...I'm ok, just a bit shaken and bruised...but the rear wheel and cranks bent. The driver drove straight into my back wheel, his fault-didn't see me. They were a very old couple, the man ( he was driving) could hardly speak, his wife was almost crying. They were on the way to a doctor, so I just took their phone number( she couldn't even remember the number), I probably should have taken their address or something more...but couldn't think straight at that moment. The problem is, I really doubt they will be able to pay for everything. Just looking at them and the state of their car, I could tell they just don't have much. What should I do now? I'm angry more than anything, that old people like them still drive cars.
That's what their insurance is for
Glad you're more or less OK.
They still have to have car insurance, old or not. That's where your new wheel and cranks should come from.
Also, sometimes the state of people's cars and appearance is no guide to how much money they actually have.
That's what their insurance is for
Hate to say it. 🙁
Have you been to the docs? Get a check up pronto.
The problem is, I really doubt they will be able to pay for everything. Just looking at them and the state of their car, I could tell they just don't have much.
I really think you should inform the Police.
I mean that for their own good and so that potentially someone else doesnt die.
If they couldnt see you should they be driving? If the car is badly maintained, should it have been on the road?
Inform the police.
Go through insurance.
Get the bike checked over by a shop. The frame could be a write off.
Assume you go tthe reg of the car too? If she was doddery about the phone number and it's wrong, you'll never trace them.
Go to the police, go through their insurance, unless you want to pay for the repairs yourself.
It can sometimes be a wake up call for an elderly driver too, and they may decide to stop driving which could in turn prevent a bad accident.
Haven't been to a doctor, pretty sure I'm ok. SO now, their insurance...how do I do that? Phone that lady and ask for what information? Sorry, haven't done this before so any help appreciated! Their car ( Micra) looked like it's been through wars, or hit a lot of things...scratches on side doors and duct tape holding the front bumper together.
now I'm angry with myself that I didn't take more information of them...my own fault:( but still, having their phone number, how much am I able to do?
If you go to the police they will be able to advise, and probably put you in contact with the correct insurance company.
Get the reg number for a start and they have to give you their insurance details .You dont need the old bill if you get their details but if he is dodery and half blind maybe he should be off the road ? It could be a baby robin he hits next time.
Report it to the police. Unfortunately no matter how old and lovely they are this could have been much worse and could very easily happen again. Sometimes people need an incident in their life to change their ways and this might be the call that this couple need.
Firstly, I hope you got their registration.
Secondly, I hope you got their phone number right.
Call them later and speak to them, hopefully they've calmed down and you will have too. Talk to them reasonably, get a price from a decent LBS (after getting the bike checked out) how much it will be to repair your bike to its pre-accident condition and give them the option of insurance or direct payment.
No need to involve the police at this stage unless they start pissing you around.
Very difficult call. Whilst I can see the empathetic side of the argument if they are becoming a danger to themselves and other road users then it may be time for them to call it a day. It doesn't need to affect their freedom too much. My folks get by perfectly well through buses and taxis. My dad reckons he is better off through not having the running costs associated with a car.
where as the advice in scotland/aberdeen was very much - bike + car = call the old bill out.
i got what for from them when i called in to report an incident
Are you sure the frame is OK? Doesn't take too much to pringle a wheel but bending cranks takes a bit of force!
As above, report to police now with as much as you know. Also get checked out by doctor. Try and follow up with them and go through insurance, however if this proves difficult you'll have at least registrered what happened.
Just been on the phone to the lady. They want to pay cash, would rather not go through the insurance. So I will go to the bike shop to give me an estimate of how much everything will cost. I'm not sure about the frame, the left crank arm is almost touching the frame...but can't see anything obvious that the frame is damaged. I fell on the left hand side. I have their address, name and phone number. She said her husband only drives to do some shopping, only one route and his driving license expires this or next year, she couldn't remember.
where? Edinburgh
first, they might not want to pay cash when you get a written quote from the LBS, who will likely refuse to deem the frame 'safe'
second - http://www.lfgss.com/thread4213.html
My Grandad drove until he was 94. He should have stopped earlier. Luckily he never hit anyone but we often hoped that he'd be in a minor accident and that he'd then be forced to stop driving rather than end up causing a more significant one.
