max_stuermer

iTrader: (1)

The driver in the video is starting from a stop. The difference in the speeds between those two cars were extreme. In my accident, the difference was no where near that.

And it doesn't make sense how he collisioned me while merging (his story) without taking my rear end out. If my car was slightly angled while merging, and he hit my rear end I believe it would've pushed my rear end out and caused me to spin out. But I didn't. Alot of things don't make sense at all. But theres where the insurance company comes in, hallelujiah. haha

Twisties

trunk is easily fixable, new bumper and new tailight. good to go. should be happy it wasnt much worse

ShinkaEvo

iTrader: (3)

Imho, whoever merges INTO other's lane and causes accident is at fault.
Simply cuz' ur are cutting into their lane, u made the move.

It's totally different cases comparing to getting rear ended on same lane.

RX8PDX

For one thing, make sure you check if you have to file a police report. Some states over certain damage $ you have to. I didn't know, and had my license suspended once. Luckily a cop pulled for over for an out head light, that was on when we went to look... but he let me go.

The other thing. I have been in I40 from ABQ, going 90 in an 80 in the middle lane, and had triple trailers come FLYING up on my to within inches. When I had been there for miles.

Sure not all truckers are mean, but I have seen more than a few use their size as an excuse to be an asshat on the road.

RX8PDX

So when I have a gun on me, should it be me who keeps in mind the damage I could do, or everyone else about me?

ken-x8

Sure is. But there are all kinds of people out there. I know someone who cut off a truck while entering a highway, and is kicking up a fuss claiming it was the truck driver's fault.

Ken

EDZRIDE

iTrader: (1)

Good one Ken

milkis

well, if i see you have a gun, i'll just get the heck outta there instead of trying to educate you how it is against law to have a gun in public .

8 Maniac

iTrader: (1)

Thought of this today and felt it would fit in this thread...

http://youtu.be/ozksR8QLWzM?t=1m24s

MS Addict

iTrader: (1)

"I didn't do it on purpose!"

Omg, facepalm.

Ugh, since it's the topic of choice, obviously..

Why do people TRULY insist on chancing their luck with trucks?

I just love it, driving down a four lane interstate, each way, at night, so all lanes are open, and I go to pass someone(No lane changing, we were just in different lanes), I get right up to them, and they change lanes right in front of me, doing 15-20mph less. No reason, what so ever, no traffic out but us, but you TRY to have me rear end you. Ugh.

That happened twice earlier. Both by freaking minivans. I hate those God-forsaken things. Every time I see one, I cringe, because I know how likely it is that the driver is HORRIBLE.

I may be an extremely patient driver, and not retaliate on any level, but that doesn't mean it doesn't aggravate me when people try to wreck me.

Rant over.

fio07

iTrader: (1)

this made for an amusing night at work.. any more stories of ppl playing chicken with semis???

if i was a truck driver and i hit an 8 i'd be cussin up a storm too just because I know how much parts cost out the *** on those things! OP's 8 should kick OP's *** for letting him put a dent in her sexy ***! jus sayin..

*love my 8 and respect trucks a lot more after this thread thankyou all for sharing your wisdom and common sense

blazenblue63

I always have in mind what damage I can do with my truck but that doesn't mean it's my fault or responsibility when someone jumps in front of the bullet and hopes it misses just to gain 10 seconds on the road. That's on them.

CarAndDriver

Glad you were not hurt and it wasn't a total destruction of the car.

IMHO, I think when you're hit from behind, the majority of the blame is on the person who hit you. It is there responsibility to maintain a safe distance from the person in front of them.

However, that reasoning always drives me crazy since there are so many drivers out there with non-working tail lights.

PaPaBear

Maybe I missed it but did you call the police from the scene and have an officer file a report?
I have been hit in the rear a couple of times by South Florida Zombie Drivers and have always called the cops at the scene. Happened twice, both drivers had insurance and paid nothing and had a free rental car. The last one was a guy in a SUV that hit my back bumber while I was dead stopped at a traffic light. Total bill and paid by Geico was +$900.00. Driver claimed his brakes failed but ironically healed themselves after the accident and drove away after getting a ticket from FHP. Like I said South Florida Zombie Drivers.

pandaR3

i currently work as a police officer, and i can tell you rear enders is 100% not your fault.
the same thing happened to me 1 year ago. SAME EXACT THING

on highway, merging, and boom got rear ended. not my rx8 but my Z
all the damage was on the right end side of the bumper and completly bent wheel and suspension

100% not my fault and no insurance raised.
got witness
called police
file report.
contact insruance
been taken care ever since

dont know what your dad is talking about

unless you're in the states maybe different rules

kevinande

I did not read this entire thread, so if this has been addressed please forgive me.

I can not speak for all the states in America, but in Texas the law reads that if you merge or enter into a lane of travel it is your responsibility to ensure that the lane you are merging into is free and clear of oncoming traffic.

Reading your initial post I can not determine if the collision occurred immediately at the point where you entered the on ramp or a few feet, few hundred feet down the roadway. If it occurred at the entry point, it is your fault, plain and simple. If it happened down the road a bit it could be argued that the truck driver was not paying attention (or had road rage) and deliberately rear ended you. However do keep in mind that if the truck was moving at legal highway speeds of faster, his ability to stop is not as great. Something to always remember when pulling out in front of one of these beasts. A legally fully loaded truck weighs 80,000 lbs and takes approx 400' to stop from 60 mph. Believe it or not that distance can worsen if the truck is empty, and God forbid if he is speeding. My point being he may have tried to stop and was unable to. Also when you entered did you continue to accelerate or lay off the gas. Did he leave any skid marks. All these different aspects will tell us what really happened. details which I did not see in the original post.

