My parked bike was hit...Driver drove off

[evilzed]

Hi, not very happy for obvious reasons....Was talking about the bike ironically at the time with my flatmate and he took a look out the window only to see it being knocked down.

A women was trying to lift it back up, at this point I legged it down as I suspected they would drive off, someone outside who briefly saw the incident took the plate number and I got some pics of their Renault Clio. The guy who got the number was literally chasing the car tapping on the window they ignored.

The bikes exhaust landed on the pavement and sort of held the bike up from the rear, the steering lock was on and a little fuel leaked from the tank due to being almost upside down (and having a very full tank). After further inspection wheels spin freely and the alignments fine as the bike was covered I don't see any new scratches other than on the exhaust and the chrome panels which were exposed.

Now I would probably forgiven this if they waited or at least left a note but since they drove off I'm curious of what my options are despite knowing the police would probably do nothing.

I've uploaded the pics I took, it's actually a video but I took screenshots of the more clear parts.

[waffles]

You have a witness and a reg number, go to the police tomorrow to get a crime reference number. They can chase up the drivers details then go through her insurance.

If you are feeling particularly vindictive don't offer to settle outside of insurance, get her company to sort and cover everything!

EDIT - you got video of her in the act? Even better!
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[Nemo]

Any pictures of the damage?

To be honest unless there's any damage to the car I don't think it would go far, there's no physical photo (unless it's in the video) of the car knocking the bike over, just looks like a car stopped next to a fallen over bike.

Witness accounts may help for insurance purposes, but I don't think anything will happen, the police definitely wouldn't, I know this since my bike was stolen and being ridden behind the kent police headquarters, took nearly 3 hours for a copper to turn up and say it's been burnt out... said copper came from a different town 15 miles away, don't count on them for anything.
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Previously owned: Kawasaki KH125, Suzuki GP125, Suzuki GX 125, Honda CB125 TDC '83, Honda ntv 600, Kawasaki ER5, Kawasaki ZZR600, Aprilia RSV 1000 Mille
Now own: Ducati 848 evo

[Clanger]

Still report it to the police, dial 101 and get it reported. Driver should not be able to get away with it. ESPECIALLY as you have details of the car and driver AND witnesses. If there is no comeback, this person might do it to another bike.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[BravoCharlie]

the bastards had no right driving away! for the cheek of it, you have enough evidence to go down to the cop shop and report it.


but at the same time, it depends if you want to go down the insurance route for minimal damage. exhausts are expensive right enough i don't deny that, but it depends on how it would affect you i guess?
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Current: Kawasaki ZL600 Eliminator
Past: Suzuki GZ125, Kawasaki GT550, Kawasaki GPX600R, Honda vrx400,Kawasaki Zephyr 750, Suzuki SV650 K5
Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.

[evilzed]

I think I will report it because running away is unacceptable, but I'm certainly not expecting anything from it. Here's the damage. Also I'm not sure if it's just me but the rear brake pedals free play seemed to have increased. I looked at the wheels and their alignment and all seems good rode it fine too.

[P.]

I'd report her for criminal damage.

I can't see it going far if you live in Maidstone, but anywhere else, the police are probably far more competent.

[evilzed]

London Met I reported it at least they have their number plate for future reference.

[Boris the spider]

They have 24 hours to report it.
Then they can get charged with a hit and run, fail to report a collision.
Don't get called a accidents up here anymore

Tho it is still called that in Road Traffic act 1988. Section 170.
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Yes I'm a pig....And yes... The working public do pay my wages. Tho I contribute to your benefits you lazy c##t. You do not pay my wages. So go fcuk yourself.

[Nick 50]

Have you checked AskMID to see whether its insured?
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Current Bikes: ZX7r 97 (Black Beauty), VFR400 NC24 (The banana)
Previous Bikes: Aprilia Tuono 03 (The Beast), CBR600f (97)
First bike: A GZ125 Lemon.......

[evilzed]

[gorillaonabik...]

Pretty straightforward. With a hit and run, you need to:

1. Get a crime number (hahahaha). The insurance company will try to get off the hook if you don't.

2. Take your bike to a main dealer to get a visual repairs estimate at the first, possibly opportunity. This will be FoC, thorough and . Mine was absolutely amazing when it happened to me and their initial estimate will have some wording on it along the lines of being able to claim more during the repairs process. Main dealers are good at that sort of thing.

Also, they will pass an insurance intermediary's details over to you who will act on your behalf, free of charge. They aren't perfect but are very helpful.

3. This is a hit-and-run. In my experience, the other party's insurance company will encourage their party to deny liability. e.g. oh, I just came across this poor man's bike on its side in the street. Unless your witness saw the actual impact, you'd better be sure that you saw the aftermath, literally the moment just after you heard the bike hit the ground.

4. You need to be prepared to take them to a small claims court. Don't mess around with an insurance company - be as credibly threatening as you like as they will do everything they can to escape paying.

Finally, good luck. Really good luck and keep us posted. I hate f@cktards who hit and run. Winds me up.
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FZR400 (blown engine), ZXR750 (blown engine), ZX6R (accident), CBR600 which had engine issues after which I learned to change gear..., CBR900, CBR924 (stolen), CB600, CB1300 (everything blew up), BMW K1300GT (written off, hit from rear while stationary), Bandit 1250 for a couple of months, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 (nicked) and somewhere in there, I wrote off a Ducati 748 at Cadwell.

[evilzed]

[jeddy11]

If you have a witness that has seen what has happened thats all you will need with the pictures etc..

Follow it through with the old bill for sure can't let these idiots get away with it..
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Fuelly My Z1000SX
cbt 06/08/11 mod1 (second go) 01/08/12 mod2 21/09/12
Varadero Viking YBR125>Varadero125>ER6F>Z1000SX !!!

[fatpies]

If the police won't do anything..

Then take them to small claims court.

It is based on the balance of probabilities, since you have video evidence and photos.

It will be a slam dunk.

You'd be surprised at how few people respond to small claims summons, which means they lose by default.

At which they go running to their insurers for indemnity, except the judgement says they are wrong so they lose by default.

Doing this ruins their credit rating for years and makes their insurance go to the moon for 6 years.
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"It's easy to attack and destroy an act of creation. It's a lot more difficult to perform one"

[CaNsA]

[anthony_r6]

I'd start with the police, then go with fatpies advice if the police don't do anything

Edited to make sense
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Ted : "Maybe he's agoraphobic."
Dougal : "Jack scared of fighting? I don't think so, Ted."

[chris-red]

Go to the police then tell your insurance company get them to chase it.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[daemonoid]

[Entertwainer]

it doesnt surprise me that people cant find it in themselves to take responsibility in these situations, but with the shoe on the other foot, i bet they'd appreciate the honesty!

the fact that they attempted to pick it up afterwards is thoughtless and dangerous - if you hadnt seen this and they successfully picked it back up, you may not have noticed what happened and that can just lead to something quite ugly if your brakes or steering had been affected by it.

they need to be taught a lesson here - hope the claim goes as easily as people are suggesting.
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Honda CG 125 W - Turkish - 1998 - 2015 RIP

[c-m]

Similar thing happened to me. I called the police non-emergency number and forced them to give me a crime reference number which I then passed to my insurance company. Once his insurance company got involved they admitted liability and even paid me to let them handle the claim instead of my own.

A bike is about the same height as a small child. They could have easily have seriously injured someone.