Too many idiots on the road!

Lithian

Your initial examples could have been avoided by the person driving having better situational awareness. Sitting in the drivers seat you usually have 3 mirrors to tell you whats going on behind you and you should be keeping tabs on the drivers infront and to the side as well. Its a bit overwhelming for a new driver but after a few years it becomes natural and you should notice stubtle cues that another driver is about to do something daft

With regard to the people storming up from behind on the motorway you should be able to identify someone moving fast from about a 1/2 mile away, if you are doing 70mph and they are doing 100mph this gives you a full minute to decide if you really want to overtake the car in front doing 68mph or hold back and let the other guy pass without incident. Let the police deal with speeding, don't put yourself in harms way!

In your shoes i'd rather be driving, I know i notice danger better than some of my family and feel really uncomfortable with them driving.

Strider590

Wkdwill wrote: »

Last month, on the motorway in the fast lane doing the speed limit when this idiot in his fancy !!! car came steaming up behind us, flashing his headlights, beeping the horn at us, when DH wouldn't move into the next lane the idiot undertook us, opened his window and called DH a w*nker (with his hand) then drove off, within 15 seconds you couldn't see him ahead.

Don't care how fancy the car is, if he had room to undertake, then you had room to get out of the fast lane.
You can't just sit there ignorantly saying "im doing the limit, he can wait", your just causing an impatient driver to make a dangerous manoeuvre which could potentially have caused a serious accident.

He was in the wrong, yes.... but defensive driving should be employed to help ensure these people don't hurt others.

It's like if someone is overtaking, you don't speed up to stop them do you? think about the innocent oncoming car full of children on the way back from school!!



Anyway... yes too many idiots, that much I do agree with! Police are coming round tonight to take a statement and see my in car footage of some idiot cutting me up and slamming on his brakes.

Inactive

Wkdwill wrote: »

Sorry, my bad, this is what happens when I try to type and talk to my 3 year old at the same time, my brain turns to mush.:D

More likely you are attempting to discuss a topic over which you have no real hands on experience.;)

I should stick to the back seat if I were you.

michaelvintner

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Ah other drivers, if i get a impatient/incompetent/aggressive/plonker driver behind me thats the last place i want them so i make it as easy as pie to get by me, and then once said thing is in front i give them plenty of room.

Don't worry about idiots and don't hinder them, if they arrive early at oblivion and leave the gene pool before contributing the better for all of us.

Exactly. Better to arrive 5 minutes late and still alive than risk your life to get there 5 minutes early.

Let the plonkers through. Keep your distance and when they slam into the back of something you will have plenty of time to stop.

TiTheRev

zfrl wrote: »

Especially true if you ride a motorbike! You have to also assume everyone is out to try & kill you!

Motorbikes and bicycles receive a similar irrational hatred from most motorists...thus I also assume I am a target for most cars when I am out cycling, even though I am also a regular driver and consciously courtious to 2wheel or 4wheel road users...as should all

Wkdwill

I wont be defending myself any further, I was merely saying that through experience as a passenger has put me off wanting to drive.

It doesn't help that DH can be quiet stubborn when it comes to other drivers in the wrong, it could be just his reaction to situations that make me see things as worse than they are. I think the fact that he used to ride a motorbike before that makes him like he is.

I shall also remember im not allowed to call people idiots.

Wkdwill

Inactive wrote: »

More likely you are attempting to discuss a topic over which you have no real hands on experience.;)

I should stick to the back seat if I were you.

I cant my bums too big to fit between the kids car seats:rotfl:

Hammyman

Wkdwill wrote: »

I cant my bums too big to fit between the kids car seats:rotfl:

If you apply such humour to things that others do when you're driving, rather than getting too worked up over it, you'll be fine.

All any of us can do at the end of the day is drive as best we can and do whatever we can to accommodate the lack of ability of those around us. An IAM advanced driving course would teach you the things you're currently worried about lacking.

michpotts

Yes there are a lot of idiots on the road, and I can understand how the OP feels and I feel people have been a bit harsh to be honest. Being aware that you are surrounded by people in charge of a ton of metal that could kill you is scary and daunting at times and I can forgive a few sarky comments about other drivers.

As a non-driver it is very easy to comment and I would second the opinions that the OP has a lot to gain from getting some experience herself.

I would also agree that you have to drive defensively, keep your cool and assume that other drivers are going to do stupid things. Love the gene pool comment! None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes. There is a reason why some people drive for years/miles and never have an accident. Concentrate instead on YOUR driving and how you can be better instead of thinking about how you can "educate" others. That's not your job!

This is where me and my husband have blazing rows in the car. There's a main road near to me where it merges into one lane and some people don't give way where they should. My hubbie would let a collision happen because "they are in the wrong" and "I had right of way". I, however want to keep me and my kids safe and let the "idiots" in because I'd rather have them in front where I can see them better. Doesn't stop me papping my horn at them though!

Don't let it put you off driving. Find a good instructor who will give you confidence and knowledge and you will see it differently.

moonrakerz

TiTheRev wrote: »

bicycles receive a similar irrational hatred from most motorists...

Yes I entirely agree, it is entirely irrational to hate people to who ride on the footpath (better known as the pavement), ride through red lights, ride down one way streets the wrong way, ride in the dark without any lights, ride across pedestrian crossings - yes, totally irrational !

:D