Electric scooter kid went flying after hitting my car door

[LoveMyPiano]

I was just about to get out of my car - door opening onto the pavement - this afternoon, not dark by any stretch of the imagination, although the car door does have a light that stays on even when ignition off.
I had seen a girl (I think I know her, she's 8 or 9) go zooming past "up" the road - wearing black, on her no-doubt Christmas present, large electric scooter.
I pushed the door open, not fully, an was about to get out when I heard a skidding sound and she hit the car door and went flying onto the ground.
When I look afterwards, the tyre marks were about 2/3 of the way across the pavement, closer to my car. Had the door been fully opened, it would have been badly damaged, I think - or she might have been.
She rolled on the ground but didn't hit her head (no helmet) and seemed to want to check her scooter thoroughly herself.

I didn't say sorry - more like "Oh God!" - and checked she was OK, briefly saying that she was very difficult to see, but that's all, even though I think a whole lot more.
This will no doubt come back to me as "she was knocked off her scooter by that woman up the road" etc - but AIBU to think it was her own fault, even allowing for the fact she is a young child?

Aside from dooring a kid?

@Ineedaholidayyyy Thank you.

I remember when Electric Bikes first came out - and there were many incidents when drivers were pulling out of junctions, thinking the oncoming cyclist was some distance away, only for there to be a collision, as the distance was closed far more quickly than expected.
(Cyclists somewhat to "blame" though - it takes co-operation on all sides.)

So you've done it before?

Maybe it's time for some more advanced driving courses and further meaningless in this scenario qualifications.

i nearly did this to a grown man - the problem is you look and check that no one is coming at walking speed given it is a pavement and then open the door - electric scooters are so fast that they appear very quickly

so I look no one near paused to pick up my bag and in that time he had appeared - I was getting out of the passenger seat as well

they are illegal in public spaces because unsafe on roads and pavements

you should not have to allow for such speed on a pavement (road obviously v different)

The parents could be prosecuted for allowing the child to ride one on public road or pavement, riding without a licence (have to have a driving licence to ride the legal ones) and without insurance. So if there is any comeback from idiot parents I’d report it to the police and let them deal with it. In fact since it’s an accident involving your vehicle maybe you should be reporting it anyway?

Poor girl, I think I’d go check she was okay.

My priority would be to make sure the girl was okay, not to try pointing blame at her.

Electric scooters ridden on pavements are an absolute menace, hopefully the girl will have learnt a lesson.

When I said, "similar" - it was only that it was a car vs bikes, and someone ended up on the ground.

Three cyclists taking up a whole lane (only room for two cars to pass if one pulls in)..... coming round a bend/curve that was pretty blind for me given the height of grasses at the verge. They had NO awareness of the car approaching. I was going max 15mph, possibly less. When they tried to move over, they crashed INTO ONE ANOTHER and two fell off. My car never touched them.

Nevertheless, I reported to the Police (I also took measurements, photos of the area and drew scale diagrams) - got Incident No. A week later, the Police showed up, saying I had "failed to report an Accident" and one of the cyclist wanted to claim for his torn lycra. I told them that it had been reported on the day, quoting the Incident No - and showed them my records.
I had also -semi-stupidly - reported to my Insurers. No claims were made by anyone, but it did affect my premium.
I ride a bike daily, and have never done anything so ridiculous. And have Bike/Public Liability Insurance anyway, although I would prefer not to fall off.

So, you didn't check that the pavement was clear before opening your car door...

No, she shouldn't have been on the pavement on an electric scooter (or anywhere else for that matter) but you didn't check it was safe to open your door.

Bit too close to saying Sorry though - which could be seen as admitting fault.

Yes I did - but I do not have eyes in the back of my head. I would have had to get out backwards to have seen her in tthe second it took to get to me. She must have come down that road as though there was not, and couldn't possibly be, anything else to consider except her own fun.

I can't understand how you are not looking behind as you open the door, it's literally how I taught my children how to own a car door.

Surely an advanced door opening course would be more appropriate?

She opened her car door to get out.

The child was in dark clothes riding a fast scooter on the pavement (illegal) so it's not a surprise the OP didn't see them.

The girl on the scooter was clearly the one not paying attention and not riding at a safe speed if they skidded that much! They perhaps should also have been supervised.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0804-Ss1uf/?igsh=MWo5NzN6bmpoaDZmOA==

Scooters and accidents go hand in hand.

If I'm parking on the street, I always check in the door mirrors before getting out of the car just in case.

My brother was once cautioned by the police because he knocked someone off their bike by opening his car door without looking first. Fortunately the man wasn't injured, nor was his bike, but he still went to the police to complain.

It's certainly a wise precaution as children are less aware of such hazards.

So you want a child to be aware but not the adults responsible for a two ton machine, eh ok then.

You’re absolutely correct

That's not logical though. (Legal) E-bikes are no faster than normal bikes. Electrical assistance stops at 25kph (15.5mph) which is well within the ability of a reasonably fit adult and "serious" cyclists will often be going a lot faster than that.

I would report it to The Police as you are required to do so.

If you know where she lives I would also report it to Social Services as a safeguarding issue

It would all depend on various factors though, I suppose. Nowadays, I assume everyone is on an electric bike (except me), and they usually are.
The local Domino's driver definitely is - and scares me to death! No lights, on the pavement, rushing along while on his phone.

I am definitely thinking of the Police, as an Incident - but it could open a horrible can of worms. As I said, the girl (and her friends) can be, and have been, quite rude, to put it mildly. Who knows where it could end up; that's quite a worry.

@LoveMyPiano no lights, no helmet?? parents not thinking of her safety when they purchase gifts like this!!

WTF? Did you miss that the child is only 8 years old?