speedking

Following on from this thread ...

If you were driving along the road, within the speed limit, and a vehicle emerged from a junction to your left, too close for you to avoid, what is the best course of action?

1. Swerve to avoid the vehicle, damaging yours on the kerb, or against a wall, no witnesses, other car disappears so you pick up the bill

2. Collide with the other vehicle, obviously their fault, insurance company sorts it all out, minimal cost to you.

Sadly, I am more and more inclined to think that alternative 2 might be favourable in todays climate. Seems daft doesn't it?

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Funny that, nearly had one yesterday. Turning right and pulling out on a blind junction, (on the brow of a hill)

Just...and litrerally "just" as I was pulling out I saw the roof of a car going up the brow of the hill probably doing 30ish (it is a 30 limit - but doing 30 up this hill approaching a signed blind junction is pure stupidity).

I jabbed on the brakes leaving me with the nose of the car out on the one carriageway (road was clear in other direction - thankfully). Car (saxo) flys up the hill past the junction with a twenty something girl yapping on the mobile phone oblivious to me halfway across the road (from her viewpoint it should look like I was pulling out infront of her).

The face on her boyfrined in the passenger seat looked rather alarmed - hopefully he would put her straight on driving with due care and attention.

Got me thinking....if the situation came about that I did pull out - she'd definetly hit me. Number 2 being the likely scienario.

Although, the clincher being - as I already pulled out, I would'nt have seen the mobile phone, or correctly observed the approching vehicles speed (because I couldn't see it).
So the most likely case would be the phone and speed would be "denied" and it would be my fault because I pulled out infront of her. My loss

Same case happened with my mate turning right on a blind junction, If he pulled away just that little bit faster the oncomming car would have missed and been lift in a grass bank! Driver approching the juction (18yr old) wasn't hanging about, approching a known blind junction (he lived round the corner) on a slight LH bend. He locked up the brakes (no abs - saxo again), and straight-lined into the rear corner of my mates car, giving a glancing blow, making the car deflect into teh grass bank by the junction.

Who's fault? Speed was denied. Both partied didn't want to go through insurance (previous claims - didn't want higher premiums). Eventually they came to agrement that my mate paid up for the damage (although liability was NOT admitted - on paper as well as verbal). On a technicality my mate was at fault for pulling out, but the other blokw was at fault for driving too fast for the conditions (damp road) and approching a blind junction. And also showing impropper control of a car in an emergency avoidence/stop procedure).

TBH if it was me, on that case I would have gone to my insurers and let them fight my battle.

Not much help on your case, but a little insight on other similar scienarios non the less

Dracoro

OR, given that you are approaching a junction (and probably seen a vehicle waiting to pull out or approaching from the side road) slow down so that if he does pull out, you can take avoiding action without colliding into anything. If he did pull out and you ran up the back of him, you'll foot most the bill as going up the back of someone nearly always ends up with you being liable. Basically, don't let yourself get into the potentially hazardrous situation in the first place. Easier said than done of course but part of becoming a better driver. Assume others will do the worst.

De Warrenne

Land Rover pulled out in front of me today. Emerged from (fairly blind) driveway on right when I was Ca. 75 meters away doing 60.

Serious ABS action, must have had 10 stabs to the underside of my foot, before making safe.

He should not have pulled out, I should not have been doing 60 (50 limit), fortunately my scooby saved me.

He's just earned the estimated £800 I'm going to spend on him on Thursday in the form of new brakes (disks and pads), new anti-roll bars all round and a little TLC to the gearbox to stop it leaking. Just hope the garage valet him as well

speedking

Defensive driving tips noted, but leaving them aside this thread is about illogical best options given that the unavoidable happens.

Dracoro, how fast would you be able to drive to ensure that "you can take avoiding action without colliding into anything"?

Clue: the answer is an integer less than 1 Similarly branches falling from trees etc.

All I'm trying to say is that the best course shouldn't ever be option 2, but in this day and age maybe it is

De Warrenne

Using your logic, if you really were too close to avoid it, you'd default to option 2

Dracoro

Of course speedking, if we overdid it we'd all travel at 1mph everywhere. However, we must make our best judgements and try to avoid getting into these situations where possible. Doesn't always work of course (some people will refuse to see a great big motorised vehicle travelling towards them). If I see a car at a side junction, I normally lift off, try to eyeball the driver where possible so I'm confident he's seen me, have an 'escape' route if he hasn't, honk the horn if need be so he does see me etc. Won't necessarily stop you having a crash but will reduce the chances of it happening.

Trucker Ted

Get yourself a nice 40 tonne truck,then you dont worry about the clowns on the road running into you

vindaloo

Depends on speed and road type, conditions.

My number one priority would be to scrub off as much speed as possible in a straight line, then hope that left time to think about other options. Too much chance of serious problems if lots of swerving is going on.

J.

Spoon

However much you'd intend to opt for the 2nd scenario now, I do think at the time, your natural reaction would be to take avoiding action.

Ali - I've been in a similar situation to the one you describe and your friend would be deemed liable I reckon.
I was a passenger in a car that over shot a junction only to be t-boned by a speeding drunk driver. We were sent across the road sideways to the kerb, where the car and it's occupants were launched upwards!! 1 broken neck later.

The driver of our vehicle was done. The drunk escaped the scene and was questioned 3 days later. Due to the nature of my injuries in particular, the drunks mates grassed him up but it was too late to do him for that. The speeding was not proved as he never really braked, despite witness statements from people he'd overtaked previously.