Who is right?

[x-Sonia-x]

Hi

I wonder if anyone can tell me whether i was right or not. Last week i was driving down dual carriage way (A12) doind around 60 mph, traffic was quite solid. i was in left hand lane, traffic in right hand lane was travelling roughly same speed as it was busy. An articulated lorry decided to pull out from the lay-by, i had nowhere to go but it didnt stop him pulling out. To avoid him hitting me i moved over across the centre line, fortunatly the car to my right had seen what was happenin and he too moved over as far as he could which avoided a collision. i dont think i was right to move over the way i did but if i hadnt the lorry would have hit me, even if i had braked drastically i dont think it would have stopped him hitting into the side of me!! And if there had of been a collision would it have been my fault for moving out of my lane??

[daz6215]

This is exactly why we should not sit 2 or 3 abreast with other people so you have options should something like that happen, if someone comes past you in the outside lane and then decides to sit to your offside effectively they have burst your safety bubble , so drop back and regain the gap to the right hand side so you have some where to go should this sort of thing occur, and of course the flip side of the coin is the opposite you sitting in the offside lane down the side of someone with the barrier on the other, meat in the sandwich.

[ROG]

I know that road and how busy it can get with the traffic in lane 2 less than a cars length from each other leaving anyone in lane 1 with nowhere to go and no matter how hard you try to follow the good avice given above, it just ain't realistically possible !!!

I can only suggest that you assume that this will happen and prepare for it by slowing down - those behind will just have to wait - and giving your self time & space to brake.

[daz6215]

I know that road and how busy it can get with the traffic in lane 2 less than a cars length from each other leaving anyone in lane 1 with nowhere to go and no matter how hard you try to follow the good avice given above, it just ain't realistically possible !!!

.

Yep of course would agree with that Rog, it aint always possible because of the tailgating that goes on on today's roads. That's a whole other story!

[crr003]

An articulated lorry decided to pull out from the lay-by, i had nowhere to go but it didnt stop him pulling out.

Was there a biggish gap in front of you?
Was the truck indicating?
Was the truck moving down the lay-by prior to pulling out?
It sounds like on that road he'd be waiting all day to get out. If you left him a bit of a gap he might have assumed you were expecting him to take it?
I see you're interested in IAM or RoADAR. They'll teach you how to look at other road users and anticipate their actions. It's more about preventing things happening than how to deal with them if they do.

[x-Sonia-x]

No there wasnt a big gap infront of me, i do try to make sure there is but jus on this occasion everyone seemed to be extra close. thats why when he started moving out i was left with lil options of what to do, if i had of slowed down i would ave been hit in the back as he was very close.

The truck was indicating but right at the end of the lay-by so wasnt moving, i guess he had been waiting ages and took his chance, unless he jus didnt see me.

It has taught me valuable lesson, coz now i will be extra careful by lay-bys!!!!! its quite strange really coz i always make sure when there is slip road coming onto dual carriageway i make sure i ave options, and move out of the way accordingly.

This episode is probably made me more determined to do advanced, coz i know there is soooo much more i need to learn

[ROG]

This episode is probably made me more determined to do advanced, coz i know there is soooo much more i need to learn

Your posts on this episode tells me that you are already learning - a very good start indeed

[x-Sonia-x]

Thanx ROG

[ExadiNigel]

No there wasnt a big gap infront of me, i do try to make sure there is but jus on this occasion everyone seemed to be extra close. thats why when he started moving out i was left with lil options of what to do, if i had of slowed down i would ave been hit in the back as he was very close....

If I were to be given a choice of two accidents, one where I changed lane to hit a vehicle next to me or one where the vehilce behind went into the back of me I would prefer the vehicle behind to hit me. If only because teh accident would be his fault and not mine!

Nigel

[x-Sonia-x]

Well yesterday I found myself driving on the same A12, but in the opposite direction. I tried my hardest to take in all the above advice and keep the distance in front and behind, and to not let anyone runalong side me in the outside lane. I drove for about 30 miles and in all that time I was not able to do this for more than a minute or two at a time. Simply coz other road users were sqeezin in and out anywhere they could!!!

I will take your advice Nigel, I wasnt happy about moving out of my lane at the time anyway!! But hopefully I wont encounter that situation again!!