I was reading a thread in the goon squad section when I remembered this question that's been at the back of my mind that's never been clearly answered satisfactorily:

Ano po ba ang rule pag nag-sudden stop ka at natamaan ka ng sasakyan sa likod mo?

It's been argued by some of those I talked to that making sudden stops is a no-no and if you made one and you're hit by another vehicle in the back, you're the one liable.

Some argue that if you hit someone who made a sudden stop, then you're the one who's liable since you were following too close in the first place.

I've been in two not-so-serious collisions before, one was in the taguig fly-over. A vehicle in front of us suddenly stopped and I did the same thing. Problem was, the taxi behind us didn't quite make it and hit my rear bumper. When I confronted him, he kept shouting that it was my fault since I made a sudden stop. "Bakit ka kasi nag-sudden stop?!" He kept on telling me. Anyways, we let it go since the damage in both of our bumpers were minor. Mine appeared worse at first dahil naka-crumple paloob, but after a few minutes I saw that it straightened out by itself.

Then just the other christmas, as I was travelling along the skyway, I hit a car at its rear when it made a sudden stop. Actually, there were three of us involved in the accident. As usual, pag christmas inaayos ang skyway and there was a crew in a van who were positioned just after a rise on the road kaya medyo late na pag makikita mo sila.

Nagpreno yung kotse na nasa harap ng kotse na nasa harap ko and of course the car in front of me also made a sudden stop. There was a 3-car space in front of me and I thought I could make it so I didn't floor the brakes initially pero nung nakita ko na di na aabot, I tried a full stop.

Di umabot.

At the police station, I was told by the policeman that it was my fault since I hit the other car from behind. I told him the other driver made a sudden full stop and that's why I hit him. The police officer told me if that were the case, then it was still my fault since the fact that I hit the other car means I was driving too close. I told him it's my habit to maintain a distance of at least three vehicles fron the car in front of me and that I was never "too close" but the policeman won't listen to reason. Finally, he told me I either had to receive a ticket (which would cost me P1,000 plus day attending a seminar at QC) or I could just settle the matter with him for a mere P500.

Anyways, I was contending that the skyway is a highway and one doesn't do sudden fullstops at highways.

What do you guys think?

Tapos na ang incidents na to. I just wanted to know what you think so I can finally know what's right.

Thanks!