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Old 3rd June 2020, 20:06   #46
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

Sorry for hijacking this thread but i have been in similar boat and am still suffering. My expenses have been very much on the higher side. The only difference is-i lent my car-Mobilio i-Dtec to my friend. He was to travel with his family to his hometown approximately 2300+ kilometres round-trip, and asked me for this favor. Since he is a very close friend and normally drives sensibly, i never gave it a second thought. But when he returned it back, i observed the following points
1. My Mobilio normally returns fuel efficiency of 21+ to a liter of fuel. When he returned it, i observed a fuel efficiency of 17.5 to a liter.
2. There was some sound from the left Suspension. The ball bearing had conked off.
3. When i got it checked, i found that the front tyre inner side had worn out badly
4. After a few days, the suspension started leaking.
5. The clutch pedal was rock hard. There was some stiffness but could have easily managed another 10000+ on them.

Overall expenses that i have incurred in getting all this repaired is around 30000 and still counting. I do not know how to inform him all this. Should have understood about this the moment i saw the fuel efficiency to be around 17.5 to a liter. My Father(aged 65+) also drives very fast but never ever has the fuel efficiency gone below 20 to a liter.

This was the first time in my life that i had lent my car to someone and i swear that it was the last time i did it.
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Old 3rd June 2020, 20:17   #47
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

This happens all the time, so don't worry about it friend of mine crashed my bike thanks to a stray dog, he came forward to get the bike back in shape and I gave him the keys again. He replaced all the damaged parts and I crashed the very next month

If someone crashes your bike and doesn't feel sorry, then it just means they are taking us for granted! If they do come forward then its better to forgive them.

Just stay away from people who borrow your ride with full tank and return it back dry.
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Old 3rd June 2020, 21:23   #48
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fury View Post
....

I would very much like the opinion of fellow BHPians here and any inputs that could be done from my side going forward would also be welcome.

I would suggest don't ask for any money now. You have already swallowed the bitter pill and got the bike fixed. Don't go asking for insurance money. Just invest in some training that helps you say no to people. Dale Carnegie wrote a book on it. I always believe money follows you if you don't run crazily after it. You never know when this friend will help you out in future. It's a part of life man.

Last edited by Chetan_Rao : 24th July 2020 at 23:41. Reason: Trimmed quote.
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Old 3rd June 2020, 21:30   #49
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

My suggestion is to raise an insurance claim. Calculate the NCB you would have got had you not claimed insurance. Ask your friend to pay that amount.
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Old 4th June 2020, 02:18   #50
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

Your friend knew the risks involved, so did you.

If you had come to me right after the accident when he had offered to cover the repairs, I'd have said let him. He crashed it, he should pay for it, its the decent thing to do. Friend or no friend.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fury View Post
I had Zero depreciation insurance and I had never made a claim before, I said we will go the insurance route.
However, you declined his offer once. Going back on your word and asking him to pay for the premium now doesn't look good on you. I feel it would be a very cheap move to ask him to pay now, since you've refused financial assistance once.
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Old 4th June 2020, 04:06   #51
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

I really appreciate your kind heart in asking other's opinion before asking him for money. I have been in a very similar situation,when my friend crashed my Pulsar and I think I can give you a piece of my mind. Your friend seems to owe up for the expenses that are incurred for the bike. I think you can ask him to pay for that and leave it, rather than ask him for the increase in premium. That is what I would have done and convinced myself that it is a lesson for lending the bike to someone else. You can literally explain him that there was a increase in premium and feel displeased with that, if he offers to pay up and if it would not financially affect him nor your relationship, it would be okay to take it. But otherwise the increase in premium could be borne by you considering that you are the owner and this could have happened to anyone, god forbid.
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Old 4th June 2020, 13:27   #52
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fury View Post
I generally have the habit of lending my vehicles to friends when requested, even though I am not completely happy about it. I have difficulty saying no to someone's face and i knew eventually this would come back and bite me.
I have been in this mode too. From my past experiences, if you are not happy about it. Just say NO! It's worse if the motorcycle hits some one and there is a loss of life or limb. You don't want to be living with that burden. Trust me, i may be coming across as brash but that's the reality

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Secondly, on reading the estimate provided by the service center, there are considerable repairs to be done on the bike. Will this in anyway affect the character of the bike?
Only time will tell.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fury View Post
Should I be expecting issues to crop up now, which, again, is due to somebody else's driving? What should be the reasonable expectation from him regarding this whole situation and when is it too much for me to ask?
You may want to have a candid discussion with your friend. Would have been great if this discussion would have ben done before loaning the bike. I am sure you would think twice before loaning your ride out in future or if you do please put the terms out very clearly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fury View Post
I would very much like the opinion of fellow BHPians here and any inputs that could be done from my side going forward would also be welcome.
It is a shitty situation to be in dear. If I would have been in your friends situation I would have borne the cost of the entire repair if my pocket permits or would have borne the cost of the incremental insurance. Nothing right or wrong here but that's me.
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Old 4th June 2020, 23:33   #53
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

My personal opinion - if you think his remorse and his offer to pay up was genuine enough then do not force him now to make the payment. You end up with Good karma and who knows that might come in handy later.

