Couldn't avoid an accident :(

[ChaosFromAbove]

Well the unavoidable happened a couple of weeks ago... I was traveling east down a road (prospect ridge blvd) in my town while the SUV was on the westbound side parked in front of a house. The guy decided at the last second it would be a good idea to do a K-turn, well he did so without utilizing his blinker and pulled right in front of me.

I had less than 10feet to react and unfortunately hit him on his rear passenger side tire sending both myself and my gf flying over the bike and into his car (not physically INSIDE the vehicle..but yea). He got out of the car chanting the old "i didnt see you" crap. So i helped my gf up, noticed that her knee was hurting since she couldnt walk on it, so i sat her on the curb and called the cops.

Now, the cop arrives (of course i get a rookie) and gets my info and the other drivers. Totally neglects the witnesses that were saying they saw the whole thing...yea...great. so he comes back after listening to both stories and says "its no one's fault" im like wtf? So i take it with a grain of salt and figured i'll let the insurance companies figure it out.

Here's the more amazing part...HE TOTALLY FORGOT TO GET MY GF'S INFO! What's he do? leaves then comes back about 5 min later while im walking my bike back to my house (about a block away) and goes "hey i forgot to get ur info". great.

I picked the report up (took over a week for him to write up btw) and read it...the report states NOTHING about how the accident actually happened. in fact it says the driver of the SUV was backing out of a driveway. then in the picture he drew it shows the vehicle about 20ft from the drive way and on a steep angle like he was finishing up his k-turn. which is total bullshit, had i hit the vehicle like that i would have glanced off of him and ended up on someones front lawn.

Now im in the process of going through the insurance companies and looking for a lawyer.

as for the bike, the forks are bent inward to the point that the tire almost touches the frame, both the left and right side fairings blew out at the spot where the screws go in on the side (under the upper fairing), the left rear upper fairing somehow cracked and has road rash on it, as does the front fairing, not sure how tht happend considering the bike ended up on the right side?, the right passenger foot stay (tht holds the exhaust, peg, and brake caliper) broke off, and my right side peg broke off as well.

I'm hoping its not totaled, but if it is guess i'll get a new bike :\


i hate cagers.


OH! i forgot to mention, because of the accident my gf has been out of work. She is currently going to physical therapy for her knee, which is strained. So she'll be out of work for at least another month, awesome.

[CThunder-blue]

Wow. I'm glad you and your GF are ok for the most part. Were you able to get any of the witnesses info? I would ask to speak to the officer's sergeant and tell him what you went through. Police reports shouldn't take a week because when that happens (as what happened here) the memory of the officer gets skewed and his report stops making sense. Make sure you get your gf checked out at the hospital if you haven't already too.

[Live2ride]

Glad to hear you are alive. I hope the gf gets well soon and you get the whole thing sorted out. Goodluck!

["A"]

Sorry to hear of your accident, start talking to lawyers.

Get the police report of your accident ASAP.

[ChaosFromAbove]

Thanks. I made her go to the ER about an hour after the accident since she was complaining about her knee. Good thing i did. I've left the cop 2 voicemails and he still hasn't returned my calls, luckily im friends with the chief so i'll be paying him a visit if i don't receive a phone call this week.

My claims guy for my insurance company said that this is one of the crappiest written reports he's ever seen. He said that it is basically useless and doesnt even describe how the accident happened. Not to mention the picture the cop drew totally contradicted the statement he wrote.

I talked to one witness the day i picked up the report because the report said that the SUV was backing out of the driveway at his address. He stated that that wasn't even possible because his car is always parked at the front of the driveway up to the sidewalk, not to mention the point of impact was about 10ft FROM the driveway. I know there's at least 3 or 4 other witnesses on tht street that saw the whole thing happen so I'm going to talk to a lawyer and see if he suggests that I talk to them or not.

[Blackwidow]

i'm so glad you and your gf are ok for the most part. Hope you don't run into any issues in the process of resolving this. Keep us posted.

seriously, I haven't been a big fan of cops lately. Seems there are no more good cops around anymore. My finance and I had a run in with a cop the other day I couldn't believe how rude the bastard was. We pay their wages through our taxes and I yet when you voice your opinion about the way their doing their job the start flapping their mouth as if I'm speaking out of line.

[FrugalNinja250]

I'm betting the SUV was driven by a friend of the cop's. WRT the witnesses, contact all of them immediately and tell them what's happened, and ask them to make notes and write down everything they remember. Do not prompt them or suggest anything to say, only ask them to write down what they remember. Tell them the reason why you don't want to suggest what to write down or suggest anything, that is because you need as original a memory as you can get. Also get the witness contact info to your insurance company pronto, they'll need that to fight the other insurance co.

I can bet the other insurance company is going to try for a comparative judgment, one where you're considered partly at fault and thus have to pay part of his repair costs, and his insurance company will only pay you a portion of you and your GFs costs and bills. A comparative judgment will also open you up for liability for your GFs injuries. Yes, get a lawyer soon. AIM, Aid for Injured Motorcyclists, is a good place to start.

