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Dd hit car whilst riding her bike

1000 replies

Sfuandtired · 22/04/2024 21:48

Dd 17 has collided with a car tonight whilst riding her bike, she was crossing the road and from what I can make out didn’t see the car turning, she hit the car with her wheel leaving a dent and was thrown over the handle bars banging her head on the window, the driver got out, asked if she was ok, took her name and phone number, then said he was late for work and drove of!
Dd has since had a text saying she will be sent a bill and bank details for the damage to the car! WWYD?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
18
Newbutoldfather · 23/04/2024 15:08

Not read the whole thread but you should get in touch with the driver and deal with it instead of your daughter. You then tell him you want him to claim on his insurance, so you don’t pay him anything on just his say so.

I would also check if bike accidents are covered on any of your insurance policies. If the bike is insured, you may have bought third party liability insurance. If that is the case, you should go through your insurance. The below website is a really good guide (and is current).

https://www.pedalsure.com/blog/what-happens-if-a-cyclist-causes-an-accident-or-damage-to-a-car

If you have insurance, go through them the same way you would for a car accident. If not, I would wait until his insurance company contacts you and give them your side of the story.

The site does say to contact the police within 24 hours on their non emergency number.

What Happens If A Cyclist Causes An Accident Or Damage To A Car?

A guide to what happens in the event of a cyclist causing an accident or damage to a third party. Where do you stand and how you are covered?

https://www.pedalsure.com/blog/what-happens-if-a-cyclist-causes-an-accident-or-damage-to-a-car

Kandalama · 23/04/2024 15:09

Stigglet · 23/04/2024 15:03

I’ve seen a case where the cyclist shot out in front of the driver (caught on dashcam) and was killed. The car was written off.

There was no wrongful death case because it was clear the cyclist was at fault. Police investigated but decided not to prosecute.

The driver still didn’t get a single penny towards the cost of her car, or any personal injury compensation. Despite the cyclist being fully responsible for the collision.

I am super paranoid and careful around cyclists now. And the fact is, if the car driver had limited visibility at the junction because of the hedge, he should have edged up to the white line very slowly while looking around. Not shot up to the junction fast enough that a pavement user behind the hedge didn’t see him in time and collided with him.

The OP doesn’t say anything about the driver shooting up to the junction fast. He could have been sat there for ages for all we know.

OPs daughter couldn’t see him which is why she went straight into the side of the car.

If she was slowing down for the junction she should have stopped.
As she went into the side of the car and over the bonnet then clearly she was going at some speed. If she was slowing down but couldn’t stop then she would have been slower, the bike would have hit the car and she may have tumbled to the ground but not go over the bonnet. It’s a matter of physics and I’m sure the police will look at that if the matter goes that far.

Mirabai · 23/04/2024 15:10

sandyhappypeople · 23/04/2024 15:04

it seems he appeared a split second before she got there from OPs descriptions, neither would have seen each other because of the hedge, but he was rolling to the junction as he should have been, doing nothing wrong, the problem was she was going far too fast to check the road was clear, and when she realised the car had appeared it was too late for her to stop when she saw him she she ran into the side of him.

If he was further away from the junction he would have knocked her off (or she would have made it over the road in front of him), he was at the junction when she hit him, so it stands to reason he got there first, she just didn't see him because of the speed she was going and lack of visibility.

It was a mistake on her part.. but he did nothing wrong.

He was clearly going too fast to check who was crossing in front of him at the junction. The Highway Code puts the onus on the road users.

Any further back from the junction and he would have knocked her off - exactly - he only missed doing so by a smidge.

BellsAndFootfalls · 23/04/2024 15:11

Newbutoldfather · 23/04/2024 15:08

Not read the whole thread but you should get in touch with the driver and deal with it instead of your daughter. You then tell him you want him to claim on his insurance, so you don’t pay him anything on just his say so.

I would also check if bike accidents are covered on any of your insurance policies. If the bike is insured, you may have bought third party liability insurance. If that is the case, you should go through your insurance. The below website is a really good guide (and is current).

https://www.pedalsure.com/blog/what-happens-if-a-cyclist-causes-an-accident-or-damage-to-a-car

If you have insurance, go through them the same way you would for a car accident. If not, I would wait until his insurance company contacts you and give them your side of the story.

The site does say to contact the police within 24 hours on their non emergency number.

I'm fairly certain OP isn't coming back now

Crumpleton · 23/04/2024 15:12

diddl · 23/04/2024 14:40

I'm in Germany & we have many cycle paths.

There are places where you have to get off & walk across the road.

Even if you have right to cycle across the road you check for traffic & that drivers have seen you.

Generally because even though you have ROW you'll likely come off worse in a collision.

