Reversing from your driveway

[Robmac]

He hit my car that was actually rolling off the drive (hardley moving) If he was driving with care he would have seen the car and stopped instead he hit the car and claimed my wife hit him you could see by the damage he had hit our car . As he was on the main roed we where held resposible so watch what youre doing pulling off the drive if you get hit you are held responsible. Twenty miles per hour road.

Unfortunately, that is where the insurance will always come down on his side. It's his right of way, and as far as they are concerned your wife pulled out in front of him. The main reason I started this thread really.

I don't know about this particular incident, but there is a certain element of society who look for situations like this and will deliberately crash into you knowing they will win the case because technically you were in the wrong. A dash cam is not much use in this case either unless it's facing sideways.

 

[Robmac]

I would do the 3/15 point turn in the drive if I had the chance, but alas no.
I have to reverse out, and get wifey to direct me when its clear to do so, however we live on a quiet residential road so this is a lot easier, albeit it is used as a rat run for the mothers at school times.
Yes, I think we all had a clue that reversing onto a main road was illegal,but I always asked myself what is deemed as a "main" road in certain residential area scenarios.
I will mention that on top of the reversing out problems, imagine if your residential road was also full of parked cars making it almost impossible to get out in the late or early hours. a problem I know some funsters have to deal with this problem.
I find it more annoying to say the least that parking laws are ignored or that the drivers are totally oblivious as to where its legal to park on a road these days, in some cases blocking views on blind bends or brow of hills, just because its outside their house, its fine!
Observations:
They park the wrong way round so that their reflectors are not facing on coming traffic.
They park with two wheels right up on the kerb, not allowing enough wheel chair access.
They park too close to a junction, or even on it!
They park either side of the road effectively making the road a one way road at night.
They drive onto any grass verge (cars & commercial vans) ruining the grass leaving massive ruts (council informed, but cant do anything about it).

Its a free for all parking these days as no one cares, and its not policed enough, except in towns where its a good money earner for the councils.

Les

I have to agree, especially about the parking.

We took our dog to the vets on Monday and a lady had parked her car so far up the kerb that it was impossible to even walk by let alone get a wheelchair or push chair by. I was praying for a traffic warden to appear as it was also on double yellow lines, but alas you can never find one when you want one.

A few years back, my daughter lived in a house with a drive alongside a public car park (pay and display). One day a woman parked on her drive and wandered off not returning for 3 hours. My daughter challenged her and all she could say was "What's the harm, the car park was full and I need to do my shopping".

At this point I intervened before my daughter flattened her. After explaining that she had blocked my daughters car and mine on her own drive for 3 hours making it impossible for my daughter to do her shopping she simply shrugged her shoulders.

I further explained that if she did it again her brand new Audi may need a paint job.

 

[PhilMary]

I would do the 3/15 point turn in the drive if I had the chance, but alas no.
I have to reverse out, and get wifey to direct me when its clear to do so, however we live on a quiet residential road so this is a lot easier, albeit it is used as a rat run for the mothers at school times.
Yes, I think we all had a clue that reversing onto a main road was illegal,but I always asked myself what is deemed as a "main" road in certain residential area scenarios.
I will mention that on top of the reversing out problems, imagine if your residential road was also full of parked cars making it almost impossible to get out in the late or early hours. a problem I know some funsters have to deal with this problem.
I find it more annoying to say the least that parking laws are ignored or that the drivers are totally oblivious as to where its legal to park on a road these days, in some cases blocking views on blind bends or brow of hills, just because its outside their house, its fine!
Observations:
They park the wrong way round so that their reflectors are not facing on coming traffic.
They park with two wheels right up on the kerb, not allowing enough wheel chair access.
They park too close to a junction, or even on it!
They park either side of the road effectively making the road a one way road at night.
They drive onto any grass verge (cars & commercial vans) ruining the grass leaving massive ruts (council informed, but cant do anything about it).

Its a free for all parking these days as no one cares, and its not policed enough, except in towns where its a good money earner for the councils.

Les

Just a quick point TinaL, if you can drive in forward you can reverse in also, it's only practice. Generally speaking, reversing is more manoeuvrable as you are using rear wheel steering, plus your visibility is better when driving forward into the road.
Phil

 

[PhilMary]

I have to agree, especially about the parking.

We took our dog to the vets on Monday and a lady had parked her car so far up the kerb that it was impossible to even walk by let alone get a wheelchair or push chair by. I was praying for a traffic warden to appear as it was also on double yellow lines, but alas you can never find one when you want one.

A few years back, my daughter lived in a house with a drive alongside a public car park (pay and display). One day a woman parked on her drive and wandered off not returning for 3 hours. My daughter challenged her and all she could say was "What's the harm, the car park was full and I need to do my shopping".

At this point I intervened before my daughter flattened her. After explaining that she had blocked my daughters car and mine on her own drive for 3 hours making it impossible for my daughter to do her shopping she simply shrugged her shoulders.

I further explained that if she did it again her brand new Audi may need a paint job.

This happened to a friend of mine, with the help of a couple of mates they pushed the offending car out into the middle of the road and left it there causing no end of traffic problems.
Phil

 

[Ivory55]

Often planning is granted on the basis that vehicle must enter and leave in a forward gear. So that might have some bearing on who is in the right. Also I was brought up to all ways leave your motor facing the right way to go home and a lot of places now have a reverse parking policy. Last thing you would want to do is run over a little kid running along the path when you reverse out.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[gus-lopez]

The only way to ensure that the driver on the main road,who has priority, is to stop him. Drive your car up to the bend so visble from both directions,hazards, on slewed right across road. lock it & leave it .wife goes other way to stop traffic. Reverse out into road.If you have 2 vehicles ,block it by slewing both ways. Be prepared for the knob heads on bikes/m/bikes so be prepared to off them.

 

[tonyidle]

are using rear wheel steering

You aren't - you are placing the non-steering wheels where you want them leaving the difficult final positioning to the front (steerable) wheels. Think parallel parking.

 

[busby]

A friend of mine asked me the other day if I knew that it was illegal to reverse from your driveway.

I have looked at this before and I think that my findings were that whilst it is not actually illegal, it is generally advised against by the Highway code and the motoring organisations. I wonder though if an insurance company would find in favour of a motorist on the main highway against somebody reversing a motorhome from a driveway?

My van does have reversing beepers, but we live fairly close to a bend and the cars do tend to come along there at high speeds despite it being a 30 limit.

I am lucky enough to have a drive large enough to do a 3 point turn on and so can always drive off forwards. (Not that we have a massive drive or anything, but the whole of our front garden has been converted for parking rather than gardening!). In practice though, I tend to go in forwards because it is a narrow lane and it can be a bit of a faff reversing in near the bend, and sometimes it would require moving other vehicles to do a 3 point turn on the drive to go out forwards so I just reverse out.

Any comments please?

Why not reverse in,,I always reverse in anywhere especially in car parks.BUSBY.

 

[tonyidle]

This happened to a friend of mine, with the help of a couple of mates they pushed the offending car out into the middle of the road and left it there causing no end of traffic problems.
Phil

If you live in an area with these problems carry a few A4 self-adhesive labels printed with a suitable (non-identifying) message. It takes but a moment to apply it (centrally drivers side) but at least 30 minutes to remove.

 

[Robmac]

Why not reverse in,,I always reverse in anywhere especially in car parks.BUSBY.

I do sometimes, but depends on my mood!

It's a narrow road and when I approach my drive if there is other traffic I prefer to just drive straight in so as not to hold people up. I also like to get as close to the house as possible so that the dog can hear if anybody is trying to break into the van and the shape of the front of the van blocks out less light than the back which is a bit of a slab.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Puddleduck]

I do quite like the idea of Julie being a Bankswoman though. Might even buy her some Hi Viz and some boots!

Our road is narrow - only just wide enough for two cars to pass.

We do our famous 99 point turn on the drive but I wear hi-vis* and I walk to the gate and check both ways before using the walkie-talkie to tell him it is safe to pull forward to where there is good visibility for all. Some people (one particular truck company and one driver) don't abide by the speed limit and think it is okay to drive on the wrong side of the road where the vehicle is hidden by walls and hedge.

And yes I have photos and the police have had words but there was no change in behavoiur. One neighbour took direct action and put a crowbar through the truck windscreen (I do not condone that but understand the frustration when a truck regularly drives over a fence and garden where children play.)

*we carry hi-vis in both van and car and have needed them when directing traffic after accidents and waiting for police to arrive. We are "community responders".

 

[busby]

Our road is narrow - only just wide enough for two cars to pass.

We do our famous 99 point turn on the drive but I wear hi-vis* and I walk to the gate and check both ways before using the walkie-talkie to tell him it is safe to pull forward to where there is good visibility for all. Some people (one particular truck company and one driver) don't abide by the speed limit and think it is okay to drive on the wrong side of the road where the vehicle is hidden by walls and hedge.

And yes I have photos and the police have had words but there was no change in behavoiur. One neighbour took direct action and put a crowbar through the truck windscreen (I do not condone that but understand the frustration when a truck regularly drives over a fence and garden where children play.)

*we carry hi-vis in both van and car and have needed them when directing traffic after accidents and waiting for police to arrive. We are "community responders".

It is the law to wear hi viz in Spain if you exit the van on a trunk road or motorway.BUSBY.

 

[Spriddler]

If one is sufficiently competent to reverse out of a drive (virtually blind into traffic) I cannot see why folk don't stop and reverse into the drive whilst they are in view of or in a position of 'command' over the oncoming or the following vehicles.

 

[Ivory55]

How many times have you seen people struggling to get in a narrow gateway. Why on earth don’t they widen the entrance or drive.

 

[swiftsteve]

Why not reverse in,,I always reverse in anywhere especially in car parks.BUSBY.

Not so clever if you have a trolley full of shopping to put in the boot.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Yorick]

I have to agree, especially about the parking.

We took our dog to the vets on Monday and a lady had parked her car so far up the kerb that it was impossible to even walk by let alone get a wheelchair or push chair by. I was praying for a traffic warden to appear as it was also on double yellow lines, but alas you can never find one when you want one.

A few years back, my daughter lived in a house with a drive alongside a public car park (pay and display). One day a woman parked on her drive and wandered off not returning for 3 hours. My daughter challenged her and all she could say was "What's the harm, the car park was full and I need to do my shopping".

At this point I intervened before my daughter flattened her. After explaining that she had blocked my daughters car and mine on her own drive for 3 hours making it impossible for my daughter to do her shopping she simply shrugged her shoulders.

I further explained that if she did it again her brand new Audi may need a paint job.

It's illegal to block somebody from leaving their drive. But not illegal to stop someone entering their drive.

 

[TheBig1]

We live in a cul-de-sac with very tight parking. I have to drive onto our drive so it puts the hab door opposite the house door for access. The other side is within an inch of our boundary.
I always have a banksman/spotter to reverse, and back onto my neighbours drive opposite and drive out. We have great neighbours

 

[busby]

Not so clever if you have a trolley full of shopping to put in the boot.

It's only 12 foot from the from The front of my car to it's boot.Not an impossible task.BUSBY.

 

[busby]

If one is sufficiently competent to reverse out of a drive (virtually blind into traffic) I cannot see why folk don't stop and reverse into the drive whilst they are in view of or in a position of 'command' over the oncoming or the following vehicles.

I can't believe the number of drivers that drive into supermarket parking bays.They have to reverse out so why not reverse it when they have all round visibility.BUSBY.

 

[Spriddler]

I can't believe the number of drivers that drive into supermarket parking bays.They have to reverse out so why not reverse it when they have all round visibility.BUSBY.

Being a smart-arsed goody-goody I drive into a parking place but choose a spot where I can continue forward into an empty one in the same block, thus pulling out forwards after loading. (Where's a smug emoji when you need one?)

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Reallyretired]

Both swmbo and myself always reverse in and come out forward. Never thought of doing otherwise.
There are a lot of people who do reverse out of their drives around here, I assume just useless at driving. Some even do it on the main road with the white stick technique expecting traffic on the road will give way even though they have right of way, doesn't happen much.

 

[gus-lopez]

Not so clever if you have a trolley full of shopping to put in the boot.

I reverse in everywhere. Even in the underground car parks backing on to a wall. when I come out I just pull the car forward ensuring there is no room for a muppet to attempt to get past & load it in the boot . Reverse car back in ,take trolley back & return & drive off. Same in the motorhome.I never leave myself in a vulnerable position whereby I cannot drive off forwards in a split second.

 

[Rosemary1]

Where I live I have to stand other side of the lane looking like I am watching tennis to direct hubby out driving forward! It’s a quiet single track lane in places with corners either side of our property and people still race up and down it.

Impossible to reverse out of safely although hubby is great at reversing normally.

 

[tonyidle]

It's only 12 foot from the from The front of my car to it's boot.Not an impossible task.BUSBY.

