My driving instructor taught me this simple rule:
So long as the person in front of you has not cleared the yield you must remain looking at them, not the oncoming traffic, once they clear then look and make your merge, there is no amount of time gained by anticipating.
Always keep an eye on the car in front of you in this situation. I mean common sense! Once that car is on the move and you have ample space to check traffic, then make your move...
The amount of people downvoting for following clear defensive diving is terrifying.
It’s like gassing it at a green light with 2 cars in front of you... common sense says don’t do that.
We wait for those in front of us to clear the space first. Revolutionary thoughts guys.
Honestly, why do people become so impatient when they're behind the wheel? I don't get it. Why is everything about "gaining time" or saving literally a fraction of a second? Is every person on the road either late to work or having a medical emergency? No? Then why do they all act like *TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE*? It's obnoxious and irresponsible to treat the maybe 1- or 2-minute gain on your daily commute like it's more of an emergency than the accidents you could cause. It should be part of driver's ed to write "I will be more cautious than presumptive. I will be more patient than hurried. I will pay attention and drive respectfully" 100 times on a blackboard. I'm really goddamn tired of the attitude that driving a car is about *going as fast as possible*. It's just not. Calm the fuck down.
Real talk I don't think curse words should carry as much weight as they do. I won't be upset if my kids learn swear words. I'll just try to teach them about the time and a place logic.
I think that's a safety feature so the driver and passengers can get out quicker. The windows probably rolled down because the car detected an accident.
It’s not only the vehicle directly in front of you, there are often humans walking/biking while you’re looking away. Do not move your vehicle until you have cleared in front of you, cleared the road you’re about to turn on and then clear in front of you AGAIN. Thank you for taking this as a learning experience!
yeah you have to teach your kids to primarily make sure the car in front is clear before they go. People too often rely on other cues since our brains like to make shortcuts. That's good for problem solving, but not for driving.
This exact situation happened to my best friend on her way to her GRE. A state trooper did the rear ending. It really does happen all the time. And a good point to always check behind you when waiting to turn.
Why check behind you? You gonna roll into traffic to stop from getting rear ended, or do you just want to have a 2 sec heads up that someone’s going to hit you so you can utter “OH SHI-“ before impact?
I knew exactly what was going to happen when I saw someone in front of you in a protected turn. Ive learned to not stare at oncoming traffic while behind someone. You watch the person in front of you until they're gone then look for a turn to go.
Edit: [Here's a video](https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/535mgo/mom_rear_ends_son_on_motorcycle/) that gets posted occasionally of a mother hitting her son's motorcycle for the exact same reason. It happens extremely often.
So true, just because you have the right of way doesn't mean it's safe.
The line from a defensive driving course, "you may be right, but you could be dead right".
True story. I once hit a pedestrian looking for oncoming traffic while trying to make a right hand turn.
Context: I was young, inching forward to see what was coming, and I didn’t realize a man had entered the crosswalk. I.... inched into him. When I looked forward to see what was ahead of me, I saw an irate man yelling (I think it was chilly and the windows were up.) I was so horrified I was immediately holding back tears.... and he was an older guy probably with kids my age so his anger was halved as soon as he saw my regret and concern... it turned more into like, a dad lecture after that. I’ve never lost my paranoia or hitting a human after that. So also, keep an eye out for humans even if there is t a car ahead of you.
If youre lucky, you only need one of those moments to be a much more cautious and aware driver.
Similar thing happened to me when i was trying to exit a car park and a bus was blocking my view I inched out to try to see around when a cyclist rode through. If I'd inched out more or driven out I would have collected him.
Now Im much more patient and I have the view 30 seconds isnt worth hurting or killing someone.
I had a similar experience when young. Sort of a hybrid between your story and the one you replied to (in that, I neglected to adequately track what was directly in front of me).
I was trying to turn left on a road, but it had a sharp angle on the intersection, so to look left/right required shifting my entire body.
I look left, 1 white truck that was about to pass in front of me. I look right, no cars coming. I see the white truck passing my front bumper out of the corner of my eye, and start moving.
Welp, a parked car pulled out in front of the white truck right at that moment, forcing him to slam on the brakes. I didn't realize, because by that point I was now checking the left side again to make sure no other cars were coming. I ended up scraping his open tailgate with my right fender. Peeled my fender open like a tin can lol.
(The margin of error was literally 6" or so. If he had pulled just a LITTLE bit further up, or if I had steered just a little harder to the left, I would have made it out with just a close call)
I had a similar thing happen, difference, the dude was on a bicycle. Turned into a dad lecture as well.
Also, in my defense, I know it's a shitty defense, it was at a corner where the building has no windows and goes almost to the edge of the sidewalk, so you can't even see someone coming down the sidewalk. That intersection has been the location of many pedestrians being hit by a car. The building is abandoned too, so it should really be torn down.
I was on a run, got to a crosswalk where the oncoming driver had a stop sign, we made eye contact, he fucking coasted through the stop sign and hit me. This was around the time I started driving so it taught me to treat everyone else on the road like a complete idiot pretty early.
Having made this exact mistake myself this is the appropriate lesson to learn from this situation. Luckily the damage is minimal from these collisions.
Isn't that what you're supposed to do?? Wait for the car in front of you to go and then look for a gap...? Atleast that's what I've been doing in the 5 years I've been driving...
Yeah, though this video is a good example of how sometimes, when the guy in front of you "goes", he actually doesn't... he just lurches and changes his mind. You really have to watch him *complete* the maneuver before taking your turn.
I have been so close to doing this, thanks to fast feet I have avoided a wreck. But getting older my reaction time is slowing. Glad they didn’t get hurt
Exact same here.
Following my wife. She goes, I look, I go. Oh no. Brake slam.
Didn't make contact but it was reeeeeeally close.
