Am I at fault?? *Verdict: NOPE (technically)*

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by Shagaliscious

Here in PA, anytime you change lanes right before, or going through an intersection, that is an illegal lane change. Even if he used a signal, it's still an illegal lane change.

Yeah the rule for my state was you're not supposed to change lanes within 100 ft of an intersection.

OP if your state is similar, the other driver should automatically be at fault.

That said, I probably wouldn't have submitted that video to your insurance unless the other driver denied changing lanes right before the intersection. That video makes it look like you were about to run that red.

[retoocs]

There are only two applicable vehicle codes.

21658. Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction, the following rules apply:

(a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.

(b) Official signs may be erected directing slow-moving traffic to use a designated lane or allocating specified lanes to traffic moving in the same direction, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of the traffic device.

Amended Ch. 450, Stats. 1975. Effective January 1, 1976.

22107. No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.

Amended Ch. 1996, Stats. 1959. Effective September 18, 1959.

So only two strikes against the other car. There are no law against changing in an intersection, though 21658a still applies.

At the same time, that was pretty bonehead to try to beat the yellow light that. 45 mph road has a yellow light for 5.0 seconds (the minimum yellow is 3 second for a slower speed road). You weren't anywhere close.

[sklimo]

Originally Posted by Rocket.BRZ

Check the video again the other driver did turn on his left turn signal.

You blind CJ?? No blinker

[SloS14]

Originally Posted by TJ3000

real shit though I would've kicked his ass.

[Cockatoo]

You will be fine... but my feelings in regards to accidents like this one is it takes two people two crash. You are both at fault ( I think you slightly more than him though) He was at fault for the lane change for sure... but you clearly sped up at the yellow and wouldn't have made it anyways.... His lane change wouldn't have made a difference if you were driving more defensively. Everyone around you was braking (one of these things is not like the others)

[thill]

I think he is at fault. I think it can be argued that he made an illegal lane change at an intersection without checking his mirrors with no signal.

Maybe I am missing something, but did the police give you a ticket?

And yes, I do agree with many here that you had no business trying to make this light...

[stugray]

A few things:
1 - He was at fault for: No turn signal, failure to signal lane change for at least 100 feet before lane change (so even if he HAD signaled, then he was still guilty of not doing it far enough in advance)

2 - What were you on Valium? Yor response time was WAY too slow, and you didnt even engage the ABS! It barely looks like you even applied the brakes

3 - Yes you are a jackass for trying to make that light. If someone had been trying to clear the intersection during the yellow from the oncoming left turn lane, it would have been worse.

4 - Why was your first reaction to NOT turn off the music? That is just an automatic response for most humans when something out of the ordinary happens.

You will be fine. and the damage looks purely cosmetic.

[retoocs]

Technically the car didn't cut you off on a yellow. It was red when it started going into the lane.

[chas3wba0]

Originally Posted by stugray

A few things:
1 - He was at fault for: No turn signal, failure to signal lane change for at least 100 feet before lane change (so even if he HAD signaled, then he was still guilty of not doing it far enough in advance)

2 - What were you on Valium? Yor response time was WAY too slow, and you didnt even engage the ABS! It barely looks like you even applied the brakes

3 - Yes you are a jackass for trying to make that light. If someone had been trying to clear the intersection during the yellow from the oncoming left turn lane, it would have been worse.

4 - Why was your first reaction to NOT turn off the music? That is just an automatic response for most humans when something out of the ordinary happens.

You will be fine. and the damage looks purely cosmetic.

Before I watched the DashCam footage, I didn't even recall trying to make the yellow light. It was probably habitual and I'd barely started to speed up before I saw the other driver pulling into my lane. I felt like I braked pretty hard, but maybe I was expecting him to stop after I laid the horn on him? Happened too fast...

As for response time... I don't usually go to work that early, so that's what I get for doing morning commute on not enough sleep. I thought I was driving pretty mellow up until that point, so mellow that I wasn't ready to react to a stunt like this.

[chas3wba0]

Originally Posted by retoocs

Technically the car didn't cut you off on a yellow. It was red when it started going into the lane.

But who's to say I wasn't planning to stop at the last second on the red? Maybe I had planned to stop right at the line but him cutting me off made that impossible. That's how I would rebut anyway, but you're right my intent at the yellow/red light was questionable

[Cockatoo]

Yeah reaction time above all was pretty bad

[stugray]

While the other driver is definitely at fault, you should probably thank him/her for keeping you from running a red light in your half-asleep haze.

[illicitstylz]

the vehicle changing lanes will be held at fault, they're generally 100% at fault regardless of the speed that your vehicle was travelling at.

[Ouhei]

If I was the insurance agent I'd rule it no fault. They had no business changing lanes that close to the red (plus without a signal) and you had no business approaching a red light at that speed. It's red plenty before he moves over and you should have been going much much slower at that point.

Sorry, but I think you contributed to that as much as the other driver did. Maybe more given that if you had been approaching at a proper speed and not driving impaired (not awake) you could have easily avoided that by breaking slightly harder.