New bike down

You know that big shiny Kawasaki versys that I bought a month ago and was going to tell you all about? Well... it's a cracking bike...

So, I went for a little ride to Woking to see a mate for a cuppa this afternoon, the end of a 400 mile Bank Holiday weekend because I love riding it so much.

Riding back through Woking on the ring road and little boy in his souped up VW Polo is determined to race me... I'm having none of it, but do him off the lights just to show that I can.

We're going along the road and he comes flying past me then into my lane, approaching a junction with traffic lights about 500 yards away.

The lights on the left are out of order, the lights on the right are red for the right hand turn filter, the lights in the middle are on green for the straight on lane... He slams his brakes on for some bizarre reason and there's no way I can stop. I'm grabbing the front, don't lock it but the back wheels 4 foot in the air, (my first ever stoppie ) and now I can't swerve around him.

The bikes heading for the back of the Polo, the rear is still 4 foot in the air, I jumped just before impact, landed on his roof, bounced off and hit the road on my back.

Lots of people around me, sirens, ambulance... all a bit of a blur. I get to my feet but my back hurts like **** so I go down again, I'm in the ambulance for 30 mins but I'm walking wounded and I want to see the state of the bike so I insist on getting out.

I call my mate who's house I just left, he has a trailer and he's on his way. The ambulance crew are following me around making sure I'm okay, the policeman has finished interviewing Polo-boy and wants a word. So, I tell my story to the policeman, (who is also a biker and sympathetic) however, he says no-one saw it actually happen and without telling me what the kid has said, says my version differs from his .

So, there's going to be a long insurance battle here, I'm TPF&T but it's this kid in the Polo's fault as far as I'm concerned... our lane was on green for go and he's looked at the wrong set of lights and slammed his anchors on after he's overtaken me.

The front on the bike... well... because I hit the car at a 45 degree angle, the wheel, forks, headlight, mudguard are all in perfect condition!!! the screens gone, the front RHS fairing has had it from hitting the floor afterwards, the back brake lever is bent, the front sub-frame is pushed in...

The motor runs... so I rode it home then went to A&E for a check-up on my back.

Severe bruising on my right **** cheek and the right hand side of my back but no broken pelvis as was suspected. I've got lots of high quality pain killers to munch on during the nightmare of trying to sort the bike out.

So... this may well be the first UK versys streetfighter project, depending on who's word the insurance companies take.

I'm also going to claim for the helmet and leather jacket but my insurer reckons it's going to be a hard hard battle without a witness and that I shouldn't get my hopes up!!!

I'll put some photos of my poor smashed versys up if I can work out how.

sorry to hear about your off.
although the polo driver sounds like a right . you went into the back of him, 9 times out of 10 its classed as the person behinds fault, as you were too close / going to fast, to stop

if he is saying he stopped for a red light when you hit him & there is no wittnasses to say otherwise its not looking too good

sorry

[TSM]

I think there is a little law that will state that emergency brake when not needed construes dangerous driving, now im not sure of that though. Also the fact that he overtook you then pulled in your lane then stopped imediatly should count in your favour and is one of the cases where you can possably rear end someone and not be considered at fault.

Sorry to hear about your off.

that guy sounds like a

Originally Posted by TSM

I think there is a little law that will state that emergency brake when not needed construes dangerous driving, now im not sure of that though. Also the fact that he overtook you then pulled in your lane then stopped imediatly should count in your favour and is one of the cases where you can possably rear end someone and not be considered at fault.

This is true, but without a witness (and i cant believe there wasn't a witness in woking) it means nothing, polo probably is sticking with story of 'he was tailgating me for miles'

was there no other traffic on the road? no one saw your little race?

[dirtydog]

oh b*ll*x sorry to here this mate it sounds very similar to the accident i had in woking a few years ago, in the town centre got cut up by a woman who then slammed her brakes on for a green light, had no witnesses etc` etc had to accept liability in the end

[TSM]

Originally Posted by injury_ian

This is true, but without a witness (and i cant believe there wasn't a witness in woking) it means nothing, polo probably is sticking with story of 'he was tailgating me for miles'

was there no other traffic on the road? no one saw your little race?

I would like to question why i would want to tailgate a car when i can so easily overtake it.

Originally Posted by TSM

I would like to question why i would want to tailgate a car when i can so easily overtake it.

there are plenty of times where there are no 'safe' overtaking zones, ok, not miles, BYSWIM.

[TSM]

Originally Posted by injury_ian

there are plenty of times where there are no 'safe' overtaking zones, ok, not miles, BYSWIM.

yep, there is that bit

Originally Posted by TSM

I think there is a little law that will state that emergency brake when not needed construes dangerous driving, now im not sure of that though. Also the fact that he overtook you then pulled in your lane then stopped imediatly should count in your favour and is one of the cases where you can possably rear end someone and not be considered at fault.

Agree with both these points, but it will be hard to prove without witnesses. Assuming one person's word against another, would it go down as 50/50? Polo-boy can't prove he was being tailgated.

Btw, I think that the law would be dangerous driving or similar - I've seen (on those police tv programmes) people being done for dangerous driving for brake testing someone. That's deliberate, but cutting in front and braking (unintentionally causing an accident) might be reduced to careless driving or similar?