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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Road right of way issue - who was right (diagram and satellite image included)

113 replies

Notanotherhousepost · 18/04/2023 12:03

This was sparked by the grudge thread.

Driving home I was going down a residential street with cars parked along the side. "My" side of the road had no obstruction so normally, I would have right away.

As I approached the stretch of road, another car was approaching from the other side and we were both roughly at the start of the section. I was maybe a little bit further back than he was, level with side road 1 so not technically in the obstructed section.

I was expecting him to proceed and pull into side road 2 allowing me to pass. This is normal procedure.

However, he decided to proceed past the entrance to side road 2 and came nose to nose up to me. As I had right of way, I refused to reverse. As he was being a knob (my opinion) he refused to reverse. Then begins the Mexican stand off.

15 minutes later, a queue had built up behind him and somehow nothing behind me. A driver from the queue came up to me and asked me nicely to back down since they had to get their kids from daycare. Very reluctantly I did and knob features decided to take full advantage with a slow drive past me.

I'm still pissed to this day I backed down.

In case its relevant:

Him, Middle aged man, BMW five series

Me, Middle aged woman, Landrover Defender (New style)

AIBU: he had right of way and I should have given way at the start

AINBU: he was being a knob

OP posts:
Harrysutton · 19/04/2023 06:58

Trying to work out why we need to know the make of car.

Harrysutton · 19/04/2023 07:00

But besides that distraction, you were in the wrong. If we was already next to the cars you should have waited for him to pass. When a second car pulled up behind him you should have moved. Waiting 15 minutes is absolutely ridiculous.

Paq · 19/04/2023 07:01

You were in the wrong initially but then he should have reversed into the side road to stop inconveniencing everyone, which was bloody childish of both of you.

You probably just came across as a woman who couldn't reverse her tank car.

thedancingbear · 19/04/2023 07:01

This sounds like a case of dickhead meets dickhead, unfortunately.

But, technically, he had the right of way because he was already established in the restricted section. The OP made a conscious decision to play chicken, and lost.

MamaDollyorJesus · 19/04/2023 07:01

I was taught that you give way to someone who has already started a manoeuvre whether that be someone in your situation overtaking parked cars or someone doing a 3 point turn in the middle of the road.

From what you've said you were in the wrong.

The only place he should've pulled in to let you past would be if there was a big enough gap between the parked cars on his left - he should not have been pulling into a side road on his right.

Bayleaf25 · 19/04/2023 07:03

IamSmarticus · 18/04/2023 12:16

Looking at your diagram, he had already started to pass the parked cars before you did, he shouldn't have to pull into side road 2 as that was on the opposite side of the road to which he was travelling. You should have waited.

Agree with this. You should have waited as he was already proceeding and gap/side road wasn’t on his side.

moonspiral · 19/04/2023 07:03

BatsHaveButtcheeks · 18/04/2023 12:15

He was already progressing before you arrived, only you decided he should pull in to another road to let you pass? Why couldn't you wait? Another road isnt a passing place, and what if other cars had blocked it anyway?
It would have taken seconds instead of over 15 minutes, except your entitlement wasted everybody's time.

This

thedancingbear · 19/04/2023 07:05

Harrysutton · 19/04/2023 06:58

Trying to work out why we need to know the make of car.

Because we need to know that the OP has a Land Rover defender (new style; planet fucker special edition).

actual lolz when I read that bit

JuneShitfield · 19/04/2023 07:05

Why on earth is it relevant that you drive a new-style Defender?

thedancingbear · 19/04/2023 07:05

I think you know why

moonspiral · 19/04/2023 07:06

In case its relevant:

It's not hth

moonspiral · 19/04/2023 07:06

JuneShitfield · 19/04/2023 07:05

Why on earth is it relevant that you drive a new-style Defender?

Or their sex and age

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 19/04/2023 07:09

He'd already started his manoeuvre so at that point, he had right of way. You should have stopped and waited for him.

As you were determined to carry on, why didn't you pull into the side street yourself?

Albiboba · 19/04/2023 07:09

Interesting that your own comment is to justify your car 😂

MrsBungle · 19/04/2023 07:11

He had right of way as he’d already committed to overtaking the obstruction.

you cannot proceed if the road ahead of you is not clear (it wasn’t as he was driving on your side - perfectly reasonably).

how embarrassing for you.

Sally090807 · 19/04/2023 07:20

He had already started overtaking the parked cars so you should of waited. His race, age and type of car is irrelevant.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 19/04/2023 07:23

Albiboba · 19/04/2023 07:09

Interesting that your own comment is to justify your car 😂

I don't think this thread went the way she was hoping 😂

Nimbostratus100 · 19/04/2023 07:29

Notanotherhousepost · 18/04/2023 12:03

This was sparked by the grudge thread.

Driving home I was going down a residential street with cars parked along the side. "My" side of the road had no obstruction so normally, I would have right away.

As I approached the stretch of road, another car was approaching from the other side and we were both roughly at the start of the section. I was maybe a little bit further back than he was, level with side road 1 so not technically in the obstructed section.

I was expecting him to proceed and pull into side road 2 allowing me to pass. This is normal procedure.

However, he decided to proceed past the entrance to side road 2 and came nose to nose up to me. As I had right of way, I refused to reverse. As he was being a knob (my opinion) he refused to reverse. Then begins the Mexican stand off.

15 minutes later, a queue had built up behind him and somehow nothing behind me. A driver from the queue came up to me and asked me nicely to back down since they had to get their kids from daycare. Very reluctantly I did and knob features decided to take full advantage with a slow drive past me.

I'm still pissed to this day I backed down.

In case its relevant:

Him, Middle aged man, BMW five series

Me, Middle aged woman, Landrover Defender (New style)

AIBU: he had right of way and I should have given way at the start

AINBU: he was being a knob

you were clearly in the wrong, but you got away very lightly

My sister in law di something very similar to what you did a few years ago, and one of the other drivers trapped behind filmed her and posted it on the local face book page, so everyone locally knew what she did,

She is utterly mortified by the memory even now, and wonders if it was behind her missing out on several local jobs

londonrach · 19/04/2023 07:33

You totally in the wrong here op. He closer to parked cars and no way should be pull into side road. Yabu

Jumbojade · 19/04/2023 07:33

You expected him to pull into a side road, on your side of the road, to let you pass? Why?

Could you not have moved forward and pulled into the side road, to let him pass, which according to your diagram would have been the sensible thing to do?

gallina · 19/04/2023 07:34

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

MissMaple82 · 19/04/2023 07:36

I just think some people need to get jobs, or hobbies, or volunteer, or just something to fill theor lives!! Clearly you're very bored judgeing by the effort gone into that diagram and you have waaay too much time on your hands for posts like this and holding up traffic

N27 · 19/04/2023 07:37

I put you YABU as if he had already committed to going past the cars then you should have waited. And you are also BU to expect him to pull into a side road on the opposite side of the road. What he should have done however is pause at the junction to allow you space to drive round him

MissMaple82 · 19/04/2023 07:39

And by the way, you were the nob in this sorry scenario!

HelpMeGetThrough · 19/04/2023 07:41
  • n case its relevant:

Him, Middle aged man, BMW five series

Me, Middle aged woman, Landrover Defender (New style)*

So it's not only knobs that drive a BMW or Audi.