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Original poster

Ran over a bike.

158 replies

Frogqueen13 · 05/01/2017 07:29

I ran over a child's bike- unattended in front on my car on my drive. I could find owner so left it on the side of the road. Went to get my car fixed as it had pulled a bit of the underneath off. And went to work late.

Now I have a note through my door asking what I am going to do to resolve this before she calls the police.

Wwyd?

OP posts:
longdiling · 05/01/2017 08:08

I can totally understand how you couldn't see the bike. I'm on food waste bin number 4 because the bin men have a habit of throwing the empty bin on to the drive, right under the front of my car. It's never occurred to me to check all round the car before slowly moving off the drive. To be honest checking for cats is pointless. By the time you get back in the car, a cat could have moved back in front of it.

ph0ebe · 05/01/2017 08:09

No way would I pay half. Id bill them if anything!

Blu · 05/01/2017 08:10

Can she claim on her insurance?

Do you have any idea why her child's bike was on your drive? Are her kids friends with yours? Do a paper round?

The child should definitely not have left their bike on your property, in front of your car. But you must have set off with some wellie to have run over a bike and damaged your car, could you not feel immediately that there was an obstruction?

In your position I would be thanking my lucky stars that the kid wasn't sitting low on the ground next to the bike looking at a puncture or a grazed knee, feeling secure that the police will not be interested as it is a civil matter, talking to the parent and explaining that the bike was abandoned exactly where it could get run over and suggesting their household insurance.

Wisewisewords · 05/01/2017 08:10

My Dad taught me that when I took the driving test I should walk around the front of the car to let the driving examiner in, then around the back of the car to get in the drivers side this proving to the examiner that I had observed around the car before getting in. Not sure if they teach this now but it would be a good idea to.

Sympathies but I think you would be legally in the wrong.

Christmassnake · 05/01/2017 08:10

Do not be a doormat....if my child left a bike outside that got squashed the child would be in so much trouble...that kid needs to learn responsibility...you need to send the bill for your car to them..end of

Original poster
Frogqueen13 · 05/01/2017 08:11

Freddie- I'm presuming the child rode it there
Lol

Gamerchick I'm not sure brush up lessons would help, I have 13 years no claims and I have only have an accident once and that was as a learner driver I am generally quite a competent driver

My car is a company car and they sort out the insurance so I would need to check the finer details

Thanks for your help everyone I will go round tonight before my shift

OP posts:
cafenoirbiscuit · 05/01/2017 08:12

I don't think you did anything wrong. If my DC left a new bike 2 streets away and in someone's way I'd blame him, not you and would be around apologizing. And why on earth didn't she come looking for it?
Don't pay. She's a cheeky mare.

mrsm43s · 05/01/2017 08:12

Dear child bike parents,

Thanks for popping the note through my door giving me your address. Please find attached copy of bill for repairs to my car for the damage caused by your child leaving your bike in my private drive. As I have already had the repairs done, I would appreciate prompt payment.

Many thanks

Frogqueen13.

Then put it through their letterbox or post it. Ball is then in their court. I suspect you won't hear further.

Stillunexpected · 05/01/2017 08:13

How does this woman even know that it was your car which caused the damage?

Original poster
Frogqueen13 · 05/01/2017 08:14

I'm presuming the child told her where they left there bike

OP posts:
FutureMrsRanj · 05/01/2017 08:14

I've never checked round my car, it was on ops driveway, the child is foolish for leaving it there and has either lied to the parents or they're idiots for expecting money from you for their child's mistake. Good luck going round there op, please don't pay anything towards the bike

BowiesJumper · 05/01/2017 08:15

They shouldn't have left the bike there! It's not your fault. Tell her how much it cost to fix your car.

Pantah630 · 05/01/2017 08:16

Unsurprised at the amount of people that don't check around their cars before driving off. Imagine they'd be the first jumping up and down if a child was sitting by the bike Hmm

JanuaryMoods · 05/01/2017 08:17

Don't pay, OP. Really. It wasn't your fault. Tell the woman to claim on her household insurance and you'll send her the bill for damage to your car.

DodoRevival · 05/01/2017 08:17

Ok so to be clear - you were reversing out of your drive to go to work and a child had earlier left their bike half under you car?

Assuming here that the end of your car is level with the end of your drive, rather than there being a bit of drive after the end of your car. If it's the former and the bike was left on your drive, and from what you say under you car then you certainly shouldn't pay. It certainly should be left under a car!! I'd ask the mother why the child put their bike under your car in the first place.

However if it were on the path and you drove over it this is a different issue - you either have a car big enough for a blind spot, or you didn't look back and use your mirrors when reversing (or maybe both). There could very well have been a small child on the path.

As for the issue with the money, if you are to pay then they'll have to wait. They've no choice really -you don't have it you can't give it.

Original poster
Frogqueen13 · 05/01/2017 08:20

I stopped immediately when I heard a noise i case it was something more serious, I wasnt going fast as it's a really narrow cup-de-sac so have to do a sharp turn off my driveway

Those of you who have said I am in the wrong what would you actually do next?

My house insurance has bike cover, which is useful to know I just found the policy whilst looking for my insurance policy.

I wish I had taken pictures now

OP posts:
Original poster
Frogqueen13 · 05/01/2017 08:22

No I drove out forwards. I always reverse on to the drive way

My neighbour has cctv I wonder if it is on there

OP posts:
Original poster
Frogqueen13 · 05/01/2017 08:23

Ironically if I had reversed out I would have seen it on the reversing camera

OP posts:
OurBlanche · 05/01/2017 08:23

DO NOT PAY UP

I did precisely the same thing about 3 years ag0. Kid's birthday present, less than a week old, left lying under the nose of my car, on my driveway. I ran over it, damaged my car and was shouted at by he father of the child, really ranted at.

I rang 101, in front of him, and they confirmed that, if anything, the father owed me the money to repair any damage done to my car.

Call them, explain what has happened, read them the note, basically get your call into the police first. Then tell her whatever it is they tell you! But don't pay up, you are the 'victim' here.

SoupDragon · 05/01/2017 08:24

you were reversing out of your drive

No, she reversed onto it.

SoupDragon · 05/01/2017 08:24

Xpost

ChickenPoop · 05/01/2017 08:25

I don't check around my car before driving off. For those saying OP could've run over a child, if a child is stupid enough to sit or lie on a stranger's drive, in front of a parked car, then I'd argue they aren't responsible enough to be riding their bike around the neighbourhood unsupervised.

I never left my belongings randomly on other people's property when I was growing up, nor did I sit on their drives. If I'd told my mum I left my bike on someone's drive and it got run over, I would've been shouted at for being stupid.

VQ1970 · 05/01/2017 08:25

Why is everyone having a go at the OP for not checking around her car first? The child shouldn't have even been on her driveway, it's private property. If the child is old enough to be out on its own with its bike, two streets away, then the parents should be teaching it road sense and how to behave and what not to do when out. Why is it never the parents fault for not teaching their child how to behave?

I would certainly not be paying for this bike to be repaired, it's not your responsibility. If you feel comfortable going to the house on your own, do that and explain that you have had to pay for repairs to your car and it would probably be a good idea if the matter was dropped.

Collaborate · 05/01/2017 08:25

Those of you who have said I am in the wrong what would you actually do next?

I suggest they brush up on the law. You are not responsible for this. Their child is. Tell them so.

DodoRevival · 05/01/2017 08:26

Ah ok, don't know where I got it idea that you'd reveresed out!! I think it was because I originally thought you'd ran over the bike going into your drive and you mentioned reversing in.

It must have be quite under your car for you not to see it.

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