 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I got wiped out last night by a young police officer in his van. After my normal wed night ride and a couple of beers with mates, I decided to come a slightly different way. Came to road junction and police van passed, followed behind him for about 250m then he pulls over to left as if parking up. As I went to pass he suddenly did a 90 degree turn across the road. What a bang as I him the van just behind rear wheel, ended up on floor in milliseconds thinking wtf happend there.
First comment from police officer was I did not see you. No lights on bike but decent helmet light and blinking rear.
Sargent turns up and breathalysers officer but not me 😀
Two hours in casualty, no broken bones but shoulder hurts like hell, cancelled all work for today and next week + off for weekend in Dublin tomorrow. I suppose its my fault for taking a different route home.
Forgot to mention bike, carbon Scott Genius. Dare not look yet 😥 It took a right smack into van and tarmac. Hurting to much to lift it anyway.
Sounds like you should get a claim in for the bike if it's damaged and loss of earnings, assuming you're self employed?
Top claim coming, at least they should have all the documentation.
Sounds like he pulled over to the left to give himself room to do a u-turn. He should have been looking, but unless he signalled you probably should not have gone round the outside of him.
What the police saying? Getting insurance involved?
Self employed so def loss of earnings.
I think he was pulling into a drive opposite. He did signal, thats when i hit the brakes, but to late to do anything. I only notice the light coming on, it did not have time to flash.
Waiting for some more communication from Sargent on Monday.
As for insurance, who's? I am not insured for riding the bike. Perhaps the house ins might give me some help.
As for insurance, who's?
Theirs? If they are seen to be in the wrong of course.
surely 'no lights on bike' is gonna have quite a strong influence on the outcome?
nail him, get one of those dirty no win no fee solicitors.
surely 'no lights on bike' is gonna have quite a strong influence on the outcome?
Surely having a headtorch on is just as good? Unless they really stick to the letter of the law....and with them being the police they might do 😉
....and with them being the police they might do
If they can get away with murdering people on film, weaseling out of hitting a cyclist will be childs play.
You may have legal cover on your house, in which case use that. If not, it's either no win no fee, or at your own cost and go for costs.
O/k gents thanks for the advice. I will see what is said on Monday and report back.
Surely having a headtorch on is just as good? Unless they really stick to the letter of the law....and with them being the police they might do
I would say no. Headtorch wobbles around with your head, so if you look at the fit bird walking on the righthand pavement, turn your head to check over your shoulder to make sure it's ok to pull right or down at your front wheel, it's bugger all use for illuminating you to other road users. Also, most folks angle headtorches right down so as to not dazzle other road users but this does mean you are not making yourself very visible.
I do the "couple of beers" and ride home bit myself too but I do wonder how sensible it is - your reactions are still dimmed like they would be if driving a car, and whilst you are less likely to hurt someone else, your ability to 2nd guess what's happening up the road or react fast are still diminished and you might end up hurt. A couple of pints and pootle home is still one of lifes great pleasures though....
Hope you feel better soon.
Contact the CTC. I think they offer to help if you are a member or not. You should be claiming off his insurance for any out of pocket expenses.
eh?but unless he signalled you probably should not have gone round the outside of him.
Hmmmm
I think the lack of legal lights and the couple of beers diminishes but does not stop you from claiming. Likely to be a reduction in damages to reflect this. However they might not know you have had the beers. Given the situation it will be hard for them to wriggle out of the blame.
sounds like you were following too closely if you couldn't stop in time. if you were driving a car (even without having a couple of beers) they (insurance co) would find in favour of the van driver 99/100 times.
So you were too close, your bicycle was not road legal and you had been drinking (if not excessively).
By all means try it on, but I wouldn't hold out too much hope myself.
I've been there with the random/unexpected U turn myself, I was luckier, commiserations.
CTC might be worth a try. As for wobbly head torch, it was around midnight when this happened so no distractions as such. I was just looking at the the police van pulling up as I moved out to the middle of the road so the light was pointing all around the back and drivers side of van. But who knows what they will say and its my word against his.
I'd never use just a headtorch for cycling. Suicide. Drivers have a hard enough time as it is picking out cyclists, why make it harder? It doesn't move like a bike light, it's at head height not bar height and it's often pointing more downwards, for starters.
If the van has slowed and pulled into the left he may well not have been following too close.
If the van has slowed and pulled into the left he may well not have been following too close.
Yes, other factors aside, he should have checked his mirrors before he pulled out again and cutting across the road.
molgrips we could argue the rights and wrongs of head torches till the cows come home.
TT I was well behind the van up to it pulling to the left, thats when I caught up and moved out to pass it.
