Dd hit car whilst riding her bike

[Sfuandtired]

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?

Whilst she shouldn't have been riding a cycle on the pavement he still has a responsibility to give way to all road users who are more vulnerable than him, including pedestrians (eg a jogger who could well be running at the speed she was cycling at) on pavements abd crossing roads, and cyclists, especially at junctions - so I wouldn't consider it a clear cut case of it automatically being her fault and liability, I think it's more complicated than that.

I'm sorry that your having to fall with this, and I hope she isn't too badly shaken up. Keep an eye out for concussion.

I'd contact the police.

One of the first response on a thread the other day where a mum was asking advice to help her 16 year old son was something like, “This is ridiculous. He is a fully grown man.”

It sounds like DD is at fault here to me if she zoomed across the road from the pavement. She should pay for the damage. I hope she is ok though. She needs to get on the road in future though as she might hit a person another time.

🤬

MN seems to really really hate teenage boys, whereas teenage girls are always children and never in the wrong.

She went into his side though. He didn’t hit her. And couldn’t give way to or swerve someone he didn’t see coming.

https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rs/road-safety/collisions/

You don't need to report a collision to the police if you've exchanged details, nobody was injured and there are no allegations of driving offences.
You must report the collision to the police if you were unable to exchange details at the scene, if anyone was injured, or if you suspect that the other person may have committed a driving offence.
The child was injured. Therefore the driver must report the collision.

But she wasn’t injured. Mum is now saying she “might have a bruise.” But she wasn’t injured, didn’t declare herself injured, didn’t ask for help, didn’t do anything to indicate she needed help.

To be fair, it sounds like she's been lucky that he had already slowed/stopped - and that there wasn't a pedestrian walking up alongside the other side of the bush.

Is there a reason she was on the pavement?

Irrelevant. The law is different for cars and bicycles. A car driver is required to have insurance and is required to report a collision no matter who is at fault. The same rules do not apply to cyclists.

And for those whinging about the 17yo being referred to as a child - under 18 is legally a child, and the legal definition is all that matters here.

Also a 17 year old (who could look like an adult easily) and didn’t identify herself as a child.

This very near adult woman was cycling illegally on the pavement, approaching a blind corner without slowing, went into the road without slowing or looking and then his a car. Got up, claimed no injury, didn’t ask for help, carried on home. I have zero sympathy. Cyclists injure pedestrians with that kind of cycling. I’m glad all that happened was her running into the side of a car instead of riding over a child rounding the pavement corner, which happened to my child and me when he was little.

She needs to learn to cycle legally and safely.

This.

No one was injured. Nothing to report.

She hit her head.

She would not be considered injured, she didn’t need medical attention

“Morally should” is not the same as “legally required to”. She doesn’t have to pay a penny, the driver’s insurance has to cover it.

Not injured though. That’s what she said herself at the time, after illegally cycling on the pavement and causing an accident.

Collisions do not all need to be reported

Was it the same poster who made both comments?

It is not inconceivable that one poster would consider a 17 year old a child and another poster would consider them an adult.

There is more than one poster on Mumsnet.

She probably hit a few things but that doesn’t mean she was injured

This. I think she has to pay. Two vehicles collided, she was at fault as she rode straight across a road from a blind corner, didn't even look and to top it off, was riding illegally on the pavement. By all means call the police but pretty sure she will get short shrift from them. She broke the law, caused an accident and is trying blame it on the driver so as to not pay for the damages she caused.

@Sfuandtired
Seriously though, why was she cycling on the pavement? My youngest is in primary 6 (10 years old) and they started their Bikeabiity course soon. My oldest did it in P6 too. They learn the rules of cycling on the road etc and know that after this aged, they shouldn’t be cycling on the pavement.

She doesn’t legally have to pay. I’m fully on the car driver‘s side but cyclist don’t have to pay for damage, even if the dangerous cycling went to court. Cyclists don’t have to pay and no one can make you. BUT I also think that if you don’t pay when you do something like this then ultimately, you’re just a shitty person.

The driver had no way to know she wasn’t injured. He can’t take the word of a child, even if she said she felt fine. He should have called the emergency services and let them decide if she was injured.

The law places the burden squarely on the car owner, not on the pedestrian or cyclist, regardless of whose fault it was. He should have called the emergency services and he didn’t.

@Sfuandtired

I'm sorry DD has hurt herself. Personally I'd take her to get her checked out, esp because of possible concussion.

im sorry, but DD was at fault. I know you say she isn't NT & it's very difficult (lots of personal experience with that) However, if she doesn't have good enough skills, she shouldn't be riding a bike. She can't keep herself safe. (Could just be being a teenager too!!)

He did stop and check she was ok, maybe assumed she was an adult, she's not a young child. They swapped details. I don't think he did anything wrong really.

HOWEVER I do think he's an utter cunt not to have stayed until there was another adult to get her help (ambulance, family, friend) and for THAT reason I'd tell him to contact his insurance.

if he'd stayed with her until there was someone there to look after her, I'd have said check ALL your insurances to see if any covered this & if not, then you should pay (getting 3 quotes) because she hit him and he shouldn't have to pay higher premiums for the next (at least) 5 years.