I can't believe this is happening...

[Oryxdesign]

The other day my wife was waiting at a red traffic light when somebody ran into the back of her, it was a low speed accident and there was minimal damage and the children weren't in the car.
The woman who hit her apologised and gave her her telephone number, she said her foot had slipped and that she would like not to go through insurance for such a small bump. She asked my wife to get a quote and there was no damage to her Shogun.
My wife got a quote, she went straight from there to the bodyshop , and rang the woman that evening she didn't answer. She also rang the insurance company to report that there had been an incident but she didn't want to claim at this stage.
The next day her husband rang back, he explained that he was a travelling man and that he wouldn't pay for the damage. Further more he said that if we called the police or tried to claim on our insurance he would get our address and cause much more damage to us our house and our children.
We of course rang the police, they said they would come and see us but they didn't but they did take a statement over the phone. It appears at this stage that they haven't done any checks to see if the driver has a licence, insurance or tax.
We have had several more threats from this man, I have just called the police again. I spoke to a surly rude individual who has been no help what so ever. He now wants me to go and see him so we can sort it out, if I was a traveller I could probably get all my brothers and cousins together for intimidation but it's beyond the call of duty for my friends (I couldn't ask). I can't believe these people can intimidate like this with out a policeman even popping over to check their details. I now feel very vunerable, it is easy to look up my name on google, find the registered office of my limited company (home) and it seems I have no one to rely on for any sort of protection.
Si

 

[Doctor]

If the people really are travellers, I would seriously consider just walking away from the whole situation and accepting a monetry lose.
These people are nutters, I worked with a couple who drove lorries, they are a law unto themselves and delight in seeking revenge.
They are vertually untouchable by the law and believe me they will have a much larger family than you can muster and have been fighting since the age of 2.
I remember visiting a playground when my son was 2, travellers had parked nearby and one of the travellers kids (in a nappy) told me to F*** off it was his roundabout, LOVELY.

 

[Ironballs]

Whilst they do a good job elsewhere I find the police can be worse than useless in these small matters (personal experience). Sadly you have little choice other than to keep on at the police to do something about it and lastly, let's not romanticise these wandering thugs, they're not travellers they're pikeys

 

[Chris By The River]

These low 'people' are now calling themselves an "Ethnic Minority" to render then even more untouchable!!

It might not do much good, but might I suggest that you petition your MP regarding the situation - it might prompt the gutless police to stand up and be accountable.

 

[Gary]

Did your wife obtain the womans date of birth? If not then the Police cannot check her driving licence details.

If the Police took a statement over the phone and have not been to seen you, how did your wife sign it? At statement after all is a written signed document.

What is it you want from the Police?

If your wife obtained details at the time then the road traffic act has been complied with and repair payments are now down to you insurance company.

The Police will deal with the threats but they are NOT a debt collection agency and will not make the other party pay.

 

[MikeG.]

I would go back to the police, and if you get an unsatisfactory response ask the officer for his name and number, and for a copy of their complaint procedures.

Now for the controversial bit...(and I've been robbed by a gypsie).....we have treated these people as dirt for hundreds of years, and then we wonder why they show our sort of society no respect. Australia has the same thing with aboriginals, who most modern urban dwellers see as drunken thieving spongers......forgetting that Aboriginals have been killed and kidnapped and abused and treated as outcasts since white man turned up.

It may not be our fault that these people don't comply to our norms, but it is certainly our ancestors' fault. Goodness knows where we go from here to make things right, though.

Mike

 

[Chris By The River]

Hi Mike,

I wasn't aware that Aboriginals were in the habit of canvassing for poorly done jobs and them demanding money with menaces........

Chris

 

[andycktm]

I don't think the Police will get involved unless a crime has taken place,
and then unless its assault or murder you'll still be lucky to get attention :x
They are all at the side of the road with cameras :lol:

 

[Jenx]

Si ...
Immediate thought here ...

The original woman issued your missus with a 'genuine' phone number ( I assume it matches the one from which your're receiving the calls.
Thats not the action of a pikey's missus ....

Its easy to 'purport' to be something over a phone that, in reality you're not ( the 'alleged' pikey, i mean ).

Just a 'gut feel' Bud.. but I suspect a 'bluff'....

Pity you weren't a bit closer..
we could have gone and 'called it' together. :wink:

Hope you get a proper end result, the fuzz should be more 'assisting'... unfortunately, they have more pressing matters.. :roll: ( another story ! ).
As I say.. 'gut-feel' ... its not the actions of the gyppo to repeatedly phone, either. I think the bloke's trying to scare you off.

Good luck with sorting it.. hope you get somewhere and soon, too.

 

[Gary]

I don't think the Police will get involved unless a crime has taken place,
and then unless its assault or murder you'll still be lucky to get attention :x
They are all at the side of the road with cameras :lol:

If the OP has been threatened with his house been smashed up then a crime has been committed.

I don't want to burst your bubble but it's not the Police with the cameras there civilians now. :wink:

 

[Jenx]

I don't want to burst your bubble but it's not the Police with the cameras there civilians now. :wink:

? ? ? Cr*p !
The ones that I see in 5 locations every day, ain't no civilians, bud. :wink:

Anyways.. don't let this one get dragged off the point.
Oryx needs help and advice here,
Relatively serious situation for him.

