Parked car & right of way question
Discussion
I thought I knew the answer to this but can't put my finger on the Highway code rule so now starting to doubt myself.
In a village near me there is a section of road where the residents park on one side of the road effectively making it a single lane road. Looking on google maps it's actually half a mile. You get the odd gap in the cars but most of the time it's cars for the full section.
You have to go steady to start the overtake as the parking starts just after a slight left hander so it's hard to see. Anyway once committed you can see the full length.
It was always my understanding that if the obstruction is on your side of the road you had to give way to oncoming vehicles - fair enough. However I always thought that if it was clear and once you had committed to the move the right of way passed to you. Is this correct and is there a highway code section stating this?
The issue you get in this village is you can be 8/10ths of the way through and without failure someone coming the other way will start driving through blocking the road. They know there's no where either of you can go without them mounting the curb to pass or if they're in a smallish car you can squeeze right in and they can manoeuvre around you - it'd take less time if they just gave way.
To put this into perspective you are passing about 50 parked cars with 10 left to get past. It's perfectly straight so they can see you are there. At commuter time without fail there will be two drivers having a faceoff at this section or someone driving a van / 4x4 towards everyone half on the path at an OTT speed to 'prove a point'.
In a village near me there is a section of road where the residents park on one side of the road effectively making it a single lane road. Looking on google maps it's actually half a mile. You get the odd gap in the cars but most of the time it's cars for the full section.
You have to go steady to start the overtake as the parking starts just after a slight left hander so it's hard to see. Anyway once committed you can see the full length.
It was always my understanding that if the obstruction is on your side of the road you had to give way to oncoming vehicles - fair enough. However I always thought that if it was clear and once you had committed to the move the right of way passed to you. Is this correct and is there a highway code section stating this?
The issue you get in this village is you can be 8/10ths of the way through and without failure someone coming the other way will start driving through blocking the road. They know there's no where either of you can go without them mounting the curb to pass or if they're in a smallish car you can squeeze right in and they can manoeuvre around you - it'd take less time if they just gave way.
To put this into perspective you are passing about 50 parked cars with 10 left to get past. It's perfectly straight so they can see you are there. At commuter time without fail there will be two drivers having a faceoff at this section or someone driving a van / 4x4 towards everyone half on the path at an OTT speed to 'prove a point'.
You wouldn't happen to be asking on behalf of your wife would you?
Had this exact situation earlier where I was 9/10ths of the way through and a woman in a Jeep drove right up to my front bumper and forced me to reverse. The difference was, the cars were parked on her side of the road, not mine. I didn't move at all, just turned the car off and sat there whilst she fumed as there was no way that was happening and she eventually backed down, called me an idiot and reversed out the way. What a lovely way to teach your children how the world works.
Anyway, yes, I think you're right. If it was reversed, I'd expect you to move out the way as the other driver is further through than you.
Had this exact situation earlier where I was 9/10ths of the way through and a woman in a Jeep drove right up to my front bumper and forced me to reverse. The difference was, the cars were parked on her side of the road, not mine. I didn't move at all, just turned the car off and sat there whilst she fumed as there was no way that was happening and she eventually backed down, called me an idiot and reversed out the way. What a lovely way to teach your children how the world works.
Anyway, yes, I think you're right. If it was reversed, I'd expect you to move out the way as the other driver is further through than you.
woodyTVR said:
It was always my understanding that if the obstruction is on your side of the road you had to give way to oncoming vehicles - fair enough. However I always thought that if it was clear and once you had committed to the move the right of way passed to you. Is this correct and is there a highway code section stating this?
"Right of way" is a serious red herring. Nobody EVER has "RIGHT of way". They may have PRIORITY...If you need to pull onto the opposite side of the road to pass a stationary obstruction, traffic coming has priority. You wait for a gap.
If you're part way along, and oncoming traffic appears, then they still have priority - but if there's nowhere for you to go to, it's not only basic common sense that says they cannot assert that priority, and they're going to have to wait a moment or three, but it's backed up by...
HC144
You MUST NOT ... drive without reasonable consideration for other road users
HC146
Adapt your driving to the appropriate type and condition of road you are on. In particular ... take the road and traffic conditions into account. Be prepared for unexpected or difficult situations, for example, the road being blocked beyond a blind bend. Be prepared to adjust your speed as a precaution
ashleyman said:
You wouldn't happen to be asking on behalf of your wife would you?
Had this exact situation earlier where I was 9/10ths of the way through and a woman in a Jeep drove right up to my front bumper and forced me to reverse. The difference was, the cars were parked on her side of the road, not mine. I didn't move at all, just turned the car off and sat there whilst she fumed as there was no way that was happening and she eventually backed down, called me an idiot and reversed out the way. What a lovely way to teach your children how the world works.
Anyway, yes, I think you're right. If it was reversed, I'd expect you to move out the way as the other driver is further through than you.
One of my finest driving moments - a woman did exactly the same to me. I sat there for around 30 secs with her screaming and shouting at me to get out of her way, beeping her horn, and giving me the finger. By this time a queue of traffic had built up behind me. I slowly got out of the car walked to her window, where she proceeded to call me every name under the sun, and informed her that she was trying to drive the wrong way down a one way street. The look on her face was priceless.Had this exact situation earlier where I was 9/10ths of the way through and a woman in a Jeep drove right up to my front bumper and forced me to reverse. The difference was, the cars were parked on her side of the road, not mine. I didn't move at all, just turned the car off and sat there whilst she fumed as there was no way that was happening and she eventually backed down, called me an idiot and reversed out the way. What a lovely way to teach your children how the world works.
