Car accident.. who is at fault here?

[Greenleafants]

I am so stressed so bare with me. Going down the A1 but it’s a single carriageway and turning right into a little side road because I live there. I stop and start Indicating right as there is approaching traffic on other side of the road. I can see a white van approaching my rear at high speed but I still don’t want to turn as there is traffic coming very quickly on other side of road. Then I see a gap but I am really stressed at this point and I stall my car like an absolute fool. So embarrassed. Crash. He goes into the back of me and he was absolutely raging. His van is damaged worse than my car, I have some damage to my bumper but managed to drive home.. I’ll be found at fault for, won't I?

OP no one chooses to stall (I don't think...). We all do it or have done it.
My driving instructor told me to always assume that everyone else doesn't know how to drive and everyone is unpredictable. He should have slowed down when you did and waited for his path to be clear before driving straight on.

If it's the stretch of the A1 I think it is, there are always accidents around there due to road rage. Often idiots trying to overtake a couple of cars and a tractor, or swerving into ditches/bushes tryng to speed around those turning right.

I know it's shite, especially when you're a new driver, but try not to let this shake your confidence.

Of course they should leave distance and he clearly didn't but it's absolutely more dangerous to stall on a fast, busy road like the A1 than it is to stall on a much quieter road. It can cause a pile up and people are travelling much faster on that type of road.

It's also not exclusively in the north east!

It’s completely his fault. It’s not good that you stalled (but we all do it) and he should have been going slow enough and leaving enough room to stop if something like that happens. Call your insurance company, give them his details and tell them what happened. Do not admit fault, let them deal with his insurance company.

I was just about to say this. Quite a lot of it is in the South East!

I still stall sometimes, I've just got a new car and can't get used to the clutch. A few years ago I was behind a car turning from a side road into the main road, they stalled, I hit them. My fault.

Pile ups only happen because people do not use safe stopping distances.

You are thinking that he’s so angry because he knows he’s right, but he’s that angry because he knows he’s wrong.

Been driving 30+ years, stalled this week by accident. Shit happens.

As I understand it, if you hit a stationary car you are always at fault. Not your fault at all, and insurance will confirm it.

This. See it daily people sitting up each others arses on high speed roads.

Stalling isn't dangerous, but driving so fast that you can't stop and slam into the back of someone is incredibly dangerous.

Bad driving is nationwide. I'm in the south east and last night some nutsack in a BMW cut a corner entering a junction into a tight road with cars parked on one side as I was coming up through, uphill. He then decides to try to bait me into squeezing through the gap he left me. I try the first few feet before my nearside front wing got within a few inches of a parked car on my left, parking sensors screaming at me. I reverse all the way back down the road, nobody behind me and then said nutsack came barrelling down past me into the gap I left him, flapping like a chicken as if he'd left his oven on at home. No accident. No harm. Just a nutsack in a BMW.

so you were stationary and he drove into you? of course it's not your fault. 100% on him.

Not necessarily. The accident may have been contrived. You would require evidence though ie Dash Cam.

He's one of those angry, impatient drivers, nightmares on the road

Doesn’t matter. If someone brakes in front of you, even on purpose to try and cause an accident, and you hit them then it’s because you haven’t left yourself the proper braking distance.

It happens all over. I am in the East Midlands and have seen some shocking driving recently. Thing is most of it could be prevented if people have a little more patience!

I'm not going to lie, I thought the only part of the A1 that was single carriageway was between Northumberland and Edinburgh

I don't understand how he managed to crash into you because you stalled. That terrible driving on his part. He should have waited to move into the gap, but instead must have been like a coiled spring. He's the one who shouldn't be on the road. You did nothing wrong.

How far behind was he and were you indicating before you stopped?

He's an absolute dickhead who can't drive, doesn't know the Highway Code, and is an aggressive arse.

He is at fault.

I hope you're ok, OP. 💐 Don't let him knock your confidence. Stalling can happen to anyone.

The other driver in my case has ignored my insurers. And indeed the police call that told him to deal with the claim. Firstly he told me he was only going 10pmh then that he was stationary! What on the wrong side of a country lane in a blind spot? I did respond that yes he was stationary after he had written my car off! He didn't even hang around just handed me a business card!! Utter cunt... Meanwhile my premium has gone up as insurance class it as pending case....

Very similar happened to me once, except I didn't stall, I was about to drive out at a junction but hesitated (I'd barely started moving) as a car flew past super fast. and the car behind went straight into the back of me.
He was found at fault. I was told that 99% of the time they will be found at fault unless they can prove you did something absolutely, outrageously stupid. Which you didn't.

Anyone regardless of experience can easily stall on any road if you're stationary and waiting to turn.

Exactly this! Stuff happens. People walk out into the road. Cars break down. Tailbacks occur on blind bends. Look ahead, anticipate, adjust speed accordingly and be prepared to stop.