An update on This Incident from last year. Ok, so it's hardly "today's" rubbish driving...
The "I can't be bothered to click that link" version is: A van driver sped to overtake me in Holyrood Park, then brake checked me, undertook me, deliberately (in my opinion and that of the guy that saw it all) swerved into me, then left the scene.
I spoke to Cycle Law at the time, and was looking for £200 for the cost of repairs to the bike, new helmet (mine was a write-off - cracked all the way through and scuffed all over), new gloves (shredded), and new hi-viz jacket (torn).
After 6 months of my solicitor talking to the driver's insurance company, it transpired that they were denying liability - despite the driver being charged with dangerous driving, and there being a witness to the whole event (my camera was damaged and didn't record any footage, even using disk recovery software). They sent me to get examined at Murrayfield Spire hospital, where a consultant looked at my scars (which I still had 6 months after the event, on my knee, hip and elbow) and asked if I ever have nightmares about it (lol, no), if I took time off work, how long until I was cycling again, if my life, leisure activities or mental state were affected by it, etc etc.
The purpose of the examination was so they could get a settlement from the insurers for pain and suffering, in addition to the cost of repairs. Reading between the lines, I suspect it was partly because it was no longer worth the time that had gone into it on Cycle Law's behalf - which is fair enough if that was the case.
I was in court a couple of weeks ago, as a witness the case, and the driver decided not to bother turning up (so now has a warrant out for his arrest, good job that driver). The insurance company finally agreed to pay out - although I don't actually know if the driver not appearing at court was a factor.
I've now got "substantially more" than the original £200 amount - if the insurers had paid out in the first place, they'd have saved themselves a chunk of money.
Since I only wanted £200 in the first place, and that was a year ago anyway, I've decided to split the proceeds equally 3 ways between me (new bike time!), PoP and Spokes - my logic being that both groups so great work campaigning for segregated infrastructure, which if it was present where I was (admittedly it's a quiet-ish road with no real room for cycle infrastructure, but that's besides the point), would mean that this incident would never have happened - and hopefully the donation can go some way to preventing others from being on the receiving end of Today's rubbish driving.
I can highly recommend Cycle Law, for anyone who has been on the receiving end of Today's rubbish driving - I didn't have to pay any fees at all (Their fees are taken from the proceeds, and money for equipment and repairs are ring-fenced, so you're guaranteed at least that if the insurers pay out), I only needed to have one phone conversation when I made contact with them, didn't need to do any in-person meetings (with the exception of the independent medical exam) or anything else requiring any effort at all on my part. They were quick to reply to e-mails, and kept me informed throughout the whole process. 10/10.
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