NWR: Just got rear ended

mybestfriendsfuturemrs

I got off work, went tanning and was driving home when some A-hole was speeding down the dirt road behind me. I saw him pass another car and proceed to get up on my rear, he was flipping me off too, which was making me mad. AS he proceeded to try and pass me, I got in his way. We come to the stop sign, where I STOPPED and he hit me! I actually think he did it on purpose. Luckily, a cop drove by right then and turned around. He said that he saw the whole thing and that if it's under $1K worth of damage no police report has to be written. I of course told him I wanted a report because I shouldn't have to pay to fix my bumper because this guy ran into me. Besides, I knew my parents as well as my FI would be mad if I didn't.  The officer gives the guy a ticket for failure to stop but also gives me a ticket for Careless Driving! WHAT?!?! Actually it was an infraction, so from what he tells me is that there's no points, won't get claimed on my insurance but I have to pay a fine. He even said to me "By the looks of it you haven't gotten a ticket in a while"  No! I haven't! So what are you saying??? BC I haven't had one in a long time, I'm due for one?? OR because I made you actually do work you're giving me one? I don't get it!!
FI and my mom say to fight it.  UGH!!!!!

HiggyFan42

Oh my gosh!  I'm so sorry!  I hate how cops can be so high on their horses sometimes!  Not a good way to end your day... but tomorrow is always a new one. 

Knottie1435582995

Not to make your night worse, but I'm pretty sure careless driving is a 3 point infraction, and is definitely reportable to your insurance company. 
http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1627_8665_9066-23757--,00.html

sammichele

WOW that totally stinks!  I wonder what his REAL justification was for careless driving?  I would definitely fight it if I were in your position.  So sorry that happened

boogerbearoriginal

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_michigan-detroit_nwr-just-got-rear-ended?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:88Discussion:e27e99fd-ed91-4d71-946b-d0186ddeb481Post:5e907e62-641e-4e8e-8746-91bc2e9f9bf3">NWR: Just got rear ended</a>:
[QUOTE]I got off work, went tanning and was driving home when some A-hole was speeding down the dirt road behind me. I saw him pass another car and proceed to get up on my rear, he was flipping me off too, which was making me mad. AS he proceeded to try and pass me, I got in his way. We come to the stop sign, where I STOPPED and he hit me! I actually think he did it on purpose. Luckily, a cop drove by right then and turned around. He said that he saw the whole thing and that if it's under $1K worth of damage no police report has to be written. I of course told him I wanted a report because I shouldn't have to pay to fix my bumper because this guy ran into me. Besides, I knew my parents as well as my FI would be mad if I didn't.  The officer gives the guy a ticket for failure to stop but also gives me a ticket for Careless Driving! WHAT?!?! Actually it was an infraction, so from what he tells me is that there's no points, won't get claimed on my insurance but I have to pay a fine. He even said to me "By the looks of it you haven't gotten a ticket in a while"  No! I haven't! So what are you saying??? BC I haven't had one in a long time, I'm due for one?? OR because I made you actually do work you're giving me one? I don't get it!! FI and my mom say to fight it.  UGH!!!!!
Posted by mybestfriendsfuturemrs[/QUOTE]

Is it possible the officer saw you block the guy from passing you? I'll be honest, that was kind of a jerky move on your part. I mean - he was being an ass for sure, but if someone tries to pass you the law says you are supposed to allow them to pass. And I am not trying to blame you or excuse him from responsibility but if you had let him pass you, he wouldn't have rear ended you. Obviously he should've never been so close to your bumper that he hit you upon stopping, but it does seem like it could've been prevented.

In any event - I'm sorry you got hit and a ticket, that stinks. I'd definitely fight the ticket - did the officer tell you why he wrote the ticket?

emily1004

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_michigan-detroit_nwr-just-got-rear-ended?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:88Discussion:e27e99fd-ed91-4d71-946b-d0186ddeb481Post:b597ce4c-bc1e-4a33-a39d-2034bcf33fce">Re: NWR: Just got rear ended</a>:
[QUOTE]WOW that totally stinks!  I wonder what his REAL justification was for careless driving?  I would definitely fight it if I were in your position.  So sorry that happened :(
Posted by sammichele[/QUOTE]

<div>Ditto! Fight it! </div><div>I don't get how you were the careless driver?! The other driver rear ended you!!! Good Luck!!!</div>

Knottie1435582995

To be honest, if I read your entry correctly, I'm a little surprised you didn't get slapped with a reckless driving.  You basically stated that you purposely got in the driver's way when he was trying to pass you (you blocked him), and as a direct result of your intentional actions you were in an accident.  That's textbook reckless driving if you ask me -- so if I were you I'd be happy the cop didn't slap you with that because it's 6 points and a misdemeanor. 

