Bike accident

[KCLenny]

Hi all, so I just had a biggish bike accident (bicycle on bicycle).
I was cycling home from work, and out of no where an older lady just appeared from a side parking spot, and without looking where she was going, just cycled straight out into the road. It was raining and I was coming down a small slope and so didn't have time to stop. I completely t-boned into the side of her bike, and I went flying. Luckily I came out unscratched (thanks rain gear), and she had a very very minor scratch on her leg. However, my bike is ruined. The front wheel has bent under the the main frame/crossbar, and so I can't turn the wheel or even really move it. Her bike had some minor damage with the chain but seemed relatively (miraculously, given the wallop!) undamaged. I helped her stand up, and difficultly moved our bikes out of the road (thanks every who watched/saw and did nothing to help!). Then I asked her why she didn't look as crossed the road. Incoherent answer. I called the police, they came, they take statements and photos and details. I don't have bike insurance. However, in my defence, I honestly thought I did, because when I bought the bike 1 year ago, I paid extra for something the guy explained as insurance. My bad, fine. However, in this time, the woman's boss was also out talking to us and the police (because we were right outside her workplace). He said (in english) that as I don't have insurance it would be better to deal with this personally without the police because I could get into trouble for not having insurance.
He (the boss) then drove me to the bike shop where I bought the bike, helped me deal with the staff, who said that it might take up to a week to fix, if they could fix it at all. And then he also drove me home.
Obviously I'm very grateful for that, however I can't help but feel he was doing that to shush me up so I didn't kick up a fuss at the fact that his staff was clearly, 100%, without a shadow of doubt, in the wrong.

What kind of position am I in? I have both her number, and the boss's phone number. I'm waiting on the bike shop to give me a quote on the repair costs. I don't have bike insurance but I paid for some kind of extended guarantee cover for the bike (asahi CycleMate...?). Do I have any kind of right to request that she pays for the damage, for the accidence she clearly caused? Or am I screwed because I'm the uninsured gaijin?

[TokyoBoglehead]

Hi all, so I just had a biggish bike accident (bicycle on bicycle).
I was cycling home from work, and out of no where an older lady just appeared from a side parking spot, and without looking where she was going, just cycled straight out into the road. It was raining and I was coming down a small slope and so didn't have time to stop. I completely t-boned into the side of her bike, and I went flying. Luckily I came out unscratched (thanks rain gear), and she had a very very minor scratch on her leg. However, my bike is ruined. The front wheel has bent under the the main frame/crossbar, and so I can't turn the wheel or even really move it. Her bike had some minor damage with the chain but seemed relatively (miraculously, given the wallop!) undamaged. I helped her stand up, and difficultly moved our bikes out of the road (thanks every who watched/saw and did nothing to help!). Then I asked her why she didn't look as crossed the road. Incoherent answer. I called the police, they came, they take statements and photos and details. I don't have bike insurance. However, in my defence, I honestly thought I did, because when I bought the bike 1 year ago, I paid extra for something the guy explained as insurance. My bad, fine. However, in this time, the woman's boss was also out talking to us and the police (because we were right outside her workplace). He said (in english) that as I don't have insurance it would be better to deal with this personally without the police because I could get into trouble for not having insurance.
He (the boss) then drove me to the bike shop where I bought the bike, helped me deal with the staff, who said that it might take up to a week to fix, if they could fix it at all. And then he also drove me home.
Obviously I'm very grateful for that, however I can't help but feel he was doing that to shush me up so I didn't kick up a fuss at the fact that his staff was clearly, 100%, without a shadow of doubt, in the wrong.

What kind of position am I in? I have both her number, and the boss's phone number. I'm waiting on the bike shop to give me a quote on the repair costs. I don't have bike insurance but I paid for some kind of extended guarantee cover for the bike (asahi CycleMate...?). Do I have any kind of right to request that she pays for the damage, for the accidence she clearly caused? Or am I screwed because I'm the uninsured gaijin?

Check the terms of your rental insurance. You may have cycle coverage.

