Its great you're OK . -In Washington state I've heard of lawsuits against those leaving the blind turn open for an unsafe turn across a lane where those like you with full right of way may encounter them with no warning as they turn. -A heck of a price to pay for courtesy to another driver, but it often promotes an accident like yours. I nearly wrecked a delivery van in an identical scene many years ago when a car cut across.
-My transit agency asks its drivers to avoid encouraging or discouraging actions from other drivers as an accident resulting can be our liability. It feels shabby to give the Buster Keaton stoneface when other drivers want a directive gesture, but insisting they make their own decisions minimizes our liability. An exception I make is when a vehicle passing my stopped bus is unaware of crossing pedestrians in front. A yelling, waving, honking din can be a lifesaver!
A Bad Start to a Long Weekend
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brianormond
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Last edited by brianormond on Sun Jul 02, 2006 5:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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chrisoff
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What the? Who the hell plays a whistle while they drive? Or was that a joke?
I know that in America you go a long time without having to do anything, not having many corners and all. But come on!
Mind you I have seen some pretty stupid behaviour in the UK as well. On the motorway (may have been the M1) I once saw someone reading a book while driving. In town on my way to work I've seen women putting on make up while driving and other people reading the newspaper or doing a crossword. Some people deserve to crash. I guess the unfortunate thing is they usually crash into someone who doesn't deserve it
Glad you're ok after you're shunt!
Thankfully I've never been involved in anything worse than a minro bump while reversing. Although I did get really paranoid in the run up to my insurance renewal that I'd have a crash and lose my no claims mere weeks before I finally hit the magical 5 years mark.
I know that in America you go a long time without having to do anything, not having many corners and all. But come on!
Mind you I have seen some pretty stupid behaviour in the UK as well. On the motorway (may have been the M1) I once saw someone reading a book while driving. In town on my way to work I've seen women putting on make up while driving and other people reading the newspaper or doing a crossword. Some people deserve to crash. I guess the unfortunate thing is they usually crash into someone who doesn't deserve it
Glad you're ok after you're shunt!
Thankfully I've never been involved in anything worse than a minro bump while reversing. Although I did get really paranoid in the run up to my insurance renewal that I'd have a crash and lose my no claims mere weeks before I finally hit the magical 5 years mark.
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Doug_Tipple
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I drove for forty years without so much as a minor mishap, and then a few years ago my luck began to change. I had two major accidents in a two year period. In the first incident a sixteen-year-old driver made a power left hand turn into my lane and hit me head on as I was passing through an intersection. The ride to the hospital with the injured teenager was very similar to what Fearfoin has described. Luckily our injuries were rather minor (but not the hospital expenses), and there were no follow-up lawsuits to have to deal with. Fearfoin, I hope that that is true for you, as well, and I hope that both you and the other driver soon get over your soreness and are able to put the accident behind you. I'm sorry that you lost your "CAR". By the way, I was able to go to the wrecking yard after both accidents and clean out my personal effects from the totaled vehicles.
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Redwolf
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I was in a similar wreck when I was a teenager, only I was the one who pulled out from between stopped cars into the path of an accelerating car. In my innocence, I thought that the fact that the driver of the stopped car had waved me through indicated that the way was clear. Even though the driver of the other car had been speeding, I was found to be the guilty party, and I have to say, it was the right decision.
It is a classic failure to yield. The driver who is pulling out is obligated to ensure that the way is clear before proceeding, even if it means coming to a stop between the stopped cars and edging forward slowly until she can clearly. It doesn't really matter what part of her car you hit.
BTW, rearenders aren't inevitably the fault of the car in the back either. If someone suddenly changes lanes without allowing sufficient clearance, and is thus struck by another car from behind because the driver of that car had no way to get out of the way, the driver of the car in front is at fault. There's a blanket assumption by drivers that the car in the rear is always at fault in a rearender, probably because MOST rearenders are caused by someone who is either following too close or not paying attention, but "most" isn't "all," and a judge would look at all the facts in a case before making a decision.
BTW, don't consider this legal advice...I'm not a lawyer! It's just based on 30 years experience with passing drivers tests in three different states.
