I love motorists...

lycraholic
lycraholic Posts: 127
edited August 2011 in The bottom bracket
Guess who's got a smashed £1k bike and a b!"£$red up knee because some dozy sod thinks to take a junction without checking for traffic coming in the opposite direction?

20mph + 20mph = messy. Gaaaaah.
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Comments

  • Cannon71
    Cannon71 Posts: 92
    What a f$?#er.

    Presumably he stopped and is paying for private mdeical care and physio?
    Ghost AMR 7500
  • lycraholic
    lycraholic Posts: 127
    Yeah in theory they're going to replace the bike, plus helmet and other sundries. Still waiting on the exact details (i.e. cheque/insurance) though.

    Happily a knee specialist today told me that my knee's probably not permanently damaged, so that's a plus. Both are still pretty painful (clipless pedals didn't help).

    Just wish people would look where they're going!!!
  • benno68
    benno68 Posts: 1,689
    Bad luck mate - all the best for a speedy recovery. Unfortunately the standard of driving seems to be getting worse day by day, maybe I've just become a grumpy old man.
    _________________________________________________

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  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    It's not much about standard of driving, as every country has their tards, but more with respectfulness of the general population.

    Hope for a speedy recovery though, and if he has said he will sort it out, most likely he will. Best of luck!
    My London Road
  • Cannon71
    Cannon71 Posts: 92
    I bust the ACLs in both my knees and was gutted as I thought my sporting hobbies were over!

    Happily, a lot of physio and a lot of cycling has got me back to 'sporting prowess'!! :D

    Chin up, old bean! Keep up the cycling and those knees will be just fine!
    Ghost AMR 7500
  • lycraholic
    lycraholic Posts: 127
    Apparently they're going through insurance (instead of paying up front)- a pretty sh$t result for me, as I can well imagine loss adjusters getting shirty about writing me a cheque for a bike that doesn't look damaged to an untrained eye. Anyway, I'll no doubt have to wait weeks to get a result. The chap in my LBS says that if they do replace the bike, they routinely chop up the old one- which seems a crying shame when it's got an undamaged 105 chainset, cassette, Mavic wheelset etc. etc.!

    Thing that confuses me is that I get knocked off my bike, injured quite badly, my pride and joy wrecked and nothing positive comes out of it: even if I don't come out with any net cost, I get weeks off my bike and a load of hassle! Even though I'm trying to keep things amicable I'm seriously tempted to get lawyers involved.

    (and the 2012 version of my bike has a sh!te paint scheme :wink: )
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    You should indeed contact a solicitor.

    http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12722930 for more advice.
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  • shockedsoshocked
    shockedsoshocked Posts: 4,021
    Lycraholic wrote:
    Even though I'm trying to keep things amicable I'm seriously tempted to get lawyers involved.

    Do it. Although the guy who knocked me off was perfectly amicable, offering to pay for the bike, I was knocked off, broke my collarbone and had a 5k bike written off because of his error. His fault, not mine. Plus if there has been an injury the Police should be informed.
    "A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"

    PTP Runner Up 2015
  • Sirius631
    Sirius631 Posts: 991
    Shite drivers stem from shite driving instructors. I had a run in with one in Wolverhampton on Sunday who thought it was OK to start to overtake approaching a line of parked cars with on-coming traffic on a not so wide road, all whilst delaying himself by going slowly to shout out of his window. He then fails to understand the need for a cyclist to take a wide position approaching said parked cars was to prevent dozey tw@ts like him from doing something stupid, and goes on to moan about us not paying tax.

    If they can't get learner drivers to learn to ride a bike first, they should at least get the driving instructors to do so. I mean, how can you teach people to drive if you do not know the rights and responsibilities of other road users?
    To err is human, but to make a real balls up takes a super computer.
  • mouth
    mouth Posts: 1,195
    When I recently gained my bus license, there was about 2 hours entirely devoted to how to deal with cycles - both motor and push which the company taught us voluntarily. Didn't consist of a great deal but did include clips from the CCTV of the buses about what a bike is likely to do next etc.

    As for the insurance chopping the bike up, I know with cars an arrangement can be made where you buy the car from them. Don't know how this'd affect any award you may get though. If they query that the frame is undamaged to the naked eye, I'm sure the manufacturer will at least be able to arrange an inspection and report on your behalf.

    I agree with the fact that driving instructors are getting worse, having nearly had a MAJOR run in with what I thought was a learner car whilst I was bus driving recently. The car had no passenger so therefore must have been the instructor driving. I mean the bloody but measures 40ftx13ftx8ft and is bright red. How he didn't see it I'm not sure.
    The only disability in life is a poor attitude.
  • Duncanandthemachine
    Duncanandthemachine Posts: 263
    never heard of a bike being chopped up after an insurance job, I've had two different bikes (alloy frames) written off by the LBS, (one twice...) and I still have them both...

    PM me if you would like any more details of my claims!
  • benno68
    benno68 Posts: 1,689
    You have a genuine injury caused by the negligence of another - consult a solicitor asap.

