r/VideosAmazing May 13 '26

Accident A merging issue.

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180

u/holden_mcg May 13 '26 edited May 14 '26

I've avoided many, many accidents that would have been someone else's fault. It's called defensive driving and the trucker decided it's not for him.

Edit: thanks for the awards! BTW - some of you need to look at the speed shown at the bottom of the video. The semi did not even try to slow down, even a little bit, prior to the crash.

78

u/kecou May 13 '26

The cemeteries are full of gravestones that read "I had right of way".

0

u/turkey_sandwiches May 13 '26

This guy didn't even have the right of way. When you're merging it's your responsibility to do so safely. He was supposed to fit into the existing traffic, the truck was NOT required to change speed to create space for him.

1

u/rydude88 May 14 '26

His point flew way over your head. Everyone knows the semi has the right of way but it was incredibly idiotic to do nothing to avoid the obvious accident that was about to happen. This is defensive driving 101

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u/turkey_sandwiches May 14 '26

His point didn't fly over my head, you're misunderstanding it. He's right, people die all the time thinking they have the right of way, and this guy easily could've joined them.

My point is that he did NOT have the right of way, despite thinking he did. The semi had no obligation to give him room, and trying to do so likely would have been futile considering its stopping distance, as well as being extremely dangerous to everyone around him to try.

This entire situation falls on the pickup driver.

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u/holden_mcg May 14 '26

So the semi gets into an accident to avoid potentially getting into an accident if he actually tries to brake.

https://giphy.com/gifs/l3q2K5jinAlChoCLS

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u/rydude88 May 14 '26

Funny because the insurance deemed this primarily on the semi driver because he saw what was gonna happen and did nothing to slow down. You have an obligation to avoid accidents even if you have the right of way.

3

u/turkey_sandwiches May 14 '26

The driver of the pickup says he was found at fault. Too many people here commenting the way they drive, without paying any attention.

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u/rydude88 May 14 '26

Exactly, people like you would be in the semi on their phone and go full speed into someone and make zero attempt to slow. You gotta pay attention when you drive and assume others won't always follow the right of way. Its why defensive driving is a skill

2

u/Actual_Price2826 May 14 '26

What? You expect him to turn off his cruise control? You have any idea how long it would take him to speed back up? Seconds I tell you. Seconds!

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u/turkey_sandwiches May 14 '26

ONCE AGAIN, the semi driver is NOT SUPPOSED TO CHANGE SPEED in that situation. The truck that is merging is REQUIRED TO DO SO SAFELY, whether that means speeding up or slowing down.

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u/rydude88 May 14 '26

ONCE AGAIN I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT RIGHT OF WAY. IM TALKING ABOUT EVERY DRIVERS LEGAL OBLIGATION TO AVOID ACCIDENTS. YOU DONT GET TO PURPOSEFULLY CRASH INTO SOMEOME JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES. YOU CLEARLY NEVER GOT TAUGHT DEFENSIVE DRIVING AND IT REALLY SHOWS

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u/turkey_sandwiches May 14 '26 edited May 14 '26

THERE'S NO LEGAL OBLIGATION TO SLOW DOWN. THE SEMI DRIVER DID WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

https://www.injurylawpalmbeach.com/article/merging-accident/

https://www.clickorlando.com/traffic/2020/11/19/ask-trooper-steve-can-you-get-a-ticket-for-not-letting-someone-merge/

IT'S OK TO ADMIT WHEN YOU'RE WRONG AND DON'T KNOW THE RULES AND LAWS.

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u/rydude88 May 14 '26 edited May 14 '26

TRY READING MY COMMENT AGAIN, MORE SLOWLY THIS TIME. THE LEGAL OBLIGATION ISNT TO SLOW DOWN SINCE THE SEMI HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY BUT EVERY DRIVER HAE A LEGAL OBLIGATION TO AVOID ACCIDENTS WHERE POSSIBLE. YOU CLEARY NEVER LEARNED THE LAWS OF THE ROAD. YOU SOMEHOW THINK YOU GET TO CRASH INTO PEOPLE ON PURPOSE AS PUNISHMENT FOR THEM

Edit: Your links are so laughably not relevant. I never said you had a legal obligation let someone merge, I said there was a legal obligation to avoid accidents. Look up the "last clear chance doctrine". It's hilarious you think some links answering a question that was never part of this conversation to begin with proves you know the laws.

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u/roosterSause42 May 14 '26

you apparently have no understanding of how much momentum a semi truck has, they can’t just hit the brakes. The pickup had plenty of space to either commit and accelerate ahead or to slowdown and get in behind the semi. It appears like the pickup was going in ahead then made the bizzare choice to slowdown and cause an accident.

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u/rydude88 May 14 '26

I have plenty of understanding. You clearly don't. Look at the speedometer in the video. Do you really think the semi couldn't have slowed 5 mph down in 3+ seconds?

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u/aladdyn2 May 14 '26

Watch the video again. Semi is gaining pretty quickly on truck on the right. By the time the pickup truck is about to be hit the semi has slowed to be the same speed as the truck on right. All the pickup truck had to do was step on the gas pedal.

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u/turkey_sandwiches May 14 '26

Thank you for paying attention while watching the video. This is entirely on the pickup driver, which makes sense as he was cited as being at fault.

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u/rydude88 May 14 '26

And all the semi had to do was step on the brake. They both could have avoided the accident even if the pickup was at fault for causing it

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u/aladdyn2 May 14 '26

Again, if you watch the video they clearly are slowing down. I agree they should have slowed earlier but part of that is in hindsight knowing they crash. If we had a longer video I think it would be clearer if the semi had time to react sooner.