Do NOT exchange details at the scene of an accident...

[Colapop]

Well the law does say that you should ascertain if anyone is injured and the guy did that... His first words to me were "I'll need you insurance details..." So I was pretty keen to help him, obviously....

[limbimtimwim]

Well the law does say that you should ascertain if anyone is injured and the guy did that... His first words to me were "I'll need you insurance details..." So I was pretty keen to help him, obviously....

What a poo face. I'd be pretty pissed off if that was the first thing said to me too. Maybe he crashes so often he just fast-forwards the tape a little to get to what he wants to know.

[klingon]

The lines of communication must be blurred a bit here? You are required by law to report an injury accident to the police, you were hurt (not badly thank goodness) but all the same they must have to take the details of what happened down surely?

That's what I thought, too. To be fair on the car driver, she didn't know I was injured so would have no reason to report it to the police (and with her being in the wrong & all, she'd be silly to report herself).

When I rang Auckland Central today I told the guy that I was injured in the accident. I hadn't thought to tell the guy at Avondale because our conversation was so short and he dismissed me so quickly when I told him we'd exchanged details. The AK Central guy said obviously I didn't look injured! He's a POLICEMAN not a DOCTOR for Pete's sake. How can he tell whether my ribs are cracked unless he has x-ray vision?!

I always thought the law also required you to provide your name and details to the owner of a vehicle that was damaged in a situation like this. There is no mention of fault, it is just a requirement.

That's what I thought too, until I got this response from two different policemen in two days.

[Colapop]

What a poo face. I'd be pretty pissed off if that was the first thing said to me too. Maybe he crashes so often he just fast-forwards the tape a little to get to what he wants to know.

I have a photo taken a week later showing a car skid-mark in exactly the same place as my accident outside his house!

[Sanx]

what you should ALWYAS do at the scene of an accident is call the cops.. let them deal with the shit.

that is unless your to blame... if not.. no matter how big or small.. PHONE THE ROZZAS!

You'd be in for a LONG wait in most cases. Of course, if you really want to hurry them up, you just need to tell the cops that the guy who hit you was speeding dangerously (55 in a 50) in an area where only last week, you'd seen a little kiddie, who might have run out into the road.

They'll be there, ticket book in hand, in no time. And then you can grab 'em.

[Chisanga]

Lol When I had my first bin I had 3 incident cars and an ambulance with 5 ambos turn up to what was a very minor incident... apparently some women who drove passed (didn't stop mind you) rang and said there was a major accident involving a motorbike.... I came off at 40km/h but was grateful for the cops turning up as they charged the driver and made my insurance claim a breeze

[sAsLEX]

I have a photo taken a week later showing a car skid-mark in exactly the same place as my accident outside his house!

can you spell circumstantial.......


I prob cant

[Harry33]

From my experience call the cops..(The guy might have been drinking etc).You might end up waiting a while but they can always check these things.

When I got rear ended by a car we changed details, checked that everyone was o.k, got witness details as well. We thought everything will be o.k and then the next day I found out the guys cellphone number didn't work, he didn't live at the address he gave. I later found out that the licence plate on his car was stolen off a car in Dunedin etc.
My wife and I both had bad whiplash , sore backs which need to be rehabed. THANKS ACC. We needed feel the pain until the next morning. Fun Stuff that.

So you never know you might stop a drunk/crook.

[Grahameeboy]

You do NOT have to give the driver of the other vehicle any details at all. You do not have to speak to the other driver - regardless of fault.

Except if someone is injured, when you do.

In this case liability is clear cut 'prima facea' so reporting to Police is not a major.

Cannot saee driver disputing liability. Rear damage, cannot allege you reversed.

Just get better, get bike fixed.

[McJim]

... if you are in the right and want to lay a complaint with the police later.

