Forum Rider Down and/or notification of minor incidents

Was this on the Walwoth road just before E&C?

No, on the northern roundabout just before the London Rd/Bakerloo line exit, Wednesday 23rd around 9.30am. I was riding a dark green Dawes touring bike, driver was in a black BMW hatchback.

Tried calling the driver's insurer and they just have a recorded message advising third party claimants to email them. Can anyone point me in the direction of a good Letter of Claim to send to them? I've got an estimate for the bike repair, but what should I do about the pannier - just a link to a comparable replacement?

Assume you aren't hurt - at all - and that you've been to A&E / GP for checkup.

If the damage is minimal and you have the driver's details it might be worth asking him to pay? Give them the option of not chucking away their NCB if they can help it, assuming they still have it. Less paperwork for you, too.

If you haven't been checked out please do so. If you settle now but discover you are injured later there's no recourse for you.

If you think your pannier is dead it might be worth getting that on the repair bill from the LBS, too.

If you want to talk to their insurer directly I'd recommend just being as clear as possible - you don't have to resort to legalese.

-

Dear sir / madam,

RE road traffic collision, , , : claim for damages to possessions

I've attached a breakdown of my costs incurred as a result of the incident .

Your client has admitted liability to me and assures me he has already contacted yourselves regarding the matter. To close this matter neatly I'm forgoing any additional legal action if the costs are addressed promptly.

I expect to be fully reimbursed - please post a cheque to as soon as is practical.

If you need to discuss the matter with me further please reply to this email.

Please confirm receipt of this email.

Regards,

Cyclist

Cheers Howard - it's a corporate insurance policy so I don't think he's too bothered about the no claims. I have minor cuts and bruises but nothing serious. I'll pop my details into that format and get it sent. Thanks!

I think involving the insurer is entirely correct, accepting a cash offer is helping them defraud their insurer and ensuring a bad driver suffers no proper penalty.

Agree with sentiment, not sure whether it would be defrauding though [unless their insurer specifically asked, after the incident, if there was an RTC in which the driver was involved, and the driver then lied?], and the driver would suffer a financial penalty that may or may not be less than the cost of increased premiums.

does anyone know what happened at the newington green end of green lanes this morning 29/4 ?

approached the corner where I crashed last month yesterday in the wet and took it extra slow.

nearly stacked it again! same drain cover! good job I went slow. that thing is deadly

Drain cover that big?

approached the corner where I crashed last month yesterday in the wet and took it extra slow.

nearly stacked it again! same drain cover! good job I went slow. that thing is deadly

Aren't you going to tell us where it is?!

haha, sorry yeah.

This is the bugger

So turning left (east) onto tavistock place from judd street

If you were in primary you'd have missed it.

If you were in primary you'd have missed it.

In hindsight, I agree. Just caught the edge of it.

Anyway, so yeah. Stay safe, don't lean (not that I did) and have a great day.

Me. Today.
I'm on tour and did a skid (unintentional) whilst crossing from a road to an off road cycle path mixed in with the pavement.

However, with all the surface water and blossom/muck from the trees I slid off my bike and my chin and forehead hit the pavement. It was all rather reminiscent of falling off my bike when I was 12.

As far as I am aware I have a minor scuff to my chin, a grazed knee and a surprising sense of relief that I have fallen off my bike as a grown up and survived.

Probably the nicest thing about this incident is that it happened next to a queue of traffic and one of the drivers, a lovely Brad Pitt type, pulled over, got out of the car and asked if I was alright.

Glad you're OK. A minor fall can be a good thing.

Just got side swiped by another cyclist, he was meandering down the middle of the lane and decided a sharp right turn was needed without looking over his shoulder just as I went past . Bars twisted round and it now looks like I've two knees on my right leg. Twat

Hit a pothole on the way to work this Monday and went over the handlebars.....apparently. Can't recall falling, just woke up with ambulance and other people around me.
Was told my head and shoulder took most of the impact(I can feel that now). Picking up my bike tomorrow from the nice lady that stored it for me after I was carted off to hospital. luckily bike didn't get a scratch!!
Gonna start using my helmet again I reckon.
Amazing start to the week!

glad you're ok dude!

Cheers man!
Took my bike home last night. Felt good even with my body aching a bit.
Got told that a fair few people (drivers and cyclists) stopped to help which restore my faith in my fellow road users a little bit.

White van left hooked me on Walworth road yesterday evening. Didn't hit me but I braked too hard and flew over handlebars. Broke my hand. Now sat in fracture clinic. Boooooring

Thankfully only a fracture. No cast needed

Nice. Hope you heal up soon. Did van man stop?

^^^ Nasty. Hope you can heel up quick. Couple of weeks off the bike though unless you Indra it one handed?

Van didn't stop. Probably didn't even bloody realise what they did.

Yeah. Just got a splint thing on for a few weeks. Counting myself very lucky. Lots of people saw it and were very helpful. And police were driving by moments later.

They were very helpful, but one did say to me "were you wearing a helmet?" and I said no I don't feel the need to wear one. His reply: "says the man with the grazed face". I just pointed at my swollen hand and said this is the problem.

My flatmate did the dunwich dynamo with a broken hand and after 3 nights of no sleep at secret garden party. Right hand broken too, so could only use back brake. I can't compete with him.

Further to my collision upthread, I'm having absolutely no joy getting damages back from anyone. The driver's insurance company (AXA Commercial Services) don't even have a call centre, all claims must be emailed or faxed (!!); multiple emails, no response. The driver informs me that AXA have appointed a claims management agency, who've informed me that they can't deal with me directly, and that I should make a claim on my home contents insurance.

Obviously I don't want to lose 9 years NCD on my home insurance for the sake of £80 (£100 excess), and I really don't see why I should be further out of pocket for something that was someone else's fault. So what do I do now? Should I just write to the driver with a copy of the bill and a demand for payment? And if I get ignored, then what - small claims court?

I'm reaching the end of my tether, and I'm fed up with the number of call centre staff who've told me that "If you were in a car, it'd be much easier, we're not really set up to deal with bikes."