The Trial day

So today started just like any other day - the alarm went off, I hit the snooze button  & eventually got out of bed 7 minutes later. There the normality ended.

Myself & Nic were due at coventry crown court today following a car accident I had 3 and a half years ago. I had been driving a road that I drove on nearly every day when some numpty ( who we will call Mr Smith, okay so he really is Mr Smith but what the hell, sue me I didn't use his full name ) drove into the side of my car. My car was a write off & since then I have been unable to buy a new car because I could not afford the extra insurance. So we turn up nice & ealry but as my barrister was coming from Liverpool he was late due to major problems with the trains in the midlands ( hell, even one of the judges was late because of the trains ). So he gets to court, we have a 10:30 appointment but this is missed due to the train problem, eventually the case that took our slot finished at 12:50 - only for the judge to want to break for lunch. After a nice lunch ( Greggs sausage & bean melt - lovely ) we got into court at 14:00. All day the other driver was sitting in the waiting area in the next room from us & I have to admit that he looked worried. I may not be the most confident person in the world but I know how to walk with supreme confidence, which I did & enjoyed seeing Mr Smith looking more worried every time I walked by. This may be childish but I don't care, he has caused me a lot of grief over the last 3.5 years with not having my own transport so I was going to make the most of it.

When we got into court I was gobsmacked, he was wearing a scruffy fleece top with a scruffy polo shirt underneath, he never removed the fleece top in court & just looked like a complete scruff. Again, I may not be the most snappy dresser but at least I made an effort & wore shirt & tie. Basically his story was that I made a manouver that would have taken at least 30 seconds to complete & that I drove out of a side road straight into him. This is all complete bo***cks, the distance he had to travel before catching up with me would have taken him approximately 7 seconds, he claimed it took him 40 seconds to cover this distance ( I had to really stop myself from laughing at him ), he also claimed that I was driving like 'a bat out of hell' to make the manouver, yet when questioned intensely about the distance he was away from the junction when he finally saw me ( according to him, as I charged out of the junction straight into his path )he claimed my brake lights never went on as I was driving slowly - so he has sworn to tell the truth the whole truth & nothnig but the truth then contradicts himself in front of the judge - I could not make this stuff up I promise. 

Anyway, the upshot is that I WON!! Even the judge in his summing up said " I don't believe the defendant". So now it's all over I can finally start looking for a car. I still have to wait for the damages to be awarded, this can either be an offer from the other side or they can wait for the court to award damages. Either way I may not get any money until mid-late 2007. But at least I can afford to insure a car now so tonight I have been on line looking at cars. I want  a Renault Laguna, i've always liked these cars & now may be my chance to pick one up for a reasonable price. Okay so I haven't got any no claims as I haven't been driving for a while but that will soon be sorted after the first year.

The greatest thing would be if I could get a car sorted before L'il Vamp is born so I can bring him home in my own car. I would also be able to visit my mum & my sister more often. Not to mention being able to drive to any of the local parks around warwickshire when L'il Vamp is here.

I know I have rambled on a bit in this entry but I am so glad this has finally been resolved & in my favour. I will be back during the weekend & next week. In the meantime I hope you all have a great weekend...VampJack x