Giving way to cars

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Ok, am a driver and commuting cyclist but wondered who really should give way heere so please forgive the long-winded scenario!!

So, a car wants to come out of a left turning from a side road, the traffic on the main road is slow moving (crawling). A car flashes to let the car out of the turning to join the main road. There are a couple of cyclists who are slowly moving up the inside on the main road and are a few car lengths away from the car wanting to turn out in front of them. It would require them to slow down but certainly not a heavy brake.

It would appear that the car turning onto the road has seen the cyclists but figures they are far enough away for them to slow down safely. However, the cyclsist do not slow down making the car stop half way through its manouver and the cyclits to swerver aroudn the car.

My question is, is it unreasonable for the driver to assume the the cyclists will slow down when a car in front has allowed him to come out or should the driver wait for all cyclists to pass, or the cyclists to signal they agree to allow the car to pass out in front of them?

Hope this all makes sense!!
 

apollo179

Well-Known Member
The car should give way to the cyclists / not pull out / wait till the cyclists have passed . However if the car does pull out then the cyclists should just do the sensible thing and give way / let a fellow road user out.
Simples.:thumbsup:
 

MissTillyFlop

Evil communist dictator, lover of gerbils & Pope.
Ok, am a driver and commuting cyclist but wondered who really should give way heere so please forgive the long-winded scenario!!

So, a car wants to come out of a left turning from a side road, the traffic on the main road is slow moving (crawling). A car flashes to let the car out of the turning to join the main road. There are a couple of cyclists who are slowly moving up the inside on the main road and are a few car lengths away from the car wanting to turn out in front of them. It would require them to slow down but certainly not a heavy brake.

It would appear that the car turning onto the road has seen the cyclists but figures they are far enough away for them to slow down safely. However, the cyclsist do not slow down making the car stop half way through its manouver and the cyclits to swerver aroudn the car.

My question is, is it unreasonable for the driver to assume the the cyclists will slow down when a car in front has allowed him to come out or should the driver wait for all cyclists to pass, or the cyclists to signal they agree to allow the car to pass out in front of them?

Hope this all makes sense!!

I have been in the situation where a car has stopped and flashed another car through and I simply haven't seen there is a car waiting to turn and I have gone through.

This is usually when cars are turning right rather than left though.

If I see them the definitely stop - I hate it when noone will let you out!
 

ohnovino

Large Member
Location
Liverpool
Legally, the car coming out of the side road has to give way to all traffic, irrespective of how many wheels they have or whether someone else has flashed them out. However, any cyclist who filters at speed towards a junction thinking "it's okay, I've got the law on my side" is in the running for a Darwin Award.

I'd always slow/stop and let the car out, but then I'm a very cautious filterer.
 
Legally, the car coming out of the side road has to give way to all traffic, irrespective of how many wheels they have or whether someone else has flashed them out. However, any cyclist who filters at speed towards a junction thinking "it's okay, I've got the law on my side" is in the running for a Darwin Award.

I'd always slow/stop and let the car out, but then I'm a very cautious filterer.


+1
 

benb

Evidence based cyclist
Location
Epsom
In an ideal world I would expect the car to give way.

In the real world I will slow down and cover the brakes ready to slam on the anchors when they pull out, and am pleasantly surprised if they don't.

The worst ones are the ones that can only get half way out so completely block your path.
 

Mad at urage

New Member
Ok, am a driver and commuting cyclist but wondered who really should give way heere so please forgive the long-winded scenario!!

So, a car wants to come out of a left turning from a side road, the traffic on the main road is slow moving (crawling). A car flashes to let the car out of the turning to join the main road. There are a couple of cyclists who are slowly moving up the inside on the main road and are a few car lengths away from the car wanting to turn out in front of them. It would require them to slow down but certainly not a heavy brake.

It would appear that the car turning onto the road has seen the cyclists but figures they are far enough away for them to slow down safely. However, the cyclsist do not slow down making the car stop half way through its manouver and the cyclits to swerver aroudn the car.

My question is, is it unreasonable for the driver to assume the the cyclists will slow down when a car in front has allowed him to come out or should the driver wait for all cyclists to pass, or the cyclists to signal they agree to allow the car to pass out in front of them?

Hope this all makes sense!!
So, you are pulling out in front of me as I cycle along the main road (Whether a car has flashed its headlights at you means precisely nothing)?
I'll cover the brakes and ride around you. If you have to stop half-way through a manoevre you shouldn't have started, that's tough on you.
 

byegad

Legendary Member
Location
NE England
Wot Mad@urage sed!

The prannet who flashed the car out was also in the wrong.
 

Mozzy

New Member
Location
Taunton Somerset
The car should give way to the cyclists / not pull out / wait till the cyclists have passed . However if the car does pull out then the cyclists should just do the sensible thing and give way / let a fellow road user out.
Simples.:thumbsup:

100% +!
cool.gif
 

soulful dog

Veteran
Location
Glasgow
The prannet who flashed the car out was also in the wrong.
It's not wrong, it's called courtesy.

Obviously he has no legal right to do so, but it's up to the driver who is pulling out of the side road to be aware of anyone else on the road and not just accept it's clear because another driver has flashed his lights to let him out. He should see the cyclists and wait to see if they are going to allow him to pull out too.

Then another +1 to what apollo179 said.

thumbsup.png
 

Fiona N

Veteran
Basically why I don't filter down the inside of cars but overtake down the middle of the road - obviously still requires care so you're not in the wrong place when there's oncoming traffic but I feel very trapped on the inside, not to mention vulnerable to the dim door-openers, the right-turners into a gap in the traffic etc. I like to be out where I can see what's going on.
 

MissTillyFlop

Evil communist dictator, lover of gerbils & Pope.
Basically why I don't filter down the inside of cars but overtake down the middle of the road - obviously still requires care so you're not in the wrong place when there's oncoming traffic but I feel very trapped on the inside, not to mention vulnerable to the dim door-openers, the right-turners into a gap in the traffic etc. I like to be out where I can see what's going on.

Not necessarily filtering though - if you're in the cycle/bus lane, then many cars will stop in the lane next to you, obscuring turning traffic.
 

Rob500

Well-Known Member
Location
Belfast
A driver emerging from a side road has to decide for themselves if it is safe. The flashing of lights actually means nothing.
 
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