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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

DC knocked over a cyclist

363 replies

blueirishues · 31/01/2017 16:33

The situation was that I pulled up and dc opened the car door, a cyclist went into it and over the top. My door is damaged and cyclist shouting all sorts about going to sue Shock what are the rights and wrongs here?

OP posts:
ThatGingerOne · 31/01/2017 21:08

OP isn't that shaken based on her other thread with sarcastic remarks about maybe she should be holding vigils for cyclists.

Butteredpars1ps · 31/01/2017 21:14

Don't bleat about being sued. Feel glad you didn't kill the cyclist

Or the child.

StealthPolarBear · 31/01/2017 21:21

" Also, if theywerein the back, why were they getting out on the road side instead of the pavement side?"
If you have two elderly people in the back do they really both scooch over to get out at the pavement side? My children do but I didn't think older adults did and yet a lot of people on this thead seem to think it unusual

Sheld0n · 31/01/2017 21:24

100% your fault. If he does sue for damage to the bike or injury it's completely warranted.

MelOrSue · 31/01/2017 21:43

180 posts! I'm pretty sure the OP knows she is in the wrong by now. In fact she said that she had apologized to the bike rider 168 posts ago so was clearly already aware she was in the wrong before she even started the thread. 😂

nokidshere · 31/01/2017 21:45

Accidents happen. Thank goodness no-one was seriously hurt. Go to your insurance and let them deal with it.

I can't believe how many people think that a 9 yr old doing something without thinking is unusual - children are always unpredictable regardless of wether they "have always been good before". It was an accident and she did not intend to hurt anyone, I should think she has had a huge shock and timely reminders or child locks in future should suffice.

opinionatedfreak · 31/01/2017 21:45

I would sue you. Loss of earning/ pain etc. my regular job has sick leave, my additional stuff doesn't.

I have a basic but decent commuting bike it cost 600quid in ancient running gear. Most of my colleagues cycle of 1000quid plus carbon fibre road bikes with expensive kit (new leggings 100quid minimum).

Be very hopeful you didn't hit one of them....

2rebecca · 31/01/2017 21:45

The OP had parked against the flow of traffic ie on the wrong side of the road. This is illegal in New Zealand where you can only park on the side of the road in the direction you are travelling ie always parking on the left as NZ drivers like us drive on the left. The OP swung over to the right hand side of the road against the flow of traffic so the child who was sitting next to her HAD to open her door in to the traffic. Stupid driver as well as careless child.

Babyroobs · 31/01/2017 21:52

I think it just needs to be repeatedly drummed into kids to look carefully before opening doors. In our city a cyclist died recently because the occupant of a taxi opened their door without looking and hit the cyclist into the path of a lorry.

ThatGingerOne · 31/01/2017 21:54

OP is totally over this. Quote from another of her threads in response to her not being bothered by this thread:

''but quite honestly, as potentially serious as it was, it wasn't, if you see what I mean.''

MelOrSue · 31/01/2017 22:07

TheGingerIne. I read that differently to you. I took it as the OP saying that it wasn't as catastrophic as is potentially could have been. I didn't read it as her not caring about it. Confused

ThatGingerOne · 31/01/2017 22:09

I think that, paired with her joke about how she should maybe be holding a vigil for cyclists says it all really.

RainbowUnicornPoop · 31/01/2017 22:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

StealthPolarBear · 01/02/2017 07:04

2 Rebecca I don't think she was parked against the traffic

wettunwindee · 01/02/2017 08:25

This op seemed deliberately vague for several pages about how the cyclist was injured and seems dismissive.

No. Just confused 'passenger seat' with 'a passenger'. The girl opened the rear offside door.

She said they were apologetic at the scene. The cyclist isn't seriously injured. She gave them her details and is now worried about financial implications.

There may well be an increased premium when you re-insure next time OP. Probably not massive. Your insurance will be the ones paying if he does sue for loss of earnings etc. He should not be out of pocket in any way whatsoever. When something similar-ish happened to me, I even got reimbursed for the cost of transport to work for the time I was unable to cycle. That was on top of helmet, jacket, gloves, shorts, bike and 3 days off work. About £6k. This came from the insurance company and not directly from the driver. I gave them the option but it can soon become surprisingly expensive.

diddl · 01/02/2017 09:03

"The OP had parked against the flow of traffic ie on the wrong side of the road."

No, the Op hadn't.

The child was in the seat behind the Op.

But yeah, the car door was opened into the road-clearly Ops fault as the driver.

There's nothing more to be said about that, is there?

Just thank goodness that it wasn't worse & pay up!

amammabear · 01/02/2017 10:29

I ALWAYS make sure the dc check before opening a door- even against the pavement, they could have opened it onto a pedestrian. I also NEVER let them open doors on the traffic side of the car- they ALWAYS get out on the path side. My toddler suits behind me on the driver's side, but I never ever let him climb in or out of that door, he always climbs across from the other door, I then go round the car to strap him in having carefully checked that it's safe. The only person ever at risk on the traffic side of the car is me.

2rebecca · 01/02/2017 11:05

She did say the passenger seat. I can't see anywhere where she says the child was sitting behind her in the back seat.

StealthPolarBear · 01/02/2017 11:25

She thanks topsy who describes it in that way

KERALA1 · 01/02/2017 13:08

Dds 10 year old friend climbed over Dd and another friend to exit pavement side when I dropped off last night. Didn't occur to her to exit roadside though she was sitting there. Was impressed just hope mine do the same when I'm not there.

Topseyt · 01/02/2017 13:13

2rebecca, are you being deliberately obtuse?

aintnothinbutagstring · 01/02/2017 13:20

I'm always really careful if I'm opening my passenger door into traffic, check mirrors and blind spot, I wouldn't want my child to be getting out into the road and would go round to escort them out or get them to scoot over. However, when one is learning to drive, you are always told to give lots of clearance to parked cars as if someone is fully opening their door, so I'd position the car towards the centre line or even slightly over it if the cars on the other side have enough room. Do cyclists not also practise this?

KERALA1 · 01/02/2017 13:28

If they do everyone (car drivers) shouts at them aint.

Checkthisout · 01/02/2017 13:33

The fact the cyclist could have swerved & didn't Hmm
They'd have had enough time to see before the door was fully open.

What happens when a cyclist causes an accident?? FUCK ALL, everyone blames the driver. Pisses me off! They should all have insurance!

savagehk · 01/02/2017 13:43

Checkthisout, how long does it take you to open a door?! Cyclist would have no time to swerve. And if cyclist rides a door length into the road, cyclist gets abuse/ close passes from drivers.