I nearly crashed twice this week. Was it my fault?

dillo2k10

Hi,
In the past two weeks I nearly had two crashes. The first a woman in a SUV was reversing out onto the road. I had to jam on.
She was reversing out and I was driving straight on. I had to jam on hard. The road I was on was the larger and there was a yield sign where she was coming from.

The second time a small van was pulling out from the opposite side of the road.
I seen that he wanted to pull out and there was not other traffic so he could just go on out after me (usually I let people out) But he pulled out and Nearly rammed into the side of me only I braked and went up onto the path a little.

He was pulling out from the parking on the right side of the road. I was driving on the left.


So if either of these accidents had happened whose fault would it have been. In both cases the driver just drove off.

sundodger5

from what you describe both are not your fault. you are on your own side of the road and as such have right of way.

PCPhoto

from what you said the first person is typical of SUV drivers - they sit so high up they forget the other vehicles on the road !!

she would have been totally in the wrong - reversing around a corner !! (she's probably hoping someone would crash into her and she could claim you were driving too fast to avoid her or she would claim you just drove into her - and she was not reversing)

as for second guy - sounds like he didn't check his mirrors properly.... correct me if I'm wrong but he was trying to make a U-turn from a parked position ??? .... was he trying to pull out of parking space and drive in the direction you were going ? if so he was totally in the wrong....either way I'll go out on a limb - he was wrong.

dillo2k10

PCPhoto wrote: »

from what you said the first person is typical of SUV drivers - they sit so high up they forget the other vehicles on the road !!

she would have been totally in the wrong - reversing around a corner !! (she's probably hoping someone would crash into her and she could claim you were driving too fast to avoid her or she would claim you just drove into her - and she was not reversing)

as for second guy - sounds like he didn't check his mirrors properly.... correct me if I'm wrong but he was trying to make a U-turn from a parked position ??? .... was he trying to pull out of parking space and drive in the direction you were going ? if so he was totally in the wrong....either way I'll go out on a limb - he was wrong.

He wasn't making a U-turn he was parked pointing in the position he drove off in.

PCPhoto

so he came out of parking spot and nearly hit you on the opposite side of the road ?

Still his fault (he would have crossed the road divide/Center median)

foggy_lad

The first driver should not have been reversing from a minor road onto the road you were on so was totally in the wrong.

who the fug

foggy_lad wrote: »

The first driver should not have been reversing from a minor road onto the road you were on so was totally in the wrong.

Automatic fail in the standard european test

dillo2k10

Just so I am clear what way the second one happened.

The green line was the other person and the pink one me. He was pointing in the direction of the green arrow when parked.

So from what I see the first one where she was reversing was definitely not my fault.

When I went up on the path with the second one I actually damaged my bumper when It hit of the path, its hanging off now.

mikemac

Is the first photo in Ballyfermot?


Not your fault anyway for the first, I'm still looking at the second

dillo2k10

mikemac wrote: »

Is the first photo in Ballyfermot?


Not your fault anyway for the first, I'm still looking at the second

Yes it is, its just beside the Garda station.

softmee

dillo2k10 wrote: »

Just so I am clear what way the second one happened.

The green line was the other person and the pink one me. He was pointing in the direction of the green arrow when parked.

So from what I see the first one where she was reversing was definitely not my fault.

When I went up on the path with the second one I actually damaged my bumper when It hit of the path, its hanging off now.

Its yellow.. :rolleyes:

Del2005

dillo2k10 wrote: »

Just so I am clear what way the second one happened.

The green line was the other person and the pink one me. He was pointing in the direction of the green arrow when parked.

So from what I see the first one where she was reversing was definitely not my fault.

When I went up on the path with the second one I actually damaged my bumper when It hit of the path, its hanging off now.

The van driver came from a parking space and should have yielded to you. While he was in the wrong you must have been moving to have to jump the kerb and damage your bumper when he pulled out.

What type of car are you driving? I've rarely had people pull out on me, it seems unlucky that you've 2 near accidents in as many weeks

dillo2k10

Del2005 wrote: »

The van driver came from a parking space and should have yielded to you. While he was in the wrong you must have been moving to have to jump the kerb and damage your bumper when he pulled out.

What type of car are you driving? I've rarely had people pull out on me, it seems unlucky that you've 2 near accidents in as many weeks

Im driving an Opel Astra.
Yes I was of course moving. I was going at about 50-60km.

I only had one accident before then (it was the other drivers fault and he admited it), and no other near accidents that I remember. So it does seem unlucky that two happened so close together.

I just wanted to know if it would have been my fault to see if I was doing anything wrong.

softmee wrote: »

Its yellow.. :rolleyes:

No, its green.

-Chris-

You were possibly in the van driver's blind spot as he pulled out (not an excuse).

Neither seem like your fault, but if you want to do something that may reduce the likelihood of this happening again, start driving with your dipped headlights on all the time and see if it makes any difference.

dillo2k10

-Chris- wrote: »

You were possibly in the van driver's blind spot as he pulled out (not an excuse).

Neither seem like your fault, but if you want to do something that may reduce the likelihood of this happening again, start driving with your dipped headlights on all the time and see if it makes any difference.

