Vent about some drivers

DCFC79

Im just having a vent about drivers i encounter on my way to work. Do some car drivers read a different highway code (eg the 1 where it allows the reader to write they're own highway code) to the 1 i and many others have read to pass our theory test and practical. Reason why i ask is that i see cars with only 1 headlight working which surely is dangerous, then theres a roundabout i use where some car drivers disregard how to use a roundabout and use the right hand lane to straight when the highway code says that the left lane is for going left ad straight on and the right hand lane is for right only. Also is it neccessary for drivers to get impatient, its not written in the highway code so why do it. Is it just me or do others feel the same ?

el_gringo_3

I'm sure the one headlight out thing has got a lot worse the past couple of years, maybe bulb manufacturing standards are slipping...

do regularly see people that don't understand how to use a mini roundabout round here as well, yet are fine at large roundabouts, which I can't quite fathom.

freakyogre

No, it's not just you, but it's unlikely to change sadly!

My sister and I always seem to get the t*ats on the road...only on Saturday I had someone driving head on towards me as they decided to overtake someone on a corner in the dark.

I had the same thing you mention with a roundabout yesterday, I was approaching to go straight on and stayed in the left hand lane and someone decided to try and cut me up in the right hand lane.

Lights out annoys me, but to be fair I think it's quite hard to know yourself when a light is out (unless you have warning lights come on). I know i've had a bulb go before and haven't been aware of it until someone has pointed it out. I do check my lights, but not very often and I doubt very much that many people do either. I personally find people who insist on having their fog lights on all the time more annoying.

We all make mistakes, no one is a perfect driver.

Morgan_Ree

The bit about being in the wrong lane at a roundabout drives me nuts:mad:
Also drivers who insist on driving at 40mph in a 30 zone but will happily contine driving at 40 in a 60 zone!!

freakyogre

Morgan_Ree wrote: »

The bit about being in the wrong lane at a roundabout drives me nuts:mad:
Also drivers who insist on driving at 40mph in a 30 zone but will happily contine driving at 40 in a 60 zone!!

I get this EVERY morning. My route to work goes through a variety of roads, so it goes a bit like this...

Drive along first road, speed limit is 30, cars 90% of the time are driving up my !!!!.
Speed limit increases to 40, cars behind increase speed to 35ish, but no faster.
Speed limit drops to 30, cars appear up my !!!! again and i'd say every other day someone overtakes me.
Speed limit drops to 20, cars that haven't overtaken me get closer to me, so I slow down even more.
Increase to 30, as before. Increase to 40, cars slow down...........you get the picture. It's a free for all when we reach the national speed limit sign!

System

Wrong lane can be very subjective.
On one roundabout that I use the sign shows my exit as straight ahead which should mean that I use the left hand lane.
In reality the exit is nearly 3/4 of the way around the roundabout. I should therefore be using the right hand lane.

The problem now is that people who know the roundabout will be using the right hand lane and people who don't will be guided by the signs and use the left hand lane.

Highway code guidance is all well and good where you have a roundabout as shown in the code. It can be very hard to apply the guidance in reality such as the example that I gave above.

olly300

DCFC79 wrote: »

Im just having a vent about drivers i encounter on my way to work. Do some car drivers read a different highway code (eg the 1 where it allows the reader to write they're own highway code) to the 1 i and many others have read to pass our theory test and practical. Reason why i ask is that i see cars with only 1 headlight working which surely is dangerous, then theres a roundabout i use where some car drivers disregard how to use a roundabout and use the right hand lane to straight when the highway code says that the left lane is for going left ad straight on and the right hand lane is for right only. Also is it neccessary for drivers to get impatient, its not written in the highway code so why do it. Is it just me or do others feel the same ?

It actually doesn't.
There is a diagram that indicates you use the left hand lane but it actually says:

When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

• select the appropriate lane on approach to the roundabout
• you should not normally need to signal on approach
• stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
• signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070338

Gerrard_8_lfc

Roundabouts can be confusing as some indicate right lane to go straight through.

My pet hate is people pulling out on you then going slower ... seriously ???

biscit

freakyogre wrote: »

We all make mistakes, no one is a perfect driver.

I understand this point of view, and it helps in terms of keeping your blood pressure down. But some people seem to use this line to justify their mistakes. Often to justify themselves from only mild criticism. We all make mistakes, but must learn from them and not automatically ignore any advice resulting from them.

On the topic I'd like to observe that there isn't one type of bad driver. Boy racers can have superb lane discipline. Doddery slowcoaches can be all over the place.

barvid

Road markings, layout and signs mean that you do correctly use the right lane for straight on at some roundabouts. There is no hard and fast rule.

Swipe

People only doing 40 to 50mph on 60mph rural B roads and then not slowing to let people overtake on the straight bits