Minor RTC on lane merging to left

AdrianC

Tok3d wrote: »

he had sped up and was parallel with my car, myself and my girlfriend said what the hell is he doing, I thought he was trying to intimidate me so I just continued on at 30mph in my lane.

Can you see where you might have made a wiser decision here? 50/50, for sure.

Strider590

Sounds to me like a typical "race for the merge point", utterly stupid and pointless.

Tok3d

bod1467 wrote: »

Can you link to a Google map of the location? (post it without the http part, just start it as /maps.google.co.uk/.... etc.) ... I'm struggling to picture how the right hand lane is a merge lane. Is it sort of like a dual carriageway becoming single carriageway?

But I agree with others above - it'll be 50:50 ... You are not blameless as you passed on the left.

google.co.uk/maps/place/51°26'40.7"N+3°11'56.0"W/@51.444651,-3.198877,259m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

sinizterguy

Technically, you should inform your insurance, regardless of whether it is being sorted through them or not.

In reality, you are going to be a lot better off just paying your own and letting the other guy deal with his (subject to the damage being as minor as discussed).

If you think you can get him to contribute to your costs, great. Personally, I would just get it fixed and move on.

Tok3d

notanewuser wrote: »

I *think* (but the OP isn't clear) that he slowed down as he expected them to be red, but they were actually red and amber (on their way to green) so he sped up.

That's right, as I approached the lights they turned amber. I was already in motion and then built speed up and passed the guy safely. The guy that was stationary at the lights sped up and near the end of his lane merging into mine his bonnet was parallel to my drivers door. He then collided with me causing damage to my drivers door & passenger door. His only damage appeared to be on his left wheel panel.

Tok3d

Strider590 wrote: »

Sounds to me like a typical "race for the merge point", utterly stupid and pointless.

I couldn't agree more. I use this road everyday and see these types of people in a hurry and cut people up. There was no race on my end, I was simply doing the speed limit.

alleycat`

Tok3d wrote: »

That's right, as I approached the lights they turned amber. I was already in motion and then built speed up and passed the guy safely. The guy that was stationary at the lights sped up and near the end of his lane merging into mine his bonnet was parallel to my drivers door. He then collided with me causing damage to my drivers door & passenger door. His only damage appeared to be on his left wheel panel.

If they turned amber it means they were going to red....
You really need to accurate on this point or you'll get into trouble with insurance interpretation.

Light phases are:

Red
Red AND Amber
Green

or

Green
Amber
Red

I don't know how the insurance will pan out in terms of who is "right" and who is "wrong" but you need to be clear and concise about what you are reporting as an Amber light is what happens before a traffic light goes Red.

It might sound pedantic but it's important.

Tok3d

arcon5 wrote: »

The way I'm interpreting this is your lane was going faster and you passed left just as he was merging in which he hit you.
You may get him on 100% liability depending on his stat ement. But I more than suspect it'll be settled as a 50/50 incident.

It may turn out to be an expensive thing your pride. All 'coz you didn't wanna be intimidated.

He was stationary at the lights, I was already doing 10-15mph as I was slowing down for the red light, which then turned amber as I got closer. I was ahead of the guy in the merger lane, he wasn't merging when he was hitting me. He was driving parallel to my drivers door still on his merger lane and as it got narrower he hit me.

I just put it down to him trying to intimidate me and I continued driving on as normal.

i.imgur.com/23smmdH.jpg - Approx locations.

Green - where it happened,
Orange - other driver
Blue - me, when the red & amber light came on.

Tok3d

alleycat` wrote: »

If they turned amber it means they were going to red....
You really need to accurate on this point or you'll get into trouble with insurance interpretation.

Light phases are:

Red
Red AND Amber
Green

or

Green
Amber
Red

I don't know how the insurance will pan out in terms of who is "right" and who is "wrong" but you need to be clear and concise about what you are reporting as an Amber light is what happens before a traffic light goes Red.

It might sound pedantic but it's important.

Thanks for that, it was red and amber. Should avoid any confusion. I believe I did say the lights were red whilst I was approaching and then turned amber.

fivetide

He was swift off the mark if he was stationary and you passed him at 30 mph and he managed to get next to you to hit you.


Any CCTV given there are plenty of lights etc? It would have to show him seriously breaking the speed limit just to get level with you.