Hit me & drove off - advice

Query now

Hi,

I am looking for advice on what to do after being hit by a taxi on tonight, first of all I am not injured & my bikeonly has a little damage.

What happened was the taxi took a left turn and drove directly in front of me, I reacted and turned, hit the side of the car and then fell off. The taxi pulled around the corner stopped but then drove away after a few seconds, luckily I was not hurt so went after him and caught him at the next light.

His response was to deny it, sadly the woman in the car said that she seen and heard it but it was all my fault, (was his mother!) he was also called me a gob$$ite and said that he never hit me (wonder how the dint got in his car?)

After talking to him he admited 100% responsibility and said it happened because he was not paying attention. I have his name, phone number & taxi number.

So my question is what should I do now? I'm not hurt but he didnt know that when he left the scene..


Maybe I should of called the police at the time but I was just glad to be ok, any ideas?

Update - wnet to local Garda station this morning and gave all the details to a very helpful guy, who happens to cycle himself, so I'm sure the driver is due a call..

He also told me that they had 3 other people hit last night, still consider myself lucky to have walked away.

Thanks for the support & help.

quietobserver

prob ask the cops to give him a caution or something more if your up for it, others would prob have no hesitation,
think of it this way, if u hit him and he was on the bike, do you think he'd leave it at that? if no, then ask yourself if u want to. get the repair of your bike out of it anyhow. a taxi less would suit all the other drivers aswell
mind how you go.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Report him.

Make sure you're reimbursed for damage to your bike and make sure to inconvenience the taxi driver, he might pay a little more attention in future.

Bunnyhopper

Make a complaint to the Gardaí. Give them the details and let them get it to the stage where a court, if necessary, can sort out who was in the wrong: that's what they're for.

Glad you're ok.

DirkVoodoo

Jeez, what would he have done if you hadn't caught him? Nothing!

Add that to the fact he initially tried to deny it and he loses all sympathy.

What if you had been seriously hurt or knocked unconscious? Thank God you weren't but my point is that guys like this (and his ignorant passenger) should be taught a lesson.

EDIT: Oh, what I meant was Yes, definitely report him!

quietobserver

keep us informed now

Dirk Gently

Report him.

I had a crash on Gardiner street a few weeks ago. Wasn't serious but could have been killed if I didn't guess what the driver was going to do. Long story short, she turned right as I was coming down the road cutting across my path. I allowed for this because I seen her trying to edge into the turn and I knew she would ignore me on the bike but also a pedestrian was crossing the side street and she had to jam on in the middle of the junction. I hit the side of her car at low speed but still fell off the bike and ended up on the road. My first thought was, I hope she's alright. I thought she might of been in shock after nearly killing me and a ped but she just looked in her rear mirror, seen me get up and then she sped off.

It happened right under a traffic camera and I was going to report her, (for driving off more so than cutting across me) but I decided not to and carried on. It still cuts me up today and I regret not reporting it because I know she'll probably keep driving dangerously and put other people at risk if she keeps getting away with it.

Even if all that happens is a phone call from the Gardai it's better than nothing. It might make the driver be more careful in future.

CheGuedara

Bunnyhopper wrote: »

Make a complaint to the Gardaí. Give them the details and let them get it to the stage where a court, if necessary, can sort out who was in the wrong: that's what they're for.

Glad you're ok.

+1!!

He denied it first off, made out it was your fault before eventually admitting culpability - AND ALL AFTER DRIVING OFF!!! I say no second chances, Wiggum him i.e. 'book him Lou'

DirkVoodoo

CheGuedara wrote: »

Wiggum him i.e. 'book him Lou'

"Bake 'em away toys!"

paddy's hill

Glad you are ok.

You must report it, it's a hit and run, for all he knew you may have been hurt or dead. The same thing happened to me about 10 years ago, I got the reg number while lying on the ground as she was driving away. Turned out she was a school teacher and first of all denied it to the guards. I was not hurt and the bike was not damaged. In the end the guards gave me the choice to take it to court or just to caution her. This was about 3 week later and I had calmed down a bit so I went for the caution. Glad I reported it as I believe she may have been a more cautious driver since.

Brimmy

Report him to the Gards AND Taxi carriage office for dangerous driving.

Glad you're ok.

BostonB

Brimmy wrote: »

Report him to the Gards AND Taxi carriage office for dangerous driving.

Glad you're ok.

What will either do?

311

Next time he might actually kill someone.

delta_bravo

I would report him both to the Gardai and the regulatory body for taxi drivers (think its called commission for taxi regulation).

