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Another one gone!

4K views 42 replies 20 participants last post by  Talkingcars 
#1 ·

Hi all,


It's been a while since I last posted on here, but I have to report that my beloved Flame Red 1996 VVC is about to depart this world.


Back in October on Halloween evening I was travelling home on the M25 just before Jct 24 when I was sideswiped by an articulated lorry when I was driving in lane 1.



In actual fact the lorry failed to stop and I was left pirouetting across the carraigeways into the path of another head-on; somehow the second lorry managed to avoid me, then was collected by a third and was pushed sideways in front of the tractor unit for approximately 150 yards.


No injuries fortunately.



I know it's an inanimate hunk of metal, and I'm very fortunate to survive unscathed but it breaks my heart to see the MG it in its current condition out on the front drive. Still, it was a strong car, twenty years isn't bad, and I've good memories of giving it a blast over to County Kerry back in May.


I had planned to buy it off the insco and break it, but have been offered £800 less my excess. It's classed as a Cat C. What's the forumites opinions?


I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle, but i was considering breaking the car but if anyone is interested in the complete car, the following may be of interest.


It has a very good engine with 86k miles, VHS lowered drivers half leather seat, new rear window which was only fitted by Sonia Morris three months ago, new Rimmer Brothers trailing arm bushes fitted two months ago plus a factory hardtop. There's also a Moto-Build splitter and an original MG Rover rear spoiler.



I also have an original Liquid Levers suspension pump if anybody is interested.


I have been looking at potential replacements for the car, but to be honest most are rotten, I don't have the rebuild facilities and my heart is no longer in it.


Thanks for reading, I may post pics later if anyone is interested.:frown:



Best regards,


Vic
 
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#2 ·
The most dangerous place on the roads is at the N/S of a truck but you would never guess from the amount of idiots who place themselves there without a thought of blind spots.
Trucks don't drop out of the sky so a lane change is very easily predicted.

You wouldn't ever catch me at the n/s of a truck cab ever and i guess you have learned that lesson now,unfortunately the hard way.If its a foreign vehicle then the sides reverse.
 
#10 ·
you might want to reconsider the way this is worded. it comes across as though you are chastising the op and sounds kind of rude, imo.

The most dangerous place on the roads is at the N/S of a truck but you would never guess from the amount of idiots who place themselves there without a thought of blind spots.
Trucks don't drop out of the sky so a lane change is very easily predicted.

You wouldn't ever catch me at the n/s of a truck cab ever and i guess you have learned that lesson now,unfortunately the hard way.If its a foreign vehicle then the sides reverse.
 
#5 ·
Without knowing the exact circumstances, it is a bit difficult to make such an assessment - you don't always have a choice if only travelling at around 50mph; trucks will come sailing past regardless. Mostly, they can see virtually all of their nearside, but you can't budget for those drivers who don't bother looking (or are otherwise engaged with their mobile phone, reading a map, eating breakfast or watching a movie on their laptop).

Sad to hear of the loss of your F. Whether you take the payout and let the insurer take it away or whether you keep the salvage and break it yourself, it depends on whather you have the inclination, time and energy to todo the breaking and selling. From what I see in scrap yards nowadays, the Rover Group and MG Rover cars aren't getting picked for parts as readily as they used to (hardly surprising after 10 to 20 years - there are becoming fewer on the road to need the spares) and many seem to go in the crusher still largely intact. The poor price of scrap steel doesn't help either - many breakers are turning over stock very rapidly at present to generate sufficient inward cash flow to survive.

There are some parts you will sell easily, but others could take months to find a buyer, and you will be left with remains that you may end up having to pay someone to fetch away (it's got to the point where ELV breakers will only give a few pounds for complete cars this age, and won't pay much if anything if they have to collect a complete car, and probably wont be very bothered at all about fetching one that has had all the useful bits removed already).

