Car accident fault

[Mike Gayner]

Lane splitting is illegal over there? Is there anything that's not illegal in the USA?

 

[EagleKeeper]

You danced more than once according to the OP. There goes your excuses that he ran into you. You did not have enough room to enter the flow of traffic and tried to force your way in rather than waiting for someone to give way.

If access is that bad, have someone walk into traffic to create a hole while it is stopped; allowing you to enter the road safely.

 

[Mermaidman]

You danced more than once according to the OP. There goes your excuses that he ran into you. You did not have enough room to enter the flow of traffic and tried to force your way in rather than waiting for someone to give way.

If access is that bad, have someone walk into traffic to create a hole while it is stopped; allowing you to enter the road safely.

Traffic was stopped. OP nosed his way in. Other party could have stopped, but intentionally hit OP to make a point. IMO, if this is the truth, then liability is 50%. I'm on the OP's side on this, but whether I do it or not depends on the other vehicle; if it's a junker, then I play it safe. Also if I'm driving a rental, then I take more liberties. :awe:

 

[Mermaidman]

The best way to merge is the zipper method.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

merge != yield. since you dont seem to understand even those basic rules of driving i am going to assume you were driving like an asshole and its probably your fault

 

[Zstream]

merge != yield. since you dont seem to understand even those basic rules of driving i am going to assume you were driving like an asshole and its probably your fault

+1

 

[Cuular]

"Merging" into traffic, you always must yield the right of way, unless there is a sign stating differently. Since OP didn't yield the right of way, it's the OP's fault.

 

[Eos]

Not really looking to be lectured. This is a downtown, heavy traffic environment. Waiting for no cars to enter a lane is simply not possible at times. You wait for a gap big enough to force your way in, or bag a lunch and prepare to spend the day in your car.

I imagine a lot of you would be upset that I thread the needle in through pedestrians at right turns, too. But that's how you (and everyone else) drives in downtown Seattle or else traffic would come to a standstill.

This seems like the same line of thinking where one would say that slowing down to allow a proper following distance would prevent you from getting ANYWHERE, because eventually you'd just have to stop to keep that proper following distance...

 

[zerocool84]

merge != yield. since you dont seem to understand even those basic rules of driving i am going to assume you were driving like an asshole and its probably your fault

This

OP needs to go back to driving school and learn the basic laws of the road.

 

[TecHNooB]

In the high traffic areas, there's usually an understanding among drivers who frequent that area on how to proceed in a merging situation.

 

[Farang]

==>===>=====>=========
|S|S|S|R
|T|T|T|I
|R|R|R|G*
|A|A|A|H*<<<<<<
|I |I |I|T*
|G|G|G| *
|H|H|H| *
|T|T|T| *
|1|2|3|4|
===<====<====<=======

Traffic is one way, up. Driveway is <<<<. * represents parallel parking, taxi stands, other obstructions that make the right lane not always open and clear until ~50ft before the intersection. Often when coming out of driveway, because of these obstructions someone in the straight3 lane might assume you're going to cut them off because you have to swing out a bit to straighten up and move into right4.

All traffic is stopped at light. I force my way into right4. Other car is in straight3 or right4, often times cars don't realize there is a right lane there and hog both. Accident occurred when I am at a 45 degree angle, stopped, in right4. Other car nudging forward to prevent my merge while I am stopped is the cause of the collision.

 

[Whisper]

Lane splitting is illegal over there? Is there anything that's not illegal in the USA?

I think it's legal in California, or at least some places in California. Not sure where else.

As a motorcycle rider, there's no way in hell I'd ever lane split given how unsafely and unpredictably most people around here drive. I'm fine with it being illegal just about everywhere. Beyond that, many of the other riders I see are just as idiotic and irresponsible as the drivers around them. Doing wheelies at 90mph at 6pm on the highway doesn't make you cool, sorry. Lord knows these people don't need to be riding in between cars while they're at it.

 

[jiggahertz]

I'll make one last defense of myself then leave this to be a thread for people to vent their anger at the world.

This is not Bumfuck, Iowa. This is rush hour in downtown in a major American city. There is no "waiting your turn," there are no turns, because the cars never stop flowing. There is no back of the line or front of the line, there is just a line.

Moreover, parallel parked cars block the view coming out of the driveway making any entrance into flowing traffic dangerous when traffic is flowing at 30+ mph.

The best time to enter traffic in such a situation is when it is stopped at the light. When it is stopped at the light you can put the front of your car into a gap and establish yourself in the lane while all other vehicles are at a standstill.

That's what I did. The other driver thought this infringed on his manliness so he decided to continue to pull forward and run into me.

SlowSpyder: The other driver was stopped when I initially pulled in front of him to establish myself in the lane. I did not cause him to slam on his brakes or anything like that.

I understand where you're coming from. I've driven in and around Boston a lot and they are some of the biggest asshole drivers I have ever encountered. I know exactly what you're talking about. I have seen people not let ambulances merge as a lane comes to an end. I know when someone won't let me merge it becomes my personal vendetta to get in front of him. At some point though you realize a bruised ego is a lot cheaper/easier to deal with than accident/insurance/police/etc. Chances are good the person behind the asshole WILL let you in.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Needs more MS PAINT...

Lane splitting is illegal over there? Is there anything that's not illegal in the USA?

Hookers and blow... oh wait...

 

[Bignate603]

The OP is a massive dick for the way he drives, but the other guy is at fault. Having right-of-way doesn't entitle you to negligently (deliberately?) cause an accident.

For once I agree with the kiwi. Sometimes you have to squeeze in to traffic when it comes to a stop, but the OP sounds like a douche and I wouldn't want him near my car.

 

[Whisper]

For once I agree with the kiwi. Sometimes you have to squeeze in to traffic when it comes to a stop, but the OP sounds like a douche and I wouldn't want him near my car.

The more the OP has explained the situation, the more I agree with him and place the entirety of the douchenozzleness on the other driver's shoulders. When someone is making a right turn onto your street from a parking lot (the view of which is partially obstructed) and the light ahead of you is red, there's absolutely no reason not to let that person in front of you.

 

[zerocool84]

The more the OP has explained the situation, the more I agree with him and place the entirety of the douchenozzleness on the other driver's shoulders. When someone is making a right turn onto your street from a parking lot (the view of which is partially obstructed) and the light ahead of you is red, there's absolutely no reason not to let that person in front of you.

That's etiquette not law. He tried to force his way in instead of yielding to the oncoming drivers which is what he's supposed to do. From his post he's an aggressive driver. He wasn't let in by another driver so the OP got his manliness hurt and was probably thinking, "Oh hell na you're not gonna block me out" and tried to force his way in. Me not getting in a car accident is worth a lot more to me than a bruised ego.

 

[Jumpem]

I hope its your fault.