Been riding less than a month, and already have had my first accident illepall.

And so the story goes............

My CBR was booked in for a service yesterday, took it in they gave me a loan bike, a brand new bright yellow Triumph Daytona 650, nice bike, at least it was .

So, I am riding the Triumph back to the dealers to pick up my bike, riding down the high street about 200 metres from the shop, when all of a sudden, some women in a Silver VW Golf pulls out right in front of me, now I am doing about 25-30mph, so I am not going fast, but she pulls out so close to me I can't do anything about it, I hit her wing, sort of bounce off to the right hand side, next thing I remember was trying to hold the bike up, then I am under the bike half with on the pavement on the opposite side of the road under a bloody great Triumph.

Engine is still running and in gear, my left leg/foot is caught in the back wheel, luckly I had my bike boots on, my first reaction is to get up a floor the person who did it, luckly I couldnt get the bike off me, took 3 people to lift it off, and by that time I had calmed down a bit.

I wasnt badly hurt, get a pretty bruised left leg and hip, glad I had all my protective gear on otherwise it might have been a different story, then had to push the bent, broken and bleeding Triumph back to the dealer, who was none to pleased .

Still, I am in one piece, and at least it wasnt my bike, bloody blind car drivers .

Dan,

In my driving school they quoted that over 80% of all accidents involving motorbikes are caused by car-drivers. That's a pretty bad ratio.

But you're lucky that your first bike-accident wasn't too dramatic. The first accidents always teaches you a lot about the dangers of motorbikes, the value of protective gear and how to avoid such accidents. Take a lesson from that accident and remember it whenever you start your bike. Such things make you a better driver.

Vain

When my Ninja was in for a service I had a Fazer, and allegedy wrote it off!

Ended up having to shell out £1000 in excess!

A few snapped plastic panels, snapped mirror and scratched frame, apart from that no damage, didn't think much of it, picked it up, drove it home, they picked it up and got a phone call saying it was a write off we want our money (Tip... NEVER EVER USED BRIDGE MOTORCYCLES!)

The worst part is, I want even riding the bike, started it, was just about to get on it when it slipped itno gear and flew off, my jacket got caught on the mirror and took me with it, couple broken ribs, bruising.....

Oh well, nevermind, at least I keep my no claims as it wasn't a riding accident!

Hopefully, as it wasnt my fault, got plenty of witnesses it was a busy high street, everything, including my trousers, gloves, lid etc will come from her insurance.

Dan,

That sucks!!

Luckily you were going so slowly!!

Look on the bright side, at least it wasn't your bike! (if thats some consolation).

I hope you haven't lost any confidence from this.
This will make you even better at observing the dick heads around you, and become a better rider for it.

Take it steady

Andrew

get used to it. a classic SMIDSY....Sorry Mate I Didnt See You. ive had 2, one came off worse, ended with a badly messed hip. had alot of nears or they see me at the last min and slam on the brakes...can almost garentee that ill have at least 1 near miss or last min braker.

hope your doing fine, shakes you up a bit, but hop back on and youll get your confidence back.

and everything that is damaged, providing the witness' step up etc or they give/given statements, will be replaced or payed for out of insurance.


at least it wernt your bike, lol.

Majority of accidents on road caused by:

Drugs: No
Speed: YA RLY
Lack of awareness/general bad driving: Yup

I'm all in favour for banning all our silly driving restrictions (i.e. speed limits - where appropraite) but forcing mandatory driving retests, sensible tests/lessons, and cameras that can tell when you cut someone up and fine you automatically.

They should also teach you how to handle a vehicle once it gets out of control. And if you become decrepid and can't see over the wheel/reach the pedals, your license should be removed.

[/rant]

In america, haven't insurance companies taken to installing camera in cars (1 facing the driver to take evidence of his awareness and 1 pointing through the windshield to see what the driver see's), this lowers insurance premiums as it provides video evidence of what actually happens in a crash....

This is a good idea, and I think more companies should do this.......

Quote from Bob Smith :

Majority of accidents on road caused by:

Drugs: No
Speed: YA RLY
Lack of awareness/general bad driving: Yup

I'm all in favour for banning all our silly driving restrictions (i.e. speed limits - where appropraite) but forcing mandatory driving retests, sensible tests/lessons, and cameras that can tell when you cut someone up and fine you automatically.

They should also teach you how to handle a vehicle once it gets out of control. And if you become decrepid and can't see over the wheel/reach the pedals, your license should be removed.

[/rant]

True, but the combo of speed and bad driving is a good one, like most of the chavvy fools in there Corsa's illepall

I think retests is the way to go, you can, over the years, develop so many bad habits, taking my bike test made it apparent to me how many I had picked up in the 15 years I have been driving.