I used to live on a main road that has a shared pedestrian/cycle laned pavement but cyclist refuse to use it as they didn't want to keep stopping at side roads.
Only ever saw DC/parents using it on the school run.

Not sure if it's world wide but unfortunately in the UK over time some people have lost the ability to think for themselves and instead of taking responsibility for their own actions or safety expect those around them to know what their mind is thinking.

Whether you're walking on foot, cycling or driving a vehicle be ready to expect the unexpected.

Mirabai · 23/04/2024 15:13

Kandalama · 23/04/2024 15:09

The OP doesn’t say anything about the driver shooting up to the junction fast. He could have been sat there for ages for all we know.

OPs daughter couldn’t see him which is why she went straight into the side of the car.

If she was slowing down for the junction she should have stopped.
As she went into the side of the car and over the bonnet then clearly she was going at some speed. If she was slowing down but couldn’t stop then she would have been slower, the bike would have hit the car and she may have tumbled to the ground but not go over the bonnet. It’s a matter of physics and I’m sure the police will look at that if the matter goes that far.

He couldn’t have been sitting at the junction for ages as she would have seen him.

She couldn’t see him because he wasn’t at the junction as she approached the edge of the pavement, he was hidden by a hedge. That proves he was far back enough for the hedge to hide him.

Aspergallus · 23/04/2024 15:13

Honestly all the analyses here around fault are unnecessary and unhelpful. There are hierarchies and rules around determining fault in these instances and it's not as simple as a layperson assessment of blame.

Send the man a message and ask him to stop contacting your child directly. (And 17 is a child). Advise him to contact his insurer and pass your details on to them to reach out directly.

Contact the police on the non-emergency number to discuss. Ensure that they understand that your child is ND so that they make appropriate adjustments.

That's it.

Mirabai · 23/04/2024 15:14

Aspergallus · 23/04/2024 15:13

Honestly all the analyses here around fault are unnecessary and unhelpful. There are hierarchies and rules around determining fault in these instances and it's not as simple as a layperson assessment of blame.

Send the man a message and ask him to stop contacting your child directly. (And 17 is a child). Advise him to contact his insurer and pass your details on to them to reach out directly.

Contact the police on the non-emergency number to discuss. Ensure that they understand that your child is ND so that they make appropriate adjustments.

That's it.

Yep.

Kandalama · 23/04/2024 15:16

Newbutoldfather · 23/04/2024 15:08

Not read the whole thread but you should get in touch with the driver and deal with it instead of your daughter. You then tell him you want him to claim on his insurance, so you don’t pay him anything on just his say so.

I would also check if bike accidents are covered on any of your insurance policies. If the bike is insured, you may have bought third party liability insurance. If that is the case, you should go through your insurance. The below website is a really good guide (and is current).

https://www.pedalsure.com/blog/what-happens-if-a-cyclist-causes-an-accident-or-damage-to-a-car

If you have insurance, go through them the same way you would for a car accident. If not, I would wait until his insurance company contacts you and give them your side of the story.

The site does say to contact the police within 24 hours on their non emergency number.

Very interesting article and worth noting the following

She was riding on the pavement
She was riding on the wrong side
She was not following the rules of the road
She didn’t slow to give way

Dd hit car whilst riding her bike
Stigglet · 23/04/2024 15:17

Mirabai · 23/04/2024 15:10

He was clearly going too fast to check who was crossing in front of him at the junction. The Highway Code puts the onus on the road users.

Any further back from the junction and he would have knocked her off - exactly - he only missed doing so by a smidge.

This.

Kandalama · 23/04/2024 15:20

Mirabai · 23/04/2024 15:13

He couldn’t have been sitting at the junction for ages as she would have seen him.

She couldn’t see him because he wasn’t at the junction as she approached the edge of the pavement, he was hidden by a hedge. That proves he was far back enough for the hedge to hide him.

Exactly
He was hidden by a hedge !!!
If she was slowing down as she was approaching a junction, which she should do, she would have had a better chance of seeing him and stopping when she got there.
She obviously wasn’t given the force at which she hit the side of the car.

It’s very simple physics.

Mirabai · 23/04/2024 15:22

Kandalama · 23/04/2024 15:20

Exactly
He was hidden by a hedge !!!
If she was slowing down as she was approaching a junction, which she should do, she would have had a better chance of seeing him and stopping when she got there.
She obviously wasn’t given the force at which she hit the side of the car.

It’s very simple physics.

😂 is all I have to say to that. (Physics indeed).

Kandalama · 23/04/2024 15:25

Mirabai · 23/04/2024 15:22

😂 is all I have to say to that. (Physics indeed).

Yes obviously.🤯
Motion, force etc…..it’s all physics.

sandyhappypeople · 23/04/2024 15:25

Mirabai · 23/04/2024 15:10

He was clearly going too fast to check who was crossing in front of him at the junction. The Highway Code puts the onus on the road users.

