Shanahan Accident

[GeekHawk]

Front car wasn't necessarily right but I'm okay with the guy behind taking 100% fault.

No, the driver that kept up the speed and then jumped out at the last second *deliberately* took actions that set up the accident. He/she could have slowed down like normal and then come to a stop but he/she took an action that was designed to cause an accident, and deliberately involved an innocent party. "Not necessarily right" is absolutely no way to describe such selfish ass-hattery as that.

 

[Mike MacDarnold]

He/she could have slowed down like normal and then come to a stop

Nah, if the front car slowed down or stopped normally they would have been rear ended.

High school drivers ed classes everywhere say you're supposed to maintain enough following distance to react to a change in conditions like a stopped car ahead. Being close enough for a Nascar bump draft is risking a lot for what, a couple seconds on your commute? That dude is a menace and should be off the road.

 

[FrodosFinger]

Nah, if the front car slowed down or stopped normally they would have been rear ended.

High school drivers ed classes everywhere say you're supposed to maintain enough following distance to react to a change in conditions like a stopped car ahead. Being close enough for a Nascar bump draft is risking a lot for what, a couple seconds on your commute? That dude is a menace and should be off the road.

I think my drivers ed teacher back in like 83' told us to keep a 2 second distance between me and the car in front. I'm sure it's been revised a hundred times since. I mean we never had cell phones back then as a distraction so I guess it made sense at the time

 

[Jville]

 

[Mike MacDarnold]

keep a 2 second distance between me and the car in front

Yeah I remember that, you'd use a sign or landmark and count the seconds when the first car passes it and stop counting when your vehicle passes it. I think the acceptable count depends on how fast you're going.

In that clip they were traveling 140 km/hr which is about 87 mph and don't even bother counting landmarks, it's just a tiny fraction of a second reaction time to avoid disaster. I wouldn't follow that close in a residential neighborhood.

 

[Jville]

 

[ccla]

Yes, there is something worse. I recall back in the mid-80s when I lived in SoCal (Vista CA, which is just south of Camp Pendelton in San Diego County). CA Hwy 78 between Oceanside and Escondiido was 25 miles of hell due to only having 2 lanes each way, so 1 asshole in the left lane could cause a 25-mile backup (and did, every single day). In the lead-up to adding a third lane each way, the Escondido newspaper had an interview with one of the local CHP officers. In that iinterview, he specifically called out what he called "amateur traffic cops" and told them to get out of the way and into the right lane because they were causing traffic hazards. And he didn't care if they were "doing the speed limit". He's right, those who get in the left lane in order to try and regulate the behavior of others are asshats who cause accidents. And anyone who decides to punish a tailgater by jumping out of the left lane at the last second in order to cause an accident should be held liable for all damages to all cars and people who get injured due to their ass-hattery.

“But judge, I had my eyes on the review mirror and I did not see the stopped car until the last minute.” I am pretty sure would be the defense.

 

[Trackhawk]

Not sure when the clip is from, but it's entirely possible that the front car was on his phone and didn't see the stopped cars until the last second. Would be a hilarious defense/ non-defense. Sorry officer, I didn't notice the line of stopped cars until the last second, and I took evasive action.

 

[cymatica]

I'm still trying to figure out why it's an infraction to touch my phone but it's ok to navigate the giant screens that replaced physical knobs.

 

[Ostatehawk]

I think my drivers ed teacher back in like 83' told us to keep a 2 second distance between me and the car in front. I'm sure it's been revised a hundred times since. I mean we never had cell phones back then as a distraction so I guess it made sense at the time

BUT - Sometimes you had to deal with a recalcitrant cassette tape.

 

[Palmegranite]

Or reinserting the cigarette lighter.