Oh good. I was hoping for a fender bender on my way into work today

[Exterous]

Was minding my own business in the right lane about to exit the highway. The car in the left lane puts on his turn signal and, half a second later, tries to change lanes only to find my car already occupying said lane. His front passenger door hit my front wheel well.

We pull off and get out of our cars.
Him: "Are you calling the cops"
Me: "Uh yeah"
Him: "Why the hell didn't you let me over."
Me: "You gave me no time. You don't get to merge just because you turned on your turn signal"
Him: "Whatever - you were just being a dick and not letting me over. I had to get off at this exit"
Me: "So do I which is why I was in the right lane. You gave me no time to speed up or slow down. Besides you should have slowed down."
Him: "I couldn't slow down ! There were cars behind me! You should have slowed down to let me over"
Me: "Even if I could have slowed down in time you don't think there are cars behind me? Its fucking rush hour"
Him: "Whatever man. We'll just wait for the cops"
Me: "Fine."

(Will probably need a new quarter panel and bumper. Tire seems ok - no bulging or notable marks on it but I I wouldn't be surprised if its deflated when its time to go home. Hopefully no ball joint or axle damage. Could have been worse though)

So we wait and, of course I start doubting myself. "Ok, I'm 96% sure its his fault. Wait - his buddy is with him. Hopefully the cop knows thats not an unbiased witness. I'm 65% sure the cop will properly take that into consideration. So now I'm only 75% sure I won't get a ticket. Crap."

Fortunately the other guy got the ticket since it doesn't really matter the story either side tells. I'm in the lane he wants to get into so he's responsible for doing that safely. Which is what I expected but still...

So now I have to navigate MI's stupid car insurance framework. And probably get a dash cam. I'm also re-thinking what car I drive on a daily basis. It had just been relatively cheap civics so dents, scratches and whatnot I didn't really care about. But now its a Camry XLE (I know - not super fancy compared to some on here) and in the 10 months since I've gotten it I got two bad door dings from fucktards in different parking garages and now this.

 

[GobBluth]

You should have slowed down and congested traffic and let him over. Clearly where he needs to get to is more important than you, peasant.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

No pictures of the offending individual?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Dicks gonna dick. Gotta love the notion that a turn signal equates to an "I warned him, he should have moved out of my way".

Not sure where you live, but cops don't even come out to accidents, so it's always impossible to get a police report unless it's something really big in a large metro area.

Also I'm surprised the cop wrote a ticket for this, especially because I'm sure it was a he said she said thing.

 

[PricklyPete]

Was he driving a BMW? Never mind...you said he used his blinker.

Sucks dude...hope the repairs are fairly straightforward.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

He wasn't in control of his vehicle. End of story. Sucks that you have to deal with insurance though.

 

[clamum]

I see that all the frickin time (people putting on their turn signal and IMMEDIATELY merging lanes). Sucks man; the highways are full of craziness during rush hour. I'm in metro Detroit area as well. I wish people would do two things more often: 1.) slow the f*ck down; 2.) RELAX. Ok I must add a third. 3.) Pay fricking attention to DRIVING

 

[NoCreativity]

Me: "You gave me no time. You don't get to merge just because you turned on your turn signal"

Apparently this tip hasn't been given to many of the drivers out there.

Sorry you have to deal with this crap. At least it wasn't serious.

 

[ctbaars]

He got the ticket. His insurance will likely pay for the whole repair and your rates shouldn't go up. But yes, what a real pain to deal with.
(I've had plenty of experiences. My states laws may be different.)

 

[jtvang125]

Dicks gonna dick. Gotta love the notion that a turn signal equates to an "I warned him, he should have moved out of my way".

Not sure where you live, but cops don't even come out to accidents, so it's always impossible to get a police report unless it's something really big in a large metro area.

Also I'm surprised the cop wrote a ticket for this, especially because I'm sure it was a he said she said thing.

The guy probably said he was trying to merge over to exit to the cop. The moment he says that it's his responsibility to make sure it's clear and makes the lane change safely. But if he blatantly lied that the OP was the one trying to merge or swerved unexpectedly then yes it'll turn into a he-said, she-said.

 

[highland145]

That'll buff right out...and is that a nail in your tire?


kidding

 

[BudAshes]

A few years ago I had a high school girl literally run over the front of my car in a 4runner. I saw her stupidity coming and stopped in the middle of the road and she still hit me trying to cross through my lane of traffic to pull into a driveway. I got my car off the road and her first words were "I thought you saw me." Yeah I did see you that is why I stopped and you still managed to hit me. She then proceeded to say "well my car looks fine can I go now." At that point my girlfriend who was in the passenger seat went into full rage mode and told her off for being a spoiled brat without a brain in her head and sent the girl into tears. We could hear her sobbing into her cell in the car "Mommy this lady is being so mean to me and I didn't do anything. It's not my fault why are people so mean, waaaah."

 

[deadlyapp]

Accidents suck, but thankfully these days it's pretty fast and easy to get it repaired. Since he got a ticket, it should be nearly impossible for his insurance to get out of covering the damage, and they should cover a rental car as well. Contact his insurance and file a claim, even if he hasn't yet, to get it started.

 

[sandorski]

Success!

 

[highland145]

Success!

lol

 

[zinfamous]

On the plus side, at least he used his turn signal.

 

[FeuerFrei]

I had to explain to my daughter that just because she has to get over RIGHT NOW, doesn't mean people have to let her cut in. She thinks she can furtively dart in and out of lanes and people will make way if she signals. I swear she just about clipped a Jeep's bumper.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Man, you're lucky to be alive!

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Cops? Why didn't you just swap insurance info and let them deal with it?

 

[highland145]

Man, you're lucky to be alive!

Loves to live...maybe.

Cops? Why didn't you just swap insurance info and let them deal with it?

The other guy could say Exterous who?



@Exterous

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014S09OKO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It works. Bought the additional mirror bracket.

 

[NesuD]

On the plus side, at least he used his turn signal.

Not possible! No one in Michigan uses a signal on the expressway. The stupid is strong on Michigan E-ways.

 

[Rifter]

Cops? Why didn't you just swap insurance info and let them deal with it?

This is a horrible idea, then it turns into a he said she said argument with insurance. ALWAYS call the police when a traffic violation resulted in the accident so that they may issue a ticket and then dealing with insurance is 100 times easier.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

This is a horrible idea, then it turns into a he said she said argument with insurance. ALWAYS call the police when a traffic violation resulted in the accident so that they may issue a ticket and then dealing with insurance is 100 times easier.

I've been in accidents with people who thought this way.

The cop said to call our insurance companies and drove away.

*shrug*

 

[highland145]

I've been in accidents with people who thought this way.

The cop said to call our insurance companies and drove away.

*shrug*

So who determines who was at fault? I sure don't want my insurance paying for my repairs if it was the other guys fault. Then my rates go up.

 

[Exterous]

The guy probably said he was trying to merge over to exit to the cop. The moment he says that it's his responsibility to make sure it's clear and makes the lane change safely. But if he blatantly lied that the OP was the one trying to merge or swerved unexpectedly then yes it'll turn into a he-said, she-said.

Yeah I was concerned he might come up with something else. I guess he was so sure he was in the right that he admitted to merging.

That'll buff right out...and is that a nail in your tire?
kidding

Tires have maybe 4,000 miles and I got a great deal on them so hopefully it stays inflated

Success!