Do you drive with courtesy in mind?

[CommanderJameson]

Inspired by a comment in the "undertakingovertaking on the left" thread.

I think that, if we all drove with a bit of common courtesy, driving would be safer and less stressful.

I cleave to the idea that rules are usually for the guidance of wise men and the blind obedience of fools.

Much of what is in the Highway Code is common sense and codified courtesy, but there are a few bits that are blatantly out of sync with what goes on in real life. The use of the flashed headlight is one example. Letting people out of side roads in heavy traffic is another - after all, they should just wait for a gap, right? Even if that gap will be along in, oh, forty-five minutes or so?

What say you?

[banzai]Vote now!!!!!![/banzai]

[madal]

i have to travel down a Dual-Carriageway in the morning so tell me why do drivers stay in the outside lain for no reason this is why i have to overtake on the inside because some tt doing 30mph in a 40 is in my way

Edited by madal on Friday 23 September 12:54

[nobodyknows]

madal said:

i have to travel down a duel carriageway in the morning so tell me why do drivers stay in the outside lain for no reason this is why i have to overtake on the inside because some tt doing 30mph in a 40 is in my way

'Duel carriageway' - was that an intentional mistake?!

[sharpfocus]

Yes, but some people have a different opinion of what constitutes courteous.

[madal]

nobodyknows said:

madal said:

i have to travel down a duel carriageway in the morning so tell me why do drivers stay in the outside lain for no reason this is why i have to overtake on the inside because some tt doing 30mph in a 40 is in my way

'Duel carriageway' - was that an intentional mistake?!

now but you were an intentional mistake...lol

[J4CKO]

I try to be super courteous, but if someone treats me badly or inconsiderately then I go the other way.

[RJB_666]

I have to drive through a busy village high street everyday. I'll often give way when it's my right of way and i won't push through if it isn't. I've had non courteous people that decide that they can push through which means i now have a nice war wound on my wheel. I'll always keep a fair distance and i expect others to do the same. Even if i have to slow down and speed up to show them the gap i prefer them to be at.

[Bolognese]

I think its less confrontational to just undertake then flash your lights. I think it proves more a a subtle point too.

[Chrisw666]

It isn't just courtesy, some folk treat their car as a weapon, some treat every journey as a warm up for that phone call from Ferrari when Alonso gets food poisoning the day before the Monaco GP, some don't care enough about what they are doing to even retain the basics they were taught, some think it is their civic duty to slow everyone down, some to speed everyone up, some are so terrified by the experience of driving they have no time for thinking about anything, some are too dumb to process information, most don't treat driving as something that needs to be done well, and there are about 5% of drivers on the roads who actually love to drive and want to make it as enjoyable/safe/relaxing as possible for all concerned.

[nobodyknows]

madal said:

now but you were an intentional mistake...lol

I'm going to assume that this was meant to be humourous if thats Ok with you.

[iamed]

Courtesy causes confusion.

I take right of way when it's mine, and give way when I should. The example of letting people out of sideroads is equally discourteous to those behind you as it is courteous to the driver being 'let out', and the manoeuvre is potentially dangerously unpredictable for other road users to anticipate. There are a few bad road layouts (generally rare) where it is necessary to give up your right of way to maintain general traffic flow, however.

[roachcoach]

As much as practically possible.

You never know, it might just catch on



Just because you have the 'right' to be a dick, doesn't mean you have to be.

[CommanderJameson]

iamed said:

The example of letting people out of sideroads is equally discourteous to those behind you as it is courteous to the driver being 'let out', and the manoeuvre is potentially dangerously unpredictable for other road users to anticipate. There are a few bad road layouts (generally rare) where it is necessary to give up your right of way to maintain general traffic flow, however.

Depends entirely on how it's done. Just lifting enough to create a gap of sufficient size for the car to get out causes little inconvenience to the traffic on the main road. This is not, in any way, shape or form, a dangerously unpredictable manoeuvre. If someone can't cope with a car in front gently slowing, then they've got bigger problems.

Slamming on and then vigorously flashing one's headlights, escalating to hammering on the horn - well, that's a completely different tureen of turtles.

