My Model S Caused an Accident

Jkam · Dec 14, 2012

I was heading north, and when I got to an intersection I was the 2nd car waiting to make a left turn. We were waiting for a gap in the southbound traffic to execute our left hand turns. Meanwhile there was a fancy Mercedes to the west heading east into the intersection. The Mercedes had a stop sign. I saw the driver of the Mercedes looking at my car as he was creeping into the intersection . Because he was gawking at my car which was at 2 o'clock position to him, he didn't see the biker heading south and was at his 9 o'clock position. He kept creeping into the intersection and clipped the back end of the biker. The biker fell and slid on his right buttock a good 3-4 yards burning through his biker tights and suffering a huge scrape on his right buttock. The Mercedes driver pulled over and called an ambulance. I don't think the biker was injured bad other than the nasty scrape he suffered.

I know the accident was not my fault directly, but indirectly I know my car had a role in the accident. I feel bad, but what can I do?

AMPd · Dec 14, 2012

Tell the Mercedes driver to dump the Benz and buy a model S

But seriously, I don't think there's much you can do. You can't be held responsible for other peoples actions

bonnie · Dec 14, 2012

Not your fault in any way, jkam. I'm glad the cyclist is okay. As more Model S hit the roads, it will become less of a rarity.

steve841 · Dec 14, 2012

I should have blamed that smoking hot girl walking in her bikini for running in to a wall.

Not really. Though a few close calls. Bottom line... Ain't your fault for the actions or in actions of others.

Grendal · Dec 14, 2012

That's terrible. It's in no way your fault. Distracted driving is the #1 cause of accidents and that Merc driver allowed himself to be distracted by your car. You have a cool and beautiful car and can't control what someone else will do. Don't feel bad.

Spin it for a moment and consider that. Is it your responsibility to drive a drab boring car on the off chance that someone might not notice you and not cause an accident? Of course not. It was the Merc driver's responsibilty to control what he was doing. You can't control his distraction.

It's still a terrible thing to have happened in front of you but don't feel bad because you have an attention getting car.

I hope this is helpful.

Norbert · Dec 14, 2012

I suppose if you had seen it coming (including the bike rider), there might have been two choices: to honk, or, if the Mercedes driver was seeing you (and not only the car), to point to the bike rider, to get attention there. Not sure if either might have helped.

zdre · Dec 14, 2012

I've been hit by cars twice while riding my bike. Both times were a similar scenario... The driver was not looking where he was going. Fortunately they were at a very low speed, so there were no injuries or damage.

Jkam · Dec 14, 2012

steve841 said:
I should have blamed that smoking hot girl walking in her bikini for running in to a wall.

Not really. Though a few close calls. Bottom line... Ain't your fault for the actions or in actions of others.

Well I feel bad mostly because I saw the whole thing and I know the biker is probably going to have a sucky holiday season trying to get around on a busted up buttock. And I'm sure the Mercedes driver feels really, really guilty.

After reflecting on the situation I thought to myself, "that's how it must feel to be a smoking hot girl." First time I ever remotely had that kind of feeling. Kind of funny that you thought the same thing.

spleen · Dec 15, 2012

Jkam said:
After reflecting on the situation I thought to myself, "that's how it must feel to be a smoking hot girl." First time I ever remotely had that kind of feeling. Kind of funny that you thought the same thing.

LOL! Must have been a strange out of body type of experience.

Glad to hear that nobody seemed to be seriously hurt.

Mike_Schlechter · Dec 15, 2012

I also caused an accident yesterday. I was pulling out of a parking lot, and a guy was looking at me, not the stopped car in front of him, and BOOM. I hopped out to make sure everyone was ok. The guy who did the rear-ending said he was fine and then started walking around my car, looking at it. The driver who got hit was much less interested in my car...

dsm363 · Dec 15, 2012

The guy who got hit didn't hop out and say "Wow. A Model S!?" Some people

Glad everyone is ok. I imagine as the Model S becomes more common that stories like these become less common.

ChadS · Dec 16, 2012

Although she didn't hurt any people, including herself, my wife may have just been involved in the first Model S-caused animal fatality.

She ran over a rabbit as she was backing down our driveway. (I was in the car with her; she was looking backwards and I was watching the rear-view camera; but we had no clue until we felt the thump. I think it ran under the car from the side and got hit by the front tire).

Mind you, this was probably the rabbit that ate all of her baby pumpkins last Spring, so she's a little conflicted about the whole thing. But mostly sad.

AnOutsider · Dec 16, 2012

Rabbits are people too!!

/PETA

doug · Dec 17, 2012

Did you eat the rabbit?

brianman · Dec 17, 2012

AnOutsider said:
Rabbits are people too!!
/PETA

That might explain a lot of election results!

Robert.Boston · Dec 17, 2012

I nearly nailed a pigeon this morning, too. An unexpected hazard of driving EVs.

Jkam · Dec 17, 2012

doug said:
Did you eat the rabbit?

I know pressed duck is a famous french recipe. Wonder if Tesla pressed rabbit will be showing up at the nearest gourmet restaurant near you.:tongue:

You think the rabbit got nailed because the car is so quiet? Either that it was one stupid rabbit. Survival of the fittest.

Doug_G · Dec 17, 2012

Robert.Boston said:
I nearly nailed a pigeon this morning, too. An unexpected hazard of driving EVs.

I've hit more than a few birds driving gas cars; they do tend to swoop in front. On the bright side they seem to be less dangerous with deer.

Robert.Boston · Dec 17, 2012

Doug_G said:
I've hit more than a few birds driving gas cars; they do tend to swoop in front. On the bright side they seem to be less dangerous with deer.

Been there, done that (re birds, not deer). This pigeon was standing on the pavement, though! Birdbrain...

jkirkebo · Dec 17, 2012

Robert.Boston said:
I nearly nailed a pigeon this morning, too. An unexpected hazard of driving EVs.

I've hit a pigeon with the windshield of an electric train travelling at 100mph. Quite a lot of noise and a ball of feathers in the rear view mirror. Is an electric train considered an EV ?

My Model S Caused an Accident

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