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Be Careful who offer to help!

JimGNR

JimGNR

Trekker
I have been helping out with deliveries today, have kept the 5 Smart cars off the road because they are lethal in the snow. So we have been using just the vans and my Disco.

I went to a customer out in the sticks via some poor back roads. Less than 10 minutes later I come back along the same roads and see a 55 plate Mercedes E-class off the side of the road against a hedge on quite a side slope. I stopped to make sure the driver was OK, a middle aged man in a suit, he was shaken but not hurt. I offered to drive him into town or help winch him out as the car didn't look too damaged.

He said that would be great so I started to pull the winch line out and asked him to find the towing eye, he then started saying, what if you damage my car, pull the bumper off or pull the wheels out of alignment or worse!

I stopped pulling the line out and discussed it with him, his car looked like it would come out quite easily, the drivers side doors were damaged but an easy pull out I thought, yes there was a possiblity that extracting your car from the ditch and hedge could result in further damage but it would not be my responsiblity. I asked him if he agreed to take the risk, he said no, if I damage his car pulling it out he would expect me to pay for the damage.

I packed the winch away, left him there, he had a phone so he could call MB Mobilo (MB's roadside assist). Let them do it.

It makes you wonder if it's worth offering assistance these days!:confused: Could end up being taken to court, sad really.
 
No Jim, you don't do it.

Just make sure everyone is OK and offer to call for assistance or take them to a place of safety.

Chris
 
That's gratitude for you! I'd also leave the character there with an attitude like that after receiving an offer of help.
 
we get this a lot on the rallies marshals and spectators try to help but they dont have the same insurance as we do.

unless your insurance will cover any damage you may do dont get involved and he may try to claim that somthing damagaed in the crash was your fault.
 
I'd have just driven up and down the road honking and waving with my heater on full, may put my shorts and t-shirt on first:D

Stroppy suit!!
 
....like the tale my old boss on the farm told me years ago. Similar situation, was driving along the snow covered back road to town and came across a Jaguar XK or summat nose into the ditch on a right hand bend. Stopped and offered to tow the car out, but the driver refused stating "this car is only 6 months old & cost over £18,000 - I don't bloody think so"

Boss replied "well this tractor is 6 weeks old and cost over £22,000 - Cheerio!" :D
 
To be fair he didn't come across as a to$$er, was grateful that I stopped to make sure he was OK and was thankful that I offered to help. Probably the only reason I offered to help pull him out is because my other car is exactly the same as his and I know how rubbish the RWD with big tyres are in the snow.

So I was quite surprised at his attitude to any damage that might result from the recovery. Suited me as I needed to get back to work.

I drove that road on the way home, the car was still there, I reckon the recovery trucks have had a very busy day.
 
came across one of these on the denbigh moors a few years back offered assitance as we were the first to come across him in 2 hours

he explained the "AA" were on the way and came while we offered him a warm drink, the AA pulled the car out of the ditch, but we could see that since no one was in the drivers seat the car just carried on and smashed into the back of the van.

Could not believe such a simple error even the kids could see what a mess the AA made

he was hopping mad the car was undamaged in the ditch, we left them to sort it out
 
Blooody sue nation!!!! :(

You did the right thing mate. However tempting it is to recover someone because you can it may come back to bite you in the ****!!!

What a crapppy world!
 
That same sort of nonsense happens over here now so good Samaritans are really discouraged. I'd think twice before helping someone out, I'd still stop and make sure they are ok though. Some people still stop and help out but abide by a rule:

"You hook to your car I'll hook to mine"

I can't see how this offers any protection from litigation however!!
 
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