T - Junction Explanation

When travelling down the road, you need to look ahead, assess and identify the type of junction.  

If it is a T-junction, on the opposite side of the road you will see an unbroken line of houses, shops or perhaps trees.

If it is a crossroads you will see a gap opposite indicating that there is a road.

You need to look ahead to the junction for any obstructions or pedestrians and also you need to see whether it is a give way or a stop line.  Either can be identified on approach by road signs or road markings.

You then need to commence the MSM routine. Check into the interior mirror and appropriate exterior mirror and acting on what you see behind give a signal at the correct time.

If you signal too early other road users may misinterpret your intentions. It may seem that you are turning into a driveway or pulling up at the side of the road.

Likewise a late signal may not give other road users time to react to your actions.  

When turning left

Adopt a position one metre or a door’s width from the kerb line, which is the normal driving position.

If you get too close to the kerb your back wheels may cut over the corner and cause a danger to other road users.

If you swing wide from the kerb before turning you are going to obstruct people who wish to turn right.  Remember to take another quick look into the left exterior mirror before moving into the correct position

When turning right

In a two way road:-

You need to be just left of the centre line. Check the centre line is running into the right hand bottom corner of the windscreen and take a quick look into the right exterior mirror to check the position of the car to the centre line.

In a two way narrow road: - (Show on illustration)

When turning right we would take up a position to the left of our side of the road to allow space for vehicles turning into the road from our right

In a two lane one way street:- (Show on illustration)

You need to maintain a position one metre from the right kerb.

Again take that quick look in the right exterior mirror before moving the car.

Speed on approach must be regulated:-

if you  slow down too soon vehicles behind may overtake unnecessarily.

going too fast may result in not stopping in time and you may also not give the vehicles behind time to react.  

If you are intending to stop remember not to depress the clutch until the last possible moment on approach to the junction

The gear you select will depend on the severity of the corner and the circumstances surrounding the junction

e.g.
If it is a CLOSED JUNCTION, with bad visibility, obstructions and pedestrians, you may need to reduce your speed to a walking pace, or even stop -  which would mean selecting first gear as you arrive at the line.

Remember that ‘coasting’ - putting your foot down to early on the clutch as you approach or keeping your clutch down as you make the turn - will cause the car to travel faster and will also mean that you are not in full control.

Ensure that you take your left foot off the clutch as soon as the gear is engaged if you do not need to stop at the line.

For the first couple of attempts at emerging I will talk you up to and stop you at the line. You will secure the car and select neutral. I will then give you a reference to enable you to judge where to pause or stop in the future so that our bonnet is not sticking out over the line.

I can then explain and go through the correct observations with you.

Observations

Once at the line select 1st gear and obtain the bite point and carry out effective observations. You must scan from right to left and then scan back to the right again taking note of everything you see, including pedestrians that might influence your emerging. Keep carrying out this scan until you see a suitable gap into which you can move.

The reason why you look right first is because that is where your immediate danger is coming from.

You scan to the left because there may be obstructions or pedestrians crossing or a vehicle travelling down the wrong side of the road.

You then scan to the right again as there has been a time delay since looking towards the immediate danger.

Once you see a gap approaching from the right and left of sufficient size to allow you to slowly walk across the road without making any vehicle slow down or stop and be prepared to emerge. Always remember as when you were a pedestrian if you have time to walk slowly across or into a new road you should have ample time to drive the same distance.

Eventually you will select the appropriate gear needed to leave the junction as you arrive at the junction. You will then carry out observations as you wait in gear - remembering to apply the handbrake if ‘a pause becomes a wait’ - and only selecting neutral if you are going to have a long wait because of the volume of traffic on the road onto which you hope to emerge.

USE ILLUSTRATION - ZONES OF VISION

If your zones of vision are restricted due to obstructions, then first of all lean forward to increase your zone of vision.

If you still cannot see, edge the car forward on the bite point, with both hands on the steering wheel, to continue to increase your zone of vision. This is called ‘peeping and creeping’. You must be careful however to make sure your bonnet does not protrude beyond the new ‘stop or give way’ line

Whilst doing this remember that you must not cause the vehicles on the main road to brake or swerve and you must always stop with the footbrake - do not take your left hand off the steering wheel until the car has stopped.

Before you turn out of the junction take another quick look into the appropriate exterior mirror.

If the junction was WIDE AND SWEEPING with good visibility, no obstructions and hardly any people milling about and the speed of the car was reduced to a jogging pace - you could select second gear at an appropriate point on approach and if safe to do so, having completed the necessary observations, make the turn into the new road without stopping.

REMEMBER: YOU WILL BE FURTHER FROM THE JUNCTION WHEN YOU COMPLETE YOUR OBSERVATIONS SO THE GAP INTO WHICH YOU INTEND TO MOVE WILL NEED TO BE BIGGER - TO COMPENSATE FOR THE DISTANCE YOU STILL HAVE TO TRAVEL TO THE JUNCTION BEFORE EMERGING

Once into the new road, straighten the wheels, check into interior mirror and act on what you see.

Whilst waiting to emerge, if a pedestrian stepped into the road in front or behind the car you would need to stop and secure the car and give way as their safety is paramount.

Appropriate gear ‘on approach’ and emerging from the junction with the minimum of delay.
As you progress the hand brake need only be applied when ‘a pause’ becomes ‘a wait’

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