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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think I have no liability here? (diagram attached)

532 replies

WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 12:46

I think I'm fairly sure on this but can't stop panicking so I thought I'd ask on here.
Friday night I had a car accident. It was a real shock and it's only now that I've stopped to think about it that I'm feeling really really cross.
In the diagram I'm the blue line, the other driver is the green line. The thick lines show where we went, the thin lines indicate where you would have expected us to be going. Given that the lady tried to tell me she'd been going straight on when obviously she didn't makes me wonder if she had a mad moment!
Anyway, this particular roundabout leads onto a bridge over a dual carriageway. On the other side of this bridge you can go left onto a local road, or right to join the dual carriageway.
When we joined the roundabout, the other car was to my left. Neither of us indicated before joining the roundabout, however I did indicate left after I passed the 1st left exit as I was planning to go over the bridge and turn right to join the duel carriageway. As I was about to leave the roundabout the lady turned in front of me to head back round the roundabout and I hit her in the side of the car. Slow speed, maybe 15 mph.
It turns out that we have the same insurance company just to complicate matters.
I'm pretty sure that she is liable for this accident, what do you all think?

YABU: you are liable
YANBU: you are not liable

AIBU to think I have no liability here? (diagram attached)
OP posts:
Thread gallery
38
StressedLP1 · 30/06/2025 17:54

WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:47

It's a feeder lane onto the right lane going over the bridge

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Ah, I see 👍

Newusername1234567 · 30/06/2025 17:54

WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 12:46

I think I'm fairly sure on this but can't stop panicking so I thought I'd ask on here.
Friday night I had a car accident. It was a real shock and it's only now that I've stopped to think about it that I'm feeling really really cross.
In the diagram I'm the blue line, the other driver is the green line. The thick lines show where we went, the thin lines indicate where you would have expected us to be going. Given that the lady tried to tell me she'd been going straight on when obviously she didn't makes me wonder if she had a mad moment!
Anyway, this particular roundabout leads onto a bridge over a dual carriageway. On the other side of this bridge you can go left onto a local road, or right to join the dual carriageway.
When we joined the roundabout, the other car was to my left. Neither of us indicated before joining the roundabout, however I did indicate left after I passed the 1st left exit as I was planning to go over the bridge and turn right to join the duel carriageway. As I was about to leave the roundabout the lady turned in front of me to head back round the roundabout and I hit her in the side of the car. Slow speed, maybe 15 mph.
It turns out that we have the same insurance company just to complicate matters.
I'm pretty sure that she is liable for this accident, what do you all think?

YABU: you are liable
YANBU: you are not liable

Had practically the same scenario 3 yrs ago. It was easier for the insurance company to accept the fault i am afraid and they didnt bother…till this day it boils my blood

StressedLP1 · 30/06/2025 17:54

Shekoni · 30/06/2025 17:49

Ffs

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Oh do fuck off dear

Shekoni · 30/06/2025 17:53

TheignT · 30/06/2025 17:47

That is uncalled for. Wishing people harm is very low.

I don't understand why you asked the question as you obviously know the answer.

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To be fair, her aibu was about whether her thinking was right, and the only people who think she is wrong are the people who haven't bothered to understand the road layout or don't understand that not all roundabouts are the same and just keep insisting she should have been in the left lane or had to "cut across" the left lane to exit the roundabout.

Shekoni · 30/06/2025 17:49

StressedLP1 · 30/06/2025 17:44

Sorry if I’ve missed the explanation, but why were you in the inner lane when your exit was not past 12 o’clock?

Ffs

TunnocksOrDeath · 30/06/2025 17:48

Jonesboot · 30/06/2025 13:01

As you were exiting at the second exit, also it's straight ahead, I've have expected you to be in the left lane to be honest. But I think you'll be knock for knock because even if she was in the wrong place, you are responsible for checking that your exit is clear.

Not necessarily- there are lots of roundabouts on my regular routes where there are two exit lanes from the roundabout and both are lanes clearly marked (on the approach) to use as exit lanes. It depends on the markings and signs at that specific location.
I went through one this morning where there are no traffic lights, but the markings on the road clearly indicate that the traffic already on the roundabout has to give way - I imagine that one takes a lot of people by surprise.

