A driving one - who wbu?

[Pheasantplucker2]

I suspect probably me!

We have to drive eldest to school each morning (no public transport and too far to walk). On the road leading up to the school there are parking spaces, then the 2 sides of the road, so - where the spaces are empty, 3 "lanes" for the purposes of passing.

Some of the parents who drive in are either demented won't give an inch drivers, or terrified to pass, so want a massive space before they will consider going. Neither are great to drive behind, and the combination causes traffic buildup down the road each morning..

I was driving behind a very cautious driver this morning. Twice she pulled in (I followed), only to wait for probably half a minute until a car went past. On pulling out and following her forward it was clear that there were loads of spaces where 2 cars could have successfully passed without either side waiting, albeit sometimes one side driving in the empty parking spaces. Most people use them to weave in and out of the traffic giving way as appropriate.

The third time she did it, I stayed out in the line of traffic, I could see that the road was clear and that the car she'd pulled in for was over 8 cars away, and that there were passing spaces that meant both cars could pass without stopping. I therefore carried on driving past her and drove straight to the school without either stopping, or making the other line of traffic stop.

She drove up beside my car in the carpark, blocked me in and hurled abuse at me for being a dangerous driver. I pointed out that I'd driven (at 20 miles an hour) without either me stopping or the contraflow, but she ignored this and just carried on hurling abuse.

So was I wrong, having checked that I was clear to go, to go round her and go, or should I have waited?

I should add that each time she pulled in she pulled in right to the side (in a parking position), and didn't indicate out to show she was waiting to go. When I am waiting for the other side to pass I always indicate, as there are a lot of cars down there that just stop and the kids get out without any indication either way.

She was absolutely vile, and I was quite shaken by her abuse. But was I wrong and should I have waited behind her?

YANBU OP I can’t abide over cautious drivers unless they have an L or P sign. Get off the fucking road if you can’t drive competently.

I don't think the OP beeps at kids that don't thank her, she beeps at the ones who walk out in front of her moving car, to let them know she is there as they didn't seem to realise, or are just arrogant enough to assume all traffic will stop for them as soon as they walk out in front of it.

Sorry, cross post

YABU, OP - you knew she was only pulling in to let cars past and it was aggressive to overtake her (and also to beep at pedestrians, all schoolchildren have a dangerous tendency to wander across the road!).

Also likely that the other school run drivers are frustrated by you as well, bear that in mind - they also think they are driving well!

I don't honk if they haven't thanked me, I honk to warn them if they walk out in front of my moving car without looking. Call me fussy but I don't want to scrape squashed teenager off my bonnet 😂

YWNBU. Funny how she's such a cautious driver but her nerves don't extend to not berating other people! I think she was probably embarrassed by her shit driving and overly large car and took it out on you. Drives me mad people who don't know how wide they are!

YANBU at all. You're a better/more experienced driver and can clearly read the road confidently, terrible that she hurled abuse after you'd just overtaken (completely legally, safely and with due care) - some people are just useless at driving; what a knob she is!

YANBU. It's not "aggressive" to safely overtake someone who is driving hesitantly. I agree with the PP who said she hadn't checked her blind spot before pulling out and was shocked to see you there.

YANBU. Nothing wrong in making a safe and legal overtake.

The other driver was disgusting hurling abuse.

You know the rules OP!
Where is our diagram?

Doesn't sound like either of you covered yourselves in glory here. Being overly hesitant is poor driving. Overtaking in a parked car/give way 20 mph situation is pretty shitty too, even though it would be tempting.

No excuse for the abuse though. If I'd have been overtaken like this I think I'd be a bit annoyed but ultimately question whether my driving skills are up to scratch.

Is cycling an option

She does sound unnecessarily hesitant. However you should not have overtaken her. When you pull in to allow another car to come by you don't need to indicate when you move off. I hate being behind a Dithering Doris but you drove dangerously near a school by the sounds of it.

I hate cautious drivers.
She will be the same type of driver who tries to join a dual carriageway at 40 and then wonders why she almost gets wiped out a lorry..

And in your defence.. you wouldn't have been able to tell if she was being hesitant or parking through sheer lack of indication. For all you know she was parking (or trying ) multiple times and then thinking.. no I'll try another space.

She will be the same type of driver who tries to join a dual carriageway at 40 and then wonders why she almost gets wiped out a lorry..

Exactly! Or, my pet hate, the drivers that always come to a total stop at a roundabout when there's clearly no traffic to give way to. Just look ahead!

Yeah sure. That's your take though. Teens don't walk to in front of moving cars. It doesn't stack up.

Best to stay away from crappy drivers

Yanbu to overtake and leave her parked to the side

Yeah sure. That's your take though. Teens don't walk to in front of moving cars

They literally do.

I dont think you were being Unreasonable. If she pulled in unnecessarily of course you would assume she was parking.

@FreedomfromPE
Kids in my town pull wheelies on their bikes into oncoming traffic and then dart into the right side of the road at the last minute. Causing drivers to swerve or break harshly.
Kids walk into the road with eyes glued to phone.. headphones in and talking to their mates..

Road safety isn't a thing where some kids are concerned.

Yeah sure. That's your take though. Teens don't walk to in front of moving cars

They really do. They often don't pay any attention to cars while on phones/with friends etc and expect traffic (especially near the school) to stop automatically for them.

@Brimful

Exactly! Or, my pet hate, the drivers that always come to a total stop at a roundabout when there's clearly no traffic to give way to. Just look ahead!

And then stall because they realise you're behind them.. and by the time they're good to go.. traffic.

Yeah sure. That's your take though. Teens don't walk to in front of moving cars. It doesn't stack up

they do round here! especially if you have a hybrid because they cant hear your silent car over their headphones and walk out in front of you looking the other way.

Not just teenagers actually, I had a mum with a pram walk straight out in front of my car yesterday!

Op I don't think you did anything wrong, I personally would have waited (probably saying to myself what the fuck are you waiting for!!!) but you didn't do anything dangerous. She was in the wrong, and she probably knew it hence the reaction.

Teens don't walk to in front of moving cars. It doesn't stack up
Yes they do, they think that they're invincible