Thank you, Gareth.
That's a good comment! Actually I never really thought about accelerating into the carpark as an option; I really was just fixated on what the taxi was doing, and on sounding my horn. Your comment has helped me think about "stepping back" from the situation (like a relaxed/open focus way of paying attention) in such situations, so that I am able to calmly make a quick assessment of all my available options (as opposed to the problem of fixing my attention on the very thing I'm trying to avoid - the taxi!). It reminds me of how you see these car accidents in the country, and there is all this space, but the car ends up being destroyed by a tree - likely because our eyes naturally look at objects - rather than the space around objects - and hence the car tends to go where we are looking. Just a thought.
---I've given this some more thought-- :
If I accelerated once I noticed the taxi reversing, I may not have been able to clear his path in time, and I think for insurance payouts it is likely better to be stationary when hit, rather than moving. And he was parked only about 10 metres forward from the entrance to the car park. Yes, as you said, the timing is hard to work out! I'm still trying to work it out
I think I did the right thing by stopping *when I did* once I noticed the taxi reversing, but if I could rewind the tapes and play the scenario over again, I would try to make the following observational adjustment:
1) I would take special note of the taxi's presence as soon as possible and well in advance of where I would turn right into the driveway, and include in my commentary what the taxi looks like he's doing (pick up?/drop off?) [such as saying, "What's he doing?"] - especially since he was illegally stopped in a bus zone (indicating he is likely to move from that position ASAP),
2) With this extra time to think and act from better observation and commentary, I would try to ensure my vehicle does not cross into his reversing space, should he reverse unexpectedly (in other words, I would keep my eye on what he is doing and remain clear of his 'potential' reversing space until 100% sure he's not going to start reversing).
By doing 1) and 2) above, I THINK I could have stopped shy of where I did and hopefully avoided the collision to the front right side of my vehicle.
I never thought driving into my pharmacy carpark could be so complicated
Thank you again for your comments,
Have a great day