I felt very very self satisfied and pleased yesterday..... Driving .....

[noseall]

right of way?

Same on the footpath i.e. when exiting your driveway, petrol forecourt etc. Hit a pedestrian on a footpath and you are in trouble.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I disagree about turning round to look when reversing.

A lot more can be seen by using the mirrors - all three unless it's a van.
Or maybe I have just driven too many commercial vehicles.

Having said that, I doubt most people have their mirrors adjusted correctly.
Having said that, too, most people can't walk properly (I don't mean they have a disability but wander aimlessly).

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Forget the technology - anyone who is incapable of doing so should no longer be driving!

Have you ever run anyone over?

 

[Yafo]

Sensible self-preservation (as well as the huge medical bill!)

Shame that many don't have that same sense with regard to "packing heat"..........

Not true.

They are fined for jaywalking. There are specific points at which to cross, and they are taught to use them.

It is good to see how cars and pedestrians treat each other.

Self discipline lacking over here. Too many people think they are right, in every situation.

Giving idiots the right to pack heat is unlikely to help

 

[EddieM]

An experienced driver drives for other road users not themselves, when experienced you can tell what others are likely to do and take pre-emptive action so it doesn't even become a "horn blowing" issue. All normal.

 

[wv62]

The most annoying is when you are reversing and people are just walking behind your car and it's your job to stop and let them pass. Anyone without reversing cameras and sensors will have fun!

Which is why it's much safer to reverse park. Most of the places I work at reverse parking is compulsory and I find it far easier and safer especialy when I'm in my van.

 

[durhamplumber]

In the car park? I think don't the pedestrians always have the right of way?

Right of way is bit of a mute point is it not? Do not think it would stand up in court as a defence...or sit well with ones conscience if you hit a pedestrian.....ie I ran him over as he was in the road and it was not a zebra crossing...so thats ok..i had right of way

 

[nauseous]

Well done Mr Magoo. 0o

 

[gasbanni]

Before you stopped or after?

I stopped, she didn't see me until I blew the horn it was pretty much within a fraction of a second.
She only noticed me after the horn ! When she was in the middle of the vehicles width.

The reason I sensed she wasn't going to stop was she wasn't slowing down and she was looking straight ahead, if I hadn't seen her and stopped she would have got run over. I was probably doing 25mph something like that.

Two young lads on bikes shot out in front of my wife without looking, she's got fast reactions and braked.

Going up a slight incline on a left hand bend as we cleared the bend a woman heading towards us on our side of the road, if I'd have been driving it would have been a head on, she reacted whilst I would have still been thinking !

 

[gasbanni]

Wait til her family or mates slash your tyres.Has to be something between her ears to learn from that.I would not bank on it!Surprised you did not hear"fek off idiot,can ya not drive"

They wouldn't dare too many black faces have got my back.

 

[ellal]

Have you ever run anyone over?

Not yet...

But in your case I'd probably make an exception

 

[ellal]

I stopped, she didn't see me until I blew the horn

Well I guess then that you are also aware that you committed a road traffic offence?

she reacted whilst I would have still been thinking !

Ain't that the truth!

 

[GhostofRedHerring]

I knocked someone over, quite a few years ago now. It was late at night, I was on way home after a gig. Travelling through the local shopping area, pubs closing, chip shops and curry houses busy. A guy appeared in front of me from behind a van or something. I had no chance of stopping. I was probably doing about 30 mph, it was a 30 mph zone. He went up on to my bonnet and his head smashed the screen.
He picked himself up and apologised. His take away curry was all over the bonnet and screen. He said he was OK, but I insisted on him going to hospital. He refused. I said I would take him. He agreed only if I allowed him to drive his car home first.
We had to push start his car, I followed him, then took him to the local casualty dept.

I was due an early start the next morning, with a long drive. Fortunately I had screen cover on my insurance which included emergency replacement.
After finding out the process, where the nearest 24 hour screen replacement was, and arriving, the guy refused to work on my car - the take away curry was still all over the screen and bonnet, with a head sized hole in the screen. It was only after I assured him that it was curry that he agreed to work on it.

A few weels later I received an invoice for the ambulance for taking the guy to hospital. I phoned the hospital and explained that there had been no ambulance, I had taken him to hospital. They said it did not matter it was a standard procedure and charge and I should send it to my insurance. I threw it in the bin and never heard anything more about it.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

I disagree about turning round to look when reversing.

A lot more can be seen by using the mirrors - all three unless it's a van.
Or maybe I have just driven too many commercial vehicles.

Having said that, I doubt most people have their mirrors adjusted correctly.
Having said that, too, most people can't walk properly (I don't mean they have a disability but wander aimlessly).

I regularly drive a van, and find with it's large mirrors, it's easier to reverse than modern cars. When I first started driving cars over 30 years ago, cars were a doddle to reverse. They had large rear windows, you sat higher compared to lower slung modern cars, and rarely head rests in the way - or maybe just ones in the front. On some, you could actually see the boot lid, so had a good idea of the space you needed to reverse in. Cars these days have smaller, higher rear windows, rear head rests, and are much more difficult to 'place' when reversing. It's not because people are worse drivers these days that modern cars are fitted with sensors and cameras. The cars are just designed differently. Must be difficult learning these days, and only having a vague idea where the two rear corners of the car are.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Am I right in thinking that learners are still told to look out the back and not to use mirrors when learning to reverse - or has it changed?

There is also the point that when looking out the back, the sides of the car are not visible. This may not be important when learning but it certainly is in busy streets and car parks.