He sounds much the same - basically just drove to the shops and the tube but the car had loads of small dents/scrape around it. He didn't want to lose his independence though.
This might well be a case of being cruel to be kind. Make sure you report it and follow through, ideally with the insurance if relevant as it'll be harder for them to get insured with accident(s) against them. If your conscience is troubling you, give any money you get to charity.
As to the expiring license, they kept renewing my Grandad's license well after he shouldn't have been driving.
They drove into you cos they didn't see you.
Hard enough to bend your cranks(!). That's hard enough to kill someone. I wouldn't want them on the road.
Call the police, go through their insurance.
My FIL has dementia & one of the first indicators that something was wrong was his lack of spatial awareness and concentration - his car started getting mysterious bumps and scrapes on it which he couldn't really remember doing. Thankfully, he very quickly decided not to drive anymore and we didn't have to go through getting his licence medically revoked. This old chap might be the same - it really needs reporting to the old bill so they can follow it up.
It's like playing russian roulette, but with someone else's life now - you span a full chamber, but it misfired and so you got lucky. Someone else might not be.......
Sorry for being dramatic 🙂
I expect they're thinking a bike will be £100 tops. Unless you're riding a heap (I guess you're not) then what will they say when you give them a £500 bill? If you want to go down the nicely nicely route a least make them aware of the likely cost.
Don't forget damage to clothing as well. I scuffed / torn gore jacket or similar will probably cost more than a wheel.
Oh and the old boy came within a baw hair of mangling your leg or worse. Don't forget that and be too nice.
I feel very lucky, if I wasn't going fast enough I would landed on or under the car. I was in front of the car when I saw him getting closer really fast...scary! Walked home and hugged my son, happy to see him...
Its an accident, no need to get all aggro about it.
It they intended to do its different matter, they didn't.
How would you feel about some randomer being all aggro with your grandfather over a bump? There is no need to be aggro if they're being reasonable.
First, glad you're ok. it's a frightening experience, being knocked off your bike.
Second, you need to be aware of the law, in order to protect your own interests:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/legal-advice/accidents-and-theft.html
If you are involved in a road-traffic accident as a driver and one or more of the following occurs:a person, other than yourself, is injured
damage is caused to another vehicle or to someone else's property - including street lamps, signs, bollards etc.
an animal* has been killed or injured, except in your own vehicle or trailer
Then you must:stop and remain at the scene for a reasonable period
give your vehicle registration number, your name and address, and that of the vehicle owner (if different) to anyone with reasonable grounds for asking for those details
If you don't exchange those details at the scene, you must report the accident at a police station or to a police constable as soon as you can, and in any case within 24 hours.
From what information you've given, it seems like the driver may be committing an offence. Someone else may have witnessed the collision, and reported it without you knowing. The driver could end up being charged with failing to report an accident. You're talking fines and/or a ban, here.
If you don't cover yourself legally, you may find that you end up with nothing. Many drivers change their story after the event, especially if they've consulted a solicitor.
You need to be more dispassionate about things; it's irrelevant if they're old, poor or whatever. Would you be as accommodating if it were a 'boy racer'? They could be playing on your sympathies, to avoid further action against them. The driver may well be on several points already; do you want a potentially dangerous driver to continue being a risk to others? Could well be much worse next time.
I was trying to tell her that, it's not a super expensive bike but not cheap.. told her it will be at least £300...she was surprised. Mentioned something if it's to high they will have to go through insurance. Not sure what to think about it.
I cant help think its strange that they would want to avoid insurance unless they have other claims on there. Generally speaking its cheap when you are that old so it would barely touch their premium, especially if its protected. The general state of the car may mean its been in a few shunts here and there.
