kalanamak Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 A 13 year old should know better and it is his responsibility. If it was my kid, I would also tell them tough cookies. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxMama Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 You are responsible to look by using your mirrors and turning in your seat to look back. If a car is behind you, you see it then or a pedestrian. You don't have to walk around your car everytime you drive it. Could this be a state issue? Could it just be a preference? I drive a Savana van. If all I did was use my mirrors and turn in my to seat to look back I could run over the 13 year old, his friends and a small car.:lol: Seriously I have a huge blind spot and I feel it is my responsibility to make sure I'm clear to back up before I back up. Not sure where you got the walk around your car from but I never said that. It is kinda shocking to me that people who drive these cars with huge blind spots don't feel it is their responsibility to make sure they are clear to back up! :glare: Perhaps I'm mistaken but I thought the "back-up" responsibility of a driver was the same as the "rear-ended" responsibility. If you rear-end someone you are at fault no matter what. If it is legally ( or morally or whatever) OK for a person to back into the Lexus that is illegally parked across the street from my house then will someone come over and test that law out for me??? Back to the OP. IF I backed over a bike that didn't belong to me then I would offer to pay 1/2 of repairs minus damage done to my car. In the OP case my generosity would probably tap out at around $50 since that would mean that $100 worth of repair work was done. If it were my 13 yo ( who wouldn't have a $500 bike to begin with:tongue_smilie:) I would politely decline the offer and let my 13 yo pay for the repair of his own bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Well, when my Grandmother ran over my bike (my driveway), she didn't pay for it - LOL! And I was only 8.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 The 13yo is responsible. I ran over my brother's bike when he was about that age, but the response from my father was that he shouldn't have left it behind the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I think the 13 yr old is responsible too. I will sometimes walk behind my van on my way to the drivers side but not everytime. Sometimes I'm tempted to drive over the bikes even if I do know they are there so the kids will stop parking them behind the van. I suppose I would be responsible for the damage then :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooketopia Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I think it just depends on the 13 yo's parents and how they view the situation. Legally, the driver of the car is responsible for any damage they cause with their car...my dh looked in all his mirrors and backed up in our SUV, but a teeny little VW was parked illegally behind him and he just plain did not see it...the only thing that told him he hit it was when he heard a loud "POP" when the side windows busted out. Now, given the situation, if it were my child's bike, I'd probably use it as a "responsibility lesson" and not ask for compensation. Others would disagree. It ultimately depends upon how the child's parents view the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 The difference I see in illegally parked cars is that you should see them when backing out even if the car were parked illegally. Vehicles are tall and large. Bikes and toddlers are small and below windows which is why it is important to keep your toddlers out of other people's yards and put your bicycles, scooters, toys, etc. in appropriate places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaik76 Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I drive a Savana van. If all I did was use my mirrors and turn in my to seat to look back I could run over the 13 year old, his friends and a small car.:lol: Seriously I have a huge blind spot and I feel it is my responsibility to make sure I'm clear to back up before I back up. Not sure where you got the walk around your car from but I never said that. It is kinda shocking to me that people who drive these cars with huge blind spots don't feel it is their responsibility to make sure they are clear to back up! :glare: Perhaps I'm mistaken but I thought the "back-up" responsibility of a driver was the same as the "rear-ended" responsibility. If you rear-end someone you are at fault no matter what. If it is legally ( or morally or whatever) OK for a person to back into the Lexus that is illegally parked across the street from my house then will someone come over and test that law out for me??? Back to the OP. IF I backed over a bike that didn't belong to me then I would offer to pay 1/2 of repairs minus damage done to my car. In the OP case my generosity would probably tap out at around $50 since that would mean that $100 worth of repair work was done. If it were my 13 yo ( who wouldn't have a $500 bike to begin with:tongue_smilie:) I would politely decline the offer and let my 13 yo pay for the repair of his own bike. I rear-ended someone at a green light and it was the other person's fault...and their responsibility. They paid, not me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veronica in VA Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 This happened to my son a few years ago. He parked his bike on a friend's driveway, in the upright position, not laying down. The boy's sister backed right over the bike and smashed it. We told our son he should have parked it somewhere else and the girl did not have to pay for it. However, I do wonder if she saw it since it was in the upright position, and not lying down. She did deny backing over it, but people saw her do it. Veronica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCoppock Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 OH NO! I left my bike behind a neighbors car when I was little and it got run over. I was in early elementary school though when it happened. I was heart broken. We were poor and my parents weren't able to buy me a new one for quite sometime. My neighbor did NOT pay. Although it is sad it is the child's responsibility to care for their belongings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Perhaps I'm mistaken but I thought the "back-up" responsibility of a driver was the same as the "rear-ended" responsibility. If you rear-end someone you are at fault no matter what. This is a myth. It is true the great majority (probably 99%) of the time, but it isn't an absolute. I thought it was true myself until the other person's lawyer asked me why I wasn't suing for damages that his client caused when I rear ended him. It was a VERY strange situation, but most certainly the other person's fault. In this case, I believe the boy has a lot of responsibility but I don't think it negates all the responsibility of the friend's mom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 I skipped the last two pages here, but apparently I am in the minority. I would offer to pay for repairs to the bike. Here is why. In three years, that kid will be driving. What if, as a new driver, he backed over a visiting neighbor's bike or, heaven forbid, child? Oh, well! Tough rocks. He had to pay for his bike, why should he be accountable for damage to others or others' property? It's their fault for getting in the way. As an adult, as the person holding the driver's license, I choose to take responsibility for the well being and safety of the folks and things on my property. Further, I would buy the kid a kick stand for the bike and designate a specific area for parked bikes. Lesson learned for all parties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony'sMom Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Well, now I'm interested. What is the take in the neighborhood? It obviously is an issue or you would not have mentioned it here. Details please?? Do you think we will be seeing this on People's Court???:lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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