Additionally, both drivers in my opinion were at fault.  You were both in the wrong.  He shouldn't have tailgated and flipped you off, and you shouldn't have blocked his ability to pass you.  Now, the end result is that you were in an accident and you both got tickets -- and rightfully so.  I'm sure the cop saw you block the other driver's ability to pass.  Maybe now both of you will think before pulling a stunt like that again.

Julz629

I'm sorry this happened and I don't want to be a jerk, but if I am reading this correctly, I agree with Erin and Melanie that this does sound like careless driving.

9 years ago, a family friend was driving and she was trying to merge on an expressway and the guy was being a jerk about letting her in.  It came to a point where the lane ended and she still wasn't merged and I'm not sure how it happened, but she ended up getting into an accident and rolling her SUV.  Two of her friends was with her and one was fine, but the other was in a coma for 3 years and although he is out of his coma now, he is completely paralyzed and is still unable to communicate with anyone.  All this because someone was too high and mighty to let someone successfully merge into their lane.

It sucks when drivers are a-holes like this.  What he was doing was completely ridiculous.  But road rage is a serious thing and you're very lucky that all you got was a ticket and something worse didn't happen.

mybestfriendsfuturemrs

As I was coming to the stop sign the cop was just driving by and saw the other car hit me. He told me he saw nothing that happened from before.
When he looked at my bumper he said that if I have less than $1000 worth of damage no police report has to be filed. When I asked him if he thought my bumper could be buffed out he said probably not because it's a pretty deep scratch.  I asked him if the other guy was going to get a ticket for rear ending me and he responded it was up to me whether or not I press charges.

I realize that it was stupid on my part to try and block him from passing me, my thinking was is that it's a residential area and there could be kids playing in their yard and one of them could run out onto the street and this jerk going so fast wouldn't be able to see them. The road is a dirt road with lots of trees. I only go 25 MPH on it, I always thought that was the speed limit. The residents have signs in their yards asking to slow down to 25. I don't mind doing that speed limit just to save my car (it's so bumpy)

He gave me an infraction. What he told me is that there is no points, no claim on insurance, I just have to pay the fine.

Julz629

I understand that your intentions were good, but at the end of the day, it's not up to us as residents to try and control other drivers.  When people are being jerks, you just need to let them go on there merry way.  People can get very angry and when you get in their way, it can result in people getting hurt and/or killed.  So just be glad that this only caused a scratched bumper and an infraction.  And personally, I wouldn't fight it because it could have been a lot worse.

Let the police officers control the roads and just do whatever you need to do to keep yourself save.  Also, if the speed limit is not posted on the road anywhere, then technically it is 55.  People may not go 55, but if there is no speed limit sign, then that's the law.

There was a road by my old house that didn't have a speed limit sign for 1 mile stretch.  I kept telling my sister that meant the speed limit was 55 even though I never went that.  One day, she asked a police officer and told him about that section of the road.  Lo and behold, there were speed limit signs posted less than week later.  If you have a concern about that stretch of the road, address it with the city, but don't attempt to control it yourself.

Knottie1435582995

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_michigan-detroit_nwr-just-got-rear-ended?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:88Discussion:e27e99fd-ed91-4d71-946b-d0186ddeb481Post:917744b0-9d85-4b82-9298-e99b3dec4098">Re: NWR: Just got rear ended</a>:
[QUOTE]As I was coming to the stop sign the cop was just driving by and saw the other car hit me. He told me he saw nothing that happened from before. When he looked at my bumper he said that if I have less than $1000 worth of damage no police report has to be filed. When I asked him if he thought my bumper could be buffed out he said probably not because it's a pretty deep scratch.  I asked him if the other guy was going to get a ticket for rear ending me and he responded it was up to me whether or not I press charges. I realize that it was stupid on my part to try and block him from passing me, my thinking was is that it's a residential area and there could be kids playing in their yard and one of them could run out onto the street and this jerk going so fast wouldn't be able to see them. The road is a dirt road with lots of trees. I only go 25 MPH on it, I always thought that was the speed limit. The residents have signs in their yards asking to slow down to 25. I don't mind doing that speed limit just to save my car (it's so bumpy) <strong>He gave me an infraction. What he told me is that there is no points, no claim on insurance, I just have to pay the fine.</strong>
Posted by mybestfriendsfuturemrs[/QUOTE]

It being an infraction has absolutely nothing to do with whether there are points or not.  If it's a ticket for careless driving (which IS a civil infraction) it's 3 points and is reportable to your insurance.  <u>Most traffic violations are civil infractions</u>, and with most you get points.  I linked you above to the SOS website.  There's also a PDF link on the side of that screen showing you all ticketable offenses and what the points are.  Further, he should have given you a little flyer with your ticket that shows the offense, the points, and the fine.

