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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Pulling out of a parking space

53 replies

C0FFEE · 05/03/2011 22:55

Something that really bugs me!

Today parked in the street, pulling out the car in front was really close and so was the one to the rear, so I checked nothing was coming, street was clear so I began pulling out, concentrating on not hitting the car in front, suddenly Mini appears from behind squeezing though the gap between my car and the car parked on the other side of the road ( must have missed it by an inch), the woman giving me the v sign as she passed.

The same is true when in a car park, when you start to back out of a space and nothing is coming they should stop and give way not carrying on assuming that they have been seen

Surely I am IANBU to presume that if someone comes across a manoeuvring vehicle I would expect them to give way

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 06/03/2011 16:21

That looks snippier typed out than intended Mamatomany :)

mamatomany · 06/03/2011 18:34

If people see a car reversing they should be waiting, it's almost as if they want you to hit them so they can make a claim, i've been almost out of a space and somebody has walked into where i am clearly about to drive.
Cars I believe have a right of way in a car park.

distantfriends · 06/03/2011 18:39

Oncoming traffic has right of way and you should stop reversing/pulling out- if possible they should wait but the rule id you pull out when clear. You don't have right of way though it is common courtesy/sense for on coming drivers to give way if safe to do so.

If possible, and traffic is building up as you are trying to reverse out- especially in a supermarket car park- you should drive back into the parking space.

mamatomany · 06/03/2011 18:47

I wasn't talking about traffic, I was talking about people, cars I've found will generally wait.

GiddyPickle · 06/03/2011 18:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Snorbs · 06/03/2011 18:52

Cars I believe have a right of way in a car park.

Not when going into or out of a space. It is unreasonable - and dangerous - to just pull out of a space and expect everyone else to slam on the anchors just because you can't be bothered to wait for them to pass.

Changing lane, changing direction or entering a traffic flow are all hazardous manoeuvres. If you have to rely on someone else not only seeing you but also correctly working out what your intentions are to turn that hazardous manoeuvre into a safe one then, well, it's only a matter of time until you have a collision. Particularly so when in a car park as the person you're relying on seeing you may be looking elsewhere for a space.

As for pedestrians in a car park, the very fact that it is a car park suggests that there will be pedestrians milling around. As such, it is beholden on you to drive slowly enough to be able to stop before hitting anyone. A pedestrian may not necessarily know which way you're going to go next.

mamatomany · 06/03/2011 19:24

I'm not aiming for people to hit Hmm
It just never ceases to amaze me people who step behind a car which is clearly reversing, thank goodness slowly and then look shocked when they are nearly hit.
Was just making the point it's not just behind the wheel people are impatient.

anewyear · 06/03/2011 19:28

All those who reverse into their slanted spaces must be able to turn left out of their spaces then?
We cant in out local Sainburys, as it has a one way system, it would be difficult to go round the car jutting out on the right, next to you, and then crash head long into the car coming the right way IYSWIM?

JaneS · 06/03/2011 20:03

I know how you feel mama. I don't think cars have right of way in a car park, but it surprises me how many people don't seem to realize cars might ever move. Someone actually leant against my boot the other day to chat to her mate - cheeky sod!

RunAwayWife · 06/03/2011 20:15

YANBU I am taking lessons at the moment and I am being taught to give way to people pulling out.

HecateTheCrone · 06/03/2011 20:23

RAW - I hope that you are also being taught that if you are in the middle of a manouvre - reversing round a corner, for example - and a car comes along - STOP! - because if you aren't, you will fail your test!

This is because people on the road always have priority over those pulling out of spaces/pulling onto the road/changing lanes/executing manouvres.

