Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Who was in the wrong? (Driving related)

264 replies

PookieDo · 04/10/2018 09:28

Car A and B are driving down a dual carriageway that has a section of 50mph speed limit and the rest is 70

Car A comes out of the 50 section in the left lane and picks up speed, coming up behind car C still going 50. The road is pretty empty bar car B which is in the right hand lane some distance behind - at least 20 + car lengths who has also just come out of the 50 zone and picking up speed

Car A sees car B in mirror but due to speed of car C either has to brake or overtake Car A pulls out and overtakes car C quickly going back into left lane but does not realise car B is going 90mph.

Car B is very angry and had to slam on brakes although car A does not stay in right hand lane for any longer than needed to overtake 1 car

Car B driver flashes lights beeps horn multiple times even once has passed car A, then makes offensive gestures pulling level with car A then at the next roundabout opens window and shouts at car A driver for being a stupid ***

Clearly car B did not react very well but was this proportionate to what car A did, a normal driving manoeuvre making the assumption that car B was going around 70mph and therefore had plenty of time?

OP posts:
beachysandy81 · 04/10/2018 14:13

A and B are both at fault.

A for pulling out without checking properly/ being impatient

B for speeding (it is against he law after all) and being aggressive.

InfiniteSheldon · 04/10/2018 14:34

The thing is you want the arsehes who drive like B as far away from you as possible so don't get it their way it's never worth the aggro.

headinhands · 04/10/2018 14:52

You are a pair of idiots and should neither be driving if they can't control your anger.

My reading is that only fast car driver was angry.

headinhands · 04/10/2018 14:57

Op never NEVER post about driving on Mumsnet. The fast car is always in the right on these threads. Driving at anything between 60 and 80 means you're a danger to everyone within a 30 mile radius and should relinquish your licence and allow people with anger problems and poor road safety tonhave a clear run of the road.

MinecraftHolmes · 04/10/2018 14:59

Have you actually read the thread headinhands? It's not about the speed of the car that was speeding, it's about the car that caused another car to take evasive action.

There really should be a requirement for drivers to do a theory test whenever they have to update their photo licence.

headinhands · 04/10/2018 14:59

Car B shouldn't have been speeding, could've anticipated Car A pulling out and adjusted their speed accordingly.

Quite. Speeding is stupid but speeding and not anticipating people changing lanes and behaving as if it should be left empty for you is taking it to a whole very unpleasant level. Shame you didn't get their reg.

buttybuttybutthole · 04/10/2018 14:59

Car A was at fault.

headinhands · 04/10/2018 15:01

Have you actually read the thread headinhands?

Yes I have thanks. I've been able to imagine the scenario. I'm clever like that.

Original poster
PookieDo · 04/10/2018 15:06

I suppose why I posted is questioning my own sanity I honestly truly thought I had plenty of time, drive very regularly and this doesn’t happen to me

I indicated etc I just thought that as the driver behind the onus is equally on you to look ahead making your own judgement call of your speed and other road users

In my own option both car A and B are at fault

OP posts:
BIgBagofJelly · 04/10/2018 15:06

headinhands Almost everyone has said that both (or actually all three) cars were at fault. This is clearly correct from a legal point of view. Nobody has said car B was driving well or that road rage is acceptable. However since it's fairly obvious OP is the driver of car B most people were responding in terms of what car B did wrong. If another car is approaching in the fast lane too fast you don't overtake or cause them to take evasive action. You would fail your driving test if you did that. You should also have anticipated and slowed down as you approach car C so you weren't forced to slam on the breaks or overtake dangerously.

BIgBagofJelly · 04/10/2018 15:09

I indicated etc I just thought that as the driver behind the onus is equally on you to look ahead making your own judgement call of your speed and other road users

As a defensive driver you should do this yes but its not your responsibility - you have right of way and you shouldn't have to change your course due to another driver entering your lane. It's a bit like if you see some approaching a give way sign too fast you should be aware that they might not stop but if they don't stop it's their fault.

You basically should drive under the assumption that all other road users are idiots - that doesn't give other road users a licence to drive like idiots though!

Sirzy · 04/10/2018 15:10

Drivers who think clicking the indicator on means they can just do the manouvre drive me mad! That is to show your intention but not just a way of declaring “I’m coming so move”

Original poster
PookieDo · 04/10/2018 15:12

So are people saying that as the driver in front you are the sole responsible party in the event of any accident or incident even if the driver behind is speeding. The driver behind has no obligation to the road users in front

OP posts:
Sirzy · 04/10/2018 15:13

They have no obligation to let you in no and you shouldn’t just assume they will

BIgBagofJelly · 04/10/2018 15:24

So are people saying that as the driver in front you are the sole responsible party in the event of any accident or incident even if the driver behind is speeding.

