Came home ON Friday after another hellish day at work to find my better half had destroyed the the big family car.
I'm the last 3 years she has destroyed my Honda CRV and our Mazda 5, not to mention some poor old bloke's brand new Civic (bought with his dead wife's life insurance), and an A&E nurse's C-Max (just escaped a violent relationship). About 50k total claims once whiplash included.
Clearly we are cursed, the insurance will go up to £200 a month again.
Essentially this means we're going to have to buy an old Vauxhall Zafira. Need the space and extra seats for when grandparents come to stay.
Will I regret this? Not getting her a new car again after this...
Perhaps its a hint she sholdn't be driving?
She drove to work this afternoon in my car. I was terrified to be honest.
In any case. Old Zafiras decent?
with that run of form a bus pass is what id be looking at and if she isnt troubled herself I would having a word.
I figure the 3 strikes and you’re out rule applies here, or perhaps a resit of the driving test at the very least
Dosnt matter of its decent or crap by the sounds of it, it’ll be scrap before long.
Bloody hell, I'll hate to be a cyclist on the same road as your wife drives.
I wouldn't want my kids in a car with a driver that crashes so much.
Sounds like in the long run it’d be cheaper for her to get a taxi for every journey she does. Or....
😂
What's the cause? Is she unlucky, careless, reckless, have an undiagnosed medical issue or what? Have any prosecutions resulted? I'd serious want to find out the root cause before she injures herself (or others) or worse.
Yeah, me too. The cost of replacement cars shouldn't be the big worry imo
(it's kind of crazy though... When i wrote off my mondeo- first actual crash of my whole driving life- fundamentally I drove straight into a stationary car. There were some reasons, which made it a bit less terrible than that, but still... I felt like, someone should be asking some more questions about this. But nah, we just cleaned up the glass, I got a bag of money for the car, and drove on. All anyone cared about was settling insurance not asking why 2 cars got turned into 1)
Horrifying isn't it?
Basically because she is tired, a bit cavalier and it's Surrey so the driving is quite intense.
But back on point Zafiras, any good?
I'm not saying this to be a dick but genuinely, assuming it's not just spectacularly bad luck* is further driver training something she might countenance?
(* - And 'bad luck' is plausible. A few years back I'd had five collisions in as many years. In three of them I was stationary and the other two I wasn't even in the car. Taking the car into the garage for repairs I wanted to ask whether they could demagnetise it.)
Basically because she is tired
Is that something you want to be admitting on a public forum?
If she's tired enough to be causing a crash she shouldn't be getting behind the wheel in the first place.
Sounds like she shouldn't be driving.
https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/safety/tired-drivers
Basically because she is tired, a bit cavalier
These things should be addressed. I'm not sure I'd be supportive of my wife driving if she had these issues and wasn't trying to get them sorted. I know that's easier to say than to do, but you could end up seeing her dead or some other innocent party.
Horrifying isn’t it?
Basically because she is tired, a bit cavalier and it’s Surrey so the driving is quite intense.
Sorry but don't drive tired. As you have seen it's really dangerous, what happens when she kills somebody?
You need to stop her driving. Major fines and or jail time await for driving while unfit to say nothing of the potential for killing someone
My dad's got a 2litre diesel opel zafira, think it's around a 2002.
He can't justify replacing it as it just won't die. Maybe lucky but it's not cost anything other than general wear items and yearly servicing. It's been a really good motor to be fair.
Good ad placement
Sounds like you’re at least getting a decent return on £200/month insurance!
Get a Volvo XC90, pretty much as safe as cars get and can be had fairly cheaply for an older one.
You need to stop her driving before she kills someone.
it’s Surrey so the driving is quite intense.
Really? What part of Surrey is that, Laguna Seca?
OP; no one is going to tell you which car is the correct choice because we all believe no car is the correct choice for your wife.
You keep telling us what she’s done and what she’s like but with a sort of nonchalant attitude that is frankly bewildering.
If my wife kept putting herself in that sort of danger I couldn’t live with myself standing by.
Stop her!
What part of Surrey is that,
Hell for Leatherhead?
A prison officer at the jail I was at was driving home one Monday morning after 7 nightshifts on the trot, she was knackered, fell asleep & hit another car killing the driver & had life threatening injuries herself.
Just saying.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2777697.stm
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/are-tired-drivers-criminals-too-9195125.html
You are looking at this problem in the wrong way. Sounds to me like your treating the symptoms (keep replacing the cars) rather than finding a cure (changing jobs were she isn’t so tired or can commute by public transport.) Living in Surrey is no excuse either. Sooner or later someone is going to get hurt and you’ll be as much to blame. On a lighter note Zafira’s are cheap as chips and reasonably reliable. Unfortunately they don’t bounce very well.
