I had an argument with a transit van and lost

polocini

I stupidly got into an argument with a white van man. So he ran me over! I got out of the way with a few bruises but my bike is wrecked.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55119780@N ... 018496779/

Plenty of witnesses but the police didn't turn up. I was about fifteen miles away from home so I had to wait for someone to come and get me.

AL

Velonutter

Tell me you did get his registration number and the details of the witnesses?

polocini

Loads of witnesses and his reg. He was even kind enough to write his name on the side of van.

AL

StefanP

Damn, mate, really bad luck, he done a proper job at running you over though. I hope you had insurance and they get the barsterd

cornerblock

'kin hell! Are you OK? You must be very shaken after that, I hope the Police eventually get involved. WVM sounds like a lunatic who needs taking off the road.

polocini

If I am being honest I'm not too bothered. I am in one piece and that's all the counts. It could have been very very bad so I just feel relieved.

Although I gave the operator loads of grief on the phone that I'm now a bit embarrassed about. I was shouting and swearing when she said the Police were not coming out.

I really shouldn't have had a go back at the guy after he nearly hit my mate. The guy was obviously a moron. I ended up giving him another target.

AL

a_n_t

name and shame mate.

Homer J

You should get bothered and pursue this all the way. If this idiot thinks he's got away with it he will do it again, I'll guess that he has done it before. The fact that you have eye witnesses puts you in a strong position.
Glad that you are ok - and he owes you a new bike.

peter101cycle

Polocini wrote:

I really shouldn't have had a go back at the guy after he nearly hit my mate. The guy was obviously a moron. I ended up giving him another target.
AL

Sorry to hear this, we have had loads of similar problems recently in the New Forest area.....guy stopping deliberately about being shouted to about overtaking on blind (narrow) bends causing a rider to hit the back of the car, and a Taxi taking out another rider out behind me when we were in a single file line.

Honestly, one of these days, we'll end up lynching one of these drivers, sounds awful but it is just getting crazy these days.

Be safe people.

polocini

All I want is the police to sort it and to get my bike replaced. The police haven't been in contact yet. They started to give me a reference over the phone but as I pointed out I wasn't carrying a pen and paper!!!

I know the police are busy but when someone runs someone over that seems serious enough to send out a car.

In total the bike is worth £1700. I want every penny back. I know I said I wasn't 'bothered' but what I really mean is that I am just so relieved I am in one piece. I am self employed and time off work unpaid would cripple me financially.

AL

cornerblock

I am glad too that you are in one piece, could have been more than a wrecked bike. There are some real low life brain dead idiots out there. As for the name and shame request, do not! Get yourself some legal advice and take the git for every penny you can and hopefully get him off the road.

max888

Phuck, that must have been quite the impact to trash your bike that badly. However as you said the main thing is that you are alright. If I were in your position I might round up the value of the bike to a nice whole number...

a_n_t

Cornerblock wrote:

As for the name and shame request, do not!

Why not? I live in the same area so you never know our paths may cross.

cornerblock

a_n_t wrote:

Cornerblock wrote:

As for the name and shame request, do not!

Why not? I live in the same area so you never know our paths may cross.

Would it not be harmful to any legal proceedings to stick names out in the open, that's why I think it would be better to seek legal advice first. If you live in the same area just treat all white vans with caution!

Frank the tank

It appears to me that this particular WVM has some serious anger management issues.

Hope you're OK, can't understand the lack of interest from the boys in blue.

daviesee

Cornerblock wrote:

I am glad too that you are in one piece, could have been more than a wrecked bike. There are some real low life brain dead idiots out there. As for the name and shame request, do not! Get yourself some legal advice and take the git for every penny you can and hopefully get him off the road.

+1

Pursue this.

You will not be the last target.

finchy

Good luck, hope you get him banned from driving and full compensation.

tofu21

The bes advice I've heard is to the deck. Get an ambulance out and the police will com too.

benjboy

Have you tried ringing him (name /number on side of van) and asking him what he was playing at and is he going to pay for the damages.

dabber

If you want to be sure that the police will turn up you need to "be injured". I think you will find they are obliged to turnout if you do... In other words,,, stay on the floor.

jj1048

tofu21 wrote:

The bes advice I've heard is to the deck. Get an ambulance out and the police will com too.

Yeah, great idea getting an ambulance when you don't need one. Let's hope that if you ever need an ambulance that it won't be held up by attending to some prick who doesn't need one.

