Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bike accident

66 replies

Besswess88 · 22/12/2021 10:12

My son hit a cyclist in his car a few weeks ago on a roundabout.

Two passengers in his car who can confirm the guy had no lights (it was dark).

No damage to his car or the bike.

Police now contacting my son asking for his insurance details saying the guy wants to claim for damage to his bike on my sons insurance.

My son has contacted his insurance company.

I have advised my son to get official email from the police which he has done explaining no lights and no damage.

Any advice please?

OP posts:
Goatinthegarden · 22/12/2021 11:15

Those talking about damage to very expensive bikes…whilst it’s entirely possible to have a very expensive bike with no lights, it’s not very likely.

Where I live, it tends to be the students on cheap bikes who ride around without lights. The riders with high end bikes also tend to have all the tech light up gear and 400 lumen lamps…

Like others, I’m a bit bemused at how the police are able to confirm the rider had no lights if they didn’t attend…

StarfishDish · 22/12/2021 11:17

A family member was knocked off his bike and the driver drove off. Luckily, it was witnessed on CCTV with witnesses too. Nothing has happened to the driver though.

StarfishDish · 22/12/2021 11:18

Sorry, I posted before I'd finished. I'd leave it to the insurance company to sort out. Hope everything gets sorted. Xmas Smile

TheHoptimist · 22/12/2021 11:20

My DH was hit by an elderly driver (relevant)
She initially said no insurance as she had had so many accidents recently

Then she found out that the bike was £2500 and it went through the insurance. He was riding it back from a service and so had a pretty good evidence of its condition prior to the crash. Some the damage was evident- wheel etc but the damage to the frame wasn't.

She was very lucky that he wasn't injured,

BumBurnerBum · 22/12/2021 11:22

I live rurally where there are long stretches of winding 40mph country lanes with no street lamps.

I am terrified of hitting one of the many suicidal cyclists that cycle on the road at night in black with no lights or reflectors.

I drive slowly and use main beams, but when there is oncoming traffic I obviously dip my lights and it is impossible to see anything beyond the oncoming cars.

It is only a matter of time for a tragic accident and I pray I am not involved.

Alicetheowl · 22/12/2021 11:25

Have to agree with a PP who pointed out that these expensive bikes people are talking about tend not to be the ones without working lights. They tend to be cheap runarounds where the lights have stopped working and not been replaced.

vixeyann · 22/12/2021 11:31

If the cyclist was successful with a claim, their damages are likely to be reduced because of their contributory negligence in not having lights in the dark.

Jossbow · 22/12/2021 11:57

Problem is, you son cannot say the bike rider approached him with no lights- he didnt see him, never mind wonder if he had lights.

Lights are quite small these days, although emit a bright beam, and may well have broken on impact.

Darkstar4855 · 22/12/2021 12:09

@vixeyann

If the cyclist was successful with a claim, their damages are likely to be reduced because of their contributory negligence in not having lights in the dark.
Only if they admit to not having lights. If the police didn’t attend and there’s no independent witness then they could easily lie.
girlmom21 · 22/12/2021 12:13

You're being unreasonable to suggest that it was ok for your son not to give insurance details because he was shook up, to expect the police to confirm there was no damage when they weren't in attendance and to blame the cyclist when you weren't there yourself. Of course his passengers will say he isn't at fault - that's why the insurers ask for independent witnesses.

Presumably your son has already reported the incident to his insurance? So there's no issue.

Hankunamatata · 22/12/2021 12:15

This is why I want a dash cam

blondie887 · 22/12/2021 12:46

There are two separate issues here 1) the damage and 2) the fault

The insurance company will have assessors/engineers to examine the bike and assess damage. You can't just declare there wasn't any.

They will also have assessors to determine fault, and will take statements from witnesses, look at CCTV etc to decide where the fault lies. Remember, your son's insurance company will be keen to find that he wasn't at fault as they will want to reduce their own liability to pay. So leave all the investigation to them.

There is no obligation to leave insurance details after an accident, only to exchange names and contact details. But insurance details are very easy to find from this (plus car number plate) so no need to actually give insurance company, policy number etc.

vivainsomnia · 22/12/2021 13:04

Don’t ride around on an (possibly) expensive bike with no bloody lights
For a start, you don't know he did t have lights on. If you son didn't see him and hit him in the side, he might not have noticed them.