Sorry to hear about this. The lies of the driver and the cop are the reason I don't ride unless my helmet cam is recording. My experience has been that people who cause wrecks lie 100% of the time about what they did. 100%.

[bluepoof]

I don't see where lying helps the SUV driver in this case -- aren't people automatically at fault if they're in an accident while in reverse?

[ChaosFromAbove]

I like the idea of telling the witnesses to write their statements down. I'll do it after I take my gf to physical therapy today.


And ya know, i was thinking about recording a vlog that day too...then i decided not to and just enjoy the ride...damn i regret tht.

[bob706]

Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope your GF get better soon. Sounds like the officer needs to lose his job.

[ChaosFromAbove]

I just find it funny that no matter how the statement was worded the guy is still at fault for not looking before A. turning into the k-turn B. "backing out of the driveway"

[revstriker]

Sorry to hear about your accident. I have started taking my gopro with me when I ride specifically for the chance that something like this could happen. Also, it's always a good idea to take pictures as soon as possible after an accident. Preferably showing the street, the final positions of the vehicles after impact, and any noticeable damage. I used to carry a disposable camera in my car until cell phone cameras were available.

[FrugalNinja250]

One of the pics I took after getting hit. Didn't have the helmet cam installed yet at the time, got that done the next day. Luckily I had two witnesses plus the pictures to prove I was on my side of the street.

[Fly'in Ninja]

Originally Posted by bluepoof

I don't see where lying helps the SUV driver in this case -- aren't people automatically at fault if they're in an accident while in reverse?

Yep, must yield to traffic.

driver was Looking, but not Seeing

[ChaosFromAbove]

people are stupid. lol.

so thought i'd make an update for you guys and gals following this.

Called my lawyer the other day, meeting with him tmrw morning to discuss my gf's injuries and such.

The guys insurance company sent out a contracted (3rd party) adjuster and the guy seemed a like he was in a rush. got here at 9 this morning was gone in 10min. I had to point out things that i noticed he didn't snap photos of. Then I asked him if he dealt with gear too, apparently he doesn't.

how am i supposed to get money for 2 new helmets and perhaps a repair to the scratches on my leather jacket? hehe.

I'll keep you guys posted...and will try to upload pics soon.

[Linuss]

Hope it all works out for you.


I use my cell-phone with a dash-cam app in my car for this very reason, and actually helped once when a driver changed lanes swide-swiping me while driving.



Now I just need to get a helmet cam for the bike...

[reaubideux]

Best of luck in dealing with the insurance and lawyers and such. I hope the poorly written report and lack of witness accounts doesn't cause any issues for you. Like everyone else has said, glad that you and your g/f are okay for the most part.

In reading situations like yours I'm reminded of how I absolutely hate that my wife is in insurance. Some of the cases she's seen and hearing how the company is able to weasel out of covering damages (home, auto, etc.) because of things like a poorly worded police report or the "he-said, she-said" type of stuff despite all of the incriminating evidence that proves who's at fault. She wised up and has stop telling me about them for the most part because she knows it sends me into a rage about how much an insurance company can screw over their policy holder. Sorry.. got a bit off subject there.

[ChaosFromAbove]

Originally Posted by reaubideux

In reading situations like yours I'm reminded of how I absolutely hate that my wife is in insurance. Some of the cases she's seen and hearing how the company is able to weasel out of covering damages (home, auto, etc.) because of things like a poorly worded police report or the "he-said, she-said" type of stuff despite all of the incriminating evidence that proves who's at fault. She wised up and has stop telling me about them for the most part because she knows it sends me into a rage about how much an insurance company can screw over their policy holder. Sorry.. got a bit off subject there.

I don't blame you...hearing stuff like that really pisses me off too. Seriously, what's the point of insurance if they aren't going to help you? It actually happened to my buddy a couple of months ago when he got into his bike accident, ended up suing the guy for the money and won tho.

[coondog]

Contact with cagers require immediate 911 ambulatory calls., especially if you can afford insurance for self +1. Sorry man, especially having gf with you, i've never taken a passenger nor have i been one. I feel for you both though due to the FULL contact. peace out.

[speedgsx98]

Yeah, I need to look into a GoPro. And yet it's one of those things where I could go through a whole lot of time/trouble recording stuff for years and never have anything happen. I dunno. Sorry you have to go through this crap. Unfortunately motorcyclists have gotten a bad rap for speeding/swerving etc. Cops are biased against those on two wheels. Thanks for sharing and sorry about your accident.

[ChaosFromAbove]

Originally Posted by speedgsx98

Yeah, I need to look into a GoPro. And yet it's one of those things where I could go through a whole lot of time/trouble recording stuff for years and never have anything happen. I dunno. Sorry you have to go through this crap. Unfortunately motorcyclists have gotten a bad rap for speeding/swerving etc. Cops are biased against those on two wheels. Thanks for sharing and sorry about your accident.

You could always add an external mic to ur go pro and start vlogging lol. Turn the purchase into an investment!

[ChaosFromAbove]

ello ello!

