Right place at the "right" time...(crash content)

[R1]

ok if this is a 2 lane road with one passing in either direction and either a shoulder or breakdown lane on the right side and the driver broke the marked lines (or lack of) and entered that space to get around traffic on the RIGHT HAND SIDE

it is illegal.

[rbrais]

Not arguing, just trying to figure out how you feel it's okay to stop in the middle of a public thruway for reasons of compassion and, because there are other people out there who have places to be, they're the assholes for trying to get around you.

Nice or not, you stopped in the middle of a travel zone. At the very least, put on your hazards when you do this next time.

Doesn't matter why traffic is stopped. Passing on the right is illegal/do it at your own risk. Driver who passed is at fault.

[DocCola]

boy I wish I had a picture of the road. it is a 4 lane section of road, and only a short section at that because it is between two intersections. The total length of the 4 lanes from light to light is probably 150-200 yards max. The speed limit there is 30mph. I stopped in the left lane of my traveling direction. The ASSHOLE who hit the motorcyclist flew around the car stopped behind me and floored his car (re: maxed out his accelerator) until he reaized that there was a motorcycle crossing his lane (about paralel with my car) and he slammed on his brakes. He was doing NO LESS than 40 mph. He didn't even manage to come to a complete stop until another 100 feet down the road PAST where he hit the bike.

Any more clairifcation needed please ask, I'm trying to make this as clear as possible.

[neuthunder]

google maps for a picture?

[keeena]

boy I wish I had a picture of the road.

Here you go: Google Maps. I assume the accident happened where the "Quality Automotive" map marker is (meaning bike was going southbound and you north).

On a 2-lane road (meaning 2 lanes in 1 direction), you are allowed to "pass" vehicles which are in the left lane. MGL Ch 89, Section 2.

Doc - I don't think you did anything wrong. But I do agree w/ the others that its not a good idea to stop 2 lanes of traffic for the very reason that someone will often keep moving in the adjacent lane. The other guy seems to have been operating carelessly.

[capt1014]

So just to be clear, you interrupeted the flow of traffic and it's the guy behind you who's the asshole?

MMMMM.........bergs?

[capt1014]

One of the officers on scene yesterday told me this as well. I know the guy who hit the rider got quite the ticket.

Any time you move around on the right and cross the white line, you are actually breaking the law, any accident that you're involved with will more than likely be your fault.

[scubasteveRR]

in most cases passing on the right is illegal....

my.02 regardless of the situation

On a 2-lane road (meaning 2 lanes in 1 direction), you are allowed to "pass" vehicles which are in the left lane. MGL Ch 89, Section 2.

As you can see from the Bold and Underlined parts of the law unless the person stopped has his left signal on you can not pass on the right and Ajay didn't have his blinker on so the guy who passed is definitly in the wrong regarless of how safe it is or not. This is why he recieved a moving violation and will be totally at fault for the accident.

If I pass on the right I ALWAY stop at the front of the car I am passing and look to the left to make sure he is not letting someone out.

MGL CHAPTER 89. LAW OF THE ROAD Section 2


Chapter 89: Section 2. Passing vehicle traveling in same direction
[ First paragraph effective until April 15, 2009. For text effective April 15, 2009, see below.]

Section 2. Except as herein otherwise provided, the driver of a vehicle passing another vehicle traveling in the same direction shall drive a safe distance to the left of such other vehicle; and, if the way is of sufficient width for the two vehicles to pass, the driver of the leading one shall not unnecessarily obstruct the other. Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on visible signal and shall not increase the speed of his vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.

[ First paragraph as amended by 2008, 525, Secs. 8 and 9 effective April 15, 2009. For text effective until April 15, 2009, see above.]

Except as herein otherwise provided, the driver of a vehicle passing another vehicle traveling in the same direction shall drive a safe distance to the left of such other vehicle and shall not return to the right until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle; and, if the way is of sufficient width for the two vehicles to pass, the driver of the leading one shall not unnecessarily obstruct the other. If it is not possible to overtake a bicycle or other vehicle at a safe distance in the same lane, the overtaking vehicle shall use all or part of an adjacent lane if it is safe to do so or wait for a safe opportunity to overtake. Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on visible signal and shall not increase the speed of his vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.
The driver of a vehicle may, if the roadway is free from obstruction and of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles, overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle when the vehicle overtaken is (a) making or about to make a left turn, (b) upon a one-way street, or (c) upon any roadway on which traffic is restricted to one direction of movement.

