Handling narrow roads with parked cars and oncoming traffic

[Z064life]

Hi Guys

Not an advanced driving query, this is every day driving, but I'd like some advice on handling narrow roads with oncoming traffic.

For example, near my house is a road with cars parked on one side and just enough space for two lane traffic to pass (slowly). When I first passed my driving test my dad told me that two cars can pass so I never really judged for myself if cars can pass so I have the following questions:

1) If I am in a different, bigger car, how do I gauge if there is still enough space for two cars to pass? Especially at night when it is harder to see.
2) What's the best way to handle oncoming traffic that may come too fast or not using their own space?
3) If I am on the side which has oncoming traffic, I slow down and monitor my line/steering to make sure the car does not get close to the parked cars (i.e. inch or two between wing mirrors). What else could I do? Slowing down also gives me more thinking time to assess the situation and be careful.

Note that this type of road is not the road where you pull in to the site if an oncoming car comes, as the entire side of the road has parked cars.

I am generally good at this sort of thing for example I don't have issues with width restrictors.

Thanks!

[ianreeves]

Flippant answer, but follow current practice in these parts.

Ignore any rights of way
Drive directly towards oncoming car
Make no eye contact

[ianreeves]

Flippant answer, but follow current practice in these parts.

Ignore any rights of way
Drive directly towards oncoming car
Make no eye contact

[waremark]

Are the parked cars really so continuous for a long way that it is not possible to treat it as a single-track road - that is, you wait until there is a break in the traffic towards you, and then you set off, taking up a position a long way from the parked cars on your side of the road so it is obvious to traffic coming towards you that they have to wait? In most places where you would otherwise have to go very close that is a better way.

If youreally do have to go as close as you say then you definitely have to go dead slow. Even when you are not that close, if you have to go closer to parked cars that the width of an opening door, then you always have to go very slowly to give yourself time to look for pedestrians stepping out, cars moving off or doors opening.

[Z064life]

waremark said:

Are the parked cars really so continuous for a long way that it is not possible to treat it as a single-track road - that is, you wait until there is a break in the traffic towards you, and then you set off, taking up a position a long way from the parked cars on your side of the road so it is obvious to traffic coming towards you that they have to wait? In most places where you would otherwise have to go very close that is a better way.

If youreally do have to go as close as you say then you definitely have to go dead slow. Even when you are not that close, if you have to go closer to parked cars that the width of an opening door, then you always have to go very slowly to give yourself time to look for pedestrians stepping out, cars moving off or doors opening.

Thanks.

It is possible to stay back if a car is oncoming and then set off in the middle, but I've never seen anyone do that on this road. Most drivers probably acknowledge that two cars can pass.

[lyonspride]

The problem at night is that people forget how wide their car is and start driving half a metre from the side of the road, because hitting an oncoming car is preferable to hitting a twig.