Do not sign any paperwork you are unsure about. Wait and see.

Go digging for your bicycle policy? So....were you wearing a helmet? Or were you riding dirty twice over?

[Beaglehound]

Hi all, so I just had a biggish bike accident (bicycle on bicycle).
I was cycling home from work, and out of no where an older lady just appeared from a side parking spot, and without looking where she was going, just cycled straight out into the road. It was raining and I was coming down a small slope and so didn't have time to stop. I completely t-boned into the side of her bike, and I went flying. Luckily I came out unscratched (thanks rain gear), and she had a very very minor scratch on her leg. However, my bike is ruined. The front wheel has bent under the the main frame/crossbar, and so I can't turn the wheel or even really move it. Her bike had some minor damage with the chain but seemed relatively (miraculously, given the wallop!) undamaged. I helped her stand up, and difficultly moved our bikes out of the road (thanks every who watched/saw and did nothing to help!). Then I asked her why she didn't look as crossed the road. Incoherent answer. I called the police, they came, they take statements and photos and details. I don't have bike insurance. However, in my defence, I honestly thought I did, because when I bought the bike 1 year ago, I paid extra for something the guy explained as insurance. My bad, fine. However, in this time, the woman's boss was also out talking to us and the police (because we were right outside her workplace). He said (in english) that as I don't have insurance it would be better to deal with this personally without the police because I could get into trouble for not having insurance.
He (the boss) then drove me to the bike shop where I bought the bike, helped me deal with the staff, who said that it might take up to a week to fix, if they could fix it at all. And then he also drove me home.
Obviously I'm very grateful for that, however I can't help but feel he was doing that to shush me up so I didn't kick up a fuss at the fact that his staff was clearly, 100%, without a shadow of doubt, in the wrong.

What kind of position am I in? I have both her number, and the boss's phone number. I'm waiting on the bike shop to give me a quote on the repair costs. I don't have bike insurance but I paid for some kind of extended guarantee cover for the bike (asahi CycleMate...?). Do I have any kind of right to request that she pays for the damage, for the accidence she clearly caused? Or am I screwed because I'm the uninsured gaijin?

Check the terms of your rental insurance. You may have cycle coverage.

Do not sign any paperwork you are unsure about. Wait and see.

Go digging for your bicycle policy? So....were you wearing a helmet? Or were you riding dirty twice over?

Is insurance compulsory? Seems an unnecessary jibe in any case.

@KCLenny: How expensive was your bike?

[sutebayashi]

Bad luck but good to hear no major injuries

his staff was clearly, 100%, without a shadow of doubt, in the wrong.

Not sure about bike insurance, but (this is Japan and) my impression / recollection is, if this were involving automobiles, it might be seen as an 80% / 20% division of blame, or some other division. I guess if this were involving car insurance the insurance holders would submit claims and then the insurance companies would come to any agreement.

[TokyoBoglehead]

Hi all, so I just had a biggish bike accident (bicycle on bicycle).
I was cycling home from work, and out of no where an older lady just appeared from a side parking spot, and without looking where she was going, just cycled straight out into the road. It was raining and I was coming down a small slope and so didn't have time to stop. I completely t-boned into the side of her bike, and I went flying. Luckily I came out unscratched (thanks rain gear), and she had a very very minor scratch on her leg. However, my bike is ruined. The front wheel has bent under the the main frame/crossbar, and so I can't turn the wheel or even really move it. Her bike had some minor damage with the chain but seemed relatively (miraculously, given the wallop!) undamaged. I helped her stand up, and difficultly moved our bikes out of the road (thanks every who watched/saw and did nothing to help!). Then I asked her why she didn't look as crossed the road. Incoherent answer. I called the police, they came, they take statements and photos and details. I don't have bike insurance. However, in my defence, I honestly thought I did, because when I bought the bike 1 year ago, I paid extra for something the guy explained as insurance. My bad, fine. However, in this time, the woman's boss was also out talking to us and the police (because we were right outside her workplace). He said (in english) that as I don't have insurance it would be better to deal with this personally without the police because I could get into trouble for not having insurance.
He (the boss) then drove me to the bike shop where I bought the bike, helped me deal with the staff, who said that it might take up to a week to fix, if they could fix it at all. And then he also drove me home.
Obviously I'm very grateful for that, however I can't help but feel he was doing that to shush me up so I didn't kick up a fuss at the fact that his staff was clearly, 100%, without a shadow of doubt, in the wrong.

