The Aftermath after a very Difficult Day

Yesterday was not a good day at all.

G disappeared shopping yesterday morning first thing when I was still sleeping.  When he came back he was not in a particularly good mood.

We live in a 150 year+ terrace.  When we first moved here 37 years ago we were allowed to park outside our homes but they stopped that about 35 years ago and introduced Residents parking where you have to pay to park your car on the street.  We have no garage facilities at all.  There are only so many Resident parking spots.  One of these is straight opposite our home opposite side of the road though to where the house is.  The street we live on is double yellow lines and we are more or less on a bus stop (of which there are frequent buses). G parked the car and started to bring the shopping in and then was approached by a young Asian male who told G that he was not allowed to park there.  Made out that his Dad lived in the house behind the resident parking spot.  That house has off-road parking and is not designated to that home owner.  This young male was not the home owner nor resident at that house. During the course of the conversation this young male told G that if he didn't move the car he would smash the house windows in, as a result of which G took a photo of his car registration.  Needless to say when G came in, he was not in a particularly good mood.  He is Bipolar and he can be a bit volatile if he reacts to anything which I usually try and keep the lid on.  It irritated him immensely.  

The rest of the shopping was brought in and I carried on pottering in the kitchen and G went about his business.  About 15 to 20 minutes later I had cause to go out to the front of the house to take my rubbish bags out.  Our dustbins are in the front garden as we cannot get them down the passage and into the back garden easily.  The young male was still parked up on double yellow lines, in front of the house right in front of the bus stop, texting on his phone - no engine running and half way over the pavement which made it difficult for pedestrians to access and walk on the pavement.  I therefore asked him to move as he should not be there in the first place and proceeded to have a bit of a discussion with him explaining to him that he should not be parked up on double yellow lines and in front of a bus stop.  Not only that he was blocking a pedestrian walk-way making it difficult for anyone to pass by safely.  Needless to say I got a lot of abuse, he tried to make out that he was a Policeman - I asked for his Warrant card, which he decided to "flash", but which was not a Warrant card, so basically a lot of bull.  He just did not want to shift and thought that he could do what he wanted.  I asked him to shift yet again.  I wasn't being funny he just should not have been parked there at all.  Funny that he is on the road and should know the Highway Code, but was blatantly breaching it so why was he on the road.  Also seemed to think that he was Cock o the North and could do as he wanted.  

I came back in again and after about 20 minutes G went out again on his way to the shop,  Got as far as the end of the passage and saw that the car had been damaged on the front of the car and one of the headlights was hanging out and the car had been scored down one side with white paint showing.  There was a lorry delivering to the shop over the road, and G questioned the driver who denied all knowledge and said that he had not hit the car, despite the damage being higher than a car would be and probably been done by a higher sided vehicle rather than a car.  Nobody basically had seen anything.  G had however taken the registration number of the Lorry.

Bearing in mind the earlier conversations with the young Asian male and his threats to do our windows in, we then attempted to report the matter to the local Police station.  Was kept in a queue for 40+minutes, which was stressful to say the least as by now G was completely wound up.  I tend to deal with things to try and keep him calmer, as he is Bipolar and if he is having an episode does not mince his words and things can soon spiral out of control.  When did get to speak to someone, explained circumstances of what had happened and the lead up to it, and they were more interested in the anti-social behaviour element than anything else which was not why we had phoned, wanted to report the accident.  

By this time G was on the phone to the insurance company and we ended up swapping and speaking between the Police and the insurance company at the same time.  Anyway Police took details from us was given a Crime number for the anti-social aspect but nothing for the car.  G had obtained a photo of the Asian lad's car registration and was asked to forward this over.  Then found a text and tried to get in touch to report the accident via a website link which also was a bit temperamental and took a couple of goes.

Long story short we did not know how why or who had damaged the car.

Because we were not sure who had damaged the car, the insurance company progressed with it on the matter that it would fall down to us to pay the minimum payment and the insurance company the rest. That wound G up as well.  However must say that the insurance company extremely efficient.

A little later on having dealt with everything for the Police G went over to see the lad who is running one of the shops and also another shop further up. Both had CCTV and so G asked them to check and let him know if they found anything.  Later in the afternoon the young lad told G categorically that it was the lorry that had caused the damage to the car as he had caught it on his CCTV.  The shop further up, his cameras are set at a different angle and so we understand did not catch anything.  The lad from the shop sent G the video and we watched it on his phone which showed that the lorry had indeed caused the damage.

In-between all this we have also had phone calls from the garage trying to arrange admission of the car for repairs and the insurance company again.

Then heard later on from Police to say that they were not taking further action in relation to the anti-social behaviour thing with the Asian lad.  We are not too bothered about that one way or another in any event just frustrated with all the messing about.  

G reviewed the video again today and put the speaker on and it quite clearly shows and you can hear the crunch on the car and the lad who had been guiding the lorry back had actually bashed on the side of the lorry to stop the driver from reversing further.

So today, G has been in touch with the insurance company and updated them as to the position.  They have checked the number plate out and there is insurance on the lorry.  They have therefore indicated that they are now proceeding on the basis that they will go against the lorry driver.  Have also sent the CCTV footage to them as well.  Now waiting for contact from a garage and a replacement car to be arranged.as apparently according to the insurance company they are dealing with it on a different protocol now that we are not responsible.

G has been on a right downer yesterday and today and difficult to deal with.  However, I have done a bit of sharp talking of my own and things seem to have calmed down now. Thank goodness.  Not sure when will be resolved, although have been led to believe that the insurance company will deal with this pretty quickly in any event.  Hope so as we were planning to go down to the Cornwall for a break in any event.  Now could really do with a few days down in Cornwall after all the shenanigans of the past couple of days to try and chill a bit.

Hopefully normal service will now be resumed with my posts.  Was just so tired yesterday and I am today.  Thank goodness no one has been hurt.  Tomorrow is another day.

Hope everything is well in your own worlds.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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