Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

[SS MAYFLOAT]

A week ago, I was sitting at a busy intersection controlled by a light. I was in the right hand lane behind one car before the light. This lane was for right turn or straight through the intersection. The lane to my left was the left turn lane. It had a line of cars waiting for the light to change.

As I was sitting there for the light, I noticed the guy in front of me was busy working his fingers on his phone not paying attention to the light. Then I heard a horn blow from oncoming traffic from the other direction. It was a co-worker going by that blew his horn at me. Then I noticed the guy in front of me throwing his hand up flips me off and goes through the red light. He must have thought that I blew the horn and it was ok to go. He was lucky as there apparently was red lights for everyone through the transistion for the next cycle of lights. He made it through without incident. But if he had got hit, who would be at fault? I say it would be him as he was in control and did not confirm ALL conditions were clear to go.

 

[rbh]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

YUP!!!!!!, he went through the red light, no reason for it, no excuses!

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

Absolutely would have been his fault.
He was starled into action but that does not mean he can do so without looking to see if it was safe or correct to do so.

This reminds me of when I was 20 in the heart of London.
Some stupid bird in front of me was driving really slow, obviously hassled or lost or both, she pulled up at a T junction and was again real slow at getting out. I blasted her with my horn and she immediatly pulled out in front of a taxi.....SMACK!
I disappeared........quick:facepalm:

I feel bad now but it was funny at 20.:redface:

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

apparently he was paying more attention to the cell phone and the beep to him may have indicated the light was green.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

I think it's ultimately up to the person to chose to act (or not) in the "offending" vehicle that would be at fault. It reminds me of situations where one driver trying to be helpful signals it's ok for someone in oncoming traffic to turn in front of them only to have the guy who gratefully accepted the chance to get across get whacked by someone in the next lane who had no idea he was being let in and was approaching to fast to stop anyway.

The other one that always annoys me is the person who puts their signal on to turn right at a particular corner, completely disregarding the fact that they are passing a couple of driveways on the way to the corner with their signal flashing. Someone waiting to drive out might interpret the signal to mean I'm turning "right here" when in fact it's another 100 feet away. Actually my wife does this all the time and I've grown tired of telling her (to no real effect) that some day someone is going to pull out in front of her because they thought she was turning immediately. Sure it will be the fault of the person that pulled out, but that isn't going to be much comfort to her.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

Scout - I'm with your wife on this one . The turn signal is indication of the intention of turning, it doesn't mean immediately. If you wait until you pass the last driveway to signal, eventually you will get rear-ended. You can't drive for the others on the road.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

Kind of hard to avaoid when the law requires a signal 100' from your turn.

Well maybe your state. In Illinois there is a provision that you are specifically NOT to signal if you are passing other driveways and such, before your turn. So yes, in this state the law does kind of mean "I am turning, immediately." Besides, 100' is not as far as most of you think, and goes by pretty fast at 30mph (about 2.5 seconds).

Mayfloat, your scenario is similar to one where people waive others through stopped traffic as they are attempting to make a left turn through stopped multiple lanes of traffic. The person doing the "waiving through" is not responsible for the other person getting hit. Each driver has the ultimate responsibility to make sure the way is clear and that they have the right of way. Not that some lawyer wouldn't have come after you in your scenario, but you or your friend wouldn't have been held liable.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

Scout - I'm with your wife on this one ....

Fair enough, GA - you can pay the deductible on the new car.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

Fair enough, GA - you can pay the deductible on the new car.

Ok, Scout. But you are at he back of the line because unlike you in CA, I'm trying to pay off my part of our National debt. Gonna be a while.:facepalm:

 

[produceguy]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

His fault def.
I do believe here in AZ it is against the law to text while driving.
Even if you did honk your horn, it still wouldn,t be your fault. He made the choice.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

SS, you have been married enough to know that it is YOUR fault! It is always YOUR fault. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are ... it is YOUR fault.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

That's ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^so true!!!

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Just Who's Fault Would This Be?

SS, you have been married enough to know that it is YOUR fault! It is always YOUR fault. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are ... it is YOUR fault.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Wait, since it's so true, I am crying a little bit, now. Gee thanks speck.