[EClayton08]

I got in a pretty bad accident yesterday. We had a bad thunderstorm with heavy rain and I guess it knocked out the service of the red ligts at this one 4 way intersection. The lights were flashing red so not fully knocked out. I was stopped and waiting for my turn to go. Well all the cars that were across the street started to turn left, while the cars to the left of me crossing the street were stopped. So no cars were going I assumed they were allowing me to go. So I start to slowly cross the intersection and here comes a chevy aveo not stopping or slowing down even with flashing red lights. So I tried to avoid him by turning and driving straight into the other lane, but he was going too fast and T boned me pretty good. I then went into another car stopped. No one was hurt but my car is pretty messed up. Cops there for about 1.5 hours doing paper work and finally came and said the accident by the law was my fault. I was to treat the flashing lights as a stop sign and the other lanes had it as a yield. Makes no sense to me but I wasn't gonna question him. He said morally he would have given the fault to the chevy aveo but legally he couldnt. He did say he did some researching and gave me a break with a ticket on failure to due care instead of wreckless. And told me to go to court and hed plead my case to the judge and I can as well and they will probably drastically reduce my ticket or possibly throw it out. Still sucks cause my insurance is probably going to skyrocket.

[bsamoul]

Wasn't there a witness who could have said that you were stopped and thought it was your turn so you went, while the Aveo didn't even slow down and blew the light?

[EClayton08]

Originally Posted by bsamoul

Wasn't there a witness who could have said that you were stopped and thought it was your turn so you went, while the Aveo didn't even slow down and blew the light?

There was, the guy who I hit after the aveo hit me. He gave the same statement I did. So I'm quite confused as to why the law says I had to treat the flashing red light as a stop sign and the other guy can treat the flashing red light as a yield sign.

[Blindside_137]

Originally Posted by EClayton08

There was, the guy who I hit after the aveo hit me. He gave the same statement I did. So I'm quite confused as to why the law says I had to treat the flashing red light as a stop sign and the other guy can treat the flashing red light as a yield sign.

It's hard to get a visual of what exactly happened but if his light was flashing red that makes no sense. Usually the main road is flashing yellow to slow down while the lesser traffic road is flashing red to stop and wait until clear. So if that was the case then it makes sense.

Anyway, glad you're ok and no one was hurt. accidents are scary stuff

[ceb]

Originally Posted by Blindside_137

It's hard to get a visual of what exactly happened but if his light was flashing red that makes no sense. Usually the main road is flashing yellow to slow down while the lesser traffic road is flashing red to stop and wait until clear. So if that was the case then it makes sense.

Anyway, glad you're ok and no one was hurt. accidents are scary stuff

Correct. Normally one set will flash red and the other amber. If that was the case then the OP was at fault.

If all lights were flashing red (normal after a power failure) then the OP would not be at fault.

Perhaps the OP assumed that everyone had a red flashing light - the equivalent of a 4 way stop.

The OP needs to verify what color was flashing for the Aveo and (if red) challenge the ticket.

[EClayton08]

Originally Posted by ceb

Correct. Normally one set will flash red and the other amber. If that was the case then the OP was at fault.

If all lights were flashing red (normal after a power failure) then the OP would not be at fault.

Perhaps the OP assumed that everyone had a red flashing light - the equivalent of a 4 way stop.

The OP needs to verify what color was flashing for the Aveo and (if red) challenge the ticket.

I was sure they had flashing red, but its all a bit of a blur now and they could have possibly been yellow. But if you said flashing red was normal after a power failure, it'd been red cause they went to push the button to reset the lights and nothing happened so it was a power failure.

Even tho I'm still pissed the other guy didn't even slow down even if he possibly had yellow flashing, that doesn't mean keep up the same speed but slow down. And I think he may have been speeding a little.

[fdriller9]

Ouch. Glad everyone is ok.

Looks like about 10k worth of damage.

[Blindside_137]

Originally Posted by EClayton08

I was sure they had flashing red, but its all a bit of a blur now and they could have possibly been yellow. But if you said flashing red was normal after a power failure, it'd been red cause they went to push the button to reset the lights and nothing happened so it was a power failure.

Even tho I'm still pissed the other guy didn't even slow down even if he possibly had yellow flashing, that doesn't mean keep up the same speed but slow down. And I think he may have been speeding a little.