Yeah she needs to sort her driving issues out.
To answer the Zafira question - how often do the Grandparents visit? Do you really need to move that many people in one car? Would it be cheaper to hire when you do (get the collision damage waiver!)? A zafira is probably an ok car for the purpose but it will have no modern safety features which it sounds like might be useful. At the end of the day they are older and so buying carries an element of risk, any really bad ones will have been scrapped a while ago.
On the wider issue, can you do anything to make her less tired? Or otherwise help to make her less exposed to risk (eg. doing more of the driving yourself)?
Get her an Uber account.
Let's give your wife the benefit of the doubt, and assume she's really unlucky. So how about an advanced driving course, so she can learn about "defensive driving"? That should make her a bit luckier . . .
What Esme said. And then take a view on whether she should be on the road or not.
Driving in Surrey intense...? Christ
£200 a month saving on the insurance could pay for a lot of taxis!
Absolutely intense, it's bumper to bumper Audi racers and Chelsea tractors.
It's basically a stockbroker Death race 2000.
£200 a month saving on the insurance could pay for a lot of taxis!
A very good point!
If she is repeatedly driving when tired then she's a criminal in the eyes of the law, and many other road users, myself included.
It's unlikely, but certainly very possible that putting her convenience before lawfulness will result in serious injuries or even deaths.
If the collisions are her fault, I'm surprised the insurers will cover her at all - £50k of costs is an awful lot of money. Do you really want to spend so much of your family's money on treating the symptoms rather than the problem?
£200 a month saving on the insurance could pay for a lot of taxis!
Yes, but OP will need a 200 quid a month personal injury insurance policy for when he broaches the subject with his wife.
Is this a Brexit version of the allotment Israel/ Palestine thread?
Are you referring to TM trying to crash her deal through?
I may be doing your wife a huge dis service but that much expensive damage to vehicles seems like she is completely distracted.
Have you had a conversation about using her mobile/texting/social media whilst driving? I have no idea how there can be so many big collisions without serious aggravating factors.
Im glad i dont cycle in Surrey.
This is just a Sunday afternoon, post pub troll thread isn't it.
No-one can surely write off so many vehicles in such a short period of time.
Does she still want to drive (and not think there's anything amiss), out of interest?
Which bit of Surrey do I and herself need to be wary of visiting?
Have you and your wife just moved there after spending the whole of your lives' living in somewhere remote like Llandrindod Wells?
Clearly we are cursed, the insurance will go up to £200 a month again.
Up to £200?
Not up by £200?
After my wife wrote off a car, ours went up to over £1,000. After 10 years of no claims, we're down to about £500...
Anyone still thinking compulsory retests should just be for the over 60s?
As others have said, something needs to change, and it's not the actual car.as a former claims manager, I spent way too much time reading medical reports with gruesome photos to take a casual attitude to this. Certainly wouldn't let her have the kids with her.
After 10 years of no claims, we’re down to about £500…
A month?!?
er
<cough>
good point well made, years and months are two very different things.
<ahem>
as you were...
I am in favour of much tighter standards for drivers. Mandatory retesting every 3 years and most importantly GETTING DANGEROUS DRIVERS LIKE THIS OFF THE ROADS
OP - your wife is a criminal. Its a criminal offence to drive so tired that your driving is impaired. Its as dangerous as drunk driving.
For the sake of the rest of us get her off the roads
I'm with Esme on this. Driver training or assessment needed and maybe some medical examination to make sure there's something not underlying (e.g. black outs). I've known some atrocious drivers over the years but none has a wreckage record even half that bad.
Without wishing to be rude Surrey intense? Don't get me wrong it suffers from some of the worst excesses of entitled numbskullery but no more than Berkshire or Essex.
If it was me I'd be seriously contemplating removing her from any vehicle insured in my name even if only on economic grounds. That would be a very hard conversation but it might send a message about how much of an issue this is ... 5 cars written off in 3 incidents over 3 years is frightening.
Zafiras have a nasty habit of going on fire ... Google will help you on this .
I’m sure this is a troll - so we’ll done.
If not, you need to make sure your wife doesn’t drive.
I’m sure this is a troll
I wondered that then I looked at the OP's posting history. The last write-off seems to have been 10 months ago so this is either a very well planned troll or ...
