Accident on roundabout

212

Sorry really long post - clarified further down!

poet123

First rule of motoring: never admit liability, it will not sit well with your insurer. Obviously, the passenger will back up the driver. Do nothing, sit tight, perhaps go back to the scene with an experienced driver and re trace your route.

UsernameAlreadyExists

been here. done that. 50/50. it's a roundabout, and not fair.
I read 20% of your post, and dropped down to reply, without witnesses, give it up.
I was spitting bullets. and still do to this day ...

212

Thank you. I have to drive past in the morning. Was thinking of stopping nearby and walking back to take photos/videos (as streetview on google is very out of date and different) as that'll help me to see if I was actually at fault, and be useful if it goes to insurance. May try to get somebody experienced to come with me at the weekend too

Thanks UAE - So if they say it's 50/50 what would the impact on me be? The other party will want their car fixed for sure, but mine is only minor damage

SLITHER99

Go buy a dash cam. Great little things, I love mine! My footage is actually already assisting a colleague of mine with his insurance claim, or rather his 3rd party's claim!

forgotmyname

Sounds like your not sure what lane you should have been in. He was to the left of you and in front if you hit his rear end.

From that i would say it was your fault. But its one of those things. If you didnt see it you cannot say 100%

Got a link to the location on google maps?

3rd lane coming off a motorway? And 3rd lane going straight on?

The fact you needed to change lanes also to me says you may have been at fault.

Depends on the road markings.

There is a large roundabout near me, Dual carriageway. But opens to 3 lanes on the entrance.

Left lane is left and straight on. Exit left lane straight on.

Middle lane straight on. Exit right lane.

Right lane, Right turn only.

For some odd reason the people who use the left hand lane cannot stay in
that lane and drift over to the middle lane.

Not the odd car or two but LOTS and LOTS.

If i use the middle lane i keep my hand on the horn ready.

Strider590

Give us all a link on Google maps, tell us the direction you entered from (N,S,E or W) and also the exit direction.

I'm not even going to speculate without seeing the map and satellite images of the roundabout.

UsernameAlreadyExists

Good point. This is 2012. All this stuff is mapped online.
My accident was 15+ years ago, and the mention of the word "roundabout" made the insurers wince and run away like frightened children. It shouldn't be the case these days.

212

No sorry I am sure - it's only the fact I've crashed that's made me question it! Talking to others since, they have confirmed it's how they drive on that road - and we all use it frequently, which is what's leading me to wonder why there have never been previous incidents if I was in the wrong today - especially with my rush hour commuting. And even without crashes, people beep and flash at you for anything - I've never been beeped at there.

Until today I was 100% convinced I was always in the correct lane etc. Even argued it at the scene at first but then the shock etc hit me when I looked at their car and that's when I said maybe when they were pointing at cars going right round etc.

I completely understand what you say about how many cars do take the wrong route - perfect example coming out of town every morning, where the road widens but some drivers have literally invented a 3rd lane out of nowhere over the last few weeks, between the two existing lanes, which causes chaos on the roundabout - it's clearly only ever been two lanes!

I intend to get some pictures tomorrow (google maps is well out of date). Will video some cars coming off the motorway and try to show where they are going and when they move over. My thoughts are that it's a natural change over just after the 1st exit, but will look for markings etc and confirmation tomorrow.

They've also updated the M1 recently, depending on where you come off (very long hard shoulder 'slip road' or a shorter traditional one) decides whether you are in lane 2 or 3 of this roundabout, which would support me with insurance - in lane 3 it is marked 'A421 Beds' (where I was going) on the road for sure, so I think it's a case of where to change and did I change too late.

212

goo.gl/maps/YT5vo - follow M1 off at J13. 3rd Lane to Bedford A421. Nowadays that's the 2nd exit though, the first 2 are combined to make 1 exit towards Milton Keynes/A507 as one, so if you don't want that you continue straight across to A421 Beds.

Just trying to follow it through and this has loaded from Oct 2010. goo.gl/maps/GAZkb

It has changed though, the M1 exit has recently changed too with the Traffic Management being installed.

My friend's insurers sent a printout from google and asked her to draw her car and the other car at point of impact so I did think to check that earlier, but with that still not being completed, I'll get my own pictures tomorrow

(sorry won't let me post direct links)

JQ.

It's all completely irrelevant.

If you chose to contest it and go down the insurance route, they will either find you at fault or it will be 50/50, so you'll still have a claim against you. You changed lanes on a roundabout without checking if there was a car in the lane in which you intended to move, whether you were right or wrong the insurance co's will consider you at fault to some degree. For you to hit their drivers side rear, they must have been alongside you when you moved lanes, a quick check out your passenger window would have alerted you to their presence.

However, I'm not totally suggesting that you just pay cash for the repairs - don't forget that if you go down that route you are still required to inform your insurer of the accident and the 3rd party can still make a personal injury claim against you. And after you've admitted liability by handing over cash for the repairs it will be a difficult one to contest.

Personally, if I were you I'd just go down the insurance route and let them sort it. The downside of you paying cash for the repairs and the 3rd party then making a personal injury claim 2 years later could be severe.