DU was I in the wrong. I was in the right hand lane of the road wanting

[applegrove]

to go into the left hand lane. I passed a car in the left hand lane that had his left flicker on because he was turning into a parking lot on the left. He was stopped. Just as I went by him and started to move into the left lane in front of him ... he turned off his flicker and started to move forward. So he hit me. But I was moving into his lane ...so I paid.

[marzipanni]

1. It sounds like he was having difficulty deciding whether to turn into the parking lot

and may have been in a mild state of confusion about where he thought he was going.
Did you signal that you were moving into the left lane?
I thought whoever ran into someone from behind was at fault. :shrug:

[siligut]

14. This is my thinking too

He is the one who changed the flow. He was stopped, had his signal on to turn. He moved forward into her as much as she moved sideways into him. As she said he hit the side of her car, it isn't as clear, however he hit her, it was the front of his car that hit the side of hers. If anything, it is a draw. But I still think he is more in the wrong. He said one thing and then did another.

[some guy]

2. tough call.

On the one hand, he was stopped and indicating he was going to turn, so you're fine to move into his lane.
Plus, he is responsible for making sure he can go forward if he changes his mind and decides to do that.

On the other hand, you have to be sure the lane is clear enough for you to move into, so even though you've passed him, you need to make sure he hasn't suddenly decided to go forward and is now occupying what you thought was empty space.

( You ought to have given yourself more clearance of him before you started to change lanes?)

I'd decide in your favor, since he was the one who apparently changed his mind, and thereby added a level of confusion to the situation.

[applegrove]

3. That is what I keep thinking... I should have given him more room. There

still could have been an accident but I don't think it would have involved as much crunching of metal as what happened.

[some guy]

4. Then you're a good person.

Or something.

If I had that accident, I would feel bad for not having given a good distance before changing lanes.

Maybe we both just have guilt complexes. I often wonder if I do. :)

Do you know if the other driver felt any responsibility for their role in the accident? They certainly should.

[applegrove]

5. I said to him "you changed your mind about turning". He said "yes". That was it.

I said to myself 'i was the one who moved into his lane so I pay' and I gave him my information.

Do I have a guilt complex? I'm more of a polyanna where I always take the blame for things that go on around me, at least at first I do. Is that the same thing?

[some guy]

6. I think so.

"I always take the blame"

It's either a guilt complex, or a God complex - you"re responsible for everything, if you can find any way at all that you might have done something different to change an outcome. (me too.)

It wasn't really my responsibility, but I was vaguely aware that X could happen, so I should have intervened to prevent it, or done something different to change the outcome.

[applegrove]

8. Certainly being a polyanna is about thinking the world is always a great place

and to keep that 'delusion' going I take the blame for things (that way I still have control). I'm not nearly as much a polyanna these days as I was when I was a teen and young adult.

[some guy]

10. Okay, God complex

you're both responsible and in control. :D

I've always been agnostic (at best) about any gods, but I can see clearly that you post on DU, so you're not a myth.

Yay. I can give up my guilt/God complex and leave things in your capable hands.

Thank you SO much. I find it to be very wearying.

:hug:

You are now, officially my god (or goddess, I'll have to check your profile.) goddess.


Thank you, goddess! :P

[siligut]

13. I think I am going to give worshiping Applegrove a try too,

She is tangible and seemingly fair and just. Much more real than Topcat in the sky, my old god.

He really isn't as commanding as I remember him.

[some guy]

15. pssst

I don't actually worship. I'm just gonna let her take a lot of the responsibility I usually assign to myself. :bounce:

[applegrove]

16. LOL!

[applegrove]

17. I just looked it up. I definitely don't have a god complex. I don't for the life of me figure out

how you came to that conclusion based on my description of a car accident.

Here is Wikipedia Definition "A god complex is a non-clinical term generally used to describe an individual who consistently believes he or she can accomplish more than is humanly possible or that their opinion is automatically above those with whom he or she may disagree.<1> The individual may believe he or she is above the rules of society and should be given special consideration or privileges. The term "god complex" does not appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).<2>"

[some guy]

20. oh.

I just use it based on the being responsible for everything aspect. I thought that was the job of a god or goddess, to be responsible for and in control of everything. :shrug:

[applegrove]

22. I'm not controlling either.

[Lil Missy]

7. Where is your damage? If it is the back of your car, then he pays.

Talk to your agent. Never admit liability at the scene.

[applegrove]

9. It was on the side of the car. So I guess that means it was my fault. Like I said..I was moving into

his lane.

