Allowing other cars to go when you have right of way

Ghostx

Hi guys, my test is coming up and I just have a few questions.

1) If there's a car waiting at a junction to turn, and you have right of way but want to let them turn, how should you signal them to continue? I know that most people flash their lights, to tell them to go ahead but is this acceptable in the test? or should you beckon them on in another way?

2) If somebody lets you go when they have right of way, you should obviously thank them but in the test how should you do this? Usually I'd just give them a little gesture with my hand, but would I get marked for this in a test since I'm taking my hand off the wheel?

kerry4sam

Ghostx wrote: »

Hi guys, my test is coming up and I just have a few questions.

1) If there's a car waiting at a junction to turn, and you have right of way but want to let them turn, how should you signal them to continue? I know that most people flash their lights, to tell them to go ahead but is this acceptable in the test? or should you beckon them on in another way?

2) If somebody lets you go when they have right of way, you should obviously thank them but in the test how should you do this? Usually I'd just give them a little gesture with my hand, but would I get marked for this in a test since I'm taking my hand off the wheel?

The second here is a tuffy but the once is very straight-forward.

~ Re: 1)
When I drive in the country I am used to having people wave and smile at me and I salute in return when I see them. I done that once during a lesson and my instructor had words with me over it.
I was told not to give anyone the signal to proceed ahead of me when I had right of way; they had to wait for me to proceed when the law allowed me to. I was told not to salute or smile at anyone, for anything. For these 30->40mins, you are serious, focused and not to give an inch when you have right-of-way.

~ Re: 2)
Tuffie. I mean if they decide to give you right of way, then not much you can do, only proceed if safe to do so. Can you anticipate what someone behind the driver giving you right-of-way ahead of them will do? I don't think so.
People have been marked down for taking this option, of proceeding even when not right-of-way and given go-ahead by another.

In theory you are not supposed to prompt or advise another driver onward or to do anything. So if they have right-of-way, let them have it. They should not be advising you to do anything.

Hope that makes sense,
kerry4sam

Motor-Ed

Ghostx wrote: »

Hi guys, my test is coming up and I just have a few questions.

1) If there's a car waiting at a junction to turn, and you have right of way but want to let them turn, how should you signal them to continue? I know that most people flash their lights, to tell them to go ahead but is this acceptable in the test? or should you beckon them on in another way?

2) If somebody lets you go when they have right of way, you should obviously thank them but in the test how should you do this? Usually I'd just give them a little gesture with my hand, but would I get marked for this in a test since I'm taking my hand off the wheel?

All depends on the situation, if you're driving along and the traffic is moving smoothly then I wouldn't stop traffic to let a vehicle turn right. If the traffic was stop start then I would develop a gap ahead of me and let the car turn, without beckoning them on.

Secondly, it again depends on the driver. If you have a learner who needs all their concentration and control to do the turn then acknowledging another driver may effect car control so should be avoided.
Having said that a nod of the head or small wave of hand,once steering isn't compromised, wouldn't be an issue.

Raymond

Steer well clear (excuse the pun) of letting other drivers go during your test. Simply don't do it. I don't know if there's any actual rule against it, but you could be accused of holding up traffic on a main thoroughfare. You are also allowing for potential complications in a scenario that doesn't need any further complications. Don't bother thanking anyone either in the test situation.

When I did my test (a long time ago) a guy in a van flashed his lights and beckoned me through a right turn junction (off braemor road) and confused, I ignored him. He flashed again and beeped and in my confusion I ended up inching forward a bit into the yellow boxes, then I changed my mind and stopped......on the yellow boxes....all a total mess. Needless to say I failed.

DubVelo

1. On your test, don't go flashing people or waving your hands around because it's not the 'correct' way to do things. And no letting anyone on ahead, take the right of way if you have it (assuming it's safe to do so).

2. On my test someone flashed me to go ahead as I was waiting to make a right turn across the road. All I did was make a note of it to the examiner as I was turning and say "I know that lady had the right of way there". He just said "Yeah, you're grand, that's fine.". No problems.
It might not be absolutely correct but you can't account for other road users and you're supposed to be making progress.

ProudDUB

Agree with the other posters. During your test, do not let other cars in to the road, if it means that you have to stop, or slow down to do so. It may seem like the polite thing to do ( and fair play to you if you do it during your day to day driving) but if you do it during your test, you will get marked down for failure to proceed/not making adequate progress. If you have the right of way, just keep on driving.

Obviously, if you come across a situation where an obnoxious driver sticks his car so far out into oncoming traffic, that you have no choice but to let him in or hit him, that is different. But if it is just the bog standard situation, where you have the right of way and another car is waiting where he should be to turn onto your road, keep on driving and do not let him in. Sometimes, to pass your test, you gotta be a bit of a selfish dick.

biko

Indeed, of you have right of way - you go.
Don't be friendly and stop and let others out, let someone who isn't doing their test be friendly.

If you have right of way and stop you will be marked on progress.

cruizer101

Yeah I'd agree with others here, take your right of way and don't let others out, this is actually a pet peeve of mine, people unnecessarily letting people out, bar in slow moving traffic or maybe with awkward vehicles everyone should take their right of way, but anyway I'm going off topic here.

The other one is tricky, if someone stops to let you out technically I think you shouldn't go as they have right of way however there is no point in the two of you holding up traffic. I know testers are meant to be objective and all but I think this one could just depend on the tester you have

miss no stars

cruizer101 wrote: »

Yeah I'd agree with others here, take your right of way and don't let others out, this is actually a pet peeve of mine, people unnecessarily letting people out, bar in slow moving traffic or maybe with awkward vehicles everyone should take their right of way, but anyway I'm going off topic here.

Well isn't that lovely. Bar in slow moving traffic? Plenty of times traffic can be moving constantly at high volume and it sure ain't slow moving but it'll be a long time before they get a gap. And what about someone ahead who's turning right across you and traffic is backed up behind them and your direction is flowing freely but no gaps? Just feck them all is it?

And yeah, in the test, feck them. It's not your problem during the test. But manners don't go astray the rest of the time!

DubVelo

miss no stars wrote: »

And yeah, in the test, feck them.

Glad we can all agree the test is not real driving.