    A claim can also be made for reasonable alternative travel costs for journey's when you would have used your bike, I reckon some compo for loss of use and enjoyment too.

    Hope you make a speedy recovery.

    I agree that the standard of driving is going downhill. It seems to me that the pace of life is increasing and people feel the need to get from A to B quickly even if they are just going to the shop for a Sunday paper.
    _________________________________________________

    Pinarello Dogma 2 (ex Team SKY) 2012
    Cube Agree GTC Ultegra 2012
    Giant Defy 105 2009
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,923
    Got taken out by a van driver on a group ride last night. That's two crahses due to motorists in the space of 4 weeks now. Not a happy bunny :(
    ***** Pro Tour Pundit Champion 2020, 2018, 2017 & 2011 *****
  • lycraholic
    lycraholic Posts: 127
    Just been talking to a personal injury lawyer. Apparently, if my costs for pain and suffering are less than £1000 (as they likely will be if I heal up soon), the rules are that they can't recover their legal costs from the other side, which would potentially mean that I wouldn't be left with enough to cover the cost of replacing the bike.

    According to his advice, the best thing to do is to play real hardball directly with their insurance company- claiming for the bike, plus further compensation, though I don't really know a typical ballpark figure. Litigation would then be a weapon of last resort if working directly with the insurance company doesn't prove successful.

    It all depends how the insurance company play it- best case scenario, I get a big fat cheque for little hassle. Worst case scenario, they make things very very messy (e.g. questioning whether the frame really needs to be replaced). We'll see what happens.
  • StanwaySteve62
    StanwaySteve62 Posts: 702
    That's shit, sure people do see us but just don't care.
    I've had loads of cars cut me up etc etc, last week though an old dear approaching a pub car park in a narrow country lane looked straight at me before turning across me, I was literally feet in front of her and just missed her by swerving, I made the mistake of thinking eye contact was good enough. She clearly thought I had no rights at all !
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    So the guy turned right across your path (coming from the other direction)? I had the same accident almost 2 years ago and outlined the details on another thread on here a couple of days ago. Bike was written off, stitches to my leg and bad bruising and damage to my left hip (which still gives me pain now sometimes). You shouldn't have to worry about "loss adjustment" at all, the drivers insurance co has to pay for everything (assuming it is found to be driver's fault).

    Driver in my accident started to try to play silly and offer me £200 all in for bike and everything. I set Russell Jones and Walker on him and ended up with about £6000 all in... covering medical expenses, compensation, new bike and on top of this solicitors and photographers fees (probably nearer £10k bill to his insurer in the end)...
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  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    StanwaySteve62 wrote:
    That's shoot, sure people do see us but just don't care.
    I've had loads of cars cut me up etc etc, last week though an old dear approaching a pub car park in a narrow country lane looked straight at me before turning across me, I was literally feet in front of her and just missed her by swerving, I made the mistake of thinking eye contact was good enough. She clearly thought I had no rights at all !

    I had 2 old biddies in a car pull out in front of me as I was flying along at about 25mph or so. I pulled out and round the side of their car and overtook as they slowly pottered out of the turn right in front of me. One of the old biddies looked at me incredulously as I passed as if to say what are yuo doing as if it was my fault that the other old biddy had pulled out on front of me onto a fast, straight A road... Some people appear to believe that they have immediate right of way over bikes whatever the situation...
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  • StanwaySteve62
    StanwaySteve62 Posts: 702
    I did offer the lady my cycling specs as I recovered my composure.
    And yes was a head on situation, luckily I was only going about 10 mph and she was doing about 5mph, the lack of speed shocked me even more when she turned across as I know she saw me :!:
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    Don't be in a hurry to settle - make sure you are healed up.

    I was taken out at a roundabout, superficial damage to my bike - just scratches, but my left shoulder took the impact of the car and the floor. I rode home and thought I was OK.

    Felt sore for a couple of weeks, went swimming then discovered my shoulder was clicking and clunking. Solicitor involved (via BC) £2k of physio out of my pocket, took 2 years to get a shoulder decompression op, and have been left with permanent nerve damage (arm feels like it's on fire) and I'll be on medication for life. The consultant said - that's about as good as my shoulder will get - it's very painful when climbing hills (6 months after op). If it starts to get stiff, we can operate again.

    Claim is being put together, but I'm looking at a 'serious shoulder injury' and then costs for medication etc etc. Also I'm back on physio to sort out the problems - very stiff back and shoulder area. Fortunately the driver admitted liability, but it's been a hell of a battle to get through to this stage to finally find out what damage my shoulder has.

    So don't be in a rush to settle.
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    I love how all of you guys are saying you can get money, contact a solicitor. Got to love the way cultures are moving now huh!
    My London Road
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    MountainMonster wrote:
    I love how all of you guys are saying you can get money, contact a solicitor. Got to love the way cultures are moving now huh!

