Well, the day started off well, we took Rosie out and then later David came up for a coffee. He has his house up for sale and now has a website. It really is a lovely house.
I then drove to Starling to get some fresh vegetables. I happened to see Chris going in just as I got in my car and waved. My car was in between two parked cars, so I slowly reversed out of my parking spot…BANG! Having looked both ways I am only left to presume that he was driving at speed and ran into the side of my car. I got out of the car and he started shouting his head off at me in Turkish despite having driven into my car. It makes me wonder if he had seen me reversing and hadn’t even bothered to swerve his heap of junk out of the way, that’s if his brakes worked!
Having heard so many stories about ex pats having accidents, I really wanted a witness with me and a bit of support dealing with the Turkish Cypriots who had come over to view! Having seen Chris, I ran back into Starling and instead saw David. I think I must have said something like “can you help me please?” David, bless him left his shopping and came straight out with me.
A guy came over from the car wash and phone calls backwards and forwards to goodness knows who and then suddenly I was told they could get his repair done for 850tl, all in the space of 10 minutes. ‘Cash Cow’ came to mind at that point.
By this time my other super hero Chris had joined us. They truly expected me to hand over the cash for his “accident”! Twice we asked if they had called the Police, evidently not as they just wanted me to hand over money. I am so thankful to both David and Chris being there to support me because we have all heard that no matter whose fault, it is never the Turkish Cypriots, fault. We told them I had insurance for these events and we wanted the Police so we had a report for the insurance company.
They then called the Police and we waited. Meanwhile David phoned Steve Dickinson where we get our insurance from and he confirmed that yes we needed the Police report.
The Police arrived and of course spoke to the local first, didn’t even ask me what had happened but asked for all my documents. Having changed handbags, my driving license was at home but I had all my other up to date documents in the car. Bless him, Chris drove back to our house and collected my license and had arrived back before the Police had arrived. The Police checked all of my documents and said I had no MOT and that I had to take it to the Police station, then he found it in my car docs wallet.
The Turkish Cypriot driver at NO TIME was asked to produce any documents whatsoever. The Police suggested the best thing I could do would be to hand over the 850tl but I told them I had insurance and would claim through them. The policeman then told me that if I wanted to do it this way, then I had to pay them 260tl. I asked why and was told “if you have an accident in Cyprus everyone has to pay 260tl.” Well, I certainly didn’t notice that the other driver was asked for his 260tl; nor did Chris or David. There was a lot more discussion in Turkish and the Police taking measurements with their tape measure. I repeat at NO TIME did the other driver produce ANY documents.
The original guy from the garage was talking to the Police too and had evidently been on to Universal insurance and some agreement was made that no I wouldn’t have to pay the 260tl and Universal had agreed that if I drove to the garage and they could copy my insurance and driving license, the other guy’s car would be fixed and I would have no more problems. I am still totally confused how this works BUT clever David was on the phone to Steve again checking this was all OK. He said yes.
David followed me to the garage and they copied my documents and asked me to write an account of what had happened, which I did with the help of David as I was still shaking! I then asked what happened next and was told “finished”. Maybe I am cynical but did the other driver have insurance/road tax/driving license/MOT and why wasn’t he asked to produce them? AND why was I not asked at all about what had happened? I suppose it was that obvious that he had driven into me. He had an old car, so maybe a new front part was needed by him? Yes I AM cynical!
Thank goodness we have such good friends as David and Chris and I was so lucky they were there and I have to add, after I arrived home both rang to see that I was OK. Thank you both.
Amidst all of this I forgot to mention that when we took Rosie to the beach she rolled in something totally disgusting and we had to drive from the beach with all the car windows open and I had to shower her for about half an hour to remove whatever it was. She STANK! Hey ho, let’s hope tomorrow is a better day in “paradise”.
Thought for the Day – “Who can hope to be safe? who sufficiently cautious? Guard himself as he may, every moment’s an ambush.” ~ Horace
(Especially in the TRNC!!!!)