Its a pity Jake's not around right now.. he's the man for the best advice in this scenario. :wink:

 

[Gary]

I don't want to burst your bubble but it's not the Police with the cameras there civilians now. :wink:

? ? ? Cr*p !
The ones that I see in 5 locations every day, ain't no civilians, bud. :wink:

Just look your not in England.

Just you wait all speed enforcement vans will be soon! :wink:

 

[gatesmr2]

Hi Si

Would like to be of help but i live in an area where there are loads of "Travellers"
To be fair most are not that bad but they do tend to stick together if there is a problem and as said by the doctor "If the people really are travellers, I would seriously consider just walking away from the whole situation and accepting a monetary lose".
Not much help sorry but this is the best advice anyone can give you.

Very unlikely they will bother you if nothing comes of it form there side and as has been said before the police won't be of much help partly i think through the lack of ability through law as much as anything else as no real crime has been committed.
Your wife excepted to not go through the insurance route so gave a verbal contract, the fact that the other side did not follow through i suspect is a civil matter.
You can threaten anyone you like and be well within the law if

A - nobody else here’s or you are not recorded.
B - no physical evidence
C - the threats aren't carried out

May sound harsh but without any of the above its your word against there’s and while the police may log it they can't really do anything about it. Tony Martin is a prime example he lived not far from me and was threatened more than once but the police could do nothing as they had no evidence.
I am not saying its right but travellers also know how far they can push the laws without breaking them.

Sorry again but in your situation i would walk away

Martin

 

[studders]

Sorry again but in your situation i would walk away

Martin

I would too as it probably just isn't worth it as you won't get any money out of these scum (they're not mistreated aboriginals, they're just scum) but, I would create an almighty stink wherever I could, local action groups, my MP, in the press and anywhere else I could think of.

 

[Jenx]

Just look your not in England.
Just you wait all speed enforcement vans will be soon! :wink:

Fair Point ! :lol:

The 'threats' over the phone are a contravention of the wireless and telegraphy act 1949.

and I would have thought, as such.. are prosecutable by law.
( I am not a lawyer.. But if you contavene an act of legal statute, is prosecutabe, I'm pretty certain ).

Beligerant, dogmatic terrier, I may be... but why should YOU be out of pocket, and 'intimidated' into the bargain. ?
I don't feel that anyone is 'above' the law ... theiving pikey scumbag or not.
Someone's 'wronged' you here... and to my mind, thats unacceptable.
As a decent, law-abiding. peaceful respectful productive member of society, you have a divine right morally, to be protected by the laws of the land.

And again, gut-feeling is that the 'perpetrator' of the wrong doings is no more 'dangerous' than you would wish to be.
He's traceable, and 'answerable', every bit as much as any of us is.
and the whole scenario of him keeping coming at you by phone, is, as I mentioned earlier highly suspicious. I really think he's bluffing.
A gyppo's missus isn't going to give your wife a genuine phone number at the scene.. no way.
Is it a landline ? if it is... then my gut feel is even more likely to be accurate.

A phonecall to your 'brief' is perhaps in order ...
Just by way of establishing where you stand.

I'm sure you're only too well aware of how easily your wife's car could be damaged to the tune of thousands .. a car can be written off easily enough at 10mph in the right conditions...
And there's no way you should be a penny out of pocket.

Feel right sorry for you here, Orxy .. this is grief that I'm sure you could do well without.
I'd be very inclined to give your usual Solicitor a buzz, and see what he advises.

 

[ByronBlack]

trace their address from the landline number, go down to the pub and hire a few heavies to pay them a visit, see if he likes being intimidated.

 

[Woodmagnet]

Jenx, pick me up on the way to Kent :twisted: . I too
don't believe that they are "travellers", just
some pr*ck trying it on :x .

 

[andycktm]

Jenx has a point, try and locate their place of residence see who they are
(might be an mp who cannot claim it on expenses ).
No, it could be someone well off. You may be suprised!
But as mentioned if its traveller's
i'd stay well clear.

 

[wizer]

oh man I've had run ins with the Pikeys a few times in my life and have learned to steer very clear of them. I agree that you should cut your losses. Anyone else and I'd personally volunteer to come down and help. But these people are animals. I think the Police are well aware that not even they can bring them to justice and generally leave them alone.

For your sanity and personal protection, drop it and never look one in the eye again.

 

[Jake]

It isn't really a legal problem, Jenx - there isn't much room for any doubt about the legal rights and wrongs.

Obviously the police are the primary hope - whether they will be any help is at best a lottery. Probably too busy battering innocent bystanders to death or imperilling security services ops against terrorists.

I'd ask to speak to your insurance company's legal department in confidence about it. It's a fairly intolerable situation you are in - I'm not sure they will be able (still less willing) to do any thing to help avoid the problem, but it is worth asking. I think in any case you would strictly in insurance law be deemed to have notified a potential claim, so you are in their hands anyway in terms of their being reasonable about NCBs and so on.