had my first driver induce off on Wednesday

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NickNick

Well-Known Member
Still can't quite believe it happened as the level of driver incompetence involved managed to surprise even the cynic in me!

I was on a mid sized roundabout turning right (on the wife's mountain bike, due to my road bike being at station), I had priority and was indicating with my arm, I made eye contact with the driver that was waiting to feed on the roundabout, then within a second of taking my eye off the driver in order to check the road I was exiting onto was clear, I spotted movement in my peripheral and before I knew it I was on the bonnet!

She must have not looked in front of her when pulling off, and had assumed I'd have cleared the front of the car at the same rate as a driver would have, but I was on a slow mountain bike.

Luckily I managed to hang on to the bonnet as she froze with her foot on the pedal instead of stopping when she hit me! I was driven on the car bonnet from one side of the roundabout to the other and it wasn't until the third lot of stamping my fist on the bonnet shouting "stop the f#####g car" that she finally snapped out of it and stopped.

If I hadn't hung on I would have slid off the bonnet (as I did when she finally stopped) and she'd have driven right over me, so it could have been a much more serious accident, as it is most of the damage is to the bike, my back flared up quite badly once the adrenaline dissipated but a couple of days rest and it seems almost back to normal.

It turns out the driver is related to the guys that run the corner shop next to the roundabout, who we have known for years and are good terms with. They've accepted it was her fault but are keen to settle privately rather than go through the insurance. I've said as long as I don't have to take any extended amount of time off work (self employed in physically taxing job) then I'm probably going to be happy to go down that route, as I could really do with getting the wife's bike back up and running asap, can't afford to front the repairs and really don't have the time to deal with paperwork and insurance companies.

Are there any pitfalls in me going down this route? Assuming by the end of the weekend everything is back to normal physically, I was planning on charging them for the 2 days off work + materials&labour for repairs to the bike.
 
I'm sure more experts will come along but do not go privately. There could be damage and costs you are not aware of yet and I bet my wife's bike they'll get a massive shock and start being awkward when they realise that a new bike costs more than £50.
 
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NickNick

NickNick

Well-Known Member
I'm sure more experts will come along but do not go privately. There could be damage and costs you are not aware of yet and I bet my wife's bike they'll get a massive shock and start being awkward when they realise that a new bike costs more than £50.
[QUOTE 5025730, member: 9609"]she needs her driving licence revoked - so pitfalls could be she runs someone else over. She actually kept driving when you were on the bonnet? did she not know you were there?

there doesn't seem to be a week go past on this forum without one of us getting mowed down by a moron - It just goes to show what utter rot gov stats are on how safe cycling is.

The standard of driving now is just shocking, the better the cars and trucks become the worse the driving gets, folk just seem to sit there and hope for the best.[/QUOTE]

There's no way she didn't know I was there, she just completely froze, it took me banging on the bonnet with the one hand that wasn't gripping on and a lot of shouting to snap her out it and take her foot off the throttle and brake!

I agree that she needs her licence revoked, but based on what little good the police seem to do even in events with much more serious injuries, my gut tells me it would be a complete waste of time, she'll still have her licence. will get a slap on the wrist at worse and it will take forever for me to get any compensation.
 
There's no way she didn't know I was there, she just completely froze, it took me banging on the bonnet with the one hand that wasn't gripping on and a lot of shouting to snap her out it and take her foot off the throttle and brake!

I agree that she needs her licence revoked, but based on what little good the police seem to do even in events with much more serious injuries, my gut tells me it would be a complete waste of time, she'll still have her licence. will get a slap on the wrist at worse and it will take forever for me to get any compensation.
I would notify the police and notify the insurance company. This was a major deal and should be done properly. The police may well do nothing. The insurance will pay, assuming your side of the facts are undisputed, better than privately.

Going private is only for the driver to avoid their responsibilities - it does not help you.
 
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NickNick

NickNick

Well-Known Member
Go through her insurance, she should report it anyhow

Have you reported to police if injured?
Get any injuries looked at my Dr or practice nurse if not A&E to get the paper trail in place

Look at accident advice sticky in commuting for what to do

Nope I didn't report it to the police, at the time with all the adrenaline running I thought I was fine and it was just the bike that was damaged, so I didn't call them. It wasn't until a few hours after the event that I realised my back wasn't right.

e2a: The other complication is that I am not registered with a local doctor atm, so the earliest I will be able to be seen is Monday, possibly later in the week. Will it be too late by that point to act as evidence if I do go through her insurance?
 
