Almost took out by idiot on roundabout

[Funkycowie]

Roundabout on Howards Way and Edinburgh way, googlemaps is outdated on the road lay out but the lane I entered on is on the right of the linked map.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll= ... m&t=k&z=19


Edinburgh way has a speed limit of 40mph

The roundabout has two lanes for the entrance on Edinburgh way which start approximately 60-70m from the entrance.

Left indicates with arrows on the road about 30m from entrance and again 10m from entrance that you can go left or straight.

Right indcates with the same spacing than you can go straight or right.

The TP was in front of me before the lane split travelling between 25-30mph and had been doing so for several hundred metres.

There was traffic behind me following closely, so when the single lane split in to two I moved to the right hand lane passing the TP and I stayed in the right lane.

I left mirror checked the positioning of the TP and he was across both lanes behind me giving the impression he might be moving in to the right lane behind me.

I slowed to about 10mph coming up to the entrance of the roundabout. Checked for traffic from the right and mirror checked and life savered left.

TP was in the left lane approaching the entrance.

I entered the roundabout keeping to the right side and indicated left whilst passing the first exit, I life savered left at the same time and I realized the TP was cutting across into the right side of the roundabout dangerously close to my rear wheel.

At this point we were still on the roundabout, my first thought was to continue round the roundabout to avoid the TP but the TP impacted with my rear wheel/chain guard before I could react fully.

The force of the impact made my rear wheel skip to the right.

I countersteered right then left to stay upright and pulled up tight to the left side of the island on the 2nd exit, my rear wheel was about 4m into the exit on cross hatchings.

TP pulled up along side and aggressively said it was my fault that I should not over take on roundabouts,and that we should pull over.

I pulled over to exchange details and the driver continued to act in an aggressive condescending manner.

Throughout I tried to calm TP using non aggressive language, remaining mostly calm myself, as I wanted to find resolution.

I attempted to tell him that I over took before the roundabout and entered the roundabout first but he continued to talk in a condescending manner and suggested I had no insurance.



TP took photos as did I.

TP said there were skid marks, but when I asked for him to show me he refused saying that I would likely try to erase them, he indicated that the incident occured at the exit of the roundabout where we both came to a complete stop not on the roundabout.

I again asked the TP to show me the skid marks and we went to the area he suggested and there were no signs of skidmarks but he insisted they were there.

At this location he decided that I might have been drink driving and asked if I had been drinking.

It took me a few seconds to answer because I was confused and shocked by his continued condescending aggressive behaviour and his willingness to find fault in me.

I responded that I have just come off shift at work and that I do not drink because I have Epilepsy, I believe I did use the F word in a conversational non-aggressive manner in this part of the conversation.

As soon as I mentioned Epilepsy TP reaction indicated he had found yet another fault so I proceeded to tell him the details of why I am allowed to drive and that the DVLA know about my condition.

TP stopped a passing Police vehicle and told them we were involved in an incident and that he thinks I was drink driving and behaving in an aggressive manner which I was not.

I remained completely calm and told the police I had not been drinking and would be willing to do the breathalizer test, both of us were tested and found to be not under the influence of alcohol.

TP told the police that whilst we were discussing the incident before they arrived that he had taken video footage of other bikers doing the same thing, the only motorbike that passed stayed behind to other vehicles, as they went straight.

The police told TP to leave the scene, they tested my eye sight as I was wearing contact lenses not my glasses, by getting me to read their numberplate.

I then thanked them and apologised for the waste of their time.

I rode home.



I will probably end up 50/50 as I have no witnesses and he had his wife as passenger in the car but passengers are usually considered unreliable witnesses as they are not impartial. I can only hope it will go 100% at fault for him... and hope even more that the insurance company does not put 100% on me..

My rear tyre has scrapes and white paint all around the left side from where my tyre got trapped by his bumper and scrapes underneath the chain guard on the left side where I was turning right on the curve of the roundabout and leaning to steer. His car had damage to his front right bumper, black from my tyre or possibly scrapped by my chain guard, his front right wheel hub disc came off.

[tallpaul]

Sorry to hear that funky, he sounds like a right tosser, jumping to any excuse to shift the blame on you. You must have been shook up after that lot, pleased you're okay though mate and I hope you get it sorted okay.

[MrGrumpy]

In theory, if he hit you from behind, it ought to be adjudged his fault. No matter what anyone in front does, its up to people behind to keep a look out and a safe distance.

[Deleted User 796]

In theory, if he hit you from behind, it ought to be adjudged his fault. No matter what anyone in front does, its up to people behind to keep a look out and a safe distance.

That's the view I'd take too - it's his fault, car behind gives way and all that. Also it sounds like he straight-lined the round about when he shound have gone round it, that way there would have been room for both of you.

I know it's not the point and the accident wasn't your fault but I would have taken the left hand lane as it would have made this scenario less likely (I know it's easy to say in hindsight and it's not a critisism of you).

I'm sure the damage evidence will go in your favour and you're ok so chin up. Hopefully this berk will get a few points on his licence too

[Funkycowie]

Insurance company reckon it will be all his fault but that's what they said last time and then it went 50/50 then all my fault based on the TP description then swung to 100% TP fault because my witness was more independent... the only 'witness' I have right now is damage which is from underneath the chain casing and scrapes all around my rear tyre to show it was from behind where the TMax got trapped under his bumper.

I know I could have avoided it by staying behind and turning left on the roundabout and gone home that way... or I could have taken an earlier roundabout still gone home... but I took this choice because its normally the safer route and the TP was driving near 2/3 the speed limit in good conditions causing traffic build up behind.

I do wish I had taken a different route, it would have avoided all this hassle

[Deleted User 796]

Oh, I didn't realise he was dawdling along. Was it an older driver then?

[Bluebottle]

Glad you are in one piece

Second week of May seems to be "Ram a biker week"

[DougL]

He was behind you. The front of his car hit you, the marks on his car on the front, the marks on yours were at the rear. That means he either:

a) was driving too close

b) ran into the back of you

He is 100% at fault. Do NOT back down if the insurance company try to persuade you to agree otherwise.

[BenR]

Glad you're ok fella but surely you're not surprised by the driver? This is Harlow remember lots of dodgy geezers round there.

[DougL]

Glad you're ok fella but surely you're not surprised by the driver? This is Harlow remember lots of dodgy geezers round there.

+1