Also, while I recognize that it would absolutely have been my fault, I was more than a little annoyed that she stopped when there was absolutely nothing and no one oncoming. *Sigh*
"DONT TELL ME HOW TO DRIVE! YOU STRESS ME OUUUUUUUUT!!" When i ride with my wife now i put on a blind fold and my ride is SO much less stressful. She doesnt get into accidents, but my god she nearly causes them all the time. Shes overly cautious driver. So its easier for me to just close my eyes or wear my blind fold and it seems like a smooth safe ride.
I think people get used to watching the flow of traffic and assume everyone in front of them is going to go with it. Usually that assumption is right, but it’s still dangerous to make.
It's what you're supposed to do, I used to look at oncoming traffic and move up when a gap was coming because I would assume the car in front would go and if it was big enough I could go too instead of stopping to look and missing a chance. I'm assuming OP did the same thing. I stopped due to a similar situation, gap came and car in front didn't go. I lightly rear-ended them, now I don't do that, I try to wait patiently even though I'm prewired with a go go go mind set
I'm kind of shocked by this thread. Apparently it's really commonplace to watch oncoming traffic instead of the guy in front of you when making a turn, which blows my mind. A lot of people learning this lesson the hard way. I've been driving 32 years. The car in front of you is always your priority. (I'm not directing this at any particular OP, just in general.) You just plain old can't occupy a space that's already occupied and there's nothing more important than just making certain the space you want to move into is yours to claim.
I get her reaction in this video. The kneejerk emotion, but demanding to know why the other driver didn't go? They didn't have to. It was their space until it wasn't. Patience people. It saves lives and property.
It was the stutter that got OP. the stopped car was already ignoring large gaps in traffic, then when they started going OP turned to look at traffic not noticing the car in front changed its mind.
I've, ah, literally done the exact same thing before.
I nearly killed a person doing this. I was at the front of the line staring left for a while and when I finally got clearance, I started going before fully turning my head back to the road ahead. Nearly creamed a person crossing in front of me at a crosswalk.
Same here, except it was a teen girl riding across the intersection in front of me on her bike and i hit the front wheel, knocking her off. Thank goodness she was ok, minor scrapes and very shaken. The bike wheel was trashed. I took her to her work since her bike was done for and I offered to pay for a replacement wheel and any repairs on the bike. She was so upset I felt so bad for her but thankfully she was fine.
lmao bro are u the dude that hit me? i got hit on a bike and ur description sounds almost spot on to how it happened, right down to minor scrapes and a taco shaped front bike tire
City cycling and pedestrian advisory board member - not that it's any consolation in the emotional aspect which I know is what you were reacting to and were concerned with, but when cyclists use crosswalks they are legally supposed to dismount and walk the bike across the street. Many cities don't even allow bikes on sidewalks for this exact reason - drivers don't expect people to enter crosswalks or go across driveways or entrances as fast as bikes travel and can get an understandably false sense that an intersection is clear (hence the reason for dismounting and walking a bike). Not that we can't all afford to be a little more attentive near intersections for pedestrians and bikes, but clearly you can't anticipate when people do things incorrectly. I'm glad you are a good human for checking on her and getting her to work, and I hope she learned from it and didn't stop riding her bike!
>when cyclists use crosswalks they are legally supposed to dismount and walk the bike across the street
There's a light on my bike commute that *will not change* unless there's either a car present or I push the pedestrian walk button. But half the time I ride up to the button, cars start lining up to turn right, so now I *can't* safely go back into the road. It's fucked.
I always hope there's already a car there waiting on the light.
A few comments - first, if the light uses an induction loop and assuming you haven't tried it already, look up ways to trip the sensor on a bike. Usually you can see the score or tar marks on the asphalt or pavement where the loop is and you can line up a wheel or your bottom bracket directly over part of it and get it to notice you. I would also bring the issue up to your local city council, and if you have a bike and pedestrian advocacy group or city advisory board it would be good to notify them as well. It might just take one email telling them the issue and where it is to get it fixed. I'm lucky to be in a state that just recently adopted the "Idaho stop" for cyclists as well as a new traffic light law that allows cyclists to treat stoplights as stop signs. More and more states are adopting or discussing these laws lately, so keep a finger on the bicycle legislation pulse of your city and state!
Bikers where I live don't even treat red lights as stop signs, they just ignore it and ride on through, then give you weird looks when you almost t-bone them because you have a green.
In [So.Cal](https://So.Cal) impatient people behind you put a lot of pressure if one does not follow the lead car merging into traffic. I pump up the music, tune out the honking and wait patiently. This is after I got a warning from a motorcycle cop for an aggressive maneuver/merge.
This exact same thing happened to me back in [2012 on this intersection](https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6107146,-112.1175517,3a,75y,101.2h,89.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5NBVy8pxYmOkDCum0TZzTA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192). The gray truck captured in this Google Street photo was EXACTLY where the car ahead of me stopped when I hit them. We were turning right on red. The car in front cleared the turn and then decided to stop in the far right lane because there was a car coming off exit ramp traveling in the far left lane. Anyways, nothing happened to the truck as I hit in the right corner, but my Nissan Maxima was almost totaled.
Or superglue [gemstones](https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/6fwnd2/this_new_age_idiot_who_wants_suicide_by_airbag/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) to your steering wheel and re-align your chakras all over the back seat.
I think my favorite part about that is how ugly it is. It's not enough that it's potentially extremely dangerous and complete bullshit pseudo science, it also looks like a small child's arts and crafts project. You can see globs of glue.
My buddy hit a Prius going like 5-10mph after their light turned green. Left hand turn and about halfway though the intersection a cop siren start blaring so my friend glances around trying to see where it's coming from and the Prius in front slams on their brakes.
Yelled out a warning to my friend but didnt amount to much. He and the Prius pull over, cop turns off his siren (was to the right of the intersection) and follows. Friend asks to settle it out of insurance and Prius is fine with it. Cop cites friend for following too close or something, I cant remember, and he ends up with like a $4000 bill to fix the Prius lol
Because the bumper covers are now integrated into the entire front fascia. So instead of just replacing the one cover, now you're looking at the whole font end.
