If you are injured in a collision with a car while riding your bike, you need compensation. Yet, that may be complicated by the driver insisting that you were to blame.
While it may have been your fault, it probably was not. There are several reasons why.
Some drivers think you have no right to be on the road
While many drivers also ride bicycles, there is a certain sector of car users who feel cyclists should not be on the road in the first place. Quite where they think they should be is unclear, as most towns lack adequate cycle paths. Roads existed long before cars did, and California law clarifies that cyclists have every right to be on the road, bar certain freeways and expressways.
All road users have a duty of care toward others. Drivers need to take even more careful around cyclists due to the difference in vehicle size.
Many drivers do not look out for cyclists
Some drivers do not expect to see cyclists. It is similar to how if you have a particular dress style, you are more likely to spot fellow enthusiasts than someone who is not into the same thing. We notice what we are used to and what interests us.
Some drivers do not pay attention. You have probably seen them when cycling along. Drivers on their phones, fiddling with their music or turning around to talk to their passengers. It only takes a second’s inattention to miss you on your bike.
Knowing the crash was the driver’s fault is not enough. You need to show it. Getting help to do that will be crucial to getting the compensation you need in a bicycle crash.
