Crashing into illegally parked vehicles

I've hit a few illegally parked cars on purpose, then sued for damages.

In Massachusetts, it doesn\'t matter if you park your car upside-down, backwards in a dark spot around a corner on the interstate highway, its explicitly written that hitting a parked car is the fault of the driver (moving car).

Remember- if you weren\'t driving, there wouldn\'t be any collision/no damage either.

Thanks. Sounds like it depends on where the incident occurs then. Point taken about no collision if not driving but then again driving in itself is not illegal (unless unlicensed) where as parking where not allowed IS.

Can make driving on two-way narrow streets absolute hell when such parking laws and restrictions are not adhered to. As far as I am concerned the illegally parked vehicle owner is at fault still, unfortunately I am not above the law!

kudos to your owning up to being at fault....

Kindly explain why I would own up to being at fault if an illegally parked car on a narrow street prevented there being enough space to pass without scraping it.

I don't do this kind of thing deliberately as the second poster claims to (though the law breakers do deserve such treatment); it just happened.

As the driver, the law holds that you are always responsible for the control of your vehicle, even if others are behaving irresponsibly. The requirement is that you use your judgment when driving in adverse conditions. That's why you can not sue the department of transportation when the roads are not well maintained.

A few years ago I backed into an illegally parked vehicle at college. I called the police and had to pay a fine and my insurance covered the damage to the other car. Sadly, the other drive did not have to pay a fine because it happened at an apartment complex, which the police officer deemed private property so parking there was not enforceable.

happened to me wrote:

Sadly, the other drive did not have to pay a fine because it happened at an apartment complex, which the police officer deemed private property so parking there was not enforceable.

I'd be willing to bet the police officer didn't just "deem" the parking lot private property on his/her own simply to get out of working a traffic accident. Check your state traffic code, many states have parking lots listed as private property, thus the traffic code is not enforceable.

My friend hit an illegally parked car, and the illegally parked car ended up with a ticket and a tow. Friend was clear.

Of course, my friend was a volunteer firefighter and his cousin was one of the police that responded, so your mileage may vary.

This is a two way street with parking only on one side? Is this an odd-even thing because of snow plows or in general. If it is in general, then it is the equivalent of parking in your lane.

no matter if the car is parked illegaly, the person from behind is expected to be awake, aware, and cautious.

Get a lawyer.

In Michigan the law refers to "reasonably" parked vehicles. So, if the car is parked in a manner which is not legal, but still out of the flow of traffic, the fault would fall on the person who hit the vehicle.

In terms of commercial fleets (be they cars or commercial trucks) drivers are held accountable for accidents. There are 2 types of accidents: Preventable and Non-preventable.

A non preventable accident is one in which there was NO ACTION the driver could have taken to prevent the accident from occurring.

You hit a parked vehicle, the accident was preventable, you are at fault. The other driver could be ticketed for parking illegally but that does not mean others can play demolition derby on his vehicle with no consequences.

You are still required to operate your vehicle safely and without causing injury or damage to property. You failed to do so, you are at fault.

Let me guess - Since you posted this on Sunday - You were leaving a bar or party, had a few too many to drink, your abilities were impaired and you think this is your "out"? Nice try. Just man-up, pay-up, admit your fock-up, and drive a little more carefully in the future.

Here endeth the lesson.

I backed into an illegally parked car in a parking lot. It was a BRAND NEW mustang. I barely tapped it.

Anyway, the muscle head came out and started yelling and screaming at me. I told him that I have full insurance and would be happy to call the cops so that he could explain that his car was illegally parked and I hit it while trying to back out of an already tight parking lot.

The minute I pulled out my phone he STFU and got in his car and left. He would've been at blame there. Period.

jungalistgirl wrote:

I backed into an illegally parked car in a parking lot. It was a BRAND NEW mustang. I barely tapped it.

Anyway, the muscle head came out and started yelling and screaming at me. I told him that I have full insurance and would be happy to call the cops so that he could explain that his car was illegally parked and I hit it while trying to back out of an already tight parking lot.

The minute I pulled out my phone he STFU and got in his car and left. He would've been at blame there. Period.

case closed

jungalistgirl wrote:

I backed into an illegally parked car in a parking lot. It was a BRAND NEW mustang. I barely tapped it.

He would've been at blame there. Period.

Bullshit. All backing accidents are preventable. He may have contributed to it but you were at fault. The best is pull straight through one parking space and into the other so you are facing out. Next is back INTO the parking space so you don't have to back out of it.

He was stupid, you were lucky (and WRONG)

Uhm. No. This wasn't that type of parking lot. You couldn't pull forward because there was a building there. And I parked there first, so I couldn't have backed into the spot. His car was against the building in an area marked "Do Not Park".

grandma falls over into your yard and can't get up - she is theoretically a trespasser - can you punch her in the face whilst "defending your property"?

typical annoying letsrunner guy - FlagpoleWilly or 430Miler runs across the street (jaywalking), not at an intersection, not in a pedestrian crossing - does this mean that Flagpole is "fair game" as he crosses the street illegally? As much as I wish this were the case, sadly - the driver is always responsible for being in control of the vehicle. If Flag were only "maimed" and not DOA, he may be cited for "jaywalking" - but the driver, assuming it was an "accident" would be cited as well, probably for careless or reckless driving.

jungalistgirl wrote:

And I parked there first, so I couldn't have backed into the spot.

Please explain why you could not have backed in? Some parking areas say "head in parking only". You knew his car was there and space was tight yet you backed up anyway? Did you think to get out and check to see how much more room you had and then proceed?

Typical broad. Does not know how to drive and cannot admit when she is wrong.