Motorist kills my bicycle

[Dis86]

Was a bit surprised the police didn't want any personal details. It's paperwork I guess.

Might call in at the station tomorrow and ask a few questions.

It's an interesting one. It's potentially careless driving which the police certainly should take an interest in.

 

[holymonk]

Run over by a woman and not even offered a lift home.

 

[Orion21]

Appears so.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/170

From looking at it I don't think you do need to contact the police. I think it's only if you were asked for information and did not supply it.

So if you asked them for it they either have to show it to you or if they don't have it with them then probably produce it to the police (although I guess they could still show it to you if they were to deliver / email it to you ).

As for insurance etc, I guess that depends on you, but if not too badly hurt I'd probably give them a chance to compensate you for the bike plus a bit for the inconvenience etc or if they are unwilling for some reason then go through insurance.

Also I wonder if it has any implications for you if you drive? Do you have to declare it as an accident to insurance (even non fault car accidents you're supposed to)?

 

[=XDC=FluphyBunny]

A bit of a worry how screwed you are if the witness changes their mind!

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I've had quite a few crashes and totally the wrong side of 50 with both shoulders dislocated, broken elbow and 8 ribs broken (not all at the same time).
My last bad one was last August but this was done in front of 6 Paramedics and 2 Police standing outside the West Midlands Ambulance Station
It was 25 minutes before they got me up from the floor because they were convinced I'd broke my back/neck and they don't see accidents happen.
A Policewoman took all the details and the driver said she would pay for the cost of my bike which was now missing but was taken to my hospitals Estates department.
She paid up immediately after I repaired the bike but she didn't even want to see the receipts, she also gave me £50 extra for my troubles.

About 2 weeks later her insurance firm rang me up asking if they could represent me to make a claim against her Seriously?
It took at least 4 months to get the Police to not go further with the case because -
1) She apologised and took full blame
2) She paid up
3) She apologised and took full blame
4) She apologised and took full blame
5) She apologised and took full blame

 

[enkoda]

I got knocked off my bike many, many years ago. The driver offered to pay for the damage to my racer, and wrote down his address on a piece of envelope. I made a mental note of his car registration, went home, worked out how much the repair bill would be and began to write a letter. At this point I noticed the guy had only written his door number and street name, so wandered down to the local police station to see if they could help, as no one knew where this road was (no internet in those days!).

When I explained this to the police woman on the desk she went and checked his address & car reg, came back and informed me that the details were correct, but he'd neglected to mention he lived almost 200 miles away...

She gave me his details (including his name), I posted the letter and sure enough, a week or so later a cheque arrived for £65 to replace my front wheel and forks.

 

[FrenchTart]

You absolutely do need to report all accidents to the police (not via the emergency number) and it should be properly recorded. Depending on how good/bad your local police force are they may attempt to not bother recording anything.

As someone above mentioned, you should treat the accident in the same way as you would a collision between two cars or between a car and a pedestrian. It's a big deal and it needs to be followed up properly. I'm not saying that you should chase compensation or anything like that but you should ensure you are covered in regards to witnesses and also that you are not out of pocket if it's the driver's fault.

 

[Energize]

Just out of interest, do you have insurance, what would happen if she denied responsibility, would you have to cover legal fees yourself? If I was in an incident with a cyclist I'd have to give them my insurance details but do they have to give me anything?

There wouldn't be any legal fees really, you'd just need to file the case with the county court. Solicitors aren't needed for this kind of thing.

 

[Orionaut]

Been there, got the T-Shirt. Old bint pulled out straight in to the side of me at a junction. I got away without too much damage and the bike was fine.

Glad you're alright.

Take her to the cleaners if you can - no reason at all she was looking left.

Simply not true!

There is a roundabout near where I live where traffic coming up the hill routinely "fails to yield" to traffic coming down the hill and wanting to turn right. Accidents/near misses (Horn blowing) are a daily (Hourly!) event

I would say as many as 20% of drivers either have to brake hard (IE caught out) or actually pull out into the path of right turning traffic.

I am very careful to keep an eye on traffic coming from the left when I am making a right turn on this particular junction. (Something that I do daily)

Indeed, I have had to actually stop many, many times (Around once a week or so) in order to avoid colliding with traffic that has failed to yield.

And no, I do not have a modern car with a stupid tiny coloured bulb behind a clear lens for the indicator.

I have a nice old fashioned one where the bulb is behind a large yellow lens on a dark coloured body. Impossible to miss really!

But I know what the problem is, the combination of the hill and the fact that the mini is on a corner means that you really do have to stop (Or at least slow right down) and actively check on traffic coming from the right to make sure they are not attempting a right turn.

Most drivers fail to do this.