However my worry since I came upon this thread is something else - What if the guy somehow chances upon this thread here in Team BHP ? If I was in the guy's place I would feel like absolute shit . Not because I caused the accident but to see that someone whom you considered a close friend ( and I am assuming a close friend since you willingly let that guy use your bike for close to 500 kms) thinks he could not share his concern with me.
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Old 5th June 2020, 00:56   #54
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

Genuine mistakes do happen. It could have been you as well. Unless the rider was driving rashly or doing stunts or under influence of alcohol, I don't feel he should be penalised unduly. Let the claim be settled from insurance and since he has offered to pay up, you can ask him to pay the balance amount.
And don't fret over the bike. It will be good as before if the mechanics are competent. Just make sure to do a thorough inspection and test ride before taking it back from service centre, and verify the itemised repair and parts bill very carefully.
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Old 5th June 2020, 09:11   #55
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

Even before starting this thread, you would have already done or fixed in the mind about doing something about the scenario. Please stick to it, it is your personality. Your friend is as good as you and offered to fix the bike / bare the costs. If possible ask him to just accompany you while doing rounds to the service center and share a good laugh over a cup of chai. Afterall things do fail and hey, we can always fix them to the glory, with little patience.
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Old 8th June 2020, 16:46   #56
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

The very fact that you're asking here proves that you're not completely okay with the current arrangement you've made. It's perfectly reasonable and understandable to feel so, too.

If your friend caused the damage then he should own it up. Since the costs are considerable, and he's willing to share/bear the expenses, you should take him up on his word. Yes, it is an awkward conversation to have. But it doesn't have to be a bitter or aggressive one.

About being that perfect friend: I don't believe in this whole Don Corleone way of, "I'm doing this favour to you now as a sign of my friendship. One day I may call upon you to return the favour and the day may never come..." approach. It sounds great in books may be, but fact of the matter is few people remember all the good you've done to them (not saying that's how your friend is, but in general). So, don't feel compelled "as a friend" to extend the favour (of not asking for money). Do it ONLY if you feel so. End of the day, respecting how you feel about all this is AS important as respecting your friendship too, if not more.

And yes, chances are your bike may not be restored to its former self. That is something you'll have to look out for and accept.

Lastly, try not to worry about it too much (ironic you might say, coming from a guy who frets when he loses a Reynolds pen cap but I'm sure you'll appreciate the sentiment). Try to put it behind you at the earliest, and just be thankful that nobody was horrifically injured and no lives were lost.

On the positive side, this might be the perfect time and cue for you to start planning for a new bike by next year. (Maybe your friend can do the Down Payment on that. Maybe...)
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Old 17th June 2020, 15:26   #57
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fury View Post
Now, over the past few weeks, I have been considering many points about this incident. Primarily, my insurance is due next month and when I checked, the premium has gone up quite a bit, technically due to no fault of mine (some might say lending him the bike was my fault but I don't think i deserve a monetary penalization for that! ). Should I ask him to pay the premium for this year or is that too much to ask?

I would very much like the opinion of fellow BHPians here and any inputs that could be done from my side going forward would also be welcome.
Since the person involved has offered to pay, you can probably ask him to pay the amount that isn't covered by insurance.

Regarding the premium, I faced a similar situation. After I had filed a claim, my renewal went up by 25%. I decided to switch insurance providers due to this and instead managed to save 25% compared to my last premium! The first insurer was Digit, and the second is Acko. (I will also add that my claim experience with Digit was excellent, and I would recommend them to anyone just for that.)

I would suggest that you get a quote from another provider, and as long as your NCB wasn't very high, you should be able to spend a similar amount. If your NCB was very high, you could ask your colleague to cover the increased premium amount/take a lump sum.

Overall an unfortunate incident. I fear borrowing or lending cars due to this very possibility.
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Old 24th July 2020, 22:54   #58
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

Sorry to hear this! In all fairness, your bud needs to pay up. If he doesn't, then its just a lesson for you for no fault of yours. Either way, just refuse politely if someone asks for any of your stuff henceforth, could be a car, bike, mobile, money etc.
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Old 19th August 2020, 17:04   #59
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

On a lighter side,
Just forward the link of this thread to your 'friend'.
After reading all possible solutions suggested by various Tbhpians, he might just come forward to you by himself with a decent solution that works for both. (either foot the repair bill or pay your next insurance premium+ extra charges in the current claim)

Saves you from the embarrassment of having to ask him anything
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Old 21st August 2020, 10:31   #60
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Re: Vehicle involved in an accident while it was lent to a friend - Should he cover the financial lo

These incidents are what the insurance is for. At max, you should ask him to cover the additional burden of repairs or premium you are facing this year due to it. Rest should be managed by the insurance company. Nobody gets into accidents willingly, and we must not lose relationships over material things. Speaking from experience, families and friends matter more than things which are our companions for only a fraction of our lives.
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