[ultraTwist]

You sir just committed my all time pet peeve. You figured that you knew better than the rules of the road and decided that you would stop to let someone making a left hand turn go first.

You cause more accidents than drunk drivers. You also put all kinds of pressure on the rest of us who know the rules of the road to ignore them and cut in front of you, which I hate precisely because of what happened, and if that didn't happen then you would have been rear ended, or the guy behind you would have. I point you out to my kids all the time. I just pointed you out in down town Andover as you stopped to let me go and we counted 11 cars behind you that had to stop.

Please do not do that again, just drive on by and we'll wait. Since I have been driving never once did an adequate opening not materialize.

[ultraTwist]

Was it a double yellow line? Passing zone? Either way you should not feel at fault. You were being nice and the other guy was being aggressive and impatient.

If you want to be nice learn the rules of the road, that would be the best.

[neuthunder]

to be honest, the only person truly in the wrong is the guy on the bike. I don't think it was really wrong of you to let the guy go, and well its a 2 lane road so the guy behind you didnt actually break the law (although should have been more cautious). The guy on the bike is only to turn when the road is clear, no matter how many lanes. If anything, he should have started and paused in front of you making sure the other lane was clear to cross.

[odieoh24]

i would never trust the guy in the cars word for it! he may not be going to hit you but he cant speak for the cars in the adjacent lane or behind him. plus i've seen douchebags wave the car thru knowing theres traffic coming just to try to cause a close call or accident-little high school punks trying to be funny. the guy on the bike is just as much to blame as the guy who hit him for not checking the way was clear beyond your car! you stopped to be nice and there was an accident not involving your vehicle, you rendered first aid and thats about as far as your responsabilities lie. dont beat yourself up because the other guy pulled out and hit him-you had no way of knowing he would do that.

later odieoh24

[obsolete]

If the guy that hit the bike was in the right lane to begin with and did not switch from the left lane would he have to stop because the guy in the left lane stopped?

[keeena]

As you can see from the Bold and Underlined parts of the law unless the person stopped has his left signal on you can not pass on the right

A highway constitutes 2 roadways. A roadway is the single direction portion of a highway and thus falls under item (c) 'one direction of movement'.

That's how I understood it anyways. You're not gonna get a ticket for moving past someone in a multilane road as long as you're not speeding, reckless, etc...

[keeena]

If the guy that hit the bike was in the right lane to begin with and did not switch from the left lane would he have to stop because the guy in the left lane stopped?

The motorcycle would have to yield the right of way to the car, regardless of how the car got to the right-most lane. You do not have to stop because the person in the adjacent lane stopped.

[obsolete]

That wasn't what I was asking.

[keeena]

That wasn't what I was asking.

I updated my post; my bad!

[lsm196]

Hi all....I believe the guy on the motorcycle is a friend of mine from Moto Market. If so, I just received some details regarding his medical condition and am forwarding the info to you.

Robert got out of surgery today about 3:00. He is doing well. They did not remove his existing pin and managed to attach the Hip ball back

to his femur with screws for now. They will reevaluate in approx 3 week when he could be up for a hip replacement if this doesn’t heal well.

They think he will be in the hospital till Saturday then home in bed for 2-3 weeks. Then rehab for several months.

Best wishes to Rob for a speedy recovery!

[DocCola]

As you can see from the Bold and Underlined parts of the law unless the person stopped has his left signal on you can not pass on the right and Ajay didn't have his blinker on so the guy who passed is definitly in the wrong regarless of how safe it is or not. This is why he recieved a moving violation and will be totally at fault for the accident.

If I pass on the right I ALWAY stop at the front of the car I am passing and look to the left to make sure he is not letting someone out.

MGL CHAPTER 89. LAW OF THE ROAD Section 2


Chapter 89: Section 2. Passing vehicle traveling in same direction
[ First paragraph effective until April 15, 2009. For text effective April 15, 2009, see below.]

Section 2. Except as herein otherwise provided, the driver of a vehicle passing another vehicle traveling in the same direction shall drive a safe distance to the left of such other vehicle; and, if the way is of sufficient width for the two vehicles to pass, the driver of the leading one shall not unnecessarily obstruct the other. Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on visible signal and shall not increase the speed of his vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.

