Drivers that don't admit liability

[jefmcg]

Aside from checking for injury and need for emergency assistance I work on the 'say nothing about the incident and just exchange details' path and let the insurer work it out.

Two driving incidents when I was much younger.

Ran into the back of a car stopped at a red light. Yeah, I know. Me "I am not admitting fault, but the facts of what happened are [stated facts]" The damage was small, but it was his dad's car so he took my details. I never heard from them. I did damage their car, my assumption was that my stepping up contributed to their decision not to pursue it.

Bumped a neighbours car while parking and broke an indicator cover. Left a note with my house number on it. We never met - just dropped things in each others letter boxes. He drove to a wreckers yard, got a second hand part and I got a bill for $4 (~£2!). No reasonable expenses, or professional repair. He got his money promptly and a big box of chocolates. I got a feeling of good will that's stayed with me a long time.

 

[Chilternrides]

Sorry SportMonkey - but it appears to me that you need to take some responsibility for your own actions here too - of course the driver should have been aware of what's around him / her, but you also have a responsibility to do the same.

Why ride into a potentially risky situation, when you had a choice to avoid it?
Maybe it''s inexperience or (hopefully not) arrogance - good to know that you are not a stain on the floor, but better that you learn rather than rant as a result of your experience.

Yep, I probably am being judgemental, but it's not meant maliciously - if we want people to get off our backs then we have to show that we can:

a) Abide by the rules
b) Be aware of the fact we are extremely vulnerable, and conduct ourselves on the road accordingly
c) At the same time assert our right (courteously) to be on the road.

If I sound like an old fart, it's because I am - and I got to be an old fart by keeping the points above in mind.

 

[asterix]

Now, now Chilternrides don't be a troll..

 

[Chilternrides]

Now, now Chilternrides don't be a troll..

Not trolling at all - as someone who has been on two wheels for 40+ years, I'm just getting a bit ticked of with the "it's all their fault" attitude - sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't; occasionally it's 50 / 50 or a simple judgemental error, which can of course have awful consequences, which is why I said we all have a part to play in anticipating what others may do.

If you want to argue, go down to a pub full of sixteen year-olds rather spit out childish comments from behind a keyboard.

 

[dellzeqq]

Getting myself sorted - you know a good psychologist? Seriously though, right shoulder and hip ache, and don't have full movement. How long do hits hurt for?

this is the important bit. Get yourself checked out. And keep a diary. And take photographs of your bruises. And tell your solicitor about the pain and discomfort.

 

[dellzeqq]

Sorry SportMonkey - but it appears to me that you need to take some responsibility for your own actions here too - of course the driver should have been aware of what's around him / her, but you also have a responsibility to do the same.

Why ride into a potentially risky situation, when you had a choice to avoid it?
Maybe it''s inexperience or (hopefully not) arrogance - good to know that you are not a stain on the floor, but better that you learn rather than rant as a result of your experience.

Yep, I probably am being judgemental, but it's not meant maliciously - if we want people to get off our backs then we have to show that we can:

a) Abide by the rules
b) Be aware of the fact we are extremely vulnerable, and conduct ourselves on the road accordingly
c) At the same time assert our right (courteously) to be on the road.

If I sound like an old fart, it's because I am - and I got to be an old fart by keeping the points above in mind.

Are you suggesting that he rode in to the car deliberately? How was it a 'potentially risky situation'?

 

[SportMonkey]

What?! I as cycling along a straight rode , full out on a slight downhill. In the cycle lane. The car tried to overtake, didn't get past me and turned left, I braked as much s I could and steered around the corner as much as I could. You can see a dent in the c pillar where my bars hit because she came across in to me. I was totally unable to avoid this incident. I can't see where your view of take some responsibility comes from, not that it was mentioned.

You, my friendly troll, have solicited a reaction from me, I'll try to avoid another response.

 

[Chilternrides]

this is nonsense. Are you suggesting that he rode in to the car deliberately?

Not at all - if you bothered to read the way the event unfolded you might just see what I mean - The OP's words follow, not mine:

Car occupant's version - They overtook me, and I carried on pedalling in to the side of her car.

OP's version - they overtook me, didn't get past, and turned. I was still pedalling as I always do through that section of road.

This is me:

Was the OP not savvy enough to see the potential for an accident at that point? He continued to pedal on - by his own admission.

I've been the victim of a handful of "left hooks" over the years, and as a result of that, if someone comes alongside me with a junction approaching, believe me my fingers are hovering over the brake levers and I'm expecting them to do the unexpected.

My comments may not be popular, but I stand by my point of taking stock of what's going on around you and being prepared to respond accordingly. Life, sadly does not conform, and things will go wrong - I have no doubt that in the future I'll become acquainted with the tarmac again for whatever reason, but it will not be for a lack of awareness.
My comments to the OP may be read as critical, (which they were) but were intended as advisory rather than pompous finger pointing.

This is where cyberland falls flat; the feeling or intent can be hard to convey on a written forum...

No offence intended, just a forthright opinion offered.

 

[SportMonkey]

To alliterate, you are being a pompous provocateur postulating potential post perception problems. Your issue is that you're assuming things based on short tracts of writing that holds no key to emphasis or intonation. If I had a helmet cam you could watch and give fair assessment. You indeed do not know the section of road, the traffic, or anything but a few sentences that I wrote above, which you can quite clearly interpret how you choose.

I will not be drawn on responsibility as I currently have solicitors dealing with this.

 

[fossyant]

Mr Monkey, ignore Mr Chiltern, spoiling for a fight.

As you said you were going at a fair pace - we all can't ride round like little old grandads thinking everyone is about to do silly things. 99.99% of the time you are riding, now't happens.

 

[SportMonkey]

Mr Monkey, ignore Mr Chiltern, spoiling for a fight.

As you said you were going at a fair pace - we all can't ride round like little old grandads thinking everyone is about to do silly things. 99.99% of the time you are riding, now't happens.

Nothing like a good fight...

And you can call me Ed, well the people who are pleasant to me on here can call me Ed, everyone else can call me sir.

 

[Chilternrides]

To alliterate, you are being a pompous provocateur postulating potential post perception problems. Your issue is that you're assuming things based on short tracts of writing that holds no key to emphasis or intonation. If I had a helmet cam you could watch and give fair assessment. You indeed do not know the section of road, the traffic, or anything but a few sentences that I wrote above, which you can quite clearly interpret how you choose.

I will not be drawn on responsibility as I currently have solicitors dealing with this.

So why bother posting half a tale? Pointless conversation.

 

[SportMonkey]

So why bother posting half a tale? Pointless conversation.

It was the minimum needed to explain both view points to the person who asked the question.

A pointless conversation with you? Yes most definitely. I'm not sure why you've decided to troll this, but if you can go back to your cave it would be much appreciated.

 

[Arch]

He continued to pedal on - by his own admission.

If the driver turned left across him, he'll barely have had time to register what was going on, let along thing to stop pedalling, surely?

And how did he pedal into the side of the car, if it wasn't turned across in front of him. Are we supposed to think the driver stopped broadside in front of him and gave him a few minutes to slow down, but he just rode on into her?

 

[Chilternrides]

Insult rather than converse - I'm off to my cave, just outside Culcheth - I may well know the road you are on about