(Ultra)Minor Collision (Car) video - Fault?

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by Spank86

looking probably wouldn't help me much unless google managed to catch a lorry/bus on the road at the time.

I mean I'd not be parallel to the middle of a non articulated long vehicle for that for any length of time, not near corners. I'd generally either hang back just behind it so i could slow if needed or dart by quickly if i thought it wasn't going to be coming over my lane before I got though. I'd actually take more of a risk on a bike as I need less room and have more maneuverability.

Bear in mind the only 4 wheeled vehicle I drive is a van so i have to be more careful since the width of roads like that means I take up quite a lot of the lane myself and cant change a maneuver so quickly. Eitehr way I'd have been fully expecting to lose some of my lane there, although maybe not quite as much as you actually did.

image.jpg
You're in luck ! There are lorries queued there daily, separator on the right bit of lee way on the left

Originally Posted by Highway code

221
Large vehicles. These may need extra road space to turn or to deal with a hazard that you are not able to see. If you are following a large vehicle, such as a bus or articulated lorry, be aware that the driver may not be able to see you in the mirrors. Be prepared to stop and wait if it needs room or time to turn.

The highway code is pretty clear, you probably should have slowed sooner and prepared to stop but hindsight is 20:20.

[Dave20046]

He wasn't turning though, recovering from a slight bend in the road maybe ..

Excuse my ignorance... What do the signs on the back of the coach say?

[Dave20046]

'The operator's branding and contact details and something about watching children

No caution concerning turning vehicles?

Honestly, I'd have thought it would have been drummed into the heads of every driver in the western world that stuffing it in alongside a heavy that is travelling in anything but a straight line is a bad practice.

I'd call it an obs fail... Being a rider you should know better, but this vid and discussion makes you look like another numpty in a cage.

Cheers

[Dave20046]

I'm not sure you've read my comments Matt

I read them alright...

I think a both at fault plus just because a road sign says 30 it's not always an applicable speed for the road. Bus shouldn't of been in a rush to dodge a lorry but then the same reasoning applies to you. I can see what you want is a "toolbox" type talk to the driver to avoid the incident in the first place but then surely the same applies to you?

The coach company could of been more helpful on the phone than offensive and the small margins doesnt wash. Lots of people are on small margins because the world has got more intelligent (allegedly) so have narrowed down the costs of everything. If you employ bad drivers then expect your insurance bills to take a hit, after all you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by thefallenangel

I think a both at fault plus just because a road sign says 30 it's not always an applicable speed for the road. Bus shouldn't of been in a rush to dodge a lorry but then the same reasoning applies to you. I can see what you want is a "toolbox" type talk to the driver to avoid the incident in the first place but then surely the same applies to you?

The coach company could of been more helpful on the phone than offensive and the small margins doesnt wash. Lots of people are on small margins because the world has got more intelligent (allegedly) so have narrowed down the costs of everything. If you employ bad drivers then expect your insurance bills to take a hit, after all you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

I've always thought ,just because you clock a hazard and accept a risk to some point doesn't make you at 'fault'. For instance a car on a driveway's reverse light engaging, you know there's a chance they could pelt backwards into the main road so you keep it in mind and mitigate the risk accordingly (covering your brake etc.). If you have to slam on, you naturally get ****ed and want their input/apology if appropriate so as to let them know it's not okay. If you had have impacted, who's 'fault' would it have been? Legally I'd say the reversing maniac, but as a biker/nerd I'd say you probably should have spotted it and covered your brake.


When a lorry unnecessarily plunged into my lane I went up the curb (I'm not saying this is an acceptable route,that's a different discussion! If there'd been a sniff of any pedestrians around that wouldn't have been an option and it would have been slow/stop) I travel that road 2 or 3 times daily and there are usually lorries on it, it's straightish and wide no reason to jut into my lane unless they've cocked up. Should I accept that as an acceptable thing to happen because everyone in the western world knows to let lorries do what they want because they're bigger than you?
Be wary about them yes, when it goes wrong it's going to go wrong - but let them carry on oblivious and do it to whoever else? I'm not sure.

If you all had said 'that's 100% their fault' I wouldn't of dreamt of trying to claim or anything like that as I made my choice and what happened happened - I would have been able to talk to the company and see what the driver was avoiding or what distracted him and make sure the driver knew it was not okay to cut cars off and drive off. I just wanted confidence I could send this to them as leverage to have that chat (I'm a high mileage driver , I see and accept a lot on the road & normally think no more but felt like a debate/busy body that particular day) from the responses it looks like it's a bit more dubious than that - avoid them, let them crack on and worry about bigger things. I def agree with the latter