'Tis the season.....

Vincey B · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 15 Oct 2005 Karma :

To crash.

I thought I was doing rather well, never dropped or crashed a bike in two years.

This morning riding through Regents park a guy in a Rav 4 in front of me decides to slam on the brakes, indicate right and pull accross to a parking space he has just spotted all in the space of 1 second.

I was riding a fair few metres behind him on the right and had no time to do anything but brake as hard as I could before smacking into the rear right of him, weirdly enough the bike went straight down and I jumped away and was left standing up with no bike under me anymore.

The guy gets out, helps me pick the bike up and apologises a lot. I must say im impressed with the Kwak (Er5), apart from a shattered indicator there is no other damage at all, started up again fine after the engine sorted itself out.

I was fine, guy gave me his details and said to call him and tell him how much its going to cost to fix. Luckily had the day off tomorrow so going to get it checked over and give him a call, hopefully it will be simple as that.

Hopefully he is just going to pay and thats the end of that, but I cant help thinking that I was in the wrong legally, if a car in front of you slams on its brakes and you go into the back, its your fault right? So if a car in front of you brakes and basically swerves accross the road is it still my fault? We were doing about 30 with no junctions on either side. I wasent overtaking or filtering and had a good amount of distance between us. If he had "mirror signalled manouvered" we wouldnt have collided.

Vince

sickpup · Old Timer Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

It's an interesting legal arguement hitting someone from behind. Most people say you are always at fault as you've failed to leave a safe stopping distance but you're not.

I hit a car years ago that decided to do an emergency stop on an empty 4 lane one way road as he dropped his cigarette, Police called it driving without due care but there were witnesses to him locking his wheels under braking.

ram_doom · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Karma :

You might have suffered some nasty injuries had you gone down with the bike, so thats quite lucky Thumbs Up

Hope it gets mended without any bother from the bloke
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kkhalil76 · Nova Slayer Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Karma :

Vince, I had a similar experience, was only doing about 20 miles, car in front hears a siren in the distance and immediately slams the brakes, wet ground... Took a bit of a knock, bike scratched and mirror came off, driver glanced at me and sped off...

LustyLew · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Apr 2004 Karma :

For the cost of a new indicator, I'd be inclined to pay for it out of your own pocket.

It could go either way, your insurance company wouldnt want to pay out, but then if you couldnt stop in time, you were too close. Simple.

Was there any damage to his car?

I'd personally pay and give hi ma quick call to make sure that he is happy with just letting it drop.
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Vincey B · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 15 Oct 2005 Karma :

He was turning so luckily for me we hit at an angle so his car is just scuffed.

I noticed there was another scuff mark on the other side so this kind of thing seems to happen to him often.

I will call him tomorrow when ive had it checked out and know how much its going to cost, if he is still as apologetic and willing to pay then thats obviously fine with me.

If he changes his tune then I will just pay myself and try and forget about it. He only took my name and phone number so I dont think he was that bothered about his car.

wilbur · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Karma :

Bad luck

An indicator wont break break the bank.

At least you are OK. Just chalk it up to experience.

Rookie · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Karma :

I'd leave it be myself and just fork out a tenner for the indicator. In legal terms you could well lose, so really you want to stay in his good books.

Davie Thistle · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Karma :

.... was sitting at T junction, third in line, wanting to turn right, lights change away we go,

the car in front of car in front of me slams his brakes on, the car in front of me brakes and turns to the left to avoid a dunt, hits the 1st car, I try to swerve but smack into the 2nd car, who's at fault? ME!! Confused

according to the police I should have had enough distance to avoid collision, we all were going about 5miles an hour,

now the question I asked was, how many vehicles have a two car gap between them sitting at traffic lights?

Plod say's " we know mate, but thats the law!!"

and all caused by a fekking cage driver doing an emegency stop when the lights are green JUST to avoid a bludy dog!!! Evil or Very Mad

moral is no matter who's fault the accident is, if you rear-end somebody your to blame.

loada pish! Middle Finger

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mchaggis · World Chat Champion Joined: 10 May 2004 Karma :

He'll claim against you and accuse you of leaving the scene without giving him your details. Sod's law says so.
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