[falkster]

J4CKO said:

I try to be super courteous, but if someone treats me badly or inconsiderately then I go the other way.

Exactly my thoughts!! Behaviour breeds behaviour and that's why the vicious circle will never end.
We all go out with the right head on, you let someone you don't get a 'thank you' acknowledgement, you don't get let out and then this makes you think b0ll0x to this.
I waited at a junction for about 30 cars to pass (slowly) and not one let me out. It annoys me as the traffic lights 50 yards down the road were on red anyway so it didn't inconvenience anyone - I was turning right at the light so overtook all the cars that had not let me out.
If they don't look you're not there!!

[Speed_Demon]

I drive with as much courtesy and thought for others as possible in the hope they'll pass it on.

I love finding new way to be considerate in driving, thinking ahead for others an such. Great feeling when they recognise it too

[falkster]

iamed said:

Courtesy causes confusion.

I take right of way when it's mine, and give way when I should. The example of letting people out of sideroads is equally discourteous to those behind you as it is courteous to the driver being 'let out', and the manoeuvre is potentially dangerously.

So clearly the answer is no for you then? It's not about taking the right of way, the question was are you a courteous driver?
How is letting someone out discourteous to a drivers behind you? Another stupid answer for the sake of it. Youre not bringing 20 cars to a total stand still to let out one car you are merely slowing up a bit to let someone into the flow of traffic.
You don't have a location in you profile but Im hoping you don't live anywhere near me.

[Jasandjules]

Yes I am. I enjoy letting people out in traffic etc (it was far more entertaining with an MR2 with pop up headlights.).

[iamed]

I'm not discourteous, I'm merely neutral. In a steady stream of continuous traffic in which it's usually appropriate to 'let someone in' I would normally leave sufficient gap for someone to jump in anyway (an exception can be the steady stream of 30mph traffic which is almost impossible to pull out into, but this is usually interrupted by nearby traffic lights/roundabouts/etc anyway).

A common example of courtesy that is inappropriate is when waiting to turn right out of a T-junction. Car from the right stops to let you out without considering the traffic coming from your left. Often in this situation vision to the left is obstructed (if there is a slow stream of traffic, say) so the expectation is either you trust the driver from the right that the way is clear, or that you pull out halfway then look left. No thanks, I'll wait for my own time.

I don't see what difference it makes to you where I live. Even if we were next door we'd not cross paths on the road often. Expecting courtesy is seriously flawed, and will probably lead to frequent frustration. Courtesy is not required, following the rules is. Having said that, a lot of what might be considered courtesy, is in fact, a rule - the two aren't mutually exclusive!

Edit: maybe I'm confused about what is considered 'courtesy' in this context. Anticipating other drivers' requirements is simply good defensive driving - a jumped up conception of courteous driving isn't required. I don't mean to offend, I'm pretty mild mannered on the road, I think. Us British are cursed with being pathologically courteous at the best of times, I'd rather keep the road predictable!

Edited by iamed on Friday 23 September 17:23

[Alfanatic]

iamed said:

Courtesy causes confusion.

I take right of way when it's mine, and give way when I should. The example of letting people out of sideroads is equally discourteous to those behind you as it is courteous to the driver being 'let out', and the manoeuvre is potentially dangerously unpredictable for other road users to anticipate. There are a few bad road layouts (generally rare) where it is necessary to give up your right of way to maintain general traffic flow, however.

I do, to the most extent agree with this, except that I find instances where it's neccessary to give up my right of way to maintain general traffic flow are far from rare.

If the traffic is going to be sitting there forever if noone lets them in, then I will let them in, or if I'm stopping in a line of traffic or on a roundabout, I'll generally try not to block access from a side road or approach road, so I'll stop with a larger gap to the car in front of me if it might help someone. Otherwise, I also believe it's more predictable to just follow the rules of the road. That's what they're there for - to make drivers predictable.

If it's me waiting to get out of a side street, I'm happier when everyone on the street I'm trying to join just gets on with what they're doing and I'll sit there for a couple of minutes waiting for a gap if need be. If someone lets me out when there were only four or five cars behind them before a suitable gap, I think that driver's wasted 4 other people's time for very little benefit on my behalf.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Do as you would be done by.

Practice what you preach.