Crashed (Sorry Katman)

[superman]

So ashamed...

I was enjoying a nice little pootle home, lane splitting as per usual in 5pm Auckland traffic. And a car failed to give way to me as it turned down a side road, (I could have easily avoided it with a bit more forethought...) but luckily by the time I smacked into the car I was probably only doing 15km/h so I just ended up falling off and sliding forward a metre and under her bonnet.

She was adamant I was breaking the law by lane splitting, plus she doesn't have any sort of insurance... So I called the popos and once they arrived (1.5 hours after crash...) they determined her at fault and issued her with a 'failing to give way' infringement.

My bike is fully functioning, and didn't leak any fluids. But the entire headlight is smashed out, with the surrounding fairings scratched and snapped. My question is what am I supposed to do if she doesn't have insurance? (Mine is only 3rd party). Do I simply take it to a repair shop and then give her the bill?

Only have a bruise on the bum, and a much bigger bruise of the ego for my failure to avoid the accident in the first place.

[Road kill]

Small claims court.

[Renegade]

Small claims court.

what he said

[Madness]

Worst case scenario is that you fork out a pile of cash to repair the bike then spend a long time and more cash in obtaining a Disputes Tribunal judgement against her and more time and cash in enforcing this judgement. Then you might end up getting $10 per week from her until it's paid. Win.

Hope like fuck she's a nice person.

[superman]

Hope like fuck she's a nice person.

They seemed nice, they were just sure it was my fault. But after the cops told them they were to blame, they let me store my bike in their garage. So hopefully I can just send them bills and not have to deal with epically drawn out bureaucratic small claims court.

[Katman]

Good on you for accepting your degree of culpability in not avoiding the crash but........

.....car drivers have a reasonable right to expect when on-coming traffic stops to allow them to turn across the traffic that no other vehicle is going to "appear out of nowhere".

If motorcyclists continue to fail to recognise gaps in traffic like this as major lane-splitting hazards it won't be long before laws are passed to make any form of lane-splitting illegal.

[cowboyz]

in a nice world... yes.. she is at fault and will simply pay the bill.

In the real world. She will be nice as pie till she realises how much it will be then no ammount of jumping up and down is gonna get you paid.

The court system is solely setup to extort money out of you. Once awarded.. they still dont HAVE to pay it. Its like an optional thing. And it will cost you around $2-300 to get some guy in a funny hat to tell them to pay you, which they will ignore.

try your luck. send them the bill. Fingers crossed for you. I hope they are not samoan.

[superman]

If motorcyclists continue to fail to recognise gaps in traffic like this as major lane-splitting hazards it won't be long before laws are passed to make any form of lane-splitting illegal.

Yes, I'm wondering to myself what I was thinking at the time... usually when lane splitting I'm on the motorway so as soon as a gap appears you obviously need to watch out for cars zooming into the gaps willy nilly just from lane changing.

I wonder if my being used to this made me only worry about lane changers rather than oncoming turning traffic which can't happen on the motorway. Because really it was extremely stupid, I could have easily recognised what was going to happen far earlier than when my brain finally clicked. Froze like a damn rabbit in headlights.

[Katman]

Ok, now you've got me confused.

Was the car driver turning from an on-coming position or were they heading in the same direction as you before making their turn?

[MSTRS:Me]

You could try your insurer. I know you only have 3rd party - but, if the offending vehicle/driver is identified, your insurer may fix your bike and chase said driver for re-imbursement.

[superman]

Ok, now you've got me confused.

Was the car driver turning from an on-coming position or were they heading in the same direction as you before making their turn?

You were right the first time. Car was on-coming.

I was trying to say I'm used to lane splitting when on-coming traffic cannot cross your path (like on the motorway), and that might be why I didn't register the hazard. Lack of brain on task, dreaded 'habitual' lane splitting.

[Madness]

You could try your insurer. I know you only have 3rd party - but, if the offending vehicle/driver is identified, your insurer may fix your bike and chase said driver for re-imbursement.

Then he could go to Maccas and pay for a Cheeseburger and when they hand it to him he could wink at them nicely and ask to swap it for a Mighty Angus combo (Large) with Coke and a free Apple Pie. Good luck with that too.

[superman]

Then he could go to Maccas and pay for a Cheeseburger and when they hand it to him he could wink at them nicely and ask to swap it for a Mighty Angus combo (Large) with Coke and a free Apple Pie. Good luck with that too.

Yeah, I don't think my insurer would do jack. Especially since my premium is a whole $40 per year!

[MIXONE]

Good on you for accepting your degree of culpability in not avoiding the crash but........

.....car drivers have a reasonable right to expect when on-coming traffic stops to allow them to turn across the traffic that no other vehicle is going to "appear out of nowhere".

If motorcyclists continue to fail to recognise gaps in traffic like this as major lane-splitting hazards it won't be long before laws are passed to make any form of lane-splitting illegal.

Have to agree with you there.The most dangerous thing when lanesplitting is a gap in the traffic.

[haydes55]

Yeah, I don't think my insurer would do jack. Especially since my premium is a whole $40 per year!

$40 a year!!!! I'm paying $64 per month =( for full though (and I'm a lil kid).

You can buy a new badass light now