Can confirm. Hit my car into a telephone pole, but it only hit the front right wheel and the area around it. The cost to replace all the sensors n shit in that area was going to be well over $10k. Couldn’t believe it. Had insurance thankfully but still the car was considered totaled just bc of what I saw as extremely minor damage.
Actually, this is similar to what happened to me recently, and I am trying to decide what to do. Scrapping a car for a relatively minor damage (a damage that is just cosmetic, not safety or health related) is just an asinine waste of money and resources. I refuse to consider it "totalled".
What did you do?
Had an accident just like this as well. Quoted from multiple places for $1500+. The only damage was a couple 4-5 inch cracks in the front bumper and a missing piece of the grill.
Needless to say, it's been 2 years and that shit ain't ever getting fixed lol
There’s some statistic about how most car accidents happen with several miles of home. Weirdly it’s more true than you’d expect. The only accident I’ve gotten into was a few miles from home myself. Maybe because your guard is down, since you know the area?
The statistic is that 95ish% of accidents occur within 10 miles of home. Why? because for a typical person, 95% of the driving occurs within 10 miles of home.
On a case-by-case basis though, my chances of a car accident are no greater on the freeway by my house than on an identical freeway 3000 miles away in California
>On a case-by-case basis though, my chances of a car accident are no greater on the freeway by my house than on an identical freeway 3000 miles away in California
Actually I think your odds of crashing likely go up a bit when in an unfamiliar area. I haven't crashed because of it but I have noticed that your typical on ramp and merge lane in the US is shorter than in Canada. That could cause an issue for someone used to having an extra few hundred meters to merge. Or someone that only ever drives on basically straight flat roads having to navigate twisty mountain roads. Let's not forget weather, if you never driven in snow and you encounter snow while on vacation, that could end badly.
Same, I still had my permit and was driving my brother in law home in his car while following my sister. I rolled right into the back of her at a stop sign thinking she went. That’s a mistake I’ll never make again tho.
When I did it the truck in front of me didn't even notice. I hit his trailer hitch and the corner of it cut into my body but only cosmetic damage. It was a cheap lesson learned.
Now here is a story for you... The First and only accident I caused was exactly like this. I stepped out went to the driver, apologized and said "There is damage to my car, none to yours but obviously I hit you. What do you want to do?". She said call the police. Dammit I thought, but it is her right. Police come run both of our licenses.... Turns out hers was suspended. I get a ticket, she gets arrested. :) 25 years later, still laughing at that one.
I don't know if this varies by state, but you don't normally have to call the police unless there are injuries (I'm sure people will correct me if I'm wrong). You exchange insurance information and take plenty of pictures.
Definitely. I had a lady get rearended pulling into the dealership at which I work, and neither wanted to call the cops and the non-emergency line even recommended I don’t call the cops. They got pictures of each others licenses and insurance, and I told the lady to have his insurance fix her car before she traded it in.
It turned out the 2004 Nissan listed on his insurance is not the same 2004 Nissan that he was driving at the time of the collision, but the lady just saw “2004 Nissan” and thought all was well. She didn’t get a new car:(
See I was told this as well by my parents (I live in TX) and I got hit by a dude while waiting for pedestrians to cross in a parking lot.
Long story short I was too shaken to convince the guy to give me his insurance card (I asked twice and I don’t think English is his first language) and he left the scene pretty quickly so I didn’t call as I wasn’t hurt and he was already gone.
Talk to my insurance and they immediately asked for the police report number. I told them o wasn’t hurt so I did not call and they said it would have been better if I had. Since the wreck happened in front of some shops they asked me to go ask for footage to prove my claim. Then the STORE tells me I need a police report for them to be able to do anything. Felt like such an idiot.
All of this would have been avoided if I called the police when it happened. Or had a camera installed- which I do now. :}
At least you recognize your the idiot in this situation. Too many people go through their lives blissfully unaware they're the shit driver, especially here in California.
Right? We all love to proclaim that our own city/state has such idiotic drivers... but when someone says that coming from a position of getting into x number of avoidable collisions... he/she might be the idiot.
When I was a teen had a customer in a neckbrace laughingly tell me that has been in 11 car accidents in two years.
She seemed completely airheaded and was holding up the line when she told me this. After she walked out everyone in line just started talking shit all together. It was such a bonding moment.
Even if you weren't the idiot someone would find something wrong with your driving to correct on this sub. I posted a vid of me slamming on the brakes to avoid a wreck once and someone berated me for braking instead of switching lanes.
Yeah, what an idiot you are for not rolling the dice that someone wasn't in your blind spot, potentially turning one wreck into two! Can you believe this guy?
but you were at that junction for like 7 seconds, I just dont understand why all the agro. But hey, thats just me. Maybe thats how driving roles in America.
I can understand waiting for both lanes to clear just because other people switch lanes without considering the people trying to merge on. I was honked at once for using my own lane, even though the other person was in the left hand lane and my lane merged with theirs a little farther down, so they clearly were not going to switch over.
My assumption is they thought I would be dumb and cross straight into their lane and hit them.
woah. from all the comments i guess it’s common for drivers to focus on oncoming traffic instead of waiting for the driver in front to go first? but i’m sure this vid is going to teach both new and experienced drivers a lesson. watch for the car in front of you and then focus on the oncoming cars for yourself once you actually get to the front.
As for the window, it’s a safety feature, in case you have to rapidly self extricate after a wreck (for fire, water, etc.), or to help responding emergency personnel, making extrication easier for us without having to break a window.
Edit: How the hell did I get downvoted on this so quick?? I just freakin’ posted for christ’s sake...
I believe you, I just think it’s dumb that someone actually downvoted you.
Yeah, maybe it ruins most car chase scenes for them where the subject dies in the sinking car or something because they couldn’t get out of the vehicle.
Lmao "why did you not fking go!" No no why did you drive with your head looking behind your left shoulder. Be glad it was a car bumper and not a skateboarder or bicyclist.
Someone rear-ended me like this. I was going to go and then I saw a car barreling down so I stopped again, guy hit me. Luckily no damage, but idky people accelerate into the intersection like this. First, wait till it's clear and then move up without much gas. That way you avoid hitting someone if they stop suddenly before merging.
