Had my first accident/off today = Blackwall Tunnel Closure

Motorcycling
1

Hey guys…

So was riding on lane 2 coming into central, just about to enter Blackwall tunnel. Keeping the whole 2seconds+ distance from the car in front, tunnel ahead was clear (could see past the car), then suddenly, the Car stops to almost a standstill - no time to react, cos the DAMN brake lights of that car didn’t light up (which trust me, takes away from reaction speed)…

So 1 minute im doing 30mph behind a 30mph car, the next im riding straight into a metal Bmw boot!..Hit the rear of the car at around the speed i was doing, went flying 15feet forwards, and landed flat on on my back!..(amazingly, I had just come back from J&S in greenwich, and was wearing my brand new forcefield pro back protector) - absorbed the impact!

the momentum lifted my head up from the ground as i landed, and my bike hit the back of my helmet (luckily at a speed not high enough to cause serious damage). Got straight up (was grateful i could walk), asked the driver Wtf???..and he said “sorry my gearbox jammed, i was changing it from sports mode to normal mode” or some **** like that!!..

i was fuming. initially no pain, but the adrenaline wore off, and my neck started to hurt. also, my balls dented the fuel tank, and currently still really hurt. my right leg is in pretty bad pain, and has been getting worse since the afternoon (can barely walk on it now). Ambulance came - checked the spine at the hospital…Ultrasound on kidneys and balls, and discharge after 4 hours!..

my right leg is currently killing as i speak.

Bike looked like a complete write off from what i judged, and the back of his bmw has a masssive dent where i hit it. I’m gonna try and make sure I don’t get blamed for this. Off-duty police biker saw the whole thing, so have him as witness…

im peeved, cos this has never happened to me in my car driving life, and the one time a person’s gearbbox jams and im on 2 wheels!!

2

Sorry to hear that mate… Hope you’re back on 2 wheels soon.

3

This is bad luck, sorry to hear this. Hope you make a speedy full recovery and manage to get bike/insurance issues sorted quickly and hassle-free.

4

Not good, although coulda been worse. What a stupid cvnt in the BMW :angry:

5

thats real unlucky mate! but glad youre (relatively) ok

6

Mate glad you will make a recovery. Good luck on the claim always a tough one when you go into the back of some one…

Good luck

7

Sorry to hear this happen - hope you make a speedy recovery. Just out of interest, did any of the witnesses hear him mention about his gearbox jamming? Or did he recount that to anyone else at the scene? Might make the claim better for you if that happened in case he gets home and changes his mind about what happened…

I suspect what he meant to say was:

:stuck_out_tongue:

GWS

8

Wow, that’s a new one. Very very unlucky, sorry for you mate. BMW should be able to diagnose if the gearbox jammed or not. Makes me think time to put the back protector higher up the shopping list…

9

A gearbox jamming sounds rare. I guess you were just really unlucky. Good to hear about the Forcfield. I take mine everywhere.

10

Glad you (and your balls) are okay.

GWS.

11

Sh1tty and unusual luck mate - sorry - I hope you and your (new) bike get back on road soon - really hope that he is found liable for this also - e.g. as the brakes were never engaged so no lights then you obviously had no chance ofreacting to this.

12

as long as he doesnt change his story saying that he braked and that the lights were on? :ermm:

13

Bummer, what a muppet! The lack of brake lights will be a fairly crucial element of your insurance claim… let’s how your witness can speak to that. Even then his insurer may attempt to attribute blame towards you on the basis that you were not in a position to stop.

14

What a stupid excuse about the bloody gearbox! Why he had no brake lights on for the first place?

Like others said, I’m glad that you relatively ok. That back protector, I will consider to do an investment and to buy one as well.

I wish you luck with the insurance. Good thing you have a copper on your side mate. :smiley:

15

sorry to here about your off mate

16

Sounds pretty crap. Get well soon.

I would get on to a specialist bike solicitor now though.

On face value and without some crucial evidence, you will be deemed liable as you hit the rear of his vehicle.

The evidence to support you is pretty tenuous without a specialist examination of the car i.e did you perhaps miss the brake lights coming on or were they really never applied.

If he changes his story then, you’ll have a fight on your hands.

I’d get in touch with Rider Support for advice.

17

Hope you heal soon, try and get any CCTV of the accident as it will help your case.

18

+1

Entrance to the tunnel will have it covered. It will back up your story.

But, not sure how the distance thing works, they may say that you should be able to stop should there be enough distance?? Just looking at it from another perspective, if there was some sort of problem with the car, and it did jam, maybe he will say he was rear-ended before he had a chance to put his hazard lights on. If this was the case, it may not look pretty for you…?

Hope it goes well mate.

19

Really unlucky! Glad you’re okay though.

You’ll have a fight on your hands for sure. Good luck!!

20

Ouch, I hate BMW’s hope you’re feeling better soon,

Cheers