Car hits bicyclist.. Who is at fault,,,doest matter much to the guy on the bike
I hit a guy on a bicycle 15 years ago...
I was leaving the strip mall, CRAWLING slowly down a 25-foot long decline towards an intersecting sidewalk. Visibility was the width of two lanes because of high rock wall. The cyclist was upon me, riding the sidewalk outa nowhere; all I could do was brake hard. Next thing I knew, the man was falling forward into the street. Luckily, the passing car saw him fall, slowed down enough, so the guy's head hit the top of the car's rear tire when he fell into the street.
I watched helplessly; everything was in slow motion....boom. No damage to my van or his bike. Of course, I stopped to give assistance, a crowd formed. Police arrived. Military guy was conscious; he asked me to call his wife and secure his bike, before being whisked to Tripler Hospital 2 miles away. I called her, she started crying. Told her not to worry, only for observation, no scrapes, bruises, blood, (but possible neck injury, which I didn't say). Police finished the report, said no need to contact my insurance company. Next day I called my insurance man anyway. He said he's glad I did, because in Hawaii the car's driver is responsible for the bicyclist's medical expenses, no matter who's at fault!
Of course, I'm worried about the man's condition and if he's gonna sue me. My wife called his wife, who stated that I, the vehicle driver, hit her husband. My wife explained that her husband plowed into my van, and it was civil between the two women. My wife asked about her husband's condition and wanted to speak to him.
"Oh, he's at WORK!!!!
Case closed, worries over, we never heard from him again.
Because of this accident, the mall's management company LOWERED the rockwall, so you can now see pedestrians and bicyclists approaching the mall's entrance/exit.
Since the victim was military, he had medical coverage, no expense to me.
What a frightening ordeal! I was glad the guy was okay