SMIDSY. Grrrrr!

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Sh4rkyBloke

Jaffa Cake monster
Location
Manchester, UK
So there I am, enjoying the commute in to work this morning. It's a damp road surface but it's nice and bright and the air is cool. I'm doing about 20mph down Stretford Road in Hulme, heading towards the City Centre here. There's a car waiting to turn out of the road on the left, just after the garage, and a car waiting to turn into the road from the other lane.... as I get about 20ft away the latter driver just decides to start her turn across my path.....

Cue a long shout of "Whooooooooooooooooah!!!!!!" and application of brakes locking both wheels up. She continues to turn and I skid straight into the side of her, just managing to turn the bike almost sideways before doing so. I hit her fairly hard and she stops, then continues a bit further, then stops and gets out. She's very apologetic and I ask her to continue onto the side road and stop so I can get some details from her. The guy in the car waiting to turn out of the road also asks if I'm okay and says he saw it all and there was nothing I could do. I ask him to park up and give me his details as a witness, which he does. There's also a guy waiting to go into the cafe on the corner of the road, he offers his details too.

I drag the bike (back wheel not turning) into the side road and prop it up against the low wall and get some paper and a pen out and she's still apologising and asking how I am... before saying "Sorry, I didn't see you" and "you were behind a car so I couldn't see you" (the car that was in front of me was about 50m ahead and long past the junction)... then "well, you're not really wearing very bright clothing" to which I say "Oh, so it's my fault then is it?" and she says that that wasn't what she was saying (not sure why make the comment then).

I gather her details and she says she'll pay for any damage, I say fine and say that it's a grand's worth of bike and assume that she has insurance... at this point she starts getting a bit arsey and ranting about "a f*ckin' compo claim, eh?" to which I simply state (again) that the bike costs about 1K and if there's any damage I want it sorting out, and that I'm not paying for it. She then starts ranting about how she said sorry and that I'm getting all arsey about it... wtf? All I asked was whether she had insurance!!!!! :angry:

What is it with people... unwilling to take responsibility for their actions!!!!! Grrrrrr. :angry:
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
Oh dear, poor you Sharky! I'm glad you're OK, but how frustrating to have that stupid driver try to absolve her guilt, and on you.
 

wafflycat

New Member
if you're a member of British Cycling or CTC, use the benefit of your membership that is legal assistance. Let your tame sharks deal with her whinging and trying to get out of her responsibilites - too often non-cyclists don't realise that not every bike is a BSO..
 

Paul_L

Über Member
glad you're ok and that sounds well scary.

So did she tell you whether she had insurance or not?

Don't forget to report it to the police as an RTC. It's an offence not to, and you never know she might not. This could make things a bit easier for you in the long run.

It's funny isn't it. Most folk think bikes cost less than £100, so i imagine when she said she'd pay for any damage she didn't think it'd cost her much. She was obvilusly a bit freaked out when you told her how much the bike cost.
 
OP
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Sh4rkyBloke

Sh4rkyBloke

Jaffa Cake monster
Location
Manchester, UK
Calmed down a bit now. Bike seems okay(ish) - back wheel was knocked out of kilter and so was rubbing against the frame, chain was off, RH gear/brake lever has been forced round the handlebar (inwards towards the stem) by about 45 degrees and the bar tape has been damaged on that side. Gears jumping a bit so possibly some rear mech damage where the bike appears to have hit her rear bumper corner before coming to rest. Other than that it *looks* okay. As I managed to get the bike almost sideways before impact I should have protected the forks (carbon) and taken most of the hit myself (must protect one's bike!! :wacko:) but am getting the LBS to check it over as I type this. Computer seems to have gone for flying lessons in the impact too. :sad:

As for me, RH side is aching a bit, shoulder took quite a knock and right hand was obviously pinned between the car and my brake hoods as they were being twisted around. Right leg is a bit bruised too where I hit the car and my keys were pushed into my leg from inside my pocket.

Could have been worse though, I guess.

Just annoys me that she left ranting at me and about how I was being unreasonable as she had apologised... oh, an apology, that's okay then. :ohmy:
 
Sorry to hear about that Sharky! :sad: Glad you're ok'ish.

Her initial reaction sounds good, but that was probably because she thought she could just hand over a few quid and be done with it. As soon as you mentioned insurance and the cost of the bike I think you saw her true colours! :angry:

As she is obviously going to be a bit ar$ey about it, I'd definitely get the lawers involved etc, and yes I'd report it to the police as well.

Did you get it on camera?
 

Paul_L

Über Member
good news that the LBS is checking it out for you.

I would deffo report it to the police and i would also get checked out by your GP or even A&E. As much as anything else so your injuries can be recorded in the event of any claim.

I remember many years ago a ped tried to take me to court for riding dangerously after i broke their leg. They walked straight out behind a parked transit van straight into my path and i would have doing 20mph ish. My bike was mashed and i broke 2 fingers as well as sveral cuts and bruises. Best thing i did was report it to the police and go to A&E. I also had 2 witnesses which backed up my version that i didn't have a chance.

The police told her to drop the claim, which she did, and then i reversed the claim to her to get her to pay for the bike repairs which she did. Would have been much harder to do if i hadn't had a police record.
 

400bhp

Guru
Ahh, outsied PF Jones, was there on Saturday. That bit of road is generally relatively quiet in the mornings?

Just a general thought - you should have stayed quiet about the cost of the bike. She's now on the defensive and this may influence what she tells her insurance.

Very good you got a witness.
 
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Sh4rkyBloke

Sh4rkyBloke

Jaffa Cake monster
Location
Manchester, UK
I've contacted the Police and given the details and got a Log number in the event of it going further. I'll be happy (assuming the aches/pains don't get any worse) just getting the bike sorted out. I'd be interested to see if I damaged her car, never even thought about looking at where I hit it... and she didn't check either (to my knowledge).
 
[QUOTE 1135092"]
People should accept responsibility for their actions. Could have been worse - glad you are ok Sharky.
[/quote]

People should...but they don't.
 
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