Had my first accident yesterday

icehot

icehot

icehot

Associate
Joined
27 Apr 2004
Posts
2,482
Location
Andover
Hi All,

Need some advice from people who don't really know me and are unlikely to be bias.

Yesterday I was on the way home after picking up some mexican food in Wimbledon from Mexifresh. I was on the A218, unfamiliar with the area and accidentally I was in the right hand lane of the two which was for turn right only. I noticed this early, stopped about 10-15ft behind the car in front and put my left indicator on to change back to the lane to move ahead with traffic.

When the traffic lights turned green, a few cars moved passed me before a chap in a Merc let me manoeuvre back in to the left hand lane to move ahead with traffic. About 2 seconds after I moved back in to the left lane, I am hit in the left side of my car from a BMW.

We exchange details, I am a bit in shock because it happened so quickly. No one around the area bothers to stop and be a witness. I get home and my family tell me to phone my insurance company to start the process, I phone admiral and find out that the other driver has pointed the finger at me. The other driver is with Elephant so as they are both part of EUI it is being dealt with internally. The chap I spoke with on the phone said that as our stories conflict they will need to go in to more detail, in which I am getting a call back today.

Now in my opinion, I had right of way, I clearly indicated what I was doing for those behind and in front of me and he hit me which is clear by the huge dent in the side of my new car.

I'm sure people haven't had a similar experience, but for future reference what should I do in a situation like this, because we just exchanged details and didn't even discuss what had happened... I was so shocked I wasn't even thinking straight.

Thanks for reading
 
You are both equally in the wrong, he seen/ should have seen what you were aiming to do and you should have made absolutely clear that the lane was free. It wont go down as your fault only, will be 50/50.

It's not too dissimilar to a regular motorway situation where a car pulling back in from lane 3 tries to enter the same space as a car moving in from lane 1 in traffic. The majority of times at least 1 of the drivers is observant enough to see it happening and avoid incident, but if a collision occured would you honestly be able to pin blame on any one party?....probably not.
 
rodenal said:
...you're assuming that is the case
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Of course you have to take my word for it but I did finish my manoeuvre before I was hit as I put my hand up to say thanks to the driver behind and then I was hit in the side from the left.

Bit of an odd situation, I can understand how the drive in the BMW may have thought the guy in the Merc was letting him go but surely the guy in the BMW would have seen me indicating to move over? And I would have them hit him in the right hand side as he moved out? Who knows, whole scenario feels bizarre.

What does 50/50 mean by the way? Both parties are at blame and the insurance companies both take a hit?
 
I'm confused. If it's a two lane road and someone stopped to let you into the left lane, where did the BMW come from? :confused:
 
Guessing it was a 3 lane roundabout. OP I'm not doubting you were fully in your lane but looking at it from an insurance co's point of view the (anecdotal) evidence would suggest that you both tried to enter the lane at the same time - the damage to your car would back this up too. Just one of those things really, yes 50/50 normally means each side repairs their own car.
 
Howard said:
I'm confused. If it's a two lane road and someone stopped to let you into the left lane, where did the BMW come from? :confused:
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Minor road to the left after I went through the traffic lights.

rodenal said:
Guessing it was a 3 lane roundabout. OP I'm not doubting you were fully in your lane but looking at it from an insurance co's point of view the (anecdotal) evidence would suggest that you both tried to enter the lane at the same time - the damage to your car would back this up too. Just one of those things really, yes 50/50 normally means each side repairs their own car.
Click to expand...

Traffic lights with a minor road to the left. The BMW hit me in my left passenger door from what I guess would be a T Junction for him.
 
So he pulled out without looking, and would have hit anyone there had it not been you? What a shame you don't have any witnesses :(
 
if this goes 50:50, both parties lose NCB and both parties pay excess....which benefits the insurance company....yet still costs them the same amount in repairs.....


call me cynical but I can hazard a guess which way it's gonna go especially with there being no witnesses :p
 
icehot said:
Minor road to the left after I went through the traffic lights.



Traffic lights with a minor road to the left. The BMW hit me in my left passenger door from what I guess would be a T Junction for him.
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If he pulled into a major road from a minor then I would have thought that changes it quite dramatically!

Did you not get the Merc driver's details as if he was directly behind you surely he would have seen the whole thing?
 
Ignoring the accident for a second, with both companies being part of EUI all they'll want to do is settle 50/50, two lots of NCB, two excesses paid with the same cost to them. Best mate had similar he was with Admiral a driver hit him who was with Elephant other driver admitted fault at the accident and to his insurance. Due to it being the same company they claimed that the policy for internals was always 50/50, it took 9 months several letters and calls before finally getting it settled as no fault.
 
Sorry OP, but it's already decided the moment it happened. 50/50 with it being the same company. *IF* you had witnesses you could have got it to be a fault/no fault incident but as it is you're going to have to take the hit.
 
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