Right hooked. Left big dent in car door. What do I do next?

[ManiaMuse]

So after 3 years cycling in London, finally had a proper accident.

Cycling north along here.

Sitting in primary behind a coach which is slowing down because there is a queue of traffic at the mini-roundabout. So I pull left into the cycle lane to pass the slowing traffic. Coach stops at the line where it says 'keep clear' as I am alongside and allegedly flashes to signal to a car coming from the opposite direction to turn right across my path.

I was probably about level with the coach driver's door when suddenly the car pulls in front of me. I'm pretty good at emergency stops (do practice occasionally) and check my brakes regularly, but had no way of slowing down in time and no-where to go being alongside the coach.

Hit the rear passenger-side door at a fair whack with the front wheel pretty much square on. Front wheel then went to the left and I went to the right. Bum took the majority of the impact with the car door and/or ground although right hand fingers also took a knock with the ground. Fortunately did not end up under rear car wheel or hit the window. SPD-sl pedals released even though I have them quite tight. Helmet may have a few little dings though not sure for definite.

Suprisingly I was alright other than a slightly sore finger (feels fine now).

Annoyingly no-one else stopped as a witness and I didn't get any photos. The coach driver who apparently flashed the driver across must definitely have seen it because the car stopped blocking his path, but pulled off as soon as the car pulled out of the way into the side road (should have stayed on the ground I guess).

Got the driver's contact details (husband and wife) and registration. They seemed pleasant enough and more concerned for me than the big dent in their door. The wife seemed a bit shocked but they gave me a lift up the road home.

I called the coach company but they said it will be hard to trace the coach driver witness without the registration. I know what time and place it was so will try their head office tomorrow.

Bike looks relatively ok. Chain came off but put it back on at home and seems to run ok. A few new scuffs but probably hard to tell exactly which are new (bike is about 4 years old). Front wheel and carbon forks don't look buckled or cracked at first glance. Did land last mech-side down so wouldn't be surprised if something is bent though.

So my question is, what do I do next? I did leave an impressive sized dent in the car door which I imagine will cost a bit to repair. Should I take my bike to the shop to be checked over or not now?

 

[numbnuts]

I would get it checked as a just in case

 

[gaz]

If you have any injuries, you should report it to the police for stats purposes.
If no injury they won't be interested in looking at it, and anything logged would just be for insurance purposes.
Then it's just contacting the driver and finding out what they want to do with the repairs. It may be fair that the damage is paid for 50/50.

Remember, passing big vehicles on the inside is risky. Your view of the road ahead is blocked and others view of you is blocked. Now the driver shouldn't have just trusted the coach driver to let him across, and the coach driver problem shouldn't have flashed him across. Big clues where there, the coach stopping at the keep clear, by a side road. Warning signs that something is about to happen or could do.
Passing such vehicles on either the left or right that comes with dangers, and as such you should take it slowly and be prepared to stop at any time.

I hope that you are ok, there is no damage to the bike and the other party is as friendly as they originally made out to be

 

[PeteXXX]

Glad that you are relatively uninjured!
Your claim, on face value, if you put one in, would be against the car driver who pulled across your path as you say you had the right of way. The fact that the coach stopped to allow the car to cross is not any defence on their part.
It's a shame that the coach driver didn't stop and at least offer some help, but that's what frequently happens with potential witnesses. They don't want to get involved.
It'd be best, I reckon to get the bike, and maybe yourself, checked over just in case!

 

[ManiaMuse]

If you have any injuries, you should report it to the police for stats purposes.
If no injury they won't be interested in looking at it, and anything logged would just be for insurance purposes.
Then it's just contacting the driver and finding out what they want to do with the repairs. It may be fair that the damage is paid for 50/50.

Remember, passing big vehicles on the inside is risky. Your view of the road ahead is blocked and others view of you is blocked. Now the driver shouldn't have just trusted the coach driver to let him across, and the coach driver problem shouldn't have flashed him across. Big clues where there, the coach stopping at the keep clear, by a side road. Warning signs that something is about to happen or could do.
Passing such vehicles on either the left or right that comes with dangers, and as such you should take it slowly and be prepared to stop at any time.

I hope that you are ok, there is no damage to the bike and the other party is as friendly as they originally made out to be

Normally I would filter on the right but there is a pinch point just before and usually a queue of traffic there so went down the left. Was in the cycle lane for a change though, usually get shouted at for not being in it!

Driver also admitted that he made a split second decision to visit someone who lived nearby in the opposite direction but didn't think he could do a U-turn at the mini-roundabout. Guess he was distracted trying to find a place to turn around.

 

[wisdom]

I would get yourself and the bike checked,wwith yourself things may come to light the day after.
As for the bike i would certainly get the forks and frame checked,as its a fair dent in the car its likely there is some impact damage on the forks
Hope you get sorted.

