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If you have legal cover, get them to claim against the parents of the rider.
Your car is not undrivable, and it will take months buy hey ho.
if you don't have legal cover, use the small claims process via the Court's moneyclaim online website.
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I would hope that "reasonable parents" should think that there should be no cost to you through insurance excess costs caused by their children.
I would have thought that explaining any possible overheads to them,that you might incur, would be covered by them, so although you would have been inconvienienced, you would not be out of pocket.
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"I would hope that "reasonable parents" should think that there should be no cost to you through insurance excess costs caused by their children.
I would have thought that explaining any possible overheads to them,that you might incur, would be covered by them, so although you would have been inconvienienced, you would not be out of pocket."
Yes I agree but is it the law that is at fault also?
Edited by julie page on 23/11/2014 at 19:45
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You could try the above suggestions of solicitors letters and money claim online etc. but, It all depends on the type of people and their financial situation.
If they are living on benefits and are the kind of parents that think it is ok for their children to do anything they wish then you won't have much luck with any approach of trying to get the money from them. If you did go the route of small claims court they will either not turn up or will turn up and simply say they can't afford to pay.
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You could try the above suggestions of solicitors letters and money claim online etc. but, It all depends on the type of people and their financial situation.
If they are living on benefits and are the kind of parents that think it is ok for their children to do anything they wish then you won't have much luck with any approach of trying to get the money from them. If you did go the route of small claims court they will either not turn up or will turn up and simply say they can't afford to pay.
one of the parents apparently live in a huge house with a new Mercedes in the drive.
Yes, sister could go to court, lawyer says it is unlikely the courrt would hold the parents responsible unless they were present or under instruction from them, for example if theyy sent them to the shop, but that be hard to prove.
Could take the boys to court and wait untill they are working.
Edited by julie page on 23/11/2014 at 20:38
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one of the parents apparently live in a huge house with a new Mercedes in the drive.
Yes, sister could go to court, lawyer says it is unlikely the courrt would hold the parents responsible unless they were present or under instruction from them, for example if theyy sent them to the shop, but that be hard to prove.
Could take the boys to court and wait untill they are working.
So you know the answer from a lawyer!
Your highly unlikely to be able to get any claim on the parents or the boys unless your willing to wait an awful long time.
If you did take the boys to court, You'll likely be told you'll get a pound a week starting in 10 years time.
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<< one of the parents apparently lives in a huge house with a new Mercedes in the drive. >>
Does this mean the other parent lives somewhere else? Even less likely you will get anywhere, as each will blame the other?
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Apologies for a bit of thread drift.
Last Monday I drove up to the City of London. Lots of cyclists about around 6pm, nearly all very well lit and many wearing hi viz. Contrast with the journey home at 11pm when the majority were poorly lit, if at all. Perhaps 50% had no rear lights. I wonder what hassle I'd have had if I'd knocked one off?
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Apologies for a bit of thread drift.
Last Monday I drove up to the City of London. Lots of cyclists about around 6pm, nearly all very well lit and many wearing hi viz. Contrast with the journey home at 11pm when the majority were poorly lit, if at all. Perhaps 50% had no rear lights. I wonder what hassle I'd have had if I'd knocked one off?
It would have all been your fault and would have been recorded as a cyclist injured by a car. The cyclist's claim would have been paid by your car insurance.
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It would have all been your fault and would have been recorded as a cyclist injured by a car. The cyclist's claim would have been paid by your car insurance.
Wacky is right. Riding without lights is idiotic but under urban street lighting at least you've little excuse for running into one. No less visible than a pedestrian.
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Amusingly (or not), I came within 20 yards or so of killing a cyclist 2 weeks ago.
Driving home, rural but wide single carriageway road, at about 6 pm. No streetlights, and on a long straight. A few cars coming towards me, we've all got dipped headlights on.
So this string of cars is going past me, all doing 40-50 mph, and I'm doing a similar speed. As I get tothe last couple of cars, something registers as wrong - and even now, I've not sure what. Jam on the brakes. Down to 15-20 mph as the last car passes me, and I put full beam on. Not 20 yards in front of me is a cyclist, dark clothing, no high-vis, no back light, no back reflector, and an incredibly weak front light (I think I might have seen something of the front light, or a car headlight reflecting off the bike frame, and that's what made me wary).
Anyway, I pull ahead of the cyclist, and stop 100 yards further on. Hazards on. Get out, and wave down the cyclist. When he stops and asks what is wrong, I explain to him that he has no back light on. His reply "Oh yeah, the battery died on it yesterday". So I said "Yup, and you nearly died 2 minutes ago. You're completely invisible without a light, reflectors or high vis". So, he pulls off his rucksack, and gets a high-vis bib out, puts it on, and rides off.
Even now, I'm still astounded by the stupidity.
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I'm sure Wacky is right. Pedestrians can be hard to spot but they do tend to remain on the pavement most of the time, not weave in and out of traffic or run out of side roads. I also take the point regarding urban street lighting, but that doesn't help when the glare from vehicle headlights make everything else on the road near invisible.
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While I speak up for bikes I'n not defending cycling without lights for a minute. It's a stupid thing to do.
Modern LED stuff is very effective and, at least so far as being seen is concerned, doesn't cost the earth. The batteries are small and last well too. Need to pay a bit more for lights to see by - away from urban setting - but those too are now both bright beyond dreams of even a decade ago and efficient on power.
