Family Forum / Parenting / Mothers / November 2005

you didn't say were you were from, that's why I asked if you are in the US.

I'm sorry I was so bitchy ... I shouldn't have been.

Exactly my point .. there is no code for it ... but many many many ppl think
that it's always the RE'er's fault.  My point that it is not *always* the
RE'er's fault.
I got so sick of "He RE'ed ME!  It's not my fault"  I would hear that from
Insd. every day.  Another misconception is that he who receives a ticket, is
at fault.  That one isn't correct either, but a lot of people think it.
But again, this has nothing to do the w/ the OP's issue.  I know nothing
about that one.

Dorothy (bear with me here!),
   I was in a very minor accident right where the red star is on this map
(http://tinyurl.com/aoo74 - zoom in all the way). I was headed north east on
Madison Rd. and veered east towards Observatory Ave. (where the east-bound
arrows are). There is a yield sign right at the red star. The car in front
of me stopped at the yield sign and then proceeded. I checked again to make
sure the car in front of me had gone and that there were no cars coming
southbound from Dana Ave. and then I, too, proceeded. As I looked up, the
car in front of me accelerated VERY quickly and then suddenly slammed on its
brakes and began making a u-turn (it was obvious that the driver was
attempting to read street signs at the yield) with no turn signal or any
indications. Before it was even clear WHAT was happening, I had attempted to
swerve but barely clipped the rear of the guy in front of me. The girl
behind me then rear-ended me. It was quite an odd situation because a state
trooper happened to be driving by just following the incident. I don't think
we would have called the police otherwise. Of course he called for the
police. The guy in front of me barely had a scratch and my only issue in the
front was a cracked turn signal and small dent below it. The guy in front of
me knew that what he was attempting to do was illegal and knew that he was
at fault in that sense. He did, however, have the nerve to ask me about
where a certain street was because he didn't know where he was going
(evidence that he was lost, again)!! Oddly enough, he didn't even get my
insurance information because he said he would take care of it himself b/c
it wasn't much and he apologized a million times and blah blah blah.  I
don't think either of us were aware that you didn't HAVE to file a claim,
though. This then meant that I had to go to court (I was under 18) and
received a ticket as well as hiked-up insurance. It was quite a bizarre
situation because as soon as the cop was finished with the guy in front of
me he went to the first driveway and turned around and sped off (confirming
the fact that he was going the wrong way). Now, I completely understand the
whole issue about leaving enough space to stop though in my case it really
became a null issue because there was no way to know what he was going to do
with watching for oncoming traffic at the yield sign and the accelerating,
etc. I can live with taking responsibility for that, though. HOWEVER, I
think that the fact that he was, without a doubt, attempting to make a
u-turn in the middle of the road should have been taken into consideration
at this point. Any attempts I made to discuss this with the cop were ignored
despite me being completely respectful and civilized. Now, this could be an
issue of 17 year old teenager vs. old man driver and the cop just assuming
that I didn't know what I was doing. But, am I completely wrong to think
that the u-turn situation should have been explored? Even if it meant we
BOTH got cited. It's still frustrating to think about! Thoughts?

-Kara.

Thats exactly what I meant, Thanks Kara.

ditto.

come on, lets all hug and be friends and have a happy friday post/

chris also in oz, where RE is always your fault