Passing Parked cars but allowing oncoming traffic room.
Discussion
How do you, or should the following situation be dealt with.
We all know that the HC advises that if your direction of travel has parked cars on the side of the road (your side), you give way to oncoming traffic - fine.
What if, the road is wide enough for a line of parked cars and for both yourself and oncoming traffic to pass, even if it means for both to slow down a little - which is sensible anyway due to lower visibility between the cars and pavement.
I was always taught (many years ago) that if I have right of way (cars parked on opposite side) to move over towards the curb so that oncoming traffic, can, if they so desire also continue. Yet, I quite often see a lot of resistance from other drivers to move over and allow this to happen.
Similar if I see a cyclist on the other side, I will move to the curb to give any oncoming cars more space to pass the cyclist safely - assuming that the road is wide enough and the other car wont be too close to the cyclist! Although there is a white line down the middle of the road, I dont see it as my lane, it is merely a guide - no harm in me moving well over to the left if it allows the free flowing of other traffic.
I believe that drivers are taught more recently to pass parked cars with a large gap between them - thus, there are not many roads in the UK that would accommodate parked cars, that safety gap and two lines of opposing traffic - that approach, would surely just bring the country to gridlock if everyone did that.
Thoughts?
We all know that the HC advises that if your direction of travel has parked cars on the side of the road (your side), you give way to oncoming traffic - fine.
What if, the road is wide enough for a line of parked cars and for both yourself and oncoming traffic to pass, even if it means for both to slow down a little - which is sensible anyway due to lower visibility between the cars and pavement.
I was always taught (many years ago) that if I have right of way (cars parked on opposite side) to move over towards the curb so that oncoming traffic, can, if they so desire also continue. Yet, I quite often see a lot of resistance from other drivers to move over and allow this to happen.
Similar if I see a cyclist on the other side, I will move to the curb to give any oncoming cars more space to pass the cyclist safely - assuming that the road is wide enough and the other car wont be too close to the cyclist! Although there is a white line down the middle of the road, I dont see it as my lane, it is merely a guide - no harm in me moving well over to the left if it allows the free flowing of other traffic.
I believe that drivers are taught more recently to pass parked cars with a large gap between them - thus, there are not many roads in the UK that would accommodate parked cars, that safety gap and two lines of opposing traffic - that approach, would surely just bring the country to gridlock if everyone did that.
Thoughts?
It is important to think of British road laws as being about priority not Right of Way (you have very few rights!)
Sadly drivers believe in right of way and take it even though they can be in the wrong...
If you have cars on your side of the road, then you give priority - but the cars coming the other way do not have right of way, only that priority...
Once you move out to pass the parked cars, if the oncoming traffic has not yet reached the other end then you gain that priority - just because they arrive at the parked car area doesn’t mean that they suddenly gain priority or right of way - it is contextual...
Sadly drivers believe in right of way and take it even though they can be in the wrong...
If you have cars on your side of the road, then you give priority - but the cars coming the other way do not have right of way, only that priority...
Once you move out to pass the parked cars, if the oncoming traffic has not yet reached the other end then you gain that priority - just because they arrive at the parked car area doesn’t mean that they suddenly gain priority or right of way - it is contextual...
akirk said:
It is important to think of British road laws as being about priority not Right of Way (you have very few rights!)
Sadly drivers believe in right of way and take it even though they can be in the wrong...
If you have cars on your side of the road, then you give priority - but the cars coming the other way do not have right of way, only that priority...
Once you move out to pass the parked cars, if the oncoming traffic has not yet reached the other end then you gain that priority - just because they arrive at the parked car area doesn’t mean that they suddenly gain priority or right of way - it is contextual...
OK, except from the difference in my wording (RoW) and yours (Priority) we agree on that point. Sadly drivers believe in right of way and take it even though they can be in the wrong...
If you have cars on your side of the road, then you give priority - but the cars coming the other way do not have right of way, only that priority...
