Lorry drivers who get away with accidents

Ouch- this Summer, our wing mirror on the Discovery was taken off with a violent hit by a UK Motorhome- travelling downhill far too fast on a bend in a tunnel near Zermatt! As we have a right-hand drive vehicle, it was bil who nearly 'got it'! We stopped in the lay-by just after the tunnel in the hope the driver would return to sort it all out with insurance- FAT chance! We saw it was a UK plate, but no time to take number. It cost over £200 to repair damage- with 100 to be paid by us, rest by insurance. Grrrr. Fortunately does not affect 'no-claims'!

Is it really worth claiming for a wing mirror, alternativegran?

It might be worth her persisting with the company giving precise details of damage, whether or not the lorry was overtaking etc., and which part of the lorry actually hit the mirror.

We were flabbergasted when in UK last 2.5 weeks to see how many lorry drivers and van drivers drive when TEXTING - even when overtaking on MWay- and in poor weather. Police should really crack down on this- it is lethal! Mind you, we also saw a mum with both kids in the back doing the same on the M25, in middle lane- wow!

The number of traffic police in Devon and Cornwall fell from 239 in 2010 to 57 in 2014 - a 76% drop. In the 12-month periods ending March 2012 and March 2013, Devon and Cornwall had no full-time traffic officers. With so few police actually on the roads it's no wonder that drivers know they can flout traffic laws with impunity.

Darren Johnson managed to get a motion on lorry danger through this morning with the help of MPs from all parties, it was for London but hopefully will affect lorries all over the country.

I think my daughter just doesn't want to spend money on a Zafira at the moment until she knows what is happening. She is already travelling with a portable smoke detector in her glove box and a axe.

You name the road we have seen lorry drivers with phones in their hands. Travelled behind white van man weaving and yes sure enough mobile in his hand when you draw alongside

An axe
Please explain further.

if the car bursts into flames, as some zafiras have done recently- then locking system might fail- so an axe to break windows to get out actually makes sense.

Mobile is bad enough - but when you see a lorry driver in outside lane, over taking, with head DOWN looking at mobile to TEXT - that is truly scarry!!!

It's against the law for a lorry to be in the outside lane of a motorway.

They're only allowed to overtake in the middle lane.

I've never seen a lorry driver texting while driving because although I drive a 4X4 it's still not high enough to see into the cab.

The last time that we went on holiday towing our caravan, we`d just left Seahouses for home when a blooming great lorry thundered past and took off our towing mirror. We stopped, saw it lying in the road, but as hubby was going to pick it up, a car ran right over it, crushing it. We had to go all the way home minus towing mirror.