Perhaps the OP's roundabout is similar (Or perhaps the driver has had similar experiences)

(I am curious as to know how this collision resulted in the front wheel of the bike getting buckled, who collided with who??)

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Perhaps the OP's roundabout is similar (Or perhaps the driver has had similar experiences)

(I am curious as to know how this collision resulted in the front wheel of the bike getting buckled, who collided with who??)

The roundabout in question has good viability from all four approach roads and is virtually flat. It is quite a small roundabout and the problem is some drivers treat it like a crossroad. I came very close to getting hit by a mini bus on the same roundabout just a month or so ago.

I wasn't turning right, just straight over. The driver was also going straight over and entered the roundabout from my left. I wasn't going fast and was almost adjacent with her approach road to the roundabout when she just drove straight into my path. I hit her driver's side front wing with my front wheel as there wasn't enough time to stop.

 

[Tefal]

That did cross my mind. Now I'm thinking there's little else I could possibly do.

Get all the evidence together, you have her insurance details phone them up give them the witness details and a copy of the footage via email.

See what they say if they're in the least bit uncooperative go to the police.


Give them everything if they convict then winning any case later will be a formality

 

[Jamesyboyjim]

Assuming you aren't out for blood and wanting to cash in from your knock, in which case phone claims direct, She has accepted full responsibility, why not just contact her directly with a price, add a bit on for your troubles if you see fit.

It was an accident, she hasn't argued about fault or anything, nobody called the police, assuming she wasn't being snotty, why involve her insurance at this stage? If she gets funny about paying directly out of her own pocket then phone her insurance.

I would expect her insurance to contact her advising of a claim against her, which, if she keeps to her word, she'll accept responsibility for.

 

[Tenuous]

Here's a good run down on what you should think about.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/131099/

 

[Avenged7Fold]

What car and how old was it?

Not really relevant to what your looking for but i am interested

 

[Dunks]

[...]
(I am curious as to know how this collision resulted in the front wheel of the bike getting buckled, who collided with who??)

Erm, cyclist coming past on the right when the car pulls out, cyclist collides with the car?

Isn't that what happened?

That'll buckle a front wheel.

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Spoke to National Accident Helpline today and started a claim.

The driver contacted me and offered to pay and drop my bike off at the shop for repairs. This was by text message, so no longer have to worry about her denying admittance of liability.

I've called back the solicitors firm assigned by National Accident Helpline and explained the contact with the driver. They agreed to putting the case on hold, pending any decision I make.
Other than getting the bike fixed, what does anyone think reasonable compensation for the accident should be? Not into milking this with personal injury claim or suing the woman.

Also contacted the police again (local this time, not 101) and the chap I spoke to was very surprised my details etc weren't taken. They will be visiting me to take full account of the event.

Here's a good run down on what you should think about.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/131099/

Cheers for that. Very useful info and will be copying a few bits from that page to my phone.

What car and how old was it?

Not really relevant to what your looking for but i am interested

It was a Suzuki Alto SZ. Just googled for info on reg years and having '60' after first two letters means 2010 I think.

Erm, cyclist coming past on the right when the car pulls out, cyclist collides with the car?

Isn't that what happened?

That'll buckle a front wheel.

That's what happened. We collided into each other at 90°. Her being slightly ahead in the collision, so I hit her front wing close to drivers door. Had I been a brief moment earlier, I would have been hit side-on by the front of the car, which would have been really nasty.

 

[Ricochet J]

Look, I'm not suggesting you milk anything. But I do suggest you get yourself checked ASAP by a medical professional, even if it has been a few days after the accident.

You will regret a "I have no pain, that will do" attitude months/years down the line if/when issues begin to surface as a consequence of this collision.

Take time off and get it sorted. Seek medical advice from a doctor. Ask them to refer you to a physiotherapist. Then claim your losses honestly (bicycle, time off etc).

 

[helpimcrap]

See the GP... complain about depression, back back, whiplash.... the usual.

Seriously get yourself a decent solicitor and they will arrange a doctor.

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Look, I'm not suggesting you milk anything. But I do suggest you get yourself checked ASAP by a medical professional, even if it has been a few days after the accident.

You will regret a "I have no pain, that will do" attitude months/years down the line if/when issues begin to surface as a consequence of this collision.

Take time off and get it sorted. Seek medical advice from a doctor. Ask them to refer you to a physiotherapist. Then claim your losses honestly (bicycle, time off etc).

Quite a few other folk have suggested getting checked out medically. I think starting the post with 'Look' must have triggered me! I've just called the GP.
Do you have control issues?

 

[Mangelwurzel]

See the GP... complain about depression, back back, whiplash.... the usual.

Seriously get yourself a decent solicitor and they will arrange a doctor.

Making up a load of bull wouldn't sit well with me.