[ First paragraph as amended by 2008, 525, Secs. 8 and 9 effective April 15, 2009. For text effective until April 15, 2009, see above.]

Except as herein otherwise provided, the driver of a vehicle passing another vehicle traveling in the same direction shall drive a safe distance to the left of such other vehicle and shall not return to the right until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle; and, if the way is of sufficient width for the two vehicles to pass, the driver of the leading one shall not unnecessarily obstruct the other. If it is not possible to overtake a bicycle or other vehicle at a safe distance in the same lane, the overtaking vehicle shall use all or part of an adjacent lane if it is safe to do so or wait for a safe opportunity to overtake. Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on visible signal and shall not increase the speed of his vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.
The driver of a vehicle may, if the roadway is free from obstruction and of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles, overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle when the vehicle overtaken is (a) making or about to make a left turn, (b) upon a one-way street, or (c) upon any roadway on which traffic is restricted to one direction of movement.

Steven, thank you for taking the time to look up the reg on that. I appreciate it and I owe you a beer.

You sir just committed my all time pet peeve. You figured that you knew better than the rules of the road and decided that you would stop to let someone making a left hand turn go first.

You cause more accidents than drunk drivers. You also put all kinds of pressure on the rest of us who know the rules of the road to ignore them and cut in front of you, which I hate precisely because of what happened, and if that didn't happen then you would have been rear ended, or the guy behind you would have. I point you out to my kids all the time. I just pointed you out in down town Andover as you stopped to let me go and we counted 11 cars behind you that had to stop.

Please do not do that again, just drive on by and we'll wait. Since I have been driving never once did an adequate opening not materialize.

You sir, need some serous help if you believe that I cause more accidents than drunk drivers. I am an extremely cautious driver. I'm not perfect but because I stopped when there was very VERY light traffic behind me to let a fellow biker get out of the middle of the road is no reason to start making me look like the anti Christ. If you want to start playing finger pointing games maybe you should go back to pre-school but that would probably be slightly embarrassing since your kids are further developed maturity wise than you. I feel for them. Grow up dude.

Hi all....I believe the guy on the motorcycle is a friend of mine from Moto Market. If so, I just received some details regarding his medical condition and am forwarding the info to you.

Robert got out of surgery today about 3:00. He is doing well. They did not remove his existing pin and managed to attach the Hip ball back

to his femur with screws for now. They will reevaluate in approx 3 week when he could be up for a hip replacement if this doesn’t heal well.

They think he will be in the hospital till Saturday then home in bed for 2-3 weeks. Then rehab for several months.

Best wishes to Rob for a speedy recovery!

Thank you for the update. Give Rob my best wishes for a speed recovery.

Mods, feel free to lock this thread, I've lost interest in reading it.

[butcher bergs]

IBTL

[e30addict]

ICar involved was a old red toyota carmy i think.

most shocking statement in this thread. someone actually drove a Camry aggressively? who knew.......

[toocrazy2yoo]

What was the speed limit on this road? In Va., and probably here too, stopping on a roadway with multi-lanes AND a speed limit of 40+ makes the stopper responsible. Unfortunate.

[OreoGaborio]

This thread is full of Monday morning quarterbacks. It's called "tact", people... use some.

I don't give up my right of way for this exact reason, but I'm not about to tell the guy involved in this accident that HE causes more accidents than drunk drivers. Are you fucking kidding me? Not only do you not have the data to back that up, but it's an asshole accusation even if you could prove it to be true.

Stop acting like dickheads, people. The guy already feels terrible and partly responsible and I totally understand why he would.




Best wishes to the fallen rider.

[butcher bergs]

I don't think "he" (or "you", as it were) is being used in the literal sense, Petey. I felt it was being used as a grouping of sorts. Like a "you people" kinda thing, ya know?



One thing we all can agree on, above all, is no one likes it when "that driver", who thinks they're being nice, stops everything to let one vehicle thru when in reality they're essentially making an unsafe situation in addition to breaking traffic laws such as impeding the flow of traffic. Funny thing is, no one here wanted to take the time to look that one up tho.

No matter the "should haves" and "would haves", truth is, regardless of the assholes passing the asshole who stopped in the middle of a public road, an unsafe situation is being created simply by stopping in the middle of the road without ANY indication as to one's intentions.

[OreoGaborio]

Thanks, Doc.