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abc123
@71.106.213.x

abc123

Anon

Left turn accident

I was making a left turn from a left turning lane. My blinker was on well before the turn. There were 3 lanes I had to cross, two of the lanes - the cars had stopped for me (because there was a red light to my left). I let off of the gas and moved my car between the first two cars. Anyone going the speed limit would have seen my car and stopped for me. I had about 3 inches of the front of my bumper in the 3rd lane. Within moments my car was spun almost 180 degrees and the hood was crumpled, airbags deployed, and the engine was smoking. I'm very scared that because I was the one making the left across the 3 lanes, I will be considered at fault. Yet I wasn't proceeding to make my left turn, I was barely even letting my foot off of the gas. I wasn't T-boned, rather- the first 3-4 inches of my car were hit. Yet they were hit with such force that my entire car is totaled now. In my opinion, anyone headed towards a red light should be slowing down. This man had stopped traffic, and a red light in front of him. I was barely in his lane what so ever nor was I even trying to cross his lane, because I didn't see that the lane had stopped and there was ample space for me to complete my turn.

»i160.photobucket.com/alb ··· e349.jpg this is my car. see how not even the tire was touched? The right headlight wasn't even fully broken. Barely any of my car was in the lane. This man was coming so fast that he did this much damage.

»i160.photobucket.com/alb ··· 7e3b.jpg

yet this was the only damage done to his car:

»i160.photobucket.com/alb ··· b373.jpg

I'm very scared that the insurance company will think that I am at fault, because I was making the left turn. Yet I wasn't going even 3 mph nor was I trying to cross that 3rd lane. This man should have seen that cars were stopped for another car to make a left, but he was going way too fast to see it. Can anyone help me out on this? I'm really scared that I will be placed at fault. When in my eyes, I did nothing wrong.

Gbcue
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA

Gbcue

Premium Member

You're at fault. You made an unsafe turn - you couldn't clearly see all lanes of traffic which had the right of way.

workablob
join:2004-06-09
Houston, TX

1 recommendation

workablob to abc123

Member

to abc123
You are at fault, sorry.

But now you know to NEVER make a turn like that. It is a textbook scenario.

I would drive farther down and make U-Turn where safe to do so and approach that way.

I am truly sorry you got whacked abc123.

Blob
LocutusBorg
Premium Member
join:2005-12-25
Revere, MA

LocutusBorg to abc123

Premium Member

to abc123
One of the first rules you learn is "No left turn in front of moving traffic"
"moving traffic" is any vehicle within 400 ft

you were completely at fault. it doesn't matter people stopped to let you go

davidg
Good Bye My Friend
MVM
join:2002-06-15
00000

davidg to abc123

MVM

to abc123
if YOUR lane had a green light and his had a red light then he is at fault. but if you both had a red and you turned left on red then at minimum you are equally at fault. in some areas you turning left on red and him running red will put it squarely on you.

Does your area issue points? If so then the police report may show the fault. Here they don't and the officers don't determine fault that is left up to the insurance companies.

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County

CylonRed to abc123

MVM

to abc123
As posted, you are at fault. A dangerous turn to do period. Even if the other 2 drivers waved you on, you would still be at fault.

What did the police report say?

Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

Caddyroger to abc123

Premium Member

to abc123
You kidding right. You went across 3 lanes of traffic at a red light expecting every one to stop so you can make a left turn. Sorry you 110% at fault.

Kilroy
MVM
join:2002-11-21
Saint Paul, MN

Kilroy to abc123

MVM

to abc123
I'm with Gbcue See Profile making a left turn it is your responsibility to ensure that your path of travel is clear. The fact that your vehicle was in their lane just increases your fault.
Mango
Use DMZ and you get a kick in the dick.
Premium Member
join:2008-12-25
www.toao.net

Mango

Premium Member

I'm sorry to hear you were in an accident. I hope your insurance company will be able to solve the damage to the cars without too much difficulty. It sounds like no one was injured and that at least is a good thing.
said by abc123 :

there was a red light to my left

said by abc123 :

Yet I wasn't proceeding to make my left turn, I was barely even letting my foot off of the gas.

 
If the red light, which used to be at the intersection behind you, was to your left at the time of the accident, you had already started to make your left turn.
said by abc123 :

nor was I even trying to cross his lane,

said by abc123 :

I had about 3 inches of the front of my bumper in the 3rd lane.

 
If your car was three inches into the third lane, you must have been attempting to cross the lane.

