Right of way past parked cars?

Raksha

Near where I live there's a row of terraced houses with 'residents parking' outside but only on one side of the road. Normally, during the week there's sufficient empty spaces for an oncoming vehicle to pass a few cars and pull in to allow another vehicle to pass in the opposite direction, it is possible, just, for two vehicles to pass beside the parked cars.

If you were driving a vehicle on the 'no parking' side of the road, would you have right of way over another vehicle which hadn't started to pass the parked vehicles when you did at the other end?

Who should then reverse if there isn't room to pass?

victor2

Common sense says the car on the "no parking" side of the road has right of way, don't know what the law says though!
There's a road like that near us (was often used during driving tests!) which locals generally avoid if possible. Once the bin lorry has started going down the "wrong" side, they get out of the way for nobody. Quite understandable really and your average car isn't going to win against a bin lorry.

smashingyour...

The person with clear passage has right of way.

terryw

I dislike the term "right of way" in connection with driving. The graveyards of Britain are full of people who thought they had the right of way, and the breakers' yards have many damaged vehicles . In certain circumstances, someone may have priority IF IT IS SAFE.

PasturesNew

The person without parked cars has right of way, but they also have to be aware of what other road users are doing.

But you learn all this when you take your driving lessons/test.

motorguy

smashingyour... wrote: »

The person with clear passage has right of way.

Yes. This is how the law sees it. Even if the other driver started through the gap first, if you drove into him it would be their fault.

Happened my brother.

arcon5

PasturesNew wrote: »

The person without parked cars has right of way, but they also have to be aware of what other road users are doing.

But you learn all this when you take your driving lessons/test.

So we're all told

arcon5

motorguy wrote: »

Yes. This is how the law sees it. Even if the other driver started through the gap first, if you drove into him it would be their fault.

Happened my brother.

Hmmm... really? I suspect this would end up 50:50 or something.

mttylad

The person that has to cross the center line and onto the other side of the road - has to give way to an oncoming vehicle.

Simples.

However it is not always so simple, especially if the person that should give way does not, usually because they are driving a 4x4, Audi, BMW or VW. In that case everyone else that has an inferior car must give way.
Its under section 23a of the IGRTA (ignorant Gits Road Traffic Act) 2010.

Oh - a bus has ROW, a lorry takes ROW - you argue with neither.

Raksha

Thanks folks. I was the one with clear passage in this particular case, was already 3 or 4 parked cars length past the obstruction with cars behind me when the other driver decided he wasn't going to stop and give way. Three other cars then followed him. In order to not cause any confusion, I stopped while they sorted themselves out, as I was further past the obstruction than they were...

PS , yes, I drive a BMW... puts head protection on lol

DUTR

Raksha wrote: »

Thanks folks. I was the one with clear passage in this particular case, was already 3 or 4 parked cars length past the obstruction with cars behind me when the other driver decided he wasn't going to stop and give way. Three other cars then followed him. In order to not cause any confusion, I stopped while they sorted themselves out, as I was further past the obstruction than they were...

PS , yes, I drive a BMW... puts head protection on lol

Thankfully now it doesn't occur too often where one driver gets pig headed , I remember one time I was nearly through a lane on a similar described road, and the other driver decided to approach, when we were in close proximity, I simply got out of the car and got a petrol can out of the boot and walked off, she soon decided to reverse back the two car lengths.