I turned, he didn't. Boom.

[Gibson99]

WARNING - FOUL LANGUAGE BY ME! I apologize in advance.

Full story in the youtube description.

Short version: 2 lanes turning left. I turned, he didn't. THANKFULLY he admitted fault to the reporting officer.

I'm worried my car (98 camry) may be totalled by this because the rocker panel below the driver door is pretty ugly. the door, mirror and fender can be replaced. rocker panel, not so much. i really hope it doesn't get totalled - i can't afford a car note right now.

 

[GJHS]

Thank God, your alright. Don't worry about the rocker panel that's fixable or can be replaced.

 

[Rick77]

Being in the right doesn't always make it right.
In "my" opinion this was an avoidable accident. In all probability this will be my only comment on this video.
(or not)

 

[Error7]

In "my" opinion this was an avoidable accident.

Yep it certainly was avoidable, by the idiot driving the pickup. He was in a 'left turn only' lane but chose to go straight on to a road that didn't exist. He'd already encroached into the right hand lane so should have come to his senses after hearing the OP's horn blast.

 

[Gibson99]

Just realized the music i had on (just by chance) is somewhat appropriate... "been dazed and confused for so long it's not true..." obviously talking about the other driver.

pics of damage: http://s601.photobucket.com/user/jazngibzn/library/Camry/Camry Wreck

Being in the right doesn't always make it right.

that's because i was turning left, not right.

I got a little laugh out of what happened when the cop asked us what happened:

cop: OK, what happened?
me: I was in the right lane, i turned left, he didn't, he crashed into me.
(cop nods then turns and looks at the other driver)
other driver: i was trying to go straight, and he turned right in front of me.
cop: well sir, you were in a left turn only lane. (cop immediately turns his back and walks to his cruiser)

i'll admit i chuckled and smiled. i had to look away from the other driver though - didn't want to start anything. i will say that the other driver was never rude to me, and the wrecker drivers who showed up were also polite and helpful. so at least that part was positive.

 

[Gibson99]

Thank God, your alright. Don't worry about the rocker panel that's fixable or can be replaced.

thanks.

if it was a plastic rocker panel i'd agree, but this is all steel and can't be simply unbolted and replaced like the door and fender can. i'm actually surprised that a truck as big as the new tundra actually hit my car that low - he must have jammed his brakes pretty hard to make it dive that much. check out the pics i posted above.

 

[Error7]

Will the other drivers insurance not pay for your repairs? If not, and if it was my car I would fit another door and fender and just live with the bent rocker panel. It doesn't look as though it's been weakened structurally in the photo's.

 

[reverend]

Glad you're alright - at least it sounds like it's going to be an easy job for the insurance to sort out!

 

[Nigel]

thanks.

if it was a plastic rocker panel i'd agree, but this is all steel and can't be simply unbolted and replaced like the door and fender can. i'm actually surprised that a truck as big as the new tundra actually hit my car that low - he must have jammed his brakes pretty hard to make it dive that much. check out the pics i posted above.

They will cut out the bent section and weld a new bit in, simple and reasonably cheap. New door may put it beyond economical repair though depending on the value of the car although it would be cheap enough if a pre-used door in the right colour was fitted.

He probably has the most expensive damage which is amazing given the size of the vehicle!

Do you have to get the cops involved in an accident like that in the USA? In the UK they wouldn't be interested even if you wanted them!

 

[GJHS]

There are a lot of parts that can't just be unbolted, yours is a simple fix. If the frame were bent, maybe the value of the car would make it not worth it, yet a simple rocker fix is nothing.

 

[rudolf diesel]

98 Camry is a unibody. No frame per se.

Rockers are part of the structure. They're not cosmetic.

That being said, they can be replaced relatively easily. Standard body shop stuff. Cut, replace, weld. Easy peasy.

 

[Error7]

I agree. Avoidable on both fronts. One guy challenged another, neither backed down and mangled parts ensued.

This is how I saw it play out, truck said move or else, small car said or else what. Then boom.

