I don't think you were an idiot. You were thinking and driving safely and defensively, trying to avoid a potential accident. Unfortunately, you ended up in one.
You're welcome, ALF! :) And in the long run, everyone involved seemed to be watching out for each other to avoid a potential accident. That's pretty cool in a way. :) Glad you're still around.
Nothing idiotic about it. That was quick thinking. It may not have worked but it was miles better than attempting to drive through what should have been accelerating traffic.
I've been hit four times, three times while I was just sitting at the traffic light minding my own business and the fourth time I stopped for a policeman standing in the road with his hand up because of a traffic accident. The car behind me was so busy looking at the accident he forgot to look where he was going and hit me so hard I almost plowed into the policeperson. They had to lever the car door open to get me out, the car was too badly damaged to repair, the man driving the car who hit me put his beer can on the road beside his driver's door but I had the perfect witness.
Nasty. I really have no time at all for drunk drivers.
I was once hit by a car who hadn't seen the cop's hand up stopping traffic. I managed to jump almost clear and the cop walked over to see if I was OK. The poor guy behind the wheel was so surprised that he said, "Did I hit somebody? " I tried to talk the cop out of booking him (I'd been at fault, too) but when he refused I limped off and left them to it.
Benedict Arnold 