Are you one of those idiots who insists on reversing off your drive?

Question

I had three near misses this week and my daughter who passed her driving test in March has been hit by someone reversing off their drive. Isn't it safer to reverse on to drive and the drive off it. Neither me nor daughter were driving over speed limit.

Answer 1

Yes. Except for the reversing off the drive bit.

Answer 2

yes iam one of those As for the near misses,i only reverse when the road is clear although sometimes my road is used by speeders and sometimes by the times i have straightened up the cars are against me and often giving me dirty looks.

   Another factor is my road is used as a cut through road by cars and lorries which is bad enough as it along the road are many young children and two old people's homes so this leads to long waits to cross safely on foot and the same when reversing out and often makes me late even if i give myself extra time.

Why Don't i reverse a few factors one my car has to drive over a step due to my garden being very small so i have to inch forwards as it is to get just off the path by inches.It is also safer for my kids to be close to the door instead of running near the road.Also enough damage is done to the back of my car with scratches and glass bottles thrown at it without the bonnet and windscreen being on hand to them.

So are you one of those folks whom cuts through side roads and doesn't give way to people reversing out,as before you get judgemental do you know there parking circumstances.

Answer 3

I see the same thing and all that I can determine is that the drivers dont have a brain or they are so distracted that they dont care...............

Answer 4

its probably safer, but exponentially harder. especially if you live on a busy street.

Answer 5

It is much safer to reverse onto a drive and pull out,  unfortunately too many are too lazy or don't know this.   The same goes with u-turns,  which would be safest if you turn onto a sidestreet first,  then back into a driveway.  

The advantages of backing in and pulling out are.....

1.   Less traffic on drive you are backing into than on the street

2.   Better view of traffic while on the street than while backing out onto the street.

3.   You spend less time sitting in front of oncoming traffic when pulling out onto the street.   No slow backing,  no stopping to change directions,  a little headstart to get up to speed.  

In short,  you are less likely to get hit!

Answer 6

I totally agree with you. It seems that some people just don't study the highway code. Anyone with a bit of common sense knows that you don't reverse onto a main road. View is seriously restricted which therefore results in a serious accident.

Sometimes I wonder how certain drivers end up getting their pink licences. Seems to me that when they sat their practical test, they followed everything by the book, and as soon as they were told that they passed, all common sense went out the window.

Answer 7

it is lazy, inconsiderate,invalidates insurance and constitutes to careless driving. it really gets on my nerves when a***holes reverse of their driveways

vehicles on the main road have right of way

if you reverse onto a main road and someone drives into you it is you're own fault , you would be completely liable for any injuries or damages caused,

if anyone dies as a result of your actions. you're looking at death by dangerous/careless driving

learn how to do things properly

Answer 8

they are too lazy to rev onto the drive. pill*cks

Answer 9

I'm neither an idiot, nor do I reverse off my drive. Has anyone else noticed how many people don't indicate when they're pulling onto their drive? People just don't seem to pay attention any more when they're driving.

Answer 10

If you live off a major road, then, sure that makes sense... sort of... If you actually can manage to back it in. Otherwise, when I reverse out of my driveway I actually look to make sure no one is coming. Nothing dangerous about it.

Plus if you're a good driver, you can see someone backing out from a mile away. Your daughter was hit because she wasn't paying enough attention because she is inexperienced, as you just told us.

Answer 11

not any more i learnt my lesson also a couple of winters ago it was one morning gonna take the children to school and i had previously driven in to my drive

that morning the car windows was taking forever to clear and i started to reverse out and nearly got clipped so now when i come home i reverse in so yes i agree with you its safer to reverse in to your drive

Answer 12

You MUST watch what you are doing and what other vehicles are doing 100% of the time. If someone's reversing out onto the road be aware and be prepared to stop.

Answer 13

The speed limit has nothing to do with it.  It's easier to pull out onto traffic and back into a parking area but that has no relavance as far as your question.  Safety relies on being defensive and avoiding being hit, especially when the driver like your daughter (not at fault) has a better view and more ways to avoid being hit than the "visually impaired" driver reversing.  I'd like to know where the damage was to your car.  If it's rear of the driver's door, then I can see your arguement.  I'd bet it's not.  I'd be more concerned about my insurance rates instead of polling peoples opinions on whether to pull in or back or out of a driveway.

Answer 14

Some day you're going to die.  You're likely to do it at home, or be carted off to the hospital, retirement home etc. in a vehicle you're not driving.  

That means you'll pull out of your house 20,000 times, but pull in 20,001.    (you started out, you weren't born there.)

Since you pull out less often, that should be the one you do backing up! :)

OK, I'm kidding.  All else being equal, you should back in, so you are backing into the area with less traffic.

Answer 15

Technically, if you are reversing out of your drive onto the road then you are breaking the law.  

You are not allowed to reverse into a main road from a minor (drive) road.

You are allowed  to reverse from a Major to a minor road.

Safer to reverse into a parking spot/driveway, so that you can drive out of a parking/drive way.  Easier to see forward, than it is to see of BOTH shoulders.

Answer 16

First of all I am Not a IDIOT even though you may be. Anyway in WV it is against the law to back oout of your driveway. And also in WV most City Officer will citation you if you back out of your drive. The city of Buckhannon mandates a solid 100.00 fine if you do so.

Answer 17

it isnt the reversing thats the problem its numptys who cant be bothered to check the way is clear before moving the car

Answer 18

Yes, it is illegal, and for the reverser to expect people on the road to give way to them is idiotic.  If you are on the road, you have priority over people driving out of their drives as well as those reversing out.  One of the most dangerous things on the road is when people do things that are not intuitive.  Stopping to let someone make an illegal manoeuvre seesmt me to be a bad idea.