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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should I call the police? WWYD?

91 replies

surfandturf · 05/01/2011 14:12

I was knocked off my bike on the way to work this morning. (Car came out of a junction and did not see me despite the fact I had lights on)
Although I'm very shaken and my back is a bit sore there was no real harm done. The driver did stop to ask if I was ok but did not offer me any of his details. (I made a note of his reg though.)

My DH thinks I should call the police and report the driver as he says that I was lucky not to have been seriously hurt.

I'm not sure about his car but there was no damage to my bike. My helmet is a mess (Really glad I wore one!) I went to the hopsital for a check over and they say I will probably be quite sore for the next few days.

I'm concerned whether work will let me take time off as sick or if I will lose pay as a result - if so the driver should pay this loss of earnings for me and buy me a new helmet or AIBU?

WWYD?

OP posts:
MadamDeathstare · 05/01/2011 14:39

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LeninGrad · 05/01/2011 14:41

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LeninGrad · 05/01/2011 14:41

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backwardpossom · 05/01/2011 14:43

Every police force has a non-emergency contact number, LeninGrad as far as I'm aware.

LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake · 05/01/2011 14:44

Does anyone know what the driver should do then? Confused

If there was no damage to the cyclist/bike and I had ascertained they were ok I would probably leave too.

I'm not being arsey - genuine question.

LeninGrad · 05/01/2011 14:44

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emmyloulou · 05/01/2011 14:44

The police won't do anything, he stopped, checked all was ok and left, op then went to hospital to be on the safe side.

They will do nothing, they are not interested unless it's serious injury or a complete hit and run on a person.

Even in mutiple car crashes, unless there is serious injury they don't persue any form of prosectution, it's not that easy to prove fault, so they don't bother.

The police won't do anything they won't make the driver pay up either. That is a civil matter.

GiddyPickle · 05/01/2011 14:44

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scurryfunge · 05/01/2011 14:46

Report -it is an injury RTC. The police will record details and will investigate the driver. He did stop but would not have reported if you told him there was no injury. It should be reported within 24 hours too. Just call on the local non emergency number. They may ask you to attend the station to report it.

In the absence of no other witnesses, it may go no further than being recorded. People who do not give details at the scene may be hiding something like no insurance, etc, so I would let the police know.

Hope your back feels better soon.

GiddyPickle · 05/01/2011 14:46

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claireybear82 · 05/01/2011 14:46

lol no google ur local police station and ring them. if it were me id be reporting it for insurance purposes only (ie to get a ref number just in case i needed to claim in future) not to get him in trouble or whatever

LeninGrad · 05/01/2011 14:47

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curlymama · 05/01/2011 14:49

I would want to know more details about how the accident happened before I could tell you whether I think you should report it or not.

From what you have said here, i wouldn't report it. What more do you want from him, he stopped to make sure you are ok, you told him you were. You say your back is a bit sore, that's no reason not to go to work.

Sounds like you or you DH is just looking for an excuse to sue and get some compensation to me.

LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake · 05/01/2011 14:49

Ok, but the OP said they were ok to the driver so the driver of the car doesn't have to report it does he?

He may not have seen that her helmet was damaged too.

Does that mean that the cyclist is the only one who has to report it (as they had subsequent injuries)?

ItsMeMo · 05/01/2011 14:49

Any RTC which results in injury needs to be reported to the police.

curlymama · 05/01/2011 14:51

But he didn't know there was an injury. She said she was ok.

GiddyPickle · 05/01/2011 14:52

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake · 05/01/2011 14:57

It doesn't say that - it says if there is injury, if there was damage to property.

At the scene of the accident there was neither and as the driver of the car I wouldn't have reported and according to that link if the above was true then I wouldn't need to.

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 05/01/2011 15:02

If the OP is sore enough that she is considering taking time off work and worrying about the loss of earnings then that counts as an "injury" and the accident should be reported (within 24 hours to your local police station -- IME they won't take this kind of report over the phone).

The other driver can't be blamed for not reporting to the police if OP told him she was OK, because he didn't know that there was an injury, and I would make that clear on the accident report form rather than looking as though you are trying to get him into trouble. But it ought to be reported.

scurryfunge · 05/01/2011 15:03

Laurie -the driver should report within 24 hours if there is injury or if there is damage to roadside furniture,etc. As the driver is likely to argue at the time, there was no injury,etc then he would not have reported. Now an injury IS apparent the cyclist should report- that way police, insurance companies etc can get a picture of what has occured if any prosecution or claim is considered.

castleonthehill · 05/01/2011 15:05

Report it asap

emmyloulou · 05/01/2011 15:06

I said the money side if it is civil, it is please read my post.

Fact is as far as the driver was aware there was no injury or damage as op said all was ok, so can't see the police coming down too hard.

Oh they aren't really interested in property damage just serious injury, been there twice now.

Original poster
surfandturf · 05/01/2011 16:00

Just to clarify - The driver asked me if I was ok and I automatically said 'yes' (Polite english response) He helped me get my bike back to the pavement and asked again (are you sure you're ok? I then said my arm was a bit sore but that I thought I was ok? I don't think he knew what to do and neither did I and we were both a bit shaken. I didn't see what else he could do - I told him I would ring my DH to come and get me so the driver left. When I started to try and walk away I then realised that my lower back / hip was sore and I was actually struggling to walk so that's when I thought I should go to hospital just to get checked out. The hospital checked me over and explained that I was fine but the pain I was experiencing was muscular pain would probably get worse over the next few days. I was advised just to take pain killers.

My DH said it could easily have been a mum pushing a pram across the road and the driver should be repremanded. To be honest I think he was a shocked as me and will probably be more careful from now on so I'm really still unsure what to do!

Thanks for your concern though - I am still quite sore (even after painkillers!)Great start to the New Year Sad

OP posts:
Sassybeast · 05/01/2011 16:05

The plot thickens. If you feel that a proper investiagion is warranted, ring the police and they can then apportion blame appropriately.

Original poster
surfandturf · 05/01/2011 16:05

Curly - I didn't go to work because I was so upset and shaken. I have only stopped crying in the past hour or so. When I look at my helmet I think I had a very lucky escape and I think it'll be a while before I get back on a bike again. Believe me I'm not a shirker, a drama queen or a scrounger and I don't take time off work lightly.

OP posts: