Turning Left - Leaving Room For Cyclists

Psychosis

Hi guys,

I recently failed my DT in Rathgar due to accumulation of grande 2.

I received 4 for one issues, position when turning left.

The tester said when preparing to turn left I was leaving too much space on the inside.

"You're approaching left turns too wide. There was enough space for a bike or maybe even a motorbike to try to go past you on the inside and go straight on. You should be all the way to the left to block bikes from coming up your inside".

I didn't receive any observation faults so was clearly checking my mirrors before turning.

Is blocking the lane the correct thing to do?

I had not heard this from my driving instructor or pre-test instructor and it isnt on the RSA website. http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/rules-for-driving/good-driving-practice/road-position.html

Worth appealing do you think?

Alanstrainor

It sounds harsh to me.

No you are not supposed to be thinking about blocking anything when driving. However it is possible that you were too wide regardless. It's hard for us to know what your positioning was.

Best just reapply and get the test done again. By the sounds of it, you'd pass easy.

moleyv

When I did my test years ago my instructor kept telling me to keep as far left as possible. His example was to imagine there were double yellow lines and drive at the edge of them sort of distance.

I didn't do my test where you did but my instructor said the two testers where I was were hard on that. Never gave the block cyclists reasoning though.

It makes sense to me anyway, rather than being close to the centre line, allow for emergency vehicles etc.

seamus

Yes, pulling left when you're planning on turning left is good roadcraft, because you're asserting a greater level of control over the manouver. If there's room for someone to overtake on the left, then you have less control over the situation than you could have.

http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/rules-for-driving/junctions-roundabouts/junctions.html

Turning left from a major road to a minor road
...

Keep as close as you safely can to the left-hand edge of the road, using your mirrors to watch for cyclists or motorcyclists coming up on your left.

...

Make the turn, keeping close to the left-hand edge. Do not hit or mount the kerb.

Is it harsh? Perhaps. But the fact that you were marked on it four separate times indicates that he saw an issue specifically in the way that you take left-hand turns. That is, that it wasn't a momentary slip-up, but a core part of your technique.
As said above, it'd hard for us to say without having been in the car. And again, as said, if this was all he picked up on then it should be straightforward for you to correct it and fly through the test next time.

Note: the only real exception to this rule is where there is a cycle lane with a solid white line on your left. You must keep out of this lane. Makes the manouver trickier, but them's the rules.

Psychosis

Alanstrainor wrote: »

It sounds harsh to me.

No you are not supposed to be thinking about blocking anything when driving. However it is possible that you were too wide regardless. It's hard for us to know what your positioning was.

Id usually just be in the centre of the lane, wider that most id say but he did specifically give the reason for the fault as too much room on the inside for someone to try and pass. I didn't ask him specifically he volunteered it.

moleyv wrote: »

It makes sense to me anyway, rather than being close to the centre line, allow for emergency vehicles etc.

I can understand that as good practice but does it warrant a grade 2 fault?

seamus wrote: »

Is it harsh? Perhaps. But the fact that you were marked on it four separate times indicates that he saw an issue specifically in the way that you take left-hand turns. That is, that it wasn't a momentary slip-up, but a core part of your technique.
As said above, it'd hard for us to say without having been in the car. And again, as said, if this was all he picked up on then it should be straightforward for you to correct it and fly through the test next time.

Note: the only real exception to this rule is where there is a cycle lane with a solid white line on your left. You must keep out of this lane. Makes the manouver trickier, but them's the rules.

To be honest im a cyclist as well and cars that unnecessarily block off the edge of the road instead of being in the centre is extremely frustrating.

Maybe that's biased my thinking and im being overly generous leaving space.

Still seems harsh for a grade 2 fault

Alanstrainor

If you have said your position is wider than most, then that is that. It shouldn't be. Easy mistake to fix.

Psychosis

Alanstrainor wrote: »

If you have said your position is wider than most, then that is that. It shouldn't be. Easy mistake to fix.

Yeah I can drive like that and block the road unnecessarily, but I had always thought it was preferential to leave space if possible for cyclists to pass.

I purposefully don't block the inside if I don't have to and suppose im surprised thats standard driving.

seamus

Psychosis wrote: »

To be honest im a cyclist as well and cars that unnecessarily block off the edge of the road instead of being in the centre is extremely frustrating.

It is on the straight, but before a left turn it's necessary.
I do more cycling than driving in reality and when driving I will pull left and block the road ahead of a left turn, provided that I'm moving or I'm one of the first 3 vehicles at the lights. And I tell family to do the same.

Allowing space for people to pass on the left is inviting trouble. Same reason why as a cyclist you should cycle in the middle of the lane where the road is narrow rather than squeezing yourself against the edge to "make room". Make room when it suits you, not when it suits someone else.