Did anyone witness a collision between a blue Nissan Almera and a white Ford Escort van on the A57 roundabout for M1 J31 yesterday morning at about 8:50?

I was in the Almera and was staying in lane (not indicating) when the van driver either didn't look or assumed I'd taken the A57 exit and changed lanes, scraping along my side and bumping me into the exit I hadn't taken.

We both stopped and got each other's details, but he's not admitted liability so a witness would make it easier to prove whose fault it was.

Thanks.

Isn't there a camera on that junction?

http://sccplugins.sheffield.gov.uk/utc/cameralocs.htm

You may be lucky enough to find you're on tape

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Please dont take this the wrong way, I've only posted this so it may be some help explaining the situation and not to be critical of anybodys driving.

Which lane were you in?

Lets assume you were coming from Aston towards the junction,

If you intend to turn left on to the M1 (N), you need to be in the nearside lane (kerbside) and indicating left.

If you are going to Worksop, you again need to be in the same lane. You dont need to indicate when joining the traffic island, but you need to indicate (left) before you pass the traffic which is joining the island from the M1 (S).You dont leave your lane.

If you are heading for the M1 (S), you need to join the island in the outside lane with your right indicator on and keep it on whilst remaining in the outside lane untill you pass the exit for the A57 then switch your lefthand signal on and (if safe to do so) Check over your left shoulder and move over to to the inside lane and prepare to leave at the M1(S) exit

If you are going all the way round the island, again join in the outside lane with your righthand indicator on and travel round the island untill you pass the exit for the M1(S). Then change to your left signal and again checking over your shoulder move when safe in to the nearside lane and exit for Aston.

I had some right trouble with islands untill I joined the Insitute of Advanced Motorists and they taught me how to do it and the above is the advice I was given.

They use that very same junction a lot to teach people how to use islands as it is well laid out and if you come down from Worksop towards the island you get a great view of the road ahead and plan your moves carefully.

I hope this is of some help when trying to work out who is to blame but I think the insurance companies will most likely take the view that its knock for knock. They did this to my boss recently in a similar situation.

Good luck.

I understand what you're saying, and in principle I agree completely. However experience of this particular roundabout has taught me to do otherwise.

I approached the roundabout from Aston in the offside lane, indicating right as I should be. Entered the roundabout in the right-hand lane normally. BUT:

The traffic coming onto the roundabout from the second exit (other side of A57) is very opportunistic, and whizzes onto the roundabout at high speed, very often preventing traffic in the right-hand lane from moving over to the left in order to take the M1 South.

So after I have passed the entry sliproad for the M1 North, I checked over my shoulder, indicated left, moved into the left hand lane, and stopped indicating.

The van which had been behind me in the right-hand lane obviously took this as a cue to speed up, as by the time we reached the second exit he had caught up with me. He turned on his indicator and changed lanes into me.

I must stress that at no time did I ever indicate an intention to leave the roundabout. When I drew level with the sliproad from the M1 joining the roundabout, I was in exactly the same position as the traffic from the motorway would have been if they had wanted to re-join the motorway (having perhaps come off at the wrong exit by mistake) - left-hand lane, no indicator. No indicator means you do not intend to leave the roundabout at the next exit.

Admittedly, this differs from how we are taught to approach roundabouts. However, my being in the left-hand lane at the moment of the collision is in my opinion completely unrelated to the fact that the other driver either did not check his mirrors or over his shoulder before his manoeuvre, or assumed I had left. Simply put, you don't assume - you check. You make sure a lane is clear before you move into it.

Originally posted by hj dary

I hope this is of some help when trying to work out who is to blame but I think the insurance companies will most likely take the view that its knock for knock. They did this to my boss recently in a similar situation.



This is happening more and more. If they ever try to pull a knock for knock on you and you know its definately not your fault just threaten to go to the ombudsman.

This worked a treat for me (somebody pulled out and i hit them, just couldn't stop in time, and no i wasn't speeding) the insurers were very unhelpful (actually took SIX months to even get the money for my car, as investigations were 'ongoing') but i mentioned the ombudsman and low and behold a senior manager rings me two days later to say the claim had been settled 100% in my favour!

Is there a thread about insurance companies on here?

Originally posted by rudedude1979
This worked a treat for me (somebody pulled out and i hit them, just couldn't stop in time, and no i wasn't speeding) the insurers were very unhelpful (actually took SIX months to even get the money for my car, as investigations were 'ongoing') but i mentioned the ombudsman and low and behold a senior manager rings me two days later to say the claim had been settled 100% in my favour!
It definitely is happening more and more these days. One of my colleagues went ballistic at her insurance company for accepting a knock-for-knock without telling her. She only found out when she came to renew her insurance. She mentioned the ombudsman and her NCD was restored, blame removed from records.