[morrow]

Well I've dropped the bike a few times before, but I've never been hit by a car!



I was riding in downtown on a 1-way road that's 3 lanes wide. I was in the R lane at a stoplight (it's downtown, so slow driving with lots of stoplights). There was a black small SUV type car next to me. Light turns green and I start riding along, maybe 20mph max since it's light after light, and all of a sudden he swerves over straight into me, making a VERY sharp turn. I couldn't believe it! I was literally right out his passenger side window (not further back in a blind spot). I didn't even have a second to react but I managed to swerve to the right a little which I think saved some damage. He made fairly hard contact but I didn't go down. I pulled over and he jumped out of his car and was really freaking out apologizing and totally admitting fault. He said they were lost and looking for a parking garage, but spotted the outside parking lot and wanted to "make it in there and I turned too hard without looking".



The only thing wrong I could find on my bike was that the shifter was badly bent. He got his lugnut wrench out and helped me bend it straight. We exchanged insurance info and I rode off. I'm going to need to bend the shifter more when I get home. I will be hitting up his insurance for a replacement one (is that normal to specify to the insurance company what part you need?)



I have a couple very, very light scrapes on my left leg from where he hit me.



Somehow his passenger side fender was pretty screwed-up. It was bent and the front was falling off. I think it got caught on the shifter or the foot peg.



I can't believe it's not any worse. I'm fine (barely scratched) and the bike is fine aside from minor damage. Amazing. Could have been MUCH worse.

 

[DakotaMK]

Glad you're alright. Yes it could've been worse- you got pretty lucky with a driver not paying attention and you right there (not in a blind spot).



Yes you'll probably have to tell them what you'd need and/ or depending on the company (and what you say you need) their rep might want/ need to come out and check the bike out.



Again, glad it worked out and you're OK!

 

[Bodyman224]

Happy to hear that your ok for the most part, and this is exactly why I recently changed my exhaust to stright pipes with baffles, the stock exhaust I felt was just too quiet. This similiar situation has almost happend 3 times just this year and I couldnt even ride my bike for the whole month of July. Next time there will be dent in the car as big as I can put in it with my foot

 

[Ranger]

Glad to hear you're ok. I would bring the bike to a motorcycle shop and get an estimate of what the repairs would be then go to your insurance company and let them do a walk around and take some photos of any damage and give them the estimate. Then they will contact the other persons insurance company and file a claim with them.

Good Luck,

Ranger

 

[PonyboyAgain]

Wow That's two of us today.... Glad to hear you are OK. Hope the bike is alright too.

 

[bandit]

Glad to hear you're ok. I would bring the bike to a motorcycle shop and get an estimate of what the repairs would be then go to your insurance company and let them do a walk around and take some photos of any damage and give them the estimate. Then they will contact the other persons insurance company and file a claim with them.

Good Luck,

Ranger

yep,thats how it works,no insurance company will believe a word you say,even though it will save them money.diving here well,

it happens here as a norm.the only people making money are the florists,for the roadside accidents....glad you are ok.

 

[tensleep]

I'm glad your good and I agree that getting your insurance company involved is the best way to go - that is what you pay for.

 

[kingston73]

Glad to hear you're ok!

 

[WayneDW]

Glad you're OK, hope he fixes the bike for ya.



This is a good reminder to not assume that a driver will look over before changing lanes. We often think that being next to the car's side window means we are out of his blind spot. I've been pushed onto the shoulder before making the same assumption. But if he doesn't glance over, you not out of his blind spot until you are in front of him. Now I will get too close to the car in front of me for a moment just to make sure I made it at least temporarily out of the driver's peripheral vision and then hope he/she remembers me when I have to drop back to next to him.

 

[TonyR]

Scary Stuff!

I am glad your OK and the bike is minimally damaged.

I was tempted to be a smart a$$ and put the bike first but I suspect jokes about order of priority do not come across as well on line as they do when you can see me smile at you as I say it!

 

[americanclassic]

Glad your ok.

 

[RAFster122s]

Glad you are OK and the damage was minor.

With all the damage on the car, you might have scrapes on exhaust or turn signals or handlebar ends or other parts that stick out more that you might not have noticed. Or a mirror head can get goofed up. Check over the bike carefully before going to the insurance company.



Do you have engine guards or highway bars?

While Highway bars might be ugly they can sometimes keep you from getting your leg trapped between the side of the bike and the roadway...



David

 

[Horton]

Glad you are OK and the damage was minor.

