Funny how things turn out!

[demon tweak]

Just got my first road bike, Have had it for about a week . My mum was less than impressed when I got it ! you no the usual bikes are dangerus and what if you crash .
I'm 34 for crist sake but you no they never stop worrying .
Any way had to go from Te puke to hamilton on saturday and thought I might take the bike but desided against it as the wife was coming and we had to stay the night so we took our car . We were just coming into cambridge and were commenting on how nice it would have been on the bike when an old bugger pulled straight out in front of us from a stop sign coming from Te Awamutu we were only about 10 meters away when he pulled out and it was a 80k zone . I tried my best to avoid him but there were cars turning and coming straight through there was no were to go we hit him in the front left hand side . It was a heavy impact and both our cars are wright off's .The other driver sufferd some head wounds and my wife had to go to hospital for some Xrays of here neck but it was all ok just a bit sore for a few days !!! I've been driving for 18 years and that was the first crash I've been involved in . Thank crist we were'nt on the bike it might have been much wurse ! will still be riding my bike but man will I be watching out at intersections !!!!!! I don't think the 250 Ninja would look to good after a crash like that not to mention the rider.

[bluninja]

Just questions, not a criticism; accidents are traumatic enough.

As you were approaching the junction did you see the car at, or approaching the stop sign? Did you think the driver saw you approaching? Did you consider sounding the horn to alert the other driver before he moved?

If you approached a similar situation again, what could you do to keep you and your wife away from a similar impact?

I was taught on an advanced riding course that I should adjust my speed based on my visibility of junctions (regardless of who has right of way) and traffic around them, so that I could always stop if some numpty pulled out. I thought it was nuts that I should consider braking hard and 'giving way' when I had right of way, but my feelings heal quicker than body parts.

Now what I was taught may not have any application in your situation, but I thought it worth sharing. Accidents happen, but there is sometimes an opportunity to reduce the impact of another road users 'accident'.

Hope your wife's sore neck heals quickly and without too much discomfort.

[demon tweak]

I know what you mean. Good points, but for us there really was no time to do anything. He was stopped at the intersection. He reckons he just didn't see us, and moved off the intersection right in front of us! Wife says she remembers seeing him stopped, then he moved into the middle of our lane, suddenly saw us, hesitated, realised he was too far into the lane to avoid us, then tried to carry on, but it was too late. Witnesses were impressed that I managed to avoid hitting him fair in the middle as it was. If you've got time to take evasive action, it's all good. But sometimes there really is no time to do much of anything.

Incidentally, I am going to be doing an advanced rider training course. Definitely worth it. Wife says thanks - she's feeling a bit better now.

[bluninja]

Glad she's feeling better.

In a similar situation on a bike I would have given a short toot on the horn to attract attention.....but then again, they could think you were signalling them out.

I have come to a halt on many occasions on the bike having started braking before the car has suddenly decided it's clear and set off out the junction. Watching the sudden drain of blood from their face as your headlight shines a few centimtres from the drivers window is not as satisfying as being in one piece....but it's close.

[pritch]

He reckons he just didn't see us, and moved off the intersection right in front of us!

Probably didn't look. Like the accident I saw near the Kopu bridge a year or three back, a driver pulled straight out in front of a bus. Fatal mistake. Literally.

[blackdog]

If you had been riding the bike, you would have been through the intersection hours earlier!

[boman]

When you are on your bike, or in your car, treat every intersection, and driver, as if they have not seen you. Because quite often, they havn't bothered to look properly.

[steve_t]

Demon Tweak, welcome to KB.
This thread has a video that might also be of interest to you as well. It probably wouldn't have helped your situation cos if the guy couldn't see a car...
Glad you guys are OK

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...2-SMIDSY-Video

[demon tweak]

cheers man the video was realy good, I have already had a car pull out in front of me from an intersection when I was riding and doing the siam may have helped them see me!