Thanks for all of your responses - very interesting to see the perspectives on this.
Maybe they think you are a bad driver and don't want you to scrape their car.
I never look at other drivers to the extent that I'd notice such a detailed range of (assumed) emotions.
Yes, as I said, they might think that’s a possibility, although they have no way of knowing in advance – but this is just one small part of driving. If you’re so worried about bad drivers all the time, the only solution is not to drive at all.
You do know you don't have the priority when the cars are on your side?
Of course I know that when a driver needs to give way, but when a road effectively has three lanes and only one is blocked by parked cars, it’s a moot point.
You don't say what sort of car you drive - if it's a massive 4×4, then it's pretty common that these cars aren't positioned perfectly on the road - which is an issue because they're so big.
Old VW Golf.
If it happens that often to you that you get people looking terrified or giving you evils I think it's you, not them
No, it doesn’t happen that often – just noticed it a few times. Mostly, people will do the sensible thing and not pull over unnecessarily.
If the obstruction is on your side of the road, you should pull over to let oncoming traffic pass. Pretty sure that's in the highway code.
Yes, it is – but how is it actually an obstruction if it doesn’t obstruct the free flow of two-way traffic?
If you're pulling out around parked cars on your side of the road, then you should be courteous - technically you're on the other person's side of the road, and really they have priority to drive however they feel comfortable.
But why do they get (more than) two thirds of the road? I would disagree that drivers are free to take as much road as they like, even if that means making other drivers stop unnecessarily. By extension, what about the people who deliberately park right in the middle of parking spaces, and thus take two of them (but only pay for one); or people who drive in the middle land of an otherwise-empty motorway; or those who believe that wanting the parking space on the public road nearest their house makes it rightfully theirs. The roads are for everybody.
You are then annoyed they have made a different judgement call to you, erring on the side of caution, but you are not held up in any way by this. Righty ho......
No, I never said I was annoyed – just bemused and feeling a bit bad that they think I’m driving discourteously and being arrogant, when I was just assuming average driving skills in using a wide space.
It’s often the confident drivers that cause the problems imo. Besides, you only need to take one test to be able to drive
I for one certainly didn’t pass first time. I disagree that it’s the confident drivers, especially if we’re maybe using ‘confident’ as a byword for ‘competent’. I’d say it’s the over-confident drivers. I’ve also seen very timid drivers cause accidents, not to mention the frustration they cause others behind them, which is not especially a safe situation to be in.
You sound like the type of driver I wait for, sailing along at speed in a big car without thinking about it.
Nope, not me – I always slow right down in my Golf in recognition that the two available ‘lanes’ will be a bit narrower because of the parked cars.
My parents have each been driving for 50 years or so; DF drives like you and DM is cautious. Over those years DF has written off 3 cars, at least 5 minor crashes and bumps, at least 20 scratches or wing mirrors off that I can think of, countless parking tickets, 2 speed awareness courses and a range of points. DM once got a parking ticket that she successfully disputed, and twice had another vehicle bump her, each time proven to not be her fault. Over time, there is a real difference in driving outcomes based on how cautiously you drive.
How can you know how I drive, though? All drivers are different people. How do you define 'cautious' - would you consider somebody using a space in a car park between two already-parked cars as over-confident and would you say that being cautious is finding another space surrounded by empty spaces? Some people's interpretation of 'confident' can equal 'arrogant and dangerous' in the same way that other people's interpretation of 'cautious' can mean 'unsafe and incompetent'.
My main issue is that I don’t like people feeling I’m being discourteous – which I always try to be – when there was simply no need for courtesy at all. If I’d known they lacked confidence and spatial awareness, I would have stopped and waited for them to go (my car is old but I still don't want it trashed either!) – but if you assumed that all drivers always needed two car widths on every road and waited indefinitely, you’d turn all normal roads (wide enough for two-directional traffic and with no cars parked) into effective single track lanes, with huge traffic build-ups everywhere.
I'm guessing you perhaps don't slow down much if at all?
No, of course I slow right down – as an averagely-good driver naturally would when there is less excess road width available.
