Petrol station signage & collision

[TooMany2cvs]

This is an advert on the exit from a petrol station onto an NSL A-road...


This is the front of a 2012 A3 which was coming out of the petrol station...


A £150 careless driving fine plus course has been proffered by Police.
The Audi's insurance has paid out (write-off) as an at-fault claim.
A compensation claim against the petrol station is being investigated.

Your thoughts, Gentlemen, please.

[MikeOxlong]

Should have been more careful when pulling out.

[mnkiboy]

I'm sure I must be missing something, but it appears someone has driven the Audi at reasonable speed to in to a large sign.

Thoughts: Don't drive in to stuff?

[TooMany2cvs]

mnkiboy said:

it appears someone has driven the Audi at reasonable speed to in to a large sign.

No, the nearside of a car going past on the main road.

The Police report that the petrol station CCTV clearly shows the Audi stopping before pulling off again. The collision happened at night.

[McWigglebum4th]

Audi driver at fault

However

Whoever put that advert board there needs a kicking for being fking stupid

[gforceg]

Unless the exit is on the inside of a tight bend then I'd have thought there was enough visibility having stopped beyond the sign (plenty of grass verge twixt sign and kerb).

Map please!

[Galveston]

Ultimately it's the driver's responsibility not to drive into the side of another car when joining a public road. There are no mitigating circumstances, however awkward that manoeuvre may be.

[Kermit power]

Am I missing something here?

There looks to be ample space between the end of the sign and the edge of the road to allow the driver of the Audi to edge forward slowly until they've got a clear view. Why is it the fault of the petrol station if they tried to drive off too fast?

What next? Should you be able to claim compensation against a van parked next to you because you can't see through it as you pull out of your parking space?

[pork911]

TooMany2cvs said:

mnkiboy said:

it appears someone has driven the Audi at reasonable speed to in to a large sign.

No, the nearside of a car going past on the main road.

The Police report that the petrol station CCTV clearly shows the Audi stopping before pulling off again. The collision happened at night.

Ahh I see, the old 'well I did stop at some point before then going on to cause the collision'

[mnkiboy]

Ah right I get it now, the sign is blocking vision of the main road.

I'd guess that whilst the position of the signage is potentially a factor, there's a metre or 2 of space before the road giving enough vision to allow a safe getaway. A driver would probably have to stop before entering the road due to vision being blocked on the approach to the exit of the petrol station.

Audi at fault, since they entered a road without checking it was safe.

[Riley Blue]

McWigglebum4th said:

Audi driver at fault

However

Whoever put that advert board there needs a kicking for being fking stupid

Is it any different from sight barriers at roundabouts which are designed to make drivers slow to a stop if necessary and check for approaching traffic before proceeding?

[dooosuk]

You'd have thought it would have been easier to see oncoming traffic at night...what with the headlights lighting up the road (doesn't look like the road's lit).

Sign is maybe awkwardly placed, but it's your fault and I don't think you'll get anywhere going after compensation from the petrol station/advert company. If it was that much of a hazard, a lot of other cars leaving the petrol station would be doing the same. I'd suggest they're not and it's time for someone to accept responsibility.

Edited by dooosuk on Thursday 6th February 09:10

Edited by dooosuk on Thursday 6th February 09:11

[All that jazz]

here. Offending ad sign is on offside from where pic is taken, car damage is f/n/s corner. Shirley if sign is the problem then damage would be on other side?

[TLandCruiser]

Good to see the uk blame culture is in full swing still! It was not my fault look it was xyz, if you don't think it's safe don't move, simple really.

[andy43]

Hedge owners throughout the UK are nervously eying up the Stihl catalogue and thumbing through policy documents...
Where there's blame less than 110% visibility there's a claim.

[226bhp]

dooosuk said:

You'd have thought it would have been easier to see oncoming traffic at night...what with the headlights lighting up the road (doesn't look like the road's lit).

^^ This. If the other car had its headlights on HTF do you drive into the side of it?!
It's a pointless debate as there isn't enough information.

But I'm sure we'll string it out for another week....

[davamer23]

So the Sign is in a stupid place but Audi driver pulled out when a car was coming, caused collision, deemed to be at fault, prosecuted and fined for not taking enough care-wants to blame someone else and recoup some compensation from garage.

Good Luck with that one.

[NPI]

All that jazz said:

here. Offending ad sign is on offside from where pic is taken, car damage is f/n/s corner. Shirley if sign is the problem then damage would be on other side?

I was wondering that too.


OP: Was the Audi turning right out of the garage? Always a dodgy manoeuvre.

[davamer23]

And don't call me Shirley.

[Bill]

TooMany2cvs said:

A £150 careless driving fine plus course has been proffered by Police.
The Audi's insurance has paid out (write-off) as an at-fault claim.
A compensation claim against the petrol station is being investigated.

Your thoughts, Gentlemen, please.

As expected.
As expected.
You what? If the Audi driver couldn't see they shouldn't have pulled out. The sign isn't particularly high or near the road, and it was dark so the headlights would have given another clue, so there's no excuse and you (your friend/relative) should probably be grateful it wasn't worse.