Didn't think my first accident would be quite like this...

[nigel]

I got reversed into by a Chubb security van

I was waiting along with a million other people to turn right into Queensgate in the Hutt today when the big van in front decides to start reversing... I backpedaled as fast as I could in a panic and only got on the horn about the moment he collided with my front wheel, breaking the mudguard

Luckily I wasn't hurt and it looks like only the mudguard has been broken. And a guy came over immediately and said he saw everything and gave me his details.

Lesson learned: Chubb security vans only have wing mirrors, so make sure you're where they can see you if you're behind them, just in case that ONE TIME they decide to go backwards :slap:. Oh, and also I must remember to use that HORN next time!

[howdamnhard]

My brother inlaw got reversed into by a garbage truck when he was in a cage.Ye always ensure you have an escape path and they can see you.My horn has saved me a few times,especially when they try cross into your lane without bothering to look.Lucky it was only your mudguard,and you weren't hurt.

[hayd3n]

bugger could of been worse

[swbarnett]

Many a year ago I parked behind a medium sized truck to pop into a dairy. Whan I cam out the truck had reversed into my bike. The extension of the flat bed collected the handlebar and the pack rack and pushed the bike a good couple of meters before I could get their attention. Thankfully, the bike just slid sideways on the tyres and side stand - no damage whatsoever!

[The Stranger:Me]

I was waiting along with a million other people to turn right into Queensgate in the Hutt today when the big van in front decides to start reversing...

Surprising how often this happens - people waiting at intersections or traffic lights start reversing for no apparent reason.
I know of several people caught out by this. Another good reason to filter.

[hayd3n]

Many a year ago I parked behind a medium sized truck to pop into a dairy. Whan I cam out the truck had reversed into my bike. The extension of the flat bed collected the handlebar and the pack rack and pushed the bike a good couple of meters before I could get their attention. Thankfully, the bike just slid sideways on the tyres and side stand - no damage whatsoever!

one in a milion

[mowgli]

Another good reason to filter.

Agreed. Other option is or leave sufficient space between you and the vehicle in front so you can escape. I do this more often because I'm worried that the idiot following won't stop

[klingon]

Sorry to hear about that, nigel. Good lessons learned though. I agree about leaving yourself an escape route, but it hadn't occurred to me people would start reversing without being able to see behind them! You'd think security vans (of all people) would want to make sure they had visibility all around. Next time I'm planning to rob Chubb, I must remember that bikes are invisible when behind them.

As for the horn, I haven't managed to use it at an appropriate time yet. When an emergency situation arises I often cancel my indicators though.

[hXc]

Lucky it wasn't worse hey? I agree with Stranger, always a good reason to filter (apart from being cooler than everyone in cages who can't).

I know here in Brussels for big rubbish trucks etc they have a video camera with a screen for the rear view mirror, maybe they should start that back home in NZ?

[The Baron]

Hi. We had a near miss yesterday with a parked 4x4 revearsed back. I just spotted him in time and jerked forwards as my wife thumped the back door of the 4x4. Didn't even look....

[Radar]

:slap:. Oh, and also I must remember to use that HORN next time!

Trouble is that many bike horns are not loud enough.

Air horns are the way to go.

[madbikeboy]

Be prepared everywhere for reverses, sudden u-turns, random braking...

Always have an escape route - if you're not thinking "if they do this, I do that", then your mental attention level is wrong - this is what keeps you alive. If you get to the point where you sit at intersections and go "la da da, de dum, de da" in your head, then you need to buy a cage before you eat it.

I always stop between cars and filter at lights, no exceptions - I recall the horror story of a mate getting rear ended when I was very young, he spent a year in a wheelchair. I like having a nice solid something between me and the possible red light runner - don't assume that the green light means it's safe to go. MadBikeBabe almost got squished crossing a road the other night - started to step, I grabbed her, she turned around to give me an earfull, then hoon roars past - the red light didn't seem to work for him.

If you haven't made solid eye contact, don't assume they've seen you, and the eye contact means you can spend your attention a little less there - it's not like you can assume no attention required at all.

As for the horn - I don't use it much - I tend to use the (very loud) Yoshi tweaked motor and exhaust - there's something about an angry revving sound that makes cagers pause - I doubt they could even hear my horn over the radio adverts in their mindless trance...

[racerhead]

One of the things I was told while learning to drive a car was when stopped in traffic was always stay far enough behind the car in front, enough to escape out beside it and the best way of judging this distance was when you look in under the back of the car you should still be able to see where the wheels contact the ground. If the bumper blocks this view it means your too close. So if possible use this on the bike aswell and you wont have any problems, well less problems anyway

[McJim]

One of the things I was told while learning to drive a car was when stopped in traffic was always stay far enough behind the car in front, enough to escape out beside it and the best way of judging this distance was when you look in under the back of the car you should still be able to see where the wheels contact the ground. If the bumper blocks this view it means your too close. So if possible use this on the bike aswell and you wont have any problems, well less problems anyway

Steady on old chap - did you learn to drive in Europe or summat? I was taught that too when I was learning to drive - there are a lot of little good habits I have from driving a cage around Glasgow, London and the rest of the UK that just seem not to have been learnt by drivers here. A shame really coz the kiwis think they are fantastic drivers in general.

[Nasty]

Its whitevan man ... they are real and they always aim for bikes .. one of the managers at work was written off (well the bike was and his leg is munty) by whitevan man.

on the other hand .. grubs first accident on a bike was a concrete truck reversing into him and trapping him against a mini!