2011-05-26 - Rider down - Putney Hill

Going down the bus lane on the way to work some guy pulled through the line of traffic without checking and I went straight in to the side of his car at about 20mph very lucky to walk away. Bike not so lucky. I have his details and he immediately said "Send me the bill" admitting he was wrong.

Thanks to everyone that stopped, helped me to the road side and moved my bike.

I think its one close call too many in the last few weeks and might well stop cycling into London because of it, really shook up about how much worse it could have been if the timing was slightly different.

Any advice if I should contact him privately with the bill or go through different routes?

Cheers

advice:http://www.lfgss.com/thread4213.html

Thanks, will read through that and work out what's best to do. Anyone have any experience of dealing with things privately rather than through insurance etc ?

Sounds like you were lucky! Glad you're alright, and hope he stands by his promise and you get your bike sorted.

It's easy to say but don't let it put you off, best option is to get straight back out there. insert profound quote on life and risks here

Unfortunately (well fortunately really) I'm having a baby in a few months and I don't want to put my life in the hands of idiots when I have that to look forward too maybe I will go back to it if something changes but all the close calls I have had in the last few weeks after cycling for over 3 years every day and now this have made me lose my nerve =/

Shit, bad news Webof. I hope you can sort out a way to keep riding. It may sound glib or condescending and I don't mean it that way, more a serious response based on my approach to riding in London: If you ride to work every day on a route that has a bus lane, is there any way you could use a less busy road? The fact it has a bus lane suggests its a major road you were on (and a lot of cyclists I'm sure expect to be able to ride on big roads), but I for one tend to prefer going another way than the big arteries that lead where I want to go, even if it is a bit more circuitous sometimes. Just a thought. This approach may be really useful if you intend to ride with a child on a bike in the coming years. I for one was always very nervous about cycling with the nipper on the back, and often used towpaths and shared use paths (and even footways illegally when desperate! Shocking!) that I would otherwise ignore when riding solo.

Hope you get the damage sorted pronto - stikes me that a lot of drivers think that bicycles are cheap, so I hope the driver doesn't change their mind when you hit them with a bill for £500 or a grand or whatever the bike would cost to rebuild.

And maybe consider taking cycle training. It's not just for new riders so again please don't be patronised by my mentioning it. It may well be free for you depending on where you live/work. An instructor might be able to give you strategies for anticipating idiotic driving hotspots, become even better at defensive riding, even maybe help develop your psychic powers (last one's a joke).

Hey mate, thanks for the response all taking as intended and gratefully received, I will definitely consider the different route option and the cycle training while I am going through the process of getting my wheels back and paid for, fortunately in some ways it was my carbon fibre road bike so all easily replaceable rather than a beautiful old vintage bike. Just a matter of cost! hopefully seeing as he is an accountant he will not be short of a few pennies when the bill lands on his mat.

Cheers again,

Webof

Good, expensive and replaceable is preferable to rare and irreplaceable! Best of luck with keeping your nerve. Training may be an eye-opener and make your riding change quite dramatically. I can fully recommend it.

Cool, thanks mate, will look it up hopefully my expensive council tax will be of some use finally!

Sorry to hear of your crash. Hope you feel better soon and bike gets fixed/replaced to its full value. Good luck with forthcoming baby!
Settling privately is tempting and quick but it means you have no redress should late problems arise. The driver is obliged to inform his insurance co of a collision, whether or not a claim is made and failure could invalidate his insurance. It is up to you what you decide to do...
Unreported crashes can't feature in statistics that may influence future traffic planning.

Please view the solicitors we like thread and get a full medical checkup.

Pain will kick in hours after a crash.

has anyone heard anythign about a rider down in north today?

i think it was on essex road

According to twitter, it's a guy under a truck :-(

prancer and helly make very good points Webof. Be certain what you do won't compromise your position later.

According to twitter, it's a guy under a truck :-(

a girl at uni witnessed it from a bus, and was very traumatised, i wanted to find ouy what happened, i hope he survived.

http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/motorbike_driver_injured_in_islington_lorry_collision_1_906038