type driving... i.e. how to mount the pavement and get around traffic lights etc ** just in case the Libians come back for their plutoneum.
So, all in all it was beneficial from everyones point of view... I do feel a bit sorry, though, for the man with the broken shoulder, that must have hurt.
** Interestingly, in Dubai almost everyone has a 4x4, 'cept for the dudes with the Lambos and Ferraris, taking advantage of owning the place and running on slicks. Also, being in the middle of the desert, if there's a traffic jam, which there sometimes is... they just drive over the desert... awesome!
One day, I was on my way to one of Rolls-Royce's factories, where they make jet engines. It was an interesting site, I don't know how much you know about the construction of a jet engine... basically though, theres a hub in the middle, that's got loads of blades attached to it, each of which has a spacer between the blade and the hub... there they had a big white box, you put all the bit in the box, just put together not stuck and it lazer wold the whole thing in one go. They were also attempting to machine the whole thing from a single block, I saw a half finished one that was pretty cool.
Now, the thing that I can remember most pertanently throughout my journey there was how much I was aware of, I was very aware of a BMW behind me that was driving in a slightly irratic manner, I was also aware how casual I was being in arrive there quite late, when I drove past a busy school, stopped for the lollypop lady, and so on. About 5 miles before my destination I stopped at some traffic lights, there was a van in front of me and we were both turning left, after the van turned, I looked, there was a crest of a hill in front but nothing appearing close enough to be of danger, so I also turned.
I was driving a Ford Mondeo Estate at the time (Ford Taurus Wagon [sp?]) and I'd gotten half way into the road I was turning into when I heard this massive smash, I stopped and was quite shocked, then I walked around my car and saw all the side of it was smashed in, turned around and could see some guy in a Ford Escort who'd also smashed into the BMW, who'd plowed backwards into the guy behind him. Quite dramatic for a 30 mph limit.
I went over to the guy who hit me and said "are you ok" and he said "I had no chance, you came from nowhere" and then I went to the guy in the BMW and said "are you ok" and he said "ow my shoulder" amidst the moans.
So I called the police and ambulance and then, very unwillingly my boss, to tell him that I'd smashed the company car... He was a bit of a monster but it actually turned out to be a good marketing exersize. In the back of the car I had a 'magic' tool cabinet and as a company we'd prided ourselves on the best software and now (prototype, whoops) hardware in the world, we used to laugh at reversing patent actions from multi-billion pound corporates who could have gobbled us up. This thingy-ma-gig had whizzed out of the back of my car about 15 meters into the middle of the junction. Later, at my demonstration for Roll-Royce, it worked perfectly, quite bit of spray paint and you'd never know.
When the police arrive they seemed completely unconcerned, I said "can I go now, I've got an important client to meet" and they said "yes" a tow truck came, some guy with a brush swept up and they all left.
Later, I was concerned that my wheel arch was nearly rubbing the rear tyre and didn't fancy risking the 250 mile trip home, so I put the car into a local garage and, following some bizzare negotiation with my Boss.... strange man,,,, put it in the be fixed. While I was waiting the police phoned and asked me to go all the way back to give a statement, so I jumped in a taxi and said "take me to the nik.... guv" so he did.
At the police station, they said "do you think that was your fault" and I said "there's a hill in front of me and the guy didn't touch my car for about 10 seconds, there was space for him to avoid, but upon the nuke that went off in my ears, he them span his car, one and a half times, and hit someone about 20 meters away on the other side of the road, who's car then smashed into the back of the person behind in the queue... I think I didn't see him, I don't think he was doing any much less than Mach 2 and I'm sure that I checked before I turned" ... they said "ok" and I left.
Later 2 things happened in quick succession. First I got a visit from someones insurance company and had a long interview with them and my boss. They said that the cost was somewhere in the region of £200,000 and that would be pay, blah blah blah, and I think we all decided that it would probably be knock for knock (i.e. each pays each's share) unless the police decided something else.
2 days later, I got a letter from the Police saying:
Dear Mr SiAiS,
We have decided to apportion the blame here to you, because we put your name in a hat and Sergant Bigglesthwaite picked your name, being the highest ranking officer.
Please delete as appropriate:
a) I'd like a fine and points for driving without due care and attention
b) I'd like a driving course in St Albans, charge £200
Yours faithfully,
PC Plod
....
My boss gave me 200 quid and I went off to St Albans for the test. It was pretty awesome actually, I got most of the questions wrong in the into about road safety, what do signs and lines mean etc.
Then, we went out for a drive. It was aweful, dual control so my feet kept hitting the levels above the pedal, I felt like I was on my driving test. But not bad, I was on a country road following some guy who was driving at about 20 mph and my instructor, and the end of the road said "why didn't you overtake him" and I said "I don't know" and he said "if you were in your car you'd have overtaken him, next time, overtake him" ... so I did. Then the other guy (we were in pairs had a go).
The other guy was funny, he was a choffeur and had arrive in his flashy stretched Mercedes. Apparently he got done for being across the other side of the road when a police car came around the corner... probably in a rush to get Ma Hat Megandi to a summit, or summit. In fact, everyone on the driving course had been called in for doing nothing wrong.
Afterwards we went to McDonalds and had a coffee. Our instructor first said "I don't know why you're here, your driving is perfect, what did you do?" so we told him, and he said "everyone who comes here is an excellent driver, I only every had one person who couldn't" then he went on to show us his medals, he'd taught SAS drivers, done anti-terrorist stuff for the Queen, and mainly taught advance police driving. So, for the remainder of the 1.5 days left, he taught us how to drive incredibly fast, in total safety, on public roads. He also taught us the theory of J-turns and avoidance type driving... i.e. how to mount the pavement and get around traffic lights etc ** just in case the Libians come back for their plutoneum.
So, all in all it was beneficial from everyones point of view... I do feel a bit sorry, though, for the man with the broken shoulder, that must have hurt.
** Interestingly, in Dubai almost everyone has a 4x4, 'cept for the dudes with the Lambos and Ferraris, taking advantage of owning the place and running on slicks. Also, being in the middle of the desert, if there's a traffic jam, which there sometimes is... they just drive over the desert... awesome!