[AuRavelling79]

Today, minding my own business coming off the Avonmouth/M5/A4 roundabout and a French lorry driver on my left (I'm in his blind spot) in his artic decides to clobber the back of the trusty Honda with his 20 tonne truck.

Off comes the rear bumper and jams against the back wheel and the side of my motor from the rear wheel arch back (below the window) is opened like a tin of sardines!

Mind you his front steps and headlight nacelle came off badly too!

Had a great "Franglais" conversation with his transport manager

"Votre camion frappe my motor mon ami!"

"Qu'es ce se?/ Ou e le camion etc"

"Sur Avonmouth roundabout dans le wrong lane!"

"Ze driver will give you ze insur-ance"

No-one got upset and Anglo-French relations are not damaged by the incident.

Any way, shook hands, "Au revoir etc" then stood in third lane of A4 dual-carriageway hitting bent bits of metal and plastic fouling the back wheel with my trusty hammer (which I carry to make adjustments to my pump!).

Ho hum! It was difficult to keep my usual mindless optimism going today.

(Very helpful insurers (mine) by the way and more on that in a moment. And my repair job to keep me going 'til the insurance engineer comes to visit! I feel a write-off coming on!)

[Johnboyfree]

Hi,just out of interest,if youre vehicle is written off by the insurance company,what happens to youre system,I assume youre wfp.with a tank etc.as this would now belong to the insurance company?(as it could be classed as add on)or is yours considerd goods in transit?I never thought about it untill I saw youre post

[AuRavelling79]

I never thought about it either, but it's my tools of the trade and if I sell my car (£10 anyone?) I will take the stuff out so no they don't get the gear.

I wouldn't want my vehicle to be viewed as "modified" when it came to a big claim.

[Johnboyfree]

I never thought about it either, but it's my tools of the trade and if I sell my car (£10 anyone?) I will take the stuff out so no they don't get the gear.

I wouldn't want my vehicle to be viewed as "modified" when it came to a big claim.

So if you did have a tank in the car I take it it has now disapeared  or will do in the near future.

[AuRavelling79]

I don't beleive it!

As expected the 15 yr old Honda estate has been judged a write-off by the ins. co. (cosmetic write-off, not structural, so still MOT'd and roadworthy 'til next August.)

I'm in the process of buying a van so holding onto the car to stay working for a week or so.

Today, I pull out real sharpish from an awkward uphill junction (now my tank is secured so it can't go forwards or sideways in the event of a crash) but it slides backwards and takes out the rear window!

I've spent the afternoon picking out bits of glass from my system and taping up the rear window for my last week's work in the old bus!
 

[windows_chepstow]

Malc,

Are you a Geordie by any chance?

Good luck with the new van.

[AuRavelling79]

Malc,

Are you a Geordie by any chance?

Good luck with the new van.

Thanks Tosh - looks like I'll need it!

[windows_chepstow]

I don't beleive it!

As expected the 15 yr old Honda estate has been judged a write-off by the ins. co.

It's a bit sad though, when you've had a vehicle for a number of years, and it's served you well, has to go.

It's a bit like putting an old dog 'down'!

My favorate car was an old Ford Fiesta.  This car had done thousands and thousands of miles, took me all round Europe including one journey from Northern Germany to Southern Italy.

It was sad day when I had to scrap it!

Anyway, enough of my naff waffles, what size tank are you going to put in your van?

[AuRavelling79]

My existing 175L and 125L tanks. Plus a couple of barrels for my backpack.