Bike left on ground behind car - now crushed!

mikey72

Horizon81 wrote: »

Has the dad even threatened to tell the insurers? And who would your insurer pay - doesn't the person making the claim need to have insurance. Surely if it's as easy as claiming off the insurance then the country's chavs would be out in force in the night sticking their beat up stolen bikes underneath cars and making a fortune when they inevitably get driven over. Hang on, that's given me an idea, I'm off to the shed.

I hope not, otherwise pedestrians would be badly off, as would most other cyclists on the road.

real1314

slyracoon wrote: »

Sure and the driver breached following highway codes -
201

Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can.
202

Even going forward, if the paperboy had dropped the bike below the bonnet line it would not be seen.

Look carefully before you start reversing. You should

• use all your mirrors
• check the ‘blind spot’ behind you (the part of the road you cannot see easily in the mirrors)
• check there are no pedestrians (particularly children), cyclists, other road users or obstructions in the road behind you

Reverse slowly while

• checking all around
• looking mainly through the rear window
• being aware that the front of your vehicle will swing out as you turn

Get someone to guide you if you cannot see clearly.

Who is to say he didn't do all of these?

Horizon81

mikey72 wrote: »

I hope not, otherwise pedestrians would be badly off, as would most other cyclists on the road.

Ah yes but pedestrians and cyclists are living breathing people. A bent bike on its own is not. Sure if he'd snapped the kid in two I might feel some sympathy, but he's driven over a stupidly placed bike and damaged his car into the bargain no doubt so he's already as badly off financially as the dad who is now bikeless.

photome

Horizon81 wrote: »

Can't believe all the hate for the driver. How many people seriously check behind their car after they've approached it from the front. Sure you'd probably spot another car, child, big dog etc but some bike on its side, little chance. The paperboy has learned a lesson and I'd be telling his dad to jog on.

There is no hate, just a realism that it was an accident and both parties should accept some responsibilty

mikey72

Horizon81 wrote: »

Ah yes but pedestrians and cyclists are living breathing people. A bent bike on its own is not. Sure if he'd snapped the kid in two I might feel some sympathy, but he's driven over a stupidly placed bike and damaged his car into the bargain no doubt so he's already as badly off financially as the dad who is now bikeless.

Fortunately, symphathy and insurance don't need to go together.

Otherwise, I could back into your car, so long as I miss you personally, and claim you'd been stupid enough to park behind me as my defence.

photome

Horizon81 wrote: »

Ah yes but pedestrians and cyclists are living breathing people. A bent bike on its own is not. Sure if he'd snapped the kid in two I might feel some sympathy, but he's driven over a stupidly placed bike and damaged his car into the bargain no doubt so he's already as badly off financially as the dad who is now bikeless.

snapped the kid in two?

i assume that means if he had killed him? and then you only might feel some sympathy:(

Horizon81

mikey72 wrote: »

Fortunately, symphathy and insurance don't need to go together.

Otherwise, I could back into your car, so long as I miss you personally, and claim you'd been stupid enough to park behind me as my defence.

We both know cars used on the road have to be insured so in your example above you know my insurers would claim off your insurers and we'd all live happily ever after. We're talking about a stupidly placed bike, no harm to any people and not two insured vehicles. You aren't comparing like with like.

But I know you like to get the last word so be my guest, life's too short.

mikey72

Fair enough, then so if your car wasn't insured, it's fair game for me?
Or if I back into your garden fence?

waynedance

Great stuff I need a new bike and according to some on here I can lay my bike down on the path behind a car before it drives off and hopefully get some cash for my new bike.

Bloody idiots, paperboys fault leaving bike on path behind car.

waynedance

Honeydog wrote: »

If I was reversing nice and steady like I always do (because I have to cross a pavement to get out of my drive - which might have people on it) and I heard a noise like metal on metal I would stop and look and not keep on driving til I crushed the bike!

Not saying the son is 100% to blame. Kid left the bike in a dumb place that's without a doubt. But as an adult (or someone cleverly disguised as one :rotfl:) I would accept that I'd not been checking my side mirrors sufficiently well and would buy the kid a replacement bike. Or at least go halves with paperboy's Dad.

I need some new side mirrors that show ground level at the rear side of the car!!!!

Got to stop reading this thread as too many stupid replies, the paperboys fault END.