Narrow humpback bridge - priority?

[ThunderGuts]

So had an interesting encounter while on tour over the weekend; a lovely bridge in the Brecon Beacons, but it's very narrow (a car width), probably around 50m long and with a slight rise over the brow (and steeper initial ascents). Visibility of the other approach is very limited, so we started over the bridge steadily. As we reached the halfway point a car appeared towards us and continued to drive in our direction before we met approximately 2/3 of the way across for us. There was then a standoff before she eventually attempted to reverse (which went pear shaped repeatedly despite it being a straight line), when she eventually managed to reverse beyond the narrow section of the bridge and where we were able to pass, she then gave a full earful of abuse! I didn't really hear what was said as she sort of exploded into a rant as I rode past, but the cars which had accumulated behind us stopped and started waving arms out of the window at her so presumably her rant continued.

Frustrating, albeit amusing (for me, not her obviously - I suspect her embarrassment at her inability to reverse compounded things) - I'm wondering if there's anything in the HC about this sort of thing? I suppose technically it was slightly downhill (for us) as we were past the brow of the bridge, so maybe that rule applies, but in general if there's insufficient width, it's far more faff to reverse a loaded bike (unless you have a reverse gear/drive) than a car.
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TG.

[Nobby the Bastard]

Think of it as an unmarked crossing. Whoever gets there first has priority.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[stinkwheel]

Nobody has priority.

Whoever was on there first was on there first.

Motorcycles do not have reverse gear, cars do.

Idiots who can't reverse their car shouldn't be on the road.

EDIT: Rule 155 is probably closest.

[doggone]

It's just the same as single track roads where you often have long stretches where even two smaller vehicles can't squeeze past without going on boggy verge or in a ditch.
Usually whoever is nearest the last passing place should reverse but other factors might be another vehicle right behind or towing a trailer.
A bike with no reverse gear is a significant factor but a lot of car drivers don't know about that.
There was an incident locally where a driver rammed a bike stopping suddenly due to sheep on the road, and the car driver said the bike reversed into him at speed.
He also had helmet cam footage so that story coming to light when claim went in didn't work too well.

Often the heart of a dispute is that one of the drivers can't reverse very well but bear in mind that could be for a valid reason like neck problems.

[stinkwheel]

[chickenstrip]

[xX-Alex-Xx]

My first thought was "Fuck em".

That didn't change. Let them rant, just cos they can't look more than 3 feet in front of their car to check for traffic on the bridge, and then can't reverse in a straight line isn't your problem.
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DILLIGAF

[Keithy]

I fail to see common sense in ‘give way to vehicles coming uphill’, surely it is harder to reverse uphill than to drive forwards uphill?

What’s that all about?

[to v or not to v]

[doggone]

[Pete.]

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Build up enough speed and jump over the bitch
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[Islander]

[Easy-X]

Ironically living in a suburban area one has to live with such things on a daily basis, the roads being artificially narrowed with all the parked cars. And what works most of the time* is whomever has the easiest/closest passing place gives way. Occasionally there's some dickhead who could reverse 2 car lengths to your 10 so that's where you just take quiet revenge and perform the manoeuvre as slowly as possible

*Mostly this is a car vs. car issue.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Islander]

[MCN]

This is why savvy Americans use the privileges of Concealed Carry.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Keithy]

Thanks for the replies, I was only reading it in the context of the OP, so in a Mexican standoff, reverse uphill, not reading it properly, i.e. both of you looking where you are going as you approach one another, then priority to the uphill.

[ThunderGuts]

Some interesting replies. As for the idea of jumping the car . . . maybe not on a fully loaded VFR.
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TG.

[xX-Alex-Xx]

[MCN]

[recman]

I rather suspect the op has unfortunately encountered a 'local' who owns the bridge in question.

[Ste]

We need to see the bridge on Google Street View.

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Priority goes to the person with the strongest bladder.
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Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[ThunderGuts]

[Ste]

Rule 144
You MUST NOT

• drive dangerously
  
• drive without due care and attention
  
• drive without reasonable consideration for other road users.

Law RTA 1988 sects 2 & 3 as amended by RTA 1991.