Why do drivers speed up and close the gap when you try and change lanes?!!

Lum

jase1 wrote: »

OK so they want to keep a safer gap due to poor brakes, then at the first sign of irritation they tailgate?

That example would be the very definition of dangerous driving -- driving too close when they know fine well their vehicle isn't up to the task of stopping.

As I said, "not excusing or defending". The person's response is indefensible.

Also, who said their vehicle isn't up to the task of stopping? Some vehicles stop quicker than others, people tend to drive to the characteristics of their own vehicle, so what might be a safe following distance for an unladen BMW M3 may be less than half the safe following distance for an Austin Allegro that has just passed an MOT, but has a boot full of concrete slabs.

jase1

Lum wrote: »

Also, who said their vehicle isn't up to the task of stopping?

The clue is in the part where you mentioned people driving older cars with poorer brakes.

If they're compensating for this fact, then tailgate as a result of being annoyed by another driver, it's not unreasonable to state that the vehicle isn't up to the task, else there would be no reason to compensate in the first place.

Lum

They're not compensating for an illegal fault with their vehicle. They are driving to the conditions. So long as the vehicle meets certain standards it is still roadworthy.

The conflict arises when a driver of a higher performance vehicle assumes that everybody can stop as quick as their car can.

NBLondon

Bongles wrote: »

I'm not sure if it's what you meant but it reads as though you might have started to move over as soon as you signalled, rather than signalling and holding position, waiting for cooperation from the driver behind?

I think you're right Bongles - look at the next line from the original post.

timbotambo wrote: »

so I indicate and start to move over slowly. Traffic about 50mph at this point. IMMEDIATELY as I indicate this pillock in a Merc C-Class floors the accelerator to close the gap. I'd already started to move so just carried on anyway

which suggests OP has looked then indicated and moved together. So the Merc thinks "what a nob" and decides to be a bigger nob by closing the gap.

A variant I often see is when the gap is less than a car length and someone needs to change lane. Some people indicate and wait for a sign that the car behind is pausing or holding back to create a gap. Some people indicate and immediately start drifting over to the gap that isn't there yet. That usually makes me think "what a nob" - but it makes other people close up and start competing.

A signal can mean "I am moving to the left/right" or "I intend to move to the left/right". A lot of drivers use it to mean "I am moving there - make way"

adouglasmhor

I had an almost incident today, on the m73 link between the flyover at the M8 junction 8 and joining the M74 at J4. wanted to move into middle lane, looked it was clear, large gap, indicated and looked again, as soon as I started to pull out a Scottish Power service vehicle floored it to cut me off.

Hope he was amused I just pulled back in and came out after him instead Still got to work on time and in the knowledge that I was not the biggest knobber on the road this morning. I ended up directly behind him on Airbles road in Motherwell, so all his bollox got him one place further up in the queue.

Wongsky

NBLondon wrote: »

I think you're right Bongles - look at the next line from the original post.
which suggests OP has looked then indicated and moved together. So the Merc thinks "what a nob" and decides to be a bigger nob by closing the gap.

A variant I often see is when the gap is less than a car length and someone needs to change lane. Some people indicate and wait for a sign that the car behind is pausing or holding back to create a gap. Some people indicate and immediately start drifting over to the gap that isn't there yet. That usually makes me think "what a nob" - but it makes other people close up and start competing.

A signal can mean "I am moving to the left/right" or "I intend to move to the left/right". A lot of drivers use it to mean "I am moving there - make way"

I see that whole indicators and start moving, whether or not, with trucks on motorways and dual carriageways. Less so with coaches, curiously.

Tiggy10

I used to live in Aston for 3 years, so I know that road very well. I also know thats not a one off. People in Birmingham, I feel, do not get quite the high standard of driving lessons as other parts of the UK. Either that or they ALL choose to drive like T**TS

prowla

My guess is that they are fed up of people trying to cut in at the last minute.

Lum

Tiggy10 wrote: »

I used to live in Aston for 3 years, so I know that road very well. I also know thats not a one off. People in Birmingham, I feel, do not get quite the high standard of driving lessons as other parts of the UK. Either that or they ALL choose to drive like T**TS

In my observations over the years, driving standards seem to be inversely proportional to population density, e.g. Londoners are the worst.

To be honest, this is probably just a case of as things get more congested, people have more to lose so get more competitive and selfish.

Bongles

NBLondon wrote: »

That usually makes me think "what a nob" - but it makes other people close up and start competing.

I agree.

NBLondon wrote: »

A signal can mean "I am moving to the left/right" or "I intend to move to the left/right". A lot of drivers use it to mean "I am moving there - make way"

Correctly, it can only mean "I intend to move to the left/right". You're right - a lot of people use it to mean "I am moving to the left/right".

If the OP did start to move immediately they signalled, I'd be interested in their thoughts on what value the signal added.

adouglasmhor wrote: »

I just pulled back in and came out after him instead Still got to work on time and in the knowledge that I was not the biggest knobber on the road this morning. I ended up directly behind him on Airbles road in Motherwell, so all his bollox got him one place further up in the queue.

Quite. When I want to change lanes, rarely do I care exactly which vehicles I change lanes behind or ahead of. I just care that I get to change lanes soon.