Get ALL your kit checked clothing, bike and accessories and get yourself checked out properly as well. With most excess payments being around £250 I would think this is a straight to insurance job.
Theyll pay cash, LOL,
Wonder why, perhaps he isnt insured, perhaps they think a bike from Halfords is expenssive at a hundred quid.
I had similar about 12 years ago got hit by a company van driver, he said he would pay cash for the repairs, so a new wheel,new mudguards, and inner tube and tyre,then shop labour, and taxi to take bike to shop for estimate, he went white when i gave him the bill, but he did pay .
"Its an accident, no need to get all aggro about it.
It they intended to do its different matter, they didn't.
How would you feel about some randomer being all aggro with your grandfather over a bump? There is no need to be aggro if they're being reasonable. "
it was a collision.
its reasonable to expect someone to see a cyclist on the road. not seeing a cyclist - what next ? pedestrian ? childs face ?
report. If it was my grandfather id be glad someone reported it before someone was killed - bad enough that yer mans been hit at all and his bike damaged.
Its an accident, no need to get all aggro about it.
It they intended to do its different matter, they didn't.
How would you feel about some randomer being all aggro with your grandfather over a bump? There is no need to be aggro if they're being reasonable.
It's not 'aggro'. It's following the proper procedure.
Noone is saying to wee in his shoes or sh%t on his bonnet. Yet.
right, I'm off to a bike shop, possibly docs, just to have it on the paper.
Drop your bike it, go to the docs, then come back via the bike shop for the verdict. If you find something wrong later it will be very difficult if not impossible to claim for it, make sure you have the all clear (or not) before you submit the claim.
bigyinn - Member
Its an accident, no need to get all aggro about it.
It they intended to do its different matter, they didn't.
How would you feel about some randomer being all aggro with your grandfather over a bump? There is no need to be aggro if they're being reasonable.
Read my post. I wouldn't have wanted anyone being aggro with my grandfather but I've have been pleased if they'd basically forced him to seriously consider stopping driving as he wasn't capable.
The driver drove straight into my back wheel, his fault-didn't see me.
this concerns me more than whether they can pay
Are they fit to drive if they cannot recall basics things like their phone or see a person in front of them
I would contact plod tbh as it could be a child or a bay robin next time
they (old people) are probably more scared of dealing with the insurance and nexts years going up. rather than no insurance.
Main thing is you are ok.
Everything else can be fixed or replaced.
From what you've said about the car its time (well past) for the old boy to stop driving. Hopefully this will be the wake up call.
I'm not meaning to be aggro about it. There is a proper way of doing things. Doing things "off the books" is fine and might get a quick resolution, but essentially you are taking a risk to benefit the driver who hit you.
you are taking a risk
Or you are putting others at risk, to benefit the driver...
increase in premium for them may tip the old chap into giving up his licence, which sounds like it might be best all round. So don't be too sentimental.
They may just be afraid of the insurance 'process' - rather than having anything to hide/fear.
Get the Police rung FFS
Not for your sake but for there's so they don't in the future knock someone down and kill them.
Been to the police and it was probably pointless. The officer kept saying that he doesn't understand why cyclists don't have insurance. Also assumed that there was no witnesses(one lady but stupid me didn't take details) so cannot treat is as criminal case, assumed there is no cctv there, tho mentioned earlier he doesn't know that area. Well., there is some sort of a report, he actually wrote something down, all he can do is phone them and say police is involved.
Should have asked him for an incident number, that prove sits been recordesd as opposed to just written on a piece of paper for the shredder.
At least you've reported it. It gives you some comeback if they refuse to pay.
A guy at work had exactly the same incident, old guy drove into the back of his motorbike, the wife actually wet herself apparently.. In Italy when over 65 you need a medical visit every year to keep your licence, should really have the same thing here, makes sense
possibly docs, just to have it on the paper.
That's what I was getting at. 🙂 If there are repercussions it's on record that you're concerned enough to have been to the docs.
Sorry for the revival- I'm in a similar situation after getting knocked down Sunday... Any progress bud?