Liability when biking

Steve_F

I was just wondering just how liable we all are when biking?

If I crashed and someone came round the corner and hit me would I be liable for injuring them, them for injuring me, etc.

What is someone was walking up a designated mtb trail and a biker hit them, who takes the blame?

What about a beginner rider who had just pushed down a fast steep section and getting back on in the middle of the trail, who takes the blame if a fast rider commits to the section before seeing them and wipes them out at the bottom?

If we are all liable for a lot more than we think what should we be doing about it? Do some of the clubs/affiliations like British Cycling have cover when you join them?

To me it should all come down to common sense, if you're riding a trail and someone has stopped in it for any reason they are at fault (if someone has crashed and is visible ie not round a blind bend there should be no hitting them obviously!) but should we be riding trail centres able to emergency stop round every bend?

Not worried about the great outdoors as it's a bit clearer you have to expect walkers/horses/etc this is about trail centres.

Broken rugby player

the gang of us that ride, have all now just got ourselves Group Liability cover, think it costed us about £10 a person and well worth it imho

pugaltitude

To me it should all come down to common sense.

I think this sums it up.
Problem is not many people have it.
I dont think people go out biking to hurt people on purpose.
If I saw someone in trouble I would help and hope people would help if I was.

LjStronge

I do 90% of my riding in Swinley. My Permit covers me for Liability

Steve_F

That's interesting that certain centres have cover in place.

I'd certainly stop to help someone in trouble, question is what if I'm in someway responsible for that trouble.

What brought this question on was coming round a blind corner onto a drop/steep hill where a father was getting his son back on his bike in the middle of the trail (red route). I didn't stop before him but managed to get off the trail around him. This made me wonder just how much trouble I'd end up in if I'd committed to the drop before seeing him and basically landed on the young lads head. To me that's the fathers fault for bad trail awareness.

t0pc4t

LjStronge wrote:

I do 90% of my riding in Swinley. My Permit covers me for Liability

same here

I was also looking at bike insurance and I think that might have included some liability in that as well

LjStronge

My bike insurance doesn'tcover me for liability unfortunately - I have it as part of my contents insurance.

Interesting to find out if bike insurance will cover you for liability too

.blitz

Never really thought about liablity off-road. A few years ago I skittled a group of school children out on a 'nature ramble' but there were no broken bones and after a few choice words with the teachers we went our separate ways.

Have also had a few collisions with dogs, again 50/50 situations never gave it a second thought :?

My short-tempered mate has had a few run-ins with families videoing their sprogs rolling down the Werewolf Drop though, I would've thought that was a stronger case for liability

t0pc4t

LjStronge wrote:

My bike insurance doesn'tcover me for liability unfortunately - I have it as part of my contents insurance.

Interesting to find out if bike insurance will cover you for liability too

I appear to have the only home insurance policy in Christendom where they will not cover my bikes as they are 'too expensive' apparently.

it's only an anthem x4 ffs, hardly a Jones

LjStronge

t0pc4t wrote:

LjStronge wrote:

My bike insurance doesn'tcover me for liability unfortunately - I have it as part of my contents insurance.

Interesting to find out if bike insurance will cover you for liability too

I appear to have the only home insurance policy in Christendom where they will not cover my bikes as they are 'too expensive' apparently.

it's only an anthem x4 ffs, hardly a Jones

Apparently M&S is the best place to get contents insurance which will include bikes, lots of people on here have theirs from there. Mine I just added as an extra Item up to £1000 - your bike is worth more than that so that wouldn't work.

Saying that they best increase it when I phone them up come to think of it won't be too long until my bike breaks that marker

t0pc4t

that was their logic, they won't touch bikes over 1k

rudedog

Steve_F wrote:

That's interesting that certain centres have cover in place.

I'd certainly stop to help someone in trouble, question is what if I'm in someway responsible for that trouble.

What brought this question on was coming round a blind corner onto a drop/steep hill where a father was getting his son back on his bike in the middle of the trail (red route). I didn't stop before him but managed to get off the trail around him. This made me wonder just how much trouble I'd end up in if I'd committed to the drop before seeing him and basically landed on the young lads head. To me that's the fathers fault for bad trail awareness.

I think you would be to blame in that scenario - its not wise to jump blind without checking your landing first.

Anonymous

I wouldn't even worry your pretty little head about it.
It's mountain biking, sh*t happens.

MacAndCheese

I joined the CTC (£35 a year) and as part of the membership you get Liability insurance (3rd party only)...worth it as there are some other benefits to being a member.

njee20

BC membership gives 3rd party insurance. I've used it when I crashed into a car, the driver of which then tried to sue me, they were very good indeed. I'll probably stay a member the rest of my life!

Can vouch for M&S home insurance, all bikes covered up to £4000 each.

Dick Scruttock

njee20 wrote:

BC membership gives 3rd party insurance. I've used it when I crashed into a car, the driver of which then tried to sue me, they were very good indeed. I'll probably stay a member the rest of my life!

Can vouch for M&S home insurance, all bikes covered up to £4000 each.

I am with M&S home insurance and the policy covers all my bike up to a unlimited amount.

cooldad

Standard house or contents cover includes Personal Liability cover, which would cover you if you caused injury or damage on a bike.

The Northern Monkey

yeehaamcgee wrote:

I wouldn't even worry your pretty little head about it.
It's mountain biking, sh*t happens.

