Re: Car Accident - At-Fault?

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
Stan Brown  <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> in 
>misc.legal.moderated, Kristy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>I was in a car accident about a month ago and my insurance company
>>determined that I was more than 50% at-fault.
>>
>>I was traveling parallel to a pretty big truck with my car being next
>>to his cab.  We were traveling on a ramp to go onto a highway.  The
>>ramp was two-lanes but the lanes weren't marked.
>
>Which may mean that there was only one lane, legally. This depends 
>on state law.

This is a situation where you have to look carefully at what the law
actually says.  In most states there is no law prohibiting passing
within a "lane".  When a road is divided into multiple marked lanes
you must drive within a single lane.  That is the primary legal
meaning of the lane markings.  If the lane is wide enough to fit two
cars, passing may be legal.

(There are exceptions and variations, especially when motorcycles
are involved, and I encourage people to research local law before
trying any unusual maneuvers.)

(Similarly, double yellow center stripes mean "stay on your side
of the road", not "do not pass".)

-- 
    John Carr ([EMAIL PROTECTED])