Just a cautionary post - as some may recall I was knocked off my bike cycling to the square a few weeks back. The driver was v apologetic and at the time I wasn't thinking straight so didn't invoke the police etc thinking that all would be well, liability wouldn't be an issue etc.
Now it seems she is dragging her feet and it looks as if it may be well after Xmas before the issue of liability is decided. IF she is then adjudged to be liable then the insurance company will pay for repairs to my cycle. As things stand it will be months after the accident before I get my bike repaired.
My advice now to anyone involved in an accident is to insist the police are involved however trivial the incident. Has I done so the driver would have likely been prosecuted and liability wouldn't have been an issue.
Accident update
Moderator: Moderators
Good advice from the Doctor.
Could I also add that as well as telling the police you talk straight away after the accident to British Cycling or the CTC (whichever you are a member of). They will give you a lawyer for free, one that has some experience in this. You don't have to let the lawyer actually do anything to begin with if you think it can all be sorted amicably. However, the lawyer will tell you what needs to be done and recorded in case it goes all stickly-back later.
With my "experience" a few years ago all looked fine until the cheque I was sent for the bike repairs bounced. One letter from the BC lawyer was all it needed for a the amount to appear at our door in fivers.
Could I also add that as well as telling the police you talk straight away after the accident to British Cycling or the CTC (whichever you are a member of). They will give you a lawyer for free, one that has some experience in this. You don't have to let the lawyer actually do anything to begin with if you think it can all be sorted amicably. However, the lawyer will tell you what needs to be done and recorded in case it goes all stickly-back later.
With my "experience" a few years ago all looked fine until the cheque I was sent for the bike repairs bounced. One letter from the BC lawyer was all it needed for a the amount to appear at our door in fivers.
About a year ago i was knocked off riding to work one morning by a doctor! Near the NHS place on shipton road. I contacted the police the next day to report the incident but in the meantime he already sent me a cheque to cover all the damaged stuff, £170. Everything was still usable (gloves, jacket etc) but was all scuffed.
I told the police i didn't want to prosecute him but a couple of weeks later i got a phonecall from them saying do you want us to send him to a 'driving refresher' course of something! I said no because he took full responsibility and everything was fine. I agree with Dave-always contact the police and also try get a witnesses details. A witness stopped and gave me his details which i believed scared the doctor a little bit!
I told the police i didn't want to prosecute him but a couple of weeks later i got a phonecall from them saying do you want us to send him to a 'driving refresher' course of something! I said no because he took full responsibility and everything was fine. I agree with Dave-always contact the police and also try get a witnesses details. A witness stopped and gave me his details which i believed scared the doctor a little bit!
I had an accident a few years ago due to a tempory cable to a set of traffic lights at some roadworks laid across a cycletrack where you had to turn to get through the bollards as my front wheel went over it the cable rolled and my bike and I was down like a flash, suffering an injury to my right hip.
Straight away two people came over to me to see if I was OK one of them a cyclist, both offered to be a witness for me if and thought I should take it further.
This is when I was glad to be a member of the CTC as they put their solicitors on to the case stating that the cable should have been in a cable protector sleeve where it crossed anywhere where people could trip over it, the result was I recieved a reasonable amount of compensation for the injury I had suffered.
So like the posts say above.
Be a member of a cycling organation which gives you 3rd party insurance cover.
And always get a witness if you can.
Straight away two people came over to me to see if I was OK one of them a cyclist, both offered to be a witness for me if and thought I should take it further.
This is when I was glad to be a member of the CTC as they put their solicitors on to the case stating that the cable should have been in a cable protector sleeve where it crossed anywhere where people could trip over it, the result was I recieved a reasonable amount of compensation for the injury I had suffered.
So like the posts say above.
Be a member of a cycling organation which gives you 3rd party insurance cover.
And always get a witness if you can.
Lesson seems to be: join BCF or CTC, accidents will happen eventually.
Since I want to race next year anyway, BCF makes sense to me. Peering at their none-to-clear website, it looks like Silver membership includes the essential insurance, and that's 22squid for affiliated club members (ie us). And then a racing license costs 31squid. Did I miss anything?
Since I want to race next year anyway, BCF makes sense to me. Peering at their none-to-clear website, it looks like Silver membership includes the essential insurance, and that's 22squid for affiliated club members (ie us). And then a racing license costs 31squid. Did I miss anything?
Another very good reason ALWAYS to report cycling accidents is that the cycling safety performance and safe cycling provision, as well as drivers' behaviour in the UK is dreadful, and the already shocking figures would be worse if all the 'I got knocked off, but I'M OK were included
.
Just today in town I have been badly cut up THREE times, the drivers response is always "F--CK OFF D---HEAD!
BUT...at the Council's first 'Cycling Demonstartion City' implementation meeting current lack of safety is well understood and the main plank of the £3.7M cycli9ng programme.
It was good to see ALL York cycling organisations getting involved with this, including 3 people from CliftonCC
.
Just today in town I have been badly cut up THREE times, the drivers response is always "F--CK OFF D---HEAD!
BUT...at the Council's first 'Cycling Demonstartion City' implementation meeting current lack of safety is well understood and the main plank of the £3.7M cycli9ng programme.
It was good to see ALL York cycling organisations getting involved with this, including 3 people from CliftonCC