Eric's comment was in reference to this:
Warwick Bradly
Sunday, 21 August 2005
Much has been written in HYS in the past about cyclists not paying registration and also whether cars pay their way. It was with interest that I read the report in Sunday's Canberra Times (21 Aug) titled 'The High Cost of Car Carnage'. The report for the ACT by Sinclair, Knight, Merz estimated the cost for a single year (1999) of impact in automotive accidents was $215million - exceeding the estimated $200million generated from excise, registration and licence fees. These figures were also supported by figures from the Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics.
So for all those that whine about cyclists not paying registration, just remember that your car registration is not even coming close to the community cost of accidents, let alone environmental damage and other costs.
A bicycle has very little chance to cause serious injury to a driver as a result of negligent riding. If a cyclist is at fault in an accident (such as running a red light or stop sign) the driver ('s insurance) is not obligated to pay the medical bills or to repair/replace the bike, the cyclist must pay the damage bills to the car. If a cyclist is injured as a result of a negligent driver, then yes, the driver ('s insurance) should be covering the costs.
The point of Eric's comment is rather moot and not a one-sided scenario. In the event of an at-fault collision, the person whom is at-fault is required to pay the damages.