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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

people that do an emergency stop when the lights change are dangerous and wrong

417 replies

magrate · 13/02/2015 09:02

I drive for about two hours everyday for my new job. Have to go through over 20 sets of lights. So many people think that as soon as the lights change you must stop. Aibu to expect people to still go though a second after they go red?

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 13/02/2015 21:10

thatbloodywoman You appear to be under the impression that faced with this situation your husband made a well thought out and calculated decision to take the action that he did. He won't have had time for that, he will have had an instinctive reaction. However if he had left more room then there would have been no contact at all.

holdmeclosertinydancer · 13/02/2015 21:11

I don't think I've seen anyone acknowledge the other driver's partial fault. Sorry if I've missed that.

But if an emergency stop is performed for no apparent reason - and there doesn't seem to have been an emergency in this scenario - then that driver may be at fault for a subsequent collision.

TheRealAmandaClarke · 13/02/2015 21:14

Ah. Should have stuck to my plan.
Nite. Thanks for the chat.

SorchaN · 13/02/2015 21:17

TheRealAmandaClarke I think you have the right idea.

holdmeclosertinydancer · 13/02/2015 21:17

nicknacky yes, the DH didn't leave enough distance, but the other driver would have partial fault here for performing the stop without good reason.

Nicknacky · 13/02/2015 21:21

That would be up to an insurance company to decide if there was partial fault. But the fact remains there wasn't enough of a gap for the person behind to stop. A driver can't control any one else's behaviour, only their own.

As stated umpteen times, a person might stop for any reasons, some of which are nonsense. But you need to leave sufficient space particularly if you have precious cargo on board.

holdmeclosertinydancer · 13/02/2015 21:22

I'm not saying this is the case here - but you never know - some unscrupulous drivers have tried to exploit others by performing sudden, unnecessary emergency stops then claiming injury compensation. If you do it without good reason and you cause an accident then you could be found at fault and even prosecuted.

You are not automatically at fault for going into the back of someone.

Nicknacky · 13/02/2015 21:26

holdme cash for crash is a problem, granted. But if a persons looking to pick a driver then who do you think they will choose? The driver who is up their arse or the one that has left a reaction gap of several car lengths?

ThatBloodyWoman · 13/02/2015 21:27

I believe that is correct holdme.

Its a rule of thumb that a rear ender is the fault of the driver behind,but its not always the case.

It wasn't the case here,as you say.

But it can be.

ThatBloodyWoman · 13/02/2015 21:31

Sorry sorry,clarify that.
It wasn't the case here that the other driver was pulling a fast one -I'm pretty sure if that.
Soz!

PigletJohn · 13/02/2015 21:31

"It wasn't the case here"

how do we know that? Do we know what speeds the cars were travelling at; what distance was between them; how long after the lights changed did the leading driver brake; how sharply did the leading driver brake?

holdmeclosertinydancer · 13/02/2015 21:32

Exactly, nicnacky so the DH was also at fault for failing to leave adequate braking distance, but if the collision was serious/reported the other driver would not be looked at kindly either.

maddening · 13/02/2015 21:33

Sounds like you are too close to the car in front if the stop at the line as the light goes Amber - you should have ample time to stop if you leave the appropriate. Distance for a car travelling at 50mph - back off a bit - in wet weather you should at least double the distance you leave.

ThatBloodyWoman · 13/02/2015 21:41

Well,I don't think it was the case Piglet.
Only guessing,but I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Sallyingforth · 13/02/2015 21:46

Gosh is this still going on?

You have to drive at a speed and distance from other traffic that will allow you to stop safely. And that includes in an 'emergency'.
Anything else is careless or dangerous driving.

ThatBloodyWoman · 13/02/2015 21:56

But it was agreed on ages ago Sallying that people should travel at a speed and distance from other traffic that allows you to stop safely!

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 13/02/2015 22:09

"I don't think I've seen anyone acknowledge the other driver's partial fault. Sorry if I've missed that."

I did, holdmecloser, at 18:27:32.

Morloth · 13/02/2015 22:46

Your DH was too close BloodyWoman. It is that simple.

My dad taught me to drive like every other driver on the road is an idiot who is actively trying to kill me.

This piece of advise has stood me in good stead over the last 20 years.

OP you shouldn't be close enough/fast enough for the driver in fronts decision to brake to have any bearing on your commute.

FishWithABicycle · 14/02/2015 05:08

My dad taught me to drive like every other driver on the road is an idiot who is actively trying to kill me.

Absolutely. Assuming that the car in front of or behind you, or wishing to cross the road in front of you, is driven by someone with basic intelligence, sanity and sobriety is foolish. Accidents are very often not considered solely one driver's fault, because whatever happened could have been avoided if other drivers had been working on the assumption that something unexpected could happen at any moment.

laughingmyarseoff · 14/02/2015 08:46

Dear god, that bloodywoman is still trying to defend her in the wrong DH and actually getting he-who-refuses-to-accept-fault on? That's seriously defensive and still incorrect.

The law is the law, you could moan to your insurance company all you like, you'd still be the one charged and you're still going to close.

I really hope neither of you end up on the roads near me, I dislike tailgaters and anyone who can defend being too close is like my friend was, prone to accident and driving too close.

Agreeing with this My dad taught me to drive like every other driver on the road is an idiot who is actively trying to kill me. Everyone has off days and a result might do something stupid, we're human we do error, but they should accept responsibility and learn from it or they're subject to repetition again and again. And if people actively drive like a shit, they need to stay off the road and off the bloody M11 and M25 since that's where they all seem to end up!

laughingmyarseoff · 14/02/2015 08:46

that should be thatbloodywoman rather

madasa · 14/02/2015 09:31

Your DH was either driving so fast that an emergency stop might have hurt you or he was 'barely moving' so no emergency stop necessary...it can't be both!

Original poster
magrate · 14/02/2015 09:38

Gosh people should lay off her especially as we weren't there. For what its worth probably the blame is with both drivers. Its very easy not to be a perfect driver 100% of the time, although the average mn user claims to be. He might of been a bit close driving at his regular speed forgetting about dd and DW. But also lots of people make emergency stops in non emergency situations, even if you leave enough of a gap not to hit the car an emergency stop can still hurt with whiplash and so on.

OP posts:
madasa · 14/02/2015 09:43

Well I hope his regular speed is not 'barely moving'

madasa · 14/02/2015 09:45

Although on second thoughts......