I don't think so. How on earth was the OP supposed to know that the pickup driver was going to ram him. I think if he'd thought that then he would have given way. As the OP said "THANKFULLY he admitted fault to the reporting officer."

 

[kamkar]

Now thats proper background music needless to say that album is allso a permanent feature on my car stereo.

That guys driving skills was allso created below

"Standard body shop stuff. Cut, replace, weld." you forgot spackel - sanding and paint

The same would have happened if it was me driving, in my small car i am not good at chekking my mirrors, but in the 4x4 i had + driving semis i am good at it ( atleast thats what the driving instructor said when i got my license for the big rigs )

 

[Sunny]

Being in the right doesn't always make it right.
In "my" opinion this was an avoidable accident. In all probability this will be my only comment on this video.
(or not)

When left only is there, you assume they are not going to go straight.
May be you can avoid with your opinion but opinion doesn't avoid accidents.

 

[Tim]

First of all, I'm sorry about your car. Been there more than once. Second, good thing no one was hurt. Been there, too. I do believe it could have been avoided. When he first tried to pull into your lane, you sounded the horn. You also should have braked and got behind him maintaining your lane to see what he was up to. Obviously, his driving skills are not wrapped up too tight. Even if you were going straight, he still would have plowed into you, but if you were behind his rear bumper, none of this would of happened. I learned when you see folks screwing up, stay away from them, stay very far away from them.

 

[Error7]

Situational awareness is how.

That's a totally different situation. When the Golf passed you you were in the right hand lane. You then moved into the middle lane to avoid the slow moving traffic turning right but by then you were in the Golf driver's blind spot. Because you were in his blind spot he moved into the middle lane, not knowing that you were now using that lane yourself. If you hadn't avoided him and a collision had ensued I'm not sure where the blame would lie. The Golf was ahead of your vehicle so you could easily see it changing lanes, whereas the Camry driver was ahead of the pickup so had no way of knowing that the pickup driver was not going to turn left.

 

[Sunny]

First of all, I'm sorry about your car. Been there more than once. Second, good thing no one was hurt. Been there, too. I do believe it could have been avoided. When he first tried to pull into your lane, you sounded the horn. You also should have braked and got behind him maintaining your lane to see what he was up to. Obviously, his driving skills are not wrapped up too tight. Even if you were going straight, he still would have plowed into you, but if you were behind his rear bumper, none of this would of happened. I learned when you see folks screwing up, stay away from them, stay very far away from them.

In a two way left lane turn signal in a city, there is no freakin way you can maintain alternate spacing when turning.
Well unless if you are in a rural left turn where there are only two cars.

I had similar situation.
Both turning left but the left lane guy just came to the right left turn lane as soon as we crossed intersection.
I had to break hard to avoid him and the guy behind me also had to break hard to avoid hitting me.
I could avoid that only because he was at higher speed during the turn and front was slightly ahead of mine otherwise that was a sure accident.

 

[Gibson99]

thanks error7, you've summed it up nicely. when i honked, the truck slowed way down - to the point that he was behind me. i assumed (yeah, i know about ASSuming...) he would turn or even change lanes to get behind me if he wanted to go straight. i had my signal on since before the video even started, too so my intentions were clear. yes, i saw him when i turned my head to make the turn but when i realized he wasn't turning, i jerked back to the right and hit brake/clutch, but it was too late.

to the "it was avoidable" folks: every accident is avoidable, but not at the cost of a different accident. had i stopped to let him go straight in front of me, i would have likely got rear-ended or caused the guy behind me to get hit. or who knows what other possibilities... the only way to truly avoid an accident is to stay home. the answer is not to ride the bus, because i was actually on my way home FROM the bus stop. go figure.

 

[Gibson99]

Oh and yes his insurance is paying. I'm at body shop getting estimate right now. Not totaled as long as we get a door from a junkyard car, which is fine by me.

 

[Sunny]

i assumed (yeah, i know about ASSuming...)

That's why it's called ass-u-me. It makes an ass of both you and me if you assume.

to the "it was avoidable" folks: every accident is avoidable, but not at the cost of a different accident.

It's avoidable for them because they are looking at the video, not behind the wheel.