Near miss with another car today - who was at fault?

[PermanentIyExhaustedPigeon]

I'm sure it was the other driver but their reaction has left me doubting myself!

Screenshots of the route and street view attached.

I'm red, they're blue. The hair pin bend is on a very steep hill, which I was going down as they were coming up. I know this bend very well and was going slowly (I'd say about 10mph, I didn't actually have an eye on the speedo but that's the speed I'd usually approach that bend at, and I was driving as I usually do) because it's a very sharp and very steep corner and often quite muddy due to water and soil run off from the fields behind. The other car was coming up faster but I wouldn't like to say how fast. The road is wide enough for two vehicles (so not single track) and I was well over to my side.

It's a blind bend until you're at least halfway round it. The other car went straight across my path to take the road that looks "straight ahead" but is actually a turning, marked by white lines. I braked hard and stopped with inches to spare.

The driver got out and started berating me? And I started to cry (was a bit flustered anyway as it had been so close) and didn't want to get out or even open my window or defend myself to him because he was so angry and so certain he was in the right.

However I drive that road most days and have done for about 6 years, and in that time I have actually never seen a car take the turn he was taking (it doesn't really go anywhere and just isn't used much), so I will admit that I don't expect anyone to take that turn so maybe I wasn't careful enough checking that nobody was coming that way? But even so, am I right thinking he was technically turning off (even if actually keeping straight on) so should have stopped to check first?

He was in the wrong according to the Highway Code, but you were obviously guilty of Driving While Being A Silly Little Woman.

Ohhhhhh is that what it is? Silly me. Maybe I'll drive in a fake beard from now on?

I’ve only heard of this being the case (‘unofficially’) when it’s a one lane road/there’s only room for one lane because of an obstruction, you meet a car and one of you has to reverse. It’s safer to back UP a hill than back DOWN one, I was told, so even if you have right of way (ie if the obstruction is in their side of the road not yours), if you’re headed downhill, it’s polite to back UP.

Oh @SnakesAndArrows got there first. Looks like my dad was teaching me right!

You were obviously in the right. The only thing you did wrong was not telling him so! I’d report him if I were you. Do you have his number plate? It’s not right that he felt entitled to belittle and intimidate you when HE WAS WRONG. What a wanker!

Yes but a near miss may still be a fail on a driving test. 10 mph maybe too fast on some blind and hairpin bends.

It wasn’t though. Because she stopped.

The blue driver was totally wrong to cut in front of you. They should have waited.

If the blue driver had been going slower, it wouldn't have been a near miss... He was definitely going much faster than I would have done to make that manoeuvre. In fact, knowing the road as I do, I'd have gone most of the way round the bend and turned in here (see attached pic) instead so I could see what was coming the other way before crossing their lane. I know that's probably not "right" but it would definitely be safer in this specific location.

Glad to hear from so many of you that I wasnt the one who screwed up. I'm not the world's most confident driver and it really shook me.

Actually, Section 155 of the Highway Code (under Country Roads) says that those coming uphill should have right of way.

YANBU. I think that sometimes when people (men) know they are in the wrong, rather than admit or apologise, they deflect and blame.