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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find people who get angry at you for reversing into driveway ignorant

173 replies

Sparkly212 · 04/03/2020 15:16

I live on a main road and I reverse my car into my driveway when i am coming back home as it’s safer and easier to reverse in and drive out rather than drive in and have to reverse out onto a main road.

Nearly every time I am reversing in, I always get dirty looks and scowls from other drivers as I am stopped momentarily on the other side of the road, with my hazard lights flashing of course.

I am just about sick of it. I try not to react but I’m getting so fed up, I just feel like blasting the horn at one of them.

What’s the best way to deal with it? Surely it’s not too much to ask people to just wait for two seconds whilst I reverse into my own driveway.

OP posts:
springydaff · 05/03/2020 03:13

It gives me the rage when people reverse out of their drives. What about small kids running along ahead of their family? As a pp said above, you'd flatten them. It doesn't bear thinking about.

Be quick and decisive op. Who gaf what they think, you're being safe.

(and OF COURSE you have to swing over to the other side of the road to reverse into your drive!)

GinDaddy · 05/03/2020 04:13

There is a lot of good advice on this thread OP including not using hazard lights. There is however an awful lot of misinformation which is scary, and makes me think people just confidently state stuff as fact or law because they've been doing it for years and not been pulled up on it before

GertiMJN · 05/03/2020 07:09

and OF COURSE you have to swing over to the other side of the road to reverse into your drive!

There is no "of course" about it! It depends on the width of the road and the width of the drive / dropped curve and the size of the car.

Everyone who took their driving test when you had to reverse round a corner will know you don't have to swing out to reverse round.

LuckyLickitung · 05/03/2020 07:35

I've got a relative on a main road through the town who lives between juntions. Junction A is 5 houses away and by the time you get to their house people are accelerating up to 30-40mph (it is a 30) the road narrows at this point (or widens towards 2 lanes from the opposite diection) Junction B is a side road 2 houses further on on the same side. Slowing down and indicating is inevitably interpreted at preparing for the side road not a private drive. The car behind is inevitably surprised at turning sooner than expected, and it would be rare to have them pull up with sufficient space to allow reversing on to the drive (plus the drive is tight with little spare margin for innacuracy). Obstructed traffic would not be able to move out of the way safely due to oncoming traffic and it would quickly gridlock to the main junction.

It is in this circumstance it is better not to abide by best practice, and instead to drive in (7am to 7.30pm) and then reverse off in the evening when rush hour has passed, inching off very patiently and carefully until the manouver is able to be completed in the tiny gap in traffic between phases of the lights (it's a notorious one for traffic "squeezing" through on amber or just blatently on red) or until someone takes pity and allows you time to come out.

The Highway Code contains a lot of best practice and some bolded mandatory commands. Out in the real world, the best practice is not always one-size fits all. Driving to the road conditions is one of the best blanket bits of advice.

Lweji · 05/03/2020 07:43

When I need to reverse in to a drive or parking spot, to ensure people behind are aware, I often slow down or stop at or before the spot and indicate, and then move forward slowly to ensure they know I'm not turning ahead. It usually works.

GiveHerHellFromUs · 05/03/2020 08:14

*You can (and should) use hazard lights when driving on a motorway to warn drivers behind you of a hazard ahead.

Only if you are stationery.*

Nope - if I break harshly when going at a high speed (like on the motorway when some dickfuck speeds past at 90 then pulls in front of you and slams his breaks on because the car now in front of him is doing max 70) my hazards come on automatically to let the car behind know I'm slowing down much more quickly than is normal

cologne4711 · 05/03/2020 08:19

I would scowl at you if it looked like you were driving onto the wrong side of the road to park. Especially with hazard warning lights on as so many people seem to think putting their hazards on means they can park anywhere.

But if you indicate and make it clear what you are doing, then I won't scowl. I think it is difficult when you want to reverse onto a drive because people don't know what you are planning until you start the manoeuvre.

I agree it's better to approach from the correct side of the road if it's easy to turn round somewhere.

