Sorry. I'm a newbie round here, I don't think I've ever posted in P&L...
Don't apologise - just me misreading with my P&L warped-brain...
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Don't apologise - just me misreading with my P&L warped-brain...
adds21
Rider of bikes
- Location
- North Somerset
112 is the same as 999, it's still an emergency number. It also works in Britain (at least, from mobiles).
Jaguar
New Member
- Location
- Norfolk/Suffolk
I'm late to the debate, but just wanted to add my tuppenceworth/experience:
- in 37 years of (daily) cycling, I've had 3 serious accidents (that caused damage to me). The police were called every time, and every time they failed to take any action whatsoever against the drivers
- the last time I got hit (head on, he "didn't see" me): I sued. I got just over £2k in compensation. However, I have permanent back & knee pain. £2k suddenly doesn't seem so much ....
Before last year, I would never have phoned the ambulance chasers; now I say "go ahead", because nobody else cares about your welfare: certainly not the police
Vikeonabike
CC Neighbourhood Police Constable
- Location
- Bourne, Lincolnshire
Jaguar,
Sorry to hear about your negative experiences with plod, however can you clarify that the POLICE never took any action against the driver or was it a case of the Criminal Protection Service declined to prosecute? I get fed up of taking what looks like cut and dried cases to CPS only for them to delcine prosecution on some minor issue! Likewise, going to them with a no hoper that is never going anywhere in a month of Sundays for them to say Charge!
Jaguar
New Member
- Location
- Norfolk/Suffolk
Both. The police attended the scene, and I could tell they weren't interested from the start: they looked at me lying in the road, they looked at the driver who was saying "I didn't see her!". They basically took his details and let him go. They then came to me and took my statement, but the PC wrote down what he THOUGHT had happened, not what I told him (he wrote down the wrong road, ffs).
He then drove me home and seemed very keen to get me to drop any idea of charges: he kept talking about blind spots etc, said that new cars have all kinds of blind spots and it's not the fault of drivers when they have collisions!
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
I then insisted on following this up, so the same PC came out AGAIN to take a 2nd statement from me, under caution. I got the distinct impression he was trying to get me to "drop it". For example, when I said that I had right of way, he corrected me and made me write that I "believed" I had right of way.
A few months later I got a bland photocopied letter saying the CPS wouldn't prosecute, basically on the grounds that drivers are allowed to have a "momentary lapse of concentration".
So I sued instead, and the driver settled out of court.
Vike, you're clearly lovely, can't they clone you?
trickletreat
Veteran
- Location
- solihull
Since September 2008 I have been towing my daughter in various trailers, using a bike and then trikes, to school and back, before continuing my own journey.
Quite early on, at a junction in a 20mph limited school area, a driver drove at me causing me to overbalance;he stopped very close to my leg and then tried to push me out of the way using the front bumper. I fell off and my foot ended up stuck between his tyre and wing. The trailer with daughter in, was resting to the side of his vehicle, with her screaming.
We were past by numerous peds and motorists on the school run, nobody helped me. I tried to call an ambulance and police, but was unable to get 999 to answer!
Eventually the driver drove away without exchanging details...I continued my journey to school and home, pushing bike and trailer, limping all the way.
I visited the police station that morning. It took five more visits over the next few days, and me finally asking to make a formal complaint before my report of an assault not RTA was taken. The man was then arrested but denied any contact...even though his bonnet was damaged by my handlebars as I hit the floor. No independant witnesses, he attended fully briefed, so no further action.
He now passes me daily, with well over a cars width.
Quite early on, at a junction in a 20mph limited school area, a driver drove at me causing me to overbalance;he stopped very close to my leg and then tried to push me out of the way using the front bumper. I fell off and my foot ended up stuck between his tyre and wing. The trailer with daughter in, was resting to the side of his vehicle, with her screaming.
We were past by numerous peds and motorists on the school run, nobody helped me. I tried to call an ambulance and police, but was unable to get 999 to answer!
Eventually the driver drove away without exchanging details...I continued my journey to school and home, pushing bike and trailer, limping all the way.
I visited the police station that morning. It took five more visits over the next few days, and me finally asking to make a formal complaint before my report of an assault not RTA was taken. The man was then arrested but denied any contact...even though his bonnet was damaged by my handlebars as I hit the floor. No independant witnesses, he attended fully briefed, so no further action.
He now passes me daily, with well over a cars width.
jag
thats disgusting
cars do have blind spots where the bits of metal are normally,, thats why you move your head to avoid them... i've never heard such drivel than 'oh well blindspot in front, so not a problem'.. its basic driving technique for crying out loud!
momentary lapse of concentration? is that something from nick 'mr loophole' freeman?
and trickletreat thats even more insane!
thats disgusting
cars do have blind spots where the bits of metal are normally,, thats why you move your head to avoid them... i've never heard such drivel than 'oh well blindspot in front, so not a problem'.. its basic driving technique for crying out loud!
momentary lapse of concentration? is that something from nick 'mr loophole' freeman?
and trickletreat thats even more insane!
OP
OP
Debian
New Member
- Location
- West Midlands
After reading the above disheartening anecdotes, here's my update.
Plod came round today to take my statement.
Vikeonabike - Thank you! I preprepared my statement using your template which I then handed to Mr PC along with a number of photographs of the offending vehicle, my bike, the scene, etc. PC was taken aback but very pleased, he said that me doing that saved him a lot of work and time and that he wished everyone could be that thorough.
Anyway, paperwork attended to. PC said he intends to visit the driver tomorrow or day after and intends to interview her under caution. He asked how I preferred to proceed - full prosecution or some sort of compulsory driver retraining. I said I'd think about it.
