northern drivers....the worst 5287

on 15-03-2005, Brimstone supposed :

Very much so.... In the absence of any better high visibility signal to offer priority at a sensible distance away, I will continue to use a flash of the headlights.

The only other alternative would be to slow right down to an absolute crawl until we have eye to eye, faces to face contact. If I were to do it that way, then it would seriously impede traffic flow and I would then be very reluctant to give priority to anyone simply because it would cause me so very much delay.

For instance this morning....

Long continuous flow of traffic into a city centre on busy narrow two lane carriage-way. Three cars waiting from the opposing side of the road to turn right, with only a very rare risky gap in the flow and holding up the flow behind them. There were still five or so vehicles in front of me before the junction, I pulled out to the right a little, flashed the waiting line of three cars and eased off a little to provide a suitable gap. I tend to pull out in such circumstances, to prevent anyone misunderstanding and attempting to overtake me. Result three cars plus their drivers safely on their way and a long line of held up traffic behind them moving once more.

It was the third time I had done similar within the couple of miles. No confusion, just enough hesitation to make sure I was inviting them to cut across across my path and impeded traffic moving. Cost to me in delays, nil and a nice warm feeling inside for having eased someone elses journey to work a little.

By way of experiment, I changed the habit of a lifetime and avoided the use of a headlight flash to indicate I was offering priority on my return journey an hour or so later. It was a little like suddenly being struck dumb....

I would slow down, I would gesture at a distance with my hands, but not until we were almost in face to face contact did other drivers realise I was offering them priority. This does and would work at 5mph in slow city centre traffic queues, but not in faster flowing traffic and at longer distances.

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Regards, Harry (M1BYT) (L)