You are driving in a busy urban area and plan to turn left into a side road. A cyclist is travelling straight ahead on your nearside (left), and pedestrians are waiting to cross the mouth of the side road. In what chronological order should you execute the following actions to comply safely with the UK Highway Code (Rules H2, H3, and the Mirror–Signal–Manoeuvre routine)?
- 1Check your interior mirror and left door mirror to assess the position and speed of the cyclist.
- 2Signal left in good time to clearly communicate your intention to turn.
- 3Decelerate smoothly and hold back behind the cyclist to avoid cutting across their path.
- 4Pause at the junction entrance to give way to pedestrians waiting to cross or crossing the side road.
- 5Complete the left turn into the side road once both the cyclist has cleared the junction and pedestrians have safely crossed.
Answer
The correct sequence is: Check interior and left door mirrors -> Signal left in good time -> Decelerate and hold back behind the cyclist -> Give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross -> Complete the left turn once the path is clear.
Safe driving requires strict adherence to the Mirror–Signal–Manoeuvre routine combined with the Hierarchy of Road Users. The driver must first observe mirrors to locate the cyclist on the nearside, then signal intention in good time. Speed must be adjusted to hold back behind the cyclist to avoid cutting across their path (Rule H3). At the junction mouth, the driver must yield to waiting or crossing pedestrians (Rule H2) before finally completing the turn once all paths are clear.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Integration of the Mirror–Signal–Manoeuvre routine with the UK Hierarchy of Road Users (Rules H2 and H3) when turning across the paths of cyclists and pedestrians.
Estimated Time:1m 30s