Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Autther · 05/02/2025 15:08

I would always slow down and let the turner continue their manoeuvre but I don't know if that's a rule, or just polite

Penguinmouse · 05/02/2025 15:05

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

Jeez, was it you driving on the road by my daughter’s nursery this morning, holding everyone up with a three point turn?

I drive in London, you still find a side street and turn there. Doing a three point turn in the road at rush hour is also never going to be quiet enough to not disrupt everyone.

Newusernameforthiss · 05/02/2025 15:03

I mean you're in London, that changes everything. So am I. That's exactly how I'd do that manoeuvre, but I'd also expect the other car to whizz past me. Sorry! It's brutal out there!

Fartypants83 · 05/02/2025 15:03

You are allowed to do a three point turn when it is safe.

If you are undertaking a manoeuvre others should slow down. There is no right to continue at 30mph.

Autumn38 · 05/02/2025 15:01

fishingfor · 05/02/2025 13:58

You should not manoeuvre in a way that causes another road user to change speed or direction.

This.

wipeywipe · 05/02/2025 14:59

You can do the 3 point turn but you stop if other traffic is coming rather than completing.

Cloacina · 05/02/2025 14:58

Not sure - I'd have slowed down for you but I'd have been rolling my eyes a bit because people shouldn't be doing 3 point turns in roads busy with traffic on them already. Drive to somewhere where it doesn't impede others' progress, please.

Were you on Barnet High Street? I drive down there regularly and I don't think I've ever made from one end to the other without someone doing a 3 point turn on there.

Add in all the people trying to park, Deliveroo drivers everywhere and pedestrians seemingly unaware that crossings even exist and it's a total farce trying to get along that road.

heroinechic · 05/02/2025 14:57

When carrying out a manoeuvre it's your job to ensure the road is clear to enable you to do it. If the road is not clear, you have to stop what you're doing until you can continue.

As others have said, my understanding is that you shouldn't be causing other vehicles to slow down.

If I was the car approaching you, I would consider that I had the right of way, and i would only slow/stop to let you finish the manoeuvre for one of two reasons:

  1. I'm not in a rush so fancy being polite (my DH calls me a knight of the road); or

  2. I'm not convinced that you are checking your mirrors properly, or that you are aware that I'm approaching, so figure it's safer to let you finish than risk you plowing into me

taxguru · 05/02/2025 14:53

You don't do a 3 point turn where there's traffic around. You either carry straight on and do a 360 at a roundabout or you turn left or right off the main road down side streets and come back on yourself round the block to rejoin the main road at the next junction.

Original poster
BeanAround · 05/02/2025 14:48

Anxioustealady · 05/02/2025 14:43

YABU to be bothered about this enough to post about it.

Everyone LOVES talking about trivial driving infractions.

OP posts:
AcrossthePond55 · 05/02/2025 14:47

(US so not really relevant I guess + only for my particular state)

Legally, through traffic has the right of way, so the 'turner' waits for 'through' to pass. In reality it's about 50/50 with one 'waiting' for the other.

Personally,I wouldn't try to make a 3 pt turn on a busy street and if there were no carparks or side streets wide enough, I'd go round the block then turn back onto my desired street in the direction I wanted to travel.

Original poster
BeanAround · 05/02/2025 14:46

PensionConfusion24 · 05/02/2025 14:32

Driving in London is different from driving anywhere else. It's aggressive! As someone who drives in London every day I'd not be bothered about someone doing a 3 point turn in a busy road, that's par for the course. But equally I wouldn't be giving way either and if you live in London I'm a bit surprised you'd expect that!

I don't think London driving is that aggressive (compared to say, Italy which is just everyone for themselves!) I think I'd describe London driving as assertive - but I think people are actually generally quite accommodating - in fact I was just thinking about that this morning before the 3 point turn - there's a few points on my regular school run journey that I'm totally dependent on other people giving up their right of way to let you pass and 9 times out of 10 that's what happens.

Which is probably why I felt a bit surprised this morning as doing a 3 point turn on that road is totally normal (outside a school and most people have to turn round and go back the way they came, there's not a convenient way to continue and drive in a loop), and generally people do slow to let you do it.

OP posts:
LadeedahYadaYada · 05/02/2025 14:44

Everyone BUT you has priority when doing a 3 point turn

Anxioustealady · 05/02/2025 14:43

YABU to be bothered about this enough to post about it.

Spondoolies · 05/02/2025 14:39

I would slow and wait for you to complete the turn OP

Sirzy · 05/02/2025 14:37

Sounds like your a very impatient driver who will just push your way through!

Vallmo47 · 05/02/2025 14:37

You’re basically asking if the person creating the blockage should have right of way? YABU.

outdooryone · 05/02/2025 14:35

I am another who says 'drive around the block instead of a 3-point turn in a busy road'.

PensionConfusion24 · 05/02/2025 14:32

Driving in London is different from driving anywhere else. It's aggressive! As someone who drives in London every day I'd not be bothered about someone doing a 3 point turn in a busy road, that's par for the course. But equally I wouldn't be giving way either and if you live in London I'm a bit surprised you'd expect that!

Original poster
BeanAround · 05/02/2025 14:30

ForRealCat · 05/02/2025 14:13

Oh is it going to be one of these threads, where a poster asks AIBU and then goes to argue the toss that they weren't.

No, you shouldn't begin a manoeuvre if it is going to cause another driver to have to take evasive action.

Show quote history

I think the reality of urban driving is that sometimes you have to cause and/or wait for another driver to slow down and let you perform a manoeuvre otherwise no-one would ever get anywhere.

E.g. it's pretty frequent that you have to perform a right turn in two steps - wait until there's a suitable gap in the traffic approaching on your right, then wait for a gap in the traffic approaching from the left, even if you're briefly holding up the traffic on the right.

OP posts:
BIossomtoes · 05/02/2025 14:26

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

There is such a thing as a safe place to turn. You failed to choose one.

Catza · 05/02/2025 14:24

Moving traffic has priority over maneuvering car.

AnSolas · 05/02/2025 14:23

You dont enter the lane unless its safe to do otherwise you are impeding traffic. So you need to stop to let traffic pass

The other car should not proceed if it is not safe with you bobbing in and out of their lane but you should be out of their lane before they reach you and you stop to let them safely pass

September1013 · 05/02/2025 14:18

You shouldn’t three point turn at all if there’s traffic coming!

sweetpickle2 · 05/02/2025 14:14

I failed my first driving test for doing exactly this. YABU.

Swipe left for the next trending thread