Accident

billaustin

hey guys,

I had an accident yesterday coming out of Kilcock. A lady driver pulled out of a junction while i was cycling on the main road. She left me with nowehere to go and I went straight into her, hit my head smack into the bonnet (thank god for helmets) and bounced up and off the car. my bike is in a sorry state and I'm pretty sore. She was very apologetic and there were plenty of people who saw what happened including a Garda.

I'm not taking a PI case or anything like that but i will be looking for the cost of replacing my bike etc.

Just wondering if anyone had similar experiences.

paddyob

Its actually happened to me twice so far, the most recent being last monday.

Luckily both times the drivers were very apologetic and took full responsibility so their insurance covered all medical and bike bills. However in both cases it was their choice to go via their insurance.

I'd recommend jsut getting in touch with her and give a rough idea of what it'll all cost, bike repair, new helmet and any medical stuff and let her make the call.

Cabaal

As long as she covers any expensives thats pretty fair, handy that you had a Gardai who saw it happen

billaustin

Yea well that's the thing, eventhough she is at fault I'm not the type to overdo it in terms of what happened, lol I'm not going to come into work in a wheelchair with a neck brace wincing every five minutes but fair is fair and I'm getting one or two quaotes and will forward them on to her to deal with.

Thansk for the advice!

fatbhoy

Cabaal wrote: »

As long as she covers any expensives thats pretty fair, handy that you had a Gardai who saw it happen

I don't know about you guys, but if something like that happened to me, then I wouldn't be happy with merely getting everything that was damaged replaced with equal value stuff - I'd be looking for an upgrade, which I would consider as being compensation for the inconvenience. It's a pain in the ass hunting around for a replacement bike and being without a bike until a replacement is acquired.

ROK ON

Similar thing happened to me last year. Elderly guy admitted fault immediately.

Process
1 get contact details
2 get insurance details.
3 contact insurance company to make claim.

I had a cheque for replacement frame within the week. Once the company was happy that I was not going to claim injury they paid out immediately.

Btw - if you are sore then see a doctor.
Also make a statement to the Gardai. My accident happened pretty close to a garda station.

chakattack

fatbhoy wrote: »

I don't know about you guys, but if something like that happened to me, then I wouldn't be happy with merely getting everything that was damaged replaced with equal value stuff - I'd be looking for an upgrade, which I would consider as being compensation for the inconvenience. It's a pain in the ass hunting around for a replacement bike and being without a bike until a replacement is acquired.

That's crap! This attitude is what makes it hard for genuine people to make genuine claims. Mine took almost 6 months before I got a cheque and I rightly paid for my own upgrades.

If it's an expensive bike the insurance company will do they're homework. I had a loss adjustor (basicly a guy contracted by the insurance company to haggle me down) try to argue that I wasn't entitled to a new frame to replace my used (albeit in mint condition and priceless to me) frame because it was effectively second hand and then wanted to factor in depreciation! He found a similar model to my discontinued bike (not in my size) at a clearance price and tried to insist that was all I was entitled to. I soon pointed out that the frame he had in mind was incompatible with some of my parts (seatpost/bottom bracket) and that a bike is only devalued IF you sell it and that depreciation is mostly on components and not the frame unless scratched etc. and put him in his place. It was a frustrating and arduous process dealing with some numpty who knows nothing about bikes.

If you are fair with the driver she'll be fair in return. Assuming she's a reasonable human being.

Just in case:

Get checked by a doctor

Report to Gardai

Get a fair valuation for a like for like replacement for your bike or whatever needs to be replaced - whatever is cheaper

If she changes her mind or starts making things difficult then remind her that you can press charges for dangerous/careless driving at your discretion.

poochiem

fatbhoy wrote: »

I don't know about you guys, but if something like that happened to me, then I wouldn't be happy with merely getting everything that was damaged replaced with equal value stuff - I'd be looking for an upgrade

Life will get you in the end mate!