Some of your statements contradict each other. I'm not pointing this out to argue with you, just to give you an idea of things that may confuse your insurance company.
said by davidg:

if YOUR lane had a green light and his had a red light then he is at fault. but if you both had a red and you turned left on red then at minimum you are equally at fault. in some areas you turning left on red and him running red will put it squarely on you.

 
If I understand it correctly, the red light was at the intersection behind the one where the OP was turning left. In other words, the car that hit him would need to stop eventually, but had the right of way in the intersection where the accident actually happened.

battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

1 recommendation

battleop to abc123

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" I'm very scared that because I was the one making the left across the 3 lanes, I will be considered at fault."

Your at fault like others said. I've always been told never motion people across lands of traffic because you could assume of the blame if there is an accident. One insurance agent told me if you let some one cross open a hole for them but do not assist them. Look straight ahead and don't motion them through.

what the
join:2014-06-28
usa

what the to abc123

Member

to abc123
You admit that it's your fault when you said you stopped 3" into the left lane. and that you judged making a turn because "there was a red light to my left"
Aren't red lights directly in front of you or are you telling us that the red light was a block or 2 away from your corner and you jumped a stop sign!
mocycler
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22

mocycler to abc123

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to abc123
Your story is very sketchy and hard to follow. When you say "This man had stopped traffic, and a red light in front of him" do you mean that his direction of traffic had a red light and he ran through it? What light did you have? A green, green left arrow, or red?

And when you say "There were 3 lanes I had to cross" do you mean three lanes of oncoming traffic, or are you referring to traffic coming from your left?

What I can tell for sure is that unless you had a green left arrow, it's hard to see how this is not your fault. Someone went against a red light. Sooo...it's a simple matter of whoever blew the red loses. That other cars yielded to you when they did not have to or whatever the scenario is doesn't matter. It's still on you to make sure it's safe to turn.
Mango
Use DMZ and you get a kick in the dick.
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join:2008-12-25
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Mango

Premium Member

said by what the:

Aren't red lights directly in front of you or are you telling us that the red light was a block or 2 away from your corner and you jumped a stop sign!

He was in a left turn lane, so did not jump a stop sign. The red light was a block behind the OP, which the car that hit him would have eventually had to stop for.
said by mocycler:

do you mean three lanes of oncoming traffic

I'm somewhat familiar with the area. There are three lanes of traffic in each direction, and the left turn lane in the middle.
said by mocycler:

Someone went against a red light.

Nope. No lights at the intersection where the photos were taken.

OldCableGuy3
@207.191.193.x

OldCableGuy3 to abc123

Anon

to abc123
Sorry ABC123 but you are completely and without question at fault in this scenario for the accident.

dfc888
Premium Member
join:2003-07-22
San Bruno, CA

1 recommendation

dfc888 to abc123

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to abc123
I believe in CA, under your scenario, we would have been required to keep our wheels pointed straight ahead and remain planted straight ahead, with the blinkers on and brakes depressed, until all 3 opposing lanes are clear. Then once clear, we would be able to proceed to turn and go.

Reason for this is so if I were waiting for the left turn, should I get rear ended, I wouldn't be pushed into any oncoming lanes by accident.

Sounds like you are at fault.
mocycler
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22

1 recommendation

mocycler to Mango

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to Mango
said by Mango:

Nope. No lights at the intersection where the photos were taken.

If there were no lights then it doesn't matter. This is an easy one: The OP is 100% at fault for not yielding his left turn for other traffic.

The red light behind him has no relevance to anything. I'm not sure why the OP even included the info in his post.

Sorry abc123. When you turn left at an uncontrolled intersection it's totally on you to assure that it is safe to do so. You cannot assume other drivers will stop, especially when there is no signal/sign requiring them to.

OldCableGuy3
@207.191.193.x

OldCableGuy3

Anon

I think ABC123 means that the driver who struck him was coming up to stopped traffic/a red light, which as you say doesn't impact the liability. This is drivers ed 101 stuff here, they tell you specifically don't wave people through and don't go through when waved. I do leave space for cars to turn when I am stopped at a scenario like this, but I do not wave them on, I just look at them in the eyes so they know I saw them. It is on them to find a safe time to turn.

sivran
Vive Vivaldi
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join:2003-09-15
Irving, TX

sivran to abc123

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to abc123
This kind of thing is why I don't try to make a hole for people turning across traffic like this. I deliberately block them if I can.
Mango
Use DMZ and you get a kick in the dick.
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join:2008-12-25
www.toao.net

3 recommendations

Mango

Premium Member

You deliberately prevent people from using a dedicated left turn lane?

sivran
Vive Vivaldi
Premium Member
join:2003-09-15
Irving, TX

sivran

Premium Member

I sure as hell won't stop for them, lest this exact scenario play out right in front of me.

nightdesigns
Gone missing, back soon
Premium Member
join:2002-05-31
AZ

1 recommendation

nightdesigns to abc123

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to abc123
My work prohibits leaving room for another vehicle to turn left like that and definitely do not wave them on. They can be found liable if the turning driver gets the impression that it is clear based on the employee driver and then it's in an accident.

