Think I was nearly scammed last night.......
Discussion
I will try to explain as best I can - but not sure how well this is going to come across in words without diagrams.
On the way home from work last night I pulled up to a set of red traffic lights, which is on a crossroads. There was a Renault Megane/Laguna in the inside lane, and on the inside of him was a scooter at the front of the lights, and then a pushbike, and then me behind the push bike.
Lights go green - Scooter pulls away, then Renault pulls away, then cyclist pulls away. I move slowly until Renault is out the way (fully past cyclist) then pull in behind Renault. Renault slows (as two lanes go into 1 bus lane, and 1 normal lane across the crossroads), so I brake. I then look in my mirrors, and see cyclist bouncing along the floor!
As I am a decent bloke, I pull over (stopped on the hatched box junction), and turn round and shout to the cyclist "Are you ok? (I admit I was laughing as well!)"
He gets up and walks over to the bike and this is how the conversation goes:-
(C)yclist "I knew you were going to do that."
(M)e "Do what?"
(C) "Knock me off my bike"
(M) "Shut up - I was nowhere near you"
(C) "You rode in to me"
(M) "Pick your bike up (it is still in middle of road) and I will pull over and we can have a chat, I'm getting off this bit as I can't stop here and will pull over there (point to opposite side of road)"
(C) "I don't trust anyone, you will ride off" Stands in front of my bike
(M) "Well it is nothing to do with me but I ain't going to ride off" (I then move my bike backwards so I am off the box junction and the lights are back to red again)
(C) (Still standing in front of my bike) "I need your insurance details"
(M) "No you don't - it is nothing to do with me - you fell off your bike. If you want me to be a witness for you, I saw you fall off your bike. Pick your bike up as it is blocking all the traffic and lets have a chat"
(C) "I need your details - and I have a witness that you knocked me off my bike"
(M) "Pick your bike up and hurry up"
(C) "My witness saw you knock me off"
At this point the cyclist has not moved from in front of my bike since I have asked him if he is ok. So how comes he was so sure he had a witness? He had not spoke to anyone else.
He walks round the back of my bike towards his bike, and stops to look at my numberplate.
(C) "You have insurance on your bike?"
(M) "Yes - but that is irrelevant - this is nothing to do with me"
(C) "I don't have insurance - so I need to claim from you"
The lights went green - and I rode off.
I have replayed in my head loads of times since this happened - did he hit the back of my bike? I never felt anything. Did I hit him? I can't of done as I was in front of him, and saw him fall in my mirrors.
All I can think is that he was trying to scam me. The way he fell doing 5mph looked like someone in the Tour De France falling. It was a Klinnsmann dive - I have ridden push bikes and never taken a tumble like that, falling off at much quicker speeds.
I think he had a mate standing on side of road ready to be a witness to me "hitting him", so wanted my insurance to claim for damage to his bike, and "injuries". There is no way he could make a statement to me that his witness saw me hit him - he had no opportunity to find a witness as the only person he had spoke to til then was me! Unless he knew there was someone on the side of the road that he knows, prepared to be a witness.
He already had it all worked out that I had insurance - I could almost see the £ signs spinning in his eyes like the jackpot on the one arm bandits.
I have heard similar stories of this sort of scam, with cars slowing so that another car hits car from behind, and then the "victim" claims for whiplash etc. Never heard of a scam like this - but it just all seemed so rehearsed,
Perhaps I am reading too much into it - but all I can think now is that I will be getting a call from BIB, for leaving scene of an accident - that I was not even involved in!
Lets wait and see.............. could do without idiots like this.
Moral of the story - don't be a good samaritan for anyone - it is not worth it in this day and age.
On the way home from work last night I pulled up to a set of red traffic lights, which is on a crossroads. There was a Renault Megane/Laguna in the inside lane, and on the inside of him was a scooter at the front of the lights, and then a pushbike, and then me behind the push bike.
Lights go green - Scooter pulls away, then Renault pulls away, then cyclist pulls away. I move slowly until Renault is out the way (fully past cyclist) then pull in behind Renault. Renault slows (as two lanes go into 1 bus lane, and 1 normal lane across the crossroads), so I brake. I then look in my mirrors, and see cyclist bouncing along the floor!
As I am a decent bloke, I pull over (stopped on the hatched box junction), and turn round and shout to the cyclist "Are you ok? (I admit I was laughing as well!)"
He gets up and walks over to the bike and this is how the conversation goes:-
(C)yclist "I knew you were going to do that."
(M)e "Do what?"