Once you move out to pass the parked cars, if the oncoming traffic has not yet reached the other end then you gain that priority - just because they arrive at the parked car area doesn’t mean that they suddenly gain priority or right of way - it is contextual...
My question is though, if there is physically enough room for both opposing lines of traffic to pass safely, is that something that we should do, legal to do and advised on or against in current driving lessons / guidance?
Tomo1971 said:
OK, except from the difference in my wording (RoW) and yours (Priority) we agree on that point.
My question is though, if there is physically enough room for both opposing lines of traffic to pass safely, is that something that we should do, legal to do and advised on or against in current driving lessons / guidance?
It is quite a significant difference (though it sounds as though you are instinctively doing what is right) - it is because so many drivers believe that they have right of way that they drive aggressively- if people were taught correctly about priority we would see better driving My question is though, if there is physically enough room for both opposing lines of traffic to pass safely, is that something that we should do, legal to do and advised on or against in current driving lessons / guidance?
No idea what is currently taught but I would go with your approach to using the road with both cars passing... interestingly, having recently moved to a city people are far better at using the road space than in the country where they believe they own it!
akirk said:
It is important to think of British road laws as being about priority not Right of Way (you have very few rights!)
..
..it is important to think about hazard perception, prioritization, and risk reduction...
Nevertheless, i am surprised how few people can estimate the width of their vehicles.
flashbang said:
Tomo1971 said:
Yet, I quite often see a lot of resistance from other drivers to move over and allow this to happen.
This, all the time now. I guess what with the state of the roads, no one wants to wreck their alloys in pot holes near the kerbs nowadays. 
tty areas, with little courtesy.akirk said:
I
Once you move out to pass the parked cars, if the oncoming traffic has not yet reached the other end then you gain that priority - just because they arrive at the parked car area doesn’t mean that they suddenly gain priority or right of way - it is contextual...
I am sure it's not what you meant but - It's not a race to pull out or who reaches it first. It is for the driver to "Give way" to oncoming vehicles before passing parked vehicles. That will often include vehicles, that have not yet reached the other end, but will reach it before you will complete a pass. Once you move out to pass the parked cars, if the oncoming traffic has not yet reached the other end then you gain that priority - just because they arrive at the parked car area doesn’t mean that they suddenly gain priority or right of way - it is contextual...
Right of way or priority? I hate arguments that are really just a matter of use of words. Is the expression 'right of way' ever used in a formal/legal context for cars crossing paths in the UK? I know it more in the sense of the right to use a pathway or road across a piece of land rather than who goes first on the road situations. I seem to remember its use in the latter sense in the US where it meant priority.
For the original question, I'd echo Riley: common sense and courtesy.
For the original question, I'd echo Riley: common sense and courtesy.
witko999 said:
It's one of the most annoying parts of driving in the Uk for me. When a road is lined with parked cars on 'your' side and the other side is clear, but the oncoming person needs to drive 5ft away from the kerb even though there's loads of room for both of you.
It happens on both of the roads into our village - the road is plenty wide enough but if you're the one passing the parked cars then people coming the other way get very irate and will charge towards you without moving over. I think it's this modern thing of 'respect' - they think you're disrespecting them by not letting them have a clear run. If you wait you always get a cheery wave.Sheepshanks said:
It happens on both of the roads into our village - the road is plenty wide enough but if you're the one passing the parked cars then people coming the other way get very irate and will charge towards you without moving over.
If I get someone doing that when I am overtaking the parked cars (and there is plenty of room for two cars to pass) and they are not moving over towards the curb then I will move further to the right; primarily to 'encourage' them to move left which usually works, but if we are going to hit then it is going to be a head on smash as that is safer than 'corner to corner'.I would say the main issue with this is twofold.
Yes the give way aspect, but depending on where you live or how busy the road is this might not be an option.
But the bigger issue is a large percentage of drivers simply leave far too much space when passing anything, either through ignorance or stupidity.
