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Old 19th June 2015, 18:44   #1
Avulon
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Question Northampton Appeal for Accident Witnesses

No Rover was harmed in the accident ... phew!

Don't know why I didn't do this before, so here goes...

I'm looking for any witnesses to an accident on the 16th April earlier this year. The accident was at the A43/A5 Tove roundabout (newly remodelled) at Towcester in Northamptonshire at about 8:15 am during the morning rush hour.

A blue ford fiesta in the A43 Southbound (middle) lane of the roundabout decided to turn right (intending to take the third exit) without indication and sideswiped me off my bike in doing so. (the middle lane of the roundabout is clearly marked ahead only: i.e. A43 South).

If anyone reads this and remembers seeing the accident happen then please comment on this post or send me a PM so we can get in touch with each other. Or if you think you might know someone who did witness the accident then please ask them and if they did either get in touch on their behalf or please ask them to.

At the time of the accident I was left lying in road badly dazed (after a double blow to the noggin - Thank you helmet for saving me from much worse) with a very painful neck (luckily twisted and not broken) which meant that I was removed from the scene by the paramedics and had no chance to get anyone's details.

It turns out that the police who attended the scene not only did not file any sort of accident report but also took no notes or witness details at the time either leaving me with no supporting witnesses to what happened. The only details I was given were those for the car driver. Who despite not having so much as a hair out of place ended up needing an ambulance themselves: being generous I'm putting that down to shock.

Now their insurance is denying liability (whilst offering a 50/50, ha!) claiming there's no witnesses, this was the height of the morning rush! and must have delayed traffic for a good 20 minutes on the both the A43 and A5.

Please re-share this post everywhere, all that is needed is for one good witness to come forward and say it as it happened. Had I been in the 75 I think it would've written it off for sure. As it was it's taken nearly £700 to repair the bike and getting on for the same again in helmet and riding kit damaged: not to mention my elbow is still aching on and off and doctor who has examined me says my neck rotation to the left is reduced 10% but should recover in several months. This could so easily have been a lot worse even at the slow speed we were going negotiating the roundabout.

Thanks for reading through.

Avulon.
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Old 19th June 2015, 19:54   #2
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Sorry to hear about your accident, hope you're on the mend now. Like you say, surely someone saw what happened, why can't they at least report they witnessed an accident to the police later if they couldn't stop at the time. Especially when it would have been obvious that an injury had taken place. I guess it's modern society, no time for anyone else!
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Old 19th June 2015, 20:16   #3
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Thanks Martyn, I'm still gobsmacked that she isn't being reported for careless driving to be honest: let alone the absence of any proper police report (or even notes in a pocketbook ).

In comparison a (female) colleague at work was involved in a accident on the road to Banbury after her daughter who was driving was forced to swerve to avoid a drunk woman walking in the middle of an unlit country road rolled the car. Although they needed help to extricate themselves they weren't much more bruised than I was. Not only did the Northants police bend over backwards to find the person responsible they used the helicopter as well, and the woman is now being prosecuted for reckless endangerment or some such offence all reports and notes taken and filed as you'd (quite rightly) expect.... go figure.
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Old 19th June 2015, 20:44   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Avulon View Post
Thanks Martyn, I'm still gobsmacked that she isn't being reported for careless driving to be honest: let alone the absence of any proper police report (or even notes in a pocketbook ).

In comparison a (female) colleague at work was involved in a accident on the road to Banbury after her daughter who was driving was forced to swerve to avoid a drunk woman walking in the middle of an unlit country road rolled the car. Although they needed help to extricate themselves they weren't much more bruised than I was. Not only did the Northants police bend over backwards to find the person responsible they used the helicopter as well, and the woman is now being prosecuted for reckless endangerment or some such offence all reports and notes taken and filed as you'd (quite rightly) expect.... go figure.
Quite frankly, it beggars belief, and that's putting it mildly!! Have you thought about lodging a complaint to the police. I don't suppose you were able to get any of the police officers names or numbers, probably not in a fit state. Not that it would do any good, I suppose they just can't be bothered with more paper work!!!
Bet if they'd caught you speeding, even a little it would be different!!!
All the best,
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Old 19th June 2015, 21:07   #5
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Originally Posted by squire View Post
Quite frankly, it beggars belief, and that's putting it mildly!! Have you thought about lodging a complaint to the police. I don't suppose you were able to get any of the police officers names or numbers, probably not in a fit state. Not that it would do any good, I suppose they just can't be bothered with more paper work!!!
Bet if they'd caught you speeding, even a little it would be different!!!
All the best,
Martyn
My (new) solicitor has told me that this is normal behaviour for the boys in blue these days. it's more about getting the traffic moving. Unless your accident falls into a category deemed serious enough (apparently looking like you are going to bleed out at the scene counts! Or rolling a car completely) they just don't bother: 'not wanting to take sides' he said - not sure how taking some basic details amounts to taking sides: and I wouldn't want them to either.

