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Original poster

Did I do anything wrong here? Driving

1000 replies

Azzywhatty · 27/01/2025 13:48

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??)

OP posts:
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11
SharpOpalNewt · 27/01/2025 14:59

Mrsttcno1 · 27/01/2025 14:58

I’ll take that as your way of saying you’ll have another read over the rules :) some of us do actually know how to drive safely

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Some of us have been driving safely for 30 years, thanks.

ProfessionalPirate · 27/01/2025 14:59

Khanga27 · 27/01/2025 14:53

@Azzywhatty whether in your mind you left room or not for passing traffic, stopping in a lane like this (even tucked into the side) where no lay-by to do so safely is illegal and if police had caught you you would have been reprimanded. People have cited hard shoulder but this is also not permitted. The only exception is an emergency and what you have described is not an emergency.

I am unsure why you’ve made this post when you clearly can’t handle posters telling you that what you’ve done is wrong.

Edited

There is nothing in what you have linked to suggest the OP has done anything wrong

Mountainpika · 27/01/2025 15:00

"On a single track road "

OP - haven't read it all, but I'd guess that many people have no exprience of rural single track roads. Wide enough for one vehicle only. Where we live, we drive on them regularly. No laybys as such, just places where it's a bit wider so vehicles coming towards each other can pass, or a field gateway, sometimes one driver having to reverse into the gap. Or pulling into the gap so something behind you can pass. It's a totally different world from town/city/motorway driving.
Could the driver have been acknowledging that you had pulled over, thanking you? It's what I would do in his place.

ProfessionalPirate · 27/01/2025 15:01

ShiningforLeeBertie · 27/01/2025 14:53

Highway Code Chatbot: my bolding
You should avoid stopping or parking on a single carriageway unless it is necessary and safe to do so. According to the UK Highway Code, you must not stop or park in certain areas, such as near a school entrance, on the approach to a level crossing, or where you would cause an obstruction. Always ensure that you are not causing a hazard or obstruction to other road users. If you need to stop, try to find a safe and legal place to do so.

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I don’t know what the heck you just copied and pasted but it certainly wasn’t direct from the gov website Highway Code now was it?

FindusMakesPancakes · 27/01/2025 15:01

Azzywhatty · 27/01/2025 14:57

Right okay, great idea 😂.

So the first photo is the single lane (shared by both directions of traffic.)

I did not stop here.

The single lane then widened into the second photo.

At this point I indicated left, pulled to the side as far as safety allowed, and stopped.

Here’s what I didn’t do - I did not just turn the engine off in the middle of the lane. I did not stop suddenly on an A road or dual carriageway. I did not force the lorry into mountains of oncoming traffic. They are very straight roads with very good visibility.

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You forced him to have to pull out onto the wrong side of the road in order to pass you. Whether you could see it was clear or not, he still has to make that judgement for himself.
You don't just stop on the side of the road like that. If you are indicating, he probably thinks you are planning to turn off, not stop.

You were wrong.

C8H10N4O2 · 27/01/2025 15:02

ShiningforLeeBertie · 27/01/2025 14:56

Well if the postman does it, that makes it right then.

And youve never seen anyone driving down the road who has forgotten to cancel their indicator? Just because someone is indicating does not mean they have that intention.

OP is in the wrong here

Edited
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I'm telling you what actually happens on rural roads. its exactly what used to happen before hazard lights were added to cars as standard (or at all).

If I saw someone driving down the road signalling left on a rural road I would pay particular attention to their speed in anticipation of them stopping. If the signal stopped I'd assume it was on in error but its the default "I'm stopping" signal on country roads.

Fencehedge · 27/01/2025 15:02

Was he already driving up your ass before you indicated?

AnnaFrith · 27/01/2025 15:02

Azzywhatty · 27/01/2025 14:33

I think it’s because he was going far too fast far too close to my car.

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Regardless of the highway code, you shouldn't stop in roads like this because if the lorry driver was going too fast/not paying attention it'd be you that would come off worse in any collision.

Original poster
Azzywhatty · 27/01/2025 15:03

CautiousLurker01 · 27/01/2025 14:40

You are not supposed to stop on a dual carriage way (you mention 2 lanes) ever unless it is an emergency - you should have waited until there was a layby.

I’m afraid you were in the wrong here.

😭 It wasn’t a dual carriageway. Do people really think dual carriageways connect to single lane tracks?

OP posts:
GCITC · 27/01/2025 15:03

Boskit · 27/01/2025 14:42

Did you block the lane? Could the lorry get past you without going into the oncoming lane?

We already know the answers (yes, and no) but hey - you carry on arguing if it makes you feel better.

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All cars parked on a normal width road mean other vehicles have to move into the opposite lane to get past.

What you're suggesting is that you can not park on any road that isn't at least three lorry widths wide, which just isn't the case.

Boskit · 27/01/2025 15:03

Mountainpika · 27/01/2025 15:00

"On a single track road "

OP - haven't read it all, but I'd guess that many people have no exprience of rural single track roads. Wide enough for one vehicle only. Where we live, we drive on them regularly. No laybys as such, just places where it's a bit wider so vehicles coming towards each other can pass, or a field gateway, sometimes one driver having to reverse into the gap. Or pulling into the gap so something behind you can pass. It's a totally different world from town/city/motorway driving.
Could the driver have been acknowledging that you had pulled over, thanking you? It's what I would do in his place.

She wasn't on a single track road. She was on a single lane road - one lane in each direction.

SharpOpalNewt · 27/01/2025 15:03

Mrsttcno1 · 27/01/2025 14:58

I’ll take that as your way of saying you’ll have another read over the rules :) some of us do actually know how to drive safely

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I suggest you read what @ProfessionalPirate posted and think again.

