Bad Road Design causes Bad Driving?

SHIPSHAPE

Absolutely no. (As in bad road design causes bad driving).

Bad drivers are simply that, incompetent, and should think of getting the bus instead and leave their journey to somebody who knows what they are doing.

I have driven all over the UK, in every country and, most probably, in 80% of every major city and town in the UK.

I have encountered challenging road design but overcome it.

(Like in Bristol, where one is in the correct lane for the A4 to Bath from one particular roundabout but the exit for the A4 just appears where it is impossible to leave that exit if following the signs for it!)

Therefore, I went around the roundabout again and used a lane that is not signed for the A4 and this is the only way to get off for that route.

Similar things have happened in loads of places but one overcomes it.

The most popular must be driving in an unfamiliar place where there is a two lane road but to go straight on one must use the right hand lane rather than the left.

Locals will know about it but visitors will not.

Bad drivers are simply bad drivers.

Bad drivers are just worse on badly designed roads.

neilmcl

SHIPSHAPE wrote: »

Absolutely no. (As in bad road design causes bad driving).

Bad drivers are simply that, incompetent, and should think of getting the bus instead and leave their journey to somebody who knows what they are doing.

I have driven all over the UK, in every country and, most probably, in 80% of every major city and town in the UK.

I have encountered challenging road design but overcome it.

(Like in Bristol, where one is in the correct lane for the A4 to Bath from one particular roundabout but the exit for the A4 just appears where it is impossible to leave that exit if following the signs for it!)

Therefore, I went around the roundabout again and used a lane that is not signed for the A4 and this is the only way to get off for that route.

Similar things have happened in loads of places but one overcomes it.

The most popular must be driving in an unfamiliar place where there is a two lane road but to go straight on one must use the right hand lane rather than the left.

Locals will know about it but visitors will not.

Bad drivers are simply bad drivers.

Bad drivers are just worse on badly designed roads.

Couldn't agree more. :beer:

Harry_Flashman

SHIPSHAPE wrote: »

I despair at some motorists!:eek:

So you think the speed limits are always appropriate to the road?

neilmcl

Harry_Flashman wrote: »

So you think the speed limits are always appropriate to the road?

Maybe, maybe not but what makes you think you or any other driver knows better than those who set the limit?

You may be driving down a perfectly straight, clear road with a 40mph speed limit thinking "what the hell" not knowing that road was at one time an accident blackspot which is why the speed was reduced. Why is so hard to accept there's a limit and drive accordingly.

mikey72

Harry_Flashman wrote: »

So you think the speed limits are always appropriate to the road?

How does that work? Do you always think they're not? Do we all get to pick and choose? De-limit everywhere? Personally, right or wrong, I prefer to be driving to the same rules as everyone else at the same time, so if it says 70, I expect to meet someone coming round the corner of the country lane at 70 towards me. If it says 40, I expect to drive at 40, along with everyone else, not feel obliged to do 60 because someone behind me has decided national speed limit is more appropriate, based on what he can see through the back screen of my car.

SHIPSHAPE

Harry_Flashman wrote: »

So you think the speed limits are always appropriate to the road?

It has absolutely nothing to do with me.

As a motorist I have to obey whatever the speed limit happens to be on any particular road, my opinion means diddly.

Put it this way, a cop/court would tell me my opinion means nowt should I ever be prosecuted for speeding.

mikey72

I don't understand the attitude that goes with speeding. It's the only law most people seem happy to break, and actively encourage it in others. And the normal reason is simply because they disagree with it at the time. No one says "it's ok to drive with a few beers, because I'm ok.- I don't need an official licence, as I know I'd pass my test if I took one. - I'm fine without an mot as I check my car myself" and gets the same level of response and encouragement from others. So why is breaking the law with speeding ok with some?

Notmyrealname

mikey72 wrote: »

I don't understand the attitude that goes with speeding. It's the only law most people seem happy to break, and actively encourage it in others.

I think you'll find piracy trumps that.

mikey72

Notmyrealname wrote: »

I think you'll find piracy trumps that.

That took a minute, I was thinking of Pirates of the Caribbean there first.

martinthebandit

mikey72 wrote: »

I don't understand the attitude that goes with speeding. It's the only law most people seem happy to break, and actively encourage it in others. And the normal reason is simply because they disagree with it at the time. No one says "it's ok to drive with a few beers, because I'm ok.- I don't need an official licence, as I know I'd pass my test if I took one. - I'm fine without an mot as I check my car myself" and gets the same level of response and encouragement from others. So why is breaking the law with speeding ok with some?

Its quite simple really, in this country we operate a principle by consent, which means exactly what it says.

This is much easier to achieve when the reason for the rules that are policed are clearly there for the greater good, unrealistic speed limits with petty enforcement are very difficult to justify as being for the greater good and consequently obedience has to be enforced rather than consented too.

An example of petty enforcement is speed cameras, take, for example, a speed camera outside a school. If someone drives past that school at 30 mph at 3:30 on a weekday afternoon they will not be prosecuted for their speed but may be driving far too fast for safety.

Someone else who drives past the same school at 3:30 in the morning at 35 mph may be driving perfectly safely but may very well be fined etc.

Any type of law enforcement which is allegedly for the safety of us all that actually punishes a safe person yet ignores a dangerous one is always going to run into problems. Unfortunately petty speed enforcement is too much of a cash cow.