Merging into one lane accident
Discussion
So this morning, was traveling to work as usual.
Get to the traffic lights that are red, where the two lanes go into one ,I'm the third car to arrive (blue), with a car already both in the left and right lane. A fourth vehicle (green) arrives in the left lane, towing a trailer.
We pull away and the car in front of me (in the right hand lane) merges first, with the car in the left lane merging next. I go to follow and am almost an entire car length ahead of the vehicle (green) and go to merge; as I do so the vehicle (green) hits the accelerator with his vehicle making it through but their trailer (which is greater that the width of the towing vehicle) impacts on the front passenger side of my car (blue) where I'm positioned to merge. By this point I had slammed on the brakes so was almost stationary.
They stopped, and there argument was that as I was in the filter lane it was entirely my fault. Just looking for some advice on this.
It won't be going through insurance as it's an older car that's just used to commute to work in, however the damage was quite deep scratches and dents to the front passenger side and had to have the wheel replaced which had a massive tear in.
Get to the traffic lights that are red, where the two lanes go into one ,I'm the third car to arrive (blue), with a car already both in the left and right lane. A fourth vehicle (green) arrives in the left lane, towing a trailer.
We pull away and the car in front of me (in the right hand lane) merges first, with the car in the left lane merging next. I go to follow and am almost an entire car length ahead of the vehicle (green) and go to merge; as I do so the vehicle (green) hits the accelerator with his vehicle making it through but their trailer (which is greater that the width of the towing vehicle) impacts on the front passenger side of my car (blue) where I'm positioned to merge. By this point I had slammed on the brakes so was almost stationary.
They stopped, and there argument was that as I was in the filter lane it was entirely my fault. Just looking for some advice on this.
It won't be going through insurance as it's an older car that's just used to commute to work in, however the damage was quite deep scratches and dents to the front passenger side and had to have the wheel replaced which had a massive tear in.
I was, I had checked in my wing mirror and was almost the entire length of my car in front. He even admitted this but simply said that as I was in the filter lane it was my fault entirely, must admit it did cause me to question myself for a minute or two.
Lesson learnt to drive a bit more defensively especially when merging, oh and getting round to installing the dash cam that's been sitting on the office desk for the past few months.
Lesson learnt to drive a bit more defensively especially when merging, oh and getting round to installing the dash cam that's been sitting on the office desk for the past few months.
Greengecko said:
I was, I had checked in my wing mirror and was almost the entire length of my car in front. He even admitted this but simply said that as I was in the filter lane it was my fault entirely, must admit it did cause me to question myself for a minute or two.
Lesson learnt to drive a bit more defensively especially when merging, oh and getting round to installing the dash cam that's been sitting on the office desk for the past few months.
In your first post you said I am almost an entire car length ahead of the vehicle and you repeated it on this post as well.I dont think that is a big enough gap to move into,it should have been two car lengths to move into safely.Lesson learnt to drive a bit more defensively especially when merging, oh and getting round to installing the dash cam that's been sitting on the office desk for the past few months.
Yes you should have booted it to be first to merge or take it carefully as it seams the sort of place that if a car is behind another in the nearside lane may not know that the road merges ahead.
btcc123 said:
In your first post you said I am almost an entire car length ahead of the vehicle and you repeated it on this post as well.I dont think that is a big enough gap to move into,it should have been two car lengths to move into safely.
Yes you should have booted it to be first to merge or take it carefully as it seams the sort of place that if a car is behind another in the nearside lane may not know that the road merges ahead.
Of course, completely agree it needs to be more than a car length to move into. We had both just pulled away at a steady pace before he hit the accelerator, he admitted he had seen me in front but as he believed I was in a filter lane, simply said that he had right of way at the merge Yes you should have booted it to be first to merge or take it carefully as it seams the sort of place that if a car is behind another in the nearside lane may not know that the road merges ahead.
Greengecko said:
btcc123 said:
In your first post you said I am almost an entire car length ahead of the vehicle and you repeated it on this post as well.I dont think that is a big enough gap to move into,it should have been two car lengths to move into safely.
Yes you should have booted it to be first to merge or take it carefully as it seams the sort of place that if a car is behind another in the nearside lane may not know that the road merges ahead.
Of course, completely agree it needs to be more than a car length to move into. We had both just pulled away at a steady pace before he hit the accelerator, he admitted he had seen me in front but as he believed I was in a filter lane, simply said that he had right of way at the merge Yes you should have booted it to be first to merge or take it carefully as it seams the sort of place that if a car is behind another in the nearside lane may not know that the road merges ahead.
I guess it is easy to have an accident when you least expect it.As you said you are not going through the insurance I hope there is not too much damage to the trailer and your car and just have to put it down to one of those things.Good luck.
Sorry, just so we have this clear. Are you saying a defender towing a trailer out accelerated you, or in a way that caught you by surprise......
There not exactly known for their turn of speed, even less so when towing a ton of trailer.
As for the accident, 50/50 is probably the best you could hope for.
There not exactly known for their turn of speed, even less so when towing a ton of trailer.
As for the accident, 50/50 is probably the best you could hope for.
MrBarry123 said:
If you were in front by a good margin as you say, the driver of the Defender is a for accelerating and effectively blocking your path.
This. If you are in front at a merge you have priority. Claim off his insurance as he hit you from behind (with trailer) when you were stationary.
I would have assertively closed the door on him as soon as he accelerated.
Good luck, though! It won't be easy for you!
KrazyIvan said:
Sorry, just so we have this clear. Are you saying a defender towing a trailer out accelerated you, or in a way that caught you by surprise......
There not exactly known for their turn of speed, even less so when towing a ton of trailer.
As for the accident, 50/50 is probably the best you could hope for.
Not really, no.There not exactly known for their turn of speed, even less so when towing a ton of trailer.
As for the accident, 50/50 is probably the best you could hope for.
Pulled away at a steady pace, got to the point in the diagram where I was car length in front, and was about to start the merge. They sped up, and as I saw it emerging in the corner of my eye, braked. Defender moved slightly further to the left and touched the grass verge, but the trailer flare hit the front passenger side.
and while this might sound like freewibbler nonsense becasue of the nautical connection there really needs to be a motoring equivalent of 'mast abeam' in the racing rules of Sailing - which once you've established a good overlap you have the right of way and the vessel being passed can;t attempt to prevent from passing
How did his trailer hit the front of your car? Were you stationary and skewed across the road?
Why did you slam on your brakes?
Did he close the gap or did the cars infront not pull away leaving you a space to zoom into?
'almost an entire car length ahead of the vehicle' - from your picture that's nose to nose and your rear is not clear of the front of his car. Is this right or do you mean between the rear of your car and the front of his is a whole car length. Going into his lane if there is an overlap is going to cause an accident as you've just cut them up
Why did you slam on your brakes?
Did he close the gap or did the cars infront not pull away leaving you a space to zoom into?
'almost an entire car length ahead of the vehicle' - from your picture that's nose to nose and your rear is not clear of the front of his car. Is this right or do you mean between the rear of your car and the front of his is a whole car length. Going into his lane if there is an overlap is going to cause an accident as you've just cut them up
Edited by Jonsv8 on Thursday 2nd April 06:51
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