Harris Driving School. Crossroads

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Byron Willis
5 years ago
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1 Crossroads General When two roads cross, the junction is called a crossroads. In most cases, one of them is a major road and the other is a minor road. But not always: sometimes both roads have equal status. Many skills you have already learned turning left and right from major to minor roads, and emerging from minor to major roads (peep and creep etc) are relevant to crossroads. Spotting Crossroads You could easily miss a crossroads. Whichever direction you approach from, your road appears to carry straight on. So you have to look out for road signs and for markings running across or to the side of the road ahead, as well as for other tell-tale signs such as a break in the line of buildings or parked cars. The markings tell you if you are on the major or minor road and who has priority. Road markings Look out for the stop and give way road markings; running across the road ahead of you = you're on the minor road = stop or give way running to the left and right of you = you're on the major road = you have priority 1

2 Road signs Vertical bold line = you're on the major road = you have priority Horizontal bold line = you're on the minor road = stop or give way. Both lines bold = roads of equal importance, no one has priority. Treat with great care. Controlled and uncontrolled crossroads The two types of crossroads are known as controlled and uncontrolled. At a controlled crossroads, one road has priority over the other. The controls take the form of road markings (give way and stop lines), traffic lights, and yellow boxes. The traffic lights and road markings show who has priority. [Note that the only time you can wait in a yellow box control is when you want to turn right into a clear road, but you are prevented from driving on by a stream of oncoming traffic. If your exit road is not clear, you cannot enter the box.] 2

At an uncontrolled crossroads, no one has priority. Imagine what a crossroads is like when the traffic lights fail. That's one example of an uncontrolled crossroads.

- If you are travelling straight ahead on the major road, you have priority over traffic on the minor road.

3 At an uncontrolled crossroads, no one has priority. Imagine what a crossroads is like when the traffic lights fail. That's one example of an uncontrolled crossroads. Some crossroads are permanently uncontrolled. There are no traffic lights and no road markings. You should be ultra careful at an uncontrolled crossing. Who has priority? - If you are travelling straight ahead on the major road, you have priority over traffic on the minor road. - If you are on the minor road and wanting to travel ahead, left, or right, you must give way to traffic on the major road. - If you are travelling straight ahead or turning left, you have priority over traffic coming in the opposite direction that wants to turn right. - If you want to turn right, you must give way to traffic coming in the opposite direction that's going straight ahead or turning left. 3

- If you want to turn right, you have equal priority with traffic coming in the opposite direction that wants to turn right. Deciding how and when to make that turn can be tricky.

Move forward with care using the peep and creep method. o You can turn right behind each other, known as offside-to-offside.

4 - If you want to turn right, you have equal priority with traffic coming in the opposite direction that wants to turn right. Deciding how and when to make that turn can be tricky. Here are a few ideas: o You can turn right in front of each other, known as nearside-to-nearside. Your vision is less good because the other vehicle is between you and oncoming traffic. Move forward with care using the peep and creep method. o You can turn right behind each other, known as offside-to-offside. Your vision is much better because you can see the road ahead and the road you're turning into. Nearside-to-nearside offside-to-offside Both types of turn are valid. You have to judge the road to decide which is best. At small junctions, you may have to pass in front of the other vehicle because there's no room to pass behind (probably the most common method). If the other driver has already positioned their car to pass in front of you, you have to do the same. Some crossroads have markings in the road that tell you to pass in front of or behind the other vehicle. Look out for and obey them. Positioning When you turn left or right at a crossroads, follow the normal rules for road position. A. When you travel straight ahead, you take the shortest route. This is usually to the left of the carriageway. 4

Instead of just checking to right and left in the sequence right-left-right, you should cover the road ahead. This gives you a new sequence of checks: right-ahead-left-ahead-right.

5 B. But on offset or staggered crossroads (crossroads where the roads are not exactly aligned), move over to the right. Observation Approaching from the minor road You need to adapt the rules you learned about emerging from a minor road at a T junction. Instead of just checking to right and left in the sequence right-left-right, you should cover the road ahead. This gives you a new sequence of checks: right-ahead-left-ahead-right. This simple sequence is the minimum you should do. As always, treat the junction with caution, and only emerge when it is safe to do so. Approaching from the major road Although you have priority, you must still look out for drivers coming from side roads. As you approach the crossroads, check your mirrors, ease your foot off the accelerator, and scan the junction right and left. Do not miss out this procedure. If you follow it every time, you should be able to react safely to anything unexpected. 5

6 Questions: 1. Why isn t it safe to assume priority at unmarked/marked crossroads? 2. What are the rules for a yellow box junction? 3. When you are approaching a crossroads and you are on the major road, why is it essential to look for traffic emerging from the minor roads? 4. How should you normally position to go ahead at a crossroads? 5. What factors would affect the position you choose to go ahead at crossroads? 6. What are the advantages/disadvantages of turning nearside-to-nearside/offside-tooffside if you and an oncoming driver both want to turn right? 6

Answers to Quick Quiz Pupil Handout Pack 1

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