Safest way to get in and out of my driveway

[CloudyNight]

I’m just wondering what I should do here, I normally reverse into my driveway as people tend to drive past where I stay at 40ish even though it’s a 30 and they tend to come flying round the corner in the left of my excellent diagram. My driveway entrance is quite narrow with walls either side. If I’m coming from right to left I don’t know how I could let the people behind me know to give me space to reverse into the driveway, I can’t pull over and let them past as there’s not enough room with the cars queuing. I don’t want to drive in nose first as I think this would make getting out quite tricky as I would be reversing into the flow of traffic. The traffic works are set to be there for about a month. Any ideas what would be the safest way to get in and out of my driveway during this time?

[donkmeister]

Slow down, put on hazards, begin manoeuvre. It works with most drivers in my experience.

[Wacky Racer]

I would drive in front first (Approaching from the left) and reverse out onto the road immediately the last car has gone through the lights heading left to right.

[Pica-Pica]

All the while the lights are there, I believe you need to drive in, and reverse out.
To reverse IN, you will have to drive across and cut into that queue, you will find it hard for them to let you do that. But if you make it so you reverse OUT, the queue is more likely to be sympathetic, you may need to allow more time for the traffic light phases to create a gap, and a sympathetic driver to let you in. I imagine a driver will only give you space when the lights are changing back to red; because when they change to green, I doubt people will leave a gap if it means them missing a chance to get through on the green phase.
Any friendly neighbours that will let you use their drive for a short while?

[vikingaero]

CloudyNight said:

of my excellent diagram.

8/10 for the diagram - quite commendable to illustrate a post on PH.

Russ Swift handbrake turn?

Or just use you hazards and position the car to dominate the road.

[MYOB]

vikingaero said:

Or just use you hazards and position the car to dominate the road.

A tactic that works for me. You’re going to have to position yourself to force other cars to stop. Put the hazards on as you slow down and position yourself in a manner to force other cars to slow down/stop. Then reverse into the drive.

[swisstoni]

Safest is to park somewhere else for the month imho.
Not ideal but that situation just looks like trouble.

[Mabbs9]

I see hazards used for everything. Indicating is way more useful to other drivers, particularly if you need them to give you some space to manoeuvre. They need to know which way you intend to manoeuvre. Good luck, looks tight.

[RustyMX5]

MYOB said:

vikingaero said:

Or just use you hazards and position the car to dominate the road.

A tactic that works for me. You’re going to have to position yourself to force other cars to stop. Put the hazards on as you slow down and position yourself in a manner to force other cars to slow down/stop. Then reverse into the drive.

That's what I do too.

[Smint]

Bit of a problem whilst the road works are on, i'd be inclined to judge each arrival home on its merits for the time being, if you've got billy-whizz-who-hasn't-a-minute-to-live behind just drive in and then turn the car around later when the road is quiet, if you have someone with half a brain behind who notices and drops back when you put the hazards on make your reverse in at the time.

[Glosphil]

My daughter has a house that is in a similar situation, but the traffic lights are permanent & a little further away. She has learnt it is best to drive forward into her drive. If she is reversing out drivers are much more likely to stop and let her out. If she tries to reverse in it is much more difficult as drivers seem to think she is just stopping & they stop too close behind her for her to then reverse into the drive.

[Solocle]

Glosphil said:

My daughter has a house that is in a similar situation, but the traffic lights are permanent & a little further away. She has learnt it is best to drive forward into her drive. If she is reversing out drivers are much more likely to stop and let her out. If she tries to reverse in it is much more difficult as drivers seem to think she is just stopping & they stop too close behind her for her to then reverse into the drive.

Stop before the drive, flash the reverse lights, move past drive, reverse in.

[CloudyNight]

Thanks for the replies everyone, it looks like the safest thing is to drive in and then reverse out.

[Glosphil]

Solocle said:

Glosphil said:

My daughter has a house that is in a similar situation, but the traffic lights are permanent & a little further away. She has learnt it is best to drive forward into her drive. If she is reversing out drivers are much more likely to stop and let her out. If she tries to reverse in it is much more difficult as drivers seem to think she is just stopping & they stop too close behind her for her to then reverse into the drive.

Stop before the drive, flash the reverse lights, move past drive, reverse in.

That was my first suggestion. Didn't work. Following drivers stopped when she did then moved forward when she did.

[Solocle]

Glosphil said:

That was my first suggestion. Didn't work. Following drivers stopped when she did then moved forward when she did.

For getting into my driveway I'd then just sit there until they make space. No traffic lights, but near a junction at the end of the road.

Visibility is limited by on street parking and a wall, reversing out of my driveway would be substantially more dangerous than driving out forwards. It's a 20, but routinely ignored.

[donkmeister]

Mabbs9 said:

I see hazards used for everything. Indicating is way more useful to other drivers, particularly if you need them to give you some space to manoeuvre. They need to know which way you intend to manoeuvre. Good luck, looks tight.

You would think, but personal experience shows that indicating left will be misunderstood by utter cretins as "I can scoot round on the right", a right indicator will be interpreted as "wahay, I'll use the pavement and go round on the left".

Hazards whilst slowing down still (round here at least) make other drivers think "ooh, hold back a bit, he's going to do something odd. Just what can it be?".

[MYOB]

CloudyNight said:

Thanks for the replies everyone, it looks like the safest thing is to drive in and then reverse out.

It’s never advisable to reverse out of your driveway onto a main road.

[Pica-Pica]

MYOB said:

CloudyNight said:

Thanks for the replies everyone, it looks like the safest thing is to drive in and then reverse out.

It’s never advisable to reverse out of your driveway onto a main road.

People have explained the circumstances why that may be necessary here.
OP just needs to decide what works best.

[alicrozier]

I agree it's difficult balancing safest method, least chance of other muppet misinterpretation and how much obstruction to the flow of others you are willing to generate.

You 'could' arrive from the left, right indicator on and pull up parallel to your offside kerb (basically as per your diagram but facing to the right). Reverse in from there. Least chance of misinterpretation but blocking traffic coming through the lights might cause some 'frustrations'.

[BOR]

That's a great diagram.

2 Ideas from me:

1.Driving left to right, continue past, do u-turn, wait in queue until lights green your direction, pull over onto wrong side of road just past your drive, lights still red for oncoming traffic so free to reverse in.

2.Drive in nose first, wait until lights go green, traffic moving on other side of road, reverse back out, drive forward, reverse back in before lights change to green for oncoming traffic from right.