It's not illegal to stop on the type of road OP was on.

Also please could people note the difference between parking and stopping.

pencilcaseandcabbage · 27/01/2025 15:03

I'm with you, OP. I drive a lot on rural roads and what you did is perfectly fine. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps you should have put your hazards on rather than just indicating left, as the lorry wouldn't have been expecting you to come to a stop in the middle of nowhere. But waiting until the road switched to a standard 2 lane road so he could pass was definitely the right thing to do. As you say, cars park on the road all the time as most of the time there is no 'off road' or layby in order to keep your lane free. And overtaking a parked car is a perfectly normal part of driving. If he was driving too close, that was his fault. I think too many people simply didn't understand your description as they aren't familiar with that type of road.

OK I've now seen your pictures. Definitely no problem with what you did! Unless you came to a screetching halt, the lorry driver had no reason to beep you.

ShiningforLeeBertie · 27/01/2025 15:03

ProfessionalPirate · 27/01/2025 15:01

I don’t know what the heck you just copied and pasted but it certainly wasn’t direct from the gov website Highway Code now was it?

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Yes, I asked the chatbot on the highway code website "can i stop on a single carriageway" and that was the response it gave.

Did I do anything wrong here? Driving
snowmichael · 27/01/2025 15:04

Azzywhatty · 27/01/2025 13:59

Jesus Christ. I didn’t block the road. Can people not read?

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> Can people not read
No, usually not

SharpOpalNewt · 27/01/2025 15:05

ShiningforLeeBertie · 27/01/2025 15:03

Yes, I asked the chatbot on the highway code website "can i stop on a single carriageway" and that was the response it gave.

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OH IT'S AI HOW COULD IT BE WRONG 🙄

Ewock · 27/01/2025 15:05

Azzywhatty · 27/01/2025 14:09

What??

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The fact you don't understand what the pp explained is very worrying

vivainsomnia · 27/01/2025 15:06

So let's see the two possible outcomes if things had gone wrong....

  1. He fails to stops, pushes your car....likely grave consequences for you.
  1. He avoids you, but as the lane is so narrows, he overshoot, clip the edge, turns over...potential grave consequences to them.
  1. You continue to drive until you can properly pull over....ummmm none because you didn't need to retrieve your satnav at this point at all.

This is what causing a potential hazard for mo good reason means. This is what is caused dangerous driving.

You really really really are in the wrong PP!

ProfessionalPirate · 27/01/2025 15:06

ShiningforLeeBertie · 27/01/2025 15:03

Yes, I asked the chatbot on the highway code website "can i stop on a single carriageway" and that was the response it gave.

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OK, so we agree that stopping on a single carriageway is not against the rules. Presumably the OP felt it was safe and necessary to do so.

SharpOpalNewt · 27/01/2025 15:06

If it were illegal to park/stop on a single carriageway no-one would be able to park outside their homes, or stop to drop someone off.

TheBoots · 27/01/2025 15:07

QuestionableMouse · 27/01/2025 14:04

Not many of those on rural lanes 🤷🏻‍♀️

Unless you mean a passing place but ime that wouldn't make it any easier for the lorry to pass.

I don't think many of the posters here have actually driving on proper rural lanes!

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A passing place is exactly the sort of place you can pull off the road! It would be easier for the lorry to pass as it means they don't have to change lane. If a passing place isn't available - entrance to a field, a grass verge etc etc. Source: I live rurally.

AnnaFrith · 27/01/2025 15:07

FrankieStein403 · 27/01/2025 14:36

Does feel like respondents haven't driven on this sort of road, perfectly valid behaviour. Only invalid on clearways/motorways. (that's why they're called clearways and have no stopping signage)
I might have beeped as well, to let you know I was passing - as you'd stopped I'd want to warn you against opening your door - I'd have no idea that you weren't going to exit the vehicle.

I drive on these kinds of roads all the time.
Most of them are national speed limit applied by default - even if 60mph is dangerously fast on that particular stretch of road.
It's dangerous to stop in the road when other road users are driving at 60.

vivainsomnia · 27/01/2025 15:07

Presumably the OP felt it was safe and necessary to do so
Which was wrong, as per above!

ShiningforLeeBertie · 27/01/2025 15:07

ProfessionalPirate · 27/01/2025 15:06

OK, so we agree that stopping on a single carriageway is not against the rules. Presumably the OP felt it was safe and necessary to do so.

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It's not against the rules, unless causing an obstruction. OP blocked her lane forcing the lorry driver to move over to pass, therefore it was an obstruction

2andadog · 27/01/2025 15:07

sandyhappypeople · 27/01/2025 14:45

YABVU, rural roads are very different to residential streets, (speed limit for a start) by stopping you were blocking a live lane.. the lorry probably wasn't sure what you were doing at first, so would have slowed down as you slowed down as a precaution, and to give himself time to check to see if it was safe to overtake.. depending how quickly you went from indicating to stopping, you may not have given him enough time to properly check so he was forced to slow down even more, which makes it difficult for them to speed back up to overtake you in a timely manner.

A single track rural road going from a single to double will prompt a whole lot of cars to want to put their foot down and overtake the slower moving traffic (lorry), he would have needed plenty of notice to check properly to make sure there was nothing approaching on his right before pulling out to overtake you, sounds like you didn't give him enough notice and/or he didn't realise you were planning on coming to a complete stop.

If you had put your hazards on he would have realised you had a problem, and while annoying, I doubt you would have beeped at you, but to be honest you shouldn't be stopping in a live lane on a rural road at all, you are creating a hazard by doing that, you should have waited to pull off the road, or somewhere you could safely stop.

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This.

I bet it was a national speedlimit road, and the lorry driver had no blooming idea what you were doing...

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