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AIBU?

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Original poster

Car accident - who was at fault?

296 replies

NCasOuting22 · 29/09/2022 10:40

I was recently involved in a car accident where 2 cars collided where the red and blue lines cross on the attached photo.

the left lane has white arrows painted in the road indicating to go straight on and has “petrol” written underneath it. The right lane also has white arrows painted on the road with “exit” written underneath it.

who was at fault?

YABU - blue car at fault
YANBU - red car at fault

Car accident - who was at fault?
OP posts:
Noteverybodylives · 30/09/2022 19:18

Even if you weren’t there the blue car would surely still be in the wrong as they entered a no entry road.

That’s like someone driving on the wrong side of the road but then saying you’re at fault.

I honestly don’t understand how they can blame you for this, maybe if you saw them turning and quickly sped up, but they were still going into the wrong lane.

StaryEyes1978 · 30/09/2022 19:22

narkyspirit · 29/09/2022 16:04

I would say 50 -50 on that.

I did have someone run Into the back of my car when I indicated left, wrote the car off. insurers said 50-50 as other driver claimed sun was in his eyes. a very detailed response went back with maps, photos plus a Bunch of calculations regards the angle of the sun at that time of day, position in relation to the road etc. his insurance paid out...... I had recently been studying astro navigation

The sun in their eyes doesn’t absolve them of responsibility what if it had been a child

AuditAngel · 30/09/2022 19:38

Has the arbitrator failed to realise that both lanes of traffic are heading in the same direction as marked on the road! It’s almost as though they have decided you were on the wrong side of the road so it’s your fault!

recently my husband had a crash, someone changed lanes to in front of him causing him to emergency stop and a motorbike crashed into his rear? The bike claimed a witness. I pointed out that the roundabout was raise so a witness where the bike claimed him to be would not have seen what happened, plus I pointed out that no-one stopped at the scene, so how had this unknown third party contacted the biker to be a witness. Fortunately our insurer saw sense and pushed back. Husband was found not to be at fault

Nurgleturtle · 30/09/2022 19:49

I had this exact same issue I was found at fault for them making a right turn in a lane clearly marked ahead only to exit, right lane for petrol was found at fault by insurance they didnt get any statements i had prior to this, sent extensive letters to everyone with all evidence, spoke to the police, they had to give a statement on the road layout and I took them to court was the only way 2 years after the accident I was found not at full and other driver fully liable, it was an absolute joke and i'm sorry you have to go through this but there is light at the end of the tunnel

surreygirl1987 · 30/09/2022 19:54

How bizarre! You're obviously right. So weird it got judged the other way!

Midlifemusings · 30/09/2022 20:11

Were you stopped as the red car?

So the blue car came around you to turn into the car park and then just as they turned you drove forward?

I am trying to see their angle. If you were stopped waiting to turn into a spot, they might have needed to go around you to get to where they were going.

thenightsky · 30/09/2022 20:30

The sun in their eyes doesn’t absolve them of responsibility

Wasn't that what Prince Phillip said? Worked for him.

Strangeways19 · 30/09/2022 20:33

Sounds nuts I don't get why anyone would suggest anything other than blue car at fault

CactusBlossom · 30/09/2022 20:43

Blue car clearly at fault.

PlntLady · 30/09/2022 20:49

Blue car. They should have checked their mirror and blind spot. They then would have spotted the red car and should have waited until it was clear.

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 30/09/2022 20:54

NCasOuting22 · 29/09/2022 11:35

It was on a supermarket car park and my insurer is requesting the cctv.

there was also an independent witness, who’s details I gave to my insurance company at the time, who has now been asked to give a statement.

I’ve told my insurance company that I’ll be taking it to court if necessary

My friend has just been through this. They had to pass it up to someone higher up the food chain.

like yours it was so fucking obviously NOT his fault! Plus in his case the other bloke drive off so technically a hit & run, but he got off with that.

best of luck!!

Dibbydoos · 30/09/2022 21:14

Def blue car, even turning into a no entry road in the car park.

Which cars yours?

Dibbydoos · 30/09/2022 21:20

I've just read all the posts and it's mad!

You have the evidence though so keep fighting, OP.

I recently got blamed when someone reversed into me when I was stationery. They said i drove into them, like you can do that with sensors screaming at you!

Think I got the blame mainly cos I drive a bmw - like your car marque makes a diff to who's at fault. The engineer could see my car was stationary from the marks on the car, but court didnt rule that way, wtf!