In many supermarket car parks it is impossible to safely wheel a trolley between parked cars and if one manages that part there's nowhere to put it whilst unloading. I reverse park everywhere else but cannot understand the mentality of those who do it in supermarket car parks and risk trolley damage to adjacent cars.

 

[Mark and Mindy]

In many supermarket car parks it is impossible to safely wheel a trolley between parked cars and if one manages that part there's nowhere to put it whilst unloading. I reverse park everywhere else but cannot understand the mentality of those who do it in supermarket car parks and risk trolley damage to adjacent cars.

I reverse park the car just about everywhere, I find it much easier to come out forwards than reversing although in theory it shouldn't be so hard. My shopping all goes onto the seat/floor in the back behind the driver. After all I have to be able to open the driver's door to get in, so putting shopping bags into the back isn't a problem, I can get 2 on the seat behind (back of middle seat is down to enable dogs to see forwards) so the bags don't fall sideways, 1 or 2 on the floor. I rarely have more than that. No getting the trolley between cars, no problem.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Robmac]

If one is sufficiently competent to reverse out of a drive (virtually blind into traffic) I cannot see why folk don't stop and reverse into the drive whilst they are in view of or in a position of 'command' over the oncoming or the following vehicles.

One is.

However as stated earlier, I prefer to get out of the way of traffic whilst the road is busy. That way one can give a regal wave to the happy serfs as they pass along their way from my position of command.

 

[busby]

In many supermarket car parks it is impossible to safely wheel a trolley between parked cars and if one manages that part there's nowhere to put it whilst unloading. I reverse park everywhere else but cannot understand the mentality of those who do it in supermarket car parks and risk trolley damage to adjacent cars.

Never do enough shopping to need a trolley.. All our shopping is in bags so no problem to us..BUSBY.

 

[tonyidle]

I reverse park the car just about everywhere, I find it much easier to come out forwards than reversing although in theory it shouldn't be so hard. My shopping all goes onto the seat/floor in the back behind the driver. After all I have to be able to open the driver's door to get in, so putting shopping bags into the back isn't a problem, I can get 2 on the seat behind (back of middle seat is down to enable dogs to see forwards) so the bags don't fall sideways, 1 or 2 on the floor. I rarely have more than that. No getting the trolley between cars, no problem.

You miss the point. It is impossible to get the trolley to the rear of the car and usually impossible to stand behind it to load the car. My car has no rear seats and no rear doors.

This discussion smacks of trying to prove a point. It is, given the normal supermarket car parking arrangements, difficult or impossible to approach the rear of a reverse-parked car to unload shopping from a trolley. That is a simple fact that depends only on the particular parking system. There are various ways to overcome the problem for an obsessive reverse-parker none of which is particularly convenient. A supermarket carpark is unique in that most people on foot or in a vehicle are aware that cars will reverse from their parked positions and drivers in aforementioned atrociously parked cars are very aware of what might be behind them. In any other circumstance reversing from a parking location is foolish at best and dangerous at worst. At supermarkers it's de rigeur for the reasons mentioned above.

 

[Kingham]

You miss the point. It is impossible to get the trolley to the rear of the car and usually impossible to stand behind it to load the car. My car has no rear seats and no rear doors.

This discussion smacks of trying to prove a point. It is, given the normal supermarket car parking arrangements, difficult or impossible to approach the rear of a reverse-parked car to unload shopping from a trolley. That is a simple fact that depends only on the particular parking system. There are various ways to overcome the problem for an obsessive reverse-parker none of which is particularly convenient. A supermarket carpark is unique in that most people on foot or in a vehicle are aware that cars will reverse from their parked positions and drivers in aforementioned atrociously parked cars are very aware of what might be behind them. In any other circumstance reversing from a parking location is foolish at best and dangerous at worst. At supermarkers it's de rigeur for the reasons mentioned above.

I am an obsessive reverse parker and I totally agree, if loading my estate car, or getting the dog in or out of the back required it, I would park nose in.

 

[Robmac]

Never do enough shopping to need a trolley.. All our shopping is in bags so no problem to us..BUSBY.

I try not to get involved in shopping if I can possibly help it, but if I do I tend to park as far away from the shop as possible so I am away from other cars. That way I hope to get a space where trolleys or car doors are not going to take chunks out of my paintwork.

Why is it though, that no matter how empty the car park is, somebody will always park next to you?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}