Just had my first ever real accident today. Someone on a slip road side swiped me as they were joining the dual carriageway. Exchanged details without a problem and they did say sorry (I'll take that as a full admission of guilt!) so I am hoping there shouldn't be too much trouble. I will avoid the usual debate of whether to take it through insurance companies or settle privately. (you can see the damage to my car here: www.teabelly.nildram.co.uk/damage3.jpg )
Bearing in mind I got boxed in by other cars so didn't have much option in avoiding the accident and that I didn't think that a car would just carry out pulling into the lane even though I was already in it is there any cast iron way of avoiding another accident like this in the future? I know people are supposed to be more likely to have another of the same accident within a couple of years. I also had several people decide that overtaking me while I was approaching a slip road with someone trying to join was a really good time to overtake, muppets! I just don't want this happening again!
teabelly
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Sorry to see your pride and joy looking bruised. FWIW it can be easier to brake and let someone out than to try and out-accelerate a car that is already accelerating on the slip. Although you were boxed in, you control the motorist behind you, not the other way round.
Glad that you aren't hurt.
ND
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Any accident is very upsetting, so you have my sympathy. On the bright side though, if it's only your front wing that is (slightly?) damaged, they are relatively easy and cheap to replace. Second point is that you were (almost certainly?) in the right since even if there was space for you to move over, which there wasn't, all(?) slip roads have a "Give way" sign and a dotted line so if another car was in inside lane the joiner should have given way. Often amazes me the way people use slip roads and seem to assume that they can automatically join the road no matter the traffic conditions. In law, I would think that a slip road is governed by the same law as a T-junction - though I stand corrected........
Thigs could have been much worse!!
PhilW
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The accident was partly started by the guy in front of the guy that hit me. I had left a decent gap and the two main protagonists were already in front of me so I assumed that they would just pull across into the gap. But the lead car decided to dither, shrunk the gap and by the time I realised that they were going to still pull in front I was level with the car that hit me. I think the car in front of him squeezed in front of me. I would have braked but I was concious of the fact that there were others joining from the slip road and they could have hit me instead. It was also very wet so braking hard enough to avoid them, I'm not sure it would have anyway, might have caused a worse accident. The grey car bobbed out from behind the green car in front so I don't know whether he intended to overtake the green car, didn't see me and it was his bumper that hit my wing as he was moving diagonally across to overtake. I couldn't tell you whether I was still in lane one or had moved over towards lane two or even been totally in lane two as I just remember the grey car slewing in front of me, me trying to move away from it either running out of room on my right (or at least feeling that way) and a bang as it hit me.
teabelly
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Had my 1st accident last week. car being repaired as we speak. dont let it spoil your enjoyment of driving. you can be the safest driver but you cant cater for other peoples stupidity. only prob you have is if third party claims on their insurance and your policy states you have to tell them of ANY accident or damage to your car. damage doesnt look too bad but get something done or it will rust cos it looks like taken all paint off to the metal.
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is thereany cast iron way of avoiding another accident like this in the future?
teabelly, glad you're Ok and it's only bent metal.
In answer to your question, I'm afraid there's no cast iron answer. The only advice I can give is to try to anticipate the situation earlier, personally I always try to move into lane 2 after passing the off slip, if traffic allows and you're not going to become a centre lane hog and impede other traffic too much. Also I try to judge the speed of any vehicles joining and, if necessary, make my own slight adjustment by easing off the gas or accelerating slightly to try and create a safer gap. I know you shouldn't really 'have' to make these adjustments but we're all human and occasionally we all make errors, it just becomes a question of trying to avoid making the situation worse or prevent it from becoming inevitable by making extra allowances for others.
Unfortunately, on occasion you can do all within your power and still the other muppet will get you! C'est la vie!
Cockle
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