I Got Hit on My Bike (Uninsured) at a Roundabout and Driver Gave Me Incorrect Details! Advice?

LFishChicken on 18/03/2019 - 20:45
Last edited 18/03/2019 - 21:03

Hi all,

A few days ago, I got hit by a car coming into a roundabout when I had right of way (happened during late afternoon and I had lights on). I've come off only with a fractured pinky, but my bike wasn't so lucky… The driver stopped and gave me a name and phone number and let me take a photo of her license plate, but she gave me the wrong phone number! I've reported the incident to the police and I've told them about the wrong number, but apparently they can't give me contact details of the driver, even with the license plate and name.

By my own mistake, my bike wasn't insured. Does anyone have any advice on how to chase up the driver?

Automotive Insurance

Comments

  • Quantumcat on 18/03/2019 - 20:47
    +1

    I don't think there's anything you can do, other than try through social media (if you're comfortable giving away their personal info), assuming Googling hasn't turned anything up.

  • Tee Rex Arms on 18/03/2019 - 20:52
    +6

    Police won’t gjve you their mobile number, but can give you the registered owners name.

  • Godric on 18/03/2019 - 20:52
    +5

    You paid the price of not being insured.

    • Diji1 on 18/03/2019 - 21:31
      +2

      If they can find out who it is then maybe they can sue them so the other party (or their insurer) pays instead.

    • try2bhelpful on 19/03/2019 - 07:32
      +4

      There is, probably, a lot of people who don’t have their bikes insured.

      • Euphemistic on 19/03/2019 - 12:12
        +1

        Often bicycle riders are covered under home and contents for damage you do to others property. Typically you’ll need extra coverage for damage to your bike. For a lot of people it isn’t worth paying the insurance premium to cover a few hundred dollars worth of bike - you self insure.

  • qwerty on 18/03/2019 - 20:54
    +5

    Go and see an injury lawyer and see what they can do with the details

  • altomic on 18/03/2019 - 21:01
    +14

    you can check the rego at vic roads

    that gives you all the car details to make sure they were/weren't false/ stolen plates.

    it is criminal offence to fail to provide details at an accident.

    you have a photo of the number plate (and the fake details)

    you could get request the incident report which the police made under their RTI policy.

    that may get you the details of the person who owns the car.

    you did get a incident report/number?

    • FishChicken on 18/03/2019 - 22:02
      +1

      Yep, checked the rego and it matches the car, so not stolen plates.

      Yes I was given a report number. I'm currently looking into how to get my hands on the traffic accident report and the information that comes with it. But I'm getting a conflicting information from the cop I spoke with today and the vic police website about the report… The cop claimed that they don't give out the accident reports, but the vic police website says they can give them if you submit an application and pay a fee.

      A bit strange.

      • Randxyz123 on 18/03/2019 - 22:27
        +7

        The police will give you the registered owners' details. You don't need to pay for any reports.

        Just keep asking them. It is their job. If they refuse to help, ask for the sergeant in charge of the station. Cops hate paperwork but they will do it. They just hope you'll give up.

        You'd think they would follow this up this is a serious offence, someone knocked you off your (I assume) push bike(or motorcycle?) and gave you incorrect details.

        • [Deactivated] on 18/03/2019 - 22:35

          I agree with this advice. The report might cost but you just need the contact details which I think, from memory, was free. Say the words legal action quietly and politely a few times to give them confidence you haven't organised payback.

          The other good advice above is politely don't let the cops fob you off to the original cop you dealt with. They may try to get you to come back when that person is on duty or whatever. The cop on duty will be able to help you and is just being lazy.

      • brad1-8tsi on 19/03/2019 - 08:33
        +1

        Why aren't the police following it up?

        You were injured, therefore you need to make a claim (seriously - do this as there may be complications further down the track).

        They gave false information.

        They failed to give way on a roundabout.

    • tomsco on 19/03/2019 - 07:54
      -1

      Could still be stolen/duplicated plates.

      A family member had their plates duplicated and kept getting contacted by police as the car matched the plates (Dark blue Ford Territory).