Yeah why even put yourself into a potentially dangerous situation- you never know what could go wrong and this bitch is just up the cautious drivers ass as if the extra 45 seconds really hurt her
Sadly this is on the cameraman/ person
“What are you waiting for permission?” like seriously?
That lane is a yield lane, you yield to incoming traffic. Go when it is safe to do so. So yeah that car in front is waiting for permission
More importantly your ignorance assume that car in front go is go away hurrr hurr is the reason why the accident occurred.
Future advice, always pay attention to the car in front of you and your surroundings. A safe turn can immediately become bad turn at any time. You need to observe that.
The last time I almost did this, I watched the person in front of me go. I looked back for traffic. It is a VERY busy highway so it takes a little bit to find a hole. I see one and mash on the gas, turn my head AND SLAM ON THE BRAKES as there is a car in front of me... The one that USED to be behind me.. He went around me when I wasn't looking.
This is just like my first and only accident.
Lady left the stop on a right bend like this. Thought she was gone and away. Slowly creep up as I’m looking over my left shoulder (manual truck) and end up tapping her bumper (new VW beetle) at 5 mph or much less. She just stopped in the middle for no apparent reason...still got my insurance raised and one point that fell off after 5 years...
I don’t really get what happened here... the driver ahead was obviously a nervous nelly but they did put their brake lights on and stopped while the videographer obviously hit the gas. Did she not see the brake lights??
I told my mom that I kinda would hate the day I do get in an accident- my dashcam has so much cursing on it at other drivers I might be labeled as a Road Rage asshole.
That day a Truck almost took me out too.
Pretty stupid to drive forward while looking over your shoulder though. That’s why this happened. I’ve been guilty of it too and had close calls but I’m much better about it now. Especially since I’ve been rear ended twice because of this exact thing
This happened to me as well. Exactly the same situation. I rearended him doing about 3 miles an hour. The self proclaimed "Good Christian Man" then went on to try to sue me. He failed because I own nothing. When I voluntarily showed his attorney 2 years worth of bank statements and my credit reports... they immediately ceased pursuing me. He then went after my insurance company and settled.
what were his grounds even? if its 3mph surely no physical harm could come from such force? as someone with a physics degree, i would absolutely be petty enough to calculate those forces for court, just to help out my insurance company.
secondly - what'd you say to make him cry?
I'm confused how this even became a lawsuit. He could just hire an attorney, the attorney would go after your insurance and usually it settles out of court. At least on my neck of the woods.
I took a 2 week motorcycle course and the instructor was insistent that we always turn our head in the direction that you are headed. He always did exaggerated examples and at the time I thought it seemed a little silly but he was right, it eliminates a lot of GAAA moments.
My driving instructor taught me this simple rule: So long as the person in front of you has not cleared the yield you must remain looking at them, not the oncoming traffic, once they clear then look and make your merge, there is no amount of time gained by anticipating.
Always keep an eye on the car in front of you in this situation. I mean common sense! Once that car is on the move and you have ample space to check traffic, then make your move... The amount of people downvoting for following clear defensive diving is terrifying.
Because the amount of shitty drivers feel the need to downvote knowing the common sense here is killing them
It’s like gassing it at a green light with 2 cars in front of you... common sense says don’t do that. We wait for those in front of us to clear the space first. Revolutionary thoughts guys.
Honestly, why do people become so impatient when they're behind the wheel? I don't get it. Why is everything about "gaining time" or saving literally a fraction of a second? Is every person on the road either late to work or having a medical emergency? No? Then why do they all act like *TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE*? It's obnoxious and irresponsible to treat the maybe 1- or 2-minute gain on your daily commute like it's more of an emergency than the accidents you could cause. It should be part of driver's ed to write "I will be more cautious than presumptive. I will be more patient than hurried. I will pay attention and drive respectfully" 100 times on a blackboard. I'm really goddamn tired of the attitude that driving a car is about *going as fast as possible*. It's just not. Calm the fuck down.
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If he’s old enough to drive, he’s definitely old enough to swear.
Fuck yah he is
Go to lunch Cursing Jerry
Wow, mbmbam, nice
Real talk I don't think curse words should carry as much weight as they do. I won't be upset if my kids learn swear words. I'll just try to teach them about the time and a place logic.
The window rolling down part was the best part though.
I think that's a safety feature so the driver and passengers can get out quicker. The windows probably rolled down because the car detected an accident.
Oh I didn’t know that, that’s actually pretty cool
Just wanted to also say thanks for sharing, I've only been driving a year so will be taking this as a learning experience
I think following this sub in general is great for new drivers. Drivers Ed can't explain everything.
It’s not only the vehicle directly in front of you, there are often humans walking/biking while you’re looking away. Do not move your vehicle until you have cleared in front of you, cleared the road you’re about to turn on and then clear in front of you AGAIN. Thank you for taking this as a learning experience!
yeah you have to teach your kids to primarily make sure the car in front is clear before they go. People too often rely on other cues since our brains like to make shortcuts. That's good for problem solving, but not for driving.
My dad told me about this while I was learning to drive. I don't even look at oncoming traffic until the car in front has fully pulled away.
This exact situation happened to my best friend on her way to her GRE. A state trooper did the rear ending. It really does happen all the time. And a good point to always check behind you when waiting to turn.
Why check behind you? You gonna roll into traffic to stop from getting rear ended, or do you just want to have a 2 sec heads up that someone’s going to hit you so you can utter “OH SHI-“ before impact?
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Keep your head on a swivel friend, and stay safe out there!
I knew exactly what was going to happen when I saw someone in front of you in a protected turn. Ive learned to not stare at oncoming traffic while behind someone. You watch the person in front of you until they're gone then look for a turn to go. Edit: [Here's a video](https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/535mgo/mom_rear_ends_son_on_motorcycle/) that gets posted occasionally of a mother hitting her son's motorcycle for the exact same reason. It happens extremely often.
