I live next to a main road. It’s a single carriageway with a 40mph limit. There are lots of high hedges, but its dead straight.

I have a small gravel drive, but this is not big enough to turn around a VW camper can.

I have always thought it wrong to back out into the traffic, not helped but there being a 15% slope on my drive up to the road.

So, last week I did my usual manoeuvre: approached the drive from opposite side. Indicated and waited for at least 200m gap in traffic to pull up (facing the oncoming traffic on their side of the road) passed my driveway and indicated to be parked and about to move. Waited for traffic to pass, except it didn’t. A lovely chap in a big new shiny Merc decided to block the other side of the road by stopping on his way passed, and shout at me. I got out and asked what his issue was, and explained that I want to reverse into my drive. He didn’t think this was a good argument and left me standing in a cloud of tyre smoke.

I got back in the van and reversed into my drive, and then had a cup of tea.

Strictly speaking, you are opposing oncoming traffic in it’s own lane, if I’ve understood your manouver correctly. Not really a good idea, but if it had been me I’d have smashed his headlights and not said anything.

Sounds alright to me.

Though I’d maybe approach from the other lane and reverse in from there.

I have always thought it wrong to back out into the traffic

I’m sure it’s against the highway code to reverse out onto a main road so reversing onto your drive is your only option and the safest by the sounds of it. Can you not get your entrance made wider by the council?

This is your only other option:

edit: just ready you reversed across from the other side. Probably best to go past and turn around and do it on one side otherwise you could end up blocking the road for a while waiting for a gap and cause get involved in an accident when someone tries to overtake.

Only other option is pull across to the other side (if clear) in an S shape manoeuvre so you are facing traffic and then reverse in allowing traffic in the direction you are facing to carry on as normal. As you would do if parking in a space on the other side of the road.

Well you are thinking about it right, recently near me there was accident involving someone backing out of their drive, and because they were backing out they were charged with death by dangerous driving. If you need to reverse you always do so into the lesser road, in this case your drive. Of course that’s in theory, I’ve never had to deal with the reality off a busy road, but had enough people nearly back out into me.

End of a day tosspot in a merc, ignore him.

I reckon you do it correctly, and Mr Merc hadn’t taken his meds that day.

I have always thought it wrong to back out into the traffic, not helped but there being a 15% slope on my drive up to the road.

You are correct. Common sense + it’s in the Highway Code.

It’s easy to scan the small area of the drive and check for obstructions, and you have less visibility driving in reverse.

The road contains far more (ever changing) hazards, you need your full forward visibility to join he carriageway.

Every accident I’ve read about with someone being killed by a car coming off the drive (usually some poor kid, often the driver’s own), the car is being reversed.

If you need to reverse you always do so into the lesser road, in this case your drive.

Nicely worded.

Why did you not reverse from thecorrect side of the road?

learn to do this:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UAQNetzY2k[/video]

CharlieMungus – Member
Why did you not reverse from thecorrect side of the road?

Surely that depends on which direction you happen to be arriving home that day? I would do precisely what Andy did, otherwise he’d probably have to drive past, then find somewhere to do a convenient U-turn, then drive back. Whichever way you approach, I’m sure some half-wit will find an excuse to get irritated because his journey has been impeded for all of, oh, I don’t know, thirty seconds, say.
I usually carry a 5-cell Maglite for situations such as this… 😈

You did it the correct way ,that is how it Professional Instructors teach ‘Trainee Driving Instructors’ to reverse into a side road/opening because as you rightly state it is a offence to reverse into a main road(even though thousands do everyday).

Have a pat on the back from me 🙂

what i would do is ensure that if possible no one is comming, at the least you slow early, using a brief flash of hazard lights then appropriate indicators. then block BOTH sides of the road by moving carefully towards and over the centre line. this gives you control over the situation and it should be clear that you are going to perform a strange maneouver. then completely stop level with your drive, ensuring anyone behind you has stopped, put on hazard lights. double check for other users of all sorts, then with a definite, but not excessively quick movement, pull forward the cars length, and reverse into your drive.

obviously, depending on vissibility/conditions (day/night etc) you could choose to abort the maneouver at any time during the set up phase (someone up your a** or fast moving traffic appearing etc.

in this circumstance, safety comes from deffinitive defense, make sure that all other road users appreciate what is going to happen, give them plenty of time to react (because they will not be paying attention, and being “suprised” leads to anger etc!

BTW, the key is using the middle of the road, as this is highly unusual and triggers alarm/action flags in the other drivers subconcious, even before they realise it does. Take a look next time, no one uses the centre of the road for any length of time, so let this help alert others to the abnormal!

it also helps prevent people trying to squeeze past, or think you are swerving/overtaking or something.

its important to fully stop before you move from the correct road position to a centre command one. (both from an insurance point of view if the worst come to the worst and a control /situation stabilising one)

I have always thought it wrong to back out into the traffic

It’s not just against the Highway Code IIRC, it’s illegal to reverse out from a minor to a major (relatively) road.

If it were me though, I’d pass the drive, turn around and approach it from the closer carriageway.

I don’t honk a VW camper will do a handbrake tun but its a nice thought Andyl.

Cougar, I usually don’t come from the ‘other’ side if. Can avoid it.

Sounds like you just had run in with an anal gland.