tailgater gets owned

[MongGrel]

In the US the person who brake-checked would be legally responsible for that accident.

No

On a two lane highway, if you are in the left lane and someone is coming up on you, it is on YOU to move over, NOT for them to slow down, even if you are going the speed limit or higher.

Legally (and morally) the fault is ENTIRELY on the brake-checker.

If someone did that to me, and caused me to crash, I'd end up owning his house and the houses of his descendants for three generations.

MotionMan

More no.

Not sure what state you are from, but last I checked ANYTIME someone is rear-ended it's basically a 99.999% chance it will be deemed their fault. It's pretty hard to be the one that hits and not be the person held liable.

Obvious exceptions being running a red light, stop sign, etc..

Pretty much this.

Doesn't matter who is in the wrong, if you're tailgated/tailgaitting and there is an accident, the tailgater will be at fault almost every time.

One of the very first things my father stressed to me when I was learning to drive long ago.

 

[ControlD]

There is no right answer. If you do the right thing and leave a few car lengths between you and the slow asshole in the left lane, somebody is going to come up from the right and squeeze into that space. Happens EVERY time. There goes your safe distance, gone in the blink of an eye. Now you have the slow asshole in the left lane and another pissed off driver in front of you. Back off and leave some more space? Rinse and repeat.

Slow drivers hanging out in the left lane is becoming an epidemic. People just don't give a shit anymore.

 

[PingviN]

Vehicle was merging i would not have gotten over either.
100% at fault is the tailgater, he got a ticket for sure. Not sure how the brake checker could be legally busted for anything, only way would be civil court and i am guessing it would probably not be worth it.

He still should not have brake-checked him. I wouldn't have moved over either (because merging), but the brake-check was unecessary and dangerous.

Tailgater was a fucking asshole though and should never be allowed to drive again.

 

[edro]

Tailgater 100% at fault.

Front car didn't get over due to merging traffic.
Tailgater should have passed in the right lane if he wanted to take the risk on himself.

The brake check didn't seem that severe, but it's hard to tell from the video.
The swerve was unnecessary.

 

[ImpulsE69]

While I don't disagree that tailgaters are assholes, it always makes me laugh when people act like it is some horrible thing. The only time it even matters is if you suddenly were forced to put on your brakes. How often does that actually happen on the interstate? Almost never.

The only time you hear of things like this is because some asshole who thinks they are better than everyone else and should only go as fast as them and refuses to get over slams on their breaks to try to prove a point. I say that person is 100% at fault, he caused the accident, not the other way around. You don't like how someone is driving? Take the high road, get over and maybe a cop will catch them down the road a bit. This person wanted to show he had some sort of power over someone else, and that's all brake checking is about. There is no 'safety' concern in their mind at all.

 

[purbeast0]

While I don't disagree that tailgaters are assholes, it always makes me laugh when people act like it is some horrible thing. The only time it even matters is if you suddenly were forced to put on your brakes. How often does that actually happen on the interstate? Almost never.

The only time you hear of things like this is because some asshole who thinks they are better than everyone else and should only go as fast as them and refuses to get over slams on their breaks to try to prove a point. I say that person is 100% at fault, he caused the accident, not the other way around.

if the tailgater was correct distance behind the driver of the first car, and the first car pressed the brakes, the trailing car would have had ample time/space to brake without swerving and crashing.

 

[ControlD]

if the tailgater was correct distance behind the driver of the first car, and the first car pressed the brakes, the trailing car would have had ample time/space to brake without swerving and crashing.

There will never be a correct distance though. Someone will always sneak in that space you left for safety. Maybe people in this part of the country are just more aggressive and people everywhere else leave several car lengths of gaps? I sure haven't seen it anywhere I have been, but maybe ...

 

[cbrunny]

While I don't disagree that tailgaters are assholes, it always makes me laugh when people act like it is some horrible thing. The only time it even matters is if you suddenly were forced to put on your brakes. How often does that actually happen on the interstate? Almost never.

...are you... defending tailgating?

 

[Ns1]

There will never be a correct distance though. Someone will always sneak in that space you left for safety.

...and then you leave a safe distance behind that car.


Jesus Christ people. It's like you guys don't know how to drive the speed limit like the law abiding citizens.

 

[ControlD]

...and then you leave a safe distance behind that car.


Jesus Christ people. It's like you guys don't know how to drive the speed limit like the law abiding citizens.

And then the next 100 people start taking the gap you created. You might as well just pull over and sit on the side of the road. Half the time some slow poke is in the left lane they aren't even doing the speed limit. They are jut enjoying the scenery or texting their bff.

 

[purbeast0]

And then the next 100 people start taking the gap you created. You might as well just pull over and sit on the side of the road. Half the time some slow poke is in the left lane they aren't even doing the speed limit. They are jut enjoying the scenery or texting their bff.

since you clearly don't know how to drive in the left lane, just move over to the right lane and call it day.

 

[DrunkenSano]

Cops need to enforce the law that cars are not allowed to be in the left lane unless passing a lot more strictly. Smooth flow of traffic is what keeps the road safe.