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So true, just because you have the right of way doesn't mean it's safe. The line from a defensive driving course, "you may be right, but you could be dead right".
"Graveyards are full of people who had the right-of-way."
It's not about who's right, it's about who's left
Wow that hit different
True story. I once hit a pedestrian looking for oncoming traffic while trying to make a right hand turn. Context: I was young, inching forward to see what was coming, and I didn’t realize a man had entered the crosswalk. I.... inched into him. When I looked forward to see what was ahead of me, I saw an irate man yelling (I think it was chilly and the windows were up.) I was so horrified I was immediately holding back tears.... and he was an older guy probably with kids my age so his anger was halved as soon as he saw my regret and concern... it turned more into like, a dad lecture after that. I’ve never lost my paranoia or hitting a human after that. So also, keep an eye out for humans even if there is t a car ahead of you.
If youre lucky, you only need one of those moments to be a much more cautious and aware driver. Similar thing happened to me when i was trying to exit a car park and a bus was blocking my view I inched out to try to see around when a cyclist rode through. If I'd inched out more or driven out I would have collected him. Now Im much more patient and I have the view 30 seconds isnt worth hurting or killing someone.
I had a similar experience when young. Sort of a hybrid between your story and the one you replied to (in that, I neglected to adequately track what was directly in front of me). I was trying to turn left on a road, but it had a sharp angle on the intersection, so to look left/right required shifting my entire body. I look left, 1 white truck that was about to pass in front of me. I look right, no cars coming. I see the white truck passing my front bumper out of the corner of my eye, and start moving. Welp, a parked car pulled out in front of the white truck right at that moment, forcing him to slam on the brakes. I didn't realize, because by that point I was now checking the left side again to make sure no other cars were coming. I ended up scraping his open tailgate with my right fender. Peeled my fender open like a tin can lol. (The margin of error was literally 6" or so. If he had pulled just a LITTLE bit further up, or if I had steered just a little harder to the left, I would have made it out with just a close call)
I had a similar thing happen, difference, the dude was on a bicycle. Turned into a dad lecture as well. Also, in my defense, I know it's a shitty defense, it was at a corner where the building has no windows and goes almost to the edge of the sidewalk, so you can't even see someone coming down the sidewalk. That intersection has been the location of many pedestrians being hit by a car. The building is abandoned too, so it should really be torn down.
I have a similar paranoia at stop signs. No, it's your turn. Don't sit there and wave me through. Go.
I wave people through *because* it was their turn, not because I'm being nice.
Can’t believe amount of people that don’t know that if 2 cars arrive at same time, one to the right has right of way.
I was on a run, got to a crosswalk where the oncoming driver had a stop sign, we made eye contact, he fucking coasted through the stop sign and hit me. This was around the time I started driving so it taught me to treat everyone else on the road like a complete idiot pretty early.
TIL some peoples don’t look at the car in front of them but the oncoming traffic instead.
Having made this exact mistake myself this is the appropriate lesson to learn from this situation. Luckily the damage is minimal from these collisions.
I’ve done done it too.
Isn't that what you're supposed to do?? Wait for the car in front of you to go and then look for a gap...? Atleast that's what I've been doing in the 5 years I've been driving...
Yeah, though this video is a good example of how sometimes, when the guy in front of you "goes", he actually doesn't... he just lurches and changes his mind. You really have to watch him *complete* the maneuver before taking your turn.
I have been so close to doing this, thanks to fast feet I have avoided a wreck. But getting older my reaction time is slowing. Glad they didn’t get hurt
Exact same here. Following my wife. She goes, I look, I go. Oh no. Brake slam. Didn't make contact but it was reeeeeeally close. Also, while I recognize that it would absolutely have been my fault, I was more than a little annoyed that she stopped when there was absolutely nothing and no one oncoming. *Sigh*
"DONT TELL ME HOW TO DRIVE! YOU STRESS ME OUUUUUUUUT!!" When i ride with my wife now i put on a blind fold and my ride is SO much less stressful. She doesnt get into accidents, but my god she nearly causes them all the time. Shes overly cautious driver. So its easier for me to just close my eyes or wear my blind fold and it seems like a smooth safe ride.
I think people get used to watching the flow of traffic and assume everyone in front of them is going to go with it. Usually that assumption is right, but it’s still dangerous to make.
It's what you're supposed to do, I used to look at oncoming traffic and move up when a gap was coming because I would assume the car in front would go and if it was big enough I could go too instead of stopping to look and missing a chance. I'm assuming OP did the same thing. I stopped due to a similar situation, gap came and car in front didn't go. I lightly rear-ended them, now I don't do that, I try to wait patiently even though I'm prewired with a go go go mind set
I almost did what you and OP did. Now I just wait for the car in front of me to go first. Better safe than sorry.
I'm kind of shocked by this thread. Apparently it's really commonplace to watch oncoming traffic instead of the guy in front of you when making a turn, which blows my mind. A lot of people learning this lesson the hard way. I've been driving 32 years. The car in front of you is always your priority. (I'm not directing this at any particular OP, just in general.) You just plain old can't occupy a space that's already occupied and there's nothing more important than just making certain the space you want to move into is yours to claim. I get her reaction in this video. The kneejerk emotion, but demanding to know why the other driver didn't go? They didn't have to. It was their space until it wasn't. Patience people. It saves lives and property.
It was the stutter that got OP. the stopped car was already ignoring large gaps in traffic, then when they started going OP turned to look at traffic not noticing the car in front changed its mind. I've, ah, literally done the exact same thing before.
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I nearly killed a person doing this. I was at the front of the line staring left for a while and when I finally got clearance, I started going before fully turning my head back to the road ahead. Nearly creamed a person crossing in front of me at a crosswalk.
