who was in the wrong here (driving, with diagrams)

[redwednesday]

So two vehicles, a car and a van, were exiting from a petrol station car park - a purple transit van and a red city car.

The red car is turning right and the purple van is turning left. The red car pulls forward to go as the way is clear but then the purple van pulls forward, blocking the view of the driver of the red car who can no longer see to the left. The driver of the red car is now partially in the road having started their right turn but can't complete the turn because they cannot see to the left. They know it was previously clear and so started their turn but can't be sure that another vehicle hasn't pulled out of a side road further down to the left.

who was being unreasonable? and what would you have done if you were either driver?

This is a common scenario, the red car has no choice but to wait until the vision is clear. It is annoying but happens all the time

The red car should have waited until the purple van had gone.

If they started the turn knowing it was clear, they can continue with confidence. If they started the turn and then are worried the road isn’t now clear as they can’t fully see, they shouldn’t have taken the turn.

Exactly what Sidge said

Red car doesn't turn because they don't know the path is clear.

If they started the turn knowing it was clear, they can continue with confidence.

But what if a car had pulled out of a side road further down and the red car couldn't see them because of the purple van?

Do you go and assume it's safe or stay part in and part out of the car park?

Red car should have kept going it if was clear especially as turning against flow of traffic.

The driver of the red car will now have to wait until they can again see their priority is clear

Red car just waits until the purple van is gone before moving as you couldn't see the road so no idea if it's safe to go.

Red car needs to wait until they have clear view before turning. Should not have started off until then.

ALWAYS wait until you can see clearly both ways. If people don’t like waiting, fuck em.

No one is in the wrong. This is normal driving situation.

But what if a car had pulled out of a side road further down and the red car couldn't see them because of the purple van? Do you go and assume it's safe or stay part in and part out of the car park?

No, never assume... if there was a side road there is therefore the possibility the way is no longer clear and the red car driver would need to adjust their actions accordingly... which is what happens in driving all the time!

Well I assume there was nothing coming from your right if the purple van was pulling out into the road so you can pull forward to see beyond the van to make sure the road is still clear.

If it isn't, you just wait in the road for a couple of seconds.

Did something else happen for you to post this? This is just a normal everyday occurrence when driving and something I wouldn’t even think twice about.

Yep, purple van did nothing wrong. Either it was clear enough to go before the red car pulled out or it shouldn't have pulled out. If uncertain now, the red car needs to wait until they can see again.

I can but don't drive (can't any more for medical reasons) and was a passenger in the red car. The driver went, I would have waited, I just wondered that's all.

This is just....normal driving life. What's the AIBU?

If you're driving the red car, you should wait until you know you have time to pull all the way out before moving. You shouldn't ever be stopping halfway out, whether or not there's another vehicle to your left.

Sidge is right. You shouldn’t have started your manoeuvre (ie pulling out) until you could see the road was clear. If you needed to check again mid-manoeuvre it suggests you had started it without checking properly.

Okay, just seen your update. The driver of your car had obviously made the judgment that it was safe for them to go when they do. That isn't changed by what happened later with the purple van. Even if another car had pulled out further down, it would still have taken them time to get to the junction and the red car would have been safely away. Making judgments about what the driver can see is also quite hard to do from the passenger seat position.

Red car is wrong to go. Did they crash?

You creep, leaning forward and looking left to reassure yourself you can go.

I would have crept forwards. What they actually did was put their foot down and go quickly. No, no crash, I just wondered because they said afterwards they probably shouldn't have gone, I wouldn't have done either.

Whoever turns to the left has right if way I was taught. So the red car should of waited

Eek were you wincing OP? I usually do when other drivers do things like that when I’m a passenger.