(C) "Knock me off my bike"
(M) "Shut up - I was nowhere near you"
(C) "You rode in to me"
(M) "Pick your bike up (it is still in middle of road) and I will pull over and we can have a chat, I'm getting off this bit as I can't stop here and will pull over there (point to opposite side of road)"
(C) "I don't trust anyone, you will ride off" Stands in front of my bike
(M) "Well it is nothing to do with me but I ain't going to ride off" (I then move my bike backwards so I am off the box junction and the lights are back to red again)
(C) (Still standing in front of my bike) "I need your insurance details"
(M) "No you don't - it is nothing to do with me - you fell off your bike. If you want me to be a witness for you, I saw you fall off your bike. Pick your bike up as it is blocking all the traffic and lets have a chat"
(C) "I need your details - and I have a witness that you knocked me off my bike"
(M) "Pick your bike up and hurry up"
(C) "My witness saw you knock me off"
At this point the cyclist has not moved from in front of my bike since I have asked him if he is ok. So how comes he was so sure he had a witness? He had not spoke to anyone else.
He walks round the back of my bike towards his bike, and stops to look at my numberplate.
(C) "You have insurance on your bike?"
(M) "Yes - but that is irrelevant - this is nothing to do with me"
(C) "I don't have insurance - so I need to claim from you"
The lights went green - and I rode off.
I have replayed in my head loads of times since this happened - did he hit the back of my bike? I never felt anything. Did I hit him? I can't of done as I was in front of him, and saw him fall in my mirrors.
All I can think is that he was trying to scam me. The way he fell doing 5mph looked like someone in the Tour De France falling. It was a Klinnsmann dive - I have ridden push bikes and never taken a tumble like that, falling off at much quicker speeds.
I think he had a mate standing on side of road ready to be a witness to me "hitting him", so wanted my insurance to claim for damage to his bike, and "injuries". There is no way he could make a statement to me that his witness saw me hit him - he had no opportunity to find a witness as the only person he had spoke to til then was me! Unless he knew there was someone on the side of the road that he knows, prepared to be a witness.
He already had it all worked out that I had insurance - I could almost see the £ signs spinning in his eyes like the jackpot on the one arm bandits.
I have heard similar stories of this sort of scam, with cars slowing so that another car hits car from behind, and then the "victim" claims for whiplash etc. Never heard of a scam like this - but it just all seemed so rehearsed,
Perhaps I am reading too much into it - but all I can think now is that I will be getting a call from BIB, for leaving scene of an accident - that I was not even involved in!
Lets wait and see.............. could do without idiots like this.
Moral of the story - don't be a good samaritan for anyone - it is not worth it in this day and age.
To be honest - that is the main reason I posted here - so I have a documented account of what happened. I can always come back to it.
I phoned my BIB mate last night - and he said not to worry about it (he was the one that reminded me of the scam with the cars getting hit). I cannot be bothered with the beauracracy of reporting it! I think I will wait for them to find me through the police/DVLA.
I phoned my BIB mate last night - and he said not to worry about it (he was the one that reminded me of the scam with the cars getting hit). I cannot be bothered with the beauracracy of reporting it! I think I will wait for them to find me through the police/DVLA.
I would definitely pre-empt any potential claim / fall-out by reporting this to the local police station ASAP. Make it very clear that you did not come into contact with the guy at any point. You may also want to mention his somewhat threatening attitude, the fact that he blocked you in the middle of a junction on the cross hatchings etc and that you believe he is trying to make a false insurance claim.
Steve_T said:
Any damage to your bike? I can't see how anything could be pinned on you without damage to your bike and his pushbike consistent with a collision between the two. If he fell off and you could see it in your mirrors, then I agree, he can't have been near you.
Yeah, you saw him fall off in your rear view mirror after you were well clear of him. If you had hit him you'd have felt and/or heard *something* (probably your knuckles going through his nose 
)Ok - after asking for advice and being given it from the PH masses - anyone know a number to call the police? Not 999! I only know my local station phone number.
Happened near Tower Bridge - so should probably report to a local station. Or should I go to my own local station?
Thanks in advance.
However I have hit wing mirrors, and even caught the top box on vans in the past and have always felt it. I never felt anything last night.
Happened near Tower Bridge - so should probably report to a local station. Or should I go to my own local station?
Thanks in advance.
Steve_T said:
Any damage to your bike? I can't see how anything could be pinned on you without damage to your bike and his pushbike consistent with a collision between the two. If he fell off and you could see it in your mirrors, then I agree, he can't have been near you.
No visible damage to bike - although was dark when I arrived home last night - and when I left this morning. Will try to look tonight in the car park - the bike is so dirty at the moment, that if he did hit - I should see some clean bits on it.However I have hit wing mirrors, and even caught the top box on vans in the past and have always felt it. I never felt anything last night.
Edited by Fats25 on Wednesday 30th January 12:43
Fats25 said:
Ok - after asking for advice and being given it from the PH masses - anyone know a number to call the police? Not 999! I only know my local station phone number.
Happened near Tower Bridge - so should probably report to a local station. Or should I go to my own local station?
