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Q: How much should I ask for if I'm hit by an e-bike?
A friend of mine was knocked over by an ebike and he got up, dusted himself off and told the driver to carry on with his day. But as everyone here in China has seen at least once accident between an Ebike and something. When this happens there seems to be a ritual where both parties look around for witnesses and then begin acting for them by exaggerating their injuries vastly. This then turns into a police adjudicated affair and possibly a fight if the police don't arrive fast enough but I've never seen two Chinese just agree that no harm was done and get on with their respective lives.
A different friend of mine stepped out of a taxi parked next to the pedestrian walkway on the right hand side ( the correct side) and as he opened the door this Chinese man on an ebike drove into it. It then turned into a major argument between the taxi driver, the ebike owner and my clueless friend who being late for a meeting eventually just paid the ruthless scoundrels to leave him alone and return his belonging they'd been holding hostage in lieu of payment. They took him for 300 yuan a piece.
12 years 4 weeks ago in Health & Safety - China
i never felt a risk of being hit by an ebike... we have to be more careful while walking around i believe... if you are hit ... and hurt.. you may fight and ask for money depending on how bad it is.. i wouldnt fight for 100~200 rmb.. but if you expect higher problems... may be expected fracture (even minor-say finger)... just wait for the police.. dont take law in your hands..
When i had a car accident... the policeman later explained story once he was involved in a case a foreigner was hit by a bicycle.. finger was badly hurt and bleeding... intereresting that the ebike was shouting at the foregner... when police came... the foreigner had only one demand... the ebike guy must say sorry.. which that guy actually refused!!.. but finally accepted as policeman became crazy with him..
but if you have no problems.. why ask for money?
Don't sink down to their level. Yes the Chinese will rob you at every possible chance but that doesn't justify us doing it. I've been hit and I wasn't hurt so I just shouted out him for being a jerk and not even saying sorry. Obviously if you're bleeding and need serious medical attention I would wait for the police to come and sort it out, but otherwise just forget it. They've been brought up to not think of anyone but themselves, hence no queuing, no waiting, no stopping at pedestrian crossings, ripping everyone off etc. Therefore if they hit you they don't give a crap, either tell him to watch where hes going and walk away, or if you've had a bad day shout at him and leave it at that.
If the guy is riding an ebike you'd likely be extorting money from a very poor person. If you're okay, just ignore it.
I really hate the mercenary "Oh boy, Jackpot!" attitude that many have when it comes to torts. Too many people see torts and compensation as a way to get rich or get some cash for injuries that are less than alleged or even non existent when the purpose of torts and compensation is mainly to compensate a victim for damages suffered.
That is why I was a prosecutor and when I had to choose between continuing in torts or leaving the law profession, I chose the latter and came to China.
Honest compensation for damages suffered, good.
"Hot diggity dog, how much can I get?" bad.
Now then, if you really DO suffer damages, then it should be in accordance to your medical expenses (real, not inflated!) and other costs like taxi fare to the doctor, etc.
Not denying it, just have never had the experience of Foreigners getting what the Chinese would get for something less this nevermind. And to be honest the law is this, if you are in an accident, you must stay in the same position until the authorities get their to take pictures, this would also require surrounding witnesses that would stay at the site until they arrive, after that they will take pictures of the area and the damage to both person and vehicle. If a person is hit on a bike after exiting the taxi, it is the taxi drivers or driver of a vehicle who is held responsible for tto exit a car from a taxi should be at a designated spot for pick up and drop off of a vehicle.
