Stopping to let another car out?

[ljn1650]

I slowed to a stop to let a car out of a side lane today, and the lady behind me was absolutely fuming with me and began waving and beeping at me. It made me think...can that be technically considered obstructing traffic and do you think I was in the wrong? I always feel bad when I don't let people out, and saw an opportunity to redeem myself.....I wish I hadn't!!

manners don't come into it, there are rules that should be adhered to

you could stop and let someone out not seeing a motorbike for example

In general, best not rewrite the rules or else no-one will know what to do - imagine if you stopped at green lights to give the poor old people stuck on red "a chance"?

I like the thoughts from this driving instructor about letting people out

No, it's confusing for everyone and will cause a bigger problem for drivers and pedestrians. Other drivers won't necessarily know why you've stopped or be able to see why. Next thing they know, someone has totally cut them up by being unexpectedly given right of way.

Depends on the junction for me. There are junctions I know where it is an utter bastard to join the main road. If I see someone in one trying to join I will go out of my way to slow well before hand to leave a gap before me. And flash them. If they pull out, all well and good, I have an excuse to slow even more without 'Mrs I'm Fucking Important' behind me getting her knickers in a twist. if they don't - nothing lost and I just close the gap again as I drive past.

So basically you inconvinced drivers behind you by not following the Highway Code to make yourself feel good

Drive to the Highway Code, there are rules for a reason and people who do what they want are part of the bigger problem on the roads today and can cause accidents

Yes you were unreasonable. You don't just stop when there's cars behind you to let another car out - you could cause an accident

So basically you inconvinced drivers behind you by not following the Highway Code to make yourself feel good

Which bit of the highway code?

As far as I understood it you can't rely on other normal road users signals, and a driver shouldn't flash someone to tell them to proceed. I didn't realise it was specifically covered in the highway code

Where I live there are junctions that you would literally never get out of if someone didn't let you

If traffic is slow moving then I don't really see the harm in it, I've rarely seen anyone do it for faster moving scenarios because gaps always come along.

Also sometimes slowing to allow someone to turn across your lane from oncoming traffic isn't just for the benefit of one car it's to benefit the 50 cars stuck behind them waiting to go straight

Also if you're worried that someone in front of you doing something unexpected will cause you to rear end them then you're driving too close, there is definitely provision in the highway code for this, unexpected is by its nature unexpected and could be them stopping because someone fell off a bike, avoiding an unexpected obstruction, pulled out on them or to avoid running over someone who's stepped out without looking.