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Idiot/dangerous drivers

One of the most dangerous roads I've driven on is the A40 (Cheltenham to Oxford) it's full of slow moving lorries, with people risking their lives every day to overtake them. The joke is, once they are past, they soon catch up to another slow moving lorry. The small amount of time they gain isn't worth risk but that doesn't stop them risking their lives.
 
ks.234 said:
I used to do regular trips to Birmingham. I timed myself obeying to speed limits and driving relaxed, and driving at speed. The difference was always less than 5 mins
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I have found that looking ahead and getting into the best lane in plenty of time means that I usually end up ahead of those who drive aggressively. To amuse myself on longer journeys I sometimes "race" drivers by sticking religiously to the speed limits while doing this and seeing how I make progress compared to them. I frequently pass them several times.
 
Years ago I was working on a building site and the digger driver said to me "Do you know what, you're the only one on this site that takes a wide berth when walking past me" (from behind). I said "I'm worried that if you don't see me and swing the bucket round, I'll be in big trouble". .. I was surprised that others were happy to put their lives in the hands of someone else when they didn't have to... Thinking back I honestly don't understand why others wouldn't act like me instinctively, but they don't and I suppose it makes me the odd one out...
 
fatmarley said:
One of the most dangerous roads I've driven on is the A40 (Cheltenham to Oxford) it's full of slow moving lorries, with people risking their lives every day to overtake them. The joke is, once they are past, they soon catch up to another slow moving lorry. The small amount of time they gain isn't worth risk but that doesn't stop them risking their lives.
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Many drivers seem not capable of thinking further ahead than the next 10m or so, and how to get passed any perceived obstacle to reaching the next 10m
 
Ibbots said:
Many drivers seem not capable of thinking further ahead than the next 10m or so, and how to get passed any perceived obstacle to reaching the next 10m
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Buses are a favourite, commuting to work. Many drivers are surprised when buses stop at bus stops, and then look to pull out. By which time I am already passing them, leaving them stuck. It never seems to occur to them to look for bus stops ahead!
I have ridden motorbikes for years, and thought my anticipation skills were pretty good. Training to be a driving instructor disabused me of that notion! Having to see everything before a learner, and leave time to ask them about what was coming up, time for them to react (or not) and time to correct them as well, certainly showed me what forward planning was really about. I try to drive like that now, even though I have retired, but don't claim to succeed all the time. But I do tend to talk to myself a bit. :D
 
I found cycling to work most days has changed my view on my own driving abilities and made me very aware of the level of ability and awareness generally - neither positive.

One thing cycling through traffic is good for is seeing what people get up to when they should be concentrating on driving - reading phones, texting, eating yoghurts etc, etc
 
A few more which wind me up. (Or they would if I let them.. but I don't because I'm the model of Zen -like inner peace..)

1. People who haven't yet worked out that pulling over to the left, can show the right indicator of the driver in front of you, to the driver behind you, thus explaining why you are unable to move forward.
2. People who park or wait, at the side of the road, facing oncoming traffic, with main or dip beam on.
3. People who refuse, or don't have the 'nous' to put on lights in the daytime when it is pissing down, or foggy, etc.
 
Mullardman said:
A few more which wind me up. (Or they would if I let them.. but I don't because I'm the model of Zen -like inner peace..)

1. People who haven't yet worked out that pulling over to the left, can show the right indicator of the driver in front of you, to the driver behind you, thus explaining why you are unable to move forward.
2. People who park or wait, at the side of the road, facing oncoming traffic, with main or dip beam on.
3. People who refuse, or don't have the 'nous' to put on lights in the daytime when it is pissing down, or foggy, etc.
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Point 2 gets to me too, especially as they’re often parked with two wheels on the pavement.
Point 3, how on Earth has the EU allowed manufacturers to allow a car’s systems to turn on the headlights but not the tail lights when conditions require it? It really isn’t good enough.
 
Mullardman said:
A few more which wind me up. (Or they would if I let them.. but I don't because I'm the model of Zen -like inner peace..)

