The driver attempted an overtake over a double solid yellow line.
Presumed Bay Stater and Redditor /u/BrianT80 posted up shocking home security camera footage from Dracut from earlier last year in October showing the boneheaded move this speeding driver pulled trying to overtake on a double solid yellow line, causing him to rear end a turning driver at near full speed.
Check out the home footage below.
Passing with double solid yellow line. [OC]
byu/BrianT80 inIdiotsInCars
The incident happened in the 400 Block of Merrimack Ave right in front of Merrimack Liquor (Exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
In the home security footage we can see a driver in a ’90s Honda Accord speeding down Merrimack Ave going against traffic.
The speed limit is 45 MPH here, so this Accord driver had to be going around 65 MPH.
Another driver in a Toyota Camry going the right way down Merrimack turns left into Merrimack Liquor and, at first, doesn’t notice the speeding Accord barreling towards him.
At the last second, the Camry driver does see the Accord, tries to avoid getting hit, but it’s too little too late.
The Accord slams into the rear of the Camry at near full speed, despite slamming on his brakes at the very last second.
“The guy was flying past several cars on the wrong side of the road. And the cars he was passing weren’t even going that slow, he was just in too much of a rush,” /u/BrianT80 replied to a comment.
At least one commenter criticized Merrimack Ave’s poor road design.
“He’s not bright, but this road is just awful for driving. Look at it, terrible design,” /u/SilverSkinRam commented.
“The state does have plans to redesign road to get traffic to slow down. Most people who live or has a business along this ~9 mile stretch of road are losing their s*** over it. They all think it will make things worse,” OP replied .
OP replied that yes, he did give his video to police and the driver in the Camry.
“I always try to give footage to the victim and/or responding police,” OP confirmed.
There are some sources that say driving on the wrong side of the road carries a fine between $50-$150.
Driving on the wrong side of the road can also be considered reckless driving, also subject to a fine, but possible jail time, too.
Overtaking like this is not only against the vehicle code, it’s reckless and, even if you pull it off, the time savings are negligible.
And, as this case shows, when you do get it wrong, as it so often does, you’re in for months of insurance work, working with body shops, fines, penalties, and not to mention the possibility of injuring yourself, others, or worse.
Sometimes your purpose is in life is to serve as a cautionary tale for others.
Learn from this idiot driver, and don’t become a cautionary tale yourself.