Here's my story in a nutshell:

• On Monday I got hit from behind by a car, while I was stopped at a stop sign on my way to work
• I exchanged details with the driver and set about arranging for my bike to be picked up (it was too damaged to ride)
• While I was waiting for the recovery truck I called Mack the Knife who said "report it to the police - at least you'll have it on record if you need to refer to it later for insurance etc"
• I got the bike taken away, went to A&E for a checkup and went to work (because by then I was very late!)
• My partner called in at a police station to ask for the procedure and they said I should go into a police station to report the incident
• The following day (less than 24 hours later) I went to the Avondale police station with my written account
• The police officer said "did you exchange details with the other party?" I said "yes" he said "then it's an insurance matter, not a police matter" and refused to take my statement
• Not quite believing that, I went to work and phoned the Auckland Central Police, who told me just the same thing. I said "So I would have been able to lay a complaint if I had refused to exchange details with the driver?" and he said "yes"

So, with me doing absolutely nothing wrong, apparently I waived my right to even have the incident officially recorded. I didn't necessarily want the driver charged with anything, but I did want to record what happened and make it clear where the liability was, in case of insurance issues later.

So don't exchange your details, just sit down on the side of the road and call the police.

AND always assume that you're injured (chances are in a bike vs car you will be injured). At the time the driver asked if I was ok and I said "yes" but it turns out I have badly bruised ribs (maybe cracked, can't tell yet). Apparently what you say at that moment while the adrenaline is pumping is what sticks, even if you discover injuries later.

EXACTLY the same thing happened to me last year and the cops on the website told me that doesn't happen!

I still have a limp and my marathon running days are over (even have a trophy for a triathlon I won in 1985) left knee got knackered.

So if someone drives over a gully and is involved with no other vehicles they get done for dangerous driving but if some mad fukka in a car rams you (with potential to kill you) if you are insured they don't get prosecuted.

WTF?!?!?!?

[Grahameeboy]

EXACTLY the same thing happened to me last year and the cops on the website told me that doesn't happen!

I still have a limp and my marathon running days are over (even have a trophy for a triathlon I won in 1985) left knee got knackered.

So if someone drives over a gully and is involved with no other vehicles they get done for dangerous driving but if some mad fukka in a car rams you (with potential to kill you) if you are insured they don't get prosecuted.

WTF?!?!?!?

A gay red helmet is winging it's way to you so you should be more visible now........yep my marathon days are over (2hr 58mins when I was 18) cause I am old now

[jetboy]

From an insurance perspective:

You must not admit liability to the accident (even if it is "your fault") because if you do and the insurance company discovers through the course of the claim that you are in fact "not at fault", then you have buggered it up already by admitting it was your fault.

As for exchanging details - if you cannot give the insurer the contact details of the third party and prove they were in the wrong, you will have to pay an excess and the claim will be classed as "at fault" - simply because you couldnt supply the details.

[Freakshow]

This is interesting stuff and I think I should know this stuff so have I got this right.

If I am in an accident and it is not my fault then I should call the cops, do not pass go, do not exchange details, do not talk to the other party, and dont admit any responsibility???

Now what if I hit some one??? Should I do the reverse and try and screw them down eg dont ring the cops, do exchange details, but do not admit responsibility??

Have I got this right?

[klingon]

This is interesting stuff and I think I should know this stuff so have I got this right.

If I am in an accident and it is not my fault then I should call the cops, do not pass go, do not exchange details, do not talk to the other party, and dont admit any responsibility???

Now what if I hit some one??? Should I do the reverse and try and screw them down eg dont ring the cops, do exchange details, but do not admit responsibility??

Have I got this right?

Bizarre as it sounds, you seem to have got this right. Of course, the other party is also not admitting liability, so nobody will be giving anyone their details, and you'll all be standing on the side of the road glaring at each other for three hours while you wait for the police to arrive!

I wish one of our resident coppers would come in here and tell me what's the official line on this, because like I said I was told by the people at both Avondale and Auckland Central that "once you exchange details it is no longer a police matter" and "no, we will not accept a complaint from you."

[j_redley]

We were always told to exchange details, and even though one time I did, the prick refused to pay up, and even when the cops got involved they wouldn't do anything.

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