Cyclist pulled in front of car

factor29

On the way to work this morning, I overtook a cyclist (with more than the recommended gap luckily) who then proceeded to pull straight out in front of me to cross to the kerb on the other side.

Try as I might, I luckily only clipped the front of his bike and knocked him off. Spent 10 minutes with him checking he was OK, and off he walked to school.

Obviously I assume I need to report this to the police just in case, but do I need to inform insurance too (hopefully not as they will put premium up for no reason!).

Lad admitted it was his fault, and another driver saw the whole thing and said it was his fault - lad didnt look and was wearing headphones.

I ended up on the kerb on the right hand side of the road to avoid him as much as I could.

Any advice welcome, thanks.

Nasqueron

Inform your insurer, provide witness details. Yes it will probably mean a higher premium but better to pay a bit more and avoid having to explain to your insurer why the kid is putting in a PI claim for an incident they don't know about after he's been home and seen a few adverts on TV from the claims companies.

Strider590

I feel it important to note the distinction......

You hit a kid on a bike, not a cyclist.

A cyclist wouldn't do what this kid has done, but unfortunately if anyone on a bike is a "cyclist" then these incidents only go to fuel the already tense relationship between two wheels and four, leading to real cyclists being treated as children by people who feel the need to "teach them a lesson" or the "myway code", using 2 tonnes of metal as a stick with which to beat them.


As for insurance, I personally would not inform them, the kid is likely to be too embarrassed to mention it to anyone, and it'll only put an unresolved claim on your file, which will drive up your premiums regardless of fault.

Aretnap

You only have to report it to the police if (a) he was injured or (b) you didn't give him your name and address at the scene.

As for your insurance company, your policy will require that you inform them of any accident, however minor, regardless of whether you expect to make a claim or not. Of course, if I was confident that the cyclist wasn't going to make a claim himself then I might take the view that what my insurers don't know won't hurt them, and forget to call them. How confident do you feel, bearing in mind that when the lad takes a bent bike home his parents might form their own opinions on what to do?

factor29

I doubt there will be any PI claims, as the cyclist didnt take any details down - he was apologetic about any damage to the car, and apologised for pulling out.

I didnt think to take any details of him or the bypasser as was too shook up (thought the car was gonna go over him at one point).

Just a case of whether the police will pass on, or insist on me informing the insurers.

factor29

His bike was luckily undamaged as my reaction to veer out the way meant I luckily only side swiped him and didnt hit him full on. Hitting the pavement pulled his brake cable out the clip but I sorted this for him, and he pushed his bike away OK.

neilmcl

Inform the police, even if it's for no other reason but to cover your own back. Make sure you have all your documents to hand.

DoaM

I thought this thread was going to be Deja Vu all over again.

Car_54

Aretnap wrote: »

You only have to report it to the police if (a) he was injured or (b) you didn't give him your name and address at the scene.

If he was injured, you also need to produce your insurance certificate to the police.

Johno100

Strider590 wrote: »

I feel it important to note the distinction......

You hit a kid on a bike, not a cyclist.

A cyclist wouldn't do what this kid has done, but unfortunately if anyone on a bike is a "cyclist" then these incidents only go to fuel the already tense relationship between two wheels and four, leading to real cyclists being treated as children by people who feel the need to "teach them a lesson" or the "myway code", using 2 tonnes of metal as a stick with which to beat them.

Love this distinction from the cycling advocates, do anything wrong/illegal/anti-social on a bike and they becomes a person on a bike not a "real cyclist". But if they are seemingly wronged or sadly killed, regardless of what they may have done, they are another poor cyclist killed by a cager and any criticism is automatically labelled victim blaming.

andrewf75

Some people are obsessed with the pro/anti cycling tribalism
Anyone riding a bike is technically a cyclist, but the fact that this was a child is quite relevant so I think "child on a bike" would have been a better way of phrasing it! OK maybe it was someone well into their teens, but still...