Hello everyone. Got knocked off by a taxi today - very slow speed, don’t think I was actually moving. Waiting to turn left, indicator on and I feel something pushing me, couldn’t hold the bike so over we went. At least I now know what it feels like to be lying on the ground with a bike on top of me. Bystanders helped me and the bike up but the taxi driver was only interested in putting his hub cap back on - to hide the evidence. He then got back in his cab - didn’t help or even ask me if I was ok. Luckily 3 police arrived out of nowhere - they didn’t see the ‘hit’ but they did see me and the bike on the ground. Huge thanks to fellow motorcyclist Pawel for stepping in and giving the police a full account.
The bike is rideable but has wounds - engine case, clutch leaver etc. Went by the dealer on the way home and they gave me a list of the damage, but I’m waiting for a quote.
I have just called the taxi driver as the police said he wanted me to call him before I call my insurance company. He said that if the damage was a ‘couple of hundred quid’ he’d pay me direct instead of going through the insurance. Told him it would be more than a couple of hundred and he said insurance would have to be involved. So I guess I will lose my NCB.
Could have been a lot worse.
Any advice from you wise folks would be much appreciated.
you will not lose your NCB, the claim is not your fault. you only lose NCB if the fault is yours. whatever that guy says phone your insurance company, I’m amazed the OB allowed him to suggest it.
What KTM d said… It will count as a fault claim until it is resolved, so if you have to renew in the next few months it could have an impact but from what you say it will be a no fault claim on the taxi drivers policy
Personally, if I could sort it out without going through my insurance, I would. Yeah, I know you’re supposed to report everything, regardless of fault or whether or not you actually want to make a claim. Experience has shown me that, even in what should be a straightforward no fault claim, until it is fully settled it will be treated as an at fault claim and will effect your ncd and future quotes. Even a completely blameless claim settled 100% in your favour will still go against you and push next year’s premiums way up. Something about statistics showing that people who’ve had one ‘accident’ frequently go on to have another in quick succession.
I’m not encouraging you to break the terms of your policy, obviously. Just be aware that no matter who’s judged to be at fault, the insurance industry will use it to screw you over financially next renewal.
Thanks KTM D and all. And thanks Janey, but insurance route now taken. I’d only bought the bike 3 weeks ago and it’s less than a year old - at least it’s now looking a little used…
I hope it all goes nice and smoothly and the taxi driver plays nicely and doesn’t suddenly decide to have amnesia and contest your version of events (too many ‘‘ands’’ in that sentence, I think!). At least all those little dings and stone chips that your bike’s acquired in it’s short life will be fixed and you should get it back in showroom condition
I can’t stand the attitude of taxi drivers. When one hit me a few weeks ago his main concern was arguing with me that there was no damage and being aggressive. He was itching to drive off but knew he couldn’t as that would be leaving the scene of the accident. He refused to give details because he thought there was no damage. I took plenty of photographs of the scene and his plate. I didn’t report it to the police and just paid for the damage myself (£130) and made a complaint to TFL. If that happened again I’d probably report it to the police and go down the insurance route. There could have been damage to the sub frame which would have been hundreds of pounds or more to put right so with the benefit of hindsight I should have called it in.
I have been hit twice on my bicycle by black cabs
1st - cabbie was in a queue in a left turn filter lane and just suddenly decided to pull back out into the main lane (which I was already in) without looking or indicating, I managed to keep upright after bouncing down the side of his cab. The reason for the collision in his opinion - I was riding too fast! (was riding a mountain bike with knobbly tyres so would have been doing 20mph absolute tops in a 30 zone)
2nd - cabbie overtakes and before he’s fully past me, indicates and simultaneously pulls into the kerb, I had to hop up onto the pavement to avoid being crushed. The reason for the collision in his opinion - I should have got out of the way because he indicated.
They always seem to have a reason why the dangerous manoeuvre they just carried out was somebody else’s fault - usually some unrelated sweeping generalisation about all bikers speeding or all cyclists jumping red lights.
Was a cycle courier many many years ago and I hated black cabs back then - always felt they aimed for me. But now being a motorcyclist I’ve found them considerable more tolerant. Opinion above shows otherwise. What surprised me about this chap was his fixation on putting his hub cap on - while I’m lying there with 200kg of bike of top of me.
Saw so many riders out there yesterday wearing shorts and t-shirts - very pleased I had my gear on, especially my boots.
Unfortunately, I think fear of the financial consequences clouds their judgment in situations like this. They understand the potential hit their wallets might take and immediately start trying to make out nothing serious has happened, in hope that it might mysteriously go away.
Now you wait an inordinate length of time, get passed around accident (ill) management firms, have to get lots of quotes for repairs, get bike valued by a independent chap, back and two, double confirm how much repairs are, asked a billions time ‘are you really sure you don’t want to put in a personal injury claim?’ Get stung on next renewal for unresolved claim. But eventually in the long distance future you should get a cheque for repairs and then later still a little refund on the high insurance premium you paid. It’s shit, stress, hassle and frustrating, but you should get some money at the very end.
Do double check you gear - make sure you include these in claim if damaged. Also if bike repairs comes to more than 60% of bikes value they’ll write it off. Very common for a old bike around £1.5-2K ish in a simple drop like this. Ah just read, it’s fairly new - so unlikely.