I've scene many times where 2 lanes are stopped and the third is not.

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

Anonymous_ to Gbcue

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to Gbcue
dynamic change was it a 4 way stop? or traffic light.

I'd assume there is a Left turn traffic signal then?

normally even for 2 lane road here
there is a right and left turn signal at most of the lights.

but a few lights are Yield on green + left turn signal

there is a 3 lane 4 way stop sign but it's in extremely low traffic area .
Mango
Use DMZ and you get a kick in the dick.
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join:2008-12-25
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Mango

Premium Member

OP was on a through street with no lights at that intersection. There is a stop sign in the other direction.

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

Anonymous_

Premium Member

Yeah op fail to yield to traffic

what the
join:2014-06-28
usa

what the to Mango

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to Mango
To get hit on the passenger side means the OP didn't look to see if all lanes are clear.
First 2 drivers seen OP doing something dangerous and stopped but the 3rd car didn't see the OPs car stopped in the middle of the street and sticking out into his/her lane.
Ole Juul
join:2013-04-27
Princeton, BC

Ole Juul

Member

Probably because the cars that did stop were blocking his view.

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

2 edits

Anonymous_ to what the

Premium Member

to what the
people pull this shit all the time while making left and right turns.

just on the 22nd a 18wheeler did this , almost got wedged right under the trailer I was able to stop with in a few feet though, since I was paying attention to the road.

another time I almost nailed a guy making left turn I was going about 55mph I was in the slow line hidden behind a SUV(SUV was in the fast lane ) I was in the correct spot and not right next to the SUVs blind spot.

the screwed up part there was no other car behind me, the biggest issue is people being in a rush to get home I think of it this way 25¢ in gas is cheaper then a $25,000 wreak

you shouldn't go tell you can see a clear road ahead of you
.
mocycler
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22

mocycler to sivran

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said by sivran:

This kind of thing is why I don't try to make a hole for people turning across traffic like this. I deliberately block them if I can.

In my state, many intersections have striped pavement and/or signs that specifically prohibit blocking the intersection and you can be ticketed if you do.

It's not my problem to decide if it's safe for the other guy to turn in front of my stopped car. He'll have to figure that out on his own. Just because I stop doesn't mean everyone else will.

Drive carefully out there...
tcope
Premium Member
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT

1 recommendation

tcope to abc123

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to abc123
As I understand it the OP simply wanted to make a left turn into a parking lot or side road. The opposite traffic backed up (due to a light down the road) and two lanes of traffic made room for the OP to make the left turn. The OP did not see the vehicle in the 3rd (outside) lane and pulled in front of that vehicle. The OP is upset about this as he/she was going very slow and did not pull out very far.

The OP had a clear duty to yield the right away to the oncoming vehicle and did not. Speed of the other vehicle is not an issue. How much the OP pulled into the lane is not an issue. Actually, if the OP had pulled into the lane and almost made it all of the way across and was then struck, then the other person may be partially at fault. But it was the opposite of this, placing more liability against the OP.

The other driver is not responsible for seeing that other vehicles were stopped, knowing why they were stopping and guessing that someone was not yielding the right away and then stopping to let the OP drive in front of him. It does not work this way. Yes, that would have been nice and made for a nice excuse for being in the accident but nay.

I've been in this situation (wanting to make the left turn and people stop to let me through). Most of the time I wave them to pull forward or continue on their way. Unfortunately, many people think they need to take them up on he offer and make that left turn without being able to see into the other lanes. I feel it's safer to wait that extra 30-60 seconds and let them pass or wait until _all_ the lanes have stopped. If you can't see that last lane, it does not mean you can move into it and the other person should know you are doing this.

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
·Metronet

CylonRed

MVM

I now avoid an entire intersection and go at it from a different direction. Going thru one way you have to cross 2 lanes. One lane always backs up thru the intersection but the other lane generally does not. No left arrow as well. If a person is lucky 2 cars might be able to go thru unimpeded. If more come thru it is because they ran a light or they tried to.get thru the second lane.

I did it once not realizing no turn arrow. I crept forward.and then just floored it to get past the second lane as fast as I vould. Found a different direction to go thru the intetsection to avoid that crap.