ninjette.org - View Single Post - Got rear ended first, now I'm getting screwed because of integrated tail light?

soundsfasterthanitis · July 1st, 2012, 08:25 PM

First a guy on a harley rear ended me, and now im getting screwed. Went to warm my bike up for an oil change this morning, and I got on the highway in front of a harley. A few hundred feet later, I braked and went to turn right, heard brakes lock up, and WHAM. Bike lowsided, Wrecked all my plastics on my right side, f**** my area P can, broke turn signal and damaged mirror. Me and the other driver were fine, just a bruised hip for myself. My first thought was "f---, I forgot to signal," but I stood up and looked at the bike, and sure enough, the signal was blinking away. I immeadiately pointed this out to the other rider, and felt pretty good, because there is no frickin way this was my fault. Police came, gave my statement, showed my functioning turn signal and brake light, but then when the crash investigator came, he basically blamed the wreck on my Bike Monkey Integrated Taillight, despite the fact it worked perfectly. Now I think I am going to have to pay to fix my bike because this cop hates 18 year olds who drive sporty looking bikes. I do not believe this light was DOT approved, but my dad came after on his Repsol with the stock taillight, put it right next to my ninjette, and clearly my aftermarket light was brighter than his stock unit. Unfortunately for me, when he started talking about how my tail light was no visible, I got slightly belligerent and in all likelihood made my situation worse. Regardless, has this situation happened to anyone before, where the cop blame a wreck that is obviously not my fault on me because of my aftermarket tail light?

July 1st, 2012, 08:25 PM	#1
soundsfasterthanitis ninjette.org member Name: Jake Location: SE Wisconsin Join Date: Mar 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Candy Plasma Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 58	Got rear ended first, now I'm getting screwed because of integrated tail light? First a guy on a harley rear ended me, and now im getting screwed. Went to warm my bike up for an oil change this morning, and I got on the highway in front of a harley. A few hundred feet later, I braked and went to turn right, heard brakes lock up, and WHAM. Bike lowsided, Wrecked all my plastics on my right side, f**** my area P can, broke turn signal and damaged mirror. Me and the other driver were fine, just a bruised hip for myself. My first thought was "f---, I forgot to signal," but I stood up and looked at the bike, and sure enough, the signal was blinking away. I immeadiately pointed this out to the other rider, and felt pretty good, because there is no frickin way this was my fault. Police came, gave my statement, showed my functioning turn signal and brake light, but then when the crash investigator came, he basically blamed the wreck on my Bike Monkey Integrated Taillight, despite the fact it worked perfectly. Now I think I am going to have to pay to fix my bike because this cop hates 18 year olds who drive sporty looking bikes. I do not believe this light was DOT approved, but my dad came after on his Repsol with the stock taillight, put it right next to my ninjette, and clearly my aftermarket light was brighter than his stock unit. Unfortunately for me, when he started talking about how my tail light was no visible, I got slightly belligerent and in all likelihood made my situation worse. Regardless, has this situation happened to anyone before, where the cop blame a wreck that is obviously not my fault on me because of my aftermarket tail light?