There are still some Fs and TFs out there that have been well looked after and are not rotten, it's just a case of searching until you find one that is suitable :)
 
#7 ·
No they cant see most of the side of the truck,and in the wet see hardly anything.The key is not to be there and if you are,then pay attention.While this time nobody died,next time may well be different.
There is good reason insurance companys are starting to load for 'non faults' while legally they may be someone elses fault,many could have been very easily avoided.
 
#6 ·
Hi Vic,

A sad tale, but very pleased to hear that you survived the accident - it must have been very scary.

As upsetting as it can be to realise that one of your cars cannot be saved, sometimes it is for the best.

Take the money and look around for another, who knows you might find another of a similar age for a great price.

As always, patience will be a virtue.

Good luck.
 
#11 ·
Many(too many) times I've found myself on the nearside of a lorry, unable to alter my speed because of traffic travelling slow approaching a turn-off, and the lorry indicates to go left when all you can do is brake. Is it a case of the lorry driver, knowing that I'm there, just forcing me to brake.?
Driving is a dangerous thing to do nowadays
 
#13 ·
It is the season for goodwill to all men my friends...

Happy Christmas
 
#15 ·
I am pleased that you are OK if shaken up, it’s sad to see the loss of what must be one of the first VVC F’s.
Don’t forget if you do buy it back and sell the parts you need to be supporter or seller (one month) to do so on this site, however I don’t think it would be worth the time and expense. As others have said walk away and find another.
 
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#23 ·
Vic

Sorry to hear about the accident, pleased to hear you weren't injured.

I was saddened to read some of the comments above, they are uncalled for.

TBH unless you are keen to break the wreak I'd be inclined to take the cash, I've broken several cars as I love to see how the go together but it isn't really a way to make money.

James
 
#26 ·
reply



I'm the same as Mike , very rarely visit the forum these days, but JT Dents comments were totally insensitive, vitriolic and designed to create an argument. Forums & the World would be so much better off without lonely, sad Keyboard warriors.
Vic. Glad to see your ok and hope you get things sorted.
To the real MG enthusiasts Merry Christmas.
 
#27 ·
Hey Vic,


Sorry to hear of your incident but very glad you are OK.


If I were in your current situation I would snatch the insurer's arm off, not even think about replacing the car for a couple of months, count my blessings and hope that somebody gives me some new underpants for Christmas.


My underpants were written off a few years ago following a similar incident on the M27. I too was travelling in lane 1 when the truck in lane 2 and overtaking me started to move across his lane toward me with no sgnal. I was fortunate enough that before he crossed the white line I had just enough time to check mirrors and had a clear view ahead of the hard shoulder, all clear so that is where I went, the hard shoulder. 100 metres later I pulled back on the carriageway, no harm done, except to the underpants of course.


Had circumstances been different I could easily have ended up in your situation, something that I wouldn't wish on anyone.


Keep your pecker up.


Adam
 
#29 ·
treatment for di*k heads

Is it not possible to kick idiots like jt dent into touch.. I hate trolls and the way they try and incite people. Imagine saying that sometimes truckers can't see the side of their vehicles.. mirrors correctly adjusted springs to mind.. ban him I say... tw*t.....
 
#32 ·
See, the thing here is just the sheer lack of respect by JT to the OP. JT doesn't know the facts of the accident and is obviously a lorry driver defending his kind. Sure, there are idiot car drivers, idiot cyclists and idiot lorry drivers - we ALL know that. Without knowing all the facts, it is impossible to comment (like JT did) on the possible cause.

Go ahead JT and post all the links you like mate, it does not change the fact that you had little to no sympathy for the guy without knowing any of the facts, which makes YOU the idiot and no one else posting here.......
 
#34 ·
Vic had a close shave and we should all be thankful that he is OK - it must have been terrifying.

Sad to hear that his car is probably totalled, but it saved his life...

As much as we love our cars, they are only a collection of metal and plastic parts

Happy New Year to you all.
 