[NV Whino]

11. Insurance companies sometimes

assign a 50/50 blame. Sounds like a possible solution here. But for the future, never ever admit blame at the scene. Have your insurance company talk to his insurance company. Period.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. I accidentally backed into another car in a parking lot a few months ago.

It was entirely my fault. I paid for the damage to the other car and didn't involve the insurance company because they just would have raised my premium. I figured it was cheaper to just pay up than give the insurance company an opportunity to screw me. Better to keep the premiums low and use insurance for a big claim if I ever need it.

[BrklynLiberal]

18. He is tachnically responsible since he hit you in the rear....

That could never happen here in NYC..NO ONE EVER SIGNALS ANYMORE!!!!!!

[A HERETIC I AM]

19. Not necessarily true....

"tachnically" or otherwise!

If you change lanes into someone, it is your fault, NOT the fault of the person you drove into.

Unfortunately for the OP, it is her responsibility to make sure the lane is clear before moving into it. The fact that the person she passed changed direction as she went by him is irrelevant.

If you are in a lane moving straight ahead and want to change lanes to the left or right, you MUST yield to traffic already there or about to occupy that space. In other words, if you glance over your shoulder and see a car with its turn signal on with clear intent of moving into the space you wish to be in, you should assume he had the intent before you did. It is common courtesy as well as good driving habits.

It is a simple matter of making sure you are "clear to proceed".

[siligut]

23. The other car was supposed to be turning out of the lane

From what I gather, the other car was stopped and had his left turn signal on, so he could cross the oncoming lanes to pull into a business or something. Applegrove expected him to proceed as advertised, but he changed his mind and pulled forward, into her.

[A HERETIC I AM]

24. Still irrelevant.

I'm not trying to be contentious here, by any means. I sympathize with Applegrove's predicament, truly. Being involved in an accident is rarely a pleasant experience, so I don't mean to sound like an ass here....

But....

It does not change the fact that Applegrove changed lanes when it wasn't safe to do so, full stop.

According to her own OP;

I passed a car in the left hand lane that had his left flicker on because he was turning into a parking lot on the left. He was stopped.

She does not make it clear that the other car was in a dedicated left turn lane, but that is beside the point. However, experience suggests a driver keep in mind that all other drivers can be unpredictable. Never assume anything.

Just as I went by him and started to move into the left lane in front of him ..he turned off his flicker and started to move forward.

This driver did nothing wrong. You are allowed to change your mind, as long as the result doesn't endanger others.

So he hit me. But I was moving into his lane

The way it all reads to me, the other driver was stopped in a travel lane with his left turn signal on and then began to roll forward. Applegrove changed lanes into him. It sucks, but she is at fault.

I am not, nor have I never been a Police Officer nor have I ever investigated accidents. What I have is something near 2 million miles of driving over the last 35 years, 1.5 million of those behind the wheel of large commercial tractor trailers in every state in the country and 3 Canadian Provinces and all of those without an accident. I know the rules of the road pretty good.

You can not change lanes into someone else and not expect it to be your fault, whether the other car was stationary, going slow or moving at highway speeds. If the other driver was stopped in a travel lane and simply proceeded straight ahead, they have every right to expect that the car next to them won't change lanes into them.

[petronius]

26. I agree with your assessment. The other driver made a poor move,

but the main burden is on AG...

[applegrove]

30. I figured that since I moved into his lane, no matter what he did, I was the one to pay. And I did.

[Roon]

21. Anytime you move from a stopped positition

and cause an accident,it's your fault.

[A HERETIC I AM]

25. Not in this case, according to Applegrove's OP. n/t

[Pithlet]

27. You're not automatically at fault just because you're moving from a stopped position, though.

Another moving car can cause an accident while you're moving from a stopped position. They would be at fault.

[Supply Side Jesus]

28. well...

Depending how far you traveled past him before switching lanes...

if he started to move when you passed him, there by reducing the space you thought you'd have when you switched...

The other driver then rear ended you, which gets me thinking, how fast were you traveling and how fast did he accelerate prior to impact...

without hearing his POV of the accident, I would say he would be at fault

I would cite him for careless driving if pressed, but I would put definitely put him at fault.

that would be an awkward accident report to complete

just my opinion form a guy who has written a few tickets and seen plenty of accidents.

[applegrove]

31. Thanks for your input. It was just bad luck. I never saw him move. I just switched lanes

to the left one, in front of a stopped car with its left signal on and heard a crunch and that was it.

[mdmc]

29. sorry to hear..

beat..
sounds like ya had to pay too..
beat..