The driver already in the lane has the responsibility to change lanes without expecting the other drivers to take evasive action. Just like if you're pulling out into a road or merging onto a motorway. Sometimes people are nice and give way but you can't assume that. In the case of a speeding driver you're both at fault.

DGRossetti · 04/10/2018 15:25

There really should be a requirement for drivers to do a theory test whenever they have to update their photo licence.

Fuck that. It should be mandatory after any second offence. At the offenders cost.

MrsBethel · 04/10/2018 15:26

To all these Highway Code citers saying it's Car A's fault, I don't think it's quite that obvious. Obviously everyone knows you shouldn't change lanes if that causes someone else to swerve or slow down. Duh.

But it all really depends on how close Car B has got by the time you've actually completed the manouevre to change lanes.

There is no obligation to give these Toad of Toad Hall idiots completely free rein of the overtaking lane.
Provided you're fully in the overtaking lane and up to the speed limit before they are closer than a safe cruising gap, that's fine.

So for me it's not totally clear at what point Car B had to brake - at or close to the actual moment Car A pulled out to avoid a smash (Car A's fault) or a bit later after their stupid speed pulled them within a safe gap (Car B's fault).

Sidge · 04/10/2018 15:27

Given that Driver A couldn’t safely judge the speed of car C to allow for overtaking safely I would take his or her assessment of Driver Bs speed with a pinch of salt.

Basically Driver A wasn’t aware of the traffic around him or her to allow changes in lane; if the choice was either “slam on the brakes to avoid going into the back of Car C or pull out and make Car B brake hard” then Driver A is utterly wrong. Driver A should have anticipated Driver B accelerating as the speed limit changed from 50 to 70mph.

Driver B shouldn’t have been verbally aggressive but it’s pretty scary when someone forces you to brake hard or make an unexpected manoeuvre and other people’s driving often infuriates me. I wouldn’t hurl abuse at them at a roundabout but I’d be really pissed off that they put me at risk because they’re a shit driver.

mum11970 · 04/10/2018 15:32

Car B seems to be a bit crap at judging the speeds of other road users.

Kardashianlove · 04/10/2018 15:35

So are people saying that as the driver in front you are the sole responsible party in the event of any accident or incident even if the driver behind is speeding. The driver behind has no obligation to the road users in front

It’s not a case of the driver infront/behind. The driver in the right hand lane is established in that lane and has right of way.

You are making a manoeuvre to change lanes. It is your responsibility to ensure it is safe to make that manoeuvre. The driver in the right hand lane has no obligation to let you in.

In the event of an accident you would most likely be held fully at fault. If in the very rare instance there is evidence the driver is speeding then they may have a small amount of contributory negligence but you would more than likely hold the majority of the blame.

Even if you can prove speed, in cases like this it wouldn’t necessarily mean the driver in the right hand lane is even partially at fault as if it’s a straight stretch of road, there is no reason you couldn’t judge their speed and that you didn’t have enough time to safely make your manoeuvre. So speed in this case is unlikely to be a contributing factor.

mum11970 · 04/10/2018 15:35

The car behind is solely responsible not to hit any car in front. There is no negotiation with this in terms of fault. It is always, without fail, the fault of the driver behind if he hits the car in front.

Sirzy · 04/10/2018 15:37

Not if someone drives into your lane it’s not mum then it is the fault of the driver who pulled into the lane when it wasn’t safe to do so

ShotsFired · 04/10/2018 15:39

Car A should have checked her mirror, seen the car, then checked again a second or two later and would then have realised B was travelling a lot faster than A (it would have been a lot closer)

Not to mention the all-important "lifesaver" check over your shoulder just before you go.

It's called that for a very good reason.

Labmum · 04/10/2018 15:41

Obviously car A was in the wrong.....didn't they realise that car B owns lane 2 and that lane 2 exists solely for car Bs use!

In reality badly judged by car A but way OTT and frankly dangerous reaction from car B. I actually think car B shouldn't be allowed to drive when they have such clear anger issues.

Kardashianlove · 04/10/2018 15:41

The car behind is solely responsible not to hit any car in front. There is no negotiation with this in terms of fault. It is always, without fail, the fault of the driver behind if he hits the car in front.

This isn’t true at all. Hitting someone from behind is completely different circumstances from someone changing lanes! There are lots of circumstances where you would not be liable for hitting someone in the rear, for example if someone pulled from a side road into your path, changes lanes into your path etc.

Swipe left for the next trending thread