| courtesy? Courtesy is about
being considerate to other road users and not
impairing their progress if we have an
opportunity to help. For example, not queuing
across the end of a side-street so that a waiting
car can turn in to or out from it. Or slowing
down to let a pedestrian cross at a Zebra
Crossing. So what is the proper way to give
courtesy? The first and most important thing is
to be aware of your surroundings. After spotting
an opportunity to be courteous, consider your
speed, the road and weather conditions and
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| the road users
around you. You must decide if it safe and
appropriate for you to be courteous. If you
decide that it is safe, you will usually have to
do little more than to reduce your speed by use
of acceleration sense. A little braking may also
be necessary. In adjusting your speed you are
trying to create enough of a gap ahead of you so
that the other road user recognises an
opportunity for them to perform their manoeuvre
whilst at the same time not hindering your
progress too much. |
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Usually, the other
road user will recognise that you are being
courteous, will take the opportunity and may also
acknowledge your generosity. Well done! But how
could that have been done badly? Firstly, you
flash your headlights or gesture to the other
road user to signal your courtesy. Whilst the
flashing of headlights to indicate courtesy is
common, it is not a recognised signal and should
not be used in this manner. Neither should
gesturing that it is
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safe for the other
road user to perform their manoeuvre because you
are not in a position to be 100% sure that it is
safe. You must leave it up to them to decide.
Imagine the possible legal position of you
inviting a pedestrian to cross at a zebra
crossing and them then getting knocked over by
another car. Would you be partly to blame? Secondly,
bad courtesy is misplaced courtesy. Misplaced
courtesy would be to slow down and invite a car
to 
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