OF COURSE you have to swing over to the other side of the road to reverse into your drive I don't think you do unless it's a very tight opening.

theSnuffster · 05/03/2020 17:34

I get this a lot. It’s not a busy road, I always slow right down and indicate early. People still get right up my arse- to the point where I’ve had to drive on and go round in a loop then try again! It’s really dangerous for me to drive on and reverse off because there’s a fence one side and a bush the other side so very limited visibility. Plus I’m near a corner so people coming round may not see me in time.

Whycantibeapuppy · 05/03/2020 17:36

YANBU. I live on a quiet road and if I was any good at reversing I’d reverse onto my drive 😂

Santina · 05/03/2020 17:43

It actually states in the highway code that it's illegal to reverse from a drive on to a main road. I get annoyed when people try to reverse in to busy, fast moving traffic.

SerendipityJane · 05/03/2020 17:46

It actually states in the highway code that it's illegal to reverse from a drive on to a main road.

I wonder how many times something totally wrong needs to be posted before it becomes right ? Is it an infinite number. Or zero ?

Throughthegate · 05/03/2020 18:00

Swap to one of those Smart cars and you can do a three point turn on your driveway.

MyDcAreMarvel · 05/03/2020 18:06

@Santina it’s a good idea to actually check if something is true before posting.

MrsBadcrumble123 · 05/03/2020 18:26

Indicate as you are arriving then hazards as you arrive - people are a holes ignore and carry on

DoAllMeerkatsComeFromRussia · 05/03/2020 18:30

The only way to deal with it is to ignore it. So some stranger you've never met is annoyed they have to wait a few seconds for you to reverse onto your driveway. So what? You are doing the correct thing and they'll have forgotten about it seconds later so you need to as well. They aren't going home and saying they've had an awful day because they had to wait 30 seconds on --- Street while someone reversed onto their drive, are they? You need to relax, stop worrying and do your thing. If anyone looks especially annoyed, go a little slower!

RoisinXena · 05/03/2020 18:39

If you do not want to break the law, keep reversing in and driving out. Reversing onto a main road is an offence.

SerendipityJane · 05/03/2020 18:46

it’s a good idea to actually check if something is true before posting.

...and there goes 80% of the internet ...

user1497207191 · 05/03/2020 18:56

Reversing onto a main road is an offence.

No it isn't.

SerendipityJane · 05/03/2020 18:57

If you do not want to break the law, keep reversing in and driving out. Reversing onto a main road is an offence.

Are some posters here men Grin

Almostfifty · 05/03/2020 18:58

Ahh, I used to have to do this in my old house. We lived next to a secondary school, but rarely, if ever, used the car during school times, so it was never a problem when parents were picking their precious ones up after school and blocked my drive every day.

I remember coming home one night when there'd been something on at the secondary school and someone was blocking my drive, with cars absolutely everywhere parked on the road and moving off. I stopped in the middle of the road and just sat there indicating, till he eventually got the message. He moved, I then reversed into my driveway. I must have held all the traffic up for at least five minutes. Such a shame. Grin

I'd not use my hazards either OP, gives the wrong message. Just put your car into reverse and they'll see the lights as PP have said.

Boxerbinky · 05/03/2020 19:39

My dh who is a general grump when it comes to others driving often comments on how stupid it is for people to drive on and reverse off into the main road v. dangerous!

Superleo837 · 05/03/2020 19:56

I have to do this and this happens to me all of the time. I just smile really nicely and say thank you. Getting out is also hard and on a blind bend. People drive fast and then go out of their way to go around me and I think ‘ just let me out!!!?’.

MimiLaRue · 05/03/2020 20:00

Ignore them. I used to have this problem a few years ago when we lived on a main road. Sooooo many people would get angry and pissed off and I used to want too shout at them PARDON ME FOR WANTING TO GET INTO MY OWN BLOODY DRIVE!
Take a deep, deep breath and every time it happens remind yourself how glad you arent them- getting wound up, increasing blood pressure for having to wait like, 10 seconds extra. Imagine what theyre like in real life if something like this sets them of. Its pathetic. Be joyful you arent living in their heads!

Toomuchtrouble4me · 05/03/2020 20:16

Why are you moving with hazards on though? Surely indicate what you are doing - maybe that’s why?

cuparfull · 05/03/2020 20:17

You should always reverse onto your driveway. It is illegal to reverse out onto a main road.
Surprising how many people don't know that.

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