Yeah, i guess that's life. pretty sad if you ask me but the good news is it wasnt a bigger car traveling faster or something. Hopefully the aveo learned a lesson so that next time he's more cautious. Hope it all gets worked out reasonably.

[aretardedorange]

I would have gotten out and punched that aveo driver right in the face. He did that on purpose for sure. I have had similar incidents happen to me. Waiting at a light to make a left turn light turns red so I am stuck in the middle, drivers in POS cars usually floor their car and try to hit me.

[Eric335]

im so sorry man...

[Brian135i]

Your car will be fine. Looks like about 8-10k in damage.

[leungsta]

That'll buff right out, not to worry

[WWONG]

light is red in the pic, unless those were your lights

[assinizarM3]

Glad ur okay man! Here in lebanon we have an electricity problem every day there's minimum of 8 hrs without electricity...but that's okay cause all people have bought generators...but on streets all those trafic lights are off at that time(no flashing red or yield or whatever) and in my city the trafic lights are on highway so it really is a huge problem this especially in nights when there's no cops and no street lights! Plus there's no sign to tell to take another road wich is very easy here and it will cost max 2 min to your destination!! And what frighten me is that NOBODY CARES!! Hope everything works out for you and be careful next time if it ever happens to you again.

[ceb]

Originally Posted by EClayton08

I was sure they had flashing red, but its all a bit of a blur now and they could have possibly been yellow. But if you said flashing red was normal after a power failure, it'd been red cause they went to push the button to reset the lights and nothing happened so it was a power failure.

Even tho I'm still pissed the other guy didn't even slow down even if he possibly had yellow flashing, that doesn't mean keep up the same speed but slow down. And I think he may have been speeding a little.

It is always difficult to know what the opposing traffic is flashing. Since you got the ticket I can only assume that the Aveo driver had a flashing amber.

Different lights default to different setting depending on where the power issue is.

most lights default to a 4 way stop, but some default to night mode with the priority road getting the flashing amber.

You can/should check with the local municipanity to see what it was flashing.

[g_rant]

Glad that you're okay man

But in any case, it's still the Aveo Driver's fault in my opinion since he failed to slowed down. Yellow means to exercise caution, which he hadn't done.

And on a side note, he was probably jealous that you were in a BMW and he was stuck in an Aveo

[Bonziii82]

Glad you are ok, sorry for your misfortune, accidents are a pain to deal with

[FVM3]

glad that you are ok

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by g_rant

Glad that you're okay man

But in any case, it's still the Aveo Driver's fault in my opinion since he failed to slowed down. Yellow means to exercise caution, which he hadn't done.

And on a side note, he was probably jealous that you were in a BMW and he was stuck in an Aveo

So you maintain speed through an intersection seeing that someone else is creeping out into the middle?

Some people are so idiotic. I don't understand how one could think that just because you're jealous of someone means you can mess up their property. Ultimately, I think this guy will get screwed in court.

[Mr.E92]

Sucks that this happened to your car. At least you're okay. Hope everything works out.

[EClayton08]

Thanks guys, I actually just drove by the accident sight to see if the lights were still messed up by chance but they were not. I still feel as if the lights were flashing red. Do I think he failed to slow down to hit me? Nah, it was wet and he said he hit the brakes but it was too wet to stop. But if he did have a flashing yellow he shouldn't be traveling more than 10 MPH imo, and he was absolutely traveling closer to 40+ cause he came from no where when I was crossing.

[E90MCF]

Originally Posted by EClayton08

Thanks guys, I actually just drove by the accident sight to see if the lights were still messed up by chance but they were not. I still feel as if the lights were flashing red. Do I think he failed to slow down to hit me? Nah, it was wet and he said he hit the brakes but it was too wet to stop. But if he did have a flashing yellow he shouldn't be traveling more than 10 MPH imo, and he was absolutely traveling closer to 40+ cause he came from no where when I was crossing.

Here in Calgary, if you get ticketed after getting into an accident, you're pretty much guaranteed to be liable. It still sounds like the Aveo's at fault though cause amber means 'slow and proceed with caution' while red means 'stop a proceed when safe to do so'? Or am I wrong?

Also making the other driver liable would be his brakes not stopping him in time cause the speed limit is for prime driving conditions and if you're driving speed limit and say it's snowing like crazy and the roads are icy and that person gets into an accident, that person would get ticketed for 'driving at an unreasonable rate of speed' making said person liable.

The officer made a mistake. Tell your insurance this.