Yup. It is more than possible to make an emergency lane change maneuver at 100+ without crashing -- if you know what you are doing.

 

you guys think if the s2k had VSA, it would have helped him avoid the accident?

 

I disagree with just about everything you are saying. Speed apparently was a factor from what you describe. Oh well, glad no one was hurt.

 

A guy who does 95mph in traffic is not a fault.
The greater sin is failing to use turn signal.

No arguing with that logic.

 

Here in VA you loose your right of way if you are speeding (at least this used to be the case). So the 2Sk driver would be at fault here. I know it was not in VA but FLA might have a similar law.

Personally I think the S2k driver was completely in the wrong. You can't fault the SUV driver when the S was speeding 30 to 40 miles an hour faster than the posted speed limit. It is difficult to judge lane clearance when people drive unpredictably, that is one reason there are speed limits.

 

Logic is telling you that someone who failed to use a turn signal is more at fault than someone doing 30 to 40 mph over a posted speed limit on a highway with traffic around them?

For the record I get pissed when people don't use thier indicators. I also drive spirited on the highway, but if I was that S2k driver I would be kicking myself in the ass right now.

 

It's all about right of way -- the S2k had the right of way in his lane. The SUV should've been aware of his surrounding environment and not impede on the S2k's right of way.

Granted, the S2k driving going 95 didn't help but I have a feeling that even if he was going slower, the SUV driver would've pulled into the S2k anyways b/c the driver wasn't paying attention.

On top of that, I think the SUV knows they were at fault, otherwise they wouldn't have run from the situation.

 

Just slow down and don't expect everyone will follow the law all the time. It is just common sense.

On the road, I assume people are gonna cut me off and do all sort of things they are not supposed to. I try to anticipate what dumb things people are gonna do with their cars and trucks in front of me. I try to anticipate their next moves instead of their signals.

 

The fact was the S2k had the right of way. Had he been going 70 instead of 95, the accident still would have occured. After witnessing this accident, there was no way to possibly correct after he avoided contact. The initial jump to avoid contact is what induced the oversteer. The rear end just kicked out. Granted, the S2k should not have been doing 95, but had he been doing 70 in a similar situation, the exact same thing would have happened.....it was unavoidable. By reacting like he did (to avoid an accident involving the SUV), he prevented a multi-car pile-up.

I was involved in a similar accident a few years ago. I was doing 45 in a 30 when someone merged into my lane and hit me. I was not at fault, as I had the right of way. No speeding ticket was issued, as there was no evidence (radar), even though I admitted to speeding.

The S2000 was not completely innocent, as he probably should not have been going that speed, but that is a whole issue separate from the accident. The fact was, had he been doing 70 instead of 95 in a similar situation, the exact same thing would have happened.

With regard to being able to make the emergency lane change at those speeds, it would be impossible in this situation. The SUV was not just slowly merging, as in a normal lane change, it lurched into the middle lane.....very quickly. The driver only had MAYBE half a second to react....probably less than that.

I do not want to exonerate him from speeding and breaking the law, just from the accident. There was no physical way to avoid it. He did a good job of only involving his car, instead of 3-4 others as well.

John

 

Hard to say for sure based on a verbal description, but it seems likely.