Road ethics question:

[speeder]

You are driving down a 2 Lane Highway, 70 miles per hour. A pick up truck changes lanes in front of you, ( turning into your lane), and throws a small rock, hitting your windshield and cracking it. There is no doubt which vehicle threw the stone.

Does the driver of that pick up truck owe you a windshield? Or is it just one of those "tough schizle" situations? Thanks.

[Chocaholic]

Tough schizle.

[stevej37]

^^^ Yep..nothing he could have done to prevent it.

[Gogar]

Tough schizzle. Sorry!

[HHI944]

Originally Posted by stevej37

^^^ Yep..nothing he could have done to prevent it.

This^^
But on the other side of the coin, several years ago, I was driving down a two lane road and an oncoming truck with a trailer passed. The tailgate of his trailer had dropped and was dragging on the ground. It kicked up a rock and shattered my windshield. Fortunately, there was a cop who saw what happened and cited the other driver. His insurance covered everything without a problem.

[Nickshu]

The risks of life are not anyone else's fault. Life is full of "schizz happens".

Clearly my philosophy is not typical, if you watch the media...everything that happens to you is supposed to be someone else's fault right??

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Tough schizle.

I would generally agree, (especially since I drive a PU on the highway sometimes with truck tires that can hold stones and launch them). The only exception would be if someone was hauling gravel uncovered or had it laying on their rear bumper because they were too lazy to clean it off, etc.

This just happened to me and I followed the PU off the exit and looked to see if there was loose gravel visible but there was not, so I just kept going.

Thing that pissed me off is the guy was parked in the left lane for 5 miles impeding the smooth flow of passing trucks and then had to cross over suddenly in front of me to exit, cracking my windshield as a parting gift.

[ben parrish]

Just bad luck.
on a similar topic, I constantly am getting behind some dip sheet in a pickup that wants to prove he can drive like Dale Jr. They want to cross center lines and cut corners close throwing up rocks, dust and chatter from the road. This drives me nuts!!!! These ass hats couldn't care less about anyone behind them and the crap they are throwing up from the road.

[dentist90]

The only exception would be an unsecured load, eg a dump truck full of gravel that is spilling them.

Heck, my wife gets a new windshield every year on her Wrangler because of the "sand" the highways dept puts down on the road in winter. Some of the chunks are almost 1/2". She has 4 nice bullseyes right now but we won't change the glass until spring. There's no point, she will get more before winter is over.
Comprehensive insurance with windshield coverage is about all you can do for road debris.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by ben parrish

Just bad luck.
on a similar topic, I constantly am getting behind some dip sheet in a pickup that wants to prove he can drive like Dale Jr. They want to cross center lines and cut corners close throwing up rocks, dust and chatter from the road. This drives me nuts!!!! These ass hats couldn't care less about anyone behind them and the crap they are throwing up from the road.

I think that people like that are just oblivious usually. Same w the left lane ass holes, just passive aggressive behavior that's everywhere these days. How something affects others just doesn't enter into it.

[speeder]

Also, it never happens on one of my vehicles with an old, chipped windshield that needs replacement anyways. Always on new, perfect glass.

[DanielDudley]

Do you have comprehensive on your insurance ? It covers this.

[asphaltgambler]

I'd pursue the county where this happened for not properly maintaining the roads.........................

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by asphaltgambler

i'd pursue the county where this happened for not properly maintaining the roads.........................

lolololol

[Paul K]

Been there. Had some clown pass me on the freeway in a blizzard. He cut right in front of me, then sat on ther trail of sanding rock, between the lanes. WHACK! Broken windshield. Wrote down his license plate, location, date & time. Took it to my insurance company.

No go.

Off with his head!

[MRM]

There is an actual answer to your question, Denis, as you probably suspected. I have bad news and good news to offer. First the bad news. Road debris that gets kicked up from the road surface is a road hazard. It is not the fault or responsibility of the vehicle kicking it up because they didn't do anything to put the debris where it was. But if the debris came from another vehicle, that vehicle is responsible. ipso facto. Caveat emporer. Quid pro quo. Sinne qua none. Auto text corrections notwithstanding.

BUT . . .

You will probably find that California (like Minnesota) had zero deductible for glass claims. If you call your insurance adjuster and you'll probably find that California gives you complete glass coverage with zero deductible. Do use one of their recommended glass shops. They're all the same and the one that aren't authorized charge incredible prices that drive up rates.

[motion]

When we make the drive to/from Montana/California in winter or spring, our vehicles get hammered. People will pass, then cut back in front of you wayyyy too close and nail you with a lot of rocks. I will actually put on the brakes pretty hard to minimize the damage when it happens (increase the distance). Windshields, paint, headlights all get hammered. Sucks, but its just what people do. My wife's Mercedes had a new windshield put in last year. $1000 friggen dollars out of my pocket.

Another thing to look out for is someone coming off a gravel road and merging into your lane in front of you. When they hit a certain speed - around 50-60, the rocks start coming out of the treads. Be careful of that.

Denis - many insurance companies these days will pay for chip repairs at no cost to you. Might be worth calling your insurance agent.

[id10t]

State law requires replacement of windshield at no cost to me on my insurance policy and no rate increase.

I've used it twice, no issues.

[Baz]

Insurance companies will replace with no deductible here in Florida too, as long as you have comprehensive. Not everyone does.

[legion]

You guys have it all wrong. This is the correct response: