Right of way for me means ensure in your best possible manner that you don't slow down any other vehicle (or cause them unnecessary trouble) in the process of maneuvering YOUR vehicle for all these reasons I can think of:
- Joining a main road
- Taking a U-Turn
- Stopping to pick or drop someone
- Allowing a pedestrian to cross the road
- Avoiding a Puddle or a Pothole
- Crossing an Intersection
- Negotiating a round about
- Negotiating a Hair pin curve
- Passing a Narrow road
- Managing overtaking on single carriageway roads
Joining a main road:
I have noticed many people coming at good speed, stop in a way that half of their bonnet is already protruding on a lane and then see Left-right and join the main road. Do this gradually and you know how easy it becomes for every one of us. Another set of morons are those who don’t want to lose momentum (they hate downshifting) and just join the main road expecting the rest of the traffic to either slow down or change their lanes.
Ideally, It is always better to approach the main road at a slow pace, pause for a couple of seconds (Yes you can use this time to slot into 1st), assess the traffic and move ahead and join in a way that you are not going to slow down or cause unnecessary trouble for others.
Be extremely careful for Buses, Trucks, 2 wheelers – They may not be able to brake in time for you
Be doubly cautious for cars – They approach you at a very good speed & its OK to let them pass before you join the main road
More than doubly cautious at nights – You certainly need good amount of experience to judge the approach speed of vehicles at night. I prefer turning on the Hazard for those few seconds as the indicator lights on Fender/Mirror gives a good hint to perpendicular traffic to spot you. As much as possible, keep your beams low (or even on Fog lights) as a sudden flash of light in dark from a perpendicular direction can give shock to the traffic on that regular highway/road.
Taking a U-Turn:
Always ensure to know the location of making a U-Turn. Never slow down abruptly in a manner that the traffic tailing you will be in trouble. The tailing traffic always has the right of way if you intend to make that U-Turn. Keep regular watch on Mirror, give the following traffic a hint about your U-Turn by gradually decreasing your pace, Turn on Indicators for 3-4 seconds and turn it off and again after 3-5 seconds turn it on again – This gives them a hint that you are going to either turn right or make a U-Turn and they get enough chance to change their lanes accordingly
While making that U-Turn, always keep your beams low, and keep the indicators turned on till you finish that U-Turn. The oncoming traffic can spot your flashing indicator from a distance if you are on low beam. They will avoid you in case you become a hero and flash that high beam to warn him and never spot your indicator.
More Importantly: Soon after taking that U-Turn, move left after assessing the mirror and allow that faster moving traffic to pass till you accelerate.
Also, stop your car at an angle at that U-Turn in such a way that its not protruding on either of the lanes (tailing and oncoming).
Stopping to pick or drop someone:
I have had enough fights with my family members many times when I am asked to suddenly stop (STOP!!!Tthat’s the shop I was telling you type situations!). Normally I care a damn to drive ahead and come to a gradual halt and ask them to walk back rather than stop right there when they ask me to. Sorry but I am the last person to Turn on Hazard lights at this juncture to let the world know that I am doing the right thing. As usual, the tailing traffic has the right of way here.
Allowing a pedestrian to cross the road:
This one is tricky for you don’t know whether the pedestrian will decide to continue crossing the road of move back after spotting a faster vehicle next to me. But here as well, Pedestrian has the right of way without doubts. You may have noticed many times how pedestrians try to look at you to ascertain if you will slow down for them or not. I normally wave my hands from inside asking them to cross and at the same time ease on the throttle keeping an eye on the IRVM and hinting others. A sudden braking can cause a disaster here.
Avoiding a Puddle or a Pothole:
This is the worst. I have seen folks quickly changing lanes to avoid a pothole of a puddle of water. But the traffic following you cannot be taken for granted just because you want to save your car from hitting the pothole. Do not swerve to the next lane to avoid a pothole such that the other fella gets a shock of his life. Try your best to slow down in your own lane (It’s OK to start gaining speed all over again than patting your back that you maintained your speeds).
Crossing an Intersection:
Defensive & anticipatory driving works best here and always give right of way first to a moron at intersections. Do not make a mistake of suddenly stopping at the middle of the intersection to let someone pass perpendicularly. Just when you are nearing the intersection, drop your speeds (Than increase it to pass quickly as no one is around), assess the traffic and slowly progress till the end of that intersection.
Negotiating a roundabout:
Again, right of way here for that moron who doesn’t understand what a roundabout is. Gauge from body language and line of path on whether the vehicle will turn right/left or continue straight.
Negotiating a Hair pin curve:
You are not driving a multi axle truck or a AshokLeyland bus. Keep calm & remain in your lane than try to ape WRC Drivers and manage that hairpin curve at good speeds. Always give right of way to traffic climbing up. If required, even stop or back-up if you spot a poor truck struggling to climb one.
Passing a Narrow road:
It’s always OK to show signs that you are flexible to get down the road a bit to let other pass. Give this hint from a distance by slowly moving left rather than pounce on that oncoming vehicle in such a way that you want him to get off the road. Gentleman truckers and Bus drivers and experienced private car drivers will know what I referring to and these are the folks who won’t mind getting down the road to allow the other vehicle to pass.
If you spot a heavy vehicle (Loaded) please get down and allow him to pass. Its not easy for that poor fella to get down and risky as well.
Managing overtaking on single carriageway roads: (Two things here – Overtaking and allowing someone to complete his overtaking)
On a Narrow road, it becomes difficult to overtake a heavy vehicle. They cannot get down immediately to allow you to pass. They need a good stretch where they think you can safely pass. So Honk once, notice from the mirror of the that vehicle if you have grabbed the attention of that driver and he is most likely to acknowledge by either hinting you that “give me some time” or moving left almost immediately. There is no point in unnecessary honking here as it will never work. Patience is the key.
On a road where you spot someone ahead in your lane in oncoming direction because he is overtaking, you can ease on your pedal for a second and create enough gap and allow him to finish that overtaking rather than flash your lights like a hero to ask him to go back. Unless you have to brake badly or have no room left to control, it is always good to be a gentleman here and allow that vehicle to finish his overtaking.