Right Of Way

[andy-hughes]

I passed my test fifty-three years ago, and in those days, the notion of giving way was understood and enacted by everyone. 

It seems to have been abandoned by any driver under fifty.

They drive without slowing, into a gap that they assume will remain, even though the oncoming driver has right of way.

Has anyone else noticed this ignorant and arrogant attitude on the roads?

[fripfrip]

^^            ^^

Language timothy.

[Canary42]

Yes, frequently. Only this afternoon the bus I was om had to brake sharply as an ignorant petrolhead came steaming through.

[ToraToraTora]

There is no such thing as right of way, the HC tells of when you should give way. "right of way" is not a phrase that is in the HC. There are some of those traffic calming constructs that talk of "priority" but they have a give way line at the side than must give way.

However I share your anger at the inneptitude of the modern "driver".

[Canary42]

My understanding was that it was wrong to encroach over the centre line if doing so caused an oncoming driver to have to take evasive action.  Not sure whether it was enshrined in law or just the Highway Code.

[Old_Geezer]

Is it untrained youth or primative incoming culture that causes it ?

[ToraToraTora]

oncomming traffic does not have "right of way", drivers must give way to those coming in the opposite direction before using that lane. If they don't they could be liable to Due care and or dangerous driving depending on any incident they may cause.

[Barmaid]

We live in a very rural area and the only way out of our little hamlet is by a single track road with intermittent ditches either side.  I drive down the lanes carefully, knowing where the lane widens or the passing places are.  Frequently, I meet people who plough on beyond an obvious passing place so that BOTH of us are inconvenienced and have to be really careful - whereas if they had just waited for 3 seconds, both of us could have passed in a widened part of the road.  I'll indicate too to show I am about to pull into the passing place!!

At one point, someone bombing up the lane is going to end up in the ditch.  I know where the ditches are, I walk these lanes.  I will not be sorry.

[William51]

I like Barmaids post. Some young drivers these days drive without any care and attention. Also many drivers will not keep to the speed limits.

[JinnyJoan]

Also absolutely no indication whatsoever - they indicate after they have moved into the lane.  

[mushroom25]

time was when joining a british motorway, you gave way to traffic already on that motorway. now, simple observation suggests that traffic already on the motorway must give way to the joining traffic, either by moving right or slowing down.

[ToraToraTora]

I wonder why Andy has not returned to this thread.

[andy-hughes]

Nothing to add at this stage.

[davebro3]

as far as possible I try to drive so that other road users are unaffected by my presence...

[Rosetta]

Like BM we live down coutry lanes and other drivers can fail to give way. I have come to the conclusion that a) they are rude, selfish and believe they have total ownership of the road b) they have no concept of the width of their car or the road c) they have no manners. Or a mixture of one or all of the above.

I must admit the situation is made worse by the potholes the size of a quarry resulting in folks driving in the middle of the lane to avoid a broken axle