1. People who haven't yet worked out that pulling over to the left, can show the right indicator of the driver in front of you, to the driver behind you, thus explaining why you are unable to move forward.
2. People who park or wait, at the side of the road, facing oncoming traffic, with main or dip beam on.
3. People who refuse, or don't have the 'nous' to put on lights in the daytime when it is pissing down, or foggy, etc.
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May I add to your list:

People who don’t move to the centre of the road to turn right, thus preventing following traffic from passing on their left until they have made their turn;
People who think their car is a metre wider than it actually is, thus refusing to go through gaps you could get a bus through (sideways, in some cases), or passing parked cars with such a wide berth, they are on the wrong side of the road entirely.
 
More of requests really, but when using hand gestures to say it's ok to cross the road because you've stopped to allow someone to cross. Don't get annoyed when the person can't see you because A: They are visually impaired or B: The lighting conditions make it impossible to see through the glass.
I think flashing the headlights works better in both cases.
 
fatmarley said:
More of requests really, but when using hand gestures to say it's ok to cross the road because you've stopped to allow someone to cross. Don't get annoyed when the person can't see you because A: They are visually impaired or B: The lighting conditions make it impossible to see through the glass.
I think flashing the headlights works better in both cases.
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And don’t forget that in Spain, flashing headlights means the opposite of what it means here. In Spain it means, “I’M COMING THROUGH, GET OUT THE WAY”
 
fatmarley said:
More of requests really, but when using hand gestures to say it's ok to cross the road because you've stopped to allow someone to cross. Don't get annoyed when the person can't see you because A: They are visually impaired or B: The lighting conditions make it impossible to see through the glass.
I think flashing the headlights works better in both cases.
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Wrong. See my question below.

ks.234 said:
And don’t forget that in Spain, flashing headlights means the opposite of what it means here. In Spain it means, “I’M COMING THROUGH, GET OUT THE WAY”
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And what do you think it means here?
 
awkwardbydesign said:
Wrong. See my question below.


And what do you think it means here?
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I think I’m telling the other driver that I’m giving ground, which seems to be universally understood.

Unless they’re Spanish.

But then they always have a large sombrero on the roof don’t they? So you can tell?
 
ks.234 said:
I think I’m telling the other driver that I’m giving ground
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A good rule is that regardless of lights being used on vehicles to indicate anything, always wait for their use to be backed up eg vehicle visibly slows down etc etc...
 
awkwardbydesign said:
Wrong. See my question below.


And what do you think it means here?
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About 15 years ago I was living in Melton Mowbray and there was a fatality for just this. In heavy rain, a car was waiting at a t junction on a long straight. There was a young lad, a salesman at the local lLand Rover dealership, steaming along the straight. He saw the car indicating and flashed his lights as a warning, thinking that there was a risk of the driver not seeing him. The driver thought that he was letting him out, he probably thought that the LR was turning, either way he pulled out and the LR hit him at undiminished speed. Curtains.
 
ks.234 said:
I think I’m telling the other driver that I’m giving ground, which seems to be universally understood.
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Wrong. See below. Flashing headlights should be used as a warning, not as permission. Try reading the Highway Code. And never beckon pedestrians to cross, unless you want to kill them.

stevec67 said:
About 15 years ago I was living in Melton Mowbray and there was a fatality for just this. In heavy rain, a car was waiting at a t junction on a long straight. There was a young lad, a salesman at the local lLand Rover dealership, steaming along the straight. He saw the car indicating and flashed his lights as a warning, thinking that there was a risk of the driver not seeing him. The driver thought that he was letting him out, he probably thought that the LR was turning, either way he pulled out and the LR hit him at undiminished speed. Curtains.
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Sadly, the driver who flashed used his headlights correctly, but why on earth didn't he slow down if he thought there was a risk of the other driver pulling out? Two idiots, by the sound of it.
 
Flashing headlights: “I am here”

Sounding the horn: “I am here”

And that’s all. Not a warning. Not permission of any sort. However, there aren’t any recognised courses for being a great pedestrian.
 
I've always flashed my lights to let people out of junctions etc, so I can see how someone could be confused. I always associate the horn with a warning.

Another thing I don't like (probably an age thing?) is when people flash to say thank you at night (when you allow them right of way etc) usually blinds me for a split second.
 
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