Well I suppose it is inevitable, that first rear end and at only 7349Kms!!!
Before I explain what happen its worth providing some background information into the vagaries of driving in this part of the World; A ‘red’ traffic light is just a pretty coloured light that that adorns the highway and not many drivers obey, numerous cars are unroadworty (no MPVI therefore has not been tested or can’t be sold), lane discipline is non-existent and a vast majority of drivers do not have insurance, getting the picture.
Well, on the way back from a Good Samaritan act, visiting a friend’s wife in Hospital, I had to stop at a police checkpoint, this is normally a formality for western workers here and we are waved through. As cars were being checked, I had to stop inline. I had just moved off again at about 5kmph and again had to stop while another car in front was being checked. And then it happened, that sound that you never want to hear and a jolt in the back of your neck. You just know what has happened!
I get out of the car and the diver of a 1989 Toyota Cressida has hit me in the rear, fortunately he was not going fast as we had just started off. His fender (bumper if English) hit the underneath of my fender damaging the sliver grey under area, peeling back a small amount of the plastic. Pi---d our what!!!!! I could have strangled him there and then. :3:
Now fortunately we have Company ‘brokers’ that deal with this sort of thing, due to the language. I called him immediately and waited for his arrival. Now at this point it is worth knowing that westerners have been blamed for accidents, even though it was not thier fault, because you are in their country; I know you won’t believe it but it is true.
As this happen in close proximity to the guard he saw everything and the driver was 100% in the wrong - at least something was going my way. Whilst we waited for the traffic police I was allowed to go to the garage to get an estimate, only 2 Ks away. The estimate was about 200 dollars.
I drove back to the scene where our broker was talking with the police, I told him the cost, whereupon he relayed this to the driver. The bottom line was that he had no money, no insurance and the car was unroadworty.
Anyway, I said to the broker OK I’ll have his car sell it and then give him the change (would not have been much change, if any), once this was relayed to the driver he seemed, to all of a sudden, be very concerned. The driver then stated that he could not transfer it to me as it has no MPVI (road test cert) – I was only joking. Then I said I’ll have his mobile and the money he has got – only joking, just trying to get a reaction- which I did.
Too cut a long story short I ended, getting about two thirds of the cost of the repair and will have to pay the rest myself!!
The Mo goes in on Monday for the day, pick it up tuesday morning.
Before I explain what happen its worth providing some background information into the vagaries of driving in this part of the World; A ‘red’ traffic light is just a pretty coloured light that that adorns the highway and not many drivers obey, numerous cars are unroadworty (no MPVI therefore has not been tested or can’t be sold), lane discipline is non-existent and a vast majority of drivers do not have insurance, getting the picture.
Well, on the way back from a Good Samaritan act, visiting a friend’s wife in Hospital, I had to stop at a police checkpoint, this is normally a formality for western workers here and we are waved through. As cars were being checked, I had to stop inline. I had just moved off again at about 5kmph and again had to stop while another car in front was being checked. And then it happened, that sound that you never want to hear and a jolt in the back of your neck. You just know what has happened!
I get out of the car and the diver of a 1989 Toyota Cressida has hit me in the rear, fortunately he was not going fast as we had just started off. His fender (bumper if English) hit the underneath of my fender damaging the sliver grey under area, peeling back a small amount of the plastic. Pi---d our what!!!!! I could have strangled him there and then. :3:
Now fortunately we have Company ‘brokers’ that deal with this sort of thing, due to the language. I called him immediately and waited for his arrival. Now at this point it is worth knowing that westerners have been blamed for accidents, even though it was not thier fault, because you are in their country; I know you won’t believe it but it is true.
As this happen in close proximity to the guard he saw everything and the driver was 100% in the wrong - at least something was going my way. Whilst we waited for the traffic police I was allowed to go to the garage to get an estimate, only 2 Ks away. The estimate was about 200 dollars.
I drove back to the scene where our broker was talking with the police, I told him the cost, whereupon he relayed this to the driver. The bottom line was that he had no money, no insurance and the car was unroadworty.
Anyway, I said to the broker OK I’ll have his car sell it and then give him the change (would not have been much change, if any), once this was relayed to the driver he seemed, to all of a sudden, be very concerned. The driver then stated that he could not transfer it to me as it has no MPVI (road test cert) – I was only joking. Then I said I’ll have his mobile and the money he has got – only joking, just trying to get a reaction- which I did.
Too cut a long story short I ended, getting about two thirds of the cost of the repair and will have to pay the rest myself!!
The Mo goes in on Monday for the day, pick it up tuesday morning.
