just been hit by a car

[Two_Sheds]

Don't settle on your personal injuries until you're sure there are no long lasting after effects....The police charged nobody.

My solicitor says I will be examined by a doctor only after I recover, however long that takes. They will then work out a claim based on Suffering x Weeks, or something.

It will be many, many months before I see a penny.

And no, the police won't charge anybody. It's easier for them if the insurance companies deal with everything.

[Alice]

Well that's a bummer about your bike Two Sheds. �50 will go nowhere.
Don't settle on your personal injuries until you're sure there are no long lasting after effects.
It's terrible the way insurance companies behave to the innocent injured.
My daughter had an accident a couple of years ago when a vehicle rammed into the back of her and shunted her into the vehicle in front. Her car was a write off and she was off work for 5 months with back and neck injuries. The insurance company took 2 years to settle. The police charged nobody.

Hope you get it all settled out and I hope you are feeling a bit better.

[Two_Sheds]

Jane, I'm being looked after by a specialist cycle-claims company. The repairs will be done by the best bike shop in my area.
The insurers will only pay out for "as like" not "new for old".

yes, it's a bummer. I'm emotionally attached to this bike, we've been thru a lot in 13 years (I bought it with my redundancy money in '95, and I did a charity 100-miler on it 6 weeks after my chemotherapy. She's a good old gal)

[janeyo]

Bummer.

If you were to get 3 quotes for how much the bike is actually worth by 'bike people' *, then maybe that would stand up as evidence for replacement?

*Like posh bike shops etc?

[Two_Sheds]

High value bikes aren't covered by house insurance.

[janeyo]

Unreal.. so am I pleased at the good news or not-so pleased at the bad news?
I might be tempted to get one of those neck collars and wear it for a while. make your case look even better for the compo.

Might be easier to claim off house insurance for bike instead?

[Two_Sheds]

So.
Today I am very stiff and sore. My brand new solicitor rang me and, good news or bad news first?

OK.

Bad news: I will only get reimbursed the cost of a 13 year old bike (about �50), despite the fact it was in excellent nick and that a new replacement will cost me �900.

Good news: she thinks I will get that much for my personal injuries.

Good news: there's another witness
Bad news: he's a taxi driver (they HATE cyclists)

--------------

Funny thing No. 1:
I met the driver today, who had just been for his 6 monthly eye checkup ! His eyes are bad because of diabetes and he wears thick specs. Now why would he be telling me this stuff, after he'd admitted "not seeing" me ?

Funny thing No.2:
My police officer came to "chat" to me, and read me my rights and cautioned me! lol.
I gave a very carefully edited statement (edited by him so that no blame was attached to anyone). In summary, I had to write that I "believed" I had right of way, not that I DID have right of way.

You gotta laugh, or you else you cry.

[HeyWayne]

I remember when we had our Dutch student Linda (rip) stay with us - she could not understand our traffic laws. I think cyclists have the right of way in Holland too.

[taskey]

Hope you are feeling better.

Out here in germany, cyclists have right of way - end of. everytime you turn a corner here you have to check for bikes as they do not stop. If you hit them - you are in serious trouble, legally and money wise.

but over here everyone rides a bike, from the very young with their parents to the very old.

Tracy

[bluemoon]

Hope you're feeling better today TS. I was discussing this with OH last night and in his opinion cyclists are all very aware of safety issues, almost all wear high-vis jackets and helmets - except for kids, of course, he was talking about serious adult cyclists - and understand the rules of the road far better than any car driver. His pet hate is motor-cyclists at dusk and dawn, who are almost invisible and usually wear black leather, presumably because it's 'cool', and tend to be slightly more reckless than your average road user (this is a generalization though as he knows a couple of very responsible motorcyclists too). Anyway, his thoughts are that any accident involving a push-bike is 99% likely to be the driver's fault.

[Polly Fouracre]

I hope you're not feeling too stiff and sore today. I was thinking of you yesterday watching the "Ruth Bible" climbing beans you put in the seed parcel racing up the poles!

[Glutton4...]

BLIMEY !! Only just caught up with this - seriously hope you are OK, and not too stiff and sore today. Fingers crossed for you!

[MagicLady]

A hem.
It's been proven that drivers are even more reckless around helmets, because they perceive the cyclist to be "safe"

But at least it's protection. I cleaned DH when I found out he hadn't been wearing his!!!!

I was a Paramedic in a previous life (left about 5 years ago) and believe me, it's not pretty when you hit your head on the kerb or road

A lot of car drivers are totally oblivious to cyclist and motorcyclists (DH is both). They get in, turn the radio up and slip into their own little world. If it's not bigger than a mini, they don't see it

Personally, I think drivers should have a hazard perception test every 5 years or so - I did it for my ambulance training and it really makes you think!!!

[indigox]

Hope you're not feeling TOO battered and bruised today TS ((((((((((hugs))))))))))). Sting the careless ��$$%% for everything you can!!! New hand-built bike, compensation for injuries, cost of hiring someone to do your housework due to incapacity - anything else you can think of!! If you HAD been in the wrong and scratched his car with your bike, he'd be the first to claim compensation

I agree, if you can face it, it is really worth pursuing this. His insurance will cover accidents like this, you deserve some compensation for having to go through that shock and discomfort.

[Flummery]

Cor, you do like to live life close to the edge don't you? Homicidal parrot and then this!

Seriously, some drivers are unbelievable arrogant. I once witnessed an accident (no-one hurt fortunately) where a woman drove out of a side-road into a main road, smacked into a car, leapt out and yelled "Didn't you see me?" She had been glancing into the setting sun, assumed no-one was coming and completely missed the fact that a car was just about to pass her side road, with right of way, doing the propper speed. And SHE was cross! I sometimes think that being in the wrong makes people defensive and THAT makes then rude and ignorant. I agree with people here - if you are in the right place and have right of way then the other person IS at fault.

I hope you're not feeling too rubbish today. That's GOT to hurt.

love from Flum