Another one down

Wow!

 

Are you implying the Walk and Turn test is bs? Why would it be part of SFSTs?

 

From what I was told there are 3 field tests. One, they move a pen around have you follow it with your eyes. Second is to stand on one foot for 30 seconds. Third is to walk in a straight line back to back and turn. I tried the back to back, but my knee already hurt and I told him I would likely fail it, so he said don't bother. I did stand on one leg for 30 seconds, but really, the adrenaline was flying and my leg shook.

I don't know if you have to pass all three, but that's my guess. Then they give you a portable breathalyzer test, but you can refuse that. If you do then they apparently take you down to get the "official" test. Or you can ask for a blood test.

I think the cops knew the whole time that I wasn't impaired. They were just doing what they are told, along with using what their experience tells them. Honestly, if my friend (the attorney) hadn't told me to refuse the portable breathalyzer I would have just taken it. I knew what I had to drink (1 beer over 2 hours), and I wasn't close to impaired. I think the advice may be more applicable if you're in Seattle proper and have to deal with the way SPD deals with things. I don't have any experience or know anyone who has said they had an issue, but they do have a reputation.

 

Or you could be like the guy that was high on Live PD and did a back flip to demonstrate he was sober..
He got a DWI

 

What kind of car did the other driver have?

 

Eye test is called Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, it is also the most accurate test. Second is Walk and Turn, and last is One Leg Stand. Here in Oregon we are not allowed to have portable breath tests so we have to arrest someone before we can ask for a breath sample at our PD using an Intoxilyzer 8000. I wish we could have PBTs.

EDIT - Our department has PBTs for purposes of MIP - Alcohol and for probation/parole violations..

 

Some SUV. I think it was a Hyundai. He ended up over the curb and a good 20 feet into the yard of the house on the NW corner.

 

BMW??

Props to you op Ive never been in a wreck knock on wood, but I'd have some choice words for the other driver if he was at fault

 

I had a funny feeling it was going to be a small SUV.

 

Interesting. My attorney told me they should have not done the eye test at all since I am blind in one eye. I have no idea how this all works.

 

I would not have done HGN considering your circumstances...

 

Oh, I just remembered. That pole sticking up on the cross member holding the stop lights is a traffic camera. They have them going both ways at that intersection. I wonder if the cops look at that, and if I can get it.

 

If I'm reading it right, it sounds like OP may be at fault. Unless you have a green turn arrow, you have the obligation to yield to oncoming traffic when making a left turn. If you could prove that he accelerated into you or was excessively speeding, you may be able to place a percentage of the blame on the other driver. Either way, glad you're ok OP, hoping for the best outcome for you and your truck, totaled would be good but without airbag deployment it'll likely get repaired, imo.

 

Well, I'm not going to argue over the internet over fault. Yes, you are supposed to yield to oncoming traffic, but you are also not supposed to block an intersection when the light turns. I know how long that light lasts when it turns yellow. I drive it every day. I'm pretty certain the guy decided to run it. I know he saw me as he since he tried to move to the other lane of traffic just as he hit the intersection, but by then I was moving to turn. In other words, he passed other people in the lane to his right that had stopped for the light and crossed into their lane when he hit the intersection, and me.

He was going westbound in the #1 lane (next to the middle). In the #2 lane people had stopped for the light. #3 lane is the turning lane to NB from the west. They were also stopped for the light. I saw him and thought for sure he was going to stop, then he hit it. He passed 2-3 stopped cars in the lane next to him to make the light. I really don't know what I could have done differently other than be stuck in the intersection.

 

The easiest way to avoid these situations is to remain in your lane at the stop line while you wait for a break in traffic to make the turn.

 

Maybe I'm not explaining what happened correctly. I was in the middle of the intersection when the light was yellow. Other lanes of traffic in the opposing direction stopped since the light had/was changing. I can't say for sure, mainly because it's what I always do, but now I'm questioning it, but I'm pretty sure the light changed to red before I moved.

My head didn't get hit, and I'm not trying to change the story. I'm just saying that my typical behavior in that situation is to wait until I see the light change to red and see opposing traffic stopped before I go. It's not that I don't remember if that was the case this time, it's mainly that I was just driving the same careful way I have for the last 35 accident free years. I haven't even had a ticket in 20+ years.

I go through this intersection just about every day. I wasn't otherwise distracted, and I definitely wasn't drunk. 6'2" and 200#. One beer an hour before the accident had nothing to do with it, though I'm sure the guy that hit me is going to play up my being taken to the jail to get tested.

I do remember that he seemed to be accelerating through the intersection. Def no attempt to slow down at all.

This really sucks.

 

My thoughts too

 

I'm not saying that you did anything wrong or that you didn't, I wasn't there and don't know what happened. I'm just saying that without witnesses to back up your story or a dashcam, the details don't look to be in your favor. You only see out of one eye and admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the accident, even if you weren't drunk it still doesn't look good on you.
You have to look at it as if you are the cop that has to write one of you a ticket. The other guy says he was going straight and you failed to yield, who would you side with?

If it happened the way you think it did, I hope it works out in your favor. All I'm saying is to prepare yourself for the possibility that they will rule it your fault entirely or at least partially.

 

Stuff happens, but it's best to wait at the stop line if you have to yield for a left hand turn. Sitting in the middle of the intersection is never the best place to be, because sometimes you end up still there when the light turns red. Never a great place to be.

I imagine the other guy's story is about the clown who turned left in front of him as the light turned red.

Sounds as though fault may be shared by both, but left hand turns always yield to oncoming traffic unless protected by a turn light.

 

Well answer some question about he magic number for air bag deployment it’s 1 single deer... at 50 mph lol made the steering wheel, driver side knee and curtain air bags deploy. But OP glad you’re okay! Hope the SFST’s and breath sample wasn’t too big of deal with the day you’d already had! Good luck!