Stop, swerve, beep, flash or crash?
Discussion
So your driving down a main road at 40, ahead you see someone waiting to pull out of a side turning across your side of the road but there's sporadic traffic flowing in the other direction.
As you get closer, and closer, and closer you become very aware that that the driver hasn't clocked you yet as she is transfixed on finding a gap in the traffic on the other side of the road.
You start slowing down in anticipation of her pulling out right in front of you.
She's still not looked round to clock you....
Do you:
A) Stop completely
B) Beep
C) Flash
or something else?
I chose A literally a foot from the entrance to the side road, at which point she turned round and finally clocked me. But there was a look of confusion from cars behind me wondering why the hell I'd slowed right down and stopped.
As you get closer, and closer, and closer you become very aware that that the driver hasn't clocked you yet as she is transfixed on finding a gap in the traffic on the other side of the road.
You start slowing down in anticipation of her pulling out right in front of you.
She's still not looked round to clock you....
Do you:
A) Stop completely
B) Beep
C) Flash
or something else?
I chose A literally a foot from the entrance to the side road, at which point she turned round and finally clocked me. But there was a look of confusion from cars behind me wondering why the hell I'd slowed right down and stopped.
Edited by jimxms on Monday 16th January 13:20
jimxms said:
GBDG said:
Highway code, p48 section 2.
"All horse-drawn vehicles should have two red rear reflectors"?
if you are in doubt as to whether your horse drawn carriage has rear red reflectors you must go "flat out" to arrive at your destination before you cause an accident 
ZOLLAR said:
jimxms said:
GBDG said:
Highway code, p48 section 2.
"All horse-drawn vehicles should have two red rear reflectors"? if you are in doubt as to whether your horse drawn carriage has rear red reflectors you must go "flat out" to arrive at your destination before you cause an accident In a similar situation (but on a motorbike so crash was mostly out of the question) I saw a woman on a 4x4 edging out of a side road turning right while looking the other way.
It was only when she had completely blocked my lane that she looked where she was going and saw the bright green motorbike stopped next to her drivers door. She looked more confused than anything.
So stop for me, it's more hassle than it's worth to hit them.
It was only when she had completely blocked my lane that she looked where she was going and saw the bright green motorbike stopped next to her drivers door. She looked more confused than anything.
So stop for me, it's more hassle than it's worth to hit them.
Right, to give you a decent answer to your question:
If I see a car pulling out up ahead which may or may not have seen me, my first course of action is to slow and be prepared to stop. This takes in checking of mirrors etc. You cannot go wrong with this method. Beeping is usually misconstrued as agression, and flashing is usually misconstrued as 'I have seen you, please feel free to carry on and pull out'.
If they then proceed to pull out, causing me to stop, I will probably beep/throw a can of Red Bull in frustration. This is incorrect and is not in the highway code though.
If I see a car pulling out up ahead which may or may not have seen me, my first course of action is to slow and be prepared to stop. This takes in checking of mirrors etc. You cannot go wrong with this method. Beeping is usually misconstrued as agression, and flashing is usually misconstrued as 'I have seen you, please feel free to carry on and pull out'.
If they then proceed to pull out, causing me to stop, I will probably beep/throw a can of Red Bull in frustration. This is incorrect and is not in the highway code though.
Was there a gap coming the other way? If not I'd assume she'd stay put and carry on while watching her. If there was a gap approaching and she didn't check if I was there, then I'd slow down and be prepared.
No gap? She's not looked in your direction because unless there is a gap for her to use it's of no consequence where you are.
No gap? She's not looked in your direction because unless there is a gap for her to use it's of no consequence where you are.
To add to the above, I have been told by an advanced driving instructor that looking at the wheel of the car instead of the bodywork will give you an earlier and clearer message about what the car is doing. It is much easier to recognise a small amount of movement by looking at the wheel for some reason.
Munter said:
Was there a gap coming the other way? If not I'd assume she'd stay put and carry on while watching her. If there was a gap approaching and she didn't check if I was there, then I'd slow down and be prepared.
No gap? She's not looked in your direction because unless there is a gap for her to use it's of no consequence where you are.
There was the occasional gap, that had she been quick on her toes she could have made without inconveniencing anyone.No gap? She's not looked in your direction because unless there is a gap for her to use it's of no consequence where you are.
I agree though. If it had been bumper to bumper on the other side of the road I probably would have been less cautious - but maybe still slowed to 20/25 in case someone made a space and flashed her out at the last second.
With family in the car, the last thing I want to do is spank some bint at 40mph.
MarkRSi said:
jimxms said:
you become very aware that that the driver hasn't clocked you yet
Are you absolutely sure about that? You must have some amazing eyesight/mind reading capability, perhaps she spotted you before you noticed her? 
That said you can never be too careful...
Yeah I suppose it is totally plausible that she saw my car long before I saw the direction her eyes were pointing.I personally tend to periodically look both ways though even though I may already know what is coming. I just like other drivers to know I'm aware...and I don't think I trust myself with just one look before pulling out.
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