I just rear ended a woman at the top of an exit ramp. This occurred as my passenger and I discussed how badly she was driving.
The ramp exits off I-40 on to Harrison Ave. At the top of the ramp the right hand turn lane merges into a free flowing lane of traffic, towards Cary. A free flowing lane in which no cars were traveling or merging in to. This woman, Anna from Chapel Hill, stopped at the top of the exit ramp and lurched forward. Richard, my passenger, said “WTF is she doing”?
Anna crept forward again, ever so careful and hesitant. I didn’t move my car. The words were spoken “There’s nothing coming, why doesn’t she go”? Finally 51 year old Anna from Chapel Hill made her turn! Fantastic, all clear I turned. BANG!…. Anna decided it was a good idea to HIT THE BRAKES while entering the travel lane. In. The. Damn. Lane. – Not in the intersection. Nothing like stopping suddenly for NO DAMN REASON other than being confused and indecisive.
Anna stepped out of her car, almost into traffic. We went around her and pulled into a parking lot. After asking if she was okay we recommend she move her car out of the lane because she’s blocking a free flowing lane of traffic trying to get off the exit ramp. Nope. She’ll wait. The smell of genius in the air was thickening.
When the officer Thompson of the Cary PD arrived his first question for Anna: “Is you car running”? “Then move it”.
Officer Thompson asked us what happened first. We explained, including our conversation about her odd driving before the impact. As he walked over to talk to Anna the first thing we heard him say to her was “You’ve got to commit“! I loved it.
He gave me the report and said “We don’t determine fault but I will include your statement of what happened. This happens here often, usually because of hesitant drivers. Unfortunately since you rear ended her you may be found at fault by the insurance companies”.
So my insurance might get to pay for Anna’s recognized and recorded inability to make committed decisions in traffic. The good thing is Progressive told me rear ends are not always automatically the fault of the rear driver any more. If it can be determined the driver in front performed an unexpected stop it may often be concluded as “No Fault”. Which still sucks because Anna can’t make an unimpeded turn without freaking out so it was her fault. Hell we prepared for her and couldn’t predict or avoid the stupid! Richard and I told the cops the same thing: Once she made that turn we thought we were clear. Until Anna decided at the very last second to hit the brakes because…..
Well we haven’t figured out why the hell she suddenly stopped. Nervous reaction? Medication? Most likely just plain old bad, timid, indecisive driving.