It may be courteous to give way, but it is not because they don't have priority.

clams · 06/03/2011 22:17

I am shocked that a RR driver thinks they have the right of way when they haven't. Oh no, wait, I'm not. Yabu. Take some deep breaths the next time this happens, some people are selfish, try not to be one of them.

thisisyesterday · 06/03/2011 22:25

i'm afraid YABU. it is their right of way and the manouevering vehicle should ALWAYS stop if something is coming

Heroine · 06/03/2011 22:25

Well as my dad used to say nobody cares whose right of way it is, the person being stupid is always in the wrong. In this case the mini driver who scooted through a tiny space whilst a manouvre was happening was stupid and in the wrong - if anything had happened the person driving fastest and most unreasonably is always at fault.

Driving into a car sideways across the carriageway because it doesn't have the 'right of way' does NOT make you right - it makes you dumb.

JaneS · 06/03/2011 22:27

'if anything had happened the person driving fastest and most unreasonably is always at fault'

Not true.

hairylights · 06/03/2011 22:29

The same is true when in a car park, when you start to back out of a space and nothing is coming they should stop and give way not carrying on assuming that they have been seen

Yabu : pulling out you should stop for traffic progressing
along the road.

thisisyesterday · 06/03/2011 22:30

sadly Heroine your dad is very much mistaken!

there are certain rules regarding right of way etc and if you are on the wrong end of that you WILL be found at fault

I was turning into a side road once when a car overtook me and went into the side of me.

I was signalling, I was moving very slowly and he just came up behind me incredibly fast and went into me

i was forced to accept 50% liability because they said i should have checked my mirrors. I HAD checked as I started my turn and he was way back up the road

Heroine · 06/03/2011 22:32

IN this case - is true - driving fast up to someone performing a manouevre when they are moving and trying to see all angles, then squeezing past when it is obvious they are not looking at that angle = stupid and at fault - would you drive into a truck reversing onto a road and then (whilst mangled in the head) try to argue that you had every right to drive into the back of the truck because he should have been able to see you in a fanstastical perfect world of fairies, but didn't??? Don't be so naive, please.

scurryfunge · 06/03/2011 22:34

The person not stopping during their manoeuvre is in the wrong and is being the stupid/oblivious one.

So in a way, your dad was right Heroine Smile.

A good driver will anticipate the idiots not aware of what is happening around them -so avoid these collisions.

Heroine · 06/03/2011 22:39

sorry thisisyesterday but your INSURANCE company allowed itself (or worked on you to) allow the other insurance company to pay out at only 50% liability. If all you say is correct - you were signalling, you had checked mirrors before starting manouevre, and he a) overtook at a junction (i.e. crossing the inevitable 'hazard' white line markings - which in itself increases his responsibility) and b) overtook whilst another vehcle was signalling a turn right then your company caved way too early, or you gave different information to what you are saying here, or the interpretation was that if you had checked you mirror and he was miles away you checked too early, or they had underestiomated his speed and you hadn't queried.

nonetheless I would never say that the other driver was perfectly justified in ploughing into the side of you even if he did have the 'right of way' - 'right of way' does not mean you are immune from death or injury!!

Heroine · 06/03/2011 22:42

fyi I'd rather follow my dad's rules than go driving over pedestrians, into manouevering vehicles and over obstables wildly shouting 'I have the right of way you know'!! Right of way is about who should have priority in a negotiation, not about who has the right to behave like an arse and drive into people hoping that everyone will flap about telling them how right they are!

thisisyesterday · 06/03/2011 22:44

Heroine no-one is saying that behaviour is ok... simply that from a LEGAL viewpoint the person doing the manouvre would be held responsible!

thisisyesterday · 06/03/2011 22:45

oh and trust me... i fought my case all the way. it was not simply me allowing the insurance company to cave in.

you're being incredibly naive yourself if you think that the person in the "wrong" will always be held liable

scurryfunge · 06/03/2011 22:48

I don't think anyone is asserting their right to run over pedestrians! I think people are saying that being in a vehicle means you have to be hyper aware of what is going on around you.
Defensive driving is the term.

GiddyPickle · 06/03/2011 22:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.