Good Driving - Who Gives Way On A Narrow Road

Supercell

The road I live on is pretty steep and with parked cars either side there is only room for one car most times (unless its two corsa's/micra's etc).

Going down the road, if I pull in to allow another car past people seem to be far more appreciative (they wave or nod at me going by) than if I'm going up the hill and pull in to allow the other car past its seems to be taken for granted.

I'm an L driver and a bit mistified by this road etiquette, if anyone pulled in to let me pass i'd certainly smile and give them a nod of appreciation, are there unspoken rules to this for experienced drivers ?

unkel

Longfield wrote:

Going down the road, if I pull in to allow another car past people seem to be far more appreciative (they wave or nod at me going by) than if I'm going up the hill

Funny that. The car going up the hill has right of way

Supercell

unkel wrote:

Funny that. The car going up the hill has right of way

Hmm you sure about that?, suprised at peoples rudeness then, unless the people nodding etc at me pulling in are suprised an L driver appreciates the right of way on a hill.

jayok

unkel wrote:

Funny that. The car going up the hill has right of way

It does? Why? I also though that whoever has the obstacle on their side of the road must yield first.

Sometimes you have to make people "appreciate" your etiquette. Instead of pulling-in straight away, make it obvious that you are yielding to let the drivers pass. i.e. have the situation whereby the other drivers realises that without someon yielding there would be no way to pass, then pull-in. Now I am not suggesting a game of "Chicken" but there is a point that this could be done, safely. On the safety point, never compromise this.

On the other hand, some drivers are just Twats!

colm_mcm

it doesn't make a difference whether you're going up or down a hill. it's more a case of general common sense
eg.

If there are no cars behind you, and say there are three cars coming towards you, it makes sense to let the cars past rather thanm three people pulling in for you.

if you are already in the middle of the road and the oncoming driver hasn't reached the obstacle, then proceed with caution.

seamus

Indeed. In general, if the obstacle is on your side of the road, you're obliged to give way. If the obstacle affects both of you (two cars parked opposite eachother), then the person who reaches the obstacle first has right of way.

I'm not sure if hill idea is convention or regulation. It certainly makes more sense for the vehicle coming down the hill to give way (it's easier to stop and start going downhill than going uphill).

Common sense should always prevail of course, as colm_mcm illustrates.

Alun

I was always taught that on a road with no other obstructions that is simply too narrow for both vehicles to pass safely, but with a passing place, either explicit or just a slightly wider part of the road such as a gateway for example, the uphill driver has priority. I.e. downhill driver pulls into passing place to allow uphill driver to drive through without stopping.

I'd imagine that the rule (that most Irish drivers seem to either be ignorant of, or ignore) that the driver who has an obstruction on his side of the road, e.g. a parked car, gives way to the driver who has an uninterrupted passage through, would take priority here.

unkel

Alun wrote:

I was always taught that on a road with no other obstructions that is simply too narrow for both vehicles to pass safely, but with a passing place, either explicit or just a slightly wider part of the road such as a gateway for example, the uphill driver has priority. I.e. downhill driver pulls into passing place to allow uphill driver to drive through without stopping.

I'd imagine that the rule (that most Irish drivers seem to either be ignorant of, or ignore) that the driver who has an obstruction on his side of the road, e.g. a parked car, gives way to the driver who has an uninterrupted passage through, would take priority here.

Exactly my view

Big Balls

unkel wrote:

Funny that. The car going up the hill has right of way

WTF??

"Funny that".. you said it!!

'Views' and facts are quite different in this instance lads!

unkel

Big Balls wrote:

WTF??

"Funny that".. you said it!!

'Views' and facts are quite different in this instance lads!

Great contribution there, Big Balls :rolleyes:

A quick google:

5. Always remember that the car going UPHILL should be given the right of way

On mountain roads vehicles travelling uphill have the right of way

maidhc

Does this uphill thing apply in Ireland though?

To be honest though I have never found this right of way thing to be an issue. In general the person who has space pulls in whether they are going uphill or down. If the car or whatever is parked on the your left, and you are driving on the same side you would be expected to give way rather than just driving on the wrong side of the road.

A guy who draws straw from cork down to kerry and up north told me before about how he met a fiesta coming against his 40ft on a narrow twisty road. The fiesta refused to pull in despite having plenty room, so he switched off the engine and got out the flask and sandwiches.

jayok

unkel wrote:

A quick google:

5. Always remember that the car going UPHILL should be given the right of way

On mountain roads vehicles travelling uphill have the right of way

Didn't know that. I don't know if this applies to Ireland, but I do drive on the continent and interesting to note this the next time I'm climbing the Swiss Alps.

For me courtesy will also prevail and I will generally give way if I can. It happens sometimes both of us might pull-in and then get into a waving match to see who will take the road!

LostinBlanch

Comes from the times when most road users were most likely horse and carts IMO, ket the one going uphill have right of way as it would be too hard to start uphill again after stopping!

Litcagral

maidhc wrote:

Does this uphill thing apply in Ireland though?

To be honest though I have never found this right of way thing to be an issue. In general the person who has space pulls in whether they are going uphill or down. If the car or whatever is parked on the your left, and you are driving on the same side you would be expected to give way rather than just driving on the wrong side of the road.

A guy who draws straw from cork down to kerry and up north told me before about how he met a fiesta coming against his 40ft on a narrow twisty road. The fiesta refused to pull in despite having plenty room, so he switched off the engine and got out the flask and sandwiches.