But i recommend you tell them exact details such as streets,times so they can check cctv if its available. Were there any witnesses to the incident? Because if there is no cctv and both the driver and his mammy decide to reverse their opinions and say it was your fault its 2 against 1 and will probably go nowhere

stuf

The gardai take leaving the scene of an accident very seriously and even more so in the case of a public service vehicle. Report him because at the very least it will get around a section of the taxi driving community that they have to be more careful - every bit helps.

seanybiker

report him to cops and taxi fellas. Dont feel sorry for him. He didnt feel sorry for you

michael196

gardai have to decide if this was dangerous driving on the bahalf of the taxi driver. Hit and run aspect is quite serious. You realy must report and have this guy cautioned bt the gaurds and a record of the hit and run made.

Medlar

Sean_K wrote: »

Report him.

Make sure you're reimbursed for damage to your bike and make sure to inconvenience the taxi driver, he might pay a little more attention in future.

^^^^^ exactly what he said.

zzzzzzzz

Definitely report him. For all reasons stated above

djtechnics1210

Its an offence to fail to stay at the scene of an accident and to fail to give detail at scene of accident, .. go to your nearest Garda station and report this taxi. You should do it asap as c.c.t.v in the area may not be available for investigating garda if you leave it too long. next time he could hit a cyclist and the circumstances could be different, cyclist could be dying and not even someone to call an ambulance.. the taxi driver deserves to go to court and loose license.

kenmc

I can't believe you even have to ask this question!?!?!? What would you do if you were driving a car and the same thing occurred? Damn straight report him. I would have been on the phone straight away.

seamus

delta_bravo wrote: »

Because if there is no cctv and both the driver and his mammy decide to reverse their opinions and say it was your fault its 2 against 1 and will probably go nowhere

Regardless of who's at fault, leaving the scene of an accident is a big issue. I would report it to the Gardai at least on that point tbh.

niceonetom

first off, glad you're not hurt.

no question about it, has to be reported. leaving the scene is serious - doubly so for public transport vehicles.

contact the carriage office and whichever garda station is closest to the incident. don't be fobbed off either.

think of it as a favour to the rest of us

High&Low

There is nothing you can do, as according to the taxi driver who brushed past me on the bus lane yesterday morning; he "pays tax and insurance and cyclists should get out his way..."

There are way too many taxis on the road at the moment, time for them to be banned from bus-lanes!

kenmc

did you take his number and report him for dangerous driving? They seem to forget that they not only have a number plate, they also have a taxi plate, which is even less digits to remember!

72hundred

High&Low wrote: »

There is nothing you can do, as according to the taxi driver who brushed past me on the bus lane yesterday morning; he "pays tax and insurance and cyclists should get out his way..."

There are way too many taxis on the road at the moment, time for them to be banned from bus-lanes!

I'm under the impression that they shouldn't even me in the bus lane unless they've a fare actually in the car with the meter running. This correct?

Lumen

High&Low wrote: »

There are way too many taxis on the road at the moment, time for them to be banned from bus-lanes!

Taxis are expensive enough as it is. I don't want to pay to sit in traffic any more than I have to. Arguably taxi drivers don't care much anyway, since they get paid for waiting. It's the passengers who'll get stung.

kenmc

72hundred wrote: »

I'm under the impression that they shouldn't even me in the bus lane unless they've a fare actually in the car with the meter running. This correct?

I also believe that this is the case

Chips Lovell

72hundred wrote: »

I'm under the impression that they shouldn't even me in the bus lane unless they've a fare actually in the car with the meter running. This correct?

This cropped up here a while back and I think the law says that they can use them in the course of their business, which was generally taken to mean that as long as their on duty, i.e. going to jobs, plying for trade or carrying a passenger, they can use them.

72hundred

el tonto wrote: »

This cropped up here a while back and I think the law says that they can use them in the course of their business, which was generally taken to mean that as long as their on duty, i.e. going to jobs, plying for trade or carrying a passenger, they can use them.

I must find that webpage where I read that. Maybe it gives a reference to the legislation.

I'll post back up if I find it again.

Chips Lovell

Statutory Instrument No. 182/1997
Road Traffic (Traffice and Parking) Regulations, 1997

32. (1) A bus lane shall be indicated by means of traffic sign number RUS 028 or traffic sign number RUS 029 used in association with traffic sign number RRM 024, and a contra flow bus lane shall be indicated by means of traffic sign number RUS 030 used in association with traffic sign number RRM 024.


(2) A person shall not enter a bus lane with a vehicle other than an omnibus or a pedal cycle during the period of operation of the bus lane which shall be indicated on an information plate.


(3) A person shall not enter a contra flow bus lane with a vehicle other than an omnibus.


(4) A person shall not enter a bus only street with a vehicle other than an omnibus except for the purpose of access.


(5) ( a ) Sub-articles (1) and (2) shall not apply to a vehicle crossing a with flow bus lane or a contra flow bus lane solely for the purpose—


(i) of entering or leaving premises or property adjacent to such a bus lane, or


(ii) of entering or leaving a road inset adjacent to such a bus lane in order to load or unload goods.


( b ) Sub-article (2) shall not apply to a taxi or a wheelchair accessible taxi which is being used in the course of business.