Had my first scare!!!!

[Throttled]

Coming up to a round-a-bout, two cars in front of me. It had just rained and the road looked greasy. The first car suddenly stopped about 10 feet short of the round-a-bout, which was empty with no sign of any cars coming from any direction. The car behind got stopped, but I decided rather than slam on the brakes and risk a skid, I went down the side of the cars as there was lots of space. There was a couple in the front car who appeared to be deciding which way to go, which can be done as you drive round the round-a-bout.

My one car crash was going into the back of a lorry that decided not to pay attention at a round-a-bout and stop when it was clear, as I wrongly assumed it would keep going, so so would I. I also see so many posts here about incidents on round-a-bouts that maybe they should just be banned!

Edited August 28, 2011 by Throttled

[Colin the Bear]

Stopping distance. Pay attention dear boy. Running into the back of stationary traffic at any kind of junction is bad form.

Get good personal injury and accident insurance. You gunna need ithttp://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z28/Colin_the_bear/yellow_card.gif

[Rollingskies]

Sounds like you are not leaving enough space and are travelling too fast. Try approaching the roundabout slower and double your distance.

This shouldn't be happening at all. I can barely think of a single time this has happened to me and I drive through loads of roundabouts every day.

For your own safety you really need to analyse today and see what you did wrong and how you can improve this. The lorry driver or the old couple in the car dithering are not doing anything wrong. They are pefectly entitled to sit there when its free to go.

[Lumor_uk]

i wouldn't say they would have a right to sit there. In a test it would be a minor or for causing a car to nearly crash into you a major. Leave more distance and slow down. Else you won't be posting your next near miss.

[Rollingskies]

It would be a minor for not making good progress. You wouldn't get a major for it. It would only happen in a test though if you couldn't get in gear or something as you would know where you were going on a test.

While everyone should always make good progress and slow awkward drivers are a HUGE nuisance and because we know that the road is full of old dears, chavs, idiots and then your average Joe Bloggs who makes a genuine mistake we therefore MUST keep our distance and slow for hazards. If you stay back and slow down tell me how this incident can happen. You also get a clearer view of the roundabout for other hazards by staying back. The fact there are bad drivers ahead on the road is not going to be a valid reason for a rear end shunt. You will be 100% responsible every time. I'm not sticking my neck out as the perfect driver/rider as I too have to keep myself in check!! I have a bad habit of creeping up on people on clear A-roads and sitting too close behind them. It's all about identifying your weaknesses and then fixing them. This learning process is so important for us bikers if we are to minimise our risks.

Edited August 24, 2011 by Rollingskies

[Hywel]

Anyone travelling in front of you may stop suddenly at any point, could be an animal or a pedestrian shooting out in front of them or whatever else, even if there aren't any obvious hazards.

Keep a defensive position on the road and put plenty of distance between you and stuff in front to deal with any sudden stuff, 'specially if the road is a bit greasy. If you don't keep this kinda thing covered, you may go a fair distance with only a few bum clenching moments but it only takes one nasty surprise and you'll be collected!

My first proper scare was rushing up to a roundabout with a bit too much gusto, panicking, and locking up the back on a YBR125 and going into the roundabout sideways, totally out of control. A car was going round but luckily had passed before I got there. This sort of thing happens to everyone, learning from it is a must though

[Fozzie]

I sort of echo what people have said

When you come up to a roundabout look to see if its clear but keep your attention on what the guy ahead of you is doing. I have almost kept going before only to find a car in front of me

Just alter how you handle roundabouts and you'll be fine. You got off accident free and its a experience you learn from as it shit scares ya

[getready]

Stopping distance.

This is it. So many people drive/ride literally a couple of feet away from the vehicle in front thinking it's the done thing because all the others do it.

A woman at work the other month proclaimed "He just stopped right in front of me and I couldn't stop and went into the back of him..."

It's not worth the bother trying to shave seconds off your journey if you end up on your arse in the process

[boisdevie]

Whether you ride a bike or drive a car, just expect everyone else on the road to do something stupid. That way you won't die.

[Throttled]

I was a good distance behind and if I had really gone for it I am sure I would have been able to stop. I just made the decision (and who knows if it was right or wrong, but there was no accident) to not risk locking up or skidding, but to ride past the stationary cars in the nice gap to the side onto a totally clear round a bout.