Original poster
WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:47

StressedLP1 · 30/06/2025 17:44

Sorry if I’ve missed the explanation, but why were you in the inner lane when your exit was not past 12 o’clock?

It's a feeder lane onto the right lane going over the bridge

OP posts:
TheignT · 30/06/2025 17:47

WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:42

Apologies to those with wise words but I'm done dealing with the trolls.
Thank you so so much to those with industry experience, at least I'm prepared for every eventuality now.
And to those of you who are quite frankly being vile, may you too have a car randomly turn across your lane 😘

Thank you again to the rationalists with useful information and advice!

That is uncalled for. Wishing people harm is very low.

I don't understand why you asked the question as you obviously know the answer.

StressedLP1 · 30/06/2025 17:44

Sorry if I’ve missed the explanation, but why were you in the inner lane when your exit was not past 12 o’clock?

Original poster
WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:42

amicisimma · 30/06/2025 17:35

If you knew she was there, on your inside, and travelling at a speed that looked as if she would, or even just might, catch you up and pass you just as you wanted to turn across her path, why did you not slow slightly to make sure she did actually turn, ready to keep on round the roundabout and do a second turn if she didn't turn, ie if she made a mistake? It's up to any traffic behind you to be aware of anything odd happening and deal with it themselves.

Or, were you unaware of what was going on to your left, unaware that she was on your inside, and just turned anyway because you felt you had right of way?

Or, did you see her but insisted on the right of way that you were sure you had and expected her to take avoiding action if she didn't do what you anticipated?

Whichever, you drove into her not the other way round, which would have been much more clearly her fault.

Feeder lane. Look it up.

OP posts:
Original poster
WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:42

Apologies to those with wise words but I'm done dealing with the trolls.
Thank you so so much to those with industry experience, at least I'm prepared for every eventuality now.
And to those of you who are quite frankly being vile, may you too have a car randomly turn across your lane 😘

Thank you again to the rationalists with useful information and advice!

OP posts:
amicisimma · 30/06/2025 17:35

If you knew she was there, on your inside, and travelling at a speed that looked as if she would, or even just might, catch you up and pass you just as you wanted to turn across her path, why did you not slow slightly to make sure she did actually turn, ready to keep on round the roundabout and do a second turn if she didn't turn, ie if she made a mistake? It's up to any traffic behind you to be aware of anything odd happening and deal with it themselves.

Or, were you unaware of what was going on to your left, unaware that she was on your inside, and just turned anyway because you felt you had right of way?

Or, did you see her but insisted on the right of way that you were sure you had and expected her to take avoiding action if she didn't do what you anticipated?

Whichever, you drove into her not the other way round, which would have been much more clearly her fault.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 30/06/2025 17:33

WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:24

Short of stopping in the middle of that roundabout every time I use it just to double check no-one is doing thus again, does anyone have any practical useful advice?
So should I drive onto the roundabout and stop in the feeder lane to carefully check all around?

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Not all accidents are preventable - your question was whether you had any liability, and I expect insurance will argue that you do.

That doesn't necessarily mean you could (or should) have done anything differently.

whynotwhatknot · 30/06/2025 17:29

someone done this ito my fil on a roundabo9 not exactly the same but it went 50/50 even thought the other driver cut him up

Original poster
WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:27

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 30/06/2025 17:22

Why do so many people seem to be under the mistaken impression that I chose to drive into the other car. I literally had no warning of what she was going to do, I checked mirrors, where her car was, I indicated, and stopped as soon as she appeared. However by the time she pulled across me, I was already beyond the point where a lane actually existed to continue right.

If you stopped when she appeared, how did the accident happen? Confused

Oh for the love of all that's holy, are you lot deliberately misunderstanding? I averted a much more serious incident by braking so promptly and hard.
Don't know why I'm bothering explaining again but the two lanes are both feeder lanes. One on the left, one on the right. It would have been awful driving for her to suddenly swerve into the right feeder lane, it was infinitely worse for her to drive across the feeder lane at right angles to the traffic.

