Who would be in the poo poo question...
Discussion
Hers.
The reason being that you had begun to enter the lane. The nice lady clearly had not seen you and her driving caused you to alter course and or speed to avoid a collision.
If you had met there may have been a 'who was there first' discussion, however, as she hadn't seen you - which suggests she may have only used her mirror if that, you would have had the advantage of seeing her carry out the change of course.
It would be difficult for her to explain your presence, and all the rules of the road say keep left which is where you should have been moving to if the lane was clear.
So, even though you didn't 'meet' in person, she still may have driven without reasonable consideration for another road user.
ps I am not a cop.
The reason being that you had begun to enter the lane. The nice lady clearly had not seen you and her driving caused you to alter course and or speed to avoid a collision.
If you had met there may have been a 'who was there first' discussion, however, as she hadn't seen you - which suggests she may have only used her mirror if that, you would have had the advantage of seeing her carry out the change of course.
It would be difficult for her to explain your presence, and all the rules of the road say keep left which is where you should have been moving to if the lane was clear.
So, even though you didn't 'meet' in person, she still may have driven without reasonable consideration for another road user.
ps I am not a cop.
This manoeuvre is one the most hazardous on the road, IMHO. It becomes even more so on roads with more than three lanes per carriageway because what little lane sense that drivers have on three lane roads, seems to desert them totally of four lane roads - see the M40 J1 to J3 as a classic example. In this case I would say that it behoves both to take particular care because of the inherent risk in the action, but the car that was ahead on the road has a degree of priority I would have said.
Who would be to blame would be entirely academic, as she would argue 'till blue in the face one thing, as would you, and if you are lucky she would have insurance and you could have a 50-50 split.
(In my experience, it's not a case of who is at fault, but who shouts loudest and who gives up first.)
Oli.
(In my experience, it's not a case of who is at fault, but who shouts loudest and who gives up first.)
Oli.
motco said:There's no problem with this section of road at all! Everyone stays in the outside 3 lanes and treats it like a normal motorway...
This manoeuvre is one the most hazardous on the road, IMHO. It becomes even more so on roads with more than three lanes per carriageway because what little lane sense that drivers have on three lane roads, seems to desert them totally of four lane roads - see the M40 J1 to J3 as a classic example. In this case I would say that it behoves both to take particular care because of the inherent risk in the action, but the car that was ahead on the road has a degree of priority I would have said.
Until it's time to join the M25, when there's one almighty scramble for lane 1
pwig said:
Coming back along the motorway today, I was in lane 3 and the car beside me was in lane 1...
I had been indicating left.. got half way across and the woman in lane one moved to go into the lane too! I quickly went back to lane 3.
If we had met, whos fault would it have been?
I like to take full responsibility for anything that happens. If such an incident involved me, I would say it was my fault for not anticipating the problem before it happened.
There's no reason to move from L3 to L2 alongside an L1 vehicle. It's better to wait a couple of senconds until you're clear of other vehicles before you change lane.
It helps when you maintain a modest speed differential from other vehicles - you won't be alongside for more than a couple of seconds. In heavy traffic when you may not be able to maintain a speed differential it's best to make sure there's a stagger - don't drive alongside another vehicle - drive alongside a gap between vehciles. And yes - as you have found - that applies to both L1 and L2 if you are in L3.
In the event of an accident it would probably be judged 50/50. But that shouldn't stop you from driving in such a way that it simply can't happen.
Best Regards,
Paul Smith
Safe Speed
www.safespeed.org.uk
) and she pulled out on you, provided no witnesses come forward and it's not on CCTV... 
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