    When I had my crash I asked my dad what to do, he suggested I try to at least get the value of the written off bike from the guy but as I said, when I phoned him after the crash and told him the bike was worth about £550, he said he could only afford £200 - pretty much take it or leave it. There was no way I was going to take a loss on the bike as well as med expenses (the stitches in my leg got infected so I had to take antibiotics) etc and I didn't know what to do so I contacted a solicitor. I didn't ask for compensation it just came with the solicitor, I just left it completely in their hands. If the guy had paid me for the bike right at the start I would have left it at that.

    Actually I'm glad he didn't in the end as the aftermath was very painful. I couldn't cycle so had to pay for public transport to work. Had been training for a triathlon and doing a lot of running and suddenly couldn't do any of that and couldn't even run for a year due to my injuries... My lifestyle was changed fairly siginificantly due to the idiot driver's actions...
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  • JD_76
    JD_76 Posts: 236
    MountainMonster wrote:
    I love how all of you guys are saying you can get money, contact a solicitor. Got to love the way cultures are moving now huh!

    Blame the yanks mate, thats how it got to the uk.
  • shockedsoshocked
    shockedsoshocked Posts: 4,021
    MountainMonster wrote:
    I love how all of you guys are saying you can get money, contact a solicitor. Got to love the way cultures are moving now huh!

    Now I've read your post, next time someone runs me over due to their error, smashes my bike to bits and fucks up my shoulder resulting in me having to turn down job offers, and waste a summer sat on my arse watching Jeremy Kyle, I'll just let him off.

    You are definitely right. I feel ashamed because of my selfish actions :roll:
    "A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"

    PTP Runner Up 2015
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    MountainMonster wrote:
    I love how all of you guys are saying you can get money, contact a solicitor. Got to love the way cultures are moving now huh!

    I'm not sure what the point is that you're trying to make. If we lived in a society where everyone typically took their responsibilities seriously then I might sympathise with you.

    But we don't. Never have. The present system might be less personal than we'd like, but it is certainly more just.
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  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    MountainMonster wrote:
    I love how all of you guys are saying you can get m
    Ioney, contact a solicitor. Got to love the way cultures are moving now huh!

    Knob

    sorry matey, but your comment is out of order.
    I'll retract the knob statement if you retract the insinuation that being inpain and off the bike is akin to a money making scam.
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,923
    MountainMonster wrote:
    I love how all of you guys are saying you can get money, contact a solicitor. Got to love the way cultures are moving now huh!

    Seriously??!?!

    Hope you get knocked off your bike twice in 4 weeks, have painful injuries and over £1000 worth of damage. Luckily I've not had to have time off work. I get legal cover through British Cycling which I pay to be a member of, so if it's there to be used why not use it? Also saves me the hassle of having to sort everything out, I just direct everything to my solicitor.
    ***** Pro Tour Pundit Champion 2020, 2018, 2017 & 2011 *****
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,923
    Oh and the only reason I got the solicitor involved because the first crash caused around £750 damage and she offered £300. Like said above if she covered what was damaged then I wouldn't have got them involved.
    ***** Pro Tour Pundit Champion 2020, 2018, 2017 & 2011 *****
  • lycraholic
    lycraholic Posts: 127
    Anyway...

    Insurance company sound promising, they did make some noises about depreciation to whit I replied "not bloody likely it's only four months old". I've sent off as much documentation as I can in terms of receipts. They're sending me a personal injury form to fill out, I'm envisaging "Knackered knees, road rash, months off your bike- hmm yes sir we think that's worth £30 and a stick of gum".

    So we'll see how it goes, depends how hard they want to play it. I'm also thinking of going back to my GP, my left knee is now acting up as well grrrrr.
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    ShockedSoShocked wrote:
    MountainMonster wrote:
    I love how all of you guys are saying you can get money, contact a solicitor. Got to love the way cultures are moving now huh!

    Now I've read your post, next time someone runs me over due to their error, smashes my bike to bits and fucks up my shoulder resulting in me having to turn down job offers, and waste a summer sat on my ars* watching Jeremy Kyle, I'll just let him off.

    You are definitely right. I feel ashamed because of my selfish actions :roll:

    LOL, you've misinterpreted what i've said. Get money for the damages, yes. But don't wring people dry just because you feel it is ok. Too many people think in terms of "I can get alot of money from this accident". Saddens me to hear that.
    My London Road
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    rozzer32 wrote:
    MountainMonster wrote:
    I love how all of you guys are saying you can get money, contact a solicitor. Got to love the way cultures are moving now huh!

    Seriously??!?!

    Hope you get knocked off your bike twice in 4 weeks, have painful injuries and over £1000 worth of damage. Luckily I've not had to have time off work. I get legal cover through British Cycling which I pay to be a member of, so if it's there to be used why not use it? Also saves me the hassle of having to sort everything out, I just direct everything to my solicitor.

    Lol you certainly are a generous one. Wishing someone has a crash and injuries. HAHAHAHA.
    My London Road

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