i don’t normally do laps at centennial park, but today i did, and some idiot in an audi convertible cut across the bike lane and took me out. somehow i’m still in one piece, and my bike is ok, but i left a nice big scratch in his bonnet where the bike and i somersaulted over it.
we swapped details. (stupidly enough i gave my real details)
what are the chances of his insurance company hitting me up? a park ranger saw it happen and reckoned it was his fault, but i know how expensive those cars are, and he looked like the type of jerk to chase me for it.
if they do come after me, are the insurance company going to want out check out my bike? i have a front brake, but is the lack of rear brake going to give them grounds for some kind of negligence?
not quiet sure why you’d be at fault… you should hit him up to replace your damaged and now unsafe wheelset . you only need one mechanical brake by law, so you’re fine on that front. did you get the ranger’s details?
the cycle lane at CP is seperated by an unbroken white line (except at exits, intersection). If he crossed it he is in the wrong. You got nothing to worry about, esp. with the ranger as a witness.
Way too many dicks in cars at CP lately. I stopped some dude going at least 60-70kmh on my way to work the other day.
threaten to sue for “mental anguish” and either follow through or (the much lazier option) try to get him to “change your mind” with some free shit. Shitty drivers like him shouldn’t be allowed on the road, so since we can’t do much about that until he kills someone, you should milk this as much as possible. Or at least go to his house and put a sardine in his letter box.
there’s a lot of dickheads in CP. lucky you got off lightly and if anything I think the Audi driver has some damages to pay you out for. Get in touch with the ranger and ask him to write a statement out for you. It might be in your interest to report the incident to the police and if you have access to a lawyer have them submit a claim against the driver who cut in front of you.
I occasionaly ride in the park but I often feel safer on the streets. Pretty sad how many stupid drivers cause a lot of accidents in the park where cyclists come off 2nd best. Then there’s the kids, dogs, newb cyclists, bladers, joggers etc etc. Me thinks I’ll carry a machete and play enforcer for a day :evil:
i guess i should clarify - when i say he “cut across”, it was at an intersection, and the only reason i had ‘right of way’ was the special line markings of the bike path.
had it been a normal intersection, it wouldn’t have happened - it was the equivalent of him turning left from a right hand lane (with me in the left lane).
that’s the stupid thing about that park - the special bike path gives cyclists a false sense of safety, and sets up weird road conditions that drivers aren’t used to.
spirito - you’re right - it’s actually probably safer to do laps of parramatta road, at least the cars are predictable.
meanwhile i’m here taking panadols and nursing a sprained wrist that’s getting worse by the minute. (kind of balanced out by the amazing crash-resistance of an old steel frame and velocity aeros with 36 spokes.)
If you have time today, I’d suggest reporting it to police, particularly if there’s any damage to your stuff. Also, get to a doctor and get a medical certificate (and better drugs). And getting a statement off the ranger would also be a good idea, seeing as the driver’s insurance company will probably come at you to cover their costs, cos that’s what they do. It’ll save time to have all that shit sorted out prior.
The guy was in the wrong, so don’t worry too much about it.
But seriously, it would look alot better for your case if you were the one to report it, along with the rangers statement, rather than this guy cooking up a bullshit story to help his insurance claim, then you needing to defend yourself?
Definitely see a doctor about your wrist and any other things you may be feeling at the moment. Doesn’t matter how small it is. Earlier this year I came off and scraped a fair bit of skin off my left knee. After going to the doctor and getting some x-rays, turned out my right knee (which was undamaged skinwise) had a crack in the kneecap, whilst the left just had the road rash.
For insurance purposes you may need to get a statement from the doc too.
since i’m in the habit of writing down half my life story…
today I went to the doctor, the xray place, the hospital, the police station, even managed to fit in half a lecture at uni.
turns out i’ve got a fractured wrist, it’s a total hassle. got a cast on my arm so don’t know how I’m going to ride my bike. or use a drawing board, or make models at uni. bugger.
it’s left to the police to sort out, sounds like it can only go my way. funny thing is, with no damage to my bike, and barely any medical fees (centrelink student health care card) the guy won’t have to pay me much.
moral to the story: don’t get lulled into thinking special bike lanes are any safer than ordinary roads.
You did the right thing by getting checked out by a doc and doing the police thing.
You’re being very cool by playing down the cost the guy will incur if he’s found at fault (which is likely). Keep in mind if the fault were yours his insurance company would rape your ass.
I talked with a few cats today about Centennial Park. It’s a public road like any other. The bike lane is treated like any road car lane (except it is marked only for cyclist to use) and from what I can tell if he turned left across your path from outside the bike lane then the driver will be found at fault. It’s like turning left from the middle lane and hitting traffic going straight ahead from the inside lane. Problem is few drivers know this and the RTA and Park Ranger’s still need to tackle the driver’s who keep bringing down cyclists at the same spot.
this may not be popular, but particularly if the injury is hindering your performance at uni, don’t hesitate in chasing him for damages above the cost of your medical care. taking it to court may be too much hassle, but often a letter of demand for a reasonable sum will be enough to convince the party at fault to pay up - it’s amazing the fear a lawyer’s (even legal aid) letterhead and a few references to law/cases can put in people.
remember the dude’s at fault, and though this may be a one off thing for him, he should and easily could have avoided it happening, and your injuries could have been much worse.
all that aside, sorry to hear about the crash and hope you heal well and quickly.
. you only need one mechanical brake by law, so you’re fine on that front. did you get the ranger’s details?