It sure pays to never take any driving situation for granted. I was in the left lane approaching a red light on a city side street with 2 lanes (you could turn left or right). The right lane had traffic backed up (10 to 15 cars) and the left lane only had 3 cars in it. I was going to make a left hence was in the left lane. I was going about 20 mph and starting to slow down to stop. A car in the right lane had left an opening for some kids in Jeep to sneak out between the line of stopped cars. Nice gesture but a potential disaster for your’s truly! With the vettes low profile the kids in the Jeep never saw me and pulled out right into my lane….. BINGO! Fortunately I just caught the front of Jeep as it pulled into my lane. With a blast of the throttle, some hard to port and a little luck I just missed getting nailed broadside by inches. I was so FREAKEN happy and pis** at the same time I could hardly contain myself. The kids saw and heard that I wasn’t acting to friendly (had my targa top off) so they bolted down the road. Bottom line was I managed to avoid a nasty collision because I was paying attention and the vette had almost instant response. I really believe with another type of car I probably would been filling out an accident report. On the other hand perhaps it wouldn’t have happened with a taller vehicle. Bottom line is pay attention out there and you can avoid most accidents most of the time. 14 years as a LEO also taught me it’s not always possible to avoid every accident that comes your way. With my vette being only 3 weeks old it would have really been a bummer to have gotten it smacked by some Jeep. Anyway… stay safe out there.. and never take anything for granted.

 

Excelent advice. Congrats on the manuver too.

 

You're being kind. The driver should have looked in the mirror before pulling out. Glad your actions made up for that driver's carelessness.

 

I refuse to open up a spot for someone trying to make a left turn across multiple traffic lanes (go ahead, hate me). It puts too many drivers at jeopardy, requires the cooperation of strangers, and ties up traffic while the maneuver is being executed. I've seen too many good gestures by other drivers turn in to traffic accidents like the one cthusker almost got involved in.

 

Two lanes of traffic in each direction in front of the entrance/exit to K-Mart here. About once a month, there's a wreck there because someone in ONE of the two lanes stops to let someone out and someone comes along in the other lane. Idiots think they're helping.

 

you are 100% correct... Unfortunately a good deed turns into a horror show for some unsuspecting driver! At the very least the driver letting the vehicle cut across traffic MUST let the other car know if it's clear. Better yet do what you and I do......... don't do it! It's an accident looking for a place to happen and has caused some very serious accidents. BTW.. a friend of mine allowed someone to cut traffic lanes which resulted in a serious accident. HE WAS SUED BY BOTH PARTIES.... and LOST! It was decided by a jury trial that he was the SOLE cause of the accident.. That’s something for people to think about before being a nice guy....

 

Yep, being alert and paying attention at all times is wise advice

 

My wife totalled a new Subaru when someone let her turn across the first of two lanes of traffic. She looked but did not see the car in the second lane speeding down the lane to catch a light. Of course, it was my wife's fault. No one was injured so a valuable lesson learned. It scares me to see this taking place daily as folks don't seem to remember sometimes that there is another lane.

anothercrisis