Thanks in advance.
However I have hit wing mirrors, and even caught the top box on vans in the past and have always felt it. I never felt anything last night.
Report to any station. You'll be fine.Happened near Tower Bridge - so should probably report to a local station. Or should I go to my own local station?
Thanks in advance.
Steve_T said:
Any damage to your bike? I can't see how anything could be pinned on you without damage to your bike and his pushbike consistent with a collision between the two. If he fell off and you could see it in your mirrors, then I agree, he can't have been near you.
No visible damage to bike - although was dark when I arrived home last night - and when I left this morning. Will try to look tonight in the car park - the bike is so dirty at the moment, that if he did hit - I should see some clean bits on it.However I have hit wing mirrors, and even caught the top box on vans in the past and have always felt it. I never felt anything last night.
Edited by Fats25 on Wednesday 30th January 12:43
Take care
Taita said:
Soon as he obstructed me he'd of been walloped. Biker in full gear VS a numpty in neoprene keks?
To be honest - he was not particularly aggressive - he just would not stop talking rubbish. I could have ridden round him with little effort - I just wanted to see he was ok and then get on my way. After I realised he was not interested in talking any sense - and seemed to be after money more than telling me he was ok. I got on my way.
trumpet600 said:
It was you.....
I saw it all
excellent - anything to add to my account above?!I saw it all
Edited by Fats25 on Wednesday 30th January 13:28
HertsBiker said:
Phone_Monkey said:
Def a scam, report to bib. I don't know what number though, probably best to google or ask your bib mate.
agreed.And tell your insurance company just in case...
sake DO NOT DO THIS...Agreed, it might be the thing they would like you to do, but....
You are not obliged to report an accident, as there wasnt one.
You just know it will be an open claim (read festering sore) when you come to change things or renew.
Spoke to Met police - and before I even finished telling what happened, the lady on the phone said it was a common scam, that she has had reported to her before.
I have to go into a Met Policestation to get it all in writing, although she did take the details over the phone, and gave me a reference number. As I said to her on the phone - I am not wasting time going to the police station, but will happily fill in a form on-line.
Have looked on the Met Police website, and you can report lots of things on there - but it says specifically "(Do not report Road Traffic Accidents, collisions or lost property on this site.)"
So I am going to leave it as it is for now, and if anything comes of it, then I at least have a reference number from my prior conversation.
Be careful out there guys and girls!
I have to go into a Met Policestation to get it all in writing, although she did take the details over the phone, and gave me a reference number. As I said to her on the phone - I am not wasting time going to the police station, but will happily fill in a form on-line.
Have looked on the Met Police website, and you can report lots of things on there - but it says specifically "(Do not report Road Traffic Accidents, collisions or lost property on this site.)"
So I am going to leave it as it is for now, and if anything comes of it, then I at least have a reference number from my prior conversation.
Be careful out there guys and girls!
randlemarcus said:
For sake DO NOT DO THIS...
Agreed, it might be the thing they would like you to do, but....
You are not obliged to report an accident, as there wasnt one.
You just know it will be an open claim (read festering sore) when you come to change things or renew.
Have only just sorted one incident out with Insurance after 8 months - am not going down that route with them again. Besides it is girlfriends bike, on her insurance, and I am only a named rider. sake DO NOT DO THIS...Agreed, it might be the thing they would like you to do, but....
You are not obliged to report an accident, as there wasnt one.
You just know it will be an open claim (read festering sore) when you come to change things or renew.
Agree with Randle - never lie to them - but only tell them what is relevant. There was no accident - so it is irrelevant. I work for a company that used to own Direct Line and I know how they work!
Fats25 said:
Spoke to Met police - and before I even finished telling what happened, the lady on the phone said it was a common scam, that she has had reported to her before.
I have to go into a Met Policestation to get it all in writing, although she did take the details over the phone, and gave me a reference number. As I said to her on the phone - I am not wasting time going to the police station, but will happily fill in a form on-line.
Have looked on the Met Police website, and you can report lots of things on there - but it says specifically "(Do not report Road Traffic Accidents, collisions or lost property on this site.)"
So I am going to leave it as it is for now, and if anything comes of it, then I at least have a reference number from my prior conversation.
Be careful out there guys and girls!
you've deffo done the right thingI have to go into a Met Policestation to get it all in writing, although she did take the details over the phone, and gave me a reference number. As I said to her on the phone - I am not wasting time going to the police station, but will happily fill in a form on-line.
Have looked on the Met Police website, and you can report lots of things on there - but it says specifically "(Do not report Road Traffic Accidents, collisions or lost property on this site.)"
So I am going to leave it as it is for now, and if anything comes of it, then I at least have a reference number from my prior conversation.
Be careful out there guys and girls!
as you say ....be careful out there guys and girls
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