No news yet from LBS re: repairability of bike and estimate.
So, we wait and see. I'll keep you posted.
Plod came round today to take my statement.
Vikeonabike - Thank you! I preprepared my statement using your template which I then handed to Mr PC along with a number of photographs of the offending vehicle, my bike, the scene, etc. PC was taken aback but very pleased, he said that me doing that saved him a lot of work and time and that he wished everyone could be that thorough.
Anyway, paperwork attended to. PC said he intends to visit the driver tomorrow or day after and intends to interview her under caution. He asked how I preferred to proceed - full prosecution or some sort of compulsory driver retraining. I said I'd think about it.
No news yet from LBS re: repairability of bike and estimate.
So, we wait and see. I'll keep you posted.
Vikeonabike
CC Neighbourhood Police Constable
- Location
- Bourne, Lincolnshire
Complaints system is pretty simple. Ring the non emergency numbere. Quote your incident number and initially a Sgt will get back to you. If he cannot resolve the issue satisfactorally then it slowly goes up the chain of command, until, in the very worst cases it goes to the IPCC.
Vikeonabike
CC Neighbourhood Police Constable
- Location
- Bourne, Lincolnshire
Good idea, wait to find out what she is like when interviewed and make your mind up from there.
Glad to be of help!
Vikeonabike
CC Neighbourhood Police Constable
- Location
- Bourne, Lincolnshire
Why thank you Ma'am 
Debian
Sorry to hear about your experience. I am hoping for better luck with mine.
A week yesterday I was taken out by a driver failing to stop at a roundabout. Two witnesses called an ambulance and the paramedics called the police. Apparently the driver was interviewed at the scene.
I drifted in and out of consciousness for 40 minutes, spent a day and a half in hospital and have a v-shaped gash and 8 stitches in my head. I have bad bruising to my bottom and was very stiff and sore although that is getting better. None of it was helped by the hospital throwing away my expensive contact lenses or giving me painkillers to bring home that should not be taken in the event of a recent head injury (tick) or pressure on the brain (tick). Fortunately by the time I needed them I was sufficiently compos mentis to read the accompanying leaflet.
My bike is undamaged and the local police looked after it until I was ready to collect it. They've sent me a booklet which when completed becomes a statement. They have told me over the phone that the incident is serious enough to prosecute.
It's only now that I feel up to posting about the incident. I think the only lasting effect is going to be a fear of drivers pulling out on me. I have a dim recollection of a driver approaching too fast on the exit before mine and me thinking he/she must be about to stop any second. The fact that I was unable to do anything about it is what scares me.
For the record, Jason-the-paramedic and the staff in A & E were the best I could have hoped for. Jason mentioned there were witnesses who told him I was conscious straight afterwards and that the driver clipped my rear wheel. I found all of that very reassuring at the time.
It does seem to be the luck of the draw. If there are witnesses or the cyclist needs an ambulance then the official process kicks off. If it is deemed less serious then it does seem that the police take the line of least resistance.
Sorry to hear about your experience. I am hoping for better luck with mine.
A week yesterday I was taken out by a driver failing to stop at a roundabout. Two witnesses called an ambulance and the paramedics called the police. Apparently the driver was interviewed at the scene.
I drifted in and out of consciousness for 40 minutes, spent a day and a half in hospital and have a v-shaped gash and 8 stitches in my head. I have bad bruising to my bottom and was very stiff and sore although that is getting better. None of it was helped by the hospital throwing away my expensive contact lenses or giving me painkillers to bring home that should not be taken in the event of a recent head injury (tick) or pressure on the brain (tick). Fortunately by the time I needed them I was sufficiently compos mentis to read the accompanying leaflet.
My bike is undamaged and the local police looked after it until I was ready to collect it. They've sent me a booklet which when completed becomes a statement. They have told me over the phone that the incident is serious enough to prosecute.
It's only now that I feel up to posting about the incident. I think the only lasting effect is going to be a fear of drivers pulling out on me. I have a dim recollection of a driver approaching too fast on the exit before mine and me thinking he/she must be about to stop any second. The fact that I was unable to do anything about it is what scares me.
For the record, Jason-the-paramedic and the staff in A & E were the best I could have hoped for. Jason mentioned there were witnesses who told him I was conscious straight afterwards and that the driver clipped my rear wheel. I found all of that very reassuring at the time.
It does seem to be the luck of the draw. If there are witnesses or the cyclist needs an ambulance then the official process kicks off. If it is deemed less serious then it does seem that the police take the line of least resistance.
asterix
Comrade Member
- Location
- Limoges or York
In my case it was the medics and hospital who got things wrong. The driver made a fairly swift getaway after leaving a false address with my very helpful witnesses (I was on another planet at the time).
It was over 24 hours before anyone told the police and they were extremely rude about the paramedics and York Hospital for not telling them. They then got hold of the witnesses and took statements that resulted in the insurer being traced and put out a search for the vehicle (it was never found). An officer made at least 3 visits to my home to report progress and see how I was doing.
IIRC it was someone on the C+ forum who suggested using the CTC service to claim and altho' it took over 3 years the compensation was a great deal more than I thought I'd get.
I wish the OP every success.
It was over 24 hours before anyone told the police and they were extremely rude about the paramedics and York Hospital for not telling them. They then got hold of the witnesses and took statements that resulted in the insurer being traced and put out a search for the vehicle (it was never found). An officer made at least 3 visits to my home to report progress and see how I was doing.
IIRC it was someone on the C+ forum who suggested using the CTC service to claim and altho' it took over 3 years the compensation was a great deal more than I thought I'd get.
I wish the OP every success.