Redwolf
It is a classic failure to yield. The driver who is pulling out is obligated to ensure that the way is clear before proceeding, even if it means coming to a stop between the stopped cars and edging forward slowly until she can clearly. It doesn't really matter what part of her car you hit.
BTW, rearenders aren't inevitably the fault of the car in the back either. If someone suddenly changes lanes without allowing sufficient clearance, and is thus struck by another car from behind because the driver of that car had no way to get out of the way, the driver of the car in front is at fault. There's a blanket assumption by drivers that the car in the rear is always at fault in a rearender, probably because MOST rearenders are caused by someone who is either following too close or not paying attention, but "most" isn't "all," and a judge would look at all the facts in a case before making a decision.
BTW, don't consider this legal advice...I'm not a lawyer! It's just based on 30 years experience with passing drivers tests in three different states.
Redwolf
...agus déanfaidh mé do mholadh ar an gcruit a Dhia, a Dhia liom!
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Whistlin'Dixie
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I understand what you are saying Redwolf, and I would agree on principle.
Please note that there are many many rear-end "scams" out there now, where drivers intentionally pull in front of someone and then slam on the brakes so they are intentionally struck by the car behind them. Then the folks in the front car are "hurt", etc etc etc.... It has become a real problem, and is, I think, prevalent in our state.
And no, as far as I know, the person that rear ends the car in front is at fault, so far as I know.
I used to get a scolding from a colleague of mine when I pulled in too closely behind the car in front of me at a traffic light. Reason? If I was rear-ended, and my car pushed into the one in front of me, I would get a citation for "following to closely" or some such thing.
I am not an expert on driving laws either, and it may be that each state has their own set of rules, but if I'm not mistaken, that is how it works around here
as for a judge looking at all the facts in the case, wouldn't it be a question of "he said, she said"? What facts? There were quite a few different versions flying around regarding one of the accidents I was involved in....
M
Please note that there are many many rear-end "scams" out there now, where drivers intentionally pull in front of someone and then slam on the brakes so they are intentionally struck by the car behind them. Then the folks in the front car are "hurt", etc etc etc.... It has become a real problem, and is, I think, prevalent in our state.
And no, as far as I know, the person that rear ends the car in front is at fault, so far as I know.
I used to get a scolding from a colleague of mine when I pulled in too closely behind the car in front of me at a traffic light. Reason? If I was rear-ended, and my car pushed into the one in front of me, I would get a citation for "following to closely" or some such thing.
I am not an expert on driving laws either, and it may be that each state has their own set of rules, but if I'm not mistaken, that is how it works around here
as for a judge looking at all the facts in the case, wouldn't it be a question of "he said, she said"? What facts? There were quite a few different versions flying around regarding one of the accidents I was involved in....
M
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Redwolf
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The judge would rely on witnesses and on the police report. That's why it's important to get the names and numbers of witnesses, if you can, at the scene of an accident (and why I always stop if I witness an accident).Whistlin'Dixie wrote: as for a judge looking at all the facts in the case, wouldn't it be a question of "he said, she said"? What facts? There were quite a few different versions flying around regarding one of the accidents I was involved in....
M
Picture this scenario: Two cars are driving down the freeway, going in the same direction, one in the extreme right lane and the other in the middle lane. The guy in the slow lane is ever so slightly behind the guy in the middle lane who has, perhaps, just started to pass him. The guy in the middle lane suddenly realizes that he wants to exit and pulls over in front of the guy in the slow lane, without looking or signaling. The guy in the slow lane has no time to react, and consequently rear ends the guy who pulled over. In no way whatsoever was that the guy in the slow lane's fault and, if anyone witnessed the accident, or if the police can verify the slow lane guy's story (which they often can), the guy in the slow lane typically would NOT get in trouble for the rear-ender, since nothing he did caused it and he could have done nothing to prevent it.
Redwolf
...agus déanfaidh mé do mholadh ar an gcruit a Dhia, a Dhia liom!
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Tim Hall
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If I may add another dimension to this:
As I understand the law, endorsed checks (if there's no limiting language in the endorsement) are considered "bearer paper," that is, they can be cashed by anyone in possession of them, and you might have significantly limited recourse against the bank. You might want to either get the writers of those checks to stop payment on them, or try to recover the checks from the car ASAP.