OP posts:
cherrycherrypickin · 30/06/2025 17:25

WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:20

Why do so many people seem to be under the mistaken impression that I chose to drive into the other car. I literally had no warning of what she was going to do, I checked mirrors, where her car was, I indicated, and stopped as soon as she appeared. However by the time she pulled across me, I was already beyond the point where a lane actually existed to continue right.
Similar to if you were driving down a road past a side road and someone drove across in front of you. You wouldn't be able to avoid hitting them, and no amount of awareness of another car sitting at the junction would prevent that.
If she had been changing lanes that would get different, but she cut across a feeder lane at the last minute! No way could anyone have stopped in time!

You might have been beyond the lane, but you were not beyond the other car, in fact she was already in front of you because that's the only way you could have hit her door. Where the lanes went is somewhat irrelevant for your culpability.

Hankunamatata · 30/06/2025 17:24

WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 12:50

Oh, and my car is apparently uneconomic to repair, so a write off 🤦

I think need proper photos with road markings to judge tbh

Original poster
WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:24

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 30/06/2025 17:18

I guess what I don't understand is why you keep saying she went in front of you when (according to your own diagram), you had to turn sideways into her path to exit the roundabout?

EDIT: I know that her lane had ended and she shouldn't have been there, but I suspect her insurance will argue that you weren't paying attention and just drove into the side of her.

Edited
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Short of stopping in the middle of that roundabout every time I use it just to double check no-one is doing thus again, does anyone have any practical useful advice?
So should I drive onto the roundabout and stop in the feeder lane to carefully check all around?

OP posts:
tumblingdowntherabbithole · 30/06/2025 17:24

WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:21

Because I was in a feeder lane and that's where it went!!!!!!!!!

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It sounds like bad driving all round, tbh. She was in the wrong place, you noticed she was there (stopped apparently?), assumed she was turning and hit her.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 30/06/2025 17:22

Why do so many people seem to be under the mistaken impression that I chose to drive into the other car. I literally had no warning of what she was going to do, I checked mirrors, where her car was, I indicated, and stopped as soon as she appeared. However by the time she pulled across me, I was already beyond the point where a lane actually existed to continue right.

If you stopped when she appeared, how did the accident happen? Confused

Original poster
WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:22

Kuretake · 30/06/2025 17:20

Your diagram doesn't match your explanation - how did she end up in front of you, didn't you turn into her side?

I was in a feeder lane. She cut across it into a hatched area for whatever reason

OP posts:
Original poster
WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:21

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 30/06/2025 17:18

I guess what I don't understand is why you keep saying she went in front of you when (according to your own diagram), you had to turn sideways into her path to exit the roundabout?

EDIT: I know that her lane had ended and she shouldn't have been there, but I suspect her insurance will argue that you weren't paying attention and just drove into the side of her.

Edited
Show quote history

Because I was in a feeder lane and that's where it went!!!!!!!!!

OP posts:
cherrycherrypickin · 30/06/2025 17:20

howaboutchocolate · 30/06/2025 17:14

It's funny because there's another trending thread where the OP is being slated for dangerous driving because she changed lanes last minute and caused the driver behind her to slow down to avoid hitting her.

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No one is saying that the other driving was amazing. Both are at fault

Original poster
WiggyClawsThe2nd · 30/06/2025 17:20

Why do so many people seem to be under the mistaken impression that I chose to drive into the other car. I literally had no warning of what she was going to do, I checked mirrors, where her car was, I indicated, and stopped as soon as she appeared. However by the time she pulled across me, I was already beyond the point where a lane actually existed to continue right.
Similar to if you were driving down a road past a side road and someone drove across in front of you. You wouldn't be able to avoid hitting them, and no amount of awareness of another car sitting at the junction would prevent that.
If she had been changing lanes that would get different, but she cut across a feeder lane at the last minute! No way could anyone have stopped in time!

OP posts:
Kuretake · 30/06/2025 17:20

Your diagram doesn't match your explanation - how did she end up in front of you, didn't you turn into her side?