Illegal u-turn?

[keitht1]

Hi all,

Need a bit of help establishing liability for an accident that I was involved with on my motorbike last week.

I was stopped at some lights on a wide road, waiting to turn into a 2 lane bridge approach where no right turn is allowed (New Kings Road onto Putney Bridge approach). When the lights turned green the car in front of me pulled left round the corner to the right hand lane towards stationary traffic on the bridge - as I was on my bike I pulled out to filter past the car as it was about 5 yards away from stopping. However, as soon as the car cleared the traffic islands that stop you turning right the driver started to indicate right and immediately pulled into a u-turn to head away from the bridge without looking. As I was outside the car (still on the correct side of the road) I did not have time to stop and hit the car. No damage to me or the driver, just to the bike and to the car.

I think that the driver was in the wrong for attempting to turn right at a no right turn junction by making an illegal u-turn. Is this right or was it just a equal liability accident?

Would appreciate anyones help on this one.

Keith

[parrot of doom]

I think you need to ask yourself who had right of way. Were you intruding on his space, or did he cut across from the inside lane, into the outside lane, and hit you?

If you were overtaking in stationary (or near stationary) traffic, I think you both might get told off

[Streetcop]

If you create another lane...ie filtering and it goes wrong...you have some blame on your toes.....especially if the other guy states he wasn't going to turn right/u-turn and instead was either changing lanes or moving about within the lane he was in..

Best of luck

Street

[keitht1]

Fair point - I agree that making an extra lane to filter does point some of the blame my way.
I believe the other driver crossed a solid white lane to make their u-turn (going to check this out today and take some piccies).

If this is the case doesn't the other driver making an illegal manouver negate any blame on me for filtering. I think strictly I was overtkaing stationary traffic on my side of the road as per the highway code?

If it does turn out the other driver was making an illegal turn should I have reported this to the police? Was now 8 days ago.

[voyds9]

keitht1 said:

Fair point - I agree that making an extra lane to filter does point some of the blame my way. I believe the other driver crossed a solid white lane to make their u-turn (going to check this out today and take some piccies). If this is the case doesn't the other driver making an illegal manouver negate any blame on me for filtering. I think strictly I was overtkaing stationary traffic on my side of the road as per the highway code? If it does turn out the other driver was making an illegal turn should I have reported this to the police? Was now 8 days ago.

Did you also cross the solid white line. If he only crossed the solid white line after he hit you then does it have any relevance to this accident or was it an entirely different unlaw act.

[kevinday]

I may be wrong, but don't all accidents have to be reported within 24 hours nowadays?

[parrot of doom]

keitht1 said:

If this is the case doesn't the other driver making an illegal manouver negate any blame on me for filtering. I think strictly I was overtkaing stationary traffic on my side of the road as per the highway code?

His illegal maneuver is an entirely separate issue, you could still get a slap on the wrist for an illegal overtake.

I don't think stationary traffic (queuing) is seen as quite the same thing as parked traffic (which you are allowed to cross the white line to pass).

[Streetcop]

kevinday said:

I may be wrong, but don't all accidents have to be reported within 24 hours nowadays?

only if both parties didn't stop at the time....