My driving luck continues...

This post is a rant to start with, and it will eventually ask for advice. My day's been shitty, so if you don't have actual help, please don't crap on me any more.

I was at work this morning when, as an errand for the office, got sent to pick up lunch for the managers. I was on my way back with 13 orders of Moes in my front seat and was going down a hill on a road where the speed limit is 55 when the fun began.

Some sorority chick is in an '03 Explorer limited edition -- her boyfriend's dad's vehicle -- leading the way. Right behind her was some big ass Chevy SUV. And then behind them, in a small 2-door Escort, is yours truly.

Anyway, we're going down the hill at about 55 and the light at the bottom is green. Getting close to it, the light is still green, but when we're right on top of it, the light changes yellow. The lead cars aren't slowing down or braking, so things look fine still. But then, halfway through the intersection, bitch up front decides to slam on her brakes. The guy behind her stomps his brakes but can't stop soon enough and slams into her. I see it happening and pound my brakes, too, but I can't stop either and plow into the Chevy.

Fortunately, nobody was injured, but my car was totaled. I got a ticket in the city (the cop gave me a break and didn't write one for the state) for following too closely. The guy in front of me got ones from city and state for following too closely and for colliding with a motor vehicle. We all will be appearing in court at the end of the month.

My questions:
-How much should I expect to pay for hitting the guy in front of me?
-What will the court appearance be like? (I work at a law firm and can easily have a lawyer show if I ask, but I'd like to have a little bit of an idea of what to expect.)
-Why do stupid bitches drive big ass vehicles?
-How should I approach getting a new car?
-What are some good car info/comparison sites?
-Could my employer be held responsible for any of the damages, if there are many or if they're more than I could afford?

Hopefully your Friday's going better than mine, and thanks in advance!

-Beetus

 

You were driving too close to the vehicles in front of you for the speed you were going, dumb-ass.

 

Were you able to salvage the 13 orders of Moes?

 

-Why do stupid bitches drive big ass vehicles?

So that their damage is less when idiots like you who drive too fast and follow too closely run into them

 

I don't think there's any way out of the ticket for you.

You also said you saw the light turning yellow at the bottom of the hill. I know things happen fast, but if you saw the light turning yellow, why not back off the gas even if the cars in front of you aren't?



Did the officer put anyone at fault in the accident?
Don't know if you're in a no-fault insurance state or not, but if you aren't listed as the one at fault, either the other person or other person's insurance would end up paying for the damages (minus your deductible, of course).


As far as new/used cars, there were a couple threads on here a month or so ago.

 

For car buying help, PM OTD.

 

The heavier weight of a truck or SUV means it takes much longer to come to a stop, given its greater momentum.

With your smaller car, given even a decent cushion, you should have been able to stop before plowing into them. Either your reaction time sucked, your brakes sucked, you were driving too fast, you left too little a cushion, or some combination of the four. But you have the nerve to complain about a stupid bitch driving a big-ass vehicle.

 

In order:
-Depends on your insurance deductible. This is when you find out how good your insurer is and how many hoops that company will make you jump through.
-I dunno ... given your job, I would certainly try and rope a lawyer into this one.
-I loathe SUVs myself, but it doesn't matter the gender of the driver. My mother just jumped back into one of these whales on wheels and she a very late braker. I can't get through to her that it's tough enough in a top-notch four-door sedan to stop like that. She'll find out it's worse in that new crapbox.
-It all depends on what you can afford, how quickly the insurance will cut you a check if your vehicle is indeed totaled and such.
-Best car comparo site hands down: www.edmunds.com ... use a Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) for pricing.
-I dunno that one, either. You were on business for them, but I don't know if your state - or anyone else - differentiates running an errand for documents from running for lunch orders.

Sorry about your day. Things will get better in due time ...

 

Perhaps if they are proven to have forced you, at gunpoint, to leave and run this errand, while always demanding that you go as fast as humanly possible, no matter the consequences.

 

I don't think he listed anyone as at fault, but based on the ticketing, the middle guy got it much worse than either of us.

 

For the most part, but I hope for their sake that the car's no being stored in the sun.