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#36 · (Edited)
interesting. i wonder how new learners, recently passed their test, including motorway driving, will consider their first experience of undertaking..:) perhaps how to deal safely with such an encounter will become part of a future test. i was always taught that my road space is my road space only when i am in the first ( nearside ) lane - and when overtaking another vehicle i am not in my space... and therefore i am at fault in such an incident, since its up to me to make sure i pass safely and with the rules of the highway code - since i invoke the consequence... i should be aware of all the possible consequences of my action.. and that includes all parts of my vehicle and my use of them.

in such an encounter now.. i always slow down to speed up the passing vehicles pass, and flash headlights when i know it can pull over.

sometimes i only need to do 50 miles an hour.. its my choice, its my space.. but i understand for many, since ive been time short too, that going 60 mph, is vital, and they want to pass ... sometimes one travels behind governed vehicles that take over a mile to pass another, simply because one cannot go faster and the other wont let it pass quickly... its absurd.

no give and take.. the world is such a place now...and something i dont look forward to in 2017.

how possibly can 2 , 4 or even 5 miles in an hour be detrimental to being alive tomorrow, and ones vehicle safe and sound.. unless ones vehicle carries a flashing blue light?

i always give way to blue flashing lights... imagine any overtaking vehicle had one...
 
#38 · (Edited)
i meant not passing and pulling in too early.. its perhaps a misuse of the phrase, i know.. but for the overtaker, and the one being overtaken... its "undertaken" :)

an undertaker?

what does that mean... :)
it means in switzerland one will pull over or slow down and use brakes to the minimum, "finally if you find yourself driving more slowly than local drivers it is an unwritten rule of courtesy to pull over. There are not many places where they can overtake safely, so give those following a break and move out of the way. This is probably another reason you don't see much road rage in Switzerland."

ok? i would just note, that the swiss question english reason as much as anyone.. i see it here. BUT the functions of the overtaker... are similar: When overtaking, you must indicate before moving back into the right-hand lane.
 
#39 ·
Hi Julian,
You are pretty much correct in as much as in the UK under ‘normal’ driving conditions you may only overtake vehicles to their right, and only when safe to do so, and without exceeding the speed limit.
However, as I understand it, you may overtake to the left of a vehicle in the following circumstances;
In a one-way street
When the vehicle to your right is signaling to make a right turn
When directed to do so by a police officer
When traffic in a multi lane road is moving in queues and the queue to your right is travelling more slowly than you.
I find the last one interesting, obviously on a dual carriageway approaching a roundabout with heavy traffic the right lane will often move more slowly than the left and it makes perfect sense to allow the left lane to pass. But how is a queue defined in motoring law? Consider a busy three lane motorway where the early morning convoy of German tin boxes and white vans is monopolizing lane three at maybe 50 or 60mph with barely a van length between them (rather than the recommended two second gap), is that a queue? Am I allowed to pass them in lane one or two if it’s safe to do so and I do not exceed the speed limit? I’d be interested to know.
For those of you who have bothered to read this far, sorry to have wandered off topic a bit but here is a quick one question motoring trivia quiz for 2017. Q1. Are you permitted to overtake an emergency vehicle that is travelling under a blue light if it is safe to do so and without exceeding the speed limit?
No cigars.
Adam
 
#40 ·
.....Consider a busy three lane motorway where the early morning convoy of German tin boxes and white vans is monopolizing lane three at maybe 50 or 60mph with barely a van length between them (rather than the recommended two second gap), is that a queue? Am I allowed to pass them in lane one or two if it’s safe to do so and I do not exceed the speed limit? I’d be interested to know......
Short answer - no.

A queue is by definition a line of standing or slow moving traffic. Vehicles held up by a slower moving vehicle in their lane do not count as a queue. If you undertake in the situation you describe, and one of the vehicles in the right hand lane decides to pull back into the lane that you are in (as the highway code requires him to do when not actually overtaking), and he collides with you as you undertake him, you would be held liable.

Passing on the inside where traffic is queueing at a junction/roundabout/scene of a crash and vehicles are stationary or only moving slowly is permissible, but as always, with caution.
 
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