When I was doing 'artic' lessons I was always told to make the car do the work i.e. when meeting a car on a narrow road the car driver should find a spot to pull into as it is much more manoeuvreable than a truck and safer to reverse.

I was also told than if an accident occurs in a situation where two vehicles meet on a narrow road the person who has elected to advance is deemed to be responsible for any subsequent damage to the other vehicle. So if possible it is probably best to pull in and wait.

seamus

LostinBlanch wrote:

Comes from the times when most road users were most likely horse and carts IMO, ket the one going uphill have right of way as it would be too hard to start uphill again after stopping!

The same logic still applies though. The person who has to stop and start again going uphill has a harder time (and is at more of a risk).

I had a quick look, and I don't think it's law here, just a good driving practice that's been copied from other countries.

Bogger77

maidhc wrote:

Does this uphill thing apply in Ireland though?

To be honest though I have never found this right of way thing to be an issue. In general the person who has space pulls in whether they are going uphill or down. If the car or whatever is parked on the your left, and you are driving on the same side you would be expected to give way rather than just driving on the wrong side of the road.

A guy who draws straw from cork down to kerry and up north told me before about how he met a fiesta coming against his 40ft on a narrow twisty road. The fiesta refused to pull in despite having plenty room, so he switched off the engine and got out the flask and sandwiches.

My Mate whose a bus driver, had this happen. Coming down a narrow road, with his 32ft long bus and a woman in a micra blocked him and refused to back up 10 feet to allow him to pass.
He got out, switched off the bus and call the cops.

The other driver was ordered to move by the cops, she didn't so he started listing the offences he was going to charge her with.

Cars meeting Cars, its usually the nearest to the space who pulls in or uphill driver.
Car meeting Truck \ Bus : the car should pull in as it's easier to pull a 10 foot car into the edge than a 20ft+ vehicle.

Supercell

Interesting points of view lads, thanks.

Seems there isnt any right or wrong in Ireland, but common sense should prevail - the driver going uphill "should" have right of way all other things being equal, but if the vehicle is very large, where giving way would be difficult..such as a bus, then it gets right of way.

That said with some of the lunatics behind the wheel out there its probably best to give them way if you get the "maniac stare" from them!

testicle

unkel wrote:

Great contribution there, Big Balls :rolleyes:

A quick google:

5. Always remember that the car going UPHILL should be given the right of way

On mountain roads vehicles travelling uphill have the right of way

Note: This is Europe. Specifically Ireland. US, or indeed Swiss law does not apply here.

Alun

testicle wrote:

Note: This is Europe. Specifically Ireland. US, or indeed Swiss law does not apply here.

I don't think he was suggesting it did, just that, in the absence of any guidance from that pathetic excuse of a rag "The Rules of the Road", that in most, if not all, countries the convention is that vehicles travelling uphill have priority. It makes good sense, and why should we be any different? In any case, I'm not sure that in many cases it's a "law", just a suggestion (a 'should' instead of a 'must') for courteous driving (it is in the UK Highway Code, anyway).

AMurphy

The car going uphill has the right or way, the reasoning being thus;
if it is necessary to stop and one of the two reverse. It is safer to reverse uphill than down.
that's the generic answer, like the car on the right (or it is left) has the ROW at a stop sign.

That's all things being equal, however, comon sense might make other options more appealing or faster to execute.
eg, your heading up, but the pull-in is ahead of you and on your side. so just pull in and have done with it.

it's a artic with double trailer, vs a flatbed. No way can you reverse a double trailer any distance.

You have to reverse uphill against a blind bend.... not a great idea if something else comes up from behind.

Now the idiot I encountered, was on the flat... so who has priority there, and insisted in not stopping or slowing in the wider part of the road, where passing may have been possible and behind me was the dangerous blind bend I spoke of.... almost did get rear ended.

Best option is keep aware of your surroundings and do not ASSUME, just because you have the ROW, the rest of the world is going to come to a complete standstill on your account.

johnnyrotten

The car that is obstructed by Parked cars must give way

unkel

jayok wrote:

I don't know if this applies to Ireland

Neither do I, but I would not be surprised if it's omitted from the simplistic "Rules of the Road"

jayok wrote:

For me courtesy will also prevail and I will generally give way if I can

Exact same here. Also I'd much prefer not claiming right of way when I am entitled to it, rather than claiming it and not getting it

Litcagral wrote:

if an accident occurs in a situation where two vehicles meet on a narrow road the person who has elected to advance is deemed to be responsible for any subsequent damage

That's how I've always viewed it. Makes perfect common sense too except in situations where it doesn't lead to a safe unblocking of the road because of that very rule

AMurphy

johnnyrotten wrote:

The car that is obstructed by Parked cars must give way

It would make sense that the lane that is obstructed comes to a halt or yields.
Otherwise, you'd have to cross into the oncoming lane against oncoming traffic, which appears more dangerous.
Again, if you can... time it, slow if necessary, so you can nip around the obstruction without stopping.
However, is that on the flat only or also applies on a hill. I don't know. and generally I'd try do what is conveneint and fastest to execute.
However, I have found ROI driving habits being what they are. Were to yield to a string of cars, fuleral, etc, even if you had the ROW..... none of them will give a dam for your plight and let you go after a while. So in situations you may be obliged to "force the situation".
I come across situations where, in the interests of safety it is better to yield to the other party than insist on who has ROW, etc.

Seth Brundle

get one of these and you will always have right of way!