gangzoom Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Do you have some kind of insurance for using your bike on the road? I have no insurance, because its no theres no law for it. Just like I have no life insurance, income insurance, never take out travel insurance etc. The 3 times I got knocked off the bike I simply walked / limped away, I'm sure i could have got all excited and called the police / amublance / and "injury lawyers for you", but life is far too short for that kind of stuff...accidents happen and we all need to deal with it like grown ups. In all 3 occasions i was knocked off the drivers were all very sorry, and recoognised their mistakes, i was largely fine, and a broken helmet and bent front wheel is nothing compared to what chould have happened so why bother making a huge fuss If i do ever damage a car though my own fault I'll be more than happy to pay for the damages my self. But since my bike weights 10Kg and I weigh 80kg any damage will probably be due to me hitting the car, which could happen whilst just walking across a road. Granted kinetic energy is more dependent on velocity than mass, I would hope in any collison with a car my speed would be <5mph, and any kinetic energy is going be with the car. I do see why motorists get angry at cyclists who jump red lights all the time, cycle down one way streets etc..but the biggest danger on the road are careless drivers. Most people don't cycle through choice ( I was carless for 18 months at one point) and are just trying to get from A to B as quickly as possible. I remeber foundly the time I was caught out in a thunder storm whilst on my bike, and been heckled by some kids in the back of a massive 4x4 . As a car driver your in a rather previlaged position of comfort, so why bother getting annoyed at cylists at all, just enjoy your air-con, stereo, and the fact you can go over 40mph without breaking a sweat These days when i see cyclist / motorbikes whilst in my Z, i give them plenty of room and they never bother me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 the biggest danger on the road are careless drivers. These days when i see cyclist / motorbikes whilst in my Z, i give them plenty of room and they never bother me. I agree on both counts as a cyclist with a 1046cc engine attached. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 There seems to be a little misinterpretation that a 10kg bike cant damage a car - it maybe cant in itself, but a cyclist 'causing' an accident can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage. This morning when I had to stop on the middle of a roundabout because of an idiot who knew exactly what he was doing when breaking the law left me prone - luckily it was seven in the morning and nice and quiet, if it was later in the day and busier there is no reason why another car would not have been able to stop in time before hitting me from another direction. As a cyclist with no insurance, causing an accident, would they be happy to pay out on replacement parts from a Nissan dealer on a Z and maybe the Ferrari that drove into me? No doubt they would be pedaling like crazy in the opposite direction. I too give cyclists plenty of room, I don't cause them any hassle, I am aware that they can't always see me behind them etc. I just wish that at least one or two cyclists every morning would reciprocate that and consider my situation in a car, unfortunately they on the whole, do not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 The price of paint nowadays though, if a cyclist scraped a wing and door by not being careful with a pedal it could cause over a grands worth of damage easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 Got a couple of deep scratches on my rear bumper which I am getting repainted in a few weeks, will be a smidgen over £200 just because of a couple of scratches... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sMMAshzilla Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 We have cycle lanes in Portsmouth and I use them every day when cycling to work. They are sh*t. Cars drive in them. Cars park in them. I get cut off from car drivers 4 out of 5 journeys with people using the cycle lane with their car. Also, those who plan the cycle lanes clearly don't use them. A cycle lane which goes around a corner and then into the back of a parking space...genius. As far as insurance to cover for a scratch to a car. Look, if I were to ride my bike into a car and damage it, then yes the car will be scratched. Maybe a mirror will be knocked off at most. The point is that the car driver will be fine (other than annoyed). If a car drives into me on my bike, there is a good chance I will be dead. That's the difference that some people don't realise. I'm lit up like a Christmas tree when I cycle. You really shouldn't be able to miss me, but people somehow do! I stop at traffic lights, I don't use headphones, I wear a helmet, I am a very skilled cyclist but I still fear other drivers on the road due to their erratic behaviour, dangerous speeds and lack of consideration for other road users (cyclists and other drivers). People need to realise that I am not just a cyclist, I am a person. If I get hit by a car I'm pretty f*cked. Give me some space, don't be in such a rush (don't forget that being slowed by me will affect your journey by a whole 3 seconds) and just be more considerate to all road users. I also don't understand drivers who don't let pedestrians cross the road or don't let other drivers out of junctions (the ones who actually speed up to not let people out). It's all very strange. Don't forget, you are a pedestrian as well, and sometimes you need to be let out of junctions. And I pay my tax and road tax with both of the cars that I own and the job I work in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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