Advice needed on accident with a taxi

[drivemax]

Had an accident with a taxi.
What happen was I was driving behind the taxi from the one way street to the main road.
After the taxi make a left turn out , I briefly stopped to have a quick look right to make sure
no on-coming traffic. I proceed to turn but I was caught by surprise.
The taxi in front of me that just make a turn stopped to alight one of the passenger.
I had no time to react and bump to the rear of the taxi.
I observed that the taxi stopped without any indication, stopped to alight passenger
closed to exit point of a corner and along double yellow line. (I can complain these as well..)

In a haste, both of us took a lot of pics using our phone camera but did not take down the contact. I can still contact him thru the taxi co. I mentioned to him I will report and claim but
I think he wants to settle privately. He said I will be at losing end since I hit him from the rear. Should I call him back to settle or pursue with my claim?

Will I have a case if I make a third party claim or shld I settle privately (which mean, I might
have to borne my own damage and maybe his damage as well)?
NCB might be affected if I make a claim.
My car damage is not very serious but its to the front bumper and its plastic.
(changing whole bumper is serious) and some bonnet work. Of course the rear of the cab might need some panel beating and bumper and light replace.

Anyone has similar experience?

Thanks!

 

[hitmee]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

may be you can post some of the pic and let us see the damages?

 

[drivemax]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

damaged to no. plate, top bonnet lip (went in), front bumper nose closed to no.plate
as you can see from the pics. If i open the bonnet, I can see the right bumper screw washer shifted a little bit.

 

[Shem]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

I had a very similar accident with a taxi. Hit his rear bumper.. Think his boots were also affected after that. He can't closed it or something like that. Didn't look serious at all though.. He told me that his repair would only cost a thousand or two at most..So i decided to just let the insurance company settle for that while i would just pay cash for my own repair.. I remembered paying about a thousand for mine.. Was an altis though, not a beemer.. If i'm not wrong, the only major thing that was changed was one of my headlight... A couple of months later, i got the bill from his workshop. The Facking monkey actually claim seven thousand plus from my insurance.. Bloody monkey..

 

[xuexun]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

I think banging other cars rear usually will be more lugi.. Dropping and picking up at a double yellow line is not an offence. You can try to pursue the claim from the taxi co. If u can't claim from him, u got to calculate if you are gonna claim from your own insurance. Usually only claim from own insurance if the amount is quite large because you are going to affect your NCD.

 

[adsnx]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

simon..wats yr NCD percentage?
work out is it worth losing NCD as compare to the repair cost for both parties...can get an estimated cost of repair from workshop.
Hope u can sort it out soon!

btw, those pics shown doesn't look like yr ride.

 

[drivemax]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

Adrian, I'm on 50% now. If claim frm insurance definitely this discount gonna be reduce.
That's my car alright. Aft the accident, it seems it doesn't look like my ride anymore.. sad..
Too bad, this happen on weekend. Can't get any repair estimation at the moment.

 

[Alex Z]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

Hitting the rear is almost a sure loose case for you.

Lodging a claim against him will result in he claiming against your insurance, as he is likely to win.

How much will it cost him and you tosettle privately is the qn. With 50% NCD, you are a careful driver.

 

[pingman]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

hmm. if u took photo of his rear and ur front, why not try to get a lawyer to file a separate civil suit against the monkey and see if he dare to pick up the fight. if he does the repair outside comfort delgro, then the 7000$ bill must be fishy.

and if he does reply to the suit, it means he has something to say, and both of u can thrash it out on this. if i recall correctly, nowadays it doesnt necessary mean u r wrong instantly if u rear-ed that monkey, especially these irresponsible taxi drivers.

 

[Mav]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

I had a very similar accident with a taxi. Hit his rear bumper.. Think his boots were also affected after that. He can't closed it or something like that. Didn't look serious at all though.. He told me that his repair would only cost a thousand or two at most..So i decided to just let the insurance company settle for that while i would just pay cash for my own repair.. I remembered paying about a thousand for mine.. Was an altis though, not a beemer.. If i'm not wrong, the only major thing that was changed was one of my headlight... A couple of months later, i got the bill from his workshop. The Facking monkey actually claim seven thousand plus from my insurance.. Bloody monkey..

Pls take this with a pinch of salt as it is based on hear say:

I heard from many taxi drivers that when they get reared n send their car back to "auntie" workshop to claim insurance, they will take the chance and replace lots of stuff, even those not damaged by the accident.

Guess that's how they can be so profitable huh? $7k?..... sounds about right.

 

[kenntona]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

Simon, whatever you do now, do not admit guilt. Rear-ending does not necessarily entails a traffic wrong, especially if...... SMS / PM me. I will tell you the solution.

