justpaul205

So I had a little fender bender this morning and I'm still trying to figure out who's fault it was. (Or I'm trying to justify that it wasn't mine)

Basically I was on a 4 lane road with a middle turn lane and a right turn only lane. I was in the right turn only lane and was going to turn at the light. The woman I hit was coming from the opposite direction and was turning left from the center lane. There was a lot of traffic that happened to let her go and I didn't see her until it was too late so I swiped her rear bumper. No one was hurt and there was very little damage, I just don't want to end up paying for something that was not my fault.

So anyway, what does everyone think?

bryanbellis

Sounds like you owe her IMHO.

__________________
--
Axim X30H (Nice) - Sold
XDA Orbit - Very sweet
Palm IIIx (for if the Orbit goes on strike!)
Ex Palm T3 owner

Tankman

Sounds as if, you cut out in traffic while turning.

You should know the rule, "I did nothing!" Let the insurance companies
battle it out or, just pay.

__________________
Tankman

X50 High
X50v
WM 2003SE

"Minds are like parachutes.
They only work when they are open."
James Dewar Sr.

Rice Lover

Yea, unfortunately it sounds like it was your fault

AKAJohnDoe

Originally Posted by justpaul205

So I had a little fender bender this morning and I'm still trying to figure out who's fault it was. (Or I'm trying to justify that it wasn't mine) Basically I was on a 4 lane road with a middle turn lane and a right turn only lane. I was in the right turn only lane and was going to turn at the light. The woman I hit was coming from the opposite direction and was turning left from the center lane. There was a lot of traffic that happened to let her go and I didn't see her until it was too late so I swiped her rear bumper. No one was hurt and there was very little damage, I just don't want to end up paying for something that was not my fault. So anyway, what does everyone think?

Was this at an intersection? If so who had the light? How many lanes was the road onto which each of you were turning? Generally, unless you ran a red light you would have right of way over someone cutting across oncoming traffic.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Box

If you were at a traffic light and you had green then I think it would be her fault. I think anyone turning left across traffic has to do so using all care and attention. But then again if you hit the rear of her car that could be different, usually the person behind is at fault. But who knows, I live in Germany where he who is fastest wins.

__________________

AKAJohnDoe

And if the street you both were turning onto (you turning right, her turning left) was also either a four lane street or a two lane, one-way street, you should have turned into the rightmost lane and she into the leftmost lane. Otherwise, one of you made an illegal lane change.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

3dguymwm

Right turns usually have the right of way, unless she had a green turn arrow. If it was just all green lights and it's turn when you can I'm guessing it's your fault, seeing as how you hit her in the rear of her car, shouldv'e hit the front :) Seriously, be glad nobody's hurt and chalk it up to experience. Did you call the police and get a police report? If not that may work against either of you trying to claim the others fault, unless another witness for 1 side or the other was present

AKAJohnDoe

In any case, never admit fault in an accident, even if it is obvious. Let the insurance companies fight it out.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

wdement

If I remember driver ed....if she was turning left (and did not have a green arrow) she should have yielded to all oncomeing traffic, including those turning right.

I would say she is at fault.

AKAJohnDoe

But this was in Texas, so it could turn out to be a capital offense, right?

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Javacat

Can you post a link to the picture of the junction on google maps?

I'm not too sure about American road layouts, so I'm struggling to work out the layout of everything. From your description I'm guessing that it was some sort of dual carriageway with a central barrier, but I'm not sure.

__________________

sujen

This happened to my brother. Basically, as long as you were turning right and the light was green, then it is her fault.

fireshaper

He's talking about something like this. And by what he says it seems that the woman would be at fault, although the US judicial system likes to blame the person in the rear. As many have stated we need a bit more info before we can help, like was her light green, was your's red, had she already turned before you turned or did you turn first?

Pocketbrain

You said, "There was a lot of traffic that happened to let her go". This implies there was a heavy traffic load at the time, the people letting her go were stopped at the line, under a green light? It is a courteous thing to do, but it is her responsibility in this case to be prepared to yield to all lanes of traffic. If one car stops and waves her past, that is no guarantee that the rest are to follow. She was proceding without exercising proper caution.