More realistic AI collision vs fine behaviour suggestion

[dertien]

Instead of the fine/collision mechanic with AI vehicles we have now (player pays for rear ending AI crashes - AI crashing sideways into trailers), could we move to something that should be quite manageable in a coding sense, but enhance the realism regarding gameplay:

In the wonderfully overtaxed country I live in, affectionately called Belgium, when you rear end anything out there on the road, whether you were - a) - texting ... or - b) - really paying attention and being an exemplary defensive driver, the fine is YOURS to pay since 99% of the time the car you hit is not at fault.

In the much more wonderful world of ETS, that feature is lacking - cars can rear end you as much as they like, but don't get to pay the fine, nor the damage to the trailer...and there goes your bonus; flushed down the toilet.

Now, I know that this not real life, but as a decent middle ground solution, why not implement a fine behaviour on tractor-hits only, and leave the trailer fine free.

e.g. : some ai driver hits your trailer, Fine to pay: None - Damage: Yes.

Reasoning:
This keeps those truck drivers in check that would consider using their trailer as a tank to 'nudge their way through' so to speak. Cars that rear end you - or decide to nudge into the side of your trailer on highways won't induce a fine, but will damage your delivery.

e.g. : some ai driver hits your truck, Fine to pay: Yes - Damage Yes.

Reasoning:
You were not being defensive as a truck driver in the given situation and let the AI damage your pride and joy. Shame on you, pay the fine and the damage as well while you're at it.

That way SCS does not need to implement a complete and complicated insurance claim system and keeps things nice and simple, but helps to make gameplay a bit more realistic. At least you don't pay the fine that you shouldn't in the first place, but you still have the damage to attend to.

[TwinShadow]

Sound in mind, not sure if its practical.

Thing about the US though... fines are handled by the local police departments, if any will be handed out. Depends on the situation, what's going on, etc...

Right now, the only thing I disagree with is not enabling fines on the trailer. I say that because the trucker is responsible not only to where his/her truck cab is located, but also what his/her trailer is doing behind the cab. It is their sole responsibility to ensure that cargo is delivered undamaged and intact, or it comes out of their paycheck, or whatever. Its a fairly complicated scenario sometimes, especially when determining whose at fault in a crash. (dash cams are becoming more common at least)

Now, I don't know if its me, but I haven't actually gotten many fines in ATS for some reason, even when the AI hits me. (or bumps me sometimes) I have police enabled, always have, so I think unless I deliberately hit something, it then triggers. Something I'll have to test further, because for sure I got some hefty fines by accident in ETS2 earlier, mostly from laziness, others from not paying attention to when to start braking in time.

[Frontiersman]

Same here TS. I rarely get a fine from speeding, never from red lights, rarely have I been involved in a traffic mishap... but I've seen enough screenshots and videos of ATS wrecks to draw my own conclusions about the disparity.

[Mohegan13]

I've never received a fine when the AI hits the trailer so long as I am going in a forward motion. I have had fines at T-Junctions in ATS because the AI pulls out of the junction too far effectively cutting your turning area by 70% and the trailer will clip their front end. In those cases I do get fined. If the AI respected right of way and stayed at the stop line until a truck with trailer had passed it wouldn't be an issue.

But I rarely get any fines that weren't deserved, it's the damaged caused by AI randomly changing into my lane and driving under the trailer causing damage that I have issue with.