 

[morphisis]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

actually i was told that if there was a rear knocking accident when the front driver is actually at fault, should actually (1800-CALL LTA) and get TP to come down to settle the accident and gives each party a report.. and if found that the vehicle in the front is actually at fault, the vehicle's insurance will cover the one at the back for damage.

But in Simon's case, i think its pretty hard because its his words for your words, (Welbo... sounds familier?) I have hit taxi's back before when i was driving my company's van.. They like to resort to asking for private settlement.. but when asked how much to pay, they will give a damn scary figure.. if you suggest bringing to a workshop who you know, then they will give lots of excuse to bring to their workshop because COMFORT only trust those workshop who service their cabs (who may not be COMFORT but its THEIR FRIENDS).

You have to pay for their down time (payment for the duration their car is in the workshop), rental for their vehicle, damages, etc etc.... and it will just end up being another head chopping amount... For my case, i just call that 'nice' taxi uncle and ask him claim from my insurance or bring to my friend's workshop... and he choose insurance... so Its his choice to take insurance, but contact your insurance agent or company and produce the pictures of the damage, so he cant claim over the pictures which you have shown your insurance company..

Simon, I have been in this situation before.. Calculate whether you want settle this privately or not (write in black and white, so he dont change conditions), insurance is an easier way not to let taxi drivers get away with too much new 'mods'..

 

[drivemax]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

Hi bros ,
thks for all your advice, it seems like everywhere I go and asked (workshops, insurance co.) all said slim chance or hardly at all (a process that will take very long ...) to claim against him.
And after calculating own repair + "that monkey's bananas" est settlement, no choice but better to claim. I have the evidence (pictures of his damage) so that he won't try to eat more than he can swallow. Will get the insurance co. to access and see what they will say.

 

[dinatan]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

Hi, I have experienced of bumming into a taxi like e case of yours but probably with a little more damge mentioned. I was advised not to enter into any private settlement with any taxi drivers (in particular) if we are e guys behind or at fault. There had been incidents according to my insurance agent that ppl went into private settlement and e taxi drivers still went ahead to claim their insurance. This is despite that there is a reciept of payment signed. Case was brought up and there was practically nothing you can do about it. And is really not worth the trouble to pursue it thereafter.

On the other hand, fr my knowledge and experience with the accident, I have come to understand that the taxis if involved in any accident, are not allowed to bring to other workshop other than their own approved ones (Eg. Delgro). Having said these, this will somewhat be an important point to consider when entering into private settlement. That is unless you are the one claiming against the taxi and have the upper hands.

Hope it helps...

Dina

 

[sszone]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

thats why it always pays to stay a distance from taxi drivers.
damnit....back in july, i had to replace my mounting which broke when i had to jam on my breaks so hard to avoid a stupid SH6929 comfort taxi that attempted a 3-lane change in 1 shot....bloody hell, i was in the middle lane...stupid comfort customer service said they will look in the matter, not even a reply from them till now......pui........

 

[coolblue]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

I suggest you settle with the Taxi driver privately. That is pay for his damage and yours. Maybe slip him $300 or something to close the case.

 

[Runner71]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

Hi,
I had about the same experience. Was fresh out from a junction and there was this van infront of me. Apparently there was a cab infront of him about 50 metres away. Think he intended to wait and see if the cab goes off, then he would just maintain the lane( we were on the left lane of a 3 lane carriageway ). Or if the cab still there, he wanted to just swing to the right lane. On the last minute, he realised that he was too near the cab which was still there, so he couldn't brake in time, and decided to swing to right lane, but he can't and jammed brakes.

was about 3 carlengths from him but couldnt brake in time. So hit his back. His back panel door damaged and my grill and bumper and bonnet caved.

I immediately took my Cam and took shots of damage and got my dad who was my passenger to go out and do physical distance shots of my brake marks.

I went to IDAC, did report, and stated exactly what happened and send my photos to my insurer. In the end, no claims was made against me. Guessed they realised there was inconsistancies in the van driver's report and awarded nothing.

Moral of Story: Bring DigiCam in Car and Take Pics Immediately.

R71

 

[LimPeh]

Re: Advice needed on accident with a taxi

I hit a private car from behind before and I managed to get the driver to go to an authorised workshop of my insurance company for an estimate of repair.

1st question they ask was if we're claiming insurance. I had intended to pay from my own pocket, so I no. The repair cost quoted was S$2.8K for the other car and S$350 for my own car (knock back bumper and respray). I decided to claim my insurance instead. And guess what? The bill for the other car came up to be a whopping S$8K (small scratch replace everything with brand new piece) and mine turn out to be S$1.8K (they claim they had replaced my bumper with a new one).

The moral of the story: Even authorised workshops by insurance companies will attempt to make a quick buck out of the insurance company that appointed them. It could have been far cheaper if I were to go to my own workshop.