Ran into a Pole at Low Speeds, Pole Fell over, May Have to Pay

WilhelmBargo on 14/01/2016 - 22:30
Last edited 15/01/2016 - 08:07 by 1 other user

Today I was driving through a round-about and a car infront of me slammed on there brakes so in order to avoid a collision I also slammed on mine. I swerved out of the way of the vehicle and collided with a pole at this point travelling approximately 10km/h. The police arrived and said I may have to pay for the poles replacement.

The fact that pole collapsed at such low speeds and did not even dint from the collision makes me wonder if this pole was not properly secured to the ground. Here are pictures of the pole.

http://imgur.com/RNHkmOd
http://imgur.com/DwhmkWA

What are peoples thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

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Automotive

closed Comments

  • olliestyles on 16/01/2016 - 12:49
    -1

    Insurance.

  • NBAD25 on 16/01/2016 - 13:39

    Fix it yourself, that pole got REKT

  • CandyMan on 16/01/2016 - 15:20
    +1

    Get a spanner and resecure the pole yourself. No marks on the pole, no evidence, no harm.

    • BartholemewH on 16/01/2016 - 17:43
      -1

      Except the police have already recorded the incident.

  • sourdawg on 16/01/2016 - 15:33
    +1

    I suggest getting Russia and Germany to split the bill

  • Baysew on 16/01/2016 - 17:59

    This is probably not a picture of OP's car

    Although with both a Maccas and Aldi nearby ?

    • JetBombat on 17/01/2016 - 08:15

      Got distracted by the side display

  • Cabbage_enforcer on 16/01/2016 - 20:37

    OP has no insurance? Oh my gawd…time to count the coin jar

  • ExpressCoffee on 17/01/2016 - 04:04
    +2

    I hit a pole once while driving late at night. Fella asleep at the wheel… If the poles weren't designed to be easily knocked out accidents would be a lot worse and I wouldn't be typing this comment here today.

    My insurance company covered my car but I got an invoice from SP Ausnet (Power company) for the damages to the pole. It was around $5.5k! Not a small amount. Happily passed it on to my insurance and it eventually got sorted out.

    Definetly go through insurance man, it will save you a fair bit of coin.

    Lesson learned though, always be safe and alert on the roads!

    edit: I see you have no insurance. This may not be good.

    • rifter on 17/01/2016 - 10:18

      Light pole $5500. Now there's a bargain.

      • Dr Techno on 18/01/2016 - 16:22

        Only if you can keep the old one and put in the backyard/frontyard :)

  • DEvok on 17/01/2016 - 05:53
    -1

    Didn't they teach u not to speed? Only something incredibly fast would cause that to collapse, lucky it didn't fall on someone or you ran over a person, next time pay more attention on the road.

    Any speed from 1km could kill, all it takes is for you to fall and get run over, you try putting your hands under those wheels and tell me it doesn't hurt. the amount you need to pay is infact a bargain, you know how much you would pay if you hit someone instead?
    I don't know why I have the feeling that your car is also not registered.

    If you want sympathy Ozbaragin isn't the place mate, now move along.
    Btw best regards and happy new year, hope PROSPEROUS year ahead of you.

  • 0xdragon on 17/01/2016 - 08:08
    +2

    Welcome to OzBargain aka. "How can I get out of paying for (pole/crash/insurance/speeding/illegal parking)".

    Please enjoy your stay!

  • JetBombat on 17/01/2016 - 08:11

    Bloody poles, snap so easily and don't even dent cars.

  • johnno07 on 17/01/2016 - 08:58
    +1

    You know you're in the OzBargain forums when someone is whinging about getting punished for doing something wrong.

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 17/01/2016 - 10:11

    Interesting article about breakaway poles.
    http://m.smh.com.au/national/lost-chance-for-nonlethal-poles…

  • ganymede on 17/01/2016 - 11:36

    They could design a car and a pole that won't be damaged if you hit it at 100km/h but you won't survive the crash. Is that a good compromise?

  • MasterScythe on 17/01/2016 - 12:02
    -1

    10km @ 1.2tonne…..
    Heh, so 10 people and a rope at base height could tug these over without effort.
    Nice work council.
    Safe for cars? yep. But i can see kids getting bored and going 'pole tipping'

    Curiously, why did you hang around after the incident, when no one was hurt?

    It sounds like you didnt expect to have to pay for the damages, so you'd have not expected to be 'running' from something.
    Why wait?

    • highdealer on 18/01/2016 - 11:52

      You sound like the type of person that would gather 10+ people to go around pole tipping…

    • johnno07 on 18/01/2016 - 21:23

      Curiously, why did you hang around after the incident, when no one was hurt?

      Because the pole he knocked over was blocking nearly the whole road?

  • Pootie Tang on 17/01/2016 - 12:32

    If that's a power pole or street light, u will have to pay.

  • MrMcHairyHead on 17/01/2016 - 14:04
    +2

    Follow cars at a god damn safe distance. It doesn't matter how quickly they brake, you have to be able to safely stop. 100% your fault. Man up and make an insurance claim.