 

[ManiaMuse]

[QUOTE 2510429, member: 30090"]Get the details of the coach driver and contact/join CTC and get their lawyers onto the case.

You cannot take nothing for granted with these sorts of incidents. And you'll ache in the morning. If any injuries are prolonging then get down the doctors and get checked out.[/quote]
I'm a member of British Cycling so I have their 3rd party liability insurance if I need it.

TBH, I'm not too bothered about any damage to the bike as I was thinking of getting a new one anyway. But yes, will definitely get it checked over at the bike shop before riding it again.

Have a job interview all day tomorrow though so checking myself will have to wait. Ironically the part of me which hurts the most is my head which I whacked on a low ceiling at work before I left!

 

[boydj]

If you were in a cycle lane, the car driver is technically 100% responsible. He should not have attempted to cross the cycle lane without making sure it was clear. I had a very similar incident a few years ago and the driver's insurance paid out for damage and (minor) injuries. The police decided not to charge the driver because he had been flashed to turn, but were also clear that he was 100% responsible.

That's not to say you could or should have been more aware of what was going on outside you and the possibility of a car turning across you when the bus was restricting your view of the road and hiding you from other drivers.

 

[Sandra6]

Definitely report it, and get the bike checked.
Almost the exact same thing happened to a guy I work with earlier in the year - except it was a lorry and he flashed a car into a driveway. The guy went over her car.
He thought he was ok, got on his bike and rode into work, then started having pain in his shoulder. Checked his bike over more carefully and it had a bend in the frame. He's had to have an operation on his shoulder and the bike was a right off.
He did call the police but as he didn't take details -and it wasn't her house that she pulled in to, nothing can be done.

 

[boydj]

Definitely report it, and get the bike checked.
Almost the exact same thing happened to a guy I work with earlier in the year - except it was a lorry and he flashed a car into a driveway. The guy went over her car.
He thought he was ok, got on his bike and rode into work, then started having pain in his shoulder. Checked his bike over more carefully and it had a bend in the frame. He's had to have an operation on his shoulder and the bike was a right off.
He did call the police but as he didn't take details -and it wasn't her house that she pulled in to, nothing can be done.

I've said it before - anybody involved in an incident like this needs to stay put until the police (and ambulance, if necessary) arrive. You'll be pumped full of adrenaline, not totally aware of injuries and definitely not thinking clearly. At least that way you get a chance of somebody taking driver and witness details so that follow-up is possible.

 

[Canrider]

Get on the coach company as a second 'thing to do': there is no way they don't know which of their coaches was in that area at that time. At the very least the coach driver needs reminding of the risks of flashing people through intersections.

 

[HLaB]

If you have any injuries, you should report it to the police for stats purposes.
If no injury they won't be interested in looking at it, and anything logged would just be for insurance purposes.
Then it's just contacting the driver and finding out what they want to do with the repairs. It may be fair that the damage is paid for 50/50.

Remember, passing big vehicles on the inside is risky. Your view of the road ahead is blocked and others view of you is blocked. Now the driver shouldn't have just trusted the coach driver to let him across, and the coach driver problem shouldn't have flashed him across. Big clues where there, the coach stopping at the keep clear, by a side road. Warning signs that something is about to happen or could do.
Passing such vehicles on either the left or right that comes with dangers, and as such you should take it slowly and be prepared to stop at any time.

I hope that you are ok, there is no damage to the bike and the other party is as friendly as they originally made out to be

I would have said the onus was more on the driver to make sure their path was clear before cutting across it, unfortunately only one party (MM) could have been seriously hurt (I'm glad they weren't) and the rest of the above advice is worth heeding

 

[Lance Jack]

My Father was an ambulance man (pre-paramedic days). He was in the back of an ambulance attending the patient and they where traveling with blue lights on and two tones. The opposite side of the road was queuing and a car had left a space across the exit of a petrol station. He flashed his lights for a car exiting the petrol station, the car pulled straight out and into the side of the ambulance as it went past. It comes down to the driver of the car making all round observations, he is the driver, he is in charge. He should not rely on a flash of headlights as an ok.
The other point is, if in my story, the driver could not see an ambulance with blue lights and hear the two tones what chance have the rest of us?

 

[Roadrider48]

Glad you're ok though!

 

[BlackPanther]

So after 3 years cycling in London, finally had a proper accident.

I'm always careful in the lorry to check around before flashing anyone, but it is down to the one who's been flashed to ensure it's safe. The coach driver can't really be blamed (although he should really have been aware of you, and not encouraging ther car driver to go.) but he could come in handy as a witness for you, should the car driver have a change of heart.

Had to quote your first line.........it sounds like you were disappointed to have to wait so long for your accident! Glad your o.k physically, although you may feel it in a day or 2?