Page 35 | Did I do anything wrong here? Driving

Azzywhatty · 2025-01-27T13:48:22+00:00

I drove home from rural Northumberland today. On a single track road my sat nav fell out of its holder onto the passenger side floor. There was a lorry behind me. I continued along the single track road until it widened into two lanes, then indicated left, slowed down and stopped so I could pick it back up. The lorry behind me beeped as I stopped. Did I do anything wrong here? I indicated and slowed and waited until the road went back to two lanes and it was safe to stop. I can’t work out why he was beeping. There was no other traffic in either direction. YANBU - you did nothing wrong YABU - you did something wrong (what and why??)

AnotherWeekAnotherUsername · 28/01/2025 20:39

Ramblethroughthebrambles · 28/01/2025 19:38

So to avoid SoScarletItWas getting admitted to A&E with alcohol poisoning and others on here having a coronary, can we try and put this to bed with points of agreement:

it is legal in the UK to pull to the side of a road where there are no parking restrictions, with appropriate signalling
it is legal in the UK to overtake into the lane for oncoming traffic if there is not a solid white line down the middle & you have good visibility
it is not a good idea to overtake when there IS oncoming traffic or you can't see whether there is & to place pressure on others to do this by parking where visibility is poor
it is not the best idea to slam your brakes on with no warning with a heavy truck right behind you (in fact you are unlikely to be posting here if you have done this or overtaken into oncoming traffic)
parking at the side of narrow country lanes can cause others inconvenience, but is unavoidable at times, especially if it is necessary for country dwellers to be able to get out of their cars when they get home
parking on fast A roads is much more problematic than parking on quiet country lanes, though most of these have parking restrictions

So far, so good?

Only Azzywhatty knows how fast she was travelling, how close the lorry was and whether she gave sufficient warning that she was pulling over. It sounds as if all this was ok though, so I voted not unreasonable.

Perhaps the point of disagreement is the nature of the road she illustrated at 14.57pm yesterday. Given that part of it was single track and the photo showed worn central markings & only one car, I assumed very minor B road with occasional traffic doing no more than, say, 40mph ish, despite not having any speed restrictions. But I think some people assumed faster, busier road where it's rarer for someone to pull over as it would be difficult for others to overtake, particularly a lorry.

We also have some interesting disagreement about signalling. I go for left indicator if I pull over as I've always thought that was what highway code says (it certainly used to), but it seems some would use their hazards in some situations.

So is that a fair summary and can we all move on? Please.... 😊

👏

Thank you and goodnight!!!!

Mapandthermos · 28/01/2025 20:45

Not sure where OP was exactly, but there have been calls from locals to reduce speed on (parts of?) the military road, because of traffic incidents and fatal accidents.

Dogsbreath7 · 28/01/2025 20:53

Do you have limited driving experience? Only in cities/towns?

I would have assumed he was thanking you for making way to allow him to drive faster.

shehasglasses48 · 28/01/2025 21:27

She didn’t, she pulled over

Idontpostmuch · 28/01/2025 22:02

Drivers generally don't beep to say thanks. Normally they flash. It's safe to say the lorry driver used his horn as a rebuke, and that's an offence. The only legitimate use of beeps is as a warning of imminent danger. This was clearly not the case, and so the lorry driver was in the wrong, regardless of the rights and wrongs of the OP's driving. OP, best not to pay any attention to idiots who beep you. Even if you know you haven't done anything wrong, you can start to doubt it when you come across these drivers who think they own the road.

wakijaki09 · 28/01/2025 22:25

Omg OP....you are in the wrong and trying to argue your case til your blue in the face is ridiculous. If I was behind you in my car I would of sat on the horn if you stopped in the road! Let alone if I was driving a lorry.
You should of just continued until it was safe for you to stop without obstruction to other road users. It's like someone pulling out as you approach a junction and making you slow down. Your journey on the road should not obstruct or cause another vehicle to have to alter it's speed or direction to suit you. Totally inconsiderate driving and the sort of thing that causes accidents and gives women drivers a bad name! Get yourself some driving lessons!
Beep beep!

Original poster

Azzywhatty · 28/01/2025 23:39

ProfessionalPirate · 28/01/2025 19:06

You mean why did I assume the the lorry driver was a man? Because the OP referred to him as such. Do you think she was lying for some reason?

I really have no idea why you are attacking me in this way. Have I offended you on another thread or something?

Show quote history

He was definitely a man.

OP posts:

Original poster

Azzywhatty · 28/01/2025 23:42

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Don’t be ridiculous. My left hand grabbed it. It took less than 10 seconds. There was a beep and I looked right and seen a man driving a lorry sail past.