Even if failed to have them in, maybe because he ran out of battery which can happen, it doesn't excuse your son wasn't paying enough proper attention.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 22/12/2021 13:07

@vivainsomnia

Don’t ride around on an (possibly) expensive bike with no bloody lights For a start, you don't know he did t have lights on. If you son didn't see him and hit him in the side, he might not have noticed them.

Even if failed to have them in, maybe because he ran out of battery which can happen, it doesn't excuse your son wasn't paying enough proper attention.

Trying to determine what happened is ridiculous. Suggesting either the cyclist or OP's son was to blame is daft as we don't have all the facts.
gsaoej · 22/12/2021 13:12

Contact the insurance company
Tell them no lights
And tell them cyclist rode away on the bike
They can then determine what to do

Cocomarine · 22/12/2021 13:25

Old enough to drive, old enough to sort this out himself. He’s already contacted his insurance company - they will advise him better and more precisely than mummy running to the internet on his behalf.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 22/12/2021 13:39

Why didn't he have his insurance details with him? I know its not mandatory, but I have a photocopy of mine in my glove box. When someone drove into my car it was really useful to have them to hand.

I'm a cyclist as well as a driver, I hate it when cyclists don't have lights at night (I live in Cambridge so it happens a lot) but you don't know for sure they didn't.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 22/12/2021 13:50

@EmmaGrundyForPM

Why didn't he have his insurance details with him? I know its not mandatory, but I have a photocopy of mine in my glove box. When someone drove into my car it was really useful to have them to hand.

I'm a cyclist as well as a driver, I hate it when cyclists don't have lights at night (I live in Cambridge so it happens a lot) but you don't know for sure they didn't.

So because you do something a certain way OP's son should?
SilverHairedCat · 22/12/2021 13:52

@daimbarsatemydogsbone frankly no one keeps that crap in their car, however given most people buy their insurance online these days, the lad should still have had it available on his phone. Not difficult.

FlamingoQueen · 22/12/2021 13:54

I always see lots of cyclists in dark clothing, no lights etc. Always try and make a mental note of them so if ever someone does hit them, I can say they had no lights on!
Could it be worth getting your ds a dash cam for Christmas?

Pleasebeafleabite · 22/12/2021 13:55

@Cocomarine

Old enough to drive, old enough to sort this out himself. He’s already contacted his insurance company - they will advise him better and more precisely than mummy running to the internet on his behalf.
Hope that made you feel good about yourself
grassisgreen · 22/12/2021 14:00

I would say your son did the right thing to stop after the accident, as required by the Road Traffic Act, and exchanged details - name, address and car registration. He didn't need to give insurance details unless someone was injured, which it seems they weren't. He didn't need to call the police as they exchanged details, nobody was injured and there were no allegations of driving offences.
So it seems your son did everything lawfully. However he may have been obliged to report any collision with his insurance company regardless of damage, injury or fault.
By not taking photos at the scene he has not helped himself regarding the alleged damage claim, so he will have to rely on his friends as witnesses.
This is now in the hands of the insurance company and he will have to cooperate with their investigation, regardless of fault and whether the alleged damage claim is true or not. There is nothing further he can do.
I believe insurance companies see purported scams for damages and injuries all the time, and 'independent' witnesses who suddenly appear days later. The cost falls on everyone's insurance premiums.

horseymum · 22/12/2021 14:16

I think it will almost always be considered the driver's fault as the cyclist is more vulnerable. I had a family member who knocked a cyclist over, they got fined, four points and the insurance paid out damages. They said they thought the cyclist was speeding as it's actually a notorious downhill where it's possible to do more than 30 on a bike easily but that wasn't taken into account as no proof. Could have been worse though.

girlmom21 · 22/12/2021 14:21

Well to be fair @daimbarsatemydogsbone, it's 2021, so the fact the PP keeps their insurance details in their glovebox is irrelevant. Anyone with a smartphone has almost instant access to their insurance details these days.

Do you only come on to MN to pick fights? I've seen you pick at lots of peoples opinions/comments but I don't think I've ever actually seen you give any helpful input to anyone.

TheHoptimist · 22/12/2021 14:39

@EmmaGrundyForPM

Why didn't he have his insurance details with him? I know its not mandatory, but I have a photocopy of mine in my glove box. When someone drove into my car it was really useful to have them to hand.

I'm a cyclist as well as a driver, I hate it when cyclists don't have lights at night (I live in Cambridge so it happens a lot) but you don't know for sure they didn't.

Keeping details with you name and address in - in your car So if it is stolen the their now has further information to enable them to commit more crime

(what if stolen from long term parking at airport for example)

Do you also leave your passport and house keys in your car?