What to do when car in front stops and reverses

sapper

Does anyone know what the correct course of action is when a car in front of you stops and begins reversing in order to parallel park on a busy road? This happened to me on the quays in Dublin a while back - the guy in front stopped and reversed straight toward me even though there wasn't enough room for him to make it into the space. I took a decision to reverse to give him the required room but ended up clipping a bus which happened to be turning out from a stop in the inside lane at that exact second. Just found out about the EUR1k bill for the damaged bus bumper...

drunkmonkey

You done the right thing but you should have really looked at what was behind you before reversing... Is it not the buses fault for hitting the back of you, usually when someone hits the back of u it's their fault..

DriveSkill

The simple answer is the person reversing does not have right of way in that situation. So, assuming you are in the car behind, you are left with a courtesy decision - if you wish, as a courtesy, you can reverse out of their way or if the road is wide enough (and assuming you've left enough distance to be able to pull out around them!) it may be safer to overtake them - only other option is to hold your position and basically force them to drive on. If you do decide to reverse back then remember same rules apply to you and you do not have right-of-way so you must ensure that it is safe for you to reverse. It really depends on the traffic situation at the time as to whether you should reverse or not.

I know this advice is not much use to you now but a much better approach to these situations is to develop better observation and anticipation. A driver looking for a parking space is generally identifable by the way they drive slowly down a steet etc. You should keep a good distance behind and if they brake as they are passing a space then stop well back and let them reverse in with you having to move.

DarkJager

Stay at least 1 cars length behind the car in front and use the 2 second rule. Gives you more time to react in such a scenario.

sapper

But reversing on a stretch of road like the quays can't be the 'official' way to react can it? Didn't see the bus as it was in lay-by off the inside lane when I checked...but I know that's not an excuse. If I had seen the bus coming toward me from behind and the guy in front also coming toward me, what should I have done? It seems to me it was either "hit or be hit"

sapper

DarkJager wrote: »

Stay at least 1 cars length behind the car in front and use the 2 second rule. Gives you more time to react in such a scenario.

The guy in front had stopped before the space and there was loads of room. Then he switched off his indicator and moved on. I also moved on but he stopped suddenly and started to reverse. I had anticipated him moving on so there wasn't much space between us at that stage

Wishbone Ash

DriveSkill wrote: »

A driver looking for a parking space is generally identifable by the way they drive slowly down a steet etc. You should keep a good distance behind and if they brake as they are passing a space then stop well back and let them reverse in with you having to move.

+1

An experienced driver will usually anticipate this scenario. If the driver in front has their nearside indicator on, and is driving slowly, it usually means that they are looking for a space so drive with caution and allow them plenty of room.

If you are following a truck in an urban area and the driver activates the hazard lights, it is usually a sign that he is approaching an entrance to which he needs to reverse into so give him plenty of room and do not attempt to pass as he may need to utilise both sides of the road.

Wishbone Ash

sapper wrote: »

If I had seen the bus coming toward me from behind and the guy in front also coming toward me, what should I have done? It seems to me it was either "hit or be hit"

Haven't you got a horn? The driver in front would have stopped reversing if he had heard it.

Wishbone Ash

sapper wrote: »

The guy in front had stopped before the space and there was loads of room. Then he switched off his indicator and moved on. I also moved on

He probably stopped to let you know that he intended to reverse into the space. He would then have assumed that you would wait for him to complete the manoeuvre rather that driving right up behind him.

Richie15

sapper wrote: »

If I had seen the bus coming toward me from behind and the guy in front also coming toward me, what should I have done? It seems to me it was either "hit or be hit"

If you're not sure who's in the right, the simple answer is to stop. If you're stopped and something hits you, the majority of the time it's their fault, regardless of which direction they're travelling.

Happened to me once, car in front stopped for some reason, I reversed without checking (no excuse for that, dunno what I was thinking!) and heard a beep. Lucky enough I stopped in time, the car behind was something fancy...

ztoical

DarkJager wrote: »

Stay at least 1 cars length behind the car in front and use the 2 second rule. Gives you more time to react in such a scenario.

that would be the case on a road with traffic moving but in a built up area when traffic is heavy and your moving slowly and stopping alot due to traffic signals you would find it hard to leave a full car length of space.

Richie15

ztoical wrote: »

...you would find it hard to leave a full car length of space.

I find it hard to pay my taxes too, but unfortunately the law's the law.

When you're moving, two-second rule. When you're stopped, 2.5 meters away (full car's length - if you can see the tarmac between the cars that's a good rule-of thumb.)

ztoical

Richie15 wrote: »

I find it hard to pay my taxes too, but unfortunately the law's the law.