EDIT: message to theOP, glad you've only got a few bruises - I hope the police prosecute and you get the compensation you are entitled to.

polocini

I'm gonna leave everything to the police and my solicitor. All I have is a grazed knee! No need to stay on the deck. If someone gets rammed and run over on by someone on purpose. I'm thinking the police should turn up. If I was being a drama queen, is it not attempted murder?????

I have also managed to salvage the stem,seatpost,seat post,clamp,tyres,shifters and the bottle cage. Every other component is wrecked.

AL

Karl2010

Polocini, i would agree it is attempted murder.

When its all done and dusted through the courts go to ITN, BBC & All Local & National news papers, get this in the f**king Press and on TV.

Totaly unaceptable behaviour from WVM.

Do you think he might have been a traveler/gyipsy? If so you might have trouble tracking him down, otherwise it sounds like you can get the f**ker locked up + compo.

Just glad your in one peice and got his details and witness details.

mattsaw

Yep, I think this is a bit more serious than a new bike and a slap on the wrist If it was indeed deliberate, and I hope the witnessess can back you up on that, then you're talking assult at least.

Please take this as far as you can, people like that shouldn't be allowed to be on the road

eltonioni

Glad you're OK, sort the police out. WVM won't be able to drive a van while in jail.

cornerblock

Karl2010 wrote:

Polocini, i would agree it is attempted murder.

When its all done and dusted through the courts go to ITN, BBC & All Local & National news papers, get this in the f**king Press and on TV.

Totaly unaceptable behaviour from WVM.

Do you think he might have been a traveler/gyipsy? If so you might have trouble tracking him down, otherwise it sounds like you can get the f**ker locked up + compo.

Just glad your in one peice and got his details and witness details.

Blimey, jumping the gun a bit, " do you think he might have been a traveler/gyipsy?(sic)" Why was he trying to sell him some speakers before he ran him down? :roll:

rick_chasey

It's never worth getting into arguments with people on the road for precisely this reason.

A reasonably similar thing happened to me and non of the witnesses would come forward, so the driver got off free in my case.

Hopefully there will be enoguh witnesses to yours that maybe one or two will have the conscience to step up and be a witness.

The worst case scenario is that they bring him into questioning, he denies it, and that's the end of it.

At least he gets the sh!ts for half an hour. Doesn't help your bike mind...

Sirius631

You might say you're OK but believe you me, you will be waking up all times of night wanting to punch someone. That is the kind of emotional stress you'll have to deal with for years to come.

Aggieboy

Understandably, you haven't given full details here , but depending on exactly what happened and the possible offences here, this could come down to an id parade.Write down everything that happened as precisely as possible. Include a full description and anything you remember that will identify the driver. Tattoos, jewellery, facial hair, gold tooth, accent etc. Sign and date it. I assume you would be able to identify him? Don't just accept a crime report number make sure the police come and take a full statement or go to the police station to make sure it's done and acted upon (assuming you wish to pursue it). Get your friend to do the same.

polocini

The police sent me a text asking me to ring them (yes,seriously) and after 42mins I got through. They couldn't trace the van off the reg I gave them. A witness may have wrote it down wrong but I doubt it...........................

An officer is coming around on Monday evening to take all the details off me. I got a bit shirty again with the operator. I pointed out the fact that I had to wait five hours before being contacted. There are several witnesses who saw the guy hit me with a van. I pointed out that if I walked down the same street with a bat and hit someone and destroyed the best part of 2k of their property that I would expect someone to arrest me. Maybe it's because I'm the victim but I reckon being hit by a van and having your bike destroyed is a fairly serious crime.

I'm gonna go down and find some cctv with the van on. Otherwise this is never going to be sorted.

AL

petemadoc

Polocini wrote:

I'm gonna leave everything to the police and my solicitor. All I have is a grazed knee! No need to stay on the deck. If someone gets rammed and run over on by someone on purpose. I'm thinking the police should turn up. If I was being a drama queen, is it not attempted murder?????

I have also managed to salvage the stem,seatpost,seat post,clamp,tyres,shifters and the bottle cage. Every other component is wrecked.

AL

I was involved in a similar incident but didn't get the full reg number and there were no witnesses, I regret I didn't get the police to do more but they basically fobbed me off. I got away with 1 big fat bruise and my bike wasn't injured thankfully.

Purse this as much as you can. If you don't kick up a fuss (using the proper channels) the police will not give a toss. Get your solicitor on it, get the full value of the entire bike back and get this guy done for dangerous driving at the very least.