    I would say they're probably designed to do this on purpose so that accidents aren't as deadly.

  • fozzie on 17/01/2016 - 16:23
    +2

    Just be pleased nobody got hurt. Unfortunately you were too close and then this happened.

  • Oliver on 17/01/2016 - 16:39

    Learn there/their/they're

  • [Deactivated] on 17/01/2016 - 21:17
    +1

    Not sure how it works, but SOMEONE else is to blame for your deeds.

    Oh the i'm suing the airline for kicking me off the plane, now I have no where to sleep. Oh yeah forgot to mention I was drunk, pissed myself and was vomiting everywhere. Let the $$ came from the airline.

    I blame police for loosing my job ! they gave me x points for talking on the phone whilst driving for which I lost my licence !

    My idiot employer wants to fire me because he's greedy. Oh I sit on Facebook 5 hours a day btw.

    Grow some balls and face your actions!

    • Domingo on 18/01/2016 - 13:17

      My idiot employer wants to fire me because he's greedy. Oh I sit on Facebook OzBargain 5 hours a day btw.

  • Reubzy on 18/01/2016 - 09:31
    +3

    So many misinformed opinions here.

    This is not a 'power pole' nor was it 'improperly secured'

    This is a slip-base light pole and this particular type is only placed in areas where drivers have a potential to come in contact with the pole. They are designed to break at the bolts exactly like it did.

    Here is a link to Transport and Main Roads standard drawing for business and industry.

    http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/busind/techstdpubs/Specifi…

    Hopefully you have Insurance, I've seen these charged to clients at around $2000-$3000 for materials not including labour and traffic control.

  • NeoWilson on 18/01/2016 - 10:31

    Hows your car?

    • WilhelmBargo on 18/01/2016 - 22:35

      Its in decent condition the bumper is warped, however.

  • pooliog on 18/01/2016 - 11:54

    It's a slip based light pole - which is designed to 'break away' during a collision, as that creates less chance of damage to the car/pole as it breaks away in one piece instead of fracturing into pieces and impaling anything that comes into contact with it.

  • SKiZO on 18/01/2016 - 12:09
    +1

    Insurance, so who cares?

  • aobed on 18/01/2016 - 13:21

    Lucky you were driving the Sherman tank.

  • seraphim2017 on 18/01/2016 - 15:35

    edited: removed comments as realised this is just a trolls thread, no one is THAT much of a numpty!

  • noshopping on 18/01/2016 - 21:34

    There's a light pole near my house that sometimes turns OFF when you drive near it. Wonder why? I assume it has a sensor that has malfunctioned… Is it some sort of safety feature?

    • FirstNameLastName on 18/01/2016 - 21:46

      i heard a sparky caller to Dr Karl once explain that a certain type of street light turns off every now and then for heat/fuse/longevity reasons (can't remember exactly).

  • Amour on 18/01/2016 - 22:41

    My OH was hit on a large roundabout by someone entering and not giving way. He was spun into one of those poles, which snapped at the base and fell onto the roof of the car. It was over two years ago and the pole has never been replaced. I'm not sure if the at-fault driver still had to pay for it though?

  • Kranbone on 19/01/2016 - 01:14

    I think you're probably going to have to end up paying. I doubt you could find one of these poles on gumtree for 20 bucks (worth a look though).

  • AzNDuDe on 19/01/2016 - 05:19

    Might be a wise idea to have had a crash cam onboard ur car op for accidents. Least that would be solid evidence of whether u hit the pole at 10KM/H or whichever speed u were going when the collision happened. Having that as evidence would help appealing ur case. Just be thankful murphys law didnt apply here.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/01/2016 - 05:21

    Broke the pole, that would now keep a few ladies from working. Dang.

  • alikazi on 19/01/2016 - 08:53

    Just taking the effin bus. F cars. F the people who have accepted the revenue system of the government through tickets,sometimes in a unreasonable way.

  • derek324 on 19/01/2016 - 09:38
    +2

    "Today I was driving…" was later changed to: "I'm posting this on behalf of a friend", who apparently hit the pole at "10km/h" to avoid a collision. "The friend" decided not to provide crucial evidence: photos showing damage to the car.

    It appears that truth is irrelevant here, what is relevant is whether or not people believe it.

    • WilhelmBargo on 19/01/2016 - 12:22

      Wasn't looking for anyones approval was simply looking for advice, a friend came to me and I wanted to see If I could help.

    • IceCreamBandit on 19/01/2016 - 21:33
      +1

      Haha check back in 24 hours, OP will have changed it to "Pole hit me at 10km/h, I was totally stationary".

      • WilhelmBargo on 20/01/2016 - 23:17
        -2

        How do I delete a thread?

  • [Deactivated] on 19/01/2016 - 22:12
    -2

    Are you Polish?

    • SKiZO on 20/01/2016 - 11:43
      -1

      Mr Sheen?

  • Moderatorneil on 20/01/2016 - 23:25

    OK, I think the OP got their answer..or maybe not. Comments closed.

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