Neighbor backed into bike

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by VFR Love, Sep 2, 2014.

  1. VFR Love

    VFR Love New Member

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    I was working on my bike around 9p in front of my building. I ran upstairs for literally 3 minutes and when I got back down my neighbor had just backed into my vfr cracking the nose fairing.

    He began asking me why I parked behind him, yada yada yada.

    The bike was about 4' behind his car and I had been running it and revving the motor to burp the coolant just moments prior. In fact I had been out there with it for a few hours.

    It seemed he was insinuating he was faultless because "what was it doing there" even though I explained.

    It's a commercially zoned space downstairs with tennants above and a deep parking area where cars park 2 deep for the businesses that are run there. (His businesses).

    I technically have no right to park there but we have an agreement - some of which is unspoken but basically I keep the noise down in my apartment in respect of his healthcare practice below me, and let him hang a banner off my balcony.

    In return I share his Internet access and park in front when the businesses are not open.

    What would you do? I think I only need a nose fairing and not a nose subframe. The bike wasn't perfect but the paint and nose are cracked.

    He admitted he was in a rush and not looking.





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  2. duccmann

    duccmann Member

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    Bummer..so I take it he didn't knock it over? Take it apart and see if it's bent. I think I would of gone ballistic. .I know you had to keep your cool. Did you get insurance information after he said he was in a rush?
     
  3. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

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    That's a bummer. I don't see anything good coming out of this unless the guy is decent about what he did and offers to help pay for the damages. In my experience that rarely happens, so I hope you have the exception. Good luck.

    Basically it comes down to the old "He said, She said" argument. He says you shouldn't have parked there, you say he should have looked before he backed. If there are no cops, no witnesses, and no desire to piss the guy off, about all you can hope for is that he steps up to the plate and does the right thing.
     
  4. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Let's see if we got this.. There's a full size brightly colored motorcycle 4' away from the rear of a parked car and...the dude didn't see it because he was in a hurry. LOL
     
  5. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    What bb said. What if that was not a bike behind his parked car. Supose it was a child. I suggest that all jurisdictions, regardless if your bike was illegally parked, thd onus would be on him to make sure it is safe for him to back up. He's totally responsible for tbis collision.
     
  6. TNRabbit

    TNRabbit New Member

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    I would offer to split the cost with him. Probably the best you are going to get out of this.

    It ain't gonna be cheap, even if you can find used....
     
  7. REEK

    REEK New Member

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    +1 on splitting cost. Hopefully being neighborly still exists in what ever part of New York you're in. But from the sound of your description, even splitting may be a long shot.
     
  8. V4toTour

    V4toTour New Member

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    If he doesn't offer up anything I guess you'd be within your right to kick in his rear bumper. Tell him you were going for a jog and didn't see his car
     
  9. TNRabbit

    TNRabbit New Member

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    ....but it's okay because you were in a hurry...
     
  10. Mohawk

    Mohawk New Member

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    Not sure what the rules are in USA, but in UK, if that happened & the guy didn't offer to help, just put in an insurance claim against him, that would affect his future policy prices more than helping you fix it.

    I had a stranger do that to my bike, years ago, but they knocked it over having driven past it & backed into it whilst parking. I was across the street dropping a parcel, screamed at the guy as he got out & just walked off. I ran over the road, held my helmet over his windscreen & told him to turn around or else, he saw sence cam e back, I assessed the damage & he paid up on the spot.
     
  11. bobdigi88

    bobdigi88 New Member

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    Often people sugest things they wouldn't be prepared to do themselves when it comes to matters like this. personally I would politely ask for a cash payment towards repair. If he refuses then just tell him it's a shame because you were hoping for things to stay friendly. In my experience people are pretty decent if you are polite.
    I used to fly off the handle quick. But that never really got me anywhere good.
     
  12. TOE CUTTER

    TOE CUTTER Mullet Man

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    Like you read my mind. Good thing it was not a person standing there or would that have been their fault for standing in this dip shits way? He needs to repair your bike.
     
  13. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    Security camera in subject garage?
     
  14. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Another strange part of this is, if the dude backed into the bike, all things being sort of regular, IMO the first point of contact would be the rear bumper of the cage and the front wheel of the bike.

    I think reading minds may show the dude was pissed off and did the deed on purpose.. Probably caused by too many organic gluten free shots of wheat grass juice.
     
  15. sunofwolf

    sunofwolf New Member

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    :boxing::funky::funky::bluesbros:I guess I am lucky and have a old garage for my pretty mostly un damage vfr except for me dropping it 5 times-any damage was fixed mostly, I suggest you get a Mad dog like BB to watch you Bike.
     
  16. f3racer

    f3racer New Member

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    improper back and improper parking on both parties. talk to him about splitting the cost.
     
  17. metallyguitarded

    metallyguitarded New Member

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    I chalk up his initial reaction as to be expected. He knows he shares blame but immediately deflects and asks why you were parked there, probably in hopes that you'd agree and say something like, "You're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been there." Then he gets to drive off feeling let off the hook. But, he's not off the hook. At least, not unless and until you decide it's not worth pursuing. It would suck to have an enemy that controls the bottom and front of the building in which you work and, until now at least, have been parking after hours. I say, figure out the damage and the cost to repair before you hit him up for splitting costs. Right now, he probably has no clue and could be thinking it's in the thousands (considering how amazing our bikes look). He'll be very resistant to agreeing to anything unless he has an idea of what he's getting into. Sucks. Good luck.
     
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