Got an update for you guys. Received a phone call from the guys insurance company yesterday, turns out the bike is totaled, they're giving me $4100 for it. So naturally I asked, what about my aftermarket parts and helmets? to which the lady responded get me receipts and I'll consider them...consider them? wtf? your driver broke them, gimmie my money!

update part 2 coming soon...oh and pictures too!

[CThunder-blue]

Nice to hear that they're taking responsibility .

[Live2ride]

Originally Posted by ChaosFromAbove

ello ello!

Got an update for you guys. Received a phone call from the guys insurance company yesterday, turns out the bike is totaled, they're giving me $4100 for it. So naturally I asked, what about my aftermarket parts and helmets? to which the lady responded get me receipts and I'll consider them...consider them? wtf? your driver broke them, gimmie my money!

update part 2 coming soon...oh and pictures too!

That's great to hear! I hope you get reimbursed for gear / parts. What about the medical costs for your gf? I hope you get this all sorted out, good luck.

[ChaosFromAbove]

Originally Posted by Live2ride

That's great to hear! I hope you get reimbursed for gear / parts. What about the medical costs for your gf? I hope you get this all sorted out, good luck.

for the medical costs we have an attorney making sure she gets reimbursed

[ChaosFromAbove]

Time for some carnage pics.

Enjoy.

BTW- If anyone wants to buy my frame sliders i'll be selling them. You'll have to replace the plastic puck on them tho, just lemme know if your interested.

Question for you guys...I have a lien on the title since I'm still paying it off, since the bike is totaled I assume the insurance company's gonna want the title...what am I supposed to do? Anyone have experience with this?

[ChaosFromAbove]

Another update! Took the bike for a final ride last night...was really weird feeling lol...just went around the block....Pulled my frame slidders off as well, decided I'll prolly just give them away to someone on here.

The bike is being picked up on friday and will be gone from my life forever ...i'll be picking up a new zx6 on saturday XD

[ChaosFromAbove]

Well, the 250 is now gone. So i went to the dealership yesterday and purchased a brand new 2011 zx6 which they cut me a HUGE deal on.

If anyone lives in jersey and is planning on getting a new/used bike i recommend East Coast Power Sports in Trenton. Great people.

[austexjg]

That is a nice bike...

[Boosted139]

love the new zx6r... except for that exhaust

[sarapacman99]

lovin the new bike. and sucks you had to go through all this. i've been hit by a car before, been dragged to the middle of the street. rookie cop handled the case, i didn't want to go through all the legal trouble. and i had to pay $100 for an ER visit.

and i wonder why cops complain about the job cuts. i suggest they recruit former military personnel to be cops. people who came out of police training are just crappy to me.

sorry for anyone who's a cop here or knows one. this is directed against all rookie cops.

[ChaosFromAbove]

thanks guys...yea tht exhaust def. has to go lol. Gonna try my own fender eliminator like i did with the 250 as well.

sarapacman99 - Man that sucks...if it was the other persons fault you should have gone after the guy or at least make yourself known to his insurance company, thats how i did it and they sided with me 100%.

Also, I've heard rumors that he's no longer a cop in my town...but then again they're just rumors...i'll have to confront him one of these days since he won't return my calls.

[whiteboy]

Nice looking bike glad you got most of everything worked out how the gf doing and is that settles yet? And do u still have those frame sliders Il take em off your hands

[ChaosFromAbove]

My gf is doing ok, her knee still hasn't gotten any better and shes been through almost 2 months of physical therapy. They say she'll need to do it for at least another 6 weeks before they decide whether she needs surgery. needless to say she's gonna loose her job over it and we are still working on getting money from the guy for her injuries. For me everything is settled, the insurance company is giving me about $4500 for the bike and my aftermarket parts, so the bike will be fully paid off and i'll get some pocket change.

@whiteboy i do still have the sliders. PM me with ur address and ill give you a shipping quote.

[rusninja]

thats a very nice zx6 :O how good of a deal was it :P?

[scotty]

I'm sorry to see this. Glad you two are okay though! You got a nice bike out of all this though!!

If whiteboy passes on the frame sliders, I will take em'.

[n4mwd]

Chaos,
Glad to hear you and your GF are doing better. You got a good settlement from the insurance. I'm glad that part worked out in spite of having Barney Fife investigate the accident.

I hate SUV's too. I've been lucky so far, but several near misses with, guess what, SUV's. Its like they are sitting way up high and can see what's far away really well, but can't see a dam thing up close. They should be banned. A lot of them actually have backup cameras now because they were running over their own kids in the driveway.

Have fun on the new bike. And watch out for those SUV's. The bigger they are, the stupider the driver.

[ChaosFromAbove]

@rusninja well take the msrp of 9,999 and subtract 2k hehehe.

@n4mwd haha thanks, and ur right about the SUV drivers...they get even worse when females (and old men) are driving em hehehe.

OH! and don't forget now that most of em come with dvd players you'll see the ocasional person beating off to some hardcore pr0n!!! lol

[rusninja]

thats a real good price :O was it otd or was there more xD?

[ChaosFromAbove]

plus tax...then i got a $400 tire an wheel warranty which is good for 4 years and gives me brand new tires/rims if i ever need em, plus a tow to a nearby shop all for free