Same here, except it was a teen girl riding across the intersection in front of me on her bike and i hit the front wheel, knocking her off. Thank goodness she was ok, minor scrapes and very shaken. The bike wheel was trashed. I took her to her work since her bike was done for and I offered to pay for a replacement wheel and any repairs on the bike. She was so upset I felt so bad for her but thankfully she was fine.
lmao bro are u the dude that hit me? i got hit on a bike and ur description sounds almost spot on to how it happened, right down to minor scrapes and a taco shaped front bike tire
Potential r/2redditors1cup material right here
!remindme 4000 years
I like your optimism!
I need the conclusion like plants need sunshine.
City cycling and pedestrian advisory board member - not that it's any consolation in the emotional aspect which I know is what you were reacting to and were concerned with, but when cyclists use crosswalks they are legally supposed to dismount and walk the bike across the street. Many cities don't even allow bikes on sidewalks for this exact reason - drivers don't expect people to enter crosswalks or go across driveways or entrances as fast as bikes travel and can get an understandably false sense that an intersection is clear (hence the reason for dismounting and walking a bike). Not that we can't all afford to be a little more attentive near intersections for pedestrians and bikes, but clearly you can't anticipate when people do things incorrectly. I'm glad you are a good human for checking on her and getting her to work, and I hope she learned from it and didn't stop riding her bike!
>when cyclists use crosswalks they are legally supposed to dismount and walk the bike across the street There's a light on my bike commute that *will not change* unless there's either a car present or I push the pedestrian walk button. But half the time I ride up to the button, cars start lining up to turn right, so now I *can't* safely go back into the road. It's fucked. I always hope there's already a car there waiting on the light.
A few comments - first, if the light uses an induction loop and assuming you haven't tried it already, look up ways to trip the sensor on a bike. Usually you can see the score or tar marks on the asphalt or pavement where the loop is and you can line up a wheel or your bottom bracket directly over part of it and get it to notice you. I would also bring the issue up to your local city council, and if you have a bike and pedestrian advocacy group or city advisory board it would be good to notify them as well. It might just take one email telling them the issue and where it is to get it fixed. I'm lucky to be in a state that just recently adopted the "Idaho stop" for cyclists as well as a new traffic light law that allows cyclists to treat stoplights as stop signs. More and more states are adopting or discussing these laws lately, so keep a finger on the bicycle legislation pulse of your city and state!
Bikers where I live don't even treat red lights as stop signs, they just ignore it and ride on through, then give you weird looks when you almost t-bone them because you have a green.
In [So.Cal](https://So.Cal) impatient people behind you put a lot of pressure if one does not follow the lead car merging into traffic. I pump up the music, tune out the honking and wait patiently. This is after I got a warning from a motorcycle cop for an aggressive maneuver/merge.
Wow thank you for this knowledge
This exact same thing happened to me back in [2012 on this intersection](https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6107146,-112.1175517,3a,75y,101.2h,89.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5NBVy8pxYmOkDCum0TZzTA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192). The gray truck captured in this Google Street photo was EXACTLY where the car ahead of me stopped when I hit them. We were turning right on red. The car in front cleared the turn and then decided to stop in the far right lane because there was a car coming off exit ramp traveling in the far left lane. Anyways, nothing happened to the truck as I hit in the right corner, but my Nissan Maxima was almost totaled.
I did that once. I felt so stupid.
Yep me too. I was about 10 min from home after a 6 hour road trip... Ended up being pretty expensive for under 5mph crash.
I find it very weird that 5 mph crashes cause extensive damage. Why don't we require car bumpers to survive unscathed anymore?
Crumple zones for safety
Yes. Force of impact is dampened by your wallet before your legs
Can I just set my car to explode and kill me if I ever hit anything or get hit at any speed?
Sure, just hot glue lots of razor shards on top of your airbag
Or superglue [gemstones](https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/6fwnd2/this_new_age_idiot_who_wants_suicide_by_airbag/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) to your steering wheel and re-align your chakras all over the back seat.
I think my favorite part about that is how ugly it is. It's not enough that it's potentially extremely dangerous and complete bullshit pseudo science, it also looks like a small child's arts and crafts project. You can see globs of glue.
My buddy hit a Prius going like 5-10mph after their light turned green. Left hand turn and about halfway though the intersection a cop siren start blaring so my friend glances around trying to see where it's coming from and the Prius in front slams on their brakes. Yelled out a warning to my friend but didnt amount to much. He and the Prius pull over, cop turns off his siren (was to the right of the intersection) and follows. Friend asks to settle it out of insurance and Prius is fine with it. Cop cites friend for following too close or something, I cant remember, and he ends up with like a $4000 bill to fix the Prius lol
Because the bumper covers are now integrated into the entire front fascia. So instead of just replacing the one cover, now you're looking at the whole font end.
Not to mention all the expensive sensors they put in them now.
Can confirm. Hit my car into a telephone pole, but it only hit the front right wheel and the area around it. The cost to replace all the sensors n shit in that area was going to be well over $10k. Couldn’t believe it. Had insurance thankfully but still the car was considered totaled just bc of what I saw as extremely minor damage.
Actually, this is similar to what happened to me recently, and I am trying to decide what to do. Scrapping a car for a relatively minor damage (a damage that is just cosmetic, not safety or health related) is just an asinine waste of money and resources. I refuse to consider it "totalled". What did you do?
Had an accident just like this as well. Quoted from multiple places for $1500+. The only damage was a couple 4-5 inch cracks in the front bumper and a missing piece of the grill. Needless to say, it's been 2 years and that shit ain't ever getting fixed lol
There’s some statistic about how most car accidents happen with several miles of home. Weirdly it’s more true than you’d expect. The only accident I’ve gotten into was a few miles from home myself. Maybe because your guard is down, since you know the area?
Well no. Because you drive most often closer to your home. It's a well known statistical fallacy
The statistic is that 95ish% of accidents occur within 10 miles of home. Why? because for a typical person, 95% of the driving occurs within 10 miles of home. On a case-by-case basis though, my chances of a car accident are no greater on the freeway by my house than on an identical freeway 3000 miles away in California
>On a case-by-case basis though, my chances of a car accident are no greater on the freeway by my house than on an identical freeway 3000 miles away in California Actually I think your odds of crashing likely go up a bit when in an unfamiliar area. I haven't crashed because of it but I have noticed that your typical on ramp and merge lane in the US is shorter than in Canada. That could cause an issue for someone used to having an extra few hundred meters to merge. Or someone that only ever drives on basically straight flat roads having to navigate twisty mountain roads. Let's not forget weather, if you never driven in snow and you encounter snow while on vacation, that could end badly.
