So on my lunch break I was heading to KFC to grab some lunch and stop by the gf's place. I was turning left at a stoplight, it was heavy traffic so i figured I'll let it turn yellow/red then turn. Well so it turns yellow 1 of the three lanes has a car slowing down...then it turns red, I begin to turn left and a old man in an 94' escort runs the red light and crashes into the the front left bumper!!! God!!! I sat in my car for a minute staring at him yelling and pointing at the red light!

We pull out of the intersection and exchange info with him. I told him that he blatantly ran a red light! He said "when I first looked up it was green, it must have changed fast." I couldn't believe how dumb he sounded! He was like "oh this car looks new", I said "yea well it is brand new, less than 2 weeks old." Then he says "hey, whats your license plate number?". I said "well seeing how this truck is BRAND new I don't have them yet!!"

He assured me that he has insurance...(of course it expires on 11/7) and that he has full coverage. So I went to my insurance company today to report it and we shall see how it goes. I am just hoping he doesn't try and blame me for turning early, which I didn't, he ran the RED light! And of course no one was kind enough to stop and say they would be a witness....even though it was a crowded road.

I will post pictures when there is more light outside. First I had to deal with the firestorm ashes falling on my truck and getting inside it and now will an old man not paying attention and crashing into a brand new F150 Lariat!!!

 

You in San Diego?

Where did your accident occur?

Bud

 

No citations? Did you get a police report?

 

No I am in Ventura. No police report either, just small fender bender! But now I need a new bumper and he needs a whole front left end.

Hopefully pictures later today!

 

Not trying to anger anyone here, just trying to figure out what happened? Sorry, to hear about your truck...

but you ran a red turning left, and he hit you running a red going straight coming at you?

 

No... the guy who was going straight and ran the red light is at fault. When you're in the intersection waiting to make a left turn, sometimes you have no choice but to wait till the light turns red to complete the turn... simply because of oncoming idiots that don't or can't stop for yellow's. You just can't stay in the middle of the intetersection. Now, if the turn was attempted on a yellow, there could be a case made for the fault... because if the oncoming car (going straight) doesn't have enough room to make a safe stop, running it is permitted.

Were there traffic cameras located anywhere near the intersection? That should solve any questions.

 

Well, I don't know about there, but here they would both be at fault. You are not to "sit" in an intersection waiting to turn. Yes, everyone does it, but...

 

So you're mad at the guy for proceeding through a red light, which you were also planning to do? You may have started at the end of the yellow, but I wait to turn to see what the other cars are doing before I go. If you go strictly by the light, I'm surprised you haven't gotten into more accidents.

 

wingn8ive is correct about what happend during the situation. And no there were no camera's on this intersection. When I talked to the guy he took full blame, he was an older man and didn't seem all there in the head, but I guess I will find out more info when I talk to my claims adjuster today.

 

No I was in the middle of the intersection while it was green and I was waiting to turn. Then the light changed from green to yellow...then yellow to red....

The far left lane of oncoming traffic stopped for the red, so I then begain to turn to get out of the intersection and a guy that was in the middle oncoming lane blatently ran the red and hit me! It was no way my fault, I was abiding by the light....

Maybe I will draw a picture to show in more detail. And this was the first time I have ever gotten into an accident!

Hopefully this explains it a little better!

 

Sorry, to burst your bubble but TeckBargins was doing exactly the correct thing. You turn left on yellow in front of someone its your fault (ask any officer You failed to yeild the right of way). However, if you are established in the turn lane (As TeckBargins shows in his sketch) then when the light turns red the opposing traffic must allow you to clear the intersection before proceeding. Being established in the turn lane is the only location where you can do this. Going straight through the red light doesn't count. BTW, if opposing traffic (the traffic that is getting the green light) doesn't allow you to clear the intersection and collides with you they can be charged with failure to yeild the right of way as well.

Anyway, TeckBargins sorry about your truck but you were in the right. Best bet is even with a fender bender to always get an accident report. Its a PITA but it will help. Although, I will say that in a red light accident it becomes a he said she said arguement. If you get in a collision at an intersection always get a witness who observed the condition of the light at the time of the accident even if you have to right down license plates at the intersection. Its actually amazing how few people stop and you will wind up in a fight about who had the green light. Voice of experience.

 

Now that I see the picture, I'm not disputing his right to go. I just don't know why he went before making sure all the other cars stopped. Regardless of light color.

Either way, it sucks. My friend had something similar happen to him. And the guy who turned left, which was him, took the blame. Mainly because the old guy disputed the facts afterward. Unfortunately it does become a he said he said situation like Mecheng says.

The lack of witnesses and a police report could hurt here. Depending on how smart the old man is.

 

They should not even allow these types of lights. I have seen some people wind up pretty hurt because of these. They should just have turn arrows, no more of this yield on green.

there is one of these intersections by my house and I have seen at least a dozen accidents in the last year or so. Most of them were rollovers in SUVs. It is across three lanes, everyone goes 90 mph and too many old farts that can't see. It is no fun being either in the turn lane or the opposing straight lane. Too many daredevils try to "make it" across.

I mean, who's in that big of a hurry anyway. It amazes me that the states make us wear seatbelts and then builds deathtrap intersections such as these.