Yay someone i can agree with lol.



The only reason you need the permit for swinley is because its in London.
Anywhere else and no one would give a sh1t... Its just London is full of southerners that always have to blame someone other than themselves. (IMO).

cooldad

The Northern Monkey wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

I wouldn't even worry your pretty little head about it.
It's mountain biking, sh*t happens.

Yay someone i can agree with lol.



The only reason you need the permit for swinley is because its in London.
Anywhere else and no one would give a sh1t... Its just London is full of southerners that always have to blame someone other than themselves. (IMO).

Geography is obviously not your strong point, is it?

Anyway it's easy - we just blame northerners in cloth caps for everything. Lazy, scrounging bleeders.

njee20

Geography is obviously not your strong point, is it?

This

The Northern Monkey

cooldad wrote:

The Northern Monkey wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

I wouldn't even worry your pretty little head about it.
It's mountain biking, sh*t happens.

Yay someone i can agree with lol.



The only reason you need the permit for swinley is because its in London.
Anywhere else and no one would give a sh1t... Its just London is full of southerners that always have to blame someone other than themselves. (IMO).

Geography is obviously not your strong point, is it?

Anyway it's easy - we just blame northerners in cloth caps for everything. Lazy, scrounging bleeders.

?
When i unfortunately lived in London i rode at swinley. Therefore it is close enough to be classed as London. Wasnt worth the trip to swinley though tbh lol.

cooldad

The Northern Monkey wrote:

cooldad wrote:

The Northern Monkey wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

I wouldn't even worry your pretty little head about it.
It's mountain biking, sh*t happens.

Yay someone i can agree with lol.



The only reason you need the permit for swinley is because its in London.
Anywhere else and no one would give a sh1t... Its just London is full of southerners that always have to blame someone other than themselves. (IMO).

Geography is obviously not your strong point, is it?

Anyway it's easy - we just blame northerners in cloth caps for everything. Lazy, scrounging bleeders.

?
When i unfortunately lived in London i rode at swinley. Therefore it is close enough to be classed as London. Wasnt worth the trip to swinley though tbh lol.

So when I travel to ride in Wales, it's close enough to be classed as London?
Good one.

Briggo

cooldad wrote:

Standard house or contents cover includes Personal Liability cover, which would cover you if you caused injury or damage on a bike.

I questioned that with M&S and they certainly dont offer it.

Liability cover is only applicable within the grounds of your house, as confirmed by my insurer and I doubt any others would offer it.

You need third party liability insurance which is sometimes part of bike specific insurance or as mentioned part of CTC membership etc.

Anonymous

Oh god, the only person who agrees with me is a moron

cooldad

Briggo wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Standard house or contents cover includes Personal Liability cover, which would cover you if you caused injury or damage on a bike.

I questioned that with M&S and they certainly dont offer it.

Liability cover is only applicable within the grounds of your house, as confirmed by my insurer and I doubt any others would offer it.

You need third party liability insurance which is sometimes part of bike specific insurance or as mentioned part of CTC membership etc.

Wrong read your policy, it is clearly covered if you have contents insurance - see pt b. This is the M&S wording. Most, if not all policies give it automatically, just don't expect the dumbo on the phone to have actually read it.

23. Legal Liability Cover
Personal liability
We will pay up to £2,000,000
(including costs and expenses
agreed by us in writing) for any one
claim or series of claims arising from
any one event or one source or
original cause that you or your
family become legally liable to pay
as compensation (including claimants
costs and expenses) occurring
during the period of insurance in
respect of accidental:
• death bodily injury or illness of
any person
• damage to material property not
belonging to, or in the custody or
control of you, your family or
domestic staff
arising from:
a) the occupation of the home (but
not its ownership)
b) the private pursuits of you or
your family
c) the employment of you or your
family or domestic staff

cooldad

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Oh god, the only person who agrees with me is a moron

Must be that rarefied northern air - no oxygen.
Or the flat caps.

Briggo

Doesnt mention about cover away from the home although, part B suggests it would be but you can do private pursuits at home, like erm, swinger parties? The chap I spoke to was adamant that its only at the home after questioning it a couple of times.

Oh and it wasnt an offshore callcentre so initially I was inclined to believe

Anonymous

cooldad wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Oh god, the only person who agrees with me is a moron

Must be that rarefied northern air - no oxygen.
Or the flat caps.

Trollfail, and geographyfail, I'm afraid. Caaaaaadiff, is hardly north now is it?

Briggo

Cooldad, you missed a vital part of your copy and paste in regards to section 23.

What does section 23 come under?

Standard Contents Cover at your home –
what is covered

http://money.marksandspencer.com/pdf/HIPolicy.pdf

The section regarding cover away from home only mentions your items, no other cover is provided.

Anonymous

Why the hell do we need any liability on a fricking pushbike?
You get hurt, boohoo, sucks to be you.
You get hurt a bit more seriously, go to hospital. There's no charges, unlike the states.

Briggo

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Why the hell do we need any liability on a fricking pushbike?
You get hurt, boohoo, sucks to be you.
You get hurt a bit more seriously, go to hospital. There's no charges, unlike the states.

Till John Doe wants to sue the carp out of you for breaking his big toe as you rode over his foot on a bridleway, then you'll be like, awww shizzle I wish I had that insurance cover now.