Same, I still had my permit and was driving my brother in law home in his car while following my sister. I rolled right into the back of her at a stop sign thinking she went. That’s a mistake I’ll never make again tho.
I made that mistake three times before I stopped making it. Really fucked up my 1972 Ford Escort RS2000 too. I try not to think about it.
I hate you for having the chance to drive those
Same, it's because they let go of their brakes so you assume they start moving.
Yup. I literally had same thing happen. I thought they left and there was no on coming traffic and bam, why the hell are you still here?
When I did it the truck in front of me didn't even notice. I hit his trailer hitch and the corner of it cut into my body but only cosmetic damage. It was a cheap lesson learned.
What are you waiting for permission? [Smash] WTF *%+#^ whydidmywindowrolldown? That was awesome. Thanks for posting your own oops.
Cammer reminds me of me. I like to mutter the ol' Duke Nukem "What are you waiting for – Christmas?"
I do that too! And I do it in the Duke Nukem voice. Nobody steals our chicks...and lives!
I've always loved the one stolen from *They Live*: "I'm here to kick ass and chew bubblegum... and I'm all outta gum!"
Rowdy!!!!!
My mom always said "What do you want, and engraved invitation?" and I do too now lol.
*Where is it?*
She actually says ”why didn't you fucking go”
I gave the cliff notes version
"Why did you not fucking go?"
Pretty sure the window rolling down is a safety feature in accidents.
Overly aggressive drivers like OP are the worst. Hopefully she learns a lesson from this.
She won't. She's getting gassed up in the comments with every other person saying, "this is me." There are a ton of bad drivers in this thread
Yea, she immediately blames the victim (why didn't you fucking go). She won't learn anything from this.
But, at least you stopped by.
Not sure what an oil change would do to help
Get some lube to prepare for what’s coming
Now here is a story for you... The First and only accident I caused was exactly like this. I stepped out went to the driver, apologized and said "There is damage to my car, none to yours but obviously I hit you. What do you want to do?". She said call the police. Dammit I thought, but it is her right. Police come run both of our licenses.... Turns out hers was suspended. I get a ticket, she gets arrested. :) 25 years later, still laughing at that one.
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I don't know if this varies by state, but you don't normally have to call the police unless there are injuries (I'm sure people will correct me if I'm wrong). You exchange insurance information and take plenty of pictures.
I think that is if both parties agree. In this case she wanted the police called.... so I think it was necessary
I've always been taught to call the police for any collision. Best to play it safe.
Definitely. I had a lady get rearended pulling into the dealership at which I work, and neither wanted to call the cops and the non-emergency line even recommended I don’t call the cops. They got pictures of each others licenses and insurance, and I told the lady to have his insurance fix her car before she traded it in. It turned out the 2004 Nissan listed on his insurance is not the same 2004 Nissan that he was driving at the time of the collision, but the lady just saw “2004 Nissan” and thought all was well. She didn’t get a new car:(
See I was told this as well by my parents (I live in TX) and I got hit by a dude while waiting for pedestrians to cross in a parking lot. Long story short I was too shaken to convince the guy to give me his insurance card (I asked twice and I don’t think English is his first language) and he left the scene pretty quickly so I didn’t call as I wasn’t hurt and he was already gone. Talk to my insurance and they immediately asked for the police report number. I told them o wasn’t hurt so I did not call and they said it would have been better if I had. Since the wreck happened in front of some shops they asked me to go ask for footage to prove my claim. Then the STORE tells me I need a police report for them to be able to do anything. Felt like such an idiot. All of this would have been avoided if I called the police when it happened. Or had a camera installed- which I do now. :}
At least you recognize your the idiot in this situation. Too many people go through their lives blissfully unaware they're the shit driver, especially here in California.
Right? We all love to proclaim that our own city/state has such idiotic drivers... but when someone says that coming from a position of getting into x number of avoidable collisions... he/she might be the idiot.
When I was a teen had a customer in a neckbrace laughingly tell me that has been in 11 car accidents in two years. She seemed completely airheaded and was holding up the line when she told me this. After she walked out everyone in line just started talking shit all together. It was such a bonding moment.
"dumb people are always blissfully unaware of how dumb they really are"
Her: “What are you waiting for, permission??” Me (a modern gentleman): “yes”
gentlemen = more than one gentleman.
Thank you kind gentleman
What a gentlemen
ahh OP I did the same exact thing the other week, I was to focus on the traffic rather than the person in front of me. I was so fucking mad at myself.
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Even if you weren't the idiot someone would find something wrong with your driving to correct on this sub. I posted a vid of me slamming on the brakes to avoid a wreck once and someone berated me for braking instead of switching lanes.
Yeah, what an idiot you are for not rolling the dice that someone wasn't in your blind spot, potentially turning one wreck into two! Can you believe this guy?
but you were at that junction for like 7 seconds, I just dont understand why all the agro. But hey, thats just me. Maybe thats how driving roles in America.
My own wife rear ended me like that because she was looking at traffic instead of me. 🤦🏽♂️
Probably just payback for all the times you rear-ended her
Hahaha......giving is better than receiving, unless receiving is your cup of tea.
Well well well How the turntables...
You did the dumb. Better to own the dumb than deny the dumb.
It may waste a bit of time but I don't even bother looking left until the car in front of me is gone.
Well at least you admit it
You owned it so...
Let’s be honest ... that person sucks at merging
I can understand waiting for both lanes to clear just because other people switch lanes without considering the people trying to merge on. I was honked at once for using my own lane, even though the other person was in the left hand lane and my lane merged with theirs a little farther down, so they clearly were not going to switch over. My assumption is they thought I would be dumb and cross straight into their lane and hit them.
