Reversing lights? You cannot be serious!

[portokiwi]

Mate thats bad news.
So many accidents.
Dam Cagers

[smokeyging]

Just as we’re past the Landcruiser, the RAV4’s reversing lights come on. I think “Those are reversing lights.” Next I think “Fuck, he’s stopped!” He had. Hard on the brakes, front wheel locks, I ease off that and get hard on the rear as well. Too late. Clunk, into the back of the RAV4 I go.

Arrr..the old 'P' for passing and 'R' for raceing trick....Amazing the amount of people out there that know everything there is to know about automatic transmitions.....

[dpex]

One trashed ST1300. One rider with a sore right knee and a bad case of grumpiness. One careless driving charge (no, not me) and an insurance claim pending. Bugger!

The day started well enough, albeit a bit blustery with the rising nor’wester. Mrs H’s mother is staying with us for a week, and Mrs H decided to take her on a road trip around the North Island, including a visit to the Mystery Creek Fieldays, where I would meet up with them and travel back with them in the c.a.r.

So today the gals set off in the car and I followed shortly afterwards on the bike, catching and passing them just after Silverstream. The plan was to have lunch in Greytown. They would then head on to Napier and I would ride home.

Just after the Te Marua golf course the RAV4 I was following caught up to a Landcruiser pulling a trailer. At the passing lane after the Twin Lakes lookout the RAV4 pulls out to pass and I go with him.

Just as we’re past the Landcruiser, the RAV4’s reversing lights come on. I think “Those are reversing lights.” Next I think “Fuck, he’s stopped!” He had. Hard on the brakes, front wheel locks, I ease off that and get hard on the rear as well. Too late. Clunk, into the back of the RAV4 I go.

I didn’t look that closely at the RAV but I noted some paint damage, but nothing else too obvious. The ST1300, however, is a different story. The nose is trashed, and I suspect, after helping the attending Police Officer and the tow truck driver roll the ST onto the back of the recovery truck, that something in the steering may be a bit bent. The wheel went largely under the RAV’s “bumper”, with the headlight and the rest of the bike that immediately follows it taking most of the damage.

The knees on my armoured pants are a bit chewed and my right knee, which was OK for about the first half hour, is really starting to seize up and ache. Thank god for good gear and armour!

Slutted? Why yes. I should have been taking more care. And it’s only since Easter Thursday and 4,000km of riding since I got the ST back after our last “off”.

I was worried about the old guy driving the RAV. He looked decidedly seedy and I was worried about his heart. His wife said it was the first time he’d driven an automatic. He’d changed into second to overtake and when he’d flipped the stick to go back into D, he went all the way to R.

The cop says this guy will more than likely face a careless driving charge. And he has admitted fault (I have a handful of witness who back up my version of events anyway), so the insurance claim will be on him. I actually feel a bit sorry for him.

I am cross on so many levels.

Mostly for scaring the shit out of Mrs H and her mum as they drove up the Kaitokes and saw a big red bike spread all over State Highway 2. Not a great way to get their holiday off to a positive start. I was up and around straight away, and had to beat off a couple of well-intentioned women who wanted to take my helmet off (the helmet is just fine, as are the helpful women).

Tomorrow, bureaucracy and, I suspect, more of the sore knee.

Thanks to Richard Palmer and Shirley for stopping to see how I was. I’m grumpier now, thanks Richard!

As much as I hate to do so, I have to be a bit of a Katman here.

The facts are, no matter how stupid the old bloke was he can't be held liable. The rule is clear. One must be able to stop within half the distance of the 'clear road' ahead.

I'm seriously glad that you're okay...sad about the bike...but the fact remains, you are the liable party.

Don't misinterpret me here. We've all been caught, at one level of another, following too close. Sadly, you were just a bit too close and bit too slow with reactions.

What's the chances of some old tit slamming his auto-cage into Race, directly in front of you? Billions-to-one.Bad luck Hitcher, but you'll be paying the excess.

[Hitcher]

The facts are, no matter how stupid the old bloke was he can't be held liable. The rule is clear. One must be able to stop within half the distance of the 'clear road' ahead.

The facts are that the old bloke got prosecuted for dangerous driving, my insurer agreed it was a no-fault accident on my part and I got a cheque with no excess deducted, that I used to procure a Yamaha FJR1300T.

Apparently one is not allowed to reverse down a reversing lane into the path of oncoming traffic, a situation I am certain that most would agree with. Including Katman.

[Taz]

Apparently one is not allowed to reverse down a reversing lane into the path of oncoming traffic, a situation I am certain that most would agree with. Including Katman.

Reversing lane?? Surely one can reverse down a reversing lane Mr Hitcher?

[marty]

it's amazing what you can type in error when you've got steam coming out of your ears

[Taz]

it's amazing what you can type in error when you've got steam coming out of your ears

Hitcher wouldn't make a mistake with the english language and grammar

[Hitcher]

it's amazing what you can type in error when you've got steam coming out of your ears

Ain't that the truth. It's a cold night and my Prat Immunity Factor is depleted somewhat.

[samgab]

I'm glad this post was resurrected. I'd've never found it otherwise. Wow, reverse gear is the last thing you'd expect to see when in mid-overtake maneuver. Just goes to show how things can just happen so suddenly.
Weird, because if he had slammed on his brakes cos a wallaby jumped in front of him or something, you'd likely have been able to stop, because the brain is tuned for red brake lights X 3. But white lights? Brain takes a second to register, and that's all it takes at 100Kph.
I'd imagine the RAV's auto slush box didn't much like going into reverse at 100 either! Shouldn't they have some kind of safety mechanism to mechanically prevent them going into reverse at more than about 5Kph forwards?

[Anarkist]

I'd imagine the RAV's auto slush box didn't much like going into reverse at 100 either! Shouldn't they have some kind of safety mechanism to mechanically prevent them going into reverse at more than about 5Kph forwards?

They do. It was tested on Mythbusters

http://mythbustersresults.com/episode84

You can stop a runaway car by shifting the gears into reverse.

BUSTED

Using both an automatic and a manual car, both cars were given the full force of the brake and stopped after 60 and 80 feet, respectively. Shifting into reverse did just about nothing, and both cars stopped after over 1000 feet. It was noted that the automatic car had a failsafe to prevent going into reverse while going forward. Additionally, shifting into reverse at high speeds can damage the transmission of the car.

[James Deuce]

The dude broke the interlock that "prevents" you going into reverse whilst proceeding in a forward direction.

[awayatc]

Poor old coot must have thought the "R" stood for Racing.....

I bet his dear old Mrs will be raving on about THAT rav 4 ever....

[oldrider]

This incident caused Hitcher to have allergic reactions to all things Toyota and Honda, possibly for ever!

His purchasing sensibilities have possibly suffered acute damage as a result too!

Obviously the word "Triumph" has been obliterated from his thought processes, temporarily it is hoped.

May the force be with him again soon, all pray to the Motorcycle god's for his complete recovery!

[Blackbird]

And just to make Hitchs' day, we've just bought a RAV4 for towing our soon to be purchased fishing boat

[Hitcher]

This incident caused Hitcher to have allergic reactions to all things Toyota and Honda, possibly for ever!

Indeed my antennae bristle every time I catch up on a RAV4 -- bloody hairdressers' cars that they are...

As for the ST1300, it was a bike that never really excited me. It was competent but irritating and an absolute arse of a thing to ride in strong crosswinds. I had had to stand it up on too many occasions and fell out of any love I may have had with it after its Boxing Day incident at Bulls. It did however get me around a Grand Challenge with only four stops for fuel!