luckily the (new) solicitor nearly rubbed his hands together with glee (as far as I could tell on the phone) when I described the drivers statement ('no idea where the bike came from') and seemed more than happy when I told him the underwriting insurer was the same as mine. So fingers crossed I get a reasonable outcome from the insurance perspective: still, an actual witness statement corroborating mine and placing the blame on the car driver (even though her own statement in my view is pretty damning already, and btw doesn't contradict mine at all) would help seal things nice and tight.
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Old 20th June 2015, 00:10   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Avulon View Post
......................................

A blue ford fiesta in the A43 Southbound (middle) lane of the roundabout decided to turn right (intending to take the third exit) without indication and sideswiped me off my bike in doing so. (the middle lane of the roundabout is clearly marked ahead only: i.e. A43 South).

......................... my elbow is still aching on and off and doctor who has examined me says my neck rotation to the left is reduced 10% but should recover in several months. This could so easily have been a lot worse even at the slow speed we were going negotiating the roundabout.

...............
Sorry to read of your experience, Chris.
As you say, it could have been a lot worse. What's more, the police weren't to know the extent of your injuries at the time, so it seems amazing that they made no record, however brief.
Hope your claim isn't too long and drawn out. Check with your GP to see if he thinks chiropractic treatment might help with your neck. You'd probably have to wait for months on the NHS, but a couple of £30 private sessions with a good chiropractor,which you could claim back off the other party's insurer, could be worth having. It was for me when I had whiplash from being sideswiped - and I didn't even realise I'd been injured until a couple of weeks after the accident. Then it suddenly occurred to me that I had a constant ache which wouldn't go away.
Best Wishes
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Old 20th June 2015, 06:37   #7
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I still think the police should have confirmed that there were no serious/life threatening injuries before "driving off". It surely was possible to keep traffic moving, I've seen roads closed round here for less than your accident appears to be.
From the way you describe the accident the car driver should be done for "driving without due care and attention" at least.
Really hope it works out for you. Btw, I've ridden bikes in the past so, know both sides, car drivers and bikers sides.
ATB,
Martyn
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Old 20th June 2015, 07:32   #8
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Chris, the extent of injuries sustained in a RTC does not matter. By law the officers should have filled out an accident report. Also the fact there are no witnesses should not stop you taking this through the courts. You can at least give it a try.

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Old 20th June 2015, 08:27   #9
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I'm sorry to hear about your off, as a biker myself I am only too aware how vulnerable we are. I would do as already suggested make a complaint to the police about how they have handled things.
On what grounds are the 3rd party insurance saying 50/50, just cos there are no witnesses? What statement has the 3rd party given?

What line are your insurance company taking?


Alas I have had dealings with Hampshire police after a big off on the motorway, I made a complaint but it was a waste of time. Dishonest, incompetent are words that spring to mind. I would not trust them again at the scene of an accident.

Not long after I got my bike back on the road the same car nearly had me off again.
I still feel hate towards them. Driver gets off scot free, things said by a police officer was attributed to me when my solicitor got a police statement, things I never said were in his statement. Funny, I still remember getting out of the ambulance at the scene thinking something was wrong as everyone but police, ambulance and me had left.
To balance the books some what, when there was an issue with my daughter they were absolutely fantastic.

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Old 20th June 2015, 08:29   #10
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just a thought, what about asking local paper to run an article?

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