Side Swiped

skintbuthappy81

OP I know the junction/slip road that you are talking about as I use it daily and it is a nightmare. Are there any Highway Agency cameras around there? maybe worth looking into. Just thank god that your alive, especially with the weather conditions.

emmell

I am not blaming you or the lorry driver, but having been a passenger in a HGV on many occasions (worked for a car auctions), I now know how difficult it is to negotiate around a lot of car drivers, drivers pulling out in front, drivers not moving over or allowing a lorry to overtake. Dual carriageways are worse than motorways.
I am just glad that you are ok, and as you say, can look forward to christmas.
ML.

Takoda

el_gringo wrote: »

I take it there is a post missing between this and the OP as the OP doesn't make a generalisation on lorry drivers?:huh:

I don't remember who posted it but there was some comment about lorry drivers and CB radios to the effect that if you hacked off one of them they would get on their CB radios to their mates up ahead and make the rest of your jouney unpleasant by boxing you in at every opportunity.

But it appears to have gone now.

Maybe person realised they were talking rubbish.

HTH

Alias_Omega

I see filter lanes as..

- Someone joining your lane, its there problem to filter in, there fault if they hit you.

- You join someone elses lane, its your problem to filter in, your fault.


If you were joining his lane, then he obviously decided not to let you in, and you still pulled in anyhow. You crossed into his lane, and caused the damage.

Stephb1986_2

If you was joining his lane he doesn't have to give way to you. I'd just forget about it and be glad your still alive, the lorry could of easily had you for breakfast.

computershack

fozzeh wrote: »

7 years NC from start and a clean licence would say otherwise...but per say, I'm trying to paint a picture. I know I could have acted better but was not at fault for the actual collision. Would I really post on here asking for opinions if I knew I was at fault? I'm looking for what people think on what to be based on the information given, not to judge my driving ability.

Pew pew, I've not used/quoted the word stuff above...
Debating "right of way" would go against "driving without due care and attention". The situation would have been prevented if the lorry had paid as much attention.

7 years no claims eh? I have nearly two decades and as a lorry driver did 1.8 MILLION MILES both points and accident free.

To sum up: At the end of the sliproad, it is a give way. You didn't give way, you got hit. End of.

Oh and a 20ft gap IS NOT BIG ENOUGH. Even at 30ft, the safe distance is considerably above that and doubly so in bad weather. By the time you had pulled in, the rear of your car would've been only 5 feet in front of the lorry....

As for driving without due care, the only person guilty of that here is you.

I guess the only reason you have 7 years NC is because of the skill of those around you rather than your own...

banger9365

computershack wrote: »

7 years no claims eh? I have nearly two decades and as a lorry driver did 1.8 MILLION MILES both points and accident free.

To sum up: At the end of the sliproad, it is a give way. You didn't give way, you got hit. End of.

Oh and a 20ft gap IS NOT BIG ENOUGH. Even at 30ft, the safe distance is considerably above that and doubly so in bad weather. By the time you had pulled in, the rear of your car would've been only 5 feet in front of the lorry....

As for driving without due care, the only person guilty of that here is you.

I guess the only reason you have 7 years NC is because of the skill of those around you rather than your own...

totally agree ,

fozzeh wrote:

Thanks for that productive post. I'm more grateful to be going home this Christmas rather than someone losing their job for their negligent driving. Everyone joining a motorway is now stupid. Genius.

most are if you look and you do not have to be a "Genius" to see it ,put thats the problem driving with blinkers on

ho by the way over 20years ncd and over 15 years no bump on the road in a hgv ,and the ops accident almosts happens daily to most hgv driver and think your selfs lucky that we are watching you ,because we do not want to hit you ,put it happens some times,we cannot stop them on a six pence ,i wish we could some times .
it would stop this from happening

#
if this makes one person think about what there doing when joining a motoway ect and stops a accident then it good and worth it

computershack

skintbuthappy81 wrote: »

OP I know the junction/slip road that you are talking about as I use it daily and it is a nightmare.

The only reason Junction 18 is a nightmare is because of the cars on the Eastbound carriageway slamming all on and diving into L2 at the last minute and on the Westbound carriageway, instead of staying in L1 which is formed from the sliproad, diving out into L2. For many years, I've made a habit of getting into L4 heading Eastbound and westbound, spend most of my time in an empty L1 once past J18..

Lavendyr

fozzeh wrote: »

7 years NC from start and a clean licence would say otherwise...

It's exactly that kind of complacency that can lead to accidents.

fozzeh wrote: »

I know I could have acted better but was not at fault for the actual collision.

The trouble is, even if you think the lorry might have been intending to let you in, he might not have intended that at all. What did he do to indicate that he was allowing you in? Did he flash his lights or anything? More importantly, do you have any witnesses who would support your view?

The situation as you describe it puts you at fault, unfortunately. It was his right of way, not yours. You made a judgement as to whether you could get in front of him and you misjudged. It is likely to be seen as your fault if it goes through the insurance. At the very least, unless you have independent witnesses testifying your innocence, I would have thought it would be knock-for-knock, i.e. you claim on your insurance, he claims on his. But in all honesty, from what you've told us, it does sound likely that you will be held to blame.

fozzeh wrote: »

The situation would have been prevented if the lorry had paid as much attention.

Arguably, the same could be said of you, though, don't you see? Arguably, you were not driving with due care or attention, otherwise you would have noticed that there was insufficient space for you to enter the lane.

My suggestion would be to at least inform your insurers. Your policy will no doubt require you to inform them of any incident, whether or not you wish to make a claim. Mine states that I have to inform them within 48 hours of any incident - failure to do so could invalidate the policy.

If you want to leave the damage and not take things further, it's for you to decide in respect of your own vehicle (just make it VERY clear when you speak to your insurance company that you do not want to make a claim but are just reporting an incident - otherwise they will rattle on with the claim before you know it).

However remember that the other driver could claim on your insurance for any damage done to his lorry and, given the circumstances, could do so successfully.

movilogo

If you are trying to join in a motorway and could not find a gap, then you should continue driving on hard shoulder.

In this case, you are completely at fault.