city accident advice...

"GG" ...

Quoted message said:

Hi, not sure if this is the right group but maybe someof you have had
similar experiences;

I was cycling to work this morning in London (UK), when I noticed a car on
a
side road to my left approaching the junction with the main road (which I
was on) at speed, there were no other vehicles around so I tried to make
eye
contact (as I usually would) to ensure she had seen me, I wasn't able to
see
her but continued confident, (being daylight and there were no parked cars
or other obstructions to her view), that she must have seen me - at which
point she proceeded to turn left onto the main road, over shooting the
junction and hitting the side of me and my bike with the front corner of
her
vehicle. I came off the bike went over the bonnet and landed face down in
the road. I promptly picked myself up and indicated we should go to the
police station, luckily situated across the road. I have a small bruise on
my knee and a graze and bump to my left cheek bone where my head hit the
road, I felt ok and declined an ambulance. We were given accident report
forms by the police and the driver accepted all responsibility,
apologising
profusely. The sadle of my bike is torn where it hit the floor and I have
the minor injuries as stated - I think my head is ok. The question is, in
this litigious age could I and should I take this any further?

I've been commuting by bike every day a round trip of 12 miles for the
last
two years and really feel drivers need to take more care and pay more
attention of cyclists instead of just feeling they have to get past them
at
any cost! I think this driver has learnt her lesson but is that enough?
Any advice much appreciated.
Regards, G.

Standard advice on this side of the pond is to have a doctor examine you and
look for any injuries that you might have missed, especially since you
landed on your head. People have been known to walk around for quite a few
days with far more serious injuries than they initially realized.

I would make some effort to collect for whatever damage was done to your
clothing, helmet (if you were wearing one) and bicycle. If nothing else this
would serve notice to the driver of the car that injuring someone with a
lethal weapon (her car) calls for more than just apologies, no matter how
profuse or sincere.

The Cyclist's Touring Club provides legal assistance to member cyclists
involved in traffic accidents. Apparently they will assist in an accident
that occurred just prior to joining, should you find it necessary to go this
route. The folks at uk.rec.cycling can advise you about this and other UK
cycling issues.

HTH,
--
mark

You are correct that the person has probally learned their lesson. I dare
you to take the next step and ask if that person would now become a bicycle
riding buddy and make a friend instead of having negative thoughts about
what should be done to make this person pay for something. Everbody's want
people to pay back. Why not payup and pass on a good deed instead???

Jean Andre Vallery
www.bicyclemessenger.com
Bicycle Messenger Emergency Fund, Inc.

"GG" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi, not sure if this is the right group but maybe someof you have had
similar experiences;

I was cycling to work this morning in London (UK), when I noticed a car on
a
side road to my left approaching the junction with the main road (which I
was on) at speed, there were no other vehicles around so I tried to make
eye
contact (as I usually would) to ensure she had seen me, I wasn't able to
see
her but continued confident, (being daylight and there were no parked cars
or other obstructions to her view), that she must have seen me - at which
point she proceeded to turn left onto the main road, over shooting the
junction and hitting the side of me and my bike with the front corner of
her
vehicle. I came off the bike went over the bonnet and landed face down in
the road. I promptly picked myself up and indicated we should go to the
police station, luckily situated across the road. I have a small bruise on
my knee and a graze and bump to my left cheek bone where my head hit the
road, I felt ok and declined an ambulance. We were given accident report
forms by the police and the driver accepted all responsibility,
apologising
profusely. The sadle of my bike is torn where it hit the floor and I have
the minor injuries as stated - I think my head is ok. The question is, in
this litigious age could I and should I take this any further?

I've been commuting by bike every day a round trip of 12 miles for the
last
two years and really feel drivers need to take more care and pay more
attention of cyclists instead of just feeling they have to get past them
at
any cost! I think this driver has learnt her lesson but is that enough?
Any advice much appreciated.
Regards, G.

GG said:

We were given accident report
forms by the police and the driver accepted all responsibility, apologising
profusely. The sadle of my bike is torn where it hit the floor and I have
the minor injuries as stated - I think my head is ok. The question is, in
this litigious age could I and should I take this any further?

yes. if you hit your head, you should go see a doctor and make
sure there was no permanent damage. DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING saying
that you are OK until a month or so has passed and you are
absolutely certain that your injuries are not a problem.

ask the driver to pay for a new bicycle seat. you are entitled
to be made whole.

GG said:

Hi, not sure if this is the right group but maybe someof you have had
similar experiences;

I was cycling to work this morning in London (UK), when I noticed a car on a
side road to my left approaching the junction with the main road (which I
was on) at speed, there were no other vehicles around so I tried to make eye
contact (as I usually would) to ensure she had seen me, I wasn't able to see
her but continued confident, (being daylight and there were no parked cars
or other obstructions to her view), that she must have seen me

I'm glad you're okay, but as you've learned, you can't a person sees
you. How many times did she say, "I never even saw him!" Twenty?

Mass wins in any such encounter and you have to assume the other person
is drunk, drugged, oblivious, upset, deranged or in any number of other
attention reducing states of mind.

I would ask her to pay for the seat, bandages and any torn clothing or
damage to the bike. It probably wouldn't be worth your time to sue
unless you're going to start seeing a lawyer and doctor to
"substantiate" your claim.

R

I would be careful about not admitting that I am OK too soon. Don't sign
anything until about a month from the accident.

Don't go for a lawyer to do anything at this point. If you are in contact
with the driver of the car ask, that is ASK them to replace the saddle and
any other items that were damaged in the incident. Try to be as polite as
possible with the person and as one of the other posters suggested, see if
the person would like to go for a ride sometime. You could suggest to the
person that it would be a good way to learn what it is like to be on a
bicycle in that type of situation. They may be even more careful in the
future.

I had a situation one time that was almost as bad as yours. I was riding in
single file with a friend and we were turning off of a main road to a side
street. The driver coming from the side street to the road we were on was
focused on the first bike which was my friend. She made it around the
corner onto the side street and I followed not more than about one or two
seconds behind. The driver of the car was so focused on the first bike she
did not see me and just barely stopped as I yelled to let her know that I
was there. I could have reached down and touched the car after she stopped.

I did not yell any obscenities or anything like that. All I did was a good
loud HEY! I have been known to be heard by the front rider in a ten bike
string that is about a quarter mile long when I was tail end Charlie as I
called out cars in the country. Who needs an air horn? :-)

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----