Sadly loads of that's out there lie....complete twats!

lljkk · 30/09/2022 21:28

Several official bodies who have heard full story from both sides sided against OP. Now if only OP would tell us what was blue car's story.

Anelson90107 · 30/09/2022 21:52

Deffo the blue car!
Firstly it's cutting up the red car from the left hand side and secondly, it's turning right into a no entry road that is right turn only.

Summerof22 · 30/09/2022 22:10

@lljkk , something I’m not clear about is whether both cars were driving alongside each other, like the drawing shows.

If that’s the case, it’s crazy that anyone would blame the OP.

so the only thing that makes sense for those that support the blue car is that the blue car was further along and decided to turn right and the OP came from behind and crashed into it.

its still wrong for the blue car to turn right, but it’s the only explanation I can find.

AlwaysAnonymous · 30/09/2022 22:14

Hi OP, I was in a car crash a few months ago where a similar thing happened (a car drove into the side of me when attempting to cross my lane).

The other driver’s insurance companies stated twice that it was split liability (it wasn’t) and me and my partner were also 100% up for going to court and fighting our case if it came to it.

Luckily, the insurance company came to their senses after my witness put in their written statement of what happened.

My insurance company said the third party insurers will have likely 1. Not reviewed any of the evidence before sending the split liability claims 2. Will have taken their client’s story as an account of what happened first (before reviewing evidence) 3. Tried to get out of paying more by seeing if we would settle for split liability.

We stood our ground and eventually they agreed it was 100% the fault of the other driver. They will try to get you to agree to all sorts of nonsense but you were clearly not at fault so please be stubborn and stand your ground too!

I had a witness, photos and police report to fall back on but no CCTV/dashcam footage which was awful as it felt like it was my word against the other drivers (I’ve since bought a dashcam). With your additional footage I’m sure the insurance companies will review the evidence again and come to a more reasonable conclusion soon.

petelacey · 30/09/2022 22:16

The blue car is at fault, however it happened in a car park where you are at your own risk. It's not a public road so you're on your own regards getting the blue car to pay you damages.

LimpBiskit · 30/09/2022 22:19

There's more to this as your insurer isn't going to admit liability for no reason and neither would the arbitrator rule against you if there weren't grounds to do so. What information are you leaving out?

Grrrrdarling · 30/09/2022 23:38

NCasOuting22 · 29/09/2022 10:40

I was recently involved in a car accident where 2 cars collided where the red and blue lines cross on the attached photo.

the left lane has white arrows painted in the road indicating to go straight on and has “petrol” written underneath it. The right lane also has white arrows painted on the road with “exit” written underneath it.

who was at fault?

YABU - blue car at fault
YANBU - red car at fault

Were you in the blue car 🙄😏
Sorry but

  1. both of the lanes the cars are in are straight ahead only
  2. blue car crossed the path of red
  3. the road blue was trying to enter is one way & not the way they were going to travel up it! No competition really blue has it for 3 😂
Grrrrdarling · 30/09/2022 23:42

NCasOuting22 · 29/09/2022 11:03

I’m at fault at the arbitrator found the other parties story “more plausible”

The arbitrator needs their eyes testing & to learn to drive! There is no way on gods green earth you are at fault unless you turned left & drove into blue car.

SnackSizeRaisin · 01/10/2022 07:48

StaryEyes1978 · 30/09/2022 19:22

The sun in their eyes doesn’t absolve them of responsibility what if it had been a child

Show quote history

Surprisingly and disappointingly, "I didn't see" is a defence and does resolve them of responsibility. Locally a 4 year old was killed by a van which ran her over when it mounted the pavement. 4 year old was on the pavement at the time (with her mother). The court found that the driver was not guilty of careless or dangerous driving. Apparently it's fine to drive on the pavement even if you can't see it's clear. Any pedestrians there are just supposed to take their chances. The law In this country is overwhelmingly on the side of careless and incompetent drivers unfortunately. We need an overhaul of the law with the expectation that the driver will take far greater care.

Kteeb1 · 01/10/2022 07:51

Ita a very unusual position to take when it's almost always the crossing path driver at fault. But it's interesting OP hasn't confirmed what the'plausible' other drivers story is....

Barney60 · 01/10/2022 08:20

Blue car

Oysterbabe · 01/10/2022 08:20

Insurers and arbitrators don't find someone at fault for lols. The blue car's version must be very different. Sadly it appears we will never know.