Are you married to my sister ?
Quite simply the shittest driver I have the misfortune to be chauferred around by on rare occaisions.
Zero concept of stopping distances, speed awareness, hazard perception , road conditions etc
However she hasn't written off any cars thus far , unlike your misses.
That many crashes is not jut 'unlucky' its negligence . She must be driving around in some sort of daze,or bubble totally unaware of any other road user.
Some sort of driving course ( ongoing) is a must before she kills someone ( on a road bike )
Sorry but thats a reality check
For everyone's sake you need a new patio.
A zafira is probably an ok car for the purpose but it will have no modern safety features which it sounds like might be useful. At the end of the day they are older and so buying carries an element of risk, any really bad ones will have been scrapped a while ago.
Eh? We get Zaffies in at work that are less than a year old, ex-Motability cars, Vauxhall still make the bloody things!
The new ones have a large infotainment screen in the dash, which older ones lack, but they’re perfectly decent vehicles, over the last three years I’ve driven dozens, and the petrol turbo 1.4 is great fun, surprisingly quick and nimble. So I’d seriously suggest you look at the diesel, which is still fine, just not so encouraging of sticking the hoof in.
I really like them, and if I needed a car with large carrying capacity, I’d probably have one, they are really comfy as well; safety-wise, they have to meet European ENCAP standards, so personal safety is fine - other peoples safety, however, is down to the loose nut behind the steering wheel.
How are these accidents happening? Her fault? Mixed liability?
My grandfather was in a similar situation, he was forever having minor bumps, scrapes, prangs and his insurance was going through the roof (causing him serious financial difficulty) but he "needed" the car to go to church, to go shopping, to visit friends etc.
In his old age he got incredibly stubborn and cnversations from concerned neighbours and from my mother usually ended up in an argument about how he needed to drive and there was literally no other way in the entire world for him to move around (apparently buses, taxis, friends and neighbours hadn't been invented in this world of his).
Amyway, it was pointed out that the monthly insurance cost and selling the car would buy a lot of taxi trips and eventually it ended that way - thankfully before he wrote off any more walls and cars.
I'd suggest that a serious look at the root casue of these incidents is going to be more beneficial than buying another car - and how often do the grandparents visit that everyone needs to be carted around at once? Would it make more sense to hire a people carrier when that's needed?
I wouldn't let my kids in a car driven by your wife so I wouldn't place high importance on the number of seats. I also don't want to be driving my kids around on roads occupied by your wife.
It's not a game, and it's not a right.
We have an old 53 plate zafira. Had it for 8 years now and it’s never missed a beat to be fair. It cost me £3000 and was paid off 6 years ago. It owes me absolutely nothing... in fact I probably owe it. It’s been a real trooper... I mean it’s battered and filthy and drives like shit but i love it. With the seats folded down it’s easy as big as a small van and gets used for dump runs and washing machine pick ups etc all the time. Bike fits in without taking off the wheels as well. it’s done family camping hols in wales, devon, cornwall and scotland since we got it and seriously all i’ve had to do was replace tyres and one battery.
It will be a sad day when i say goodby to the zaffy.
It sounds like your wife could do with more support if she's that tired and exhausted and that you could do with a break from the stress. Is it a sign of depression or anxiety? If you haven't already it might be worth asking her and seeking therapy. Can you do more around the house or to participate in any childcare? Is she working and can she request flexible hours so that she can start later or finish earlier? Or could you so that you can give more support? Could any kids go to a playgroup or club so that she can have a nap?
There's a lot of pressure to be seen to be busy and productive, you've got to do more than the Jones's to be recognised as equal but sometimes you've just got to say **** it and look after yourselves
Old Zafiras decent?
As a punishment for cavalier driving? Yeah, as a car no, they’re notoriously shit and also ironically perhaps IME often driven badly, maybe it’s just the same one I see but it’s that car only does 45mph, 45 on the motorway, 45 around roundabouts, 45 in ASDA car park.
3 cars written off in 6 months is my wife's record.
Followed by somersaulting my mate's speedway outfit at the local track - but that last one wasn't really her fault because her passenger got terrified and jumped off on the bend.
She was pretty handy on a motorbike though and never dropped one despite being able to leave most of us for dead on a winding road.
Now everyone thinks she's a respectable old lady...
Eh? We get Zaffies in at work that are less than a year old, ex-Motability cars, Vauxhall still make the bloody things!... safety-wise, they have to meet European ENCAP standards, so personal safety is fine – other peoples safety, however, is down to the loose nut behind the steering wheel.
