Side swipe

[bebbles8412]

My friend was "backing" out of a parking space on a military installation when she was side swiped by a motorist going a little too fast and didn't quite see her. She jumped out as this older gentleman started to speed away but stopped only to say it didn't look like much damage to her car. It scraped the bumper and took off some paint of course. Estimate to repair was $744. The bungling military police dudes show up, write a report, and then issue her a citation because the report was written to say she backed into a parked car. She went to have them re-write the report because she and the insurance company couldn't see it and that's when they told her they couldn't re-write it but she would have to go their courthouse on Tuesday after the holiday. As of now, she has 2 reports, one correct one (you can't see that one clearly) and one written totally incorrectly. The citation as of now is for improper backing. I don't think there were any witnesses but the person now has mysteriously come with damages to their vehicle. She absolutely seen there was no damage to his vehicle. Is the person backing up always the one at fault or how does that go?

 

[Tufbusa]

I'm guessing she is going to get stuck with the bill. In my state the person backing out of the parking space is always at fault. And rightfully so.

 

[GoldenChild]

Where I'm from it's common courtesy is slowly back up, and see if there is a vehicle. If no vehicle slowly continue to back and maybe if others are courteous they will allow you to finish back up.. people are so in a rush they forget there are others on the planet..

 

[Busa1166]

The one backing out always at fault here. But you really can't see if someone is coming till you backed at least 1/2 the car depending on the car god forbid it's an SUV and then I say it' more 3/4 of the way till you can see. People that drive cars know this and see someone backing out and just keep on going common sense and courtesy not going to happen in these parts. Auto manufacturers are addressing the problem, I believe Ford was the first with cross traffic alert http://media.ford.com/images/10031/BLIS.pdf . Infinity is now offering a similar system on some their rides, its only a matter of time before it becomes standard equipment. I always back the car in so I have to stick the nose out less to see if someone is coming when pulling out.

 

[BusaWhipped]

The one backing out always at fault here. But you really can't see if someone is coming till you backed at least 1/2 the car depending on the car god forbid it's an SUV and then I say it' more 3/4 of the way till you can see.

This is why you should back off of the travel lane into the spot, and pull forward out of the spot. Since many places are angling the parking spaces so they can put more cars in less spaces it really isn't possible anymore.

 

[1busa]

That is exactly why I try to back into parking spaces every chance I get. Maybe its just a habit from riding bikes but I will back my car into parking spaces to avoid situations like that

 

[lil charlie]

That is exactly why I try to back into parking spaces every chance I get. Maybe its just a habit from riding bikes but I will back my car into parking spaces to avoid situations like that

It depends on where you live. In Arizona you will get a ticket for backing into a parking space. That's because Arizona only issues one license plate which goes on the rear of your car. If you back into a space the police can't read your plate while driving by. But that besides the point, the person backing out of the parking space is going to be at fault.

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

The one backing out is automatically at fault? Wow. News to me. So if there's a car rolling through the lot at 40 mph that slams into a car that's backing out of space, it's the fault of the vehicle backing out? Nice. Guess we all just learned how we can get our insurance to pay us for a vehicle that we can't sell.

Too bad logic and right or wrong or such a tiny part of our legal equations.