backed into while making a 3 point turn

[fenderbender]

Earlier today I was making a 3 point turn and while stopped (about to reverse) a car parked a few meters in front of me reversed into my bumper scraping their back and my front bumper.

I feel like it was their fault mostly because I was easily visible through several mirrors and I was stopped at the time though when I saw them backing up I tried to get out of the way (but couldn't completely for fear of oncoming traffic).

She wasn't a complete jerk but she did try to get me to admit fault and admit to an illegal u-turn so of course I did neither and called my insurance company right away but still. I have very little experience in these kinds of situations. Does it seem like legally it was their fault, my fault, or both?

[bednobs]

sounds like hers

[woofgang]

Well but it's word against word....can you PROVE that you were stopped? The insurance co might well do 50/50 on this one.

[netibiza]

You need a witness who is not one of your passengers!

[MIKEH63]

if you were already half way into your manouvre before she moved her vehicle, its her fault for not checking her mirrors and her surroundings, to make sure it was safe from objects, vehicles and pedestrians before she proceded to move her vehicle in a safe manner. End of!! Any competant and safe driver would not begin to reverse their vehicle without checking all around to ensure it is safe to do so. So if what your saying is, that if her car was stationary, i.e. parked up, before you started your 3 point turn. and only after you were doing your 3 point turn she dicided to reverse, then its her fault. I am a hgv-1 driver with nearly 25 years experience, and have been driving for 31 years. So i hope my experience counts in validating my answer and i hope this answer helps you. It would also be good if you could have obtained a witness to verify your statement of account of the incident. good luck, Mike

[Old_Geezer]

Insurance companies are not going to want to spend a fortune proving fault. From their point of view if they can agree 50:50 it works out cheaper for them in the long term, and over thousands of claims what they lose of the roundabouts they gain on the swings. They aren't in business to be fair to you, but to make money. So proving she was at fault may not be easy. You'd may have to argue what goes on your claim record with your insurance company.

[Canary42]

From your description it seems her fault but without independent witnesses you are unlikely to be able to prove this and the Insurance Companies will undoubtedly operate 50/50 to save their costs.

[beso]

"Earlier today I was making a 3 point turn and while stopped (about to reverse) "

Since when did a three point turn involve reversing?

[mike11111]

Unless you were reversing in a one-way street then there is no such thing as an illegal U-turn. If the facts are as you state, and you were stationary, then she is entirely at fault. Rather than quibble about the legalities with her I would have politely requested her to kiss butt.

[gina32]

beso, how else would you do a three point turn, you have to reverse

[puternut]

One minute you are stationary ('while stopped') and the next moving ('I tried to get out of the way').

If you were stationary you are not to blame as you are deemed unable to avoid the accident. If you were moving then 50:50

[boxtops]

beso, you have to reverse - that's part of the maneouvre - otherwise it's a U-turn.

[joko]

beso...what do you suppose part 2 of a 3 point turn is then??