Same as passing cyclists, though that is a sorer subject, you really don't need to have your whole car in the other lane to pass a treader nor the same to pass a parked car.
is it a limited idea of how big your own car is? Who knows.
Yes the give way aspect, but depending on where you live or how busy the road is this might not be an option.
But the bigger issue is a large percentage of drivers simply leave far too much space when passing anything, either through ignorance or stupidity.
Same as passing cyclists, though that is a sorer subject, you really don't need to have your whole car in the other lane to pass a treader nor the same to pass a parked car.
is it a limited idea of how big your own car is? Who knows.
Thanks for the responses folks (other than the pedantry over RoW and priority lol).
I have always driven with other road users in mind - as well as the free flow of traffic and correct road positioning whilst either in motion, or waiting in traffic is, IMO a large part of that.
I am a firm believer that correct and considerate road positioning is the key to better traffic flow, especially in built up areas.
Always remember going to work with my father, he drove several hundred miles a week - would often see him moving well over to the left of his carriageway to enable oncoming traffic to overtake trucks & tractors, obviously moving back to center when appropriate and other people did the same.
I have always driven with other road users in mind - as well as the free flow of traffic and correct road positioning whilst either in motion, or waiting in traffic is, IMO a large part of that.
I am a firm believer that correct and considerate road positioning is the key to better traffic flow, especially in built up areas.
Always remember going to work with my father, he drove several hundred miles a week - would often see him moving well over to the left of his carriageway to enable oncoming traffic to overtake trucks & tractors, obviously moving back to center when appropriate and other people did the same.
not a pedantry on wording, priority is a temporary thing for the one who is there first and goes to the one on the clear side if both arrive at the same time... right of way is believed by many drivers to mean that they can do what they like on ‘their’ side of the road - a misconception... if it were readdressed it would sort out many issues discussed on here including this scenario, roundabouts, junctions etc. 
If the traffic that does not have the parked cars can keep going at the same speed and can keep at least a drain width from their kerb then proceed past the parked vehicles on your side at a sensible speed
You will always get some numpty who does not know the width of their vehicle who reacts incorrectly to that
Set up position on the road to pass the parked vehicles early to give oncoming drivers plenty of time to adjust position
You will always get some numpty who does not know the width of their vehicle who reacts incorrectly to that
Set up position on the road to pass the parked vehicles early to give oncoming drivers plenty of time to adjust position
My OH fell foul of someone deciding his 4-series needs as much room as an HGV and they both lost a door mirror (I was in her passenger seat and saw how far he was from the kerb).
Since then, I move out much earlier than I used to and look to see whether the oncoming traffic stays miles from the kerb or tucks in. Gives a bit more time to stop if the oncoming car doesn't move in.
Some people are unfortunately just twunts at any sort of restriction; local to me the council built out the pavement at one point, on both sides, to calm traffic. Neither direction has priority, but it is deliberately wide enough for a car and a bus to pass without slowing. Yet I had an angry dad in a Kia SUV thing straddle the centre line and drive at me honking his horn. So you need to guard against dheads like that sharing the roads.
Since then, I move out much earlier than I used to and look to see whether the oncoming traffic stays miles from the kerb or tucks in. Gives a bit more time to stop if the oncoming car doesn't move in.
Some people are unfortunately just twunts at any sort of restriction; local to me the council built out the pavement at one point, on both sides, to calm traffic. Neither direction has priority, but it is deliberately wide enough for a car and a bus to pass without slowing. Yet I had an angry dad in a Kia SUV thing straddle the centre line and drive at me honking his horn. So you need to guard against d
heads like that sharing the roads.donkmeister said:
My OH fell foul of someone deciding his 4-series needs as much room as an HGV and they both lost a door mirror (I was in her passenger seat and saw how far he was from the kerb).
So your OH moved onto the opposite side of the road to pass parked cars when there wasn't room and because the oncoming didn't get out of her way they're 'a twunt'.Why didn't she wait until to see if they were going to move over or until it was clear?
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