As for blame, I do not believe for one moment that you would be allowed to pass a car or bike test if you suddenly come to a halt on the road blocking others for no apparent reason. That has to be considered driving without due care and attention or even dangerous driving. If you do not believe me out you go, wait until you have vehicles behind you, particularly where there is no space to pass and just stop. Better still do that to a police car and then act puzzled when they want a word with you!!!

During both bike and car tests you are being constantly checked to make sure you are paying attention to what is behind you. Surely a reason for that is so that if you suddenly decide to do an unexpected manoveur you will know if you are going to get away with it or not, if it is safe or not to do so.

If I had run into the back of that car, I would have accepted a share of the blame, but not all of it. You cannot absolve yourself of all responsibility for the safety of road users who are behind you.

The main reason why I posted my experience is because a big pattern has appeared on the forum of people reporting near misses on round a bouts. I hope my cautionary tail helps others, as well as being a learning experience for myself.

[queen bodecia]

I agree that stopping on a clear road for no apparent reason can be dangerous. But that does not mean that anyone following should hit them. You should always be able to stop safely in the distance you can see to be clear. The rear vehicle in a crash is almost always 100% to blame for simply not leaving enough of a stopping distance. Think on.

[Throttled]

That 100% to blame has never sat well with me. Most accidents share blame. I am a police officer and I have charged someone with dangerous driving for stopping for no reason in front of another car and the driver was prosecuted. Then there are times when one car has pulled out infront of another which could not stop in time, where the driver who pulled out is to blame. Then check out this incident where someone stopped to chat to a friend and that caused a fatality

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... riend.html

I have moved people on who have stopped on blind hill crests (to answer the phone), half way round tight corners (to take a photo of the view). You cannot just stop whereever and whenever you feel like it.

Doing my bike lessons there was the three second rule for following vehicles and a mirror check every 10 to 15 seconds. So you are being encouraged to watch out for and show consideration for road user both infront and behind.

I do think that anyone who comes to a halt at a time and place where there is no good reason for them to do so are at least partly to blame for any accident. Stopping a good 10 feet from the line at an empty round a bout is an example of that.

There is also an optical illusion here. You just do not expect a vehilce on a motorway off ramp to stop there. My view of the car was partly obscured by a moving car infront of me. It did look like the front vehicle was moving even though it had stopped.

I experienced that once before with a car abandoned on a motorway. The driver ran out of fuel and just left it in the middle of the lane with no hazard warning lights on. It looked like it was still moving until we realised it had stopped. Very frightening.

[Rollingskies]

I actually agree with you Throttled. At the end of June this year a small vauxhall van stopped on the opposite side of a dual carriageway in the fast lane after shedding a very light and small load. The merc van behind him came to a sudden stop in time. The volvo driver behind him had almost no chance and ploughed into the back of the merc. I was really annoyed and after making the scene safe and calling for help etc I tried to say to the people and police officers what happened, but everyone just looked at the Volvo driver blood all over his face as if he'd committed murder. To think the vauxall driver who caused the whole thing didn't get the slightest scratch or blame. At the time one man came up to me and said sorry mate it's his fault because it's a rear end shunt.

I would like to see more of what you describe, but the reason I say to people you can't be too careful is that you just don't seem to be able to hit someone in any circumstances these days without at least being partially to blame.

The daily mail story is a horrible tragedy, entirely preventable with just a little forethought.

By the way I wasn't having a go, it takes guts to put up your mistakes for other people to point out what they would have done and should do. Thanks for posting it.

[tryme]

i hate to say it but if you hit some one up the back side its ALWAYS your fault regardless of the circumstances because you should ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS leave enough space and be travelling at the right speed to stop in time.

even if its snowing and you skid down the road and hit some one up the arse its your fault tbh.

harsh, but its reality.

if some one is parked on the brow of a hill or something stupid thats different. but if you pull up to a round about and some one smacks you up the arse because there expecting you to move its there fault.

[Throttled]

If I had crashed, it would have been my fault, I accept that.

What I am pointing out is that at times the vehicle in front also has to take responsibility. You cannot come to a halt whenever you want to and hell mind what is going on behind you.

In this instance I would say the car in front would also be to blame.

