Priority rules when turning into a side road
in [UK Drivers]
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From: mileburner on 14 Jul 2010 10:18 Mortimer wrote: > I'm starting to doubt that I understand the highway code correctly. In a not too dissimilar situation, a short time ago I approached a cross roads junction from the minor road going straight ahead. At the same time, a taxi arrived at the junction from the opposite direction and he was turning right. There was no traffic on the major road and we both pulled out together. The taxi driver started to pull across in front of me expecting me to give way, but because I dispise taxi drivers, I hosed him out and took my right of way anyway. Had it been anyone else I would have course done the polite thing at let them go. As we passed sides, he hurled some verbal abuse at me for not letting him go. But AIUI, when you are turning right and there is oncoming traffic you should pass on the left (right side to right side) and go behind them, which is what I forced him to do. It made my day :-)
From: Mr. Benn on 14 Jul 2010 10:20 <boltar2003(a)boltar.world> wrote in message news:i1k45m$hs$1(a)speranza.aioe.org... > On Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:34:34 +0100 > "Mortimer" <me(a)privacy.net> wrote: >>I'm starting to doubt that I understand the highway code correctly. > > Does anyone actually care about it anyway? Other than knowing enough to > pass > the test and avoid a fine. Obviously to some of the anal retentives on > here > is their version of the Koran , to be studied at length and learnt by > heart, > but do any normal people give a damn about it? Yes.
From: Mr. Benn on 14 Jul 2010 10:24 "mileburner" <mileburner(a)btinternet.com> wrote in message news:i1kh03$3nt$1(a)news.eternal-september.org... > Mortimer wrote: >> I'm starting to doubt that I understand the highway code correctly. > > In a not too dissimilar situation, a short time ago I approached a cross > roads junction from the minor road going straight ahead. At the same time, > a taxi arrived at the junction from the opposite direction and he was > turning right. There was no traffic on the major road and we both pulled > out together. The taxi driver started to pull across in front of me > expecting me to give way, but because I dispise taxi drivers, I hosed him > out and took my right of way anyway. Had it been anyone else I would have > course done the polite thing at let them go. > > As we passed sides, he hurled some verbal abuse at me for not letting him > go. But AIUI, when you are turning right and there is oncoming traffic you > should pass on the left (right side to right side) and go behind them, > which is what I forced him to do. > > It made my day :-) Well done. I also hate taxi drivers with a vengeance. They are generally the worst class of road users I have ever encountered.
From: GT on 14 Jul 2010 10:24 <boltar2003(a)boltar.world> wrote in message news:i1k8fq$6jv$1(a)speranza.aioe.org... > On Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:57:36 +0100 > "GT" <a(a)b.c> wrote: >>All drivers should give a damn, but unfortunately these 'normal people' >>don't, hence the number of accidents, injuries and deaths on our roads. >>The >>rules and guidelines are there for safety reasons, not just for the nerds! > > So knowing the highway code would prevent accidents? Really? How so? Well you go out now and drive round with no regard for the rules. Drive on the wrong side of the road. Go through red lights. See how many accidents you have....
From: GT on 14 Jul 2010 10:26
"Mortimer" <me(a)privacy.net> wrote in message news:CZGdnZ05RvKZPaDRnZ2dnUVZ8jqdnZ2d(a)brightview.co.uk... > "GT" <a(a)b.c> wrote in message > news:4c3d9875$0$21714$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com... >> "Mortimer" <me(a)privacy.net> wrote in message By the letter of the law, >> you did have the right of way, but perhaps he was expecting the old >> 'after you' guesture - you had only just started moving, so it wouldn't >> have held you up or anything! He might have been sitting there waiting >> for ages and was late for work etc etc. > > Whether I *should* have let him go first is another matter. The fact is > that I didn't. In the absence of any clear signal from me (headlamp > flashing, until someone comes up with a less ambiguous one) I believe that headlamp flashing has now been recognised as a legitimate 'after you' indication. > that I'm letting him go ahead of me, he should not assume priority. It's > nice to have it confirmed that I *do* know the rules and haven't had a > mental abberation! > > As to whether I should have let him go first, I tend to treat each case on > its own merits. If the right-turning car is blocking other traffic behind > it that wants to go straight on towards me, I tend to let the car go ahead > of me because that benefits all the cars behind him. If there's plenty of > space behind me so he can go immediately after me, I rarely if ever give > way. Otherwise it depends on how I'm feeling that day! > > But I normally make the decision about giving way well in advance of the > junction, and signal it with a two short headlamp flashes, so I can create > a gap ahead of me by just easing off the power slightly and don't need to > brake or come to a complete stop. That way I can resume my original speed > and close up the gap again afterwards a lot more quickly. Today's > situation was unusual in that I was in nose-to-tail traffic and was > stationary behind car B when the opportunity to turn first became > available. |