GateKeeper
Well-known member
I'd give him a chance. I believe you have a good bit of time to report if you need to.
Damage costs will be minor if it's just the fender; probably no more than $500 including painting. Make sure your forks aren't bent though. If I were that driver, I'd easily be willing to pay up to a few thousand out of pocket. Even if it cost me the same amount I'd pay extra to the insurance company over the 6 years it's on my record, I'd rather anyone but the insurance company gets their hands on that money.
I am giving him a chance, sent off a nice email to him, going to wait for his response, I am not gouging him or anything pay for the damage and lets call it a day....I hope...
This is truly a tough one. If he decides to be a dik and not pay for damages, your stuck. If you report it to police without witnesses and/or video it will truly come down to he said/he said. At which point he will, (if he is smart), not go with the "you shouldn't have been there", but rather the "he rear ended me". I he does that and you have reported it to police, and your insurer, there are two potential outcomes niether of which are great. First you get a ticket, (likely for follow too close). second your insurer rules it is an at fault for you.
This is exactly why I now have two cameras, (one on the handlebar mount facing forward and one on the backrest mount facing to the rear). I was basically sideswiped three weeks ago by a guy who came into my lane to pass me on the right. He reported it to police and insurance as I had hit him. His insurer called me for the video as they were declaring me at fault. i said no video for you, MY insurer can have it police can have it but not you. Seems once he discovered he was on video his "story" changed.
I spoke to the police and prosecutions staff here at work, I can report now, or wait and see if he will settle with me man to man, if not, I go and make a report to the police and with that to my insurance and let it go that route.
Yes he can say all kinds of things, but we were fully stopped, he couldn't go forward because of traffic and he backed up to let the pedestrian go by, so me following too closely will be a stretch, but yes it will be his word against mine, and since I have no witness to validate my facts or his, it will be up to the justice system to figure out
I hope he will do the right thing and man up, otherwise his General Contracting company is going to have some very negative opinions out on social media....
Worse case, I cover the cost of fender repair, at least I have the winter ahead of me to fix it up.....