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NickNick

NickNick

Well-Known Member
I would notify the police and notify the insurance company. This was a major deal and should be done properly. The police may well do nothing. The insurance will pay, assuming your side of the facts are undisputed, better than privately.

Going private is only for the driver to avoid their responsibilities - it does not help you.

The one way dealing this privately would help me. is I could have money in my hands by Monday, the wife's bike repaired within a few days from that point and I can get on with my life. I'm not great these days at dealing with long running bureaucratic processes as still recovering from a period of severe depression. We're also planning on moving to France within the next 9-12mnths to further complicate matters if it does drag on.
 
Nope I didn't report it to the police, at the time with all the adrenaline running I thought I was fine and it was just the bike that was damaged, so I didn't call them. It wasn't until a few hours after the event that I realised my back wasn't right.

e2a: The other complication is that I am not registered with a local doctor atm, so the earliest I will be able to be seen is Monday, possibly later in the week. Will it be too late by that point to act as evidence if I do go through her insurance?
I think you have 3 years. This isn't right. Do it properly.
 
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NickNick

NickNick

Well-Known Member
That sounds horrendous, I don't suppose there were witnesses?

There were loads although I only details off one of them, made the mistake of as
I think you have 3 years. This isn't right. Do it properly.

Isn't the 3 years for putting the claim itself in? Wouldn't the doctor argue that a week after the event they have no way of confirming it has anything to do with the accident?
 
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NickNick

NickNick

Well-Known Member
That sounds horrendous, I don't suppose there were witnesses?
There were loads as all of the kids were milling about as the school had just finished for the day, but I made the mistake of assuming that as I felt fine there and then I had no injuries and it was just damage to the bike, forgetting that with my already underlying back problems, it would take a few hours for me to know if there was anything wrong or not.
 

Slick

Guru
The one way dealing this privately would help me. is I could have money in my hands by Monday, the wife's bike repaired within a few days from that point and I can get on with my life. I'm not great these days at dealing with long running bureaucratic processes as still recovering from a period of severe depression. We're also planning on moving to France within the next 9-12mnths to further complicate matters if it does drag on.
I know Markymark is quite right, but I also reckon it's not for everyone. For what it's worth, I may take the cash and put it behind me.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
You MUST MUST MUST report this to the Police. The family don't want to claim off insurance because she is one of the 10% who aren't insured. She probably also got a relative to sit the test for her. If she's anything like my neighbour she is a grossly incompetent driver, too vain or stupid to admit she needs glasses and probably drives around in a state of distraction.

DO report this NOW, get an incompetent driver off the road.
 
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NickNick

NickNick

Well-Known Member
You MUST MUST MUST report this to the Police. The family don't want to claim off insurance because she is one of the 10% who aren't insured. She probably also got a relative to sit the test for her. If she's anything like my neighbour she is a grossly incompetent driver, too vain or stupid to admit she needs glasses and probably drives around in a state of distraction.

DO report this NOW, get an incompetent driver off the road.

Is there a way of checking whether or not someone is insured just from their reg? What happens as a cyclist if you're hit by an uninsured driver, would you have to take the driver to court to get compensation as there is no insurance company to go through?
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Nope I didn't report it to the police, at the time with all the adrenaline running I thought I was fine and it was just the bike that was damaged, so I didn't call them. It wasn't until a few hours after the event that I realised my back wasn't right.

e2a: The other complication is that I am not registered with a local doctor atm, so the earliest I will be able to be seen is Monday, possibly later in the week. Will it be too late by that point to act as evidence if I do go through her insurance?
The one way dealing this privately would help me. is I could have money in my hands by Monday, the wife's bike repaired within a few days from that point and I can get on with my life. I'm not great these days at dealing with long running bureaucratic processes as still recovering from a period of severe depression. We're also planning on moving to France within the next 9-12mnths to further complicate matters if it does drag on.
Go to minor injuries. I can;t imagine waiting a few days is an issue if you still have symptoms. I've claimed for whiplash previously (car accident) and the symptoms didn't make themselves known for a few days (as is often so...and no it wasn't a scam claim ;) )

If you're all ok and they stump up enough to cover all repairs, up to you

I'd still want it recorded against her insurance (if she has any as Globalti says) and with the police for stats purposes
 
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