My question involves a traffic accident in the State of: California
There was a post similar to mine, but from a different perspective and slightly different details. So I'll give it a go:
This street is a two way street, one "lane" for each direction and there is street parking on both sides of the road. However, being a narrow residential street there is no middle yellow line (so no clear "lane") but two cars can pass each other at low speed. I was driving down the road when a car stopped in front of me to parallel park. I stopped briefly and saw that he was hesitating (Perhaps he thought I was too close?) so I went ahead and started to pass him on the left. As I was about right next to him I see he is turning his steering wheel and about to reverse! I stopped my car and tried to honk but it was too late. He scraped the passenger side door of my car as he reversed. Just a dent on my car but his bumper looked bad. I would have exchanged info and left it at that since my car is junk anyways, but he seems to think it was my fault.
He is sending me an estimate but I'm about 90% sure it wasn't my fault. Reason being, a) he was backing up, b) he was turning, c) his car was moving when he scraped the side of my car with his front fender.
But, I do have some doubts. Reasons being, a) I was in the opposing traffic side of the road while passing, and b) I'm not sure if its legal to pass a car that has stopped to parallel park - although people here do that to me all the time when I'm parking, usually honking at me wildly.LA drivers...
I am new to Los Angeles and am not sure what the law says about these circumstances. Any advise is appreciated. Thanks.