With all the damage on the car, you might have scrapes on exhaust or turn signals or handlebar ends or other parts that stick out more that you might not have noticed. Or a mirror head can get goofed up. Check over the bike carefully before going to the insurance company.



Do you have engine guards or highway bars?

While Highway bars might be ugly they can sometimes keep you from getting your leg trapped between the side of the bike and the roadway...



David

Glad to hear you are ok!

Ev.

MI.

 

[Horton]

Glad you are OK and the damage was minor.

With all the damage on the car, you might have scrapes on exhaust or turn signals or handlebar ends or other parts that stick out more that you might not have noticed. Or a mirror head can get goofed up. Check over the bike carefully before going to the insurance company.



Do you have engine guards or highway bars?

While Highway bars might be ugly they can sometimes keep you from getting your leg trapped between the side of the bike and the roadway...



David

 

[Johnny Canuck]

OK....glad to here you're ok.....BUT HOLD ON HERE.....You need to go to the Police and report the accident NOW!



Why?



While the driver of the vehicle that hit you acknowledged TO YOU that he made the mistake of changing lanes without looking, what happens when his insurance company comes after you stating that YOU HIT HIM? How will you disprove this?



Head right on over to a police station now and report the accident.

 

[morrow]

OK....glad to here you're ok.....BUT HOLD ON HERE.....You need to go to the Police and report the accident NOW!



Why?



While the driver of the vehicle that hit you acknowledged TO YOU that he made the mistake of changing lanes without looking, what happens when his insurance company comes after you stating that YOU HIT HIM? How will you disprove this?



Head right on over to a police station now and report the accident.

That's actually not how it works in most/all states. Unless the police arrive or are called at the scene, nothing can happen.

If both vehicles and people can walk/drive away from it, the police usually won't bother writing a report and just give a statement (useless)

 

[DakotaMK]

In IL a report must be made if the damage is over $500.

 

[lt1]

For such a small thing, why not settle it between men? Find out the price of the shifter and ask him to cut you a check. A moving claim is going to jack his insurance, and makes us all pay more. Goodness, can't we settle the little stuff without getting big brother involved? Of course, if he is already putting a claim in with his company for the door, you might as well get the money from his ins co.



Glad you were paying attention and had the skills to minimize the damage.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

That's actually not how it works in most/all states. Unless the police arrive or are called at the scene, nothing can happen.

If both vehicles and people can walk/drive away from it, the police usually won't bother writing a report and just give a statement (useless)

Morrow....Thanks...I don't know the rules pertaining to each jurisdiction, however to me it just seems smarter to involve the police, if it's reasonable. Everywhere will be a little different than the next.



In Ontario we have something called "No Fault Insurance"...whereby should a fender bender occur and minimal damage is done to either vehicle, there is no need to call in the police. Insurance companies deem that both parties are at fault. Parking lot fender benders are generally handled this way. This way Police aren't getting called for every little thing. Getting rear-ended is different as usually the guy behind is at fault.



I was one of the unusual ones...After a trade show I was helping a colleague locate her parked vehicle in a huge parking lot during a torrential rain storm. Since my car was close at hand I did the gentlemanly thing and offered to drive her around the parking lot until we found her car...she couldn't remember where it was parked. I was following a Jeep in my Porsche. The Jeep, who was looking for a parking spot drove by one, stopped very quickly, and quickly backed up right into me he didn't see me due to hight difference. About $500 damage for body work and paint to my car, none to his. I exchanged information with the Jeep driver. Two weeks later my insurance company came back to me and stated the other driver said I rear-ended him! Even though I had a witness with me in my car, that doesn't count in Ontario. How could I disprove this? I should have filed a report with the police immediately. A costly lesson I'll never forget.

 

[stern-69]

Really glad your ok, as even the really slow bumps like that can be fatal if you go over.



While Canadian laws a different (can sympathize with you Johnny) and we have "accident reporting stations" where veryone in an accident is supposed to go and make a report, I think getting your insurance company involved is the smartest thing. Have you bike taken to a garage the insurance company will accept and get an estimate of the damage, ALL DAMAGE. You can then ask the person if he wants to settle it without the insurance companies being involved, if not then your company will go after his for the repair amount. If the guy agrees to settle it between the two of you, take the amount in a cheque, NOT cash. I have found that some people (yea surprise, all people are not honest) will wait a bit, then file a claim for damages saying YOU hit him, and may suddenly develope "injuries" from the accident. If you take a cheque to sort damages, there is no way he can do this down the road, as the cheque is proof of payment and an "admition of guilt"