Sounds like it is "time to join BNSW" time and get access to their 3rd
party policy - designed just for situations such as this. You could
try shifting the fault to RTA (or whoever) but hey have bigger pockets
than you.

cheers

Col

On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 21:09:24 +1000, "Gags"
wrote:

Was riding home today in a bike lane and without aiming for it, I managed to
run over a reasonably sized rock. I'm sure most people have had rocks go
flying at 90 degree or so to the way you are travelling but this one was a
beauty.......went clear across the road and hit a fence still going a
million miles an hour.

I am about 97kg and run my tyres at 110psi and it seems that when I do
launch a rock, it goes at approximately warp factor 9. I have had a couple
hit parked cars, fences, houses, etc.

My concern is I wonder where I stand legally if a rock that is unwillingly
launched causes some damage (eg. paint chip on car, smashed window, etc.)
Or worse still, what if I managed a "one in a million" rock that took out
someone's eye?? I would guess that if a car did this, their compulsory
third party insurance would cover it but obviously that is not the case for
a cyclist.

My thoughts are that the council responsible for the road would be the ones
responsible but I am no legal-O??

Anyone got any ideas??

Gags