Compensation after fall where third party not known

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Could use the wossname people, MIB. Never heard of that working mind.
 

glasgowcyclist

Charming but somewhat feckless
Location
Scotland
Hi,
Three weeks ago, I had a fall from my road bike. I was following a car round my local park - there were parked cars on the left. Suddenly, a car pulled out from the line of parked cars without signalling. This caused both myself and the car in front to brake. I didn't hit the car in front, but did fly over the handlebars of the bike and hit the floor with my face first.

The car that pulled out left the scene, probably not knowing what he had just caused. The woman of the car in front of me was aware of what happened only by the reaction of people walking on the pavement.

The tumble caused some facial cuts and bruises and also caused a radial head fracture (arm). This meant that I had to take time off work - 3 weeks in total.

I was wondering if anyone has experienced a similar situation where they have looked to claim compensation after their fall, but as the third party probably wasn't aware of what had happened, how to go about doing so.

Interested in hearing your thoughts on this.

Thanks.


With no reg number of the car that pulled out you have nobody to claim against.
Put it down to experience and learn from it what you can.

How's the bike?


GC
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Our OP fell off as a result of his own failure to leave a suitable clearance between himself and the vehicle he was following. That vehicle is entitled to be able to brake for any purpose with the reasonable expectation that a vehicle following won't plough into him or otherwise come a cropper as a result of trying to avoid them. Therefore, I would suggest this is a result of the riders own poor judgement or inattention, and not the result of the presence of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place.

Just because a motor vehicle was present and on or highway or other public place does not automatically make that vehicle at fault for other incidents in the immediate vicinity. It's neither car 1s or car 2s problem if vehicle 3 does not leave a gap in which they can safely stop if required to do so. Car 2 was traveling at a speed and distance that allowed him to stop in the distance he could see to be clear - vehicle 3, for reasons not known, failed to observe this oft repeated, and frankly quite sensible, mantra.

Car 1 pulled out, a manoeuvre that may have been Ill advised, dangerous, or even unlawful.

Car 2 spots this, safely stops.

That incident then ended at this point.

A further incident occurs when vehicle 3 loses control as a result of trying to avoid car 2. Car 2 is commuting no offence and doing nothing untoward. There is now no connection with Car 1.

Go have a cup of tea, lick your wounds, and learn to leave a safe gap to avoid future face planting.
 
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MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
what drago said.
 

shouldbeinbed

Rollin' along
Location
Manchester way
I've been similarly unfortunate / careless in my road position & got caught out too. A WVM ignored a give way line and drove straight into the flow of traffic forcing the car I was following to do an emergency stop just as I had been shoulder checking ready for an upcoming right turn, as I turned my head forward again I was way too close to avoid a glancing blow into the back of the car and an acrobatic tumble into the road.

WVM was well gone and the lady who's car I walloped helped me up, was very apologetic (haha) and filled in the blanks for me while the little tweety birds were circling my head and someone was rescuing my pretty mullered bike to the side of the road.
There was no exchange of details and I got & deserved nothing but a 4 day headache and an expensive repair bill for the bike.
 

MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
I've been similarly unfortunate / careless in my road position & got caught out too. A WVM ignored a give way line and drove straight into the flow of traffic forcing the car I was following to do an emergency stop just as I had been shoulder checking ready for an upcoming right turn, as I turned my head forward again I was way too close to avoid a glancing blow into the back of the car and an acrobatic tumble into the road.

WVM was well gone and the lady who's car I walloped helped me up, was very apologetic (haha) and filled in the blanks for me while the little tweety birds were circling my head and someone was rescuing my pretty mullered bike to the side of the road.
There was no exchange of details and I got & deserved nothing but a 4 day headache and an expensive repair bill for the bike.
sounds like your minimum safe stopping distance wasn't properly observed.
 
Did you get the number plate?

Agree with others above. Unfortunately you should have been taking more care in a park. It's not the highway so you should expect car drivers to do the unexpected which means you should be at a speed where you can stop safely.

Thats not even possible by definition. In some situations it doesnt matter how slow you ride, if someone pulls out right in front of you then a collision is unavoidable.
 
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