to offer to pay for my mistake

[QueenMeerkat]

I cycled to work today, did a 12 hour shift, and came back out to find a note tucked into my cycle helmet. The note said "PLEASE THINK! You have locked your bike to mine! I have to get a taxi home!!!". I then realised that I had locked my bike up to the bike rack, but managed to pass the lock round the frame of the other bike by accident, in my half asleep state. I wrote a message on the back of the note, apologising for my mistake, leaving my phone number and offering to pay for the taxi.

Now I'm starting to wonder if I did the right thing - I live in a city centre with excellent public transport, and you can get a bus anywhere for £1.50. I'm a bit scared how much this taxi might have cost, but also wondering why the cyclist didn't just get the bus. It was my mistake, and I feel that I should make up for it, but I'm also a bit worried. Have I done the right thing?

Well if they're anything like me I'd have got a taxi because I need to be home after work on time and have never used the bus system.

Yes you've done the right thing!
IF they phone and ask for £200, laugh it off. You have no obligation to pay, or even go halves. But if it's reasonable, £10-20(no idea of your city rates) then certainly offer.

Is it a colleague?

You have because you have cleared your conscience over an accident.
Chances are they will have simmered down by the morning and will be feeling more reasonable.

Yes you have - you have no idea what the timetable of that person was, how far away they were or what their knowledge of the bus system is

It's a nice gesture to pay for a cab, I'd be mighty pissed off if that happened to me

Yes you have. And presumably they got a taxi because they didn't want to wait for public transport and they wanted to be dropped off outside their house

You did the right thing. They may have been heavily pressed for time and a taxi was quicker for them than public transport.

I did this once at work, work cut my lock off . Now I have my phone number & email addy written on the lock, hope not to do it again.

I don't know who it was, but assuming a man from the size of the bike. I work in a hospital in a city centre, so it could have been one of hundreds of people. I felt so bad! But was genuinely half asleep at 6:45am, and didn't notice what I'd done.

You did the right thing, apologising and offering to pay that is.

Though how on earth you can claim to be half asleep after you have got up, showered and cycled any distance is beyond me.

Oh that's a good idea, ragged! I might put my number on my lock, just in case for the future.

Archduke I feel like a zombie for at least an hour after I wake up. The cycle is up hill and pretty exhausting.

You've done absolutely the right thing, well done!

You did the right thing.

Besides, it was a bloody mistake, not the end of the world!

I think you did the right thing.

If I were the other cyclist, I wouldn't actually call you and ask for the money as I'd feel too awkward and embarrassed. But I would feel warm and forgiving as oppose to angry and bitter. And I'd know it would now be my fault that I was out of pocket as I'd be too wussy to call you.

Yes you're doing the right thing. No one can ask for any more. Except maybe a lift back later to collect their bike.

You did a kind and honest thing - well done, and wish there were more people like you!

you did the right thing
your being "half asleep" will have caused the bike owner a lot of trouble.

most likely they will not ask for much

Thanks for the reassurance! :)