Everyone should have a dashcam, and here is why ...

[Auric Goldfinger]

I've looked at the Video several times. if you freeze  the video at 10 seconds it shows MK4 in the outside lane of 3, if you then stop the video again at 11 seconds it shows MK4 crossing road lane markings to go up the slip road, the golf driver might have thought you were going round to the right, not up the slip road

 

Not sure on this one   :no:

[Orville]

This is completely wrong!!  I was in the BLUE lane and the Golf was in the inside lane (unmarked in the picture).  Please look at the video again, try it on full screen, it's filmed in a good quality.  There is only one set of damage, one impact

Are you sure? Up until ~10.5 second mark you were within the right hand lane, and then moved left for impact at ~12 secs.

 

To me it seems that you overtook the Golf to beat the lights and later cut left to take your exit. The Golf really should not have been there but maybe he took offense to the overtake and sped up to be beside you and prevent you from cutting-in. You likely did not even see him, but he was there (perhaps in blind spot) and you cut across his path. His reaction was plain stupid and dangerous. Your driving could have been better / more cautious when taking the exit.

 

You MUST also report an accident within 24 hours or risk invalidating any insurance claim. Report to your Insurers now, but say the 3rd may be willing to pay directly for repairs.

Edited 12 March, 2015 by Orville

[Huskoda]

Whoever's fault this ends up being declared as by the insurers, at least they have the facts available and there will be no long he-said-she-said. That in itself is worth it, even if the footage goes against you in the end.

[mk4gtiturbo]

So basically what people are saying is that even though I am in a lane clearly marked for A3(M), I was in the wrong lane for the A3(M)?!?!

[bq15]

We ended up in court over a roundabout lane disagreement years ago. The (American) barrister the insurance company provided said "the problem with roundabouts is they're designed to cause accidents". In this case, obviously the Golf driver is wrong, but the markings *really* don't help. This is happening more and more, to the extent that I wonder if it mightn't be better to get rid of the markings altogether and see if it forces everyone to drive a bit more "defensively".

[Titanium_Man]

Should never trust an American Barrister when it comes to roundabouts, they don't have them or understand them

[drum]

Where are the mods ? This discussion has no relevance.

[wharferat]

I'm assuming that the OP was indicating that he was taking that exit from the Roundabout. Looking at the video & the headlight illumination of the road, the Golf appears to have come up on the inside from a position not alongside the OP, i.e., from somewhere behind in the adjacent lane. In that case the OP should have been easily visible to the Golf driver if he had been paying attention. The video does appear to show that the Golf is drifting across the road markings between the left & right lanes. It could be that the Golf driver, once appraised of the fact that the incident was recorded, realised that the "He said, I said," argument would not hold up, & he might end up having a driving without due care & attention charge against him. That could be why he ended up offering a cash settlement rather than involve any outside parties.

[TeflonTom]

I live about 2 miles away from that junction, I drive round there multiple times daily, octavia did nothing wrong there, golf went sideways from lack of control, that on slip leads up a 1 in 6 grade so k8st try and get the hammer fown nice and early.

[bq15]

This is completely wrong!!  I was in the BLUE lane and the Golf was in the inside lane (unmarked in the picture).  Please look at the video again, try it on full screen, it's filmed in a good quality.  There is only one set of damage, one impact

 

If you look at the video and the series of pics that Nookiebear posted, you *were* in the "red" lane, but you had nowhere else you could be given the markings before the final entrance. The Golf driver has got confused by the apparent "extra" lane emerging from the left hand side. The only possible interpretation (including looking at the alphanumerics) is that traffic coming across that entry point should ignore the "three lane" markings altogether and treat it as if it was still the two lanes marked prior to the entry point, which is exactly what you have done. It's ridiculous road design/marking, but I don't think you could have done anything different, especially given the Golf was not even visible (in front) at the point you started to exit.

[Nhil]

I'm also local and use that roundabout regularly.  The Octavia did nothing wrong; the Golf tried to move from lane 1 to lane 2 into the Octy.

[Nookiebear]

So basically what people are saying is that even though I am in a lane clearly marked for A3(M), I was in the wrong lane for the A3(M)?!?!

 

Yes, you were in the right lane for the A3(M)… but only up to the point that you passed the entry road before the exit for the A3(M) at which which time the road configuration changed with the addition of a third lane on the left hand side of the road, and as the exit road for the A3(M) is alike most slip roads two lanes and we drive on the left, it must therefore be common sense that on a 3 lane section of road you need to be in either the far left or centre lane, and not in the far right lane until 1 second before the exit!

 

Sorry, but there's blame on 3 sides here, partly yours, partly the Golf driver's, and partly the Roadways Agency (or whatever they're called) for their creation of yet another man made accident waiting to happen.

 

I'm diving out of this one now as I think we'll just have to agree to disagree… and just let your insurers sort it out… after all that's what you're paying them for!

 

Healthy discussion and debate nevertheless.

 

Oh… and with regards to the 'he says he is insured on a trade policy'… isn't that what they always say on the TV programmes like Motorway Cops?… eeek!

 

Edit: Blame game aside, I hope it all get's sorted OK… I know I'd be really pi$$ed if that happened with my nice new shiny beast.

[mk4gtiturbo]

I can see where the confusion is.  The three lanes come from the entry road on the left, which is why it looks like I swerved lanes because actually I am crossing them but they are directing traffic from the left

[toni8b]

I think this image (posted by Nookiebear) shows the line taken by both cars exiting the roundabout.

 

It would appear from the road markings that mk4 (red line) was in the wrong lane and may have cut up Golf (blue line) who was within the correct lane for exiting the roundabout. mk4 may have caused a small bump (audible on video) before Golf reacted angrily and cut back in to mk4, causing big audible bump. mk4 could get done for reckless driving, but perhaps mk4 lacked due-care and Golf was within blind-spot beforehand.

 

Golf driver was definitely an ass and caused the main impact, which perhaps was deliberate on his part. It would be interesting to know whether mk4 has a bump/scuff on the rear of his car, indicating an initial tap before the big bump.

 

This picture is correct, you can slow the speed of the video and clearly see everything.

[Orville]

The video can be read so many ways. Just looking at the 2 seconds leading to the bump it appears that Golf may be in left lane, mk4 in right, and they both move towards the middle shortly before the exit. I think the video actually shows the Golf indicator flash right once shortly before impact. It could be a simple coming together or it could be road rage or loss of control on the Golf drivers part. Both drivers entering the same lane at the same time looks like a 50/50 insurance split to me, because it is hard to prove what each was thinking at the time.

 

The fact there are so many possibilities and opinions means that it will be hard to prove 100% liability one way or the other. I think that golf was more wrong than mk4, but just looking at the video indicates that mk4 left his exit move very late. IMO mk4 should have moved to the left/middle lane much sooner or more predictably.

Edited 12 March, 2015 by Orville

[billhook]

It looks like you have been hung, drawn and quartered by the kangaroo court mate.

I can't see that you have done anything wrong and you only followed the lanes as marked. Good footage, and good luck with your claim. Any problems, we'll send the lads round ;-)

[Orville]

Good luck whatever happens. The Golf driver was an idiot and deserves to lose his no-claims.

 

Was there much damage done?

[TeflonTom]

I've just noticed, that's a 4motion golf isn't it? Bloody haldex system so unpredictable, not suprised he stepped out sideways, the later gen haldex isnt any better either.

[sdenny]

To the OP - i'm on your side. Regardless of what lane you were in, and whether or not you changed lanes late, you were fully in lane 2 when a car came from lane 1 (for no apparent reason - there was nothing in front of him to make him change lanes) crossed in to lane 2, colliding with your car.

 

Personally I think (based on the speed he went away from you) that he hit the gas on the exit and under-steered

[Geek42]

Interesting thread. I had a roundabout incident a few years ago when I was hit in the rear quarter by a car trying to exit from my right as I carried on round. The issue was that both lanes were for coming off and both lanes were for going around, the plan being that the traffic lights would mean that those two things couldn't happen together. His lane was a stationary queue as I came around though, so he was effectively there out of sync. I argued that he must have pulled away from a stationary position (or run a red light) changed lanes without checking it was clear, and hit me from 1/2 a car length behind, so it couldn't possibly be my fault. Insurance company said it wasn't categorical enough and went 50/50!

This, for me, is post roundabout though and OP has every reason to feel it was the golf drivers fault. It was.

Edited 12 March, 2015 by Geek42

[skovirg]

I was undertaken at a roundabout earlier tonight

 

First comment was "Mate, you came into my lane"  Then I said I have a Dashcam and his attitude completely changed.

 

 

Unless you've got the dosh from the driver for rhis repair, I'd contact your insurer now. Don't forget that they employ people to find reasons not to pay out on a claim and making your own arrangements which then go pear shaped will not impress them if you then report it after the 24 hour deadline. That's exactly why claim lines operate 24-7. If in any doubt that the other part will pay up, then stock in a claim is my advice and given that he contested it initially, I'd have lots of doubt.

 

I'd not mention the video though as it seems that it could have been easily avoided. Keep us posted and good luck.

[johnthesparky]

If you have it on tape, him admitting liability and offering cash..... Then it's irrelevant

His insurance company wouldn't risk going to court with that.

Woman changed lane into my van a see crossed over motorway junction, she then texted me asking to get a quote for cash, when it was too much she informed her insurers.... I sent a copy of that text, and van was booked in within half an hour through 3rd party insurer

Good luck, hope it's sorted easily

[skovirg]

If you have it on tape, him admitting liability and offering cash..... Then it's irrelevant

His insurance company wouldn't risk going to court with that.

Woman changed lane into my van a see crossed over motorway junction, she then texted me asking to get a quote for cash, when it was too much she informed her insurers.... I sent a copy of that text, and van was booked in within half an hour through 3rd party insurer

Good luck, hope it's sorted easily

 

Yes but she did the right thing and advised her insurers. If she hadn't have done that, like this guy may not, especially when it's questionable if he is insured at all,  then lots of insurance companies would leave you to pursue your own claim as you did not comply with their policy.  Many also require you to report to the police if the divider doesn't give their full name and address:

 

"The driver may also have to report the accident to a police officer or at a police station, in person, as soon as practicable and in any case within 24 hours. This duty arises whenever the driver has not given their name and address at the scene of the accident, whether or not they were asked to do so".

 

Of course the OP needs to do what they see fit but even with the recorded offer of payment, actually enforcing that may need a civil claim without insurance company backing should the person change their mind or be full of £$it.

[looking_to_buy]

There's no way he wasn't trying to do a runner there...

 

It would be nice to think that he was finding somewhere safe to stop, but to me, that's when you gradually decrease in speed and look for places to stop - not continue hammering it!

 

OP - what dashcam was that?

[toni8b]

It looks like you have been hung, drawn and quartered by the kangaroo court mate.

I can't see that you have done anything wrong and you only followed the lanes as marked. Good footage, and good luck with your claim. Any problems, we'll send the lads round ;-)

We didnt convict anybody, we were just commenting the footage, because at one point the OP said that he was in the middle lane when exiting roundabout, which was not true according to his own video.