I just had a crash! Help me figure out my options!

[Westy_mate]

So yesterday i had a pretty nasty crash... But they're saying im liable!

Heres what happened....

I was on Great north rd traveling on a two laned road on the Right hand lane. There is two solid yellow lines and the person in front of me began breaking (unsafely in my opinion) to pull into their drive on the other side of the road and i couldn't stop in time. they didn't start indicating till they were stopped and i clipped the back right end of the car smashing the light and bailing to the other side of the road where my bike hit an oncoming car and flew over the bonnet...

I cant really remember much from that morning.. and i haven't given my statement yet but at this point im the one to blame and i was hoping you guys could give me some feedback? i cant afford my 1000 dollar excess AND fix my bike :(

any help appreciated!

Dane

[Marmoot]

If you have an insurance, file your claim and admit no liability. The insurance would help you sort it out.

If not, by default (exceptional circumstances notwithstanding) you most likely to be at fault for failing to keep safe following distance.

Safe following distance is determined as a distance where you should be able to stop safely in the event something happens to the vehicle in front of you (blown tyre, sudden braking due to a pedestrian crossing unexpectedly, sudden braking due to him/her being cut off by other vehicle, etc), and is commonly valued at 2-seconds in good road condition and 4-seconds in bad road conditions.

Granted if there is an exceptional circumstances then the above may be disregarded. For example, the vehicle in front suddenly reversed, the vehicle in front had a high speed head-on collision sending it backwards, you get shunted by vehicle behind you.

I'm sorry for the bad news. I hope it works out for you.

P.S.
When you are following other vehicle, it would be prudent to keep in mind "can I realistically stop safely if the vehicle in front had to stop suddenly?", taking into account your riding/braking skill, your bike condition, the other vehicle's condition, and how close the vehicle behind you is.

[kiwifruit]

You are liable. Time for a push bike? :sunny:

[Waxxa]

The insurance company will repair the bike to the order it was in before the accident.

A $1000 excess?

[Grubber]

Ok without getting into a long winded explanation here and going on and on as to the legal aspects of this case and the whys wherefores and what should i have dones.......basically you're pretty well fucked!

[dogsnbikes]

As they say its a learning curve,can you bake cakes?be a good time for a cake stall....:innocent:

[avgas]

A $1000 excess?
Tis pretty reasonable.
I remember when I had my RG150. $2300 bike, $1400 excess.......

Ah to be young again.

Sorry westie, your fucked. Not only are you suppose to be able to stop in time, your suppose to not go into the other side of the road.
Double penetration.

[imdying]

So yesterday i had a pretty nasty crash... But they're saying im liable!Generally when you crash into the back of somebody you are held liable.

Don't be fool, follow the two second rule.

[marty]

I'm picking it's only insured 3rd party.

Sounds like you're at fault. Even though them slowing to turn across double yellows may not have been the best idea, they could have been slowing for any reason (dogs/kids/some rubbish on the road/they just broke down)

Lucky your bike didn't hit/injure/kill anyone as it crossed the road

[Str8 Jacket]

Buggar dude but I am sure you know that there are way to many eratic drivers out there so we just have to be prepared to stop ASAP at any given time!!

IMO - You ran into someone from behind so there fore you are liable. Surely you noticed that they had started to drop their speed? Or are you saying that they just went from 50kph (or whatever) to 0kph in a second?

[Westy_mate]

The dude litterally slammed his brakes on... i only went to the other side of the rd to avoid a direct impact and even then i wasnt on the bike on the otherside of the rd i was flying haha. yeah i only have 3rd party and i dont think the damage will exceed 1000 anyway so yeah.. will see what happens. im more worried about fixing my bike.. Damn thing is gnna cost a fortune.

[Gibbo89]

The dude litterally slammed his brakes on... i only went to the other side of the rd to avoid a direct impact and even then i wasnt on the bike on the otherside of the rd i was flying haha. yeah i only have 3rd party and i dont think the damage will exceed 1000 anyway so yeah.. will see what happens. im more worried about fixing my bike.. Damn thing is gnna cost a fortune.

i assume your a young fella on your 250? a $1000 excess is a bit steep eh. im 20 on my learners and fully insured with an excess of $200. food for thought when you insure a bike next time.

hope it works out ok for you.

[marty]

Buggar dude but I am sure you know that there are way to many eratic drivers out there so we just have to be prepared to stop ASAP at any given time!!

IMO - You ran into someone from behind so there fore you are liable. Surely you noticed that they had started to drop their speed? Or are you saying that they just went from 50kph (or whatever) to 0kph in a second?

Skiddie's back?

[Eyegasm]

i assume your a young fella on your 250? a $1000 excess is a bit steep eh. im 20 on my learners and fully insured with an excess of $200. food for thought when you insure a bike next time.

hope it works out ok for you.

Who are you insured with?

Most insurance companies I enquired with had a standard excess around $200-250 then additional excesses on top of that, Learner $250 Under 25 years $250 etc

So for you it would be $750 total excess (Standard + L + Age)

Keen to know as I have a $500 excess.

Eyegasm

[Westy_mate]

I will contact my Insurance company over the next couple of days. im pretty beat up and will rest first. Is there anyway i can ask for or read the two witnesses accounts? because i still cant remember what happened and im still looking for a way out of this mess. Anyone know any places that do Fairings and painting? thanks for the input guys :) really helped :)

Dane

[Owl]

i dont think the damage will exceed 1000 anyway

Good luck with that!:pinch:

Make your insurance claim and let them sort it.

[mikemike104]

Shit man, good luck.

Tell us who you are insured with tho so we know how they end up treating you.

[Westy_mate]

sweet as guys, Im insured with AMI so i will let you know how things go :)

[Gibbo89]

Who are you insured with?

Most insurance companies I enquired with had a standard excess around $200-250 then additional excesses on top of that, Learner $250 Under 25 years $250 etc

So for you it would be $750 total excess (Standard + L + Age)

Keen to know as I have a $500 excess.

Eyegasm

yeah most places had a steep excess, what helped me was i already had a scooter insured with them before my 250, so i got a no claim bonus.

i am with AMI, it was interesting though as even with the no claim bonus etc i was quoted a $600 excess, but when i rang back a couple of weeks later, they said they had changed whatever it was they change and it went down to $200, so i didnt ask questions and just took out insurance with them.

but yeah, most of them had a pretty steep insurance

[Str8 Jacket]

The dude litterally slammed his brakes on... i only went to the other side of the rd to avoid a direct impact and even then i wasnt on the bike on the otherside of the rd i was flying haha. yeah i only have 3rd party and i dont think the damage will exceed 1000 anyway so yeah.. will see what happens. im more worried about fixing my bike.. Damn thing is gnna cost a fortune.

Buggar, I hate when that happens. Guess you best be learning something from this then, could get expensive or fatal if you don't.... Good luck sorting the bike!

[Westy_mate]

My excess was 500 and so far everything is good. i will pay my excess although they did ask me to go get a police report which cost 50 dollars.. sneaky sneaky :P

[p.dath]

Your screwed. Don't try and fight it. It's one of those valuable (but expensive) life lessons we have to learn.