OP posts:

denhaag · 28/01/2025 23:43

wakijaki09 · 28/01/2025 22:25

Omg OP....you are in the wrong and trying to argue your case til your blue in the face is ridiculous. If I was behind you in my car I would of sat on the horn if you stopped in the road! Let alone if I was driving a lorry.
You should of just continued until it was safe for you to stop without obstruction to other road users. It's like someone pulling out as you approach a junction and making you slow down. Your journey on the road should not obstruct or cause another vehicle to have to alter it's speed or direction to suit you. Totally inconsiderate driving and the sort of thing that causes accidents and gives women drivers a bad name! Get yourself some driving lessons!
Beep beep!

Edited

Why would you not just overtake? OP indicated and pulled over in a safe manner. She said there was nothing coming the other direction so if you were a good distance behind you'd barely need to change your driving at all, just indicate right, pass OP and pull back in again.

What she did was safe and legal, any accident would have been due to other road users not being aware of what was around them.

Original poster

Azzywhatty · 28/01/2025 23:55

Mapandthermos · 28/01/2025 20:25

I assumed very minor B road with occasional traffic doing no more than, say, 40mph ish, despite not having any speed restrictions. But I think some people assumed faster, busier road where it's rarer for someone to pull over as it would be difficult for others to overtake, particularly a lorry.

I think that assumption was wrong though @Ramblethroughthebrambles. That road is mostly 60mph, not 40mph. So it is a faster road than you thought (even though OP was not travelling at that speed I know). It was not a tiny country lane at the point at which she stopped.

If you’re going by the screenshots they’re just a demonstration, not the real road.

OP posts:

Original poster

Azzywhatty · 28/01/2025 23:58

Mapandthermos · 28/01/2025 20:45

Not sure where OP was exactly, but there have been calls from locals to reduce speed on (parts of?) the military road, because of traffic incidents and fatal accidents.

I was on Military Road but after this.

OP posts:

Original poster

Azzywhatty · 28/01/2025 23:59

Dogsbreath7 · 28/01/2025 20:53

Do you have limited driving experience? Only in cities/towns?

I would have assumed he was thanking you for making way to allow him to drive faster.

No, I don’t.

OP posts:

Original poster

Azzywhatty · 29/01/2025 00:02

wakijaki09 · 28/01/2025 22:25

Omg OP....you are in the wrong and trying to argue your case til your blue in the face is ridiculous. If I was behind you in my car I would of sat on the horn if you stopped in the road! Let alone if I was driving a lorry.
You should of just continued until it was safe for you to stop without obstruction to other road users. It's like someone pulling out as you approach a junction and making you slow down. Your journey on the road should not obstruct or cause another vehicle to have to alter it's speed or direction to suit you. Totally inconsiderate driving and the sort of thing that causes accidents and gives women drivers a bad name! Get yourself some driving lessons!
Beep beep!

Edited

Well, it’s not, is it? Do you keep your horn down when anyone in front of you manoeuvres to park?

OP posts:

TriesNotToBeCynical · 29/01/2025 00:21

Azzywhatty · 29/01/2025 00:02

Well, it’s not, is it? Do you keep your horn down when anyone in front of you manoeuvres to park?

Show quote history

In my opinion, assuming you slowed down gradually, you did exactly the right thing. It would be unwise to continue driving while distracted by thinking about your dropped satnav.

Mapandthermos · 29/01/2025 01:12

Azzywhatty · 28/01/2025 23:55

If you’re going by the screenshots they’re just a demonstration, not the real road.

Show quote history

Okay, you didn’t make that clear earlier.

Bazinga007 · 29/01/2025 01:52

You can't just stop and park and block the road. Probably best to hand your licence in.

Nicelynicelyjohnson · 29/01/2025 08:35

Stopping in the fast lane of a motorway to have a picnic with two toddlers and four basset hounds is just wrong OP. Several people have kindly shared motorway rules, take heed.

In your actual situation, I wouldn't have stopped where you did, but if someone in front of me indicated and did stop, I would just happily go past them. Parked (and parking) cars are definitely a thing where I live.
If you learn anything from this, OP, it's never ask mumsnet about anything to do with driving.

NorfolkandBad · 29/01/2025 08:52

Bazinga007 · 29/01/2025 01:52

You can't just stop and park and block the road. Probably best to hand your licence in.

The level of ignorance and lack of comprehension on this thread is staggering, I guess I'm one of OPs "cheerleaders" - I don't know her, I wasn't there but as I've said before given her description she did nothing wrong or illegal which is why I support her, nothing more, nothing less.