Again if this info has already been posted I apologize for re posting. I read the first and last pages. Not sure what the gun thing was about, but that can't be good?

blazenblue63

Empty stopping distance is rarely greater when empty. The reason for that is no weight on the wheels and the ABS kicks in on wet/icey roads. Also no skid marks because of that. A fully functional rig will not leave skid marks ever. Either his ABS is faulty or the air pressure drops in the system and the parking brakes slam on below 60 psi. An empty semi weighing roughly 30.000 lbs cannot accelerate as fast as an rx-8.

The gun comments were about who's responsibility it is to avoid those situations. In this case the truck driver was powerless and OP could've avoided it altogether. We can't always move/slow/speed up due to traffic around us nor is it our responsibility. If you want to merge it's your job as oncoming traffic onto the highway/interstate to find a safe suitable spot to do so. Even if it means stopping on the onramp, not cutting a truck off and causing an accident.

ken-x8

In the US a vehicle on the highway has the right of way over one entering. Looks like the rule where you live (UK?) is different.

In some states a vehicle on the highway has right of way over one on a ramp, even when the one on the highway is merging onto the ramp. That right is rarely taken because most people are not aware of it, so the custom of the onus being on the merging vehicle is usually observed.

Ken

blazenblue63

The closer you get to major cities and new England (******* central! Looking at you Jersey) the more you have to force that right as a truck driver. If you want to go somewhere (lane change for instance) you have to almost forcefully cut people off. Courtesy doesn't exist in those parts.

Example: the safe following distance for a truck driver to maintain is 6 seconds. At 65 MPH that's 2 football fields. You know what happens when you do that? 30 cars ands an aircraft carrier squeeze in between you and the vehicle you're originally following.

kevinande

[quote=blazenblue63;4127570]Empty stopping distance is rarely greater when empty. The reason for that is no weight on the wheels and the ABS kicks in on wet/icey roads. Also no skid marks because of that. A fully functional rig will not leave skid marks ever. Either his ABS is faulty or the air pressure drops in the system and the parking brakes slam on below 60 psi. An empty semi weighing roughly 30.000 lbs cannot accelerate as fast as an rx-8.

I have been in trucking/logistics for almost 20 years, and have seen just about anything you can dream up. I know it is hard to believe but an empty rig does have a greater stopping distance than en empty one. The weight actually plays an important role. Even with ABS systems working properly it is not hard to lock up the wheels. Don't believe me, go jump in a brand new car, any car get it up to about 70 and the lay on the brakes as hard as you can. You will get some skidding. May not be as dramatic as a car not equipped with ABS, but I promise you, it can be done. Trucks are even easier. Often the tractor will play correctly, but the trailer is doing a lot of the breaking. If it did not, you would jack knife the the truck. Kinda goes back to empty weight stopping distance thing. I will have to find my manuals, but I think the ratio on a rig is close to 50/50. Unlike a car where approx 70% is up front and 30% or so is in the rear. You would be surprised how many people drive these things and have little clue as to their basic fundamental operations.

No a rig can not out accelerate an RX-8, or just about any other automobile for that matter.

blazenblue63

I promise you, having been a truck driver for 12 years, if you stand on the brakes of an empty semi you'll be kissing the windshield without a seatbelt. (On a dry road) weight causes inertia and while good in dry/icy conditions you won't stop quicker under dry conditions. Ever.

Skid marks happen from locking up wheels. ABS's sole job is to prevent that. If your wheels lock up, for longer than half a second, your ABS isn't working properly.

blazenblue63

Wet/icy *

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

(You can edit prior posts....unless using the mobile version of the site, which I guess you are )


Anyone who believes that ABS means "will not leave skid marks" needs to make note of the tire tracks they see on the highways. I see the 'dashed' pattern of an ABS lock-up all the time.

ABS stands for "anti-lock brakes", but should instead be "allows periods of not locking". Just like "bullet proof" isn't actually "proof", but "resistant" ABS pulses the brakes, and gives roughly 50% lock time, 50% unlock time (once the threshhold to trigger occurs) I've been behind trucks numerous times where the rear tires lock or 'abs lock'. It's always been remarkable how quickly they lock, and how little of an impact on slowing the truck down it has.

blazenblue63

With skid marks I mean long continues marks. I haul 45 to 50 thousand lbs loads on a daily basis and a tight turn is enough to lay some rubber on the road lol. When fully loaded like that, my wheels won't lock under normal conditions. Way too much weight pushing on the wheels. But instead I have 2.5-2.8 times the weight pushing me forward compared to empty. So even though I'm braking better I'm taking much longer to stop. Plus when I'm hauling a coil or greasy bar I can't just step on it. I'll have a roll of duct tape made of metal on my lap. We call it loading suicide if the eye is to the side for that reason. Eye forward is called shotgun. Google some pics lol you'll see what I mean.

P.s on mobile yes

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

"a roll of duct tape made of metal on my lap"

?

I don't understand this. An I am sincerely curious. I am thinking it's a home-made/impromptu lateral G indicator of some sort?