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🛑 Who’s at Fault? Traffic experts only need apply! 🛑
A minor collision, no-one got hurt.
Where does the blame lie ?
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Anyone with a little training (or experience of actually being observant) would have probably hung back having clocked that the 'parked' car had people in it and it was either going to pull out or a door may be opened, so allow the oncoming traffic to pass and then pass the parked car leaving a suitable gap so that if a door was opened you would be clear of it. But sadly the majority of driver's today are nowhere near the standard they should be.
The bit that is correct is that it looks very much as though the accident was caused by whoever opened the car door. But that is not necessarily where the blame lies.
Blame lies with the owner of the vehicle and their insurers. That holds true if it was a passenger who opened that door. Or if the driver is an employee driving under his employer's insurance policy, when the employer is vicariously liable.
If the person opening the door was in no way connected to the owner (for example a joy-rider or thief) blame attaches to 2 people. Firstly, the thief. And secondly, the "relevant insurer" under the MIB agreement (which will most often be the owner's insurer, but not normally impacting the owner)
Edit: At least they stopped
Different words have different meanings. "Fault" and "blame" have different meanings.
And, in either case, it is not just the Insurer that is affected. Any legal claim should be primarily against the owner (cannot sue the Insurer direct, and it is up to the Insured-not the wrongdoer-to add the Insurer as 2nd Defendant. The person opening the car door (if not the Owner) is not "at fault" or "to blame" at law. Or, more accurately, have no connection to the person with unlimited liability and unlimited funds (which is key to the person suffering the loss). They do not have to pay anything to the Owner or Insurer (although, if it were me who opened the door, I would feel morally obliged to make a gift of the excess to the Owner).
The more cautious of us would have given way to let the oncoming traffic pass but the person passing has done nothing wrong as he wasn't breaking the speed limit, The gap was passible (Until the door got opened) and the parked car gave no signs of activity.
Again I agree the best thing to do was to give way but the question was who is at fault and I don't believe it was both of them in my humble opinion as @goldon thinks.
Thank goodness no one got hurt
This got me thinking of situations where the parked car could have a legitimate reason to be parked in such an inconsiderate place. Agreed. Should have been thinking, why is this car so far out and slowed to a stop to let the Sainsburys van pass.
I did think along these lines at some point, but then changed my view after @Essexphil, @enut and @stokefc piped up.
Replace the parked car with school kids playing around or an parked police car, we are 100% slowing down to a stop. Just because a parked car is parked imperfectly doesn't mean the 4x4 can stop driving considerately. Got to love @goldon and his one liners
@mumsie's Mrs opened the door and he's scared to tell her she was in the wrong, needs backup.
I do regret not stating at the outset its just a random gif i came across whilst looking up anagrams.