I can remember the Every Readys that needed two heavy D cells and those only lasted a couple of hours.
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As a motorist and keen cyclist, decent cycle lights are not that cheap. I've recently invested in a new front light, a Giant Numen Plus which is a 2W LED, USB rechargable and runs for upto 30hrs, depending on what intensity/setting you put it on. Its great, both to see and be seen. But it cost £50. A good rear is £20-30. Not exactly cheap then. A set of cheapie lights starts around £15, battery powered and not so good. There is no QS on bike lights as far as I know.
If someone has picked up a cheapie/free bike 2nd hand, because thats all they can afford, the chances of them springing for some illumination or reflective clothing is low.
I hate, HATE, unlit cyclists riding on the road at night. Its incredibly selfish and ignorant of everyone, be they motorists, cyclists, pedestrians.
Would you buy a new car without wokring lights?.
Every new bike should be sold with a set of lights by law.
Also, high-vis colour doesnt really work at night. It's the reflective bits that matter. Some cheap 'hi-viz' jackets have little reflective panelling. Avoid.
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Would you buy a new car without wokring lights?.
Every new bike should be sold with a set of lights by law.
I bought a new bike last summer when I was abroad, The bikes were fully loaded with all the optional extra's fitted to them, The salesman looked a bit disappointed when I requested that some of them were removed as I didn't want to pay for the bits that I wouldn't need.
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As a motorist and keen cyclist, decent cycle lights are not that cheap.
But what you describe is for out of town use. The original mention of bike lights was in context of riders in City of london where lights are about being seen. Albeit they flash which is a bane for me, the lights on the 'Boris Bikes' are fine for being seen.
There is no QS on bike lights as far as I know.
There is a BritishStandard but it's been hopelessly leapfrogged by LEd's etc.
Also, high-vis colour doesnt really work at night. It's the reflective bits that matter. Some cheap 'hi-viz' jackets have little reflective panelling. Avoid.
Which is one reason I get so mad at the demand for full time hi-viz and helmets pushed by the ignorant. Hi viz, whether orange, pink or green, looks white or beige under most forms of streetlighting. It's no more visible than a fawn raincoat.
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. Hi viz, whether orange, pink or green, looks white or beige under most forms of streetlighting. It's no more visible than a fawn raincoat.
I cut the reflective strips off an old hi vis and glued 'em to a fence post at the unmarked entrance to a stables in the middle of nowhere we used to use, driving up the road those reflectors did their work from about a quarter mile away.
They are meant to reflect small amounts of light aimed at them, not glow like a beacon under the normal street light.
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They are meant to reflect small amounts of light aimed at them, not glow like a beacon under the normal street light.
The reflective strips are great GB, as your example illustrates. But they need to both catch light of long distance beams and offer some contrast. Neither of those conditions are met under urban street lighting but the first question when some m**** mows down a cylist is about helmets and hi-viz.
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Which is one reason I get so mad at the demand for full time hi-viz and helmets pushed by the ignorant. Hi viz, whether orange, pink or green, looks white or beige under most forms of streetlighting. It's no more visible than a fawn raincoat.
I find that a bit off TBH, You might not agree but, That doesn't make others ignorant because they don't agree with you.
The colour of a Hi Viz vest is not important. As GB points out, It is the reflective tape that is the safety element of wearing one.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-r2cgmIsrU
Edited by Wackyracer on 26/11/2014 at 12:53
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@Wacky
If you read my comment in the context of the whole sub thread - staring with Sulphur Man's post - you'll see that I agree with you about the reflective tape. The tape however needs something to reflect. A main beam on a country lane picks it out brilliantly. It doesn't catch very much on urban streets where sodium lights and dipped beams or sidelights are the rule. It's no more visible there than the colour that, as you say, is irrelevant
The ignorant comment was aimed at those who won't ride a bike because 'it's too dangerous' but presume to prescribe helmets and hi viz as a panacea for all two wheeled ills. Neither make the top ten of things you can do to improve your safety on an urban bike ride.
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I can remember the Every Readys that needed two heavy D cells and those only lasted a couple of hours.
Oh yes, a couple of blinking great U2's that cost most of your pocket money, and didn't see the week out.
I don't get the Darwin award crew, a simple LED light or two can be bought for pennies now and half a dozen batteries from the pound shop together with a hi vis and you're thousands of times safer for less than a fiver.
£1m insurance award isn't a lot of good in Heaven, or the other place.
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Knock on the door of their parents' house and tell them you are taking their children to court.
You will get aggro, but mention somebody has to acccept responsibility for their actions and since their parents refuse, you have no choice.
Or...pay a kid 20 quid to ride his cycle into the new merc without hurting himself, a nice scrape along the entire side should do it.
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Knock on the door of their parents' house and tell them you are taking their children to court.
Suing a kid in a civil court isn't easy. They're not 'competent' parties and wil need a 'litigation friend' to represent them.
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What I would do in the circumstances is to download the County Court claim form :-
hmctsformfinder.justice.gov.uk/courtfinder/forms/n...f
It can be filled in on screen and printed out, make it look as official as possible on some heavy paper.
Send it registered post to the culprits parents with a covering letter and a copy of the estimate/quote to repair the damage stating that if the damage is not paid for then the claim form will be sent off to the county court to start the claim process within 7 days.
I used this once to extract a refund from a reluctant payer.
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