Pinch Points, What would You do?

[Mini Spirit]

Pinch Points

Parked vehicles on the offside, approximately say five vehicles, so you have right of way, the road is not that wide, your half way through the hazard, your a good doors width away from the parked vehicles & a vehicle is approaching towards you.

You anticipate that he's going to try & squeeze through, instead of holding back for a few seconds.

Do you.

A: Change speed & position & move over very close to curb. Or

B: Move a little more offside, maintaining a doors width from the parked vehicles, to try & dissuade the oncoming vehicle.

[dvenman]

Sort of B. Start slowing, and move a little more offside (if I've still got room to, I tend to position wide quite early to get the view and show intent). Hopefully the oncomer will see there's no room for him - but if you're mostly through the hazard, it's easier for them to back up a few feet than for you to reverse the whole length.

[brman]

Maintain current road position as you should already have anticipated an oncoming vehicle and be positioned accordingly? Prepare to slow/stop if he makes a bad decision and move to your nearside only when necessary to avoid a collision.

[TooMany2cvs]

Mini Spirit said:

so you have right of way

No, you have priority.

It seems a pedantic difference, but if everybody remembered that difference, it would make life a lot simpler and mean people are a lot less likely to put themselves in these positions.

[Mini Spirit]

TooMany2cvs said:

No, you have priority.

It seems a pedantic difference, but if everybody remembered that difference, it would make life a lot simpler and mean people are a lot less likely to put themselves in these positions.

Right of way / Priority. Can you expand please on the differences & how that could change people's behaviour.

Thanks

[tejr]

Probably not the correct thing to do, but if theres enough space for both cars, even if its a squeeze, I'll make space for the second car. If they are confident to approach then they will probably manage to pass safely. The less confident drivers will simply wait.

[Zod]

I've always been taught B. If there is any risk of a collision, however minor, then discourage oncoming drivers from making the attempt.

[woodyTVR]

Mini Spirit said:

Right of way / Priority. Can you expand please on the differences & how that could change people's behaviour.

Thanks

I would assume the difference is, if you have Priority and both arrive at the hazard at the same time you get to go first. If the person (without priority) is already passing the hazard then you don't have the right to barge through.

[TartanPaint]

Pretty much what's been said already, and the question's wording and options given imply the answer is already known.

I go with B first. Be assertive, dominate your space and hope to keep the oncoming driver from invading your safety bubble. On two wheels this would definitely be the correct action. Any slight move to the left on a bike is taken as an invitation by other road users to come on, or overtake or whatever. It's weak and dangerous and invites other road users into your space, reducing your safety margin, so bikers are taught from day 1 (CBT, not even full license) to stay central in a lane, and assert their position. There's no reason the same shouldn't go for car drivers, but it's not mentioned so often, or so explicitly.

If the oncoming driver doesn't take the hint, then go for A, with a healthy sprinkling of "Slow and prepare to stop".

[battered]

The Police go with A. I've watched them do it for me more than once, often getting impressively close to the kerb in order to give me space.

So I go with A and only resort to B if using A would expose me or others to danger or encourage the opposing traffic to pass too close to the parked cars and creat a hazard.

[TooMany2cvs]

Mini Spirit said:

TooMany2cvs said:

No, you have priority.

It seems a pedantic difference, but if everybody remembered that difference, it would make life a lot simpler and mean people are a lot less likely to put themselves in these positions.

Right of way / Priority. Can you expand please on the differences & how that could change people's behaviour.

Simple. You have no _right_.

[WinstonWolf]

battered said:

The Police go with A. I've watched them do it for me more than once, often getting impressively close to the kerb in order to give me space.

So I go with A and only resort to B if using A would expose me or others to danger or encourage the opposing traffic to pass too close to the parked cars and creat a hazard.

They are certainly not trained that way, owning your space is all a part of advanced driving. If you're going for gaps and other users are being squeezed you need to reassess your hazard perception.

[Zod]

WinstonWolf said:

battered said:

The Police go with A. I've watched them do it for me more than once, often getting impressively close to the kerb in order to give me space.

So I go with A and only resort to B if using A would expose me or others to danger or encourage the opposing traffic to pass too close to the parked cars and creat a hazard.

They are certainly not trained that way, owning your space is all a part of advanced driving. If you're going for gaps and other users are being squeezed you need to reassess your hazard perception.

Exactly.

[eddieantifreeze]

B is generally what I have been taught for both 'advanced' driving tuition (mainly from retired Police traffic guys) and for my HGV licenses. However I would say changing your position while mid way past the parked stuff is not what you would be taught. For both types of driving I have been taught to pull out early, make the space your own. This way other road users are certain of my intention and have time to deal with it, moving out last minute would not be the way to handle it.

Just my pennys worth

[silverfoxcc]

At The Rolls Royce Chauffeurs School the phrase was
'Command the Road'

[powerstroke]

I guess it depends what you are driving a Fiat 500 would require a different attitude to say driving a skip wagon when there might be a grey area regading who's right of way it is at a pinch point !!!

[davepoth]

Main beam, second gear, close eyes. Every time.

[IT1GTR]

I would start with option B. Be very assertive and own the space.

However I would be ready to fall back to "A" should the oncoming driver not take the hint.

[Red Devil]

Agreed, B is better.

The worst culprits for barrelling through with cars parked on their side are the school rum mums in their 4x4s with Tarquin and Amanda in the back. Nothing must be allowed to hinder their journey. A couple of them tried to force their way past me one time but they were foiled when a bus appeared behind me. You should have heard the foul language as they were both compelled to reverse. The bus driver was not impressed, but he had the last laugh as he stopped to let a whole bunch of passengers alight. So they both had to wait even longer until he was ready to move off again. I'm sure he did it on purpose as he could have pulled up a little further on.

[WJNB]

silverfoxcc said:

At The Rolls Royce Chauffeurs School the phrase was
'Command the Road'

That's pure arrogance & I suspect typically male.
Also just because YOU have priority it's stupid to assume others will recognise that.
When you grow up & have nothing to prove, value your mirrors, expensive alloys & pristine flanks sometimes it's better to swallow ones ego & act defensively. Let other drive of feeling clever & superior, professionally trained or not.