So I was stopped in a long row of cars the other day, and a guy on a scooter came up on the driver side and then zips into the small gap between me and the car in front, in order to get into the bike lane. It was a tight fit, and he actually hit the front of my car with either his leg or the side of his scooter as he went by.

Once he got in the bike lane, he stopped and looked down at his scooter, so I know that he was perfectly aware of the collision, but then he blasted off again without so much as a nod in my direction. I was yelling "hey, you hit my car! But I was stuck in traffic I couldn't exactly do anything else.

Once I got to a point where I could stop, I looked at the car and couldn't find and damage (I was half expecting there to be blood or bits of blue jeans dangling from the bumper), so I'm assuming he hit the front bumper or license plate bracket with his leg as he went by.

This is the second time in about 6 months that I've seen someone hit a stationary vehicle and just keep going. The first time, I saw a lady parked on a narrow side street get her driver's side mirror torn off by a passing vehicle that didn't stop, even though she was sitting in the car!

I'm wondering how many other people have been involved in a similar situation. Also, in the future, assuming I would have the wit to get the license number, is it worth reporting something like this to the cops? There was no damage, and he didn't seem to be hurt, but I wouldn't want somebody coming back against me saying it was my fault or whatever.

Get a dash cam...

Always keep a can of tomatoes handy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...Q5oBFlO0#t=89s

You will probably do what some Russians do : put cameras onboard and upload it on youtube....

I was sitting stationary at a set of lights.

Pedestrian wheeling a bike crosses the road behind me and scrapes my car. Doesn't even stop to apologise.

At which point I wound my window down and gave her verbal...

I got back to the office and there was a small scratch. In itself not a big deal, but if you cared you would have it repaired. Some people...

How can you say you were "hit by someone" when in fact a guy on a scooter tuched your bumper with his leg...
I find this habit of blowing insignificant facts out of proportion and claiming legal rights very annoying.

Sounds like you were too close to the car in front whilst stationary, which did not allow enough room for the bike to get into the bike lane.

The biker managed to squeeze through in enough time to prevent themselves from being hit by an oncoming car but felt contact with your car, as did you.

The biker paused, look at their vehicle, looked at your vehicle, realised there was no damage or harm done, and left.

What is the issue?

I'm more annoyed that an idiot in a scooter thinks it's OK to use a bicycle lane.

_Some_ scooters, i.e. under 50cc, what would class as a 'moped' in the UK, are usually allowed.

But yeah, many scooterists just use the cycle lanes regardless, which really used to piss me off when I rode a proper motorbike, where such behaviour would not be tolerated.

As far as I know there is no legal minimum distance that should be maintained in a stationary row of traffic. A driver is not obliged to leave enough room for a filtering scooter driver to switch to the cycle lane on a whim.

I was stationary, as was the whole line of traffic. The guy tried to shortcut between two cars and hit one of them. The car rocked, so I think that I'm correct in saying that he hit me. I didn't claim any "legal rights" other than wondering if I should report in to the cops if faced with a similar situation in the future.

Obviously he thought that there was enough room, or he wouldn't have tried to go through the gap, It turned out that he was wrong, so I don't see how you can say that "you were too close to the car in front of you." There was no oncoming traffic, he was just trying to get into the bike lane coming off a roundabout (where he had ridden on the sidewalk on the inside portion in order to get around everyone).

He never looked back or acknowledged me in any way whatsoever, which tells me that he couldn't have cared less if there was any damage to my car. But my actual question related more to the fact that I've seen this a couple of times now, and am asking the forum experts here if it's a big deal here in switzerland, or does it happen all the time and to people just live with the occasional bumps and scratches?

yes please, go to the copas and tell them a guy on a scooter touched your bumper with his leg, can't wait to see the scad they'll put together to find the dangerous terrorist

In switzerland scooters (even 50cc) are not allowed to use bike lanes (been there, paid the fine)

Thankfully no damge was done to either your vehicule or the scooter, I also get pissed off by situations like this, although I was really chuffed the other day when a speeding motorist went through a red light and a cop car came out of no-where and pulled them over, so many times I've wondered where the cops are when things like this happen.

Also it's wise to leave a good gap between you and the car infront when stationary just in case you get rear-ended, that way you won't have to go through the insurance hassle of someone paying for your rear end, whilst you pay for your front and someone elses rear.

Another situation would to have a sniper rifle in the car, then you can pick them off as they run away

Sorry, but are you writing in fluent gang talk ....?

As far as I know there is not either, but like Simon Hicken said....there are other benefits.

Look, at this point, I've heard "report it to the cops" suggested for pretty much everything that happens in the whole country.

Neighbors too loud? Call the police
dog crap in your yard? Call the police
Landlord touches you on the arm? Call the police

The list goes on and on.

I'm not a whiner, just honestly asking a question about a piece of Swiss culture that I have no experience with. Yeah, I was kind of annoyed that he didn't at least say look back to say sorry, or wave it off or something. But if I were back home I would just blow it off.

I'm just asking for a "When in Rome." opinion, which, now that I think about it, it what I got, albeit a little more sarcastically that I would have hoped for....

If I were back home, that act you would do if you were home would mean something else in my home. Just saying, "When in rome.." and all that

It wasn't a bike but a scooter

Exactly

I hear there's special places for that sort of thing...

Yep, one rear makes someone's front happy.