When you're moving, two-second rule. When you're stopped, 2.5 meters away (full car's length - if you can see the tarmac between the cars that's a good rule-of thumb.)

as you say paying your taxes is a law. The two second rule is a rule of thumb not a law.

Richie15

ztoical wrote: »

as you say paying your taxes is a law. The two second rule is a rule of thumb not a law.

That's true, but stopping 2.5 metres away is law. Don't quote me on the exact distance though! I'll look it up...

ztoical

Richie15 wrote: »

That's true, but stopping 2.5 metres away is law. Don't quote me on the exact distance though! I'll look it up...

Where does it say you must legally stop x amount of metres away? Cars certainly don't stop 2.5 metres away from each other at traffic lights or traffic jams or in slow moving traffic. If your taking about stopping distance that has too many factors for there to be a legal enforced stopping distance as it depends on how fast your going, the condition of the road, the weather, the wear on your wheels and your brakes among other factors. The two second rule is used when traveling on open roads not in built up areas which the quays in dublin would count as.

Wishbone Ash

ztoical wrote: »

Where does it say you must legally stop x amount of metres away?

There are no regulations regarding distances between vehicles but good drivers will always allow adequate space between them and the vehicle in front. One thing that is taught to bus and truck drivers is to always allow enough room to steer around the vehicle in front of you without having to reverse first (as it's much more difficult to reverse a truck or bus in heavy traffic).. Assume the vehicle in front has broken down. If you have to reverse first to get around it, you were too close to it.

starbelgrade

In the case of cars that are in good working order travelling on a dry road the coefficient of friction (µ) ranges from about 0.6 (for ordinary cars) to about 0.95 (for the most expensive cars).
In braking Ek = F × s
½ m v2 = (µ × mg) × s
Therefore s = v2/(2 × µ × g),
where g is the acceleration due to gravity.

This shows that the braking distance (s) is proportional to the speed squared (v2); e.g. doubling the speed increases the stopping distance by a factor of four. The mass of the car is not a factor. For an ordinary car travelling at 100 km/hour (27.8 m/s) the braking distance would be about 55 m; this does not take account of the driver’s response time. In wet conditions the coefficient of friction is about 40% less and if the wheels lock it may be as low as 0.1, increasing the braking distance dramatically.



However, if you reverse into a bus, none of this really applies.

artielange

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

There are no regulations regarding distances between vehicles but good drivers will always allow adequate space between them and the vehicle in front. One thing that is taught to bus and truck drivers is to always allow enough room to steer around the vehicle in front of you without having to reverse first (as it's much more difficult to reverse a truck or bus in heavy traffic).. Assume the vehicle in front has broken down. If you have to reverse first to get around it, you were too close to it.

+1

Everyone should learn this. Backing up can be a pain in the best of conditions. Also you might like to get out of a situation fast where taking the time to reverse could cost you dearly.

Greenmachine

Blast your horn till they stop. Depends on the situation really that what I done a few years ago when it happened on the quays. The cars hadn't just went a little past it. They had slammed on their brakes after realising they had past it. At this stge I had even passed it by 100 metres on my motorbike. then all of a sudden this crazy person started reversing I was blasting my horn while walking backward away from her in the centre of my lane every now any then she would stop only to continue more determined to knock me down I continued walking backwards till I ran out of road. walked the bike in to a car stopped behind. She came within aboy 15ft of me and then realised they was a guy on a bike and about 2 cars between her and the parking space she zoomed past.

Medievalist

sapper wrote: »

Then he switched off his indicator and moved on.

If he was planning on reversing into the space, he should have left his indicator on as he moved forward. Otherwise you had no way of knowing he was going to try reversing into a space.

Richie15

ztoical wrote: »

Where does it say you must legally stop x amount of metres away?

I'm sure I saw it somewhere, but since I can't find it, and Wishbone Ash said it's not defined, I'll have to stand corrected for the moment. But I do know that if you are too close and the car behind you pushes you into the car in front, you're responsible for the damage to your bumper and the car in front.

ztoical wrote: »

The two second rule is used when traveling on open roads not in built up areas which the quays in dublin would count as.

You do have to leave adequate distance to stop if the car in front stops suddenly. Sure in city driving, you could be almost touching his bumper and still be 10 minutes behind him! :P

WexCan

Tyres and tarmac when stopped - gives you room to get out if the car in front breaks down.

If he's reversing and you have nowhere to go, use your horn to signal your presence.

As for the bus, surely you should have seen him in your side mirror?