Cyclist blacks out after Grab driver’s illegal turn, says driver demanded repair costs while she was in A&E, Singapore News

However, she disputed that claim, and said she had been travelling at a “moderate” speed of about 15 to 17km/h. A screenshot she shared from a fitness-tracking app appeared to show a speed reading of 17.4km/h at the time of the accident.

“While waiting for the authorities at the scene, the driver suddenly became very friendly. In the shock and relief of the moment, neither my husband nor I thought to take photos of the damage to his car,” Johansson recalled.

Speaking to AsiaOne, Johansson said that the driver’s initial friendliness came through by expressing relief that she was fine, adding that he had also conversed with her husband at the scene as well.

She later described that as a “costly mistake”.

Driver allegedly demanded payment

The police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) subsequently arrived at the scene, and Johansson was taken to Changi General Hospital for treatment.

She said she suffered deep bruising on her legs and the right side of her face, a cut lip, and significant pain in her right arm and hand as a result of the accident.

While Johansson was at the A&E receiving treatment, Johansson claimed the Grab driver called her husband, claiming that the repairs would cost $1,000 to $1,200, including two days of car rental so that he could continue driving for Grab.

“Being cooperative, I offered to share 50/50, [but] he refused,” Johansson said.

According to her, the driver also refused her second offer to pay $700, insisting that she was “fully at fault” for “knocking his car”.

Johansson then alleged that the driver “arrogantly” asked her to talk and deal directly with his mechanic, who sent photos of the damages and an invoice.

“One of the photos showed a large dent on the car’s trunk. From what I saw at the scene, the only damage was to the passenger door. There was no way the trunk could have been damaged in this accident,” she said.

Johansson later told AsiaOne that her remarks on this matter “may have come across as too strong”.

“This is because I was appalled when I spoke with him on the phone to negotiate a 50/50 split — he no longer seemed friendly,” the technoprenuer said.

Immediate payment ‘not proper’: TP to cyclist

After she was discharged, the cyclist went down to Sengkang Neighbourhood Police Centre where she learnt that she needed to lodge her own police report.

“I filed a short, factual report: I was riding downhill at about 24 km/h when the car suddenly made an illegal right turn across the solid white line. I tried to move left to avoid him but hit the passenger door. No exaggeration,” she said, adding that an officer confirmed that the driver had made a report earlier in the day.

However, when a senior officer overheard her question about the driver demanding immediate payment, she claimed she was told it was “not proper”, and that the traffic police must finish their investigations first.

The following day, she received a call from a Traffic Police officer, who similarly advised her not to make any payment until the outcome of the investigation was known.

“If you are not found at fault later, you may never get the money back. Ignore them. If they continue, warn them you will file a harassment report,” Johansson wrote in the post, presumably paraphrasing what the officer told her.

Johansson said she informed both the driver and the workshop that she would not consider any payment until the Traffic Police investigation had been completed, adding that she would make a police report if their demands continued.

When she opened the investigation outcome letter on Aug 1, the police said that investigations had been completed and action had been initiated against the driver.

The cyclist confirmed with AsiaOne that she did not end up paying any amount, and thanked the police and SCDF in assisting her during this incident.

Lessons from the incident

Johansson concluded her post with five lessons that she had learnt from this incident.

The first of which, she said, was to “document everything immediately” – a decision that she regretted not doing after the driver’s initial friendliness to her.

“Shock and the other party’s sudden friendliness can make you forget the most basic step,” she said.

“Take clear photos of the vehicle damage, road markings, vehicle positions and surroundings from multiple angles before anyone leaves. If we had taken our own photos, the later claim of trunk damage would have been easy to challenge.”

She also told the public not to commit to any payment until investigation is completed.

“On-the-spot settlement offers, car-workshop invoices and persistent messages are common pressure tactics. Once money is paid, it is very hard to recover,” she said.

The cyclist also advised on keeping electronic evidence, from dashcams to Strava and GPS recordings, which can independently confirm one’s speed, location, and the exact point the ride stopped.

Other lessons included lodging one’s own police report and seeking medical attention even when injuries appear minor.

When contacted by AsiaOne, the police said that a 51-year-old male car driver is assisting with investigations.

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daoen.wong@asiaone.com