  • askme69 on 18/03/2019 - 21:09
    +4

    Follow up with Police again (higher). A person has been injured and false info has been given, why didn't you take a photo of the drivers licence?

    Whats the rego?

    • Kenb0 on 18/03/2019 - 21:56
      +1

      I thought it was a no no to let anyone take a photo of your drivers licence. With the information on that, seems like they can perpetuate a fair bit of identity fraud, They will have your name, address, DOB, drivers licence number.

      • plmko on 19/03/2019 - 01:39
        -2

        Don't care what anyone thinks, a drivers license is the only true link you have to an accident involving the said person. Plates can be stolen and VINs can be faked or hard to find.

        Personally I would threaten to call the cops if so some one refused, better to cause a scene than to regret it like OP.

        • try2bhelpful on 19/03/2019 - 07:35
          +3

          People with stolen plates are, unlikely, to have a legal drivers licence.

        • HardlyCharly on 19/03/2019 - 12:54

          What a terribly dumb idea.

    • FishChicken on 18/03/2019 - 22:04

      I was a bit shocked and had never been in an accident before, so I was at a bit of a loss as to what to do.

      I went to my local police station to submit the report and request info. Where should I go to take it "higher"?

      • Kangal on 19/03/2019 - 01:30

        I think what happened here is a "Hit and Run", therefore illegal and requires the police action.

        As long as they withdrew sharing their information (identity, contact details, insurance number) this counts as a Hit and Run, regardless if they provided you with their nickname, and their annual book club meeting, and incomplete insurance number. You are unable to claim on their insurance number, and even if you could, you can't identify them, or even if you could contact them you cannot identify them. You need to have all three information at the scene of the accident, and if worse comes to worse, at least two to be able to find the third detail.

  • [Deactivated] on 18/03/2019 - 21:46
    +3

    In Vic, cops will make you sign a lengthy release document and you can get the registered address of the vehicle.

    • FishChicken on 18/03/2019 - 22:04

      Any idea how I would be able to do this?

      • [Deactivated] on 18/03/2019 - 22:17
        +5

        Go to the police station where the incident was reported and say you need the address to proceed with civil action. I read above where you said they wouldn't give you details, but that wasn't my experience. If they don't give details, ask them how you can serve legal matters with the driver over your personal injury and damage to the bike. Obviously, using that information for anything other than basic legal purposes is quite serious, but you will read about that in the release :)

  • [Deactivated] on 19/03/2019 - 06:43
    +2

    That's (profanity) up in Australia. In NZ you enter plate number into one of many apps and it gives you registered owner name/address. Transparency when everyone is equipped with a potentially dangerous moving iron!

    • tomsco on 19/03/2019 - 07:57
      +3

      Yeh, but also at risk of petty revenge, especially with the amount of road rage in Australia.

      • Austaurean on 19/03/2019 - 08:41

        yes agree that Not providing addresses is much better.
        some details, like owners address, should not be provided.

        example: what if it wasn't the owner driving and someone did something that another driver thought was wrong and they go to the registered address and take petty revenge - against the wrong person.

        like other people have said, just ensure all details are checked as best as possible, look at the Licence, confirm the phone number etc.

        It may not always work as some people don't update their address etc, but at least you can write down the persons name, address and D/L number, from their licence.

        • pegaxs on 19/03/2019 - 10:08
          +1

          I agree. Some jacked up meth addict “thinks” you cut them off and 3 days later all your windows are smashed in all because they could just look your details up on an app. No thanks. I would have all my car registered to work’s storage warehouse.

  • SmiTTy on 19/03/2019 - 07:10
    +2

    Next time make sure you get their license details after an accident

  • JimmyF on 19/03/2019 - 07:30

    The driver stopped and gave me a name and phone number and let me take a photo of her license plate, but she gave me the wrong phone number!