Dan,

Quote from danowat :

Been riding less than a month, and already have had my first accident illepall.

And so the story goes............

My CBR was booked in for a service yesterday, took it in they gave me a loan bike, a brand new bright yellow Triumph Daytona 650, nice bike, at least it was .

So, I am riding the Triumph back to the dealers to pick up my bike, riding down the high street about 200 metres from the shop, when all of a sudden, some women in a Silver VW Golf pulls out right in front of me, now I am doing about 25-30mph, so I am not going fast, but she pulls out so close to me I can't do anything about it, I hit her wing, sort of bounce off to the right hand side, next thing I remember was trying to hold the bike up, then I am under the bike half with on the pavement on the opposite side of the road under a bloody great Triumph.

Engine is still running and in gear, my left leg/foot is caught in the back wheel, luckly I had my bike boots on, my first reaction is to get up a floor the person who did it, luckly I couldnt get the bike off me, took 3 people to lift it off, and by that time I had calmed down a bit.

I wasnt badly hurt, get a pretty bruised left leg and hip, glad I had all my protective gear on otherwise it might have been a different story, then had to push the bent, broken and bleeding Triumph back to the dealer, who was none to pleased .

Still, I am in one piece, and at least it wasnt my bike, bloody blind car drivers .


Dan,

Glad you're ok - It wouldnt've happened if there would've been a guy driving the Golf lol... A friend of my friend had a car accident about 2 weeks after he passed... It was a right off but luckily he was ok...

As you have seen - It's not how you drive, it's how others aroudn you drive...

This has happened to me before (twice) but I had a bit more time than you and managed to pull up in time. One was a muppet in a van reversing out of a side road right in front of me! Can you believe that. Evertime a pass a car waiting to pull out of a side road I roll off the throttle and cover the front brake. But as you say, sometimes there is simply no time to react.

Pretty unlucky that it's happened to you so soon m8. Did you have your headlight on / wearing flouresents? I was on both occasions when it happened to me lol.

btw - got mine out for the first time in 18 months today. Spent all of last night draining carbs, cleaning filter adding fuel and shaking it like a cocktail to get it going. Having MOT done now. Fingers crossed.

I was extremely cautious but I must say I felt quite safe and confident. I was surprised how it all came back to me.

Here's a piccy - a few have asked to see it in the past.

Headlight was on, no flouro's though, mind you the bike is bright yellow, should have been bloody bright enough, TBH, she wouldnt have seen me if I was as bright as a nuclear explosion.

As for the insurance, I have no clue, she basically admitted responablity there and then, that and the fact it was a busy street and there was many witnesses, trouble is its not my insurance, it will be whoever the shop is insured with.

Nice bike GF, like the colour.

Dan,

Quote from v4forlife :

at least it wernt your bike, lol.

Thats next months post.

Quote from L(Oo)ney :

Thats next months post.

I f**king hope not

Dan,

Quote from danowat :

Headlight was on, no flouro's though, mind you the bike is bright yellow, should have been bloody bright enough, TBH, she wouldnt have seen me if I was as bright as a nuclear explosion.

As for the insurance, I have no clue, she basically admitted responablity there and then, that and the fact it was a busy street and there was many witnesses, trouble is its not my insurance, it will be whoever the shop is insured with.

Nice bike GF, like the colour.

Dan,

Well that's it, it'll come from her insurance. Once you admit to it if it was your fault or not your insurance will cover (as long as you have a witness of her saying it or it's in paper). Though to be honest, I'm yet to hear of a bike crash where the driver of the car wasn't at fault. Where I live a couple of years back a trucker in a hurry ran over a kid on a moped because he was going too slow and said he didn't see him. O_o

Quote from danowat :

Headlight was on, no flouro's though, mind you the bike is bright yellow, should have been bloody bright enough, TBH, she wouldnt have seen me if I was as bright as a nuclear explosion.

As for the insurance, I have no clue, she basically admitted responablity there and then, that and the fact it was a busy street and there was many witnesses, trouble is its not my insurance, it will be whoever the shop is insured with.

Nice bike GF, like the colour.

Dan,

Not good, glad to hear you're ok and it's not your bike what did the guys at the bike shop say, BTW let's hope the daft lady actually has insurance not everyone has ya know?

The shop werent overly happy, thats for sure, they didnt actually say much, not really much they could say really.

If she hasnt got insurance, it could get messy, I would imagine she does though.

Dan,

After my brothers accident we spent several weeks in discussion with the police, giving statements, sorting through the evidence found in the investigation, inspecting the remains of the car etc.

According to the policeman here, only about 5% of all accidents can have excess speed attributed to them. Unfortunately about 90% of those 5% speed related accidents end up in the news, so the public form the opinion that speed is bad.