 

[Ns1]

since you clearly don't know how to drive in the left lane, just move over to the right lane and call it day.

This

 

[cbrunny]

And then the next 100 people start taking the gap you created. You might as well just pull over and sit on the side of the road. Half the time some slow poke is in the left lane they aren't even doing the speed limit. They are jut enjoying the scenery or texting their bff.

If you don't get there first, what's the point in going anywhere? AMIRITE!?

 

[ControlD]

If you don't get there first, what's the point in going anywhere? AMIRITE!?

Damned skippy.

 

[ControlD]

since you clearly don't know how to drive in the left lane, just move over to the right lane and call it day.

Bullshit. I know what the left lane is for, passing slower people on the right and then getting back over to let people faster than me to pass. It isn't that complicated. It isn't for hanging out and enjoying the scenery.

 

[PingviN]

Cops need to enforce the law that cars are not allowed to be in the left lane unless passing a lot more strictly. Smooth flow of traffic is what keeps the road safe.

There is a car about to merge with the right lane, that's probably why he's not going over there.

 

[dainthomas]

How do you figure?


I'm not saying they are not responsible at least partially but as far as I know if you hit another car from behind for any reason its on you.





Really?

There was no contact between the vehicles, the car in front hit the brakes and the car in the back lost control then went off the road. Letter of the law I'm not even sure you can consider the guy who hit the brakes (for whatever reason) to be involved in the accident.

Morally you have a valid point, but legally?

I know a guy who did exactly this causing the guy behind to slam into him. The guy who did the slamming was found 100% responsible. (this was in Connecticut)

Further if you fly up on a driver hogging the left lane then tailgate the way that guy was and a trooper sees it, you might find yourself under arrest for road-rage.

Sadly I've never in my life seen a driver pulled over for being a left-lane bandit.

That guy you know is a moron. My mom had someone slam into the back of the car she was in when she was a passenger and it effed up her back and neck for years.

I don't understand what people gain. Guy maybe gets a ticket and higher insurance and you get debilitating pain. Yay, I guess.

 

[ControlD]

There is a car about to merge with the right lane, that's probably why he's not going over there.

Yeah, in that video I don't blame the guy for being in the left lane either. The brake check isn't necessary though. My frustration is more for the numb nuts that spend all day in the left lane no matter what the reason is.

 

[edro]

...and then you leave a safe distance behind that car.

I still struggle with this notion on every commute.

I hate when we are all in the left lane, all speeding by about 10-15mph. (80 in a 65)
You leave a 1 car length gap for safety and the ass behind you leapfrogs you.
So you tighten up the gap to prevent that asshole/unsafe behavior from happening again... and in turn, make your commute less safe.

Lately I have been leaving a larger than normal gap and assume if the asshole leap frogs me, he isn't going to slow my commute any, and continue to leave the same gap as before.

It's less stressful that way, but I have to "let them win".

 

[ImpulsE69]

...are you... defending tailgating?

Not at all. It just takes a closed minded very self involved person to brake check rather than speed up or get out of the way. It makes that person no better if not worse because he's being malicious where the other person is simply being irresponsible. As I amended above, the person doing the brake checking isn't concerned about safety or he wouldn't do it in the first place. It is a power play plain and simple.

Responsible driving is on the driver, not everyone else.

 

[purbeast0]

Bullshit. I know what the left lane is for, passing slower people on the right and then getting back over to let people faster than me to pass. It isn't that complicated. It isn't for hanging out and enjoying the scenery.

if people keep pulling infront of you and filling that gap and you are driving in the left lane, YOU ARE GOING TO SLOW AND BEING PASSED BY PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT.

get the fuck over to the right lane.

driving 101.

 

[PliotronX]

How do you figure?


I'm not saying they are not responsible at least partially but as far as I know if you hit another car from behind for any reason its on you.





Really?

There was no contact between the vehicles, the car in front hit the brakes and the car in the back lost control then went off the road. Letter of the law I'm not even sure you can consider the guy who hit the brakes (for whatever reason) to be involved in the accident.

Morally you have a valid point, but legally?

I know a guy who did exactly this causing the guy behind to slam into him. The guy who did the slamming was found 100% responsible. (this was in Connecticut)

Further if you fly up on a driver hogging the left lane then tailgate the way that guy was and a trooper sees it, you might find yourself under arrest for road-rage.

Sadly I've never in my life seen a driver pulled over for being a left-lane bandit.

This. Tailgater was not following the 1 second per 10MPH rule for safe reaction time. Those who rear-end cars are infinitely more likely to be found at fault than the drivers getting rear-ended.

 

[cbrunny]

There is a car about to merge with the right lane, that's probably why he's not going over there.

this. buddy is obeying traffic laws.

 

[ControlD]

if people keep pulling infront of you and filling that gap and you are driving in the left lane, YOU ARE GOING TO SLOW AND BEING PASSED BY PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT.

get the fuck over to the right lane.

driving 101.

I think you have missed the context here. The reason the gap needs to be left in the first place is because there is a slow driver in front of me, in the left lane. I don't move to the left lane unless I am trying to pass someone.

I agree with your statement, you just missed the meat of the point.