[Guinnless]

That 100% to blame has never sat well with me. Most accidents share blame. I am a police officer and I have charged someone with dangerous driving for stopping for no reason in front of another car and the driver was prosecuted.

Really?? And what was dangerous about stopping?

 

Then there are times when one car has pulled out infront of another which could not stop in time, where the driver who pulled out is to blame.

Not the same thing though is it?

 

Then check out this incident where someone stopped to chat to a friend and that caused a fatality

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... riend.html

Sorry, but I don't believe guff in the Daily Mail.

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I have moved people on who have stopped on blind hill crests (to answer the phone), half way round tight corners (to take a photo of the view). You cannot just stop whereever and whenever you feel like it.

No one is saying it's OK to stop anywhere.

 

Doing my bike lessons there was the three second rule for following vehicles and a mirror check every 10 to 15 seconds. So you are being encouraged to watch out for and show consideration for road user both infront and behind.

I do think that anyone who comes to a halt at a time and place where there is no good reason for them to do so are at least partly to blame for any accident. Stopping a good 10 feet from the line at an empty round a bout is an example of that.

You have no idea why they stopped. The engine could have cut out, the brakes stuck on, they could have had a heart attack. Approach RABs more slowly giving yourself time to get the view and make sure it's clear and then you can get on the gas.

[Bogof]

i hate to say it but if you hit some one up the back side its ALWAYS your fault regardless of the circumstances because you should ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS leave enough space and be travelling at the right speed to stop in time.

 

No it's not. Twice it's happened to me, and neither was deemed to be my fault

[Hywel]

If you're fatally injured because you didn't leave yourself enough space to stop or you simply weren't paying enough attention to changing road conditions ahead, discussions regarding 'legal responsibility' or 'fault' are meaningless.

Your life is completely in your own hands when you ride a bike, and there are loads of cretins who drive around with their eyes sewn shut, so passing blame and not learning from these mistakes is going to end badly for you. Just sayin'.

[Throttled]

What I have learned from this and other reports of roundabout madness on this forum are

That roundabouts, of which there are many where I live are the most risky part of riding.

That the brakes on my bike are no where near as good as the XJ6n I took lessons on.

That I have an escape route by passing cars.

[caretaker]

I agree that stopping on a clear road for no apparent reason can be dangerous. But that does not mean that anyone following should hit them. The rear vehicle in a crash is almost always 100% to blame for simply not leaving enough of a stopping distance. Think on.

 

I agree" You should always be able to stop safely in the distance you can see to be clear."

If they stop so should you be able to.....otherwise you are 100% to blame

[Throttled]

I agree that stopping on a clear road for no apparent reason can be dangerous. But that does not mean that anyone following should hit them. The rear vehicle in a crash is almost always 100% to blame for simply not leaving enough of a stopping distance. Think on.

 

I agree" You should always be able to stop safely in the distance you can see to be clear."

If they stop so should you be able to.....otherwise you are 100% to blame

 

So the consensus is that you can stop wherever you want to, no matter what the circumstances are, the road conditions or anything.

[Guinnless]

So the consensus is that you can stop wherever you want to, no matter what the circumstances are, the road conditions or anything.

 

[Colin the Bear]

What you should do and what happens are poles apart. Anything can happen out there.

Most people toss the rule book in the bin with the "L" plates.

Lots of drivers out there with no licence, so no insurance and no ability or knowledge. Lots driving under the influence of....

Drink , drugs, limited ability, kids, pets, mobile phone, row with spouse, row with boss, old age, youthful vigour, love, lust, lack of sleep, poor eyesight, wrong glasses, hangover, need a p!ss, need a cr@p, hunger, thirst, pompous self righteousness...http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z28/Colin_the_bear/laught.gif

[Remy]

I try not to pass judgement on anyone or how they ride, all I will say is that I always leave a good distance between myself and the vehicle in front for self preservation! If someone moves into the gap I drop back again, I only move close if I am about to overtake. I try to be prepared for drivers to act in an unpredictable manner anywhere, not just roundabouts!

[Lumor_uk]

i

even if its snowing and you skid down the road and hit some one up the arse its your fault tbh.

 

I was in my car must have been 100m behind a car doing 15mph and still wasn't stopping so pulled right and went past him as I was pumping the brakes luckily a car wasn't on the other side of the road