To turn or not to turn?

[Lady Godiva]

Dear All - could any of you 'Advanced' drivers let me know ho to deal with the following scenario please.

I am travelling along a sinlge carriageway, 2 lanes, 1 in each direction. The roas is wide enough so that a car can overtake a parked car, but not 4 abreat. Normal town road, houses , shops, etc.

As I travel down it, I want to park up outside the shop. There is traffic behind, 30mph, all well behaved. But, the shop is on the corner after a side road on the left. The distance from the side road to the shop is about 5 metres.

How do I indicate, use position and speed to show that I am pulling in to the side of the road, not taking the turning. I want to avoid confusing any following drivers, but I'm not sure of the best way. Please note I don't think I have caused massive confusion yet, but I want to drive well deliberately, rather than by chance.

Regards
Sally

P.S. for the purposes of this argument, assume that it is best not to take the turn. Just assume I need to park on the road I'm on, outside the shop.

P.P.S. If you must know, its usually for chocolate

[crr003]

..... I want to avoid confusing any following drivers, but I'm not sure of the best way.

There's no way to avoid confusion. Maybe consider arm signals to reinforce you are slowing down rather than turning left.

To make your dilemma worse - what if there's a car waiting to emerge from the side road?

Should you be trying to park 5m from a road junction anyway? - HC doesn't like it.

I'd park somewhere "simple" and walk...........

[TripleS]

Hmm, if you're wanting to park outside the shop you'll end up being parked too close to the junction you have just passed. I'd go further along and walk a bit.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[James]

Park somewhere else is the bottom line.

However, if you need to park here, use acceleration sense and slow down by NOT braking, gradually. At the second you pass the junction you should have dropped to around 20mph or less, so traffic behind should have guessed "something" is up. As you pass the junction and not a second before it indicate and press the brake pedal so that the brake lights come on but you are braking with minimal force. That way you can moniter those behind you and abort should the car behind react inan adverse manner (i.e keep coming towards you!) Then you can brake and come to a stop.

Its all a bit cack handed but there is no other way to perform this maneouvre. Planning is the critical part, so plan to park elsewhere!

[crr003]

....At the second you pass the junction you should have dropped to around 20mph or less, so traffic behind should have guessed "something" is up.

I know you don't like numbers in AD ( ) but 20 mph is nearly 10 yards/s. So godiva's got 0.5 second to stop!

One second if she's doing 10 mph.

Just don't bother. If the reason to stop is chocolate, a bit of exercise surely couldn't hurt.....

[TripleS]

....At the second you pass the junction you should have dropped to around 20mph or less, so traffic behind should have guessed "something" is up.

I know you don't like numbers in AD ( ) but 20 mph is nearly 10 yards/s. So godiva's got 0.5 second to stop!

One second if she's doing 10 mph.

Just don't bother. If the reason to stop is chocolate, a bit of exercise surely couldn't hurt.....

Careful now crr or you'll be keeping me company in that little black book.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[7db]

Have you considered jamming your hazards on, stopping in the middle of your carriageway and opening the door suddenly, cheerily waving on following traffic to show that they should pass your obstruction?

Seemed to work for the van I was following the other day.

Alternatively...just drive into your parking space, indicating left when you are past the junction, if at all. Your left indicator is of marginal benefit only to the cars behind.

[Lady Godiva]

So godiva's got 0.5 second to stop!

godiva...it's either Lady Godiva, or Sally. You are not too big, you know

Just don't bother. If the reason to stop is chocolate, a bit of exercise surely couldn't hurt.....

Never underestimate the power of chocolate.

Dear cr003, Dave, James and 7db - very good points those. Although it may not be best to park there, I wondered what to do in that type of scenario. There may be times when you have to do it, and I would like to know it in advance.

Thanks for your comments.

Regards
Sally

[crr003]

So godiva's got 0.5 second to stop!

godiva...it's either Lady Godiva, or Sally.

Sorry, speed caused a lack of manners (At least it wasn't an RTC)

You are not too big, you know

Who told you that? That's not true, I'm plenty big!

too much chocolate......

[SammyTheSnake]

I'd use brakes to let those behind me know I'm slowing, but not indicate until after the junction, if at all.

Also wouldn't stop that close to a junction if I could help it :p

Cheers & God bless
Sam "SammyTheSnake" Penny

[Roadcraft]

I'd park where it's safe to do so....ie: further down the road, away from the junction...

I know your story is probably hypothetical to engage a debate..and that's good..

But on a serious note, many drivers don't see it as hypothetical, but instead a daily occurrance.

There'd be driver through schools, shops etc...if many motorists in this country had their way....

Like at supermarkets...I always park well away from the entrance...where the spaces are plentiful........less likely to have my car damaged by an 'no-brainer' opening their doors onto it.....

[OneDragons]

So does the same advice apply to reversing round a corner?

I.e. dont do it?