Getting bus CCTV of RTA when police and insurers won't help

[NNH]

I could use some ideas on how to get CCTV footage from a bus that was present (but not involved) when I was in an incident on Tuesday. The brief version is that I had rented a motorbike from a firm in Sussex to tour Wales and Ireland for 8 days, and on my way to return the bike, I had to take avoiding action due to an oncoming van which overtook a bus that had halted at a bus top (around a blind bend) into my side of the road. I managed to miss the van, but dropped the bike into the bushes, causing about £500 worth of damage. It's my word against the van driver's, unless I can get footage from the bus.

My problems are:
- The van driver denied all responsibility and didn't leave any details, though I do have his registration
- Sussex police tell me they don't investigate non-injury crashes any more
- The damage was less than my deposit, so the rental firm's insurers aren't interested in getting involved
- The Stagecoach manager with authority to release footage is on holiday till Monday, but his PA said they need a police request
- Stagecoach delete footage after 7 days, so I've only got a few days to sort this out

Any bright ideas for how to get through this Catch-22 situation?


Thanks in advance
Simon

[HantsRat]

As no injuries the Police won't get involved. Give the registration to the insurers and will do their job. Did you note down any witnesses? I take it you didn't take out excess insurance?

You can also try submitting a SAR to the bus company with a fee for the footage that you are in.

[clockworks]

Even if you could get the CCTV footage, how much blame lies with the van driver? Even if there was a solid white line on his side of the road, he could cross it to pass a stationary vehicle. You say it was a blind bend, so were you going too fast to safely stop in the distance you could see?

Been there and done that myself on a bike.

Maybe a different matter if he saw you, and pulled out anyway, or didn't look.

[NNH]

HantsRat said:

As no injuries the Police won't get involved. Give the registration to the insurers and will do their job. Did you note down any witnesses? I take it you didn't take out excess insurance?

You can also try submitting a SAR to the bus company with a fee for the footage that you are in.

I was pretty shocked so I didn't get much except the time and location of the bus. Except for the three vehicles, there was nobody around. Can you tell me what is a SAR?

clockworks said:

Even if you could get the CCTV footage, how much blame lies with the van driver? Even if there was a solid white line on his side of the road, he could cross it to pass a stationary vehicle. You say it was a blind bend, so were you going too fast to safely stop in the distance you could see?

Been there and done that myself on a bike.

Maybe a different matter if he saw you, and pulled out anyway, or didn't look.

I had dropped down to first gear because the bend was tight and uphill. Stopping in the distance I could see was doable, but when that distance was shrunk by an oncoming van I had a lot less room to work with! I doubt I'll manage to prove the other driver was 100% at fault, but he did drive unsafely so I'd very much like to (a) give him a sleepless night like the one I had, and (b) get a decent percentage of the £500 out of him.

[CzechItOut]

You can submit a Subject Access Request under the new GDPR regulations.

There are a couple of hurdles though. Firstly you have to be identifiable in the CCTV footage. Whether someone wearing a helmet is identifiable is open to debate. Secondly, Stagecoach have 30 days to comply with your request, which falls outside of their retention period.

In the first instance I would contact them and ensure they do not delete the footage. This then gives you time to work the SAR angle.

[HantsRat]

Fill out this form.. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/governmen...

Pay £2.50 and follow it up personally if insurance are not interested.

[NNH]

Thanks all. I'm following up on the SAR and the DVLA trace.