Knocked down by an elderly driver

[This supercedes an earlier message]

This morning I was knocked off my bike by an elderly neighbour, who
drove into my path and towards me from a side road. She saw me, but
instead of braking got muddled and hit the wrong pedal (I heard the
engine rev up, and she said so herself).

Fortunately, it all happened at fairly low speed, and while I went
bouncing onto my backside in a puddle on the pavement, and have a couple
of new bruises, I'm more shaken up than hurt.

She was very shaken up herself, and apologetic.

I don't think, for her safety and other people's, that she should be
driving - perhaps this was entirely anomalous, but I supect that more
likely it was an accident waiting to happen.

What's the best thing to do about this? I don't want to have her visited
by the South Wales's finest and upset further, but I think doing nothing
is the best thing to do.

Daniele

"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...
[This supercedes an earlier message]

This morning I was knocked off my bike by an elderly neighbour, who
drove into my path and towards me from a side road. She saw me, but
instead of braking got muddled and hit the wrong pedal (I heard the
engine rev up, and she said so herself).

Fortunately, it all happened at fairly low speed, and while I went
bouncing onto my backside in a puddle on the pavement, and have a couple
of new bruises, I'm more shaken up than hurt.

She was very shaken up herself, and apologetic.

I don't think, for her safety and other people's, that she should be
driving - perhaps this was entirely anomalous, but I supect that more
likely it was an accident waiting to happen.

What's the best thing to do about this? I don't want to have her visited
by the South Wales's finest and upset further, but I think doing nothing
is the best thing to do.

Daniele
Tricky one this. If you truly don't want to upset her, then any suggestion
to her that she consider how much more serious the outcome could have been
under only very slightly differing circumstances could do just that. But at
the same time she does need to be upset enough to put her own competence
under a critical light. Perhaps a small suggestion that she might feel
happier with someone else driving - if you drive you could always volunteer
yourself?

D.M. Procida wrote:
What's the best thing to do about this? I don't want to have her visited
by the South Wales's finest and upset further, but I think doing nothing
is the best thing to do.
[I think there is a "don't" missing]

Report it to the police. You could do so in writing and explain
(a) What happened - fact
(b) Consequences - fact
And ask them how they propose to persuade the driver to
turn in her licence. Put it in writing that you are
very concerned about heavy handed policing but it might
be a useful public service if they could persuade her that
she ought not to be driving if she gets confused.



--
Peter Fox
Beer, dancing, cycling and lots more at www.eminent.demon.co.uk

Budstaff wrote:

This morning I was knocked off my bike by an elderly neighbour, who
drove into my path and towards me from a side road. She saw me, but
instead of braking got muddled and hit the wrong pedal (I heard the
engine rev up, and she said so herself).

What's the best thing to do about this? I don't want to have her visited
by the South Wales's finest and upset further, but I think doing nothing
is the best thing to do.

Obviously, I meant doing nothing is *not* the best thing to do.

Tricky one this. If you truly don't want to upset her, then any suggestion
to her that she consider how much more serious the outcome could have been
under only very slightly differing circumstances could do just that. But at
the same time she does need to be upset enough to put her own competence
under a critical light. Perhaps a small suggestion that she might feel
happier with someone else driving - if you drive you could always volunteer
yourself?

I don't know her well enough for that. Perhaps I might if I made the
suggestion!

Daniele

On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:43:58 +0000
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

She was very shaken up herself, and apologetic.

which *could* be all it needs.

I don't think, for her safety and other people's, that she should be
driving - perhaps this was entirely anomalous, but I supect that more
likely it was an accident waiting to happen.

How likely is she to decide that for herself? Many people do!

What's the best thing to do about this? I don't want to have her
visited by the South Wales's finest and upset further, but I think
doing nothing is the best thing to do.

Upset further may not be the main issue. Rather, what's most likely
to fix the problem. In any case, is any serious action very likely,
given that there wasn't an injury?

--
not me guv

On Jan 31, 11:31*am,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:
Tricky one this. If you truly don't want to upset her, then any suggestion
to her that she consider how much more serious the outcome could have been
under only very slightly differing circumstances could do just that. But at
the same time she does need to be upset enough to put her own competence
under a critical light. Perhaps a small suggestion that she might feel
happier with someone else driving - if you drive you could always volunteer
yourself?

I don't know her well enough for that. Perhaps I might if I made the
suggestion!

Any chance you could talk to a relative? Watch out for son/daughter
visiting for Sunday lunch maybe?

I'm not sure you can completely avoid her being upset - it's likely to
be a sensitive issue for most people as it represents ageing, loss of
independence, etc. But being involved in a more serious accident would
be much more upsetting and an unpleasant end to her driving career.

Rob

This could almost be a question from the radio show examining moral
dilemmas.

On the one hand you don't want to deprive her of her independence but
on the other hand how would you feel if the following month she made
the same mistake or worse and a child lost their life.

I would report the event to the proper authorities and let them make
that decision for you.

This morning I was knocked off my bike by an elderly neighbour, who
drove into my path and towards me from a side road. She saw me, but
instead of braking got muddled and hit the wrong pedal (I heard the
engine rev up, and she said so herself).


Well, if she saw you and tried to stop then her eyesight and reflexes
are okay. If getting the peddles mixed up/un-coordinated was a once
off then it's probably not too bad. It does happen now and again.

Duncan

"Duncan Smith" wrote in message
...


This morning I was knocked off my bike by an elderly neighbour, who
drove into my path and towards me from a side road. She saw me, but
instead of braking got muddled and hit the wrong pedal (I heard the
engine rev up, and she said so herself).


Well, if she saw you and tried to stop then her eyesight and reflexes
are okay. If getting the peddles mixed up/un-coordinated was a once
off then it's probably not too bad. It does happen now and again.

Yeah, somebody did that in Cambridge a few years back. Had a seizure of some
kind, floored it, killed the baby in the pram on the other side of the road.

Getting the two confused is actually _really_ dangerous. Not just "not too
bad". Do the same to a lorry rather than a bike, and rather than Daniele
picking himself off the road and going ow, we've got a squashed car and
driver.

cheers,
clive

I think
doing nothing is the best thing to do.

OP meant the opposite.

Perhaps a course of action would be to approach driver- a card, or
call by - and ascertain if driver has a sense of responsibilities to
others.

If that leads nowhere satisfactory, you could then write saying that
you are considering claiming damages, however regretfully; it might
then be reported to her insurers.

--
Charles
Brompton P6R-Plus; CarryFreedom -YL, in Motspur Park
LCC; CTC.