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AIBU?

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Original poster

County lanes AIBU

35 replies

Talkingtomyhouseplants · 12/02/2026 15:24

Roads are a nightmare at the moment - roadworks everywhere and google maps likes to send you down back routes to avoid it. I do a lot of driving in unfamiliar places so I don’t necessarily choose this although it’s usually fine as I drive normal sized cars and am confident and competent.

Today myself and I counted about 8 other cars ended up having to reverse for about half a mile because two Luton Vans had tried to pass each other on a single dirt track and got stuck. When our 8 cars turned around in wider hit to face the right way, there were a further 10 behind us then also had to reverse up to a clearing to leave the way the came in, including a flipping Sainsbury’s Van that still couldn’t really get through! It took me about 25 minutes to get out of it, I was late, and it was extremely stressful.

Then they have the cheek to look at you like you are causing the problem, like EXCUSE ME you are the one who has driven down an inappropriate road for your size of vehicle.

And don’t even get me started on people in Teslas on PCP that won’t MOVE OVER lest a branch brushes against their passenger door.

AIBU to say that vans and Lorries need to bugger off out of country lanes and if you are precious about your paintwork maybe you should do the same?

Edit: Country lanes!!

OP posts:
itsthetea · 12/02/2026 15:58

They do fit - there are very few roads where a tractor can’t fit and Iif the tractor can most others can

roads with length or weight restrictions round here are labelled clearly

ComeOnRef · 12/02/2026 15:50

It’s the people that drive in the middle of the road really fast, and refuse to reverse or put their car in the hedge so others can get past. I grew up in a village so know how to drive on country roads.

My MIL is someone who only drives in the middle of the road incase a leaf touches her car. But she also parks a foot away from a kerb so….

EtonMessy · 12/02/2026 15:46

Wait till you see the size of some farm machinery that use country lanes or the lorries used for transporting livestock or crops such a barley, wheat, sugar beet ect.

Original poster
Talkingtomyhouseplants · 12/02/2026 15:42

I think sometimes it is less about them being there and more about the way they choose to drive their vehicles. This morning’s incident could have been avoided if one of them had waited somewhere rather than trying to squeeze through. People drive too fast and don’t anticipate that their might be oncoming traffic

OP posts:
Original poster
Talkingtomyhouseplants · 12/02/2026 15:40

itsthetea · 12/02/2026 15:35

If it annoys you follow the official diversions or just wait in the queue - they have as much right to try and get somewhere fast as you have

They don’t when they don’t fit!

OP posts:
AnnaQuayInTheUk · 12/02/2026 15:35

Near us there is a huge logistics warehouse with umpteen lorries going in and out every day. It's in a tiny village and the only roads in and out are narrow country lanes. I appreciate that it's on a former airfield, presumably for the space, but the access is appalling
ETA but I think YABU because sometimes deliveries have to be made to villages etc

itsthetea · 12/02/2026 15:35

If it annoys you follow the official diversions or just wait in the queue - they have as much right to try and get somewhere fast as you have

LakieLady · 12/02/2026 15:35

How are people who live down country lanes supposed to get large items delivered if all the vans and lorries stop going down them?

I realise it's frustrating, but I think YABU!

My late partner and I had a Luton van-sized motorhome for several years, and we never caused a traffic or access problem despite driving down some very narrow lanes in it. Sometimes an oncoming vehicle might have to wait while we reversed into a passing place, but not often.

OldReliability · 12/02/2026 15:33

People's sat navs send them in odd directions, especially when there are roadworks and diversions. I live in a city, on a long, narrow, two-way road which has street parking on one side or other pretty much its entire length (because the steep terrain means houses don't have drives, because they're steeply above or below the road). Gigantic lorries and foreign tourbuses periodically get sent along our road, because it looks like an obvious way to skirt the city centre, and get stuck. There was a two-hour tailback last week because a lorry got wedged with a big line of traffic behind him. Police ended up having to tow legally-parked cars whose owners weren't at home out of the way.

MyBestThing · 12/02/2026 15:32

I thought you were going to write about drugs...
Fully agree except that I'm grateful the Sainsbury's van comes to me down my country lane and since it's always the same guy he has a routine of reversing down so he can get out easily.