Of course, if these are business receipts, there may be a standard limiting endorsement stamped on the check (For deposit only, Acct. # XXX), which might help. It's been a while since I really looked at this stuff, so don't take my word as gospel, just friendly advice.
Hope the rest of the weekend improves.
As I understand the law, endorsed checks (if there's no limiting language in the endorsement) are considered "bearer paper," that is, they can be cashed by anyone in possession of them, and you might have significantly limited recourse against the bank. You might want to either get the writers of those checks to stop payment on them, or try to recover the checks from the car ASAP.
Of course, if these are business receipts, there may be a standard limiting endorsement stamped on the check (For deposit only, Acct. # XXX), which might help. It's been a while since I really looked at this stuff, so don't take my word as gospel, just friendly advice.
Hope the rest of the weekend improves.
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djm
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Fearfaoin, I would suggest that for your next vehicle you install an Easy Rider whistle rack. 
For rear-enders at a traffic light, Redwolf is quite right: you are supposed to maintain at least one vehicle length from the car in front of you. If you get rear-ended, you are responsile for any damage your vehicle does to the car in front of you.
This accident points out the importance of having a large pickup or SUV versus a piddling little rice rocket. You will see the road more clearly. You will likely walk away from any accident unscathed. It may cost more to purchase and operate, but you will not need to fold yourself into the thing, and be comfortable for long-haul drives.
djm
For rear-enders at a traffic light, Redwolf is quite right: you are supposed to maintain at least one vehicle length from the car in front of you. If you get rear-ended, you are responsile for any damage your vehicle does to the car in front of you.
This accident points out the importance of having a large pickup or SUV versus a piddling little rice rocket. You will see the road more clearly. You will likely walk away from any accident unscathed. It may cost more to purchase and operate, but you will not need to fold yourself into the thing, and be comfortable for long-haul drives.
djm
I'd rather be atop the foothills than beneath them.
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Redwolf
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Actually, it sounds like the SUV driver was injured much worse than the driver of the small car in this case.djm wrote:Fearfaoin, I would suggest that for your next vehicle you install an Easy Rider whistle rack.
For rear-enders at a traffic light, Redwolf is quite right: you are supposed to maintain at least one vehicle length from the car in front of you. If you get rear-ended, you are responsile for any damage your vehicle does to the car in front of you.
This accident points out the importance of having a large pickup or SUV versus a piddling little rice rocket. You will see the road more clearly. You will likely walk away from any accident unscathed. It may cost more to purchase and operate, but you will not need to fold yourself into the thing, and be comfortable for long-haul drives.
djm
Redwolf
...agus déanfaidh mé do mholadh ar an gcruit a Dhia, a Dhia liom!
OK, I found my car. It was not even locked behind a gate; it
was in an open, grassy lot next to the towing office (which was
closed for the weekend). The checks were still there, and I got all
the other stuff I left behind except my garage door opener, which
is AWOL.
I took some pictures, mostly for posterity. I'll post a few of the
pertinent ones here:
Smashy!
Check out that crumple zone!
I guess I got spun around a bit by her momentum, and hit the
rear corner of her car with my back door... I didn't even realize
it at the time, though I did notice that window was broken.
(The neat little Celtic sticker will follow me into my next car.)
The damage didn't even reach the engine!
I test-drove a few cars today. It was fun. I think it's gonna come
down to the the Corolla or the Civic. I'm renting a Nissan Altima,
which is pretty nice, but I can't get used to the torque. I keep
squealing the tires when I try to turn right into traffic...
was in an open, grassy lot next to the towing office (which was
closed for the weekend). The checks were still there, and I got all
the other stuff I left behind except my garage door opener, which
is AWOL.
I took some pictures, mostly for posterity. I'll post a few of the
pertinent ones here:
Smashy!
Check out that crumple zone!
I guess I got spun around a bit by her momentum, and hit the
rear corner of her car with my back door... I didn't even realize
it at the time, though I did notice that window was broken.
(The neat little Celtic sticker will follow me into my next car.)
The damage didn't even reach the engine!
I test-drove a few cars today. It was fun. I think it's gonna come
down to the the Corolla or the Civic. I'm renting a Nissan Altima,
which is pretty nice, but I can't get used to the torque. I keep
squealing the tires when I try to turn right into traffic...
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Whistlin'Dixie
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