smeggy wrote:
What could I do if I notice an approaching driver unable to stop in time when I’m stopped at a busy junction? Do I pull out hoping I don't get hit by anyone on the carriageway, or do I stay put in the hope the shunt doesn't push me too far into the carriageway, or else?
Firstly you approach the junction in such a way that you're giving plenty of warning to following traffic. You watch the following traffic to ensure that it is also slowing. If not you slow down more and earlier leaving space in front for escape.
Secondly you might be in the position of stopping with nothing behind, and needing to move up to the line to get a view. Now if later something turns up behind, unable to stop, and you can't pull out into crossing traffic ahead, you are in real trouble. There's no obvious escape plan. You might well be better off barging into a small space ahead than getting hit from behind. You would have to be guided by conditions. You might honk and flash and hope to make a bit of space in the crossing traffic by generally looking like a loonie.
Thirdly you might be in a similar position to 'secondly' above, except in this case you really don't need to move right up to the line. You could stop 10 feet back and watch for your gap. A zillion roundabouts permit this. You can give a gift of ten feet to the non-stopper behind if he turns up.
Fourthly we have to consider the 'restart' problem. You have stopped (probably at a roundabout) so has chummie behind. Chummie behind sees an approaching gap. He likes the look of the gap. You don't. He goes straight into the back of you. The usual circumstance here is that you have given a false signal to the chap behind. Perhaps you creapt forwards as if you were getting ready to take the gap. The golden rules are: Don't miss good gaps. Never start to move before you are certain that you are going.