<a href="http://www.michigan.gov/documents/OffenseCode_73877_7.pdf">http://www.michigan.gov/documents/OffenseCode_73877_7.pdf</a>  <--LINK

Julz629

Oh, and if he gave you an infraction, it was likely "impeding traffic" which holds the same fine as other tickets, but 0 points.

Knottie1435582995

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_michigan-detroit_nwr-just-got-rear-ended?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:88Discussion:e27e99fd-ed91-4d71-946b-d0186ddeb481Post:213bd3a0-391f-4c5a-9012-38de8c27c576">Re: NWR: Just got rear ended</a>:
[QUOTE]Oh, and if he gave you an infraction, it was likely "impeding traffic" which holds the same fine as other tickets, but 0 points.
Posted by jholbel[/QUOTE]

There's a big difference between "impeding traffic" and "careless driving" (which is what she wrote).  So, she should probably look into what type of ticket she *actually* got.

I also agree with everything you said above.  I'm so sorry to hear about the accident your friend was in -- that's terrible.  I can't even imagine, and all because someone was just being a jerk. 

mybestfriendsfuturemrs

He did not hand me a flyer.

Julie, I believe it is an Impeding Traffic ticket but it also has Careless Driving stated on there.
At the bottom is has (I). The officer told me that the (I) means  it is a zero points, no claim on insurance, just pay the fine.

The officer did tell me that the speed limit on unposted roads is 55 and pointed out that it is 55 on this particular dirt road. He also basically said what you said verbatim. I realize now that I should be lucky that he was just flipping me off and didn't have a weapon. I apologize. I know that I was a jerk as well. 

Melanie, I'm sorry that you are mad at me. 

boogerbearoriginal

I'm still not understanding how, if the officer pulled up as someone rear ended you why he gave you a ticket? According to your OP, you stopped at a stop sign - that's not impeding traffic. Nor is that careless driving. Did you ask him WHY he was giving you a ticket? Something doesn't add up about this and it doesn't make sense.

Thankfully neither of you were going terribly fast at the time of collision if he only scratched your bumper. It definitely could've been worse.

If it were me - I'd first look at the ticket to see what it is for and then decide whether to go to court and try to fight it or whether its better to pay the fine and be done with it.

Julie - I'm so sorry about your friend. You are right - road rage/driving aggressively can end very badly. Its definitely worth it to just let the angry person go on their not-so-merry way. 

Knottie1435582995

I'm not mad at you, not in the least.  It just seemed from your post like you didn't think you did anything wrong -- and unfortunately both drivers in this situation did.  It turns out to be the typical situation:  You were driving 25 in a 55, which pissed the guy off, so he over-reacted and flicked you off and rode your butt.  Then, he attempted to pass you, and you at this point were pissed off and decided to block him.  Then you both get into an accident.  

I was just trying to inform you that if you indeed had a careless driving ticket it was NOT what the officer told you.  I'd be pretty mad if I went in and paid the ticket and then it turned out I got 3 points without knowing it.

For some road rage humor added to this thread, to prove my not being angry:
This morning I was driving to work down Michigan Avenue and while I didn't see what happened to elicit what I saw, I did see that there was no accident.  So, anyway, I'm stopped at a light and all of the sudden I see this guy jump out of his pick-up.  He was wearing NOTHING but his boxers.  I'm not even kidding you, I had to triple check myself to make sure I wasn't still 1/2 asleep.  He proceeds to start screaming and waving his arms all around.  He was spinning in circles just yelling.  Then he starts to walk to the cars stuck behind him, and starts pointing at all of them.  It was at that point my light turned green, and I drove off.  But, really, I can't understand a) why he was driving his car in ONLY this boxers, and b) what would possess him to exit his vehicle while 1/2 naked.  Wow.

DetroitGyrl

lmao - Or why he got out and started screaming and spinning? lol MEL - that's a funny story.

boogerbearoriginal

OMG I'm so glad I came back to this post - LMAO at that story Mel.