Car & Cyclist

[Beswad]

Just had an unfortunate incident today where my passenger flung open the driver’s side passenger door and a cyclist ran into it, no real serious injuries inflicted on the biker, only the bikcycle mud guard got broken. I drove around the corner to a few hundred yards to sort this out. The biker followed on foot. Unbeknown a plain cloth policeman came up and offered as material witness to the incident. He asked for my name, phone number and name of insurance company I was with and then gave each party a CAD number. I paid the cyclist in cash for the damaged mud guard and left it at that. Now I’m concern whether the police will notify my insurance about this incident or it’s just normal procedure for fill out a report? My other concern is the cyclist might on a later date decides to get injury compensation by a doctor’s assessment for one of those ‘no win no fee’ solicitors to claim against my car insurance. I appreciate any advice.

[tonywiltshire]

It is an offence to open or cause or permit the door of a vehicle to be opened so as to injure or endanger any person, the driver or the passenger may commit the offence. Parents may be liable for causing the offence if they instruct a child to open a door.
It is a defence to take all reasonable precautions.

[Brinjal]

Is it not a legal requirement to report accidents to the police station? Here in Zimbabwe it is.

[woofgang]

If you are in any doubt, i would tell the insurance company yourself. I think that insurance companies are way less likely to pay out on "whiplash" claims than they were. I had a claim against me years ago. I sent it straight to my insurers and never heard anything more about it and my premium did not go up. It followed an accident where I rear ended a car stopped and waiting to turn right. It was a hot day and the road had been mended with poured tar, very smooth, there was no grip at all and I slid into the back of the car. The lady claimed against me for car damage but it seems she didn't get away with the whiplash which was claimed about six months later.