I always have driven with my lights on. :P

Thanks everyone

-Chris-

So do I, but I'm wondering now if as you went over the previous set of speedramps it looked to the van driver like you had flashed him out?
Hmmmmm


All this being said, I think you should possibly look at your anticipation or stubbornness - in the situation with the van I'd have probably eased off once I realised he hadn't seen me rather than allowing myself to stay on his left and get squeezed up on to the kerb.

With the SUV, it's harder to anticipate, but unless she was belting around the corner you probably had enough time to get suspicious and ease off the accelerator rather than having to jam on.

Just a thought...

dillo2k10

-Chris- wrote: »

So do I, but I'm wondering now if as you went over the previous set of speedramps it looked to the van driver like you had flashed him out?
Hmmmmm


All this being said, I think you should possibly look at your anticipation or stubbornness - in the situation with the van I'd have probably eased off once I realised he hadn't seen me rather than allowing myself to stay on his left and get squeezed up on to the kerb.

With the SUV, it's harder to anticipate, but unless she was belting around the corner you probably had enough time to get suspicious and ease off the accelerator rather than having to jam on.

Just a thought...

The woman in the SUV did come around quite fast while I was very close.

And with the van to be honest I wasn't being as cautious as I should have been, I seen him but was just going to let him wait until I pass, it made more sense. But then I just drove on and stopped paying attention to him and just drove on when he pulled out.

Mint Sauce

In terms of the rules of the road, both the van and suv driver broke them. Although you should always expect the unexpected.

Reloc8

To me the other drivers were in the wrong both times.

If you're looking to improve your own driving, as we all are, you could think about whether you are driving sufficiently defensively, i.e. anticipating potential hazards and reacting early to them.

At the end of the day it is no use to you to be 'in the right' if you end up in an avoidable accident.

You're obviously someone who thinks about their driving - which is great.

Can I ask what your accompanying driver said about the incidents ?

cosmic

-Chris- wrote: »

All this being said, I think you should possibly look at your anticipation or stubbornness - in the situation with the van I'd have probably eased off once I realised he hadn't seen me rather than allowing myself to stay on his left and get squeezed up on to the kerb.

With the SUV, it's harder to anticipate, but unless she was belting around the corner you probably had enough time to get suspicious and ease off the accelerator rather than having to jam on.

Just a thought...

irish-stew wrote: »

In terms of the rules of the road, both the van and suv driver broke them. Although you should always expect the unexpected.

^^^ I was just about to say this.

Yes, the other drivers were wrong, but so was your "reaction to [the] hazards".

dillo2k10

Reloc8 wrote: »

To me the other drivers were in the wrong both times.

If you're looking to improve your own driving, as we all are, you could think about whether you are driving sufficiently defensively, i.e. anticipating potential hazards and reacting early to them.

At the end of the day it is no use to you to be 'in the right' if you end up in an avoidable accident.

You're obviously someone who thinks about their driving - which is great.

Can I ask what your accompanying driver said about the incidents ?

My accompanied driver said that I should have been paying more attention so that it wouldn't have happened but said that it wouldn't have been my fault if there was an accident. I just wanted to know what other people thought.


I agree with what your saying about being "in the right" during an accident. It's what my parents were telling me at first when I would stop when a car was coming off a roundabout even though there indicator was turned on to turn off. I usually expect them not to do what they are indicating. I act the same way any time people could have the right of way if their indicators were on.

Reloc8

I think your accompanying driver summed it up pretty well - you were in the right but idiot idiots are gonna be idiots (that's the two other drivers not you) !

I was taught to presume that the cars around you will make a mistake and drive accordingly - you can take this to unnecessary extremes, but the more experience you get the more you can apply that beneficially to specific situations.

(nb but man in white van/SUV reversing = danger! danger ! danger !)


(disclaimer : no offence intended to men in white van or SUV drivers *ahem*)

johnmcdnl

cosmic wrote: »

^^^ I was just about to say this.

Yes, the other drivers were wrong, but so was your "reaction to [the] hazards".

as a learner driver - what should I do in both these cases then if what the OP did was wrong???

-Chris-

johnmcdnl wrote: »

as a learner driver - what should I do in both these cases then if what the OP did was wrong???

In the case of the van, ease off and possibly beep.

In the case of the SUV, probably not much - that's pretty unpredictable. But as long as you're able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear you should be ok.

Simples!

Best Driving

First thing I would say is, well done on realising that even though you are not in the wrong it is important to see how you might have contributed to the potential crash.

The lady from the side road as a previous poster said, should not have been reversing from a minor to major road and could pick up a penalty point and a sixty euro fine for it without even crashing.

The second situation you had priority and the other driver didn't simple.

However it doesn't mean you want to be in a crash. Approaching look at the potential danger. Check your mirrors to see what options you have for evasive action. Can you move out a little, slow down safely, or possibly both. Maybe cover your horn so if they start to move you can let them know you are there. No point using the horn after the fact. Prevention is the only key. Keep your observation as far ahead in the road as you can see and scan the mid and foreground for potential problems while checking mirrors intermittently also. Then think what could happen next and what can I do about it.

But as I said well done on even asking the question. You could become a very safe driver if you keep the attitude of wanting to learn from mistakes. If you want to learn more about better driving skills I personally recommend "Roadcraft - the essential police drivers handbook", you can get it on Amazon.co.uk.