Any further back from the junction and he would have knocked her off - exactly - he only missed doing so by a smidge.

Here you go..

He was rolling up to a junction, his visibility at that point shows the pavements are clear, he's done his due diligence to make sure there are no hazards, he rolls forwards.

She was approaching fast on her bike intending to go straight over, in her visibility window she can't see him, he DID get to junction first otherwise she would have gone over the bonnet or in front of his car.

He did everything as he should. she shouldn't have been on the pavement and shouldn't have been going so fast that she couldn't stop at the pavement edge.

Her mistake was she assumed there would be nothing coming and thought she could go straight over, but ANYONE could have come round that corner, a child, an elderly person, another cyclist on the road instead of the car that she could have seriously injured or killed if we're being honest.. she was 100% in the wrong for not being able to give way to more vulnerable road/pavement users, but it WAS a mistake.

Dd hit car whilst riding her bike
Lifestooshort71 · 23/04/2024 15:30

CrispieCake · 23/04/2024 11:45

Yes, I would do the same if I collided with a young child - totally different situation though.

I imagine an adult man 'bundling' a 17yo girl into a car, even in order to take her home, might be open to misconstruction. I agree ideally he would have waited with her and called someone but maybe she did just seem fine to him. And it's unclear that he would have known she was 17 and a child, as opposed to an adult who seemed reasonably composed in the circumstances.

My post was pointing out the lack of compassion on this thread, not suggesting he should 'have bundled her in his car' !!

Mirabai · 23/04/2024 15:30

He was rolling up to a junction, his visibility at that point shows the pavements are clear, he's done his due diligence to make sure there are no hazards, he rolls forwards.

There was a hazard he didn’t see it. They didn’t see each other. There was a collision.

gloriagloria · 23/04/2024 15:31

@sandyhappypeople I'm loving your work! I think you should have a contract from mumsnet to produce graphics for disputes about accidents, parking, garden borders and everything else requiring a diagram.

parkrun500club · 23/04/2024 15:33

The driver still didn’t get a single penny towards the cost of her car, or any personal injury compensation. Despite the cyclist being fully responsible for the collision

but they would have been able to claim on their own insurance. Which is what it is for. It is not to keep your no claims bonus for as long as you can.

Katbum · 23/04/2024 15:33

He hit a teenage cyclist and drove off? Isn’t that a hot and run? I’d be informing police.

Kandalama · 23/04/2024 15:36

gloriagloria · 23/04/2024 15:31

@sandyhappypeople I'm loving your work! I think you should have a contract from mumsnet to produce graphics for disputes about accidents, parking, garden borders and everything else requiring a diagram.

I agree!
Loving these diagrams

Kandalama · 23/04/2024 15:37

Katbum · 23/04/2024 15:33

He hit a teenage cyclist and drove off? Isn’t that a hot and run? I’d be informing police.

No!
Hit and run is when you drive off straight away
She ran into him
He got out asked if she was ok, which she affirmed and then he got some details from her.
That’s not hit and run!

Crumpleton · 23/04/2024 15:39

Katbum · 23/04/2024 15:33

He hit a teenage cyclist and drove off? Isn’t that a hot and run? I’d be informing police.

Seems he didnt hit her...
But before he drove off he stopped and they exchanged details and he did speak by way of asking if she was ok...
More a collide and no run I'd say...

sandyhappypeople · 23/04/2024 15:40

Mirabai · 23/04/2024 15:30

He was rolling up to a junction, his visibility at that point shows the pavements are clear, he's done his due diligence to make sure there are no hazards, he rolls forwards.

There was a hazard he didn’t see it. They didn’t see each other. There was a collision.

Yes...

There was a hazard that neither of them saw, but he didn't collide with her, she collided with him, so I'm not sure why you're so insistent to assign blame to the car driver, he was just in wrong place at the wrong time.

Kandalama · 23/04/2024 15:42

parkrun500club · 23/04/2024 15:33

The driver still didn’t get a single penny towards the cost of her car, or any personal injury compensation. Despite the cyclist being fully responsible for the collision

but they would have been able to claim on their own insurance. Which is what it is for. It is not to keep your no claims bonus for as long as you can.

People who cause damage to another persons property should have to pay for that. They should not have to claim solely for their own insurance the perp should pay up or claim through their house insurance.
Its all very wrong to just damage someone property and not think you have to pay for its repair or replacement.

Msmumm · 23/04/2024 15:43

I wonder how many of these people championing the (stupid) cyclist would be happy if they were the car driver?
You can just imagine the thread now can't you 'CF damages my car and has now blocked me, AIBU to think they should pay'.

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