What kind of position am I in? I have both her number, and the boss's phone number. I'm waiting on the bike shop to give me a quote on the repair costs. I don't have bike insurance but I paid for some kind of extended guarantee cover for the bike (asahi CycleMate...?). Do I have any kind of right to request that she pays for the damage, for the accidence she clearly caused? Or am I screwed because I'm the uninsured gaijin?

Check the terms of your rental insurance. You may have cycle coverage.

Do not sign any paperwork you are unsure about. Wait and see.

Go digging for your bicycle policy? So....were you wearing a helmet? Or were you riding dirty twice over?

Is insurance compulsory? Seems an unnecessary jibe in any case.

@KCLenny: How expensive was your bike?

It is mandatory in all but 5ish prefectures. Not wearing a helmet also could also partially invalidate insurance as it is a purposeful illegal act, (so say some recent legal experts).

It's an important detail now that the law has changed.

[KCLenny]

Neither of us had helmets.
My bike was around ¥100,000, e-bike. Hers was a standard mamachari.
By rental agreement do you mean my apartment? I love in a danchi so doubt it’d cover bike insurance too.
Not sure how helmets matter in this case as neither party hurt, just an extremely damaged bike which still would have happened regardless of everyone on the street and their dog wearing helmets.

[adamu]

Disclaimer: I'm not talking from any sort of authority.

I bet the company has bike insurance. Sounds like you should get them to pay for your repair costs. If they're not willing to do that, or try to get to you accept a lower amount, maybe keep the police involved.

Check out the other thread for the opposite side of the story: viewtopic.php?t=2903

[TokyoBoglehead]

Neither of us had helmets.
My bike was around ¥100,000, e-bike. Hers was a standard mamachari.
By rental agreement do you mean my apartment? I love in a danchi so doubt it’d cover bike insurance too.
Not sure how helmets matter in this case as neither party hurt, just an extremely damaged bike which still would have happened regardless of everyone on the street and their dog wearing helmets.

I mean your rental insurance policy (fire coverage, etc).They often include cycle insurance as cycle insurance is actually a form of basic liability insurance.

https://www.japan-mobility.com/guide/ja ... /insurance

The helmet thing could just be a complication if things turn into a legal mater, as it would be determined you were willing breaking two laws prior to the accident.

[Beaglehound]

Disclaimer: I'm not talking from any sort of authority.

I bet the company has bike insurance. Sounds like you should get them to pay for your repair costs. If they're not willing to do that, or try to get to you accept a lower amount, maybe keep the police involved.

Check out the other thread for the opposite side of the story: viewtopic.php?t=2903

Pretty much word for word what I would have typed. The boss is clearly concerned going by his actions so far. You may even decide to accept, say, an 80/20 split on the repair costs to settle the matter without police involvement. But I would try to get them to cover it all.

[captainspoke]

Smush...

One time that I fell. Two separate two month long hospital stays, a year apart--first to stabilize the broken pelvis (the upper two plates), and the second to install the hip (due to acetabular fracture). I finally gave up the lofstrand crutch a few months after the second surgery, but it was my companion for a year and half. The same accident broke 6-7 ribs and a collarbone in two places.

https://tokyocycle.com/attachments/img_9153-jpg.14379/

I did this on my own. If someone else had been responsible they'd've been out a few million yen or more for treatment alone, plus lost income, etc. I'm not sure what the apology money would be if someone else had caused the accident. Personally, if I could go back in time and erase this from my life, ¥10m would be cheap. Even 20.