whos at fault

Author
Discussion

road hog

Original Poster:

2,626 posts

228 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
quick question (i wasnt there)

while reversing out of a parking space in a carpark , another car tries to squeeze past in the reducing gap ,resulting in contact,

rear bumper to one car

and rear wheel arch to the other.



?

mnkiboy

4,409 posts

181 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
Personally i'd say the car that tried to squeeze past is at fault. You've got to realise that a driver reversing out of a space has limited visibilty, and may not be looking in your direction.

Owl's have overcome this visibility issue, by being able to twist their heads 180 degrees. Unfortunately not a single Owl has ever passed a driving test.

Twincharged

1,851 posts

220 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
I would have thought it depended upon who was stopped at the time, and who drove into who- or were both moving at the same time?

kambites

69,455 posts

236 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
I'd tend to agree, it depends on timing. I'd expect insurance to go 50/50 regardless, though.

road hog

Original Poster:

2,626 posts

228 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
both cars moving.


if i see someone reversing out of a parking bay , i stop and wait for them to get out of the way,

i dont try and squeeze past.




but my opinion is invalid due to bias.

Jasandjules

71,020 posts

244 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
I have no idea how an insurer would view it but to my mind if you are reversing out of a space you are in effect attempting to get onto the "road" and therefore the vehicle on the "road" has right of way.............


JM

3,170 posts

221 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
road hog said:
if i see someone reversing out of a parking bay , i stop and wait for them to get out of the way,
If I'm reversing out of a space and I see another car coming then I stop and wait for them to either aknowledge me and give me priority or wait for them to pass.

However I usually reverse into parking spaces in car-parks, partly to avoid these scenarios.




kambites

69,455 posts

236 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
JM said:
However I usually reverse into parking spaces in car-parks, partly to avoid these scenarios.
This is the best way to avoid the issue entirely. Although it does make getting a trolley to the boot a pain in the arse.

I think the highway code would (perhaps naively) tell you that you should never park in such a way that you wont be able to see whether it's clear to set off again.

ScoobieWRX

4,863 posts

241 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
...and when exiting the space you reversed into that puts you facing forward so if a car is coming from either left or right you would normally wait for them to pass unless they stop and let you out.

I think initially in this case the driver reversing out of the space is at fault because regardless of whats coming he has to stop. He should also be looking everywhere to make sure it's clear for him to manouvre.

If however he is so far out of the space that any driver coming from the left or right would have to stop becuase they way is blocked they might be deemed irresponsible and at fault for continuing on despite the reversing obstacle that they have no way of passing without making contact.

skyline501

215 posts

201 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
Depends..

Were they two women?

If so the more attractive one is in the right.

Gizmo!

18,150 posts

224 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
Surely it was the woman's fault? wink

road hog

Original Poster:

2,626 posts

228 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
both women

car reversing ,had almost completed manouver..

2nd car had tried to drive thru a decreasing gap.

StottyZr

6,860 posts

178 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
50/50 I would suspect, because the car reversing out was still moving. The driver wasn't really aware of his surroundings by the sounds of things

kambites

69,455 posts

236 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
Surely if it had nearly completed its maneuver, the front side windows would have been easily clear of the cars next to it and she should have been able to see the other car coming?

GSP

1,965 posts

219 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
This is the reason my large workplaces specify that you should always reverse park... so you can clearly see when pulling out of the space.


durbster

11,269 posts

237 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
GSP said:
This is the reason my large workplaces specify that you should always reverse park... so you can clearly see when pulling out of the space.
I'm often the only person to reverse park at work in a car park of about 30 cars. I've no idea why - I much prefer being able to leave quicker than arrive quicker smile

Anyway, I seem to remember during my driving lessons that it's the person carrying out a manouver that takes responsibility. If somebody turned up while I was doing a parallel park, for example, I would have to stop and wait for them to decide whether to continue or not.

Applying that to the OP's case, the person reversing out of the parking space is more at fault.

However, in reality I'd imagine that's impossible to enforce so it'll probably go down as 50:50.

Also, my driving instructor was dreadful so maybe I was just taught wrong smile

Lemans Party

558 posts

170 months

Friday 3rd June 2011
quotequote all
The one reversing out is at fault 100%.