Advice on an minor accident

Help & Advice
1

Hi guys

I just had a minor scuffle this afternoon with a car and I would appreciate a little advice on a couple of points.

I was filtering on Grove End Road on the right hand side between stationarytraffic and oncoming traffic at 5-8 mph followed by a scooter. At the intersection with Elm Road a black cab decides to leavethe stationary traffic and turn right on Elm Road. The cab indicates and takesa right onto Elm Road. The car behind decides to do thesame but without indicating, I have to brake to stop thebike and not hit the car but he hits the front left fork of my bike with theright rear passenger door (or I hit the car?). I don’t fall from my bike, or the bike falls to thefloor, testimony to the low speed I carry (I think that I am actually fullystopped at the moment of the collision).The car has to reverse for meto be able to get my bike straight again as it is now leaning towards the rightside with the bottom bit of my left fork casing against his passenger door.

The collision results in a double scratch on the bottom ofthe door panel (one on the forward movement, one on the reversing movement) and a dent on the panel next to the window to the car (my handlebar?). It also results in a crack to the left lower plastic casing of myleft fork. At this point I don’t know if there is damage to my front left forkor wheel alignment. I have driven from the point of the collision to my house, around 35 miles, and I have not felt any issues with the handling

The guy in the car says he indicated and the fault is mine. I know he did not indicate. The scooter rider behind me who has witnessed the collisiontells the driver he has not seen his indicator either and is ready to be my witness. The driver gets a bit pissed off (adrenaline) and calls the police who instructs him to exchangedetails with me as there is no personal injury and only minor damages, and letthe insurance companies resolve the issue. Along the process of exchanging details, the driver suggest notto contact the insurance companies. He will repair his door and give me money to repair my fork casing.

I understand why he does not want to involve insurance, and I don’t want to be an asshat if it is not needed, if he pays my damage it is fine by me, as long as it is repaired.

Now, should I still inform my insurance to cover my back? It is not that I don’t trust the guy, but I don’t trust him, if you know what I mean… and finally, how concern should I be about riding around with a crack to the lower plastic casing on my fork? (pic of damage here http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz222/mayonesaman/IMAG1008-2_zps8c73cb21.jpg, crack right under the axle) never mind about this, looking at the interweb i thik it is not a crack, but a normal feature of the left side cover… am i right? can anybody confirm this?

Thanks!

/rant

2

That’s how it left the factory, & the reason there’s a pinch bolt to the left of it…

maybe you should book your self into some kind of basic maintenance course :slight_smile:

quote] el_gafas (13/06/2014)

and finally, how concern should I be about riding around with a crack to the lower plastic casing on my fork? (pic of damage here http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz222/mayonesaman/IMAG1008-2_zps8c73cb21.jpg, crack right under the axle) never mind about this, looking at the interweb i thik it is not a crack, but a normal feature of the left side cover… am i right? can anybody confirm this?

Thanks!

/rant

[/quote]

3

thanks for the advice :slight_smile:

4

Yessir, as poster has said that’s how it’s meant to be. Try giving it a clean up and polish and see if it comes back looking right.

Also glad you didn’t hurt yourself. (y)

5

thanks! when you are a newb like me all these things are alien… i am slowly learning :slight_smile:

what about informing my insurance about this? should i let it go by? the other driver does not want me to report it, but i don’t want to find a letter in the post in two weeks informing me that he has claimed and i have failed to report it to my insurance… :frowning:

6

He won’t be able to claim anything until your insurers speak to you for your side of the story, if he tells his insurers they will contact yours & they will tell you… He will know it was his fault even though he didn’t admit it, & you have a witness, my guess is you will never hear anything else about it…

7

^ +10, thanks!

and regarding the basic maintenance course, any suggestion? I have done the OMC single night but something meatier would be nice…

8

Have you carried out any of your own maintenance so far? I’ve learn a phenomenal amount by just playing with different bits and pieces on my machine.

Have a go at balancing the carbs, oiling your brake, throttle and clutch cables, changing the oil and if you’re feeling brave consider doing some minor modifications. :slight_smile:

My chinese baby has had a few problems, a few months ago I didn’t even know how an engine worked. I surprised myself yesterday having a discussion with the guy who parks next to me about the benefits of upjetting after he changed his air filter to a KN.

I find to get stuck in and do it is the best way I learn, if you’d have taken that bolt out you would have seen how it worked to hold the component in place. :slight_smile:

9

if he does pay out personally get it in writing and a pic of him signing said statement, if then he claims you have comeback etc.

also get him to write he takes responsibility for accident as he did not indicate etc.

also a witness to signing.

10

thanks for the advice! i will go to my local mechanic to double check there is really no damage, if that is the case, i will probably forget about all this… i might give the guy and the witness a call and ask them to sign an statement each just in case…