Anyway, yes, I think you're right. If it was reversed, I'd expect you to move out the way as the other driver is further through than you.
TooMany2cvs said:
"Right of way" is a serious red herring. Nobody EVER has "RIGHT of way". They may have PRIORITY...
If you need to pull onto the opposite side of the road to pass a stationary obstruction, traffic coming has priority. You wait for a gap.
If you're part way along, and oncoming traffic appears, then they still have priority - but if there's nowhere for you to go to, it's not only basic common sense that says they cannot assert that priority, and they're going to have to wait a moment or three, but it's backed up by...
HC144
You MUST NOT ... drive without reasonable consideration for other road users
HC146
Adapt your driving to the appropriate type and condition of road you are on. In particular ... take the road and traffic conditions into account. Be prepared for unexpected or difficult situations, for example, the road being blocked beyond a blind bend. Be prepared to adjust your speed as a precaution
haha good point 'Priority'. So I was wrong then, I could have sworn there was a HC section giving the priority to the overtaking vehicle. If you need to pull onto the opposite side of the road to pass a stationary obstruction, traffic coming has priority. You wait for a gap.
If you're part way along, and oncoming traffic appears, then they still have priority - but if there's nowhere for you to go to, it's not only basic common sense that says they cannot assert that priority, and they're going to have to wait a moment or three, but it's backed up by...
HC144
You MUST NOT ... drive without reasonable consideration for other road users
HC146
Adapt your driving to the appropriate type and condition of road you are on. In particular ... take the road and traffic conditions into account. Be prepared for unexpected or difficult situations, for example, the road being blocked beyond a blind bend. Be prepared to adjust your speed as a precaution
It really is stupid though the way they behave. 'It's my right of way, I'm coming through!'
JQ said:
One of my finest driving moments - a woman did exactly the same to me. I sat there for around 30 secs with her screaming and shouting at me to get out of her way, beeping her horn, and giving me the finger. By this time a queue of traffic had built up behind me. I slowly got out of the car walked to her window, where she proceeded to call me every name under the sun, and informed her that she was trying to drive the wrong way down a one way street. The look on her face was priceless.
I enjoyed that enormously. Thank-you.Look at the situation and decide what is the sensible thing to do under the circumstances presented. It's one of those unwritten rules of the road that sensible drivers used to adhere to, but we don't breed sensible drivers these days, do we?
In another example, it used to be the case that that the "uphill" vehicle was allowed priority no matter on which side of the road the obstacle lay. It stems from the days when vehicles found it difficult to stop and restart on an up hill gradient, lack of power and burned out cllutches come to mind. Modern cars don't have the problem but it still is seen as the right thing to do (amongst proper, thinking drivers), to recognise that courtesy and acknowledge it with a "thank you" hand up to the windscreen
In another example, it used to be the case that that the "uphill" vehicle was allowed priority no matter on which side of the road the obstacle lay. It stems from the days when vehicles found it difficult to stop and restart on an up hill gradient, lack of power and burned out cllutches come to mind. Modern cars don't have the problem but it still is seen as the right thing to do (amongst proper, thinking drivers), to recognise that courtesy and acknowledge it with a "thank you" hand up to the windscreen
InitialDave said:
Can the person coming the other way see all the way down before they enter the parked cars area? So as long as you were past the corner mentioned, they could (assuming they actually looked) see you were coming before entering the restriction themselves?
Yes once you are passing the cars it is dead straight. I went that way last night after posting this and it's probably 1/4 mile not 1/2 mile. you can make eye contact with the on-coming cars at the point they seem to decided it's their right.7db said:
JQ said:
One of my finest driving moments - a woman did exactly the same to me. I sat there for around 30 secs with her screaming and shouting at me to get out of her way, beeping her horn, and giving me the finger. By this time a queue of traffic had built up behind me. I slowly got out of the car walked to her window, where she proceeded to call me every name under the sun, and informed her that she was trying to drive the wrong way down a one way street. The look on her face was priceless.
I enjoyed that enormously. Thank-you.For once, I had the necessary words at my disposal. "But I am only going one way, officer".
r129sl said:
I was once hopelessly lost in Middlesborough. A policeman motioned me to stop. I wound down the window. "This is a one way street, sir".
For once, I had the necessary words at my disposal. "But I am only going one way, officer".
My home town isn't big enough to get lost in, how'd you manage that? For once, I had the necessary words at my disposal. "But I am only going one way, officer".
Edited by AClownsPocket on Monday 24th October 11:55
I once got stuck. What was quite amusing was that it was quite a wide road, and the only reason we were jammed was that there was a coach in front; if it was two cars we could have been fine.
We were stuck about 20 minutes, the woman adamant that we all (coach, half a dozen cars, articulated truck by this point) would have to go back. One of the drivers on my side walked over to her; as it turns out the reason why we had to go back was that she wasn't comfortable with reversing 50 yards in a straight line. Someone got into her car and did it for her in the end.
We were stuck about 20 minutes, the woman adamant that we all (coach, half a dozen cars, articulated truck by this point) would have to go back. One of the drivers on my side walked over to her; as it turns out the reason why we had to go back was that she wasn't comfortable with reversing 50 yards in a straight line. Someone got into her car and did it for her in the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBU1zNdTVv4
But this one takes first prize for the ultimate in stupidity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TR4iBC_iaw
But this one takes first prize for the ultimate in stupidity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TR4iBC_iaw
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