    Get their drivers licence next time and call the number they give you to verify its 'correct'

    • Some Guy on 19/03/2019 - 10:11

      The driver is under no obligation to show their licence to the OP. The OP cannot restrain the driver either. The only way to verify their identity is to get the policy involved, and they won't unless someone is injured. The OP should have called the police saying that they're hurt/in shock and that they can't verify the driver's identity. Unfortunately it's very hard to think this clearly in an accident, especially if you've not been through it before.

      I learnt this the hard way when a driver in stolen car (as reported by a hire car company) side swiped my door, missing by wife and newborn by inches, then gave me a fake licence. No-one was hurt so the police didn't/wouldn't attend, even though it happened across the road from the La Trobe St fed station. I had absolutely no recourse through my insurance company (they had to find a ghost in order to sue).

      This is how we treat each other these days - take no responsibility, shaft or be shafted.

  • Ocker on 19/03/2019 - 08:23

    Publish the rego number and location on OB. One of the thousands of OB members may spot the vehicle in question

  • Austaurean on 19/03/2019 - 08:35
    -1

    IN the ACT and perhaps other states, when you do the rego check on the states road users site it can bring up the 3rd party insurer, I would suggest check that out and see if the details provide that info.

    I just checked my previously owned and written off car (I was hit from behind at a red traffic light).
    The car plate still comes up matching the vehicle and also states the last known 3rd party insurer.

    If you can get that info, then contact that insurer and see about lodging a claim.

    • Euphemistic on 19/03/2019 - 12:14

      The third party insurer will not cover for damages to a bicycle, only a person.

      • Austaurean on 19/03/2019 - 12:50

        there may have been some medical costs due to the fractured pinky per the information in the post.
        perhaps the driver also has third party property.
        the idea around why to look up the compulsory 3rd party is that it is quite possible the driver may also have comprehensive or property cover with the same provider which may cover the riders bike.

        I know its a long shot and may never go anywhere but the op is asking for advice/suggestions, that's all im doing.

      • DavoW on 10/04/2019 - 09:51

        Yeah they will, I was in an accident 6 weeks ago and they paid to replace my bike.

        • Euphemistic on 10/04/2019 - 16:19

          Yes, they do for third party property, but the insurer listed in the rego will only be the compulsory third party injury insurance which will not pay for replacement of property, just medical costs for injuries.

  • Mentallysick on 19/03/2019 - 08:54
    -6

    Well before we jump up and down here. Let me ask you.

    How the hell did he give you wrong info?

    You have their rego plate number.

    What about his/her license?

    Are you trying to say that he/she didnot have license or they were carrying a stolen license.

    Clear it,

  • slow on 19/03/2019 - 10:33

    That doesn't sound right. Exact same thing happened to me, except that the person drove off without giving any details, but I got the license plate.

    I went to the police.
    Apparently the first step is that they contact the person and give them the opportunity to provide their details voluntarily. In my case the person had some remorse and did this. The police were then not interest any more, and said it was civil matter between us

    They said if the person wouldn't give their details, there "was another process I could go through which would involve a lot more paperwork" but I would still end up with their details, and it would still then be a civil matter.

    Fortunately in my case the person was OK to deal with and ended up paying up.

  • myusername on 19/03/2019 - 10:48
    -1

    bikies fo sho

  • Some Human on 19/03/2019 - 13:25

    Push bike or motorbike?

  • jparga on 19/03/2019 - 13:36

    Police can see phone number of registered owner, they can call and follow up…..they probably not very helpfull, ask them to call owner of car….

  • FishChicken on 20/03/2019 - 14:10
    +3

    UPDATE!

    After a google search, my housemate found an ABN attached to her name. I managed to get a hold of her and now I've got some more concrete details. We've also begun the process of covering the damage to my bike. The wrong number she gave me seems to have been a mistake in communication.

    Thanks for the reassurance and advice, and I am for sure getting insurance on my bike once it's repaired!

    • bargaino on 23/03/2019 - 13:39

      Bike or motorbike?

      I think you may have an injury.
      Minor, but just enough to see a doctor to check it.
      You will then want to make a small injury claimn to cover the doctor's bill, and the police will be forced to cooperate. (Your state may vary)

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