Crash on roundabout

rs65

OP I'm sorry to say but unless you have good witnesses to the accident, it sounds like you pulled into the path of a vehicle already on the roundabout.

billydwarf

DUTR wrote: »

I'm not keen on that bit Is that speed prudent to be crossing a junction in a motorised vehicle? Just my question (although the insurers could ask the same, out of interest does you car or did your car have the auto stop start feature? I know on my mate's Audi, I have been cought out a couple of times by it shutting off at a roundabout and not starting up again quickly enough

Well I had stopped so I was just starting off again and yes the auto stop is on the car but had nothing to do with what happened.Just a careful driver.:)

billydwarf

rs65 wrote: »

OP I'm sorry to say but unless you have good witnesses to the accident, it sounds like you pulled into the path of a vehicle already on the roundabout.

Yes I have good witnesses,

arcon5

Having seen the roundabout this makes more sense. The guy was probably anticipating you being gone by time he entered the round about. But turned out your speed was dead slow (and completely inappropriate if you ask me) and he ploughed in to you.

Got to ask though, why only 5mph entering a roundabout? This sort of roundabout looks hazardous enough without motorists travelling on it at just about walking speed. With motorists coming from all directions, this isn't safe or careful driving, its hazardous and a little reckless

billydwarf

Well if you start off at 0 mph at some point you will get to 5 mph before you can go any faster.

alastairq

Day before yesterday, at a very busy Somerset roundabout, I proceeded around [turning right...]....at the entry before my exit, two lines of traffic....[big] car nearest me set off, having seen me.....car to their left decided 'if he's going, I should too'...young lady driving, small car....less confident moving off, quite slowly, as it happened. My speed was exactly right for me to deal with the situation of both cars emerging.....no hassle...seeing young lady struggling, I simply came off the gas.

This slowed my car enough to allow me to pass clear behind her.

Again, I emphasise, without drama or hassle.

Her facial expression said it all..she obviously seemed to expect me to be blasting away on my horn.

Which I didn't.

After all, despite her problem, her action gave me no problems dealing with it...so I went on my merry way.

If the van driver hit the car, despite that car being in view, then the van driver failed to exercise due care negotiating the roundabout.

A surfeit of assumption?

arcon5

billydwarf wrote: »

Well if you start off at 0 mph at some point you will get to 5 mph before you can go any faster.

Yes you do. But you usually get to a reasonable speed beyond 5mph very quickly. The point at which the average car would hit 5mph would be literally at the point of entering the round about. If you was on the roundabout and going 5mph then imo there is going to cause problems.

Personally i'm not of the opinion you are at fault in the accident, it certainly sounds like this guy got it all completely wrong - but I am saying this accident probably could have been prevented. Or if this was a busy time of the day, the speed would have undoubtedly forced other motorists to react to a near-stationary object crossing the roundabout.

Daz2009

If you saw the other vehicle you should have noticed his speed and not pulled out ?

I think the insurance will see it as your fault in that you pulled out into the path of a moving vehicle

billydwarf

Daz2009 wrote: »

If you saw the other vehicle you should have noticed his speed and not pulled out ?

I think the insurance will see it as your fault in that you pulled out into the path of a moving vehicle

I understand your point but, where do you draw the line 50, 75 100 yards away.
Anyway thanks for all your opinions they have been interesting.:T

alastairq

I understand your point but, where do you draw the line 50, 75 100 yards away.

The line you speak of, is a subjective judgement made by the driver..[based on what a 'reasonable, competent' driver would do]...

In this case, you were in a position where you were required to 'give way' to traffic from your right?

If you saw a vehicle approaching the junction [r/bout] from your right, but you thought that, by continuing on with what you are doing, they will not be compelled to 'slow down, stop, or change direction....'......dramatically [I hasten to add].....then you have complied with the 'give way'.

If, by continuing on, the opposite proves the case, you have 'failed to give way'...

How far away they need to be will depend on your own assessment of their speed, how short the distance is, especially on the roundabout itself, whether you 'think' they will need to stop for other vehicles affecting them..etc

Bear in mind also, if the other vehicle's driver is deemed [by you] to have plenty of time to respond to your presence in front of them, and take whatever comfortable action is necessary to avoid collision, again, no 'failure to give way'..they are a 'following' vehicle, effectively...[a point I tried to demonstrate in my previous post?}.

Which means, they, too, are expected to exercise 'due care & attention' when negotiating things like r/bouts.

So, the line is drawn wherever you feel it should be, bearing in mind the individual circumstances.....and your own obligations under the Highway Code.