was I in the right?

[Accy cyclist]

Yesterday afternoon as I turned left onto the busy, narrow road my flat is next to, I saw a dray wagon delivering beer to the on the left as I approached pub on that road. The wagon must've taken up nearly half the road, being about a yard from the white middle line. I saw that nothing was coming over the hill from the approaching side so I made a dash for it, but a car then appeared over the small hill coming straight at me as I was still on the right side of the road. I was hoping that car would've stopped or slowed down to let me pass the parked up wagon, but instead it made me stop as it came at me mounting, the pavement to get past me. As this was happening another car, then another car appeared and did the same, both mounting the pavement to close pass me. This is the one that really got me! This big Chelsea tractor then came at me, looking like it was going to knock my wing mirror off so I blasted the driver on my horn. He like the others mounted the pavement but then stopped, wound his window down, came out with some offensive verbals, saying he had 'right of way', followed by me telling him to feck off etc. When I'd semi passed that parked up dray wagon I was in no man's land and if that first approaching car had waited 2 seconds this wouldn't have happened! Was I right in my actions?

 

[PeteXXX]

The joys of motoring & entitlement!
As you were already passing the obstruction as no oncoming vehicles were in sight they should wait for you to pass.
'Tis them breaking the law by mounting the pavement.

 

[Electric_Andy]

If you moved to the right lane when it was clear, you essentially take that lane and become a legitimate obstruction, so any oncoming cars after that point must treat you as any other obstruction and wait before proceeding.

 

[Drago]

What Pete said.

The convention is that the person already committed to manoeuvring has priority. This used to be taught and questioned during the driving test, but alas no more.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

No, you should have parked up and gone into the pub to have a few pints. Then collected car next morning.

 

[Drago]

You do get prats that seem to think you can dematerialise or take flight to let themngo by. I just sit there with my arms crossed until the logic of the situation finally hits home.

 

[grldtnr]

Nobody has a 'right of way' ,according to the Highway code.
You do have the right of using the roads.
But it is a courtesy to allow you to pass the obstruction, to facilitate free flowing traffic, noore than that,just a courtesy..what the Highway code does mention, is it's an infringement to impede the passage or obstruct other on coming traffic, a catch all phrase, any motorist who causes another to take evasive actions committing an offence,
My conclusion, all parties were in the wrong in your described scenario, the Dray in it's positioning , the fact you were creasting a small hill, as you couldn't see your way clear, and the oncoming traffic, mounting the pavement, finally the lout In the Chelsea tractor shouting invective at you.

 

[CXRAndy]

I saw that nothing was coming over the hill from the approaching side so I made a dash for it

That's your problem right there, when ever you do a potentially dangerous manoeuvre, do it slowly.

We have a road near us which always has regular accidents. The road bends and at the same time narrows to one vehicle car width. Its a case of who is there first gets priority, invariably vehicles meet at the same time, carrying far too much speed, either or both run off the road and demolish the small retaining walls on either side. You can tell drivers are going to fast, because of the level of damage we see.

Go slower into danger spots so at least you can come to a halt.

 

[Drago]

... as you couldn't see your way clear, and the oncoming traffic, mounting the pavement...

I suppose, because it was a blind crest, he could have waited how many hours or days for the parked vehicle to move so he could proceed without crossing to the other side or the carriageway.

The caution required for a blind crest applies equally to the other driver, who should have moderated their speed in anticipation of a potential unseen hazard. Flinging himself blindly over a crest and then driving along the footway when encountering someone already well established in passing a parked obstruction is the behaviour of a tool.

Moral of the story - Accy shouldn't dash, the other driver should drive with caution when their view is restricted and should give way when they encounter another vehicle that is already manoeuvring (on the basis that most cars are VTOL so once theyre into it theres nothing to be done other than wait patiently.)

And yes indeed, there is no such thing as "right of way". There is only  priority, which is a courtesy we as drivers should extend to others and should never forcibly take for ourselves.

 

[PeteXXX]

I suppose, because it was a blind crest, he could have waited how many hours or days for the parked vehicle to move so he could proceed without crossing to the other side or the carriageway.

The caution required for a blind crest applies equally to the other driver, who should have moderated their speed in anticipation of a potential unseen hazard. Flinging himself blindly over a crest and then driving along the footway when encountering someone already well established in passing a parked obstruction is the behaviour of a tool.

Moral of the story - Accy shouldn't dash, the other driver should drive with caution when their view is restricted and should give way when they encounter another vehicle that is already manoeuvring.

The same with bends. Go no faster than your reaction time & stopping distance allows.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You do have the right of using the roads.

Not in a car you don’t, they were too late for the relevant legislation. But what we are talking about here is who has priority and who should cede.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The same with bends. Go no faster than your reaction time & stopping distance allows.

My walkers with my white and red flags say my reaction times are excellent. At 4mph I can stop in 70 yards if necessary.

 

[grldtnr]

I suppose, because it was a blind crest, he could have waited how many hours or days for the parked vehicle to move so he could proceed without crossing to the other side or the carriageway.

The caution required for a blind crest applies equally to the other driver, who should have moderated their speed in anticipation of a potential unseen hazard. Flinging himself blindly over a crest and then driving along the footway when encountering someone already well established in passing a parked obstruction is the behaviour of a tool.

Moral of the story - Accy shouldn't dash, the other driver should drive with caution when their view is restricted and should give way when they encounter another vehicle that is already manoeuvring (on the basis that most cars are VTOL so once theyre into it theres nothing to be done other than wait patiently.)

And yes indeed, there is no such thing as "right of way". There is only  priority, which is a courtesy we as drivers should extend to others and should never forcibly take for ourselves.

As drummed into me ,on recent motorcycle training, always drive within a distance that you can see to be clear, in other words ' if you see nowt, drive in doubt'
It's about road positioning really, if the driver has come to a halt so close they cannot see around the vehicle , then they are a complete divot !
If the esteemed Accy, in all is dapper finery, had stopped further back , there's a chance he could have seen it's clear, then gone.
Of course there's further to go ,and the chance someone cresting the hill may have filled the gap, but that's always going to happen.
Just stopping further back your perspective changes, rather than have your snout on the vehicle in front, take a view further back.
It's not a common sense, but is pretty simple to do.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

And yes indeed, there is no such thing as "right of way". There is only  priority, which is a courtesy we as drivers should extend to others and should never forcibly take for ourselves.

I am amazed by the number of drivers I encounter on a weekly basis (whilst both driving and cycling) who force through when they don't have priority.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Not quite the same situation as Accy's but I have noticed an increasing number of drivers not waiting for me to clear at temporary traffic lights. There is a constant stream of ever increasing roadworks all around my cycle routes, often it could be a temp light situation where there is half a mile or more of road to clear. As the lghts are set to car speeds, I do get occasions where I go on green and by the time I get towards exiting the roadworks the lights have changed. Most drivers do wait but you get the odd idiot that decides to drive straight at you. I have had a couple of instances where I have actually been forced onto a verge or pavement as they have decided to play a game of chicken with me.