Just being able to fit 3 cars side by side isn't really good enough if there's only say a foot or so clearance between each car. You need to be about 2 metres from the parked car (in case some pratt starts opening their door or a child/animal walks into the road between parked cars). Likewise a metre between both moving cars and the car adjacent to the pavement/side of road also needs a metre or so clearance from the side of the road.
Driving within inches of parked cars, the pavement or other traffic really isn't allowing enough clearance for unexpected events.
I don’t see how this is realistic, though, when we’re talking about driving at very slow speeds through towns. If you had to allow for the width of parked cars PLUS a wide open door, many roads with parked cars (not the wider ones I’m talking about) would be effectively blocking a road off entirely, with drivers unable to ‘risk’ using the remaining width of the road. You would also never dare to walk down the pavement at similarly slow speeds, in case they might open the door on the other side.
If a child or animal walks into the road, I’m going so slowly that I could easily stop.
When I was learning to drive, I was told to leave plenty of space UNLESS passing somebody. Unfortunately, they don’t tend to make residential roads in this country with two metres of perpetual ‘wastage’ or buffer zone on each side. You wouldn’t even have that much space between lanes on a motorway or dual carriageway, if you’re overtaking a lorry.
I think it is unwise to 'assume' anything when driving.
I agree to a point, but where do you stop with that? The only way to avoid assuming anything about the skills or intentions of other drivers is not to drive at all.
I don't know why this has angered you so much as it doesn't seem to have impeded you or anyone else.
Not everybody comes on to AIBU is a red-faced loon looking for a fight, you know! When did I ever say or suggest that it angered me?! You’re right that it doesn’t impede me, but it does (unnecessarily) impede the other person who, had I known they weren’t confident not to need in excess of two car-widths to pass, I would have pulled over. I don’t like people to mistakenly think me rude when I have just assumed standard driving behaviour and average ability.
Given that you are such a confident driver can we assume you have read and understood the highway code?
If you read my OP, you will see that I explicitly say that I am not ‘such a confident driver’, by which I assume you mean that I’m somehow boasting about how great a driver I am?! The Highway Code is a guide to general driving practices and etiquette – it isn’t a prescriptive detailed manual telling every driver how they must approach every possible driving scenario, every single minute of the day. If it were, you’d need (an ever-expanding) building the size of Buckingham Palace to house a copy.
I am a cautious driver .I would rather wait a few minutes and be safe! There are so many variables, its hard to tell the width of your car sometimes.
In the scenarios I’ve encountered, it’s never anything like a few minutes – maybe 10-15 seconds; but if everybody waited a few minutes at every slightly less than ideal scenario, you’d have huge tailbacks through every town.
I know you might not always appreciate the width of your vehicle if it’s new to you, but cars and small/medium vans don’t always vary all that much in width – it’s mainly height and length that differs more greatly between a smaller and larger vehicle.
I also think that some people on this thread are assuming that drivers are binary – reckless or ultra cautious – when I’m talking about most people who fall in the middle somewhere, who are confident and drive courteously but not timidly.
It sounds like they're giving you 'evils' because it's their right of way and you're bulldozing your way through at 30mph.
Smaller gaps require a lower speed.
I'd be wary of someone like you too.
You’re assuming a lot there that’s either not mentioned in or contrary to the OP. I too would be wary of the driver that you’ve described in your own scenario there.
I don’t do anything like 30mph down most local/residential roads, even when there are no parked cars – although it’s legal to do so, competent driving does require you to consider your surroundings. Of course I reduce speed when approaching a smaller gap – that’s common sense and standard driving behaviour.
So it’s everyone else and not you
No, most of the drivers I encounter use the available space carefully and appropriately in scenarios like I described – it’s just the relatively small number who seem to greatly lack confidence.
Again, I’m not looking for a fight. It isn’t obligatory for AIBU to be a bear-pit! I’m interested in seeing the variety of responses and perspectives on this, but some people do seem to be changing what I wrote to fit their preferred narrative of somebody, before tearing them down according to that imagined narrative!