Forum Rider Down and/or notification of minor incidents

I hope you took his details, the licence + PCO number, contemporaneous notes, the name of the person trying to get the cab and anyone else around...

Ok, you probably understandably didn't manage all that - but the forum is littered with tales of people later finding issues with their bike/head that need sorting!

Blame the cap.

I hope you took his details, the licence + PCO number, contemporaneous notes, the name of the person trying to get the cab and anyone else around...

Ok, you probably understandably didn't manage all that - but the forum is littered with tales of people later finding issues with their bike/head that need sorting!

Lucky i've read through those kind of posts many times. I took as many numbers and as much detail as I could from everyone. Went A&E even though I didn't think I needed it. I sat next to the doctor and got him to write every possible detail and every little bruise and scratch. Tomorrow I'm going to my GP to get the whole report printed and i've requested CCTV footage from the two cameras around. I didn't take the money he offered. Got a lawyer to do a write up of what happened. I'll give it a couple of weeks, if all is good then i'll call him up and ask him to pay for a new handlebar (it's slightly scratched). Otherwise, if there's anything wrong with me or the bike then I'll take whatever I need from his insurance.

Blame the cap.

All the docs tried to convince me I should wear a helmet. I told them it's a special cap and that i'm trialling it for a company called LFGSS. The peak is designed to deflect head injuries and the fabric stiffens up on impact. At least one of them believed me...

Report him to the GMC

Report him to the GMC

Haha.

For what its worth, I've been in touch with Southwark council over getting CCTV of the E&C roundabout. We'll see what happens now...

Need some advise guys. I can easily claim lots of money of this guy. Claim for travel expenses, lack of work etc. But I don't really want to do that. He wasn't being aggressive, yes he mad a big mistake that could have ended a lot worse then it did but I bet he won't do it again. In other words I don't want to punish him.

I'm going to give it a week or two. Make sure i'm defo ok and that the bike is ok. Then ask him to give me some cash to replace my handlebars and brake lever. Probs just ask him for £100 or so. It will be a done deal and I won't be able to claim anything on insurance later. Meanwhile I do have the witness statements and CCTV and his admission of fault. So If i do find out that there's a problem or he doesn't cooperate then I could go the legal route. But that's not going to happen because it's obviously not in his interest.

Am I making a mistake? Or does this sound reasonable?

Well done - you've handled it very smartly, most people wouldn't after a knock on the head.

I think your plan is reasonable if you think it was a simple accident, kind of thing that might happen to anyone - we do not check shoulders etc 100% of the time and while the law might try to hold you to account every time you made a mistake, that would be a pretty shitty world.

However, if you think it's symptomatic of a general poor driving attitude and or carelessness towards cyclists it may be worth pushing for a harder punishment as deterrent. BUT from what you've said.. I think get the money for any damage, new clothes etc. And hopefully he will learn from it..

There's no such thing as an 'accident'.

He was responsible.

Ask what you think is fair. If it has meant you've missed work or incurred additional travel expenses and have been otherwise inconvenienced then he needs to address that - or his insurance company does. The time wasted dealing with this is time not spent with your friends and family.

Rhowe / Howard just wanted to say thank you again for your advice. Rhowe thank you for reading my draft email and responding so quickly. You'd be glad to know it's all been resolved well. Bike fixed and I'm getting there. Still have a few physiotherapy sessions. At any rate the guy's insurance sorted everything. Dropping a small donation to the forum as a thank you to all the links and advice. So - Thank you.

Lawyer-ing up also means delving into what's been done in the past and also your case w|could be up as precedence, if you go there...
Despite a "lawyers" reputation, they could advise on what is fair compensation.

There's no such thing as an 'accident'.

He was responsible.

Clearly there is such a thing as an accident, I.e. something not intended.

If someone hits me and intends to do so, I would try to punish them as strongly as possible. If they didn't intend to, it mitigates. They might still have been reckless or generally increasing the chance of something occuring... and it doesn't get them off the hook, but it's a damm sight better than a deliberate violent act.

They are "Road Traffic Incidents" or "Road Traffic Collisions"

The use of "accident" removes the ability to apportion blame and insinuates that an incident was unavoidable.

Why did we start talking about road traffic collisions rather than accidents? Because it mitigated the responsibility of the party at fault. This is one of those cases.

Of course, actions can have unintended consequences. But if you use the road as instructed and obey the constraints you will not be responsible for an 'accident'. Cabby in question made a decision to pull a dangerous move and as bad luck would have it there are now consequences.

If someone hits me and intends to do so, I would try to punish them as strongly as possible.

This.

If he had shown ruthlessness or brutality then I'd be on him like a tonne of bricks. But there's no need. I'm sure he is now a much more considerate driver. Lucky i'm not too beat up, otherwise I'd have asked for more and I would have taken it of his insurance.

This evening, me, riding on a shared use bridge that connects Clayponds Ave and Green Dragon Lane.

Completely failed to see the metal barrier designed to slow cyclists down. Hit it straight on, both index fingers took the brunt and then the rest of me flew into the bar. Amazingly bike stayed upright and I did not actually topple over the bar.

Fingers are really bruised, it was the joints that took the worst, very swollen but able to bend them. Then my knees and thighs.

STI's got knocked out of alignment, bar tape damaged.

Debating if bars ought to be replaced at the same time as bar tape (ie soon) though alignment of bars looks fine.

Probably worse affected is my pride!

Sorry to hear that mate. Heal up quickly.

This evening, me, riding on a shared use bridge that connects Clayponds Ave and Green Dragon Lane.... of bars looks fine.

Probably worse affected is my pride!

Have you considered cycle training?

trollface.jpg.

Sounds rough, glad you're alive.

Pride hurts. A lot.

Ouch! Heal up!!

metal barrier designed to slow cyclists down. Hit it straight on

Barrier did its job then.

You fucking massive bellend

How the fuck can you claim you have not hit me, given that my bike is embedded in the front of your fucking car?!?!?!?

I actually got off my bike to take the photo, it was just standing there.

B**k in a Merc. Nuff said. Is the wheel Pringled?

Unlucky DJ, presuming you're all ok that's one of the few times I've seen a car come off worse. I hope they realise how close they came to hurting you.

Today I saw: a women being treated for what looked like a broken arm/shoulder beside her orange Brompton by London Bridge. Then I saw a dude try to RLJ however the car in front decided against it and said cyclist splatted himself against the boot much to the dismay of the driver. Cyclist ok, driver apoplectic.
Finally at the end of my road were the community support police dealing with a distressed lad who'd just had his bike run over, bleeding knuckles and a sheepish driver. I got off and walked the last 100m, it must be a full moon or something.