Lane merge.

[adjusterjack]

This was posted on another site. I'm reproducing it here without comment for some unbiased opinions.

I had incident the other day where I was trying to make a lane change almost getting into an accident.

Here's the situation:

1. Construction zone.
2. Very low speed.
2. Two lane turns into one lane due to construction.
3. I drive in the ending lane all the way up to the end point.
4. I don't recall if the other driver was directly next to me or near my rear quarter panel(I recall him speeding up)
4. I try to merge by putting on my blinkers and slowly creeping over but the driver would not let me over and instead speeds up.
5. Driver drives past me and gives me the finger.
6. I stop and someone "lets me" merge.

Who would be at fault here if he ended up hitting my rear side? It would make no that it would be my fault because this was a construction zone and people needed to merge into one lane. He did not use due diligence to avoid causing an accident and showed very aggressive driving behavior. My vehicle was already ahead of his, otherwise I would not have tried to creep into his lane. This is basic merging.

I consider myself to be a VERY good driver as I take safety as a very high driving priority. So this was a very interesting situation.

 

[Tahoe Ray]

I'm not a P&C agent but most people can't zipper merge worth a shit so I'm not surprised that this is a question/story.

I would guess the merging party would be at fault. He/she could have always stopped and/or not waited until the last minute. The aggression is meaningless unless caught on video since it's easily deniable.

 

[fed up]

A "very good and cautious" driver would put on their indicator at the first sign to merge and allow the through lane of established position to make a hole to merge into. A driver not skilled at the art of merging would run to the end of the disappearing lane, stp, put on their indicator and try to make a hole. Sorry buddy, learn how to drive.

 

[Allen Trent]

but most people can't zipper merge worth a shit

This sounds like some perverted dating ritual of young people in their 20s trying to get their zippers to merge

 

[scagnt83]

From an insurance adjustment point of view, if the aggression was corroborated, it would likely create some type of "offset" in the liability that the carriers haggle over.

From a police report standpoint. You would have been at fault unless you had already entered the other lane... which would have been a rear end collision and not a sideswipe.

 

[Allen Trent]

From an insurance adjustment point of view, if the aggression was corroborated, it would likely create some type of "offset" in the liability that the carriers haggle over.

From a police report standpoint. You would have been at fault unless you had already entered the other lane... which would have been a rear end collision and not a sideswipe.

can you clarify--are you responding to my post or the previous ones. trying to figure out where insurance would be involved in my scenario. then again, if 2 co-workers were trying to merge their zippers, maybe work comp would cover injuries, especially if they involved the rear end or 1 party got pregnant. if they got pregnant at work while merging zippers, would the hospital delivery be work comp? could be sexual harrassment liability too if it was a manager & a subordinate