accident.

[figurehead71]

I personally fail to see how hls is to blame after the explanation..care to explain how maddiedog from hls account of it what they could have done differently in hindsight? How could they have moved away better from the vehicle after being in a different lane?

[maddiedog]

It's far from the OP's fault, but the accident could have been avoided if he had moved far away quickly.

Hmm, I wasn't suggesting it was his fault -- the fault clearly lies with the other driver. I was suggesting it was avoidable.

People have said you should ride a scooter like you're invisible, and everyone else is drunk. It's a silly phrase, but holds much meaning. If the driver saw the woman almost hit her once, he should have gotten behind her or far in front of her. Instead, at the next left, she was directly behind her. It may not have been possible to put that much distance, but given the OP was sideswiped when she steered sharply left into him, he probably could have braked sooner, allowing her ahead, or accelerated out of the hole and into safety.

Obviously I wasn't there, so I'm just theorizing. The point I'm trying to make is, and the lesson anyone reading about this accident should take away, is that you should always leave a lot of extra room for erratic drivers, because they can and will randomly cut into your lane and mow you down before you can even think about responding.

[you you]

Erratic drivers have never mown me down. Are you sure its that absolute?

[gn2]

I guess years as a constable didn't give you any compassion or people skills judging by your abrupt, obnoxious posts on this forum, which I have noticed have gotten many a person riled, including me now.

Not really bothered what you think of me or whether you like my posting style.
The best safety messages are brief, hard hitting and make you think.
This is what I attempted in this thread.
At least Maddie got it, so some good has come of it.

[maddiedog]

Erratic drivers have never mown me down. Are you sure its that absolute?

No -- but it might just be a matter of time if you're not cautious.

[brains_t]

Accidents happen, one may or may not wish to avoid them and talk about it later however there are some mad people out there so I recommend proactive measures as suggested.

I have been riding a scooter for just over a month and have already seen two attempts by car drivers to impede other scooter's progress even if it meant hitting them. I know most car drivers myself included would not dream of doing this but we all need to be aware it happens and obviously more frequent that I would have expected.

Yesterday I was filtering traffic just outside Bromley, South London when an old Volvo moved into the island to block me. As she had made space on the inside I switched but she countered and rear-ended a new Audi in front of her. This was in traffic barely moving and it was the counter that made me realise I was the target. I caught her eye, smiled (no point winking when wearing a full face) knowing her steel bulk must have ruined the plastic Audi. I had never seen this car or person before I approached it, having made a lot of progress through the traffic, so what was her goal?

I will adopt the "I am invisible" approach for my own safety and add "and someone may be out to get me" for added value.

[hls158]

I think it's safe to say most accidents could be avoided, I was going as fast as I could for the corner I was taking so like her I wouldn't nearly end up in the barrier. I figured since she almost hit me and then was behind me she must have seen me, we think she was probably on the phone or messing with something so she wasn't fully paying attention. I didn't want to start an argument posting this I just wanted some advice and it wasn't like I was doing 50 filtering through traffic and she hit me it was completely not my fault. My attitude towards riding is to act like a car in the way that I sit in slow moving traffic and don't filter, I don't ride in a way that I wouldn't in a car, but with things like approaching side roads and junctions if there's a car waiting or not I either let them out or slow down until I see them clock me. The same day this happened a red Vauxhall pulled out of a side road on me without even looking to my side of the road, luckily because I'd anticipated it I was slow enough to stop when he did it. I guess when people aren't looking for something they don't see it. I think the hardest part will be convincing my mum to let me get back on, in her eyes I'm still he little girl haha

[hls158]

I've tried to upload some pictures of the damage but they won't upload because they're too big

[brains_t]

I just wanted some advice

OK, get mended and get back on bike, that's mine.

Don't worry about the arguments, most posts here go off topic and they're not personal to you. Do heed the point that if you see an idiot on the road stay well clear. Like you say you were enjoying it so don't let others spoil your fun - you deserve it.

[you you]

Erratic drivers have never mown me down. Are you sure its that absolute?

No -- but it might just be a matter of time if you're not cautious.

I suspect I've been riding longer than you have been alive.

Don't get me wrong I think advice is useful. I just don't feel comfortable with hand wringing and doom and gloom. Riding a bike should be fun. Dropping your bike is all rights of passage stuff

[gn2]

I didn't want to start an argument posting this I just wanted some advice and it wasn't like I was doing 50 filtering through traffic and she hit me it was completely not my fault.

My advice is to learn from this and get back on.
Whether its your fault or not isn't the way to think of it.
The way you need to think is "what could I have done to prevent this collision".
In your last post one thing stands out:

I was going as fast as I could for the corner I was taking

To me this indicates you were going too fast.

[hls158]

Well no I wasn't going too fast at all, I'm not a fast rider so when i say 'as fast as I could for the corner' I mean as fast as I'd take the corner. I've seen people take it a lot faster than I would.

[maddiedog]

I think GN2 was saying you should always drive below your limits. Don't take the curve as fast as you can (even if that is slower than other people), ride slow enough that you could always take evasive action.

If the images are too big to upload, they must be HUGE! Resize them smaller, or upload them to http://www.imgur.com.

[djcat]

Memory can fail and given recent experience of my niece who doesn't remember much of the entire day she got hit on her head, I do not believe we can make any conclusions from the statement of a victim who just had a concussion!

All we know is that accidents are no coincidences but usually a series of factors that went wrong.

When you get back to riding, take a bike safe day or other advanced training and make sure you have a new helmet that fits properly, because the one you were using must be written off.

[you you]

[quote="djcat"]Memory can fail and given recent experience of my niece who doesn't remember much of the entire day she got hit on her head, I do not believe we can make any conclusions from the statement of a victim who just had a concussion!

All we know is that accidents are no coincidences but usually a series of factors that went wrong.

When you get back to riding, take a bike safe day or other advanced training and make sure you have a new helmet that fits properly, because the one you were using must be written off.[/quote

Still small bump on a scooter to me

Now starting to wish I could angst with the best of you but wtf summer will be here soon

[Theboybilly]

Hopefully it's all done and dusted now and, once the insurers get their act together, you'll be back on the road quickly. Hopefully too your Mum sees it as a learning experience for you. These things happen and riding a scooter isn't the most dangerous thing you can do in life.
Please let us know how it all pans out.

Good luck,

Bill