Speed, in itself, is NOT DANGEROUS. No one has EVER died from travelling to fast. It's INAPPROPRIATE use of speed that is the problem, and even then it results in just 5% of all motor vehicle accidents.

Thus the Gatso revolution is NOT for your safety (don't beleive the airy fairy politicians) but to raise MONEY, pure and simple. Gastos have NOT reduced accident rates (in fact thay have increased around many gatso sites).

At least you're okay Dan. Don't let it bother you, but you'll be aware a bit more now. Did you have your headlight on?

Quote from danowat :

they didnt actually say much, not really much they could say really.

They were just being polite.

You can be certain that they called you every name under the sun once you'd pissed off.

Quote from Tristancliffe :

Did you have your headlight on?

Makes no difference in most cases, still pull out on you...

I dont agree with the first bit of your post at all Tristan, speed does kill, as the speed increases our time to react gets less, thus making it harder to avoid and anticipate potential hazards, but thats a whole different subject, maybe one we can thrash out over a cool pint .

As for Gatso's, you only ones who are lining the governments pockets is the people who habitialy speed, and think its there god given right too do so, don't get me wrong, I am no angel, but I know the limits and if I get caught its my fault.

But yeah, I am fine, just a bit sore, it doesnt really bother me, the only thing that bothers me is that fact that I am normally pretty good at anticipating cars pulling out, but this was so fast, and so close to me that I had no chance to do anything about it.

And yes, I ALWAYS have my headlights on, infact the Triumph Daytona I was on doesnt even have a headlight switch, they are permenatly on.

Dan,

Thst crap Dan, hope you get it sorted soon and get all your gear back.

When I 1st started driving my scooter (Done 50mph down a hill, about 45 normally) I was allways going back and forward or pretty big roads so I thought it was pretty safe but some people don't know how to look for a bike. Was at night and i'm going happily along the road coming up to the entracne/exit for the motorway but I just go past it. Well one night some 'n00b' just pulls right out infront of me and when they say me coming, they stopped in the middle of the road illepall

The worst thing was, it was at night, I had my lghts on and a big yellow jacket thing (Pretty cold in winter, this jacket was great) I got round the rear of the car and stopped, looked round and he was still there, was getting ready to start throwing some F words around (I know, doesn't sound like me does it?) Then they just drove off.

It doesn't help your confidence but you just gotta treat every other car as a child. IE, expect them to do something incredibly stupid like pull out infront of you.

What has made it all so much better now 7 months after starting to drive it on the road is that I phoned to cancel the insureance earlier as the bike is dead, It says £35 cancelation fee but when I phoned up they want to charge me a %age of the premium or something also, so they want me to pay them £110.25 just to cancel it.

Anybody else been in this situation and in the end didn't pay this crap.

Sorry for hi jacking the thread Dan, Still bike talk though.

Quote from danowat :

The shop werent overly happy, thats for sure, they didnt actually say much, not really much they could say really.

If she hasnt got insurance, it could get messy, I would imagine she does though.

Dan,

If she hasn't then she'll be foced to pay for it with her own money by a court. As that's what always happens.

And if you wan't to be specific, speed doesn't kill, coming to a stop very fast due to an object getting in your way, such as a wall, kills.

TBH, there aint shit that anyone can do about the state of our roads, and more importantly the pillocks driving on them, at the moment.we can say retests, we can say get all car driver to do a bike test(cbt sort) or have a bike section in the car test. we can say all we like, but the problem is, that there are also alot of pillocks out there, who go hooning it about on thou's at stupid speeds then crash, giving a bad name to bikers. then they pick up on every little thing about the incdent, like a recent(this year) crash around me, biker was going a bit quick, but not stupidly fast, but a car went to turn right ahead, the biker went into the side of him as he turned. now there has been a fresh release in the paper, saying that the dark visor he was wearing is to blame, as he couldnt have seen that he was turning. i think thats arse. my darky has saved me alot of hastle with sun glares.

bikers get more bad press then good, and thats how it will stand for a long time, i just get on with my little bit, and help improve the name when i can.

as far as being more visable.....most of the time it dont matter, as ive known people, big blokes at that, on big bikes, going speed limit, lights and hi-vis, and as they come to the crossing, they sorta puff them selves up(like i do, more of an outline) and still been pulled out on.

shit happens, its unfortunate, but it does
dan, dont worry about it, your still new to biking, and it takes a while to hone your skills, even if youve been driving for hundreds of years.

Its as though if they don't see two headlights they don't register that there is a vehicle approaching. Always amazes me that. Maybe we shoudl all start riding with a blank of wood across the bars with some bright yellow lights painted on each end.