4 ms·

What do you do when two cars approach each other on a single lane road, with no room for passing?

by ghshephard 10y ago

recursive 10y ago
I don't even know how a human would solve this. I would probably just avoid this road altogether.
- nradov 10y ago
  Have you ever driven in the real world? Those roads are very common in many areas. Try driving in Malta sometime.
  - recursive 10y ago
    Yes. I just don't drive in areas like the one described. I've never driven in Malta, but if I'm ever there, I'll be sure to try driving.
- alistairSH 10y ago
  Uh, no. It happens all the time in Scotland, particularly the highlands. I ran into it in Iceland as well. Generally, the car closest to the nearest spot suitable for passing just reverses to that spot. The other car passes, and they both go on their merry way. Very little in the way of communication required.
  - arethuza 10y ago
    The person who didn't reverse is supposed to wave politely to the person who did reverse - that's the usual behaviour in Scotland. Also its sometimes not just who is nearest who reverses back - sometimes things like corners, size of vehicle, if anyone has a trailer come into the decision making.
    - alistairSH 10y ago
      I assumed "don't be a jerk, wave to the other guy" and "don't make the lorry back up hill and around a curve" were given. :) Of all the places I've driven, I've found Scotland (Perthshire and into the Highlands in particular) to be the most sane. Polite, little drama, and most follow the rules to a T.
- ghshephard 10y ago
  I found it amazing how common this was in India (Kolkata) - and not only were they long roads, with cars parked on both sides of the road, their were some stretches that barely had enough room for one care to get through - as in, I couldn't open the door if the car stopped. I have no idea how a Automated Vehicle would handle this - the humans had to engage in a lot of negotiations if they came into situations in which both cars were approaching each other - particularly if they had cars behind them.
- acomjean 10y ago
  There are a fair number of roads like this in residential massachusetts (Medford and parts of Somerville anyway). Basically one car pulls over in front of a curb cut or where no cars are parked and lets the other car go by.
- davidgay 10y ago
  There's some single-lane Swiss mountain roads, with occasional passing spots. There's a specific rule in the Swiss driving code that the car going up has priority, so the car driving down gets to reverse to the closest passing spot - presumably reversing upwards is less scary, as guardrails may or may not be present... But then there's the extra rule that on some roads if you meet a "car postal" (bus service run by the Post Office) it gets to decide what you do :)
  - hkmurakami 10y ago
    Interesting. I think that's the same rule in hiking as well.
  - Stratoscope 10y ago
    Same uphill/downhill rule here in California. Besides being less scary to go uphill in reverse, you're a lot less likely to get stuck.
monk_e_boy 10y ago
This happens all the time. Generally we look at each other. We make an immediate judgement on who is the better person at reversing and where the last passing spot was. Then one person will reverse while the other thanks him.her profusely. So, quick rule: 1. The man reverses. 2. If two men meet, the man with the shittier car reverses 3. The younger 'boy racer' will reverse and show off their superior skills. This gets super complex when two busses meet, both generally have a line of traffic behind. This is when people have to get out and talk. Ugh, this is the worst. Fuck busses. I suppose this is some sort of game theory, as both partied want to pass as soon as possible. Neither wants to go out of their way too much. They will both come across this situation many times so are pretty much resigned to it happening and that some of the time they will have to reverse. Anyone who doesn't like this will drive to a better road and take a much longer route.
imaginenore 10y ago
Single lane one-way road you mean?

What do you do when two cars approach each other on a single lane road, with no room for passing?

recursive 10y ago

I don't even know how a human would solve this. I would probably just avoid this road altogether.

nradov 10y ago
Have you ever driven in the real world? Those roads are very common in many areas. Try driving in Malta sometime.
- recursive 10y ago
  Yes. I just don't drive in areas like the one described. I've never driven in Malta, but if I'm ever there, I'll be sure to try driving.
alistairSH 10y ago
Uh, no. It happens all the time in Scotland, particularly the highlands. I ran into it in Iceland as well. Generally, the car closest to the nearest spot suitable for passing just reverses to that spot. The other car passes, and they both go on their merry way. Very little in the way of communication required.
- arethuza 10y ago
  The person who didn't reverse is supposed to wave politely to the person who did reverse - that's the usual behaviour in Scotland. Also its sometimes not just who is nearest who reverses back - sometimes things like corners, size of vehicle, if anyone has a trailer come into the decision making.
  - alistairSH 10y ago
    I assumed "don't be a jerk, wave to the other guy" and "don't make the lorry back up hill and around a curve" were given. :) Of all the places I've driven, I've found Scotland (Perthshire and into the Highlands in particular) to be the most sane. Polite, little drama, and most follow the rules to a T.
ghshephard 10y ago
I found it amazing how common this was in India (Kolkata) - and not only were they long roads, with cars parked on both sides of the road, their were some stretches that barely had enough room for one care to get through - as in, I couldn't open the door if the car stopped. I have no idea how a Automated Vehicle would handle this - the humans had to engage in a lot of negotiations if they came into situations in which both cars were approaching each other - particularly if they had cars behind them.
acomjean 10y ago
There are a fair number of roads like this in residential massachusetts (Medford and parts of Somerville anyway). Basically one car pulls over in front of a curb cut or where no cars are parked and lets the other car go by.
davidgay 10y ago
There's some single-lane Swiss mountain roads, with occasional passing spots. There's a specific rule in the Swiss driving code that the car going up has priority, so the car driving down gets to reverse to the closest passing spot - presumably reversing upwards is less scary, as guardrails may or may not be present... But then there's the extra rule that on some roads if you meet a "car postal" (bus service run by the Post Office) it gets to decide what you do :)
- hkmurakami 10y ago
  Interesting. I think that's the same rule in hiking as well.
- Stratoscope 10y ago
  Same uphill/downhill rule here in California. Besides being less scary to go uphill in reverse, you're a lot less likely to get stuck.

monk_e_boy 10y ago

This happens all the time. Generally we look at each other. We make an immediate judgement on who is the better person at reversing and where the last passing spot was. Then one person will reverse while the other thanks him.her profusely. So, quick rule: 1. The man reverses. 2. If two men meet, the man with the shittier car reverses 3. The younger 'boy racer' will reverse and show off their superior skills. This gets super complex when two busses meet, both generally have a line of traffic behind. This is when people have to get out and talk. Ugh, this is the worst. Fuck busses. I suppose this is some sort of game theory, as both partied want to pass as soon as possible. Neither wants to go out of their way too much. They will both come across this situation many times so are pretty much resigned to it happening and that some of the time they will have to reverse. Anyone who doesn't like this will drive to a better road and take a much longer route.

imaginenore 10y ago

Single lane one-way road you mean?