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Got hit on the way in to work today


DKilbourne
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Well, I was cruising along as usual in the left lane on 270 this morning when a minivan decided that it was time to switch into the left lane. I guess his turn signal was on, so he could do whatever. I hit the brakes and avoided an incident. Well my exit was about a mile off, so I got into the middle lane and when the front of my car was at his back door he turned on the signal again and started to get over. This time I didn't have enough time to hit the brakes. I hit the horn and swerved right, then had to get back into the middle lane due to a car in the right lane. Well he never heard the horn or saw me over there, because he kept coming over and hit the driver's side quarter as I was trying to avoid him. He proceeded to throw up his arms and act like he had no idea of what had happened. I went to the next exit, which was the one I needed, and got off and stopped at a gas station. I asked him if he saw me either of the times he was getting over on top of me and he only said "If you weren't in such a hurry, you wouldn't have caused this." I was a little confused. I said you cut me off getting into the left lane and then got over on top of me when I was in the middle lane. All he said was "Didn't you see my turn signal?" Since when does a turn signal mean that you can change lanes whenever? Columbus cop shows up and says that technically the accident happened in county jurisdiction and that she wouldn't cite either of us and she would have us out of there in 10 minutes. I said that was fine and he agreed. Then the officer asked what happened and I said that I had gotten into the middle lane and he came over when I was right next to him and that I tried to avoid him, but couldn't. The guy stood right next to me and never said a word. He didn't argue what happened at all. Kind of funny how his tune changed. The officer shook my hand after taking down all of the info and looked at the other guy and got back into the cruiser. I shook the guys hand and said "Hopefully you won't be too late to work, but I have to get to work now." Here I am stuck with a nice dent on the drivers quarter and most likely a bunch of calls from his insurance company trying to place blame on me. Can't wait. Good start to the day for me.
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I think it is a common problem with minivan drivers. They seem to drive like idiots and it is even worse when they don't have there kids in the van (the reason they just had to buy a mini van). IMO...they are pissed off with the world because they are now stuck in life with kids and now had to buy a minivan and not the sports car they always wanted.
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Upside at least is no one got hurt.

 

I've been keeping an extra defensive eye out lately. Especially after making a 2200+ mile round trip to Florida recently, I'm all but done with the stupid drivers on the road.

 

Good luck.

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At least you're ok Dave. Was this in the Cobra?

 

No, I'd be in jail. If it was the Cobra, then I would have been able to just hit the gas and make it around him. Stupid Geo Prizm has 0 acceleration, but is a decent daily driver. It was the guys work minivan too. I would have definitely waited until fault was determined before I left it was the other car. Just sucks that the guy was so convinced that he did nothing wrong until the officer asked what happened. I told her what happened and he just sat there with nothing to add. I guess he realized that maybe he wasn't paying close enough attention and I wasn't blowing smoke up his ass when I asked him why he needed to try and share lanes with me on two occasions. I'm just glad that the old Geo didn't spin around at 70mph. That would have been bad news.

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+1 on marking for at fault. One more thing.....when they hand you the other drivers insurance info, whip out the cell and CALL THAT COMPANY to verify that the idiot has CURRENT coverage. I got tapped a few weeks ago, just a scratch that I was going to let go, but the guy was an ASSHOLE and tried to call three witnesses liars, so he talked himself into police involvment. I called his company right there with the cop listening on speaker, turns out that his policy was cancelled for non-payment a month after he started it. He got a trip downtown and his car got towed too.

 

I can't even see where the damage is when my car has a little dirt on it.

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I'm willing to bet $100 he was on his cell phone.

 

Every single time I am driving to or from work on 71, 7/8 of the cars I pass that are driving like complete assholes... the drivers are on their cell phones. Columbus is not that big of a city that you cannot wait until you reach a destination to call someone. Put the phone down, put on some music to listen to and fucking drive... its not that hard.

 

I'm so pissed off at 71N from 4-6p. Three lanes, everyone driving 60mph, talking on their cell phones. If it weren't for the rolling road blocks, there wouldn't be traffic in this city.

 

Maybe its just from seeing the assholes in LA, where everyone talks and drives, and it causes 90% of accidents out there.

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yea you should've just stuck with it man, not a dime would've come out of your, or your insurance providers pocket. Expect a 20% hike in your premiums for a few years.

 

Why would I get an insurance hike? Car is liability only. Not going to get fixed anyway. It would look a little weird with fresh paint right next to the rust spot. Just goes with the rest of the car. If it had been either of the other vehicles that I own, I would have waited for the county to get there to cite him. I just wish I would have thought about the possibility of getting a nice check to "fix" the car and putting into something else.

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Very interesting, glad that you came out safe. Now, having said that, was the CPD that pulled up part of the freeway division? If not, they should have dispatched either a Sheriff deputy (because she said it was "county"), or moreover, she should have contacted the OSP because you were on 270. I would have stressed that considering she was not going to issue any citations or at faults.

 

"Out of her jurisdiction" - what a joke! Why did she even show up? Maybe you caught her going off shift.

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I was hit a few years ago on Broad street by a guy who tried passing me using a turn only lane. Side swiped me.

 

The damn cop told us to move from the shoulder into the parking lot across the street THEN went on to say that since we were no longer in the original orientation (something like that) that he couldn't cite fault on either of us.

 

Anyhow, we both had State Farm insurance. So neither of us payed a deductable to get the vehicles fixed, and my rates never changed.

 

3 years later now I get a call from a lawyer asking about the events that took place regarding the accident. Turns out, the guy didn't have State Farm and produced an invalid card to me and the police officer. So now State Farm is going after his ass to recoup both deductibles and the damages paid out.

 

Sweet justice on that Fucker! as he tried two times in the past 2 years to sue me for bodily injuries sustained during the accident (LOL at that). Both times were thrown out before it even got to court due to how the verdict was handed down concerning the ticket from the accident I received to begin with (which the ticket was also thrown out as I contested it) :)

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Man that sucks....during rush hour though. I do feel like I am playing a game of dodge ball instead of the ball though its cars. People don't know how to drive, and people who ride with me know, I get cut off all the time. And when I get next to them, they are talking on their goddamn cell phone. Its not hard to spend $10 to get bluetooth. I can't wait till we have a cell phone law in this state.
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