A cyclist hit me!

kleapatra

Yesterday on the way home, a bloke (possibly a large teenager) rode on his bike straight into the side of my car while I was driving. I was driving (20/25 mph max) down the access/service road to my house. The road is one car width wide and is behind houses, flats and shops. The cyclist rode through the kwik fit carpark which is accessed from the main road and used it as a shortcut as the carpark has an exit onto the service road at the back. The back exit onto the service road is completely blind as in you can't see cars coming from either direction due to high buildings and walls. Bear in mind the access road has no pavements so when you step from the kwik fit carparks' back exit, you are literally stepping blindly into a road. So the cyclist came at speed from the kwik fit carpark, went straight into the side of my moving car on his bike, flew off and landed on my bonnet/windscreen. The cyclist refused an ambulance and admitted several times he knew he was at fault and then he limped to his house down the road. I then drove home (20 meters aways maybe?!) and discovered a missing side repeater (just a big gaping hole in the bodywork now). I found the missing repeater but it's broken and won't stay put so needs replacing. I also have a pretty big dent that spans both my drivers door and the front wing. I obviously can't claim from the cyclists insurance (mores the pity) and I'm really not keen on claiming on my own. Do the kwik fit have any responsibility for this incident?
I also have the problem that I was planning to part ex my car for a nearly new one (my cars worth probably £2/2.5k) will I need to have the car repaired before a garage will take mine or do I need to have it repaired first? I know any garage will only ship part exs off to an auction or wherever so I'm not sure whether a small bit of damage would concern them??
So basically I don't really know what to do as I'm really not keen on spending money on a car I'm about to dispose of!

Any advice anyone?

PasturesNew

Your claim is with the cyclist - if he has household insurance that might cover it.

Why would Kwik Fit have any responsibility? The cyclist was the one making the choices and the shortcut, across land he didn't own, without regard for others. If you'd been a bin lorry and 2 yards later he'd have been under it.

Mankysteve

The cyclist should have come to stop it is in no way kwik fit responsibility for other peoples bad driving/cycling/walking.

You can claim off the cyclist even if he doesn't have insurance, but that up to you/ your insurance to chase.

Are the panel creased or just dented if not creased paint-less repair may well be option?

Do you have protected no claims?

kleapatra

The kwik fit responsibility was just a shot in the dark to be honest!
I do have protected no claims but I made a claim last year (involved handbrake failure and a steep hill!) and the excess is £375 and my insurance went up loads for last years claim. I'm just not keen on spending money on a car I'm getting rid of.
What is creased paint less repair and where would I get this done?

neilmcl

Do you have legal cover on your insurance, if so use this to go after the cyclist. Also, I think you should have reported the accident to the police as it may come back to bite you in the bum, even though it wasn't your fault.

geri1965_2

As PasturesNew has said, the cyclist's household insurance may cover him (if they have household contents). Did the house look nicely maintained and looked after? If so chances are that they will have insurance.

oldagetraveller

"What is creased paint less repair and where would I get this done?"
Submit a search for "paintless dent repair" including where you live.
They come to your home or wherever convenient to you and carry out the repair there. A lot depends on where the damage is, type and whether it can be accessed from behind the panel(s) concerned.
As long as the paint is intact it's fine. They will repair even if the paint is damaged but that would have to be sorted elsewhere.

home_bird

OP

I wouldn't worry too much about repairing the dent. Just this week I part exchanged my 8yr Jazz for a nearly new car with a main dealer. My old car had loads of scratches and a big dent. I got a good price on the part ex (more than I expected).

Strider590

Your "cyclist" sounds more like a "kid on a bike shaped object (bso)"...... There's a big difference.

Johno100

Strider590 wrote: »

Your "cyclist" sounds more like a "kid on a bike shaped object (bso)"...... There's a big difference.

No there isn't! He's riding a bicycle he is a cyclist, just not a very good one.:D

lincroft1710

You must report the accident to the police as there was an apparent injury to a person. The cyclist may decide he wasn't at fault and go to the police to report you.