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AIBU?

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Original poster

A driving AIBU: three point turns

112 replies

BeanAround · 05/02/2025 13:55

This morning I was parked up next to the curb on a long straight 30mph urban road which is moderately busy. I needed to drive off in the opposite direction. The road is wide, but wide enough to U-turn meaning I had to do a three point turn in the road.

I waited until I had a reasonable amount of space clear of traffic in both directions - nothing visible behind me, and a car approaching about 300m away in front of me.

I completed two points of the three point turn and was ready to execute the third point as the approaching car reached me.

At this point, who should give way?

I fully expected the approaching car to adjust their speed so I could drive off ahead, but the car continued without slowing and went ahead of me, which gave me a bit of start.

YABU - the car turning in the road should give way to the approaching car, letting them pass before completing the 3 point turn

YANBU - the approaching car should slow to allow the car turning to complete the manoeuvre.

OP posts:
Original poster
BeanAround · 06/02/2025 13:24

AnSolas · 06/02/2025 12:20

Lets not do think of the chliden and you wildly careening across lanes.

The other driver has the right to drive on
So anticipation (decision based fact) and then made assumptions (decision not based on fact) about your driving skills, you law abindingness, your observation skill etc.

You had no right to drive into her path but knew the driver had the right of way so correctly anticipated that she would not stop

Ah.... barrelling through, the speed, the lack of control.

Matched by ploughing on regardless of conditions

Show quote history

I can execute a 3-point turn without wildly careening anywhere.

I'll accept that the majority think the 3-point turn is unreasonable.

But I'm not accepting that the other car was reasonable to carry on without slowing down. Even if they assert their priority and go ahead, they should slow down to do so. Their route involved squeezing through a gap that was inches from my bonnet and inches from the parked car opposite (so at risk of clipping an opening car door). In that situation at the very least you slow down.

OP posts:
Simplynotsimple · 06/02/2025 13:18

BeanAround · 06/02/2025 13:15

I know "everyone else does it" isn't a justification, but everyone at this school does a 3-point-turn because there's no good alternative.

It's not ideal. If I can I'll sit in the car and check my emails for a few minutes until the road has cleared down a bit but as I'm typically only using the car because I need to be somewhere else immediately afterwards I can't always do that.

Show quote history

Why can’t you leave earlier, take the slightly longer route to the school so you’re facing the correct direction to head off. That also frees space for the next parent to pull up instead of faffing with your phone for a few minutes. As my previous posts said, it’s all ‘my time and need to be places is most important’. Everyone on that road needs to be somewhere.

Original poster
BeanAround · 06/02/2025 13:15

Simplynotsimple · 06/02/2025 12:48

I know you’re not listening op, but you are being unreasonable. There’s a bastarding car that does a 3 point turn every morning outside my eldest school, holding up the flow of traffic and people trying to safely cross with their children. The school is on a triangulated road, all they have to do is come around the other way and no one would be bothered by their shit, selfish decision but no. Their time is obviously more important than others.

I know "everyone else does it" isn't a justification, but everyone at this school does a 3-point-turn because there's no good alternative.

It's not ideal. If I can I'll sit in the car and check my emails for a few minutes until the road has cleared down a bit but as I'm typically only using the car because I need to be somewhere else immediately afterwards I can't always do that.

OP posts:
Simplynotsimple · 06/02/2025 12:48

I know you’re not listening op, but you are being unreasonable. There’s a bastarding car that does a 3 point turn every morning outside my eldest school, holding up the flow of traffic and people trying to safely cross with their children. The school is on a triangulated road, all they have to do is come around the other way and no one would be bothered by their shit, selfish decision but no. Their time is obviously more important than others.

Sirzy · 06/02/2025 12:31

The fact it’s busy with school children is yet another reason it’s down right stupid to be doing a 3 point turn.

AnSolas · 06/02/2025 12:20

BeanAround · 06/02/2025 11:00

Mostly it's about the fact the road is full of school kids at that time but let's ignore that for a moment.

What you're talking about isn't anticipation it's assumption. She assumed I'd stop (which I did). I assumed she'd stop if I hadn't completed my manoeuvre (as my experience on that road is that people typically do), but I anticipated the possibility that she wouldn't. If we had both assumed, then we'd have crashed into each other.

Maybe it's stupid of me to be doing a 3 point turn there, OK. But if you can see someone doing something stupid in the road ahead, barrelling though without slowing down is even more stupid.

Show quote history

Lets not do think of the chliden and you wildly careening across lanes.

The other driver has the right to drive on
So anticipation (decision based fact) and then made assumptions (decision not based on fact) about your driving skills, you law abindingness, your observation skill etc.

You had no right to drive into her path but knew the driver had the right of way so correctly anticipated that she would not stop

Ah.... barrelling through, the speed, the lack of control.

Matched by ploughing on regardless of conditions

Original poster
BeanAround · 06/02/2025 11:00

AnSolas · 06/02/2025 10:41

The driver anticipated you would stop.

That you would know you had to stop.

Now your argument is your driving was such that the other driver should have classed you as a dangerous driver

Show quote history

Mostly it's about the fact the road is full of school kids at that time but let's ignore that for a moment.

What you're talking about isn't anticipation it's assumption. She assumed I'd stop (which I did). I assumed she'd stop if I hadn't completed my manoeuvre (as my experience on that road is that people typically do), but I anticipated the possibility that she wouldn't. If we had both assumed, then we'd have crashed into each other.

