Knocked off my bike - advise

matt-

Hi guys,

I was knocked off my bike this morning on the way to work and I'm just after some advice on what to do, unfortunately I've been a bit of an idiot...

Basically I was knocked off in a cycle lane by some guy opening his door without opening his eyes first, i went straight over the bars and his door and took the full blow on my left shoulder, I'm not seriously injured, just a bit of whiplash and a very sore shoulder.

I wasnt wearing a helmet (I know, what an idiot, but my poor face is ok) and I dont have insurance (!)... I also didnt take his details apart from his car registration. Is there anything I can do? Bike isnt too bad, my front wheel is buckled and my front disc brake is completely mangled, but everything else is fine

Cheers for any advice, (i know, i know -wear a helmet next time!)

Matt

Kiblams

Head on over to the commuter forum and ask there, they all have experience of this sort of thing it seems. I am sure you will get some useful advise over there.

FunBus

If there's nothing actually badly damaged on the bike or yourself, what are you wanting to claim against?

TowerRider

Sounds like you were not in the 'I can make money out of this' mode BUT have since found that mode.

stumpyjon

FunBus wrote:

If there's nothing actually badly damaged on the bike or yourself, what are you wanting to claim against?

This for a start.

matt- wrote:

my front wheel is buckled and my front disc brake is completely mangled

Plus in my book this doesn't fall into a catgory of it was just an accident. The guy needs to think about what he's done, Matt will have to spend time sorting out the bire repairs, resting up whilst his shoulder heals (assuming it isn't more badly damaged than just brusied, Matt I'd get along to the doctors to have it checked out) and will be generally out of pocket because someone didn't do something they should have, i.e. check it was clear before openning a car door.

Matt I reckon you'll need to get a solicitor involved, they should be able to track the vehicles owner through the DVLA and advise you on how to make a claim on their insurance.

Bikefotos

Nice sympathetic forum this, eh!

First port of call would be to the police as you have the registration number. They might just call on the driver to ensure that he takes more care the next time he opens the car door.

To claim your loss back for the wheel and the rotor then really you should have exchanged details to bill the guy direct. However, if there are injuries as well then it could be worth contacting a solicitor of which both the CTC and BCF have affiliated legal people who would handle the case for you.

Good luck, hope the injuries heal up soon.

ewizzy1977

Well, at the very least you need to replace your front wheel and disc brake. If you were not at fault, which it sounds like you were not then you should be claiming for the damage to you bike. In case of any accidents, you should always try to get a name and address or at the very least Reg number and try to get the persons insurance company.

While I dont agree with claiming for the sake of claiming, damage done by someone not noticing you on your bike should be claimed for, especially as you were in a cycle lane.

If you dont have any more details for the person in the car then you need to speak to your local police station to try to get details for the driver. Please dont phone 999 for them though

The biggest problem you may have in regards for claiming is you dont have any witnesses (you havent mentioned any in your original post anyway) and then its your word against his.

Good luck

matt-

Thanks for the advice guys - I'll take a look at the commuter forum

TowerRider wrote:

Sounds like you were not in the 'I can make money out of this' mode BUT have since found that mode.

I'm not quite in that mode - I dont want to get involved with a no risk no fee claim company that you see on daytime tv, I'm not fussed about the injuries - they will heal. I just dont really want to fork out for my bike repairs, I was hoping that maybe his car insurance could pay out on something like that but wasnt quite sure.

I'll take the steps advised in the thread - thanks guys

dan shard

You have been injured and your bike has been damaged through no fault of your own. You have every right to claim compensation for it and shouldn't be made to feel guilty for wanting to do so, that is why insurance is there! I dont agree with false claiming but that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to make a genuine claim.

TowerRider

matt- wrote:

Thanks for the advice guys - I'll take a look at the commuter forum

TowerRider wrote:

Sounds like you were not in the 'I can make money out of this' mode BUT have since found that mode.

I'm not quite in that mode - I dont want to get involved with a no risk no fee claim company that you see on daytime tv, I'm not fussed about the injuries - they will heal. I just dont really want to fork out for my bike repairs, I was hoping that maybe his car insurance could pay out on something like that but wasnt quite sure.

I'll take the steps advised in the thread - thanks guys

When I first read it, for some reason I thought you had no details.
You have his reg so contact the police with the aim of getting his details ( they can't give them directly as far as I am aware)and asking for him to repair your bike.

steponahen

matt- wrote:

, I'm not fussed about the injuries - they will heal.

You hope! Get your injuries seen by a doctor this week. You never know how it'll progress, and if for some reason it doesn't heal properly then insurers will not pay a thing without proof that this specific incident caused the injuries. They'll insist on doctors' notes.

cavegiant

sent pm

bamba

Check your forks out too, they might be bent and not really noticed
i take it was the driver not a passenger door

biff55

Kiblams wrote:

Head on over to the commuter forum and ask there

no dont , its full of smug condescending jerks.

Radioactiveman

report the accident to the police. Got to doctors and get examined. Join the CTC and use a solicitor they recommend (they will cover you retrospectively). Seek appropiate compensation

Been run over previously and its a pita without a police report

FunBus

I didnt mean to come across insensitive, but after working in warranty for a bike company for a while, you get a little skeptical of "i was just riding along" scenarios. If he was parked in the cycle lane, thats one thing in your favour.

Did he not offer any insurance details etc when you hit his car? to be honest, to true a wheel and replace a rotor will cost you about £20, so you'd probably find he would settle the bill without involving insurance and solicitors.

Granted, it wasnt your fault that you and your bike took the knock (at least i think it isnt, even though you mentioned you'd been a bit of an idiot) but at the end of the day if solicitors were involved with every bump or bruise the country would go mad.....or simply become America!

I'm sure words must have been exchanged between you and the driver, so why didnt you ask for details then?

After all, there's not really much you can report to the police now that they will take notice of - you hit a parked car when the door opened, took the reg and must have spoken to the driver, but never got any details. There's approximately £20 worth of damage to your bike and you werent wearing a helmet (something a lot of people would use against you if you took it further)

If i were you, so long as your shoulder is ok and there's no more damage to your bike, learn from the experience and move on. If you see the guy/car again, simply approach him and explain the situation - i know if someone belted into my car door in the morning i'd remember it!!................don't become one of those people on daytime telly that claim after being supplied the "wrong" ladder for a job they've been doing for 20 years!!!!

butcher of bakersfield

TowerRider wrote:

You have his reg so contact the police with the aim of getting his details ( they can't give them directly as far as I am aware)and asking for him to repair your bike.

They gave them to me when someone bumped the car and censored off. Name of the driver, insurance company, etc. It'll stand you in good stead contacting the police too.

Unfortunately, if the guy denies it, you might need a witness to follow anything through. I'm really not sure how it works on a bike though, not having insurance yourself!

In addition to everything above, I'd use it as an opportunity to speak to the council about their cycle lanes, and providing adequate facilities. Having a foot wide lane, where you're undertaking the traffic inches away in rush hour, on the very side drivers never look, is a bit absurd.. And your case highlights exactly why. Yeah, accidents happen, and people do stupid stuff, but even as a cyclist, I forget to check cycle lanes when I turn left.

butcher of bakersfield

FunBus wrote:

I'm sure words must have been exchanged between you and the driver, so why didnt you ask for details then?

To be fair, if you've just been knocked off your bike, most people just think holy censored .

Brain engages later.

Petty Vagrant

I think that an accident that results in an injury MUST be reported to the police.

Clearly the guy was not acting in a safe manner when he opened the door on you, you are lucky to have got away as lightly as you did.

At the very least the bloke owes you a new wheel and disc.