Crashed my car last night, what now?

Not a good night last night - while driving through the roadworks in Effnerplatz I managed to use the car in front of me as a brake, and completely smash my car. He'd already hit the guy in front of him who stopped suddenly at some stupidly placed temporary traffic lights. A simple read end shunt. They were all very nice, we exchanged details, they drove off and I waited for the ADAC, who were also very nice. This is what happens when you hit one of those lard wagon SUV things in a 'normal' car - my bumper went under his and the radiator performed the function the bumpers should have done. Net result: scratched SUV, dead car. Fortunately no-one hurt as it's a 40Km/h limit...

Firstly, I guess that it's completely my fault for hitting him - I imagine the fact that he'd already hit the guy in front counts for nothing? I don't have legal insurance, and in any case would prefer the quiet life, so unless I've completely misunderstood the law here I'll let it lie. Any ideas?

Second, does anyone know of someone who buys cars for scrapping? There are some new bits on it, and together it's probably worth something to someone. I already sold the CD/radio to the ADAC truck driver...

Third, watch out in those bloody roadworks. Some of the road layouts they come up with are just magic (even at 40Km/h).

PP

Spoke too soon eh?

Well spotted... I've been kicking myself since the crash. My two reasons for buying the thing were to use it to go skiing, and to provide an alternative to the daily dance with death that is cycling in the snow.

Still, as no-one was hurt it's easier to see the lighter side - At least I saved the four new winter tyres I was going to buy today.

Quote: winter tyres
...the lack of which could well have been a contributing factor considering the road conditions last night?

Not that I'm not sympathetic (and not that I need to be - I notice a creditable lack of whingeing in your posts)

ouch!!!

Check under "Autoverwertung" in yellow pages. You may need to call around a few different places to get "quotes"- some actually want money from you to take it off your hands, others are more realistic if they can make money from the parts. Depends on the model, age and overall pre-accident condition of course...

YL6

Thanks YL6, a useful hint. There are some nearly new bits on it that should be worth something and the rest is in good condition, except the front, including the engine...

Now the weather is really taking the piss - snowing heavily, and it's settling.

i dont want to get moral on ya, but what the fcuk are you doing driving around without insurence!! one you might get nicked and the germans re heavy abot cars without insurance, two you could hurt somebody and be faced with a large bill for the rest of your life, sorry but if you smacked my car without insurence i'd ship you to the police.

I think he meant doesn't have Rechtschutzversicherung, Gideon, Not car insurance. But I should let him speak for himself.

that is how i understood it as well, slim. it is virtually impossible to get away without Haftpflicht insurace here. Not like in the UK.

ahhhhgh

the red mist is clearing from my eyes... i think your right iceberg... appologies for reading wrong mr piper. but now im wondering what "illegal insurance" would be? (three large russians with baseball bats in the boot?)

anyway if you drive into the back of anything you are to blame, you should have left space, i know as i've done it. best pay up, less stress involved for all concerned.

not that it's helping anyone else, but how is liability reckoned here? I know it varies in the States but a general rule is that anytime you hit the rear of another car it's your fault.

Is it no fault (everybody pays their own bills), proportional (50% mine, 50% someone else'S) or clear (100% to a single party)?

BTW, illegal insurance covers you when you do something illegal. clear as mud.

Do you mean 'shop him to the police'? or actually ship him in a box?

You people are all useless. The man needs some advice.
One, yes you're usually at fault if you rear-end someone, unless the guy behind you pushed you there. Your insurance will sort that out with the SUV driver.
Two: The only likely way to get rid of a wreck without paying would be to try and sell it on a website like Auto24. I don't know what your success rate might be there, but it's worth a try. Most of the Autoverwertung places will charge you up the yooha for takeing care of it - regardless of how much they might make out of your parts.

Oops, Kat is right. Amongst all the "useless" posts I lost the original call for advice...
Can only help on the first point, and yes, rule number one says that if you hit someone from behind it's your fault.
Slim is also right, blame can be apportioned one quarter, one third, one half etc., but the chances of that happening in this case unless you can come up with some pretty convincing arguments (plus witnesses if poss) are close to zero.

kat i think your wrong.. (emphasis is on the word think)
if i remember my driving lessons here (i learnt in germany in german! self pat on back), even if you a shunted you are responsible for the damdge to the car in front. you should leave enough distance between you and the car infront. that is unless the guy who whacks you from behind is driving above 135 kmh. (or has three russians with baseball bats in his boot)

oh and im not usless (goes off and sulks)

I rear-ended someone (in a car!) some years ago, and was subsequently rear-ended myself by the guy behind who also could not stop. I'd clearly caused the first accident (and admitted it) but the police took reports, including my admission, and only prosecuted the guy who had then hit me as a result his insurance paid for all 3 cars... so I saved my no-claims/deductible...

The moral of the story is to only have an accident when you know the guy behind will have one too as a consequence...

YL6

...in other words drive really close in front of the bloke behind you?

No, no, no... drive really close to the guy behind you...

I asked around at work and a (German) colleague told me that he believed that some Autoverwertungs places were actually paying for scrap nowadays and that if you called around, you might actually have some luck getting a few bucks instead of paying them to take the wreck off your hands. Certainly worth a try, but I must add that there were conflicting opinions as well. Tip: Never ask a group (or gaggle? den? nincompoopery?) of engineers how to do anything. They all consider themselves expert at everything and are often wrong to boot.

Thanks everyone. As seems logical, I'm the dunce for driving too close to Mr. SUV and although some people have said 'ooh, I'd sue the guy at the front of the chain' I don't reckon I've got a prayer and for the sake of peace and quiet I'm going to let it lie. And thanks to the Chinese, it seems, scrap metal has soared in value these days so the wreck may well be worth something - thanks for the tips on how sell it. Until today Stimmer were happy to help but are now inundated with winter tyre changes (thanks, again, to the weather).

And to defend my good name, of course I have insurance for my car as the law requires - and for the first time in my life will get some direct benefit from it. I don't have the 'I'll see you in court' lawyer-feast insurance some people don't feel safe without.

So, with the no-claims out the window, male pride in driving ability in tatters, dreams of buying a sports car even further away, I'll settle into a life of gentle alcoholism...

PP