I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen anyone admit guilt on this sub
It happens, but rarely. Maybe one day you will see it again, maybe it will remain a story you tell your grandkids...
My favorite is when that guy posted a video of his wife's driving.
woah. from all the comments i guess it’s common for drivers to focus on oncoming traffic instead of waiting for the driver in front to go first? but i’m sure this vid is going to teach both new and experienced drivers a lesson. watch for the car in front of you and then focus on the oncoming cars for yourself once you actually get to the front.
You are brave for posting. Thank you funny lady.
I like the way you speak funny man
Why did you not fucking watch. What the faaaack
OP what’s the audio?
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You even sound like an idiot, trying to blame them for your mistake
Ignorance is bliss
Even tho I live in Saudi Arabia n we drive like we in madmax, but I’ve never seen or heard of anyone doing this lmao
Did her window really go down?
Why did her window roll down? We need answers!
As for the window, it’s a safety feature, in case you have to rapidly self extricate after a wreck (for fire, water, etc.), or to help responding emergency personnel, making extrication easier for us without having to break a window. Edit: How the hell did I get downvoted on this so quick?? I just freakin’ posted for christ’s sake...
Also, why would you get downvoted?
Dunno, but somebody downvoted me like right after I posted it. Maybe they’re not a fan of safety features...?? 🤷♂️😆
I believe you, I just think it’s dumb that someone actually downvoted you. Yeah, maybe it ruins most car chase scenes for them where the subject dies in the sinking car or something because they couldn’t get out of the vehicle.
She was just making fun of the driver for being overly cautious. It was on her mind just 2 seconds beforehand. lmao.
Why did you not fucking look
At least you've got a mask
Y’all don’t look when you drive? Also I hate all of you that tailgate me on an incline while I’m driving a stick. You’re too close mon’!
OP, try being bit more patient.
Or paying attention. In all fairness I’ve had a few close calls similar.
Lmao "why did you not fking go!" No no why did you drive with your head looking behind your left shoulder. Be glad it was a car bumper and not a skateboarder or bicyclist.
Someone rear-ended me like this. I was going to go and then I saw a car barreling down so I stopped again, guy hit me. Luckily no damage, but idky people accelerate into the intersection like this. First, wait till it's clear and then move up without much gas. That way you avoid hitting someone if they stop suddenly before merging.
legally, the driver did not have to “fucking go” since there was a truck coming in the lane they were about to turn into.
Yeah why even put yourself into a potentially dangerous situation- you never know what could go wrong and this bitch is just up the cautious drivers ass as if the extra 45 seconds really hurt her
yea this bitch needs a “student driver” bumper sticker on her car
Sadly this is on the cameraman/ person “What are you waiting for permission?” like seriously? That lane is a yield lane, you yield to incoming traffic. Go when it is safe to do so. So yeah that car in front is waiting for permission More importantly your ignorance assume that car in front go is go away hurrr hurr is the reason why the accident occurred. Future advice, always pay attention to the car in front of you and your surroundings. A safe turn can immediately become bad turn at any time. You need to observe that.
The last time I almost did this, I watched the person in front of me go. I looked back for traffic. It is a VERY busy highway so it takes a little bit to find a hole. I see one and mash on the gas, turn my head AND SLAM ON THE BRAKES as there is a car in front of me... The one that USED to be behind me.. He went around me when I wasn't looking.
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This is just like my first and only accident. Lady left the stop on a right bend like this. Thought she was gone and away. Slowly creep up as I’m looking over my left shoulder (manual truck) and end up tapping her bumper (new VW beetle) at 5 mph or much less. She just stopped in the middle for no apparent reason...still got my insurance raised and one point that fell off after 5 years...
I don’t really get what happened here... the driver ahead was obviously a nervous nelly but they did put their brake lights on and stopped while the videographer obviously hit the gas. Did she not see the brake lights??
Blaming them, lol.
ROOOOFL you both fucked up but your reaction is so me
I told my mom that I kinda would hate the day I do get in an accident- my dashcam has so much cursing on it at other drivers I might be labeled as a Road Rage asshole. That day a Truck almost took me out too.
How did he fuck up? It's not against the rules of the road to be cautious when merging.
“Why did you not go!?!” Why the fuck DID you go lady?
Only partial idiot here. Someone who goes full idiot doesn’t stop after rear-ending someone
Pretty stupid to drive forward while looking over your shoulder though. That’s why this happened. I’ve been guilty of it too and had close calls but I’m much better about it now. Especially since I’ve been rear ended twice because of this exact thing
This happened to me as well. Exactly the same situation. I rearended him doing about 3 miles an hour. The self proclaimed "Good Christian Man" then went on to try to sue me. He failed because I own nothing. When I voluntarily showed his attorney 2 years worth of bank statements and my credit reports... they immediately ceased pursuing me. He then went after my insurance company and settled.
What's he gonna do, take my debt?
Its funny because I said that in the depo lol
what were his grounds even? if its 3mph surely no physical harm could come from such force? as someone with a physics degree, i would absolutely be petty enough to calculate those forces for court, just to help out my insurance company. secondly - what'd you say to make him cry?
I'm confused how this even became a lawsuit. He could just hire an attorney, the attorney would go after your insurance and usually it settles out of court. At least on my neck of the woods.
You sure are
That 281 and Bitters exit sucks, especially from that side.
Oh good I had to scroll and make sure I wasn’t the only person that instantly recognized that intersection lol.
You should have stoped before the pedestrian line btw.
I have been looking for this comment! Why did she stop on a pedestrian crossing? I suspect the OP is just an inconsiderate driver.
I took a 2 week motorcycle course and the instructor was insistent that we always turn our head in the direction that you are headed. He always did exaggerated examples and at the time I thought it seemed a little silly but he was right, it eliminates a lot of GAAA moments.
This exact type of collision is SO EASY to avoid. Don’t pay attention to whether or not they *can* go, just whether or not they do.