PS - It's not OP who needs to hand in her licence

wakijaki09 · 29/01/2025 08:53

denhaag · 28/01/2025 23:43

Why would you not just overtake? OP indicated and pulled over in a safe manner. She said there was nothing coming the other direction so if you were a good distance behind you'd barely need to change your driving at all, just indicate right, pass OP and pull back in again.

What she did was safe and legal, any accident would have been due to other road users not being aware of what was around them.

Show quote history

@denhaag just because she indicated and pulled over and she thought it was safe for someone to go over on to the other lane doesn't mean that was safe. No one would expect someone to stop in the middle of a 60mph lane and the expect the other drivers to have to alter Thier course around her. She should of just carried on until she could pull over safely without obstructing the road.

wakijaki09 · 29/01/2025 08:59

Azzywhatty · 29/01/2025 00:02

Well, it’s not, is it? Do you keep your horn down when anyone in front of you manoeuvres to park?

Show quote history

@Azzywhatty if they suddenly stop and block the road then yes! When I had lessons we were taught that you never cause another vehicle to have to alert it's course because of what you were doing. So yes that would include suddenly parking in the middle of the bliming road where you wouldn't expect anyone to park. She's being self entitled thinking she can just block the road, cause an obstruction and expect everyone to move around to make room for her. It's dangerous and stupid. She should of just drove on and waited for a safe place to PARK. The satnav would of then redirected her if she had gone wrong in the mean time.
I'm with the lorry driver on this as he obviously knows the rules of the road

BingoDingoDog · 29/01/2025 09:07

RebeccaRedhat · 28/01/2025 20:14

I live in rural Northumberland so I know the kind of roads you mean. Had you put your hazards on you'd have been far safer. You don't just stop! You should have waited until you passed a lay by or similar!

She didn't just stop though. She indicated then pulled over. Which is exactly the correct thing to do.

Are some imaginative posters thinking she indicated then immediately slammed on the brakes and immediately stopping in the middle of the road. Obviously if she had done that it would be dangerous but indicating and then slowing down, pulling over and gradually stopping is a totally normal and legal thing to do.
I live in a town surrounded by similar country roads. We get a lot of deer jumping out the hedges and there are plenty of cyclists and horses that use the roads so combined with high hedges and blind bends people tend to drive much slower than the roads technically allow.
Parking at the side of the road in a way that means traffic has to go around you onto the other side of the road is also totally normal and legal.

denhaag · 29/01/2025 09:40

suddenly parking in the middle of the bliming road where you wouldn't expect anyone to park.

Indicating, slowing down and pulling over is NOT suddenly parking in the middle of the road.

Idontpostmuch · 29/01/2025 09:41

wakijaki09 · 28/01/2025 22:25

Omg OP....you are in the wrong and trying to argue your case til your blue in the face is ridiculous. If I was behind you in my car I would of sat on the horn if you stopped in the road! Let alone if I was driving a lorry.
You should of just continued until it was safe for you to stop without obstruction to other road users. It's like someone pulling out as you approach a junction and making you slow down. Your journey on the road should not obstruct or cause another vehicle to have to alter it's speed or direction to suit you. Totally inconsiderate driving and the sort of thing that causes accidents and gives women drivers a bad name! Get yourself some driving lessons!
Beep beep!

Edited

@wakijaki09 You would have been in the wrong with the horn. Perhaps rather than telling @Azzywhatty to get driving lessons, you should get English lessons. Come on! Your, would of, should of, it's.

Idontpostmuch · 29/01/2025 09:45

Nicelynicelyjohnson · 29/01/2025 08:35

Stopping in the fast lane of a motorway to have a picnic with two toddlers and four basset hounds is just wrong OP. Several people have kindly shared motorway rules, take heed.

In your actual situation, I wouldn't have stopped where you did, but if someone in front of me indicated and did stop, I would just happily go past them. Parked (and parking) cars are definitely a thing where I live.
If you learn anything from this, OP, it's never ask mumsnet about anything to do with driving.

@Nicelynicelyjohnson I completely agree with everything you say, particularly the last bit. Asking about driving attracts the worst type of person, the sort you see on the roads, acting aggressively.

JustThatEnby · 29/01/2025 11:26

You did nothing wrong, I passed my test in November and my driving instructor all the time would get me to stop on the left and the right of the road, as long as it was safe to do so and you weren’t stopping the traffic from being able to easily overtake and being safe to do so, as you stated the lorry did overtake you and you indicated to let them know? All is okay.