Count-Zero, I didn't know they were still for sale. I'd swear its about 4 years since I saw a new looking one. If someone has a habit of pranging their car then some of these features might just help: blindspot alerts, lane drift warnings, adaptive cruise control, assistive emergency breaking, speed sign reminders/alerts. Do most 2nd hand Zafira's have those things? As well as reversing cameras, parking sensors etc which usually are not about high speed collisions but might avoid yet another insurance claim. Perhaps I am wrong and those features will be available on the cars the OP is considering; or perhaps the feeling of vulnerability that you get in some older cars will help keep her aware...
As a punishment for cavalier driving? Yeah, as a car no, they’re notoriously shit and also ironically perhaps IME often driven badly, maybe it’s just the same one I see but it’s that car only does 45mph, 45 on the motorway, 45 around roundabouts, 45 in ASDA car park.
Yup, a car for people who have no interest in driving. The Nescafe of the motor industry.
"I’d suggest that a serious look at the root cause of these incidents is going to be more beneficial than buying another car"
Yep - First off ,I'd suggest an Eye test!
🙂
My Dad killed a cyclist - not his fault - but it marked him and stayed with him for the rest of his life. Would your wife want that?
Zafira sounds perfect. Horrible car, so might encourage her to stay off the roads as much as possible. Have you explained to her that tiredness and busy roads are not reasonable excuses?
Would your wife want that?
With her accident record and cavalier attitude it sounds like she doesn't give a shit, tbh, if she was bothered something would have changed already.
My brother had an old petrol auto Zafira and it served him well, he only did the bare minimum maintenance over the 10 years he had it (and I think he thought engine oil was optional), don't think he had any breakdowns until last year when he finally got rid. Very basic interior and far from quick off the lights but for moving the 6 of them about (inc. a lot of 4 hour+ journeys) it did it's job.
So straight outa the mean streets of Surrey here.
The cavalier attitude bit seems a bit odd. However having a conversation with anyone else let alone the wife about their driving skills is extremely difficult. Good luck on that one.
It’s probably a bit late now but I’d suggest a car with full collision avoidance / lane keeping systems (new Volvo) for your wife on a lease. Which would probably not be that much more than your current insurance costs.
OP's gone very quiet, maybe we can't hear him from under the patio?
I second what aweeshoe said. This problem probably has roots.
Horrifying isn’t it?
Completely terrifying - as others have said, you need to address the causes of this. If she was driving a train or flying a plane there would be a proper investigation into these collisions and I'd guess she'd be suspended until the causes were found. I'm of the view that every reportable collision should result in points and retraining - these aren't accidents, I don't believe in 'bad luck'.
Sensible thoughts
Eye test, if she doesn't have regular checkups already. Some eye conditions restricted peripheral vision
Defensive driving course, proper instructor, done locally
Mobile phone, in the glove box
Don't get a zafira they have a very large a pillar which blocks vision. Lots of accidents at roundabouts including fatal https://www.core77.com/posts/71732/How-a-Combination-of-Crossroad-Angles-and-Cars-A-Pillars-Have-Created-the-Perfect-Deadly-Intersection-for-Cyclists
Volvo lane keeping systems stop you overtaking cyclists I you don't indicate
Is she practicing crashing, so that she can crash, with out hurting herself or others, but so she takes out the grandparents in the back?
Is she expecting a lot of money in a will?
Surrey driving is not intense!! I lived on the border of Surrey / Berks for 10 years and the driving is absolutely not intense. It's average.
You seem to be using that as an excuse for your wife. As plenty of others have said - she shouldn't be driving tired. Fix the root cause before she kills herself / someone else.
Can't believe I agree with TJ on a driving thread.
From the cost and description of writing off cars, these aren't parking prangs or gentle rear-enders, which means I'm calling bollocks on Surrey or any of the Southeast being difficult to drive in.
Stick a 12 inch spike to the middle of the steering wheel, it might make her concentrate.
Bus pass might be the best option here.
Get a Volvo XC90, pretty much as safe as cars get and can be had fairly cheaply for an older one.
If she crashes a lot then getting an abnormally big car just means that she is more likely to kill someone else.
You need to sort out the cause of the tiredness if it really is that.
And maybe get a car she feels more involved driving and so less likely to 'drift off'. i.e. large alloys/low profile tyres, good steering feedback, manual instead of auto, lower to the ground.
And maybe get some driver training.
Can't be too hard ot suggests as she must realise the danger to others and the possibility of killing someone - even a kid on a bike.