Could do, yes. Or just not risk it 🙂
I found even weird things like the colour of my lights made a big difference in pulling out incidents. Whenever I use a halogen commuter light, people pull out in front of me all over the place. With an LED, it hardly happens at all. Perhaps the yellow halogen gets lots in everyone else's yellow halogens? Dunno.
TBH (NO offence)- no idea. I'd need to see schematic. Its just too confusing to be describe it on the internet.
Take legal advice.
[i]Contact the CTC. I think they offer to help if you are a member or not. [/i]
They'll point you in the direction of a cycling-specific solicitor but they will take no action themselves cos you're not a member.
Closing the stable door a bit but join CTC or British Cycling for the insurance and other benefits (eg, discounts at bike shops).
surely 'no lights on bike' is gonna have quite a strong influence on the outcome?
its difficult to argue he didn't see you, when he'd previously overtaken you. 250m at 15mph equates to around 37 seconds.
i.e. he's overtake you, then 37 seconds later pulled over to the left briefly then done a u-turn.
is that right?
nope - read a little harder!
No, He passed me on his left at a T junction further up the road. I then turned left onto same road and followed him. He pulled left, I moved right then bang.
I moved right then bang.
He shot you? Bit harsh.
Tazer like the hero type guy. Thats it I want to be a Hero.
Better get on facebook then....
I would say that this is a case a momentary lack of concentration on the part of the driver (being a police officer is irrelevant) same rules apply to them as they do to any other driver.
The driver should always check that it is safe for them to complete their maneouver, he should have checked his mirror signalled his intention then when it was clearly safe to do so complete the action. He said to you I didnt see you so there is an admission of negligence at the time. Yes there will be an issue that you did not have type approved fixed incandensent lights fitted, but I would assess this is likely to mitigate the level of the compensation you would achieve from the drivers insurers, bearing in mind that Police Vehicles are not insured in the same manner that ours are (they normally self indemnify).
The fact that you had been drinking is unlikely to be proven, you werent breathalised (i.e you were not driving a mechanically propelled motor vehicle hence no power to request a sample of breath from you).
I would say seek advice CTC etc and on the balance of probability looks like you have a legitemate claim at the least for your bike and I would say loss of earning etc.
Anyway what do I know I am a copper so flame me! 😆
Good luck
MUTDs
I've had a couple of accidents on the way back from the boozer. Both times it happened to be foliage that somehow pulled out in front of me though.
I didn't sue though - just gave said foliage a stern, if not slightly drunken, talking to.
Perhaps don't let them know about this thread eh!
You not a Brazilian electrician are you? 😳
Best to report the driver to the Police for driving without due care and attention.
WWW.BIKELINE.CO.UK
if you were too close to stop, when the van started to turn, i would argue that you were not in control of the bike and did not leave sufficient room to be able to stop in an emergency.
also depends where you were in the road , if you were right behind the van, tyhe driver could not have seen you, i presume you were right behind him, because you could not stop in time when he pulle across the road
but its worth a try for a claim, just remember to keep to the facts if claiming, dont be tempted to flower it up
[i]I suppose its my fault for taking a different route home.[/i]
And drinking before riding along the public road....
I think you should quite possibly mark this one up to experience myself.
I'm not being critical, I've drunk and rode many, many times in the past but if that's taught me one thing, it's that any accidents that happen thereafter, can quite often have a reasonable degree of blame on myself.
Davis Vs Shrogin is your man.
If they do a u turn, when your too close ot avoid doing anyhting about it, it's their fault. Also as a vehicle, performing a manover, they owe a greater duty of care to you than you do to them.
They will probably offer a 50/50 suggesting you shouldn't overtake, but it's not illegal to go past a vehicle which has pulled over to the left, or we;d never get past parked motorists until they switch engines off.
LOL @ most saying "you should claim" when if it's a trip/slip or similar (that university car park is a classic) it's all "MTFU", "get over it" etc
*YAWNS*
In which direction was he indicating?
Assuming he was not indicating, would it not be fair to say you were both making assumptions about the presence and intentions of other road users?
Hope you are ok by the way.
No, He passed me on his left at a T junction further up the road. I then turned left onto same road and followed him. He pulled left, I moved right then bang.
he was probably coming back to nick you for not having correct lights..
I'm totally not understanding people telling you that you have a claim.. If I drive my car with no lights and get hit by another car do I still have a claim?
How in the name of merry heck are people coming to the conclusion that you will get compensation?
As a thought if you'd been breathalised and had failed what would theydo next?? Read a story a couple of weeks ago about some old boy on his electric mobility scooter pissed who lost his licence!!
Yes, I would chalk this one up to "phew the cop didn't do me for riding my bike pissed and in stealth mode" and slink off home if I were you.
But at least you are honest, and sounds like the cop was too so give the guy a break.