Just a note of caution to the OP, if you are getting any pain have it checked out - the Doc's bill will be covered by the driver/insurance and you may be surprised how some injuries don't present immediately,even fractures. Be careful not litigious.

seamus

As much as you don't want to be claiming for injuries, don't work hard to save her money on your behalf. Make sure you have her insurance details and that you've filed the accident report with the Gardai.

Go to a doctor and get checked out and include the cost of that + any medicines in her bill. You're pretty sore now but you probably feel that you'll be fine in a week. Nevertheless you could have specific injuries which mightn't heal for a month or more and you doctor can spot these or even flag them as possibilities. I had bruised ribs which took 3 or 4 days to feel properly hurt and then another 4 weeks to heal.

As above, take your bike down to an LBS and get a valuation for what needs to be replaced. All damaged parts should be replaced with new ones, repairs are not adequate.

fatbhoy

poochiem wrote: »

Life will get you in the end mate!

WTF does that mean?

fatbhoy

fatbhoy wrote: »

I don't know about you guys, but if something like that happened to me, then I wouldn't be happy with merely getting everything that was damaged replaced with equal value stuff - I'd be looking for an upgrade, which I would consider as being compensation for the inconvenience. It's a pain in the ass hunting around for a replacement bike and being without a bike until a replacement is acquired.

OK, maybe I need to clarify something, before the Karma Police attack me :pac:. What I mean is that an injured party should automatically receive some compensation for the inconvenience of having a fcuked up bike and the time/hassle it takes to sort it out. I wasn't suggesting anything underhanded.

Possedion

if you crashed and hit your helmet, you will need to get that replaced.
only good for a couple of knocks. IMO

shamwari

fatbhoy wrote: »

OK, maybe I need to clarify something, before the Karma Police attack me :pac:. What I mean is that an injured party should automatically receive some compensation for the inconvenience of having a fcuked up bike and the time/hassle it takes to sort it out. I wasn't suggesting anything underhanded.

The OP is being very fair and reasonable in his approach. Are you advocating that he in some way "profits" from his unfortunate accident? He is looking for no more than he feels he is entitled to, namely the replacement of his bike with something of equal value, and coverage of his out of pocket expenses.

It's a pity there are aren't a few more decent people like the OP out there..

paddyob

Possedion wrote: »

if you crashed and hit your helmet, you will need to get that replaced.
only good for a couple of knocks. IMO

ehh ... only good for one knock. Once a helmet has taken an impact it should be replaced as there's no way to tell if it has internal damage from the impact or not. Most helmet companies do decent crash replacement offers.

Or, you can take a risk that it won't offer protection for any further impacts.

billaustin

All the advice has been very helpful guys thanks very much. I've been to the doctor and thankfully it's just bumps, bruises and scrapes, nothing major. I have the lady's details and she will be getting three quotes from three seperate places just to show I'm not playing funny. But when I do recieve the money i probably will add on to it and get a better bike than what I had. i was plannign on upgrading at the end of the year so i may just do it earlier by adding on to what i receive.

All the advice is very much appreciated!

tomasrojo

paddyob wrote: »

ehh ... only good for one knock. Once a helmet has taken an impact it should be replaced as there's no way to tell if it has internal damage from the impact or not. Most helmet companies do decent crash replacement offers.

Or, you can take a risk that it won't offer protection for any further impacts.

Yes, helmet liner can only compress once. It doesn't spring back.

OP, do you hug the side of the road when approacing a junction? If there is no traffic following, move out nearer the centre of the lane. That way you are more likely to be seen by emerging/crossing traffic, and you have more time to react or brake. If there is traffic following, then cars don't usually pull out the way you describe. They have bike-blindness, unfortunately (especially if you're close to the side of the road).

trad

fatbhoy wrote: »

WTF does that mean?

No one gets out of this life alive is what he probably means. When your number's up, your number's up.

BostonB

billaustin wrote: »

...

Just wondering if anyone had similar experiences.

I did and took a few days later before the effects of whiplash set in, which hasn't entirely gone away, a year or two later. I wished I'd taken the driver to task instead of doing nothing about it. its good to dot the i's and cross the T's just in case. even if in the end you do nothing. I feel the driver won't appreciate they could have killed us, and be more careful if the get off easily.