My friend Leigh Jackson stopped at a stop street in Fairmount on Monday 27th August at midday. Obeying the law and reading the road, she duly waited for the car on her right to pass. Suddenly Leigh was hit from behind by a woman driving a large Audi Q5 SUV – and, all of you know how much I hate people in cities driving SUV 4x4’s!
The well-dressed, very angry female driver leapt from her lofty vehicle and was most unpleasant about - what by law – was her mistake. People normally stop at stop signs and, normally they do not bash into other people’s cars. If you get rammed in the rear, by law in most countries, the rammer and not the rammee takes the blame – especially at a designated stop street!
Now, what really angers me is teh fact that despite Leigh, as requested, having obtained 3 quotes ranging from R 10 600 to R 13 766 for repairs to her perfectly roadworthy but old vehicle (at the time of the accident), the insurer, SANTAM, grudgingly is offering R5000 towards repairs! This is an utter shame and, reflects my own sad experiences with SANTAM! Leigh simply cannot afford to pay the balance of the repair costs and, for all intents and purposes, have now become a prisoner of the retirement home in which she lives. SANTAM's only excuse is taht tehy are goingf by teh book value of the car and that the book only starts in 1988 - according to them the last sale of that model was on eBay and for US$ 960.
First of all, it is important to know that Leigh has devoted all her life to educating young South Africans in the art of communication as well as teaching heritage and environmental conservation to students and children. She tirelessly lectured for very little pay and, now, as an elderly citizen, lives on a limited income. Her car is essential in keeping her in touch with the world – as she says, it is the only member of her family that she has left in this world.! And, now, this member is injured and Leigh is left high and dry.
I wonder how the driver of the Audi Q5 SUV will feel when she realizes that Leigh’s whole life has now been impacted upon through that accident? I know that SANTAM could not give a shit and will us eteh excuse fo book value. In my opinion they used to be one of the most respected short-term-insurers in the country. But, through personal experience and the derogatory remarks I hear about them, they now probably rate amongst the least-liked in South Africa.
This accident was not Leigh's fault. Why must she be the one to suffer?
