nelson249
My poor Surly had a rather bad day yesterday morning. I was finally going to get out and do a longer ride and made it about 3km before I got taken out by someone else on a bike. I was was just getting rolling after stopping at a traffic light and was being careful not to get squeezed by traffic coming from behind (the street narrows and has some nasty potholes and a storm drain) when another cyclist didn't bother to stop on his red and he broadsided me. He was zipping down a hill and I did not see him until he was within a few feet and I didn't have a chance even to grab the brake levers. All I could think about as I went down was I hope a car isn't coming from behind to finish me off. Fortunately, neither one of us was hurt badly and all I got was a few scrapes and bruises. Anyways, the front wheel is a total loss (completely pretzeled) and the rear wheel was knocked out of true to the point where it should be replaced. Cost of replacement will be well over $200.
A witness in a SUV saw the whole thing and she stopped and gave the particulars as she saw the guy run the red and offered to be a witness and she even gave me a ride home. :) (Actually, the first thing I thought about after the wheel was destroyed was how I was going to get it home, wierd). The guy who hit me admitted he ran the red and offered to replace the wheel as he figured it would cost $40 or so. When I told him the approximate cost, he blanched. We exchanged info and he went on his way. I figure the chance of receiving anything from him is about nil as the police told me this was purely a civil matter and it is not even worth taking to small claims court.
I would not have even bothered to call the police until my insurance broker advised me that it would be best to have an occurrence number if I chose to make a claim. (I put the Surly as a no deductible rider on my house insurance). I didn't want to piss the other guy off by the unstated assumption that he would not pay but I also realised that if I didn't get on record with my insurance company I would be left holding the bag. In any case the bike is back in the shop and they are building me up some Mavic Open Sport wheels with my existing hubs and I should have it back tomorrow for the long weekend.
This incident has made me think of a few issues:
1) The incidence of bike on bike collisions on the road and the issue of damages and assessing fault. The nice policeman who came to my house after the incident told me that since it was a bike on bike collision it did not involve motor vehicles and hence was purely a civil issue and he could do nothing. While cyclists can be charged under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and have demerit points assessed against a driver's permit, since this collision did not involve a car, the police said they could nothing at all. I have no leverage at all for getting compensation since my only recourse is small claims court.
2) How many of you out there carry insurance on your bikes?
3) Anyone have any experience with bike on bike collisions on the road (other than group or paceline riding)?
4) Again, the ugly issue of licencing and mandatory insurance entered my head
A witness in a SUV saw the whole thing and she stopped and gave the particulars as she saw the guy run the red and offered to be a witness and she even gave me a ride home. :) (Actually, the first thing I thought about after the wheel was destroyed was how I was going to get it home, wierd). The guy who hit me admitted he ran the red and offered to replace the wheel as he figured it would cost $40 or so. When I told him the approximate cost, he blanched. We exchanged info and he went on his way. I figure the chance of receiving anything from him is about nil as the police told me this was purely a civil matter and it is not even worth taking to small claims court.
I would not have even bothered to call the police until my insurance broker advised me that it would be best to have an occurrence number if I chose to make a claim. (I put the Surly as a no deductible rider on my house insurance). I didn't want to piss the other guy off by the unstated assumption that he would not pay but I also realised that if I didn't get on record with my insurance company I would be left holding the bag. In any case the bike is back in the shop and they are building me up some Mavic Open Sport wheels with my existing hubs and I should have it back tomorrow for the long weekend.
This incident has made me think of a few issues:
1) The incidence of bike on bike collisions on the road and the issue of damages and assessing fault. The nice policeman who came to my house after the incident told me that since it was a bike on bike collision it did not involve motor vehicles and hence was purely a civil issue and he could do nothing. While cyclists can be charged under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and have demerit points assessed against a driver's permit, since this collision did not involve a car, the police said they could nothing at all. I have no leverage at all for getting compensation since my only recourse is small claims court.
2) How many of you out there carry insurance on your bikes?
3) Anyone have any experience with bike on bike collisions on the road (other than group or paceline riding)?
4) Again, the ugly issue of licencing and mandatory insurance entered my head