Originally Posted by mac
And what are you doing riding around without insurance? "Vehicular Cycling" advocates claim that bicycles are another form of vehicle and deserve to be on the road just like any other car. Thus, by extension, that also means you must have insurance just like other motorists.
Blink. Blink.
Do you even understand what most motorists have for insurance? It serves two purposes: Firstly, it insures the motorist in the event of an accident that is their fault. This is liability insurance. The limits and deductibles are such that it's really designed to protect you in the event that you run someone over or total their car. I oversimplify, but the fact is a crushed tailgate would be an out of pocket expense except in a no-fault state.
Secondly, and completely irrelevantly, people insure their own property: theft, vandalism, comprehensive, etc.
Anyhow, to the OP, the sad fact is you were following at an unsafe distance. You can say, "I looked away and when I looked back..." all you want. All that will end up meaning to the insurance company and judge, should it come to that, is that you were following at a distance such that you didn't have time to react.