Hit a car...should you stop or just cycle off?

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Okay, just out of interest. What is MORALLY (forget LEGALLY, the two are not always the same, slavery and cock fighting were once legal) the correct thing to do?

Icy side road, single file traffic (always is, cars parked either side). Two thawed out tyre tracks. Car stopped, parked in the middle of the road blocking the tyre tracks.

If, in an attempt to go around the car illegally obstructing the highway, one slips and falls into the car with the bar ends, should you

• Stop and risk unecessary confrontation?
• Continue and report the incident to the police in the knowledge that should there be a complaint, cyclists are always the "bad uns"
• Think "not like it's criminal damage with intent, shouldn't have been blocking the road making it hazardous and sod 'em"

Before you ask, I only fell into the car with my shoulder but I made sure to worry the pr**k more by instandly slapping the wing for effec...I just pondered after thinking "shame my bars didn't go down the side of his f***ing door.

The language by the way is because I am PIG SICK today of fighting through bus lanes clearly marked and free of snow, with cars parking where they like because for the few days of tolerance they have now got used to dumping their s**t-boxes where the hell they like and stuff anyone else

A few wing mirrors got folded in (by hand) I am afraid to say

 

[Alexios]

Hi SF. I think that morally the only answer is that you have to stop and apologise to the driver. OK, he should have tried to move to one side to let you pass, and OK your slipping and falling into his car was entirely inadvertent, but still an action of yours meant that you hit his car. Its not that I'm an apologist for cars: I've stopped to explain the error of their ways to three drivers this week already (bus lanes) but in the scenario you mention I think you should stop. The odds of an unfortunate confrontation are very small.

 

[BentMikey]

It's a parked car. You are entirely to blame, of course you should stop and exchange details.

 

[HLaB]

If you'd made contact; I'd typically apologise no matter who's fault it is. That said if you judged that it was a nutter driving; don't worry about; it certainly not worth reporting if there wasn't damage.

The only time I've done similar I stopped my self with the face (ouch!) The driver instantly got out and asked if their car was OK.

 

[BlackPanther]

I'd not really give a 2nd thought if I caught someone who was parked really badly. Maybe if they had enough battle scars on their vehicle, they'd learn to park correctly. Sheffield is a complete nightmare. Ecclesall road bus lane is always full of cars blocking the bus lane. I don't cycle in Sheffield, but I do have to drive a 28 ton lorry round there regularly, and it never ceases to amaze my how dense people are when parking. The worst area is Hillsborough, every time I go up a side street, I get to the T-junction at the end and can't turn left or right 'cos idiots have parked right on the corner.

But back to bikes.....CYCLE OFF every time, no guilt whatsoever!

 

[andrew-the-tortoise]

s'pose if you were to slip accidentally & damage an illegal/inconsiderately placed vehicle then morally it would be ok to just p*ss off [Khama!].

But legally you would probably be stuffed - not that I am an expert or 'owt.

Glad I have picked this week to give my knees a holiday by walking/catching the train.

 

[briank]

Not sure I would stop - cowardice being the better part of indiscretion - but I think I ought to (that was the question) though if the other party got shirty I'd be pointing out the error of his ways too.

 

[ThePainInSpain]

Illegally parked, then it's his fault, so #3.

 

[jeltz]

So this was a parked vehicle with a driver inside??!? That 's a stopped/waiting vehicle.

How inconvenient of the driver to be where you wanted to be on the road at that time.

Whatever your feelings about where they were stopped you shouldn't just leave. If a driver shunted you and just drove you would, quite rightly, be livid.

 

[2Loose]

Stop, apologise and check car for damage before offering details. Accidents happen.

I know if a car did a hit\nudge and run on anyone here, everyone would rightly be up in arms.
It works both ways.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Stop, apologise and check car for damage before offering details. Accidents happen.

I know if a car did a hit\nudge and run on anyone here, everyone would rightly be up in arms.
It works both ways.

What...if I said

I was cycling with my mate who wanted to go to the shop so we stopped in the middle of the road and sat there. I waited blocking the road off while I held his bike. Cars following behind couldn't pass. A Motorbike went carefully through the narrow gap but slipped and ran over my toe...what a w**ker, he should have just waited whilst my mate went shopping

I'd have everyone's support and everyone would be encouraging me to report the motorcycle?

I doubt it.

So this was a parked vehicle with a driver inside??!? That 's a stopped/waiting vehicle.

How inconvenient of the driver to be where you wanted to be on the road at that time.

Whatever your feelings about where they were stopped you shouldn't just leave. If a driver shunted you and just drove you would, quite rightly, be livid.

No, not inconvenient. How WRONG and illegal of the driver to dump a car blocking the entire highway in both directions rather than park further up and walk a few yards. You can't just dump a car in the middle of a road to go and do your shopping

Perhaps I should drw a picture

Yes, it was inconvenient of the driver of the red car to be parked there. And so wrong of me to be so impatient that I couldn't stand around in the cold for a few minutes whilst he did his shopping

(not to perfect scale but you get the idea)

Would this be a 100% cyclist fault HAD there been a collision between bike and car? Bearing in mind that there was indeed room to pass (more than seems in my rushed picture, in fact cars and cyclists coming opposing ways often pass) however the ice involvement led to the slip.

As I say, I only slipped and leant on the car with my shoulder (plus the palm slap for being such a nobber to just sit there blocking the road)

 

[thomas]

ohhh, you should of draw the picture before. I had no idea.

I'd of probably apologised and let them see there was no damage. If they wanted to fuss I'd probably fuss about there parking. End of the day, I've got legal cover and third party insurance, and if they want to fuss about it I'll just let them deal with it.

No skin of my back.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

[QUOTE 1265043"]
Stop and exchange details. And in future leave 15-20mins earlier to negotiate such hazards.
[/quote]

My boss might have something to say about that.....

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

ohhh, you should of draw the picture before. I had no idea.

I'd of probably apologised and let them see there was no damage. If they wanted to fuss I'd probably fuss about there parking. End of the day, I've got legal cover and third party insurance, and if they want to fuss about it I'll just let them deal with it.

No skin of my back.

Fair point and so have I, had there been contact with bike and car then I'd have probably done the same. But I wonder would it be wise to do so for a cyclist with no insurance, and wonder how that would turn out.

I suppose it's a bit of those "I'd love to just walk straight over the bonnet and roof of cars blocking the pavement" things that I'm sure most pedestrians have at least fantasied about doing if they are in an area with a serious pavement parking problem

 

[Matthames]

That is not inconvenient of the driver parking there. It is down right dangerous. It would be ironic if that driver was to collapse whilst in the shop and require urgent medical attention, but then due to their inconsiderate parking the ambulance gets boxed in. Or what if there is a fire up the road and there is a family trapped in a burning building.