Maybe it's stupid of me to be doing a 3 point turn there, OK. But if you can see someone doing something stupid in the road ahead, barrelling though without slowing down is even more stupid.

OP posts:
AnSolas · 06/02/2025 10:41

BeanAround · 06/02/2025 10:07

It's not about being rude as being dangerous. Whatever anyone thinks about whether I was right to make a three point turn, driving at 30mph past a school at drop-off time, through parked cars on either side of the road, doors opening, people crossing the road...technically yes she appeared to be driving within the speed limit and had priority but most drivers are anticipating what's happening around them and adjusting their speed.

Show quote history

The driver anticipated you would stop.

That you would know you had to stop.

Now your argument is your driving was such that the other driver should have classed you as a dangerous driver

Original poster
BeanAround · 06/02/2025 10:07

NameChanged25 · 05/02/2025 22:46

I agree with the OP, any decent person would slow down to allow the other driver to complete their turn in the road. I would think they were rude to drive straight past and make you wait.

It's not about being rude as being dangerous. Whatever anyone thinks about whether I was right to make a three point turn, driving at 30mph past a school at drop-off time, through parked cars on either side of the road, doors opening, people crossing the road...technically yes she appeared to be driving within the speed limit and had priority but most drivers are anticipating what's happening around them and adjusting their speed.

OP posts:
BlackeyedSusan · 06/02/2025 08:48

Five point turn in the mouth of the junction outside a secondary school, going up and down the kerb, just after a blind bend ,with kids (primary and secondary) going to school all around seems to be perfectly reasonable to some drivers round ex's house.

AnSolas · 06/02/2025 08:36

VoodooRajin · 06/02/2025 07:18

Cycling is quicker

Oooooo 😀 Reeeeported

You rellyrelly went there !!!

Moonlightstars · 06/02/2025 07:22

BeanAround · 05/02/2025 14:09

The reality of London at rush hour is that there's basically no such thing as a quiet side street.

Show quote history

You live in London. People drive like selfish bastards there. Over there for several years). Come North people are much nicer. 😁

VoodooRajin · 06/02/2025 07:18

Cycling is quicker

Lostsadandconfused · 06/02/2025 05:52

I’m not in the UK but we’re I’m from someone performing a U-turn needs to give way to all other traffic.

Appleblum · 06/02/2025 04:54

I would have slowed down to let you turn, but YABU - it's the wrong place to perform a 3 point turn.

lilytuckerpritchet · 06/02/2025 04:42

Technically you shouldn't complete a manoeuvre like that when there is oncoming traffic. But in that instance I would wait and let the other car pass before I finish the manoeuvre

Eenameenadeeka · 06/02/2025 04:16

If I was the other driver, id slow down. If I was you, I wouldn't start a 3 point turn unless I had room to finish it before another car was coming. I'd go until there was somewhere to turn around, or go the long way.

ARealitycheck · 06/02/2025 01:18

I'm a bit more pragmatic OP and agree a turn in the road isn't that unreasonable with a car 300m away. A little bit of common sense and we can all get through life a bit better. Other driver adjusts speed and is delayed by seconds, you don't add to already busy roads. Then maybe someday you can do similar for somebody else.

KrisAkabusi · 05/02/2025 23:43

NameChanged25 · 05/02/2025 22:46

I agree with the OP, any decent person would slow down to allow the other driver to complete their turn in the road. I would think they were rude to drive straight past and make you wait.

How is that any ruder than the OP driving in front of them and making them wait?

coralsky · 05/02/2025 23:03

Seriously ?

jannier · 05/02/2025 22:55

NameChanged25 · 05/02/2025 22:46

I agree with the OP, any decent person would slow down to allow the other driver to complete their turn in the road. I would think they were rude to drive straight past and make you wait.

You don't start a manoeuvre when there is oncoming traffic.

NameChanged25 · 05/02/2025 22:46

I agree with the OP, any decent person would slow down to allow the other driver to complete their turn in the road. I would think they were rude to drive straight past and make you wait.

AnSolas · 05/02/2025 22:25

BeanAround · 05/02/2025 21:40

There are no side roads: the school is half way down a long wide avenue with no side roads. The roads at either end are bigger and significantly busier.

Show quote history

Clearly are not trying hard enough

You need to find a new school for which no u-turn is needed
Or move to the other side of the school.

Either would provide a permanant solutiion.

HtH😀

Original poster
BeanAround · 05/02/2025 22:11

VoodooRajin · 05/02/2025 21:49

You drive your kids to school in london? Not only should you stop going dangerous manoeuvres in the street to save you a few minutes, how about giving everyone around you a bresk and ditch the car altogether. You live in london!

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Normally we walk (40min round trip) but sometimes my work logistics mean we need to drive. The school has a very large catchment for London so driving is very common.

OP posts:
VoodooRajin · 05/02/2025 21:49

BeanAround · 05/02/2025 19:44

It’s a 5 min journey if I do a 3 point turn, going the long way round would take about 20mins as there’s no way to avoid hitting a gridlocked junction. There are no side roads to turn around in. Everyone dropping off does a 3 point turn.

Show quote history

You drive your kids to school in london? Not only should you stop going dangerous manoeuvres in the street to save you a few minutes, how about giving everyone around you a bresk and ditch the car altogether. You live in london!

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