I hit a car again...

[Maz]

On the way home from work yesterday I was in primary on a 2-lane RAB. A car joins the RAB just in front of me, then he puts his brakes on because a van already on the RAB was approaching him fast.
I tried to avoid hitting the car by going round the back of him, but ended up hitting the rear at low speed. Anyway, the driver stopped, there was no damage done and it all ended amicably.
I'm not sure who was at fault, though. Any ideas?

 

[Brock]

Not sure if it's just too early for me.. but what's a RAB?
Regardless of the answer I would guess you were singularly at fault, being as you were on a bicycle.
Glad there was no damage done Maz

 

[magnatom]

I hate to say it Maz, it sounds like it would be mostly your fault. I think the argument would be that you should leave enough of a gap between you and the car in front so that you could brake in time.

It's an easy mistake to make. Don't worry about it, just learn from it

 

[Maz]

Not sure if it's just too early for me.. but what's a RAB?
Regardless of the answer I would guess you were singularly at fault, being as you were on a bicycle.
Glad there was no damage done Maz

RAB=roundabout
I think I was probably at fault...partially.

 

[magnatom]

Not sure if it's just too early for me.. but what's a RAB?
Regardless of the answer I would guess you were singularly at fault, being as you were on a bicycle.
Glad there was no damage done Maz

Round A Bout

 

[yello]

Twas an accident. No big thing. It was probably your mistake, we've all made them so don't worry about it. You'll know for next time. Just pleased you're okay.

 

[HLaB]

Hi Maz. Glad you are OK and all ended well, it sounds like you were at fault but put is down to experience, its good to learn a lesson when there was actually nobody hurt.

 

[Brock]

RAB=roundabout
I think I was probably at fault...partially.

Oh I see! Well I don't feel too bad about not being able to work that out. All I could think of was Right Angle Bend.

Yes, I'm afraid I agree with others, it does sound like your error technically, but not quite sure how you should've avoided it.

 

[gambatte]

There is the concept that on emerging from a junction/sliproad you should do so in a way that doesn't cause other traffic to have to take evasive action. As this car emerged and then slams on the anchors.....

Could be contributory?

 

[redjedi]

The driver probably shouldn't have entered the RAB until it was clear to go, but you should have left enough room to stop quickly if needed.

No harm done, lesson learnt for next time.

 

[MERV]

I did something like that at Maryland in 1987 looked behind and car in front stopped suddenly and he ended up with a hand print on his filthy rear windscreen.Motorist made nothing of it though although it must have felt like a tank had hit him.I was riding the 3 gear BSA thingy at the time.I asked my dad at the time and he said that said motorist would have been pooping it.

I reckon it buggered up the frame on the BSA thingy as it suffered a frame fracture a little while later.

 

[Odyssey]

So, you're riding around the roundabout and a car pulls out in front of you, entering the roundabout before hitting his brakes, forcing you to go into the back of him?

It's clearly, 100% their fault in my eyes.

This isn't a straight forward scenario of riding to close. It's a roundabout. They shouldn't be people pulling out in front of you in the first place, it's their responsibility to give way to you.

 

[Maz]

So, you're riding around the roundabout and a car pulls out in front of you, entering the roundabout before hitting his brakes, forcing you to go into the back of him?

It's clearly, 100% their fault in my eyes.

This isn't a straight forward scenario of riding to close. It's a roundabout. They shouldn't be people pulling out in front of you in the first place, it's their responsibility to give way to you.

This is exactly why I am unclear whose fault it was. Opinion is clearly divided here and I'm not sure what the Highway Code says about it.
Anyway, it's an academic question now cos I came to no harm.

 

[gambatte]

I reckon its one of those where if it happened that someone was hurt or damage occurred, it’d be down to witnesses and CCTV. Both of you could make a good, but not impartial case as to why it was the other guys fault.

 

[BentMikey]

It depends. Whose wheels were on the roundabout first? If the car, then Maz is to blame, if Maz, then the driver is to blame.