Biggest culprits - inconsiderate drivers?

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Apples2 wrote: »

I do drive a BMW now for my sins (with Indicator pack).

This tickled me greatly

Oh the Audi A3. Bloody horrible things. There's going to be an influx of Fifty Shades fans driving these soon *eyeroll* the good old Submissive Special.

Taxis were the bane of my life on the way to work this morning. No indicators, no spatial awareness, and apparently no brains!

HBS x

almillar

ElefantEd:
We're both wrong - you actually agreed it could be inconsiderate:

Yes, I agree that it can be inconsiderate to drive significantly more slowly than the conditions allow

I can see why you say I'm clutching at straws with the traffic lights, and I'm sure plenty times the person you overtake will be right behind you at the next red light thinking it was a waste. That time it did turn out to be, but other times you do get through. It's progressive, positive driving, an attitude of trying to get places, rather than just thinking you're stuck. That causes queues. So I'm certainly not clutching at straws. It definitely doesn't always pay off, but it does plenty, so it's worth trying.
You're creating your own scenarios too, there's no need. Simply, if you're behind someone and you want to be going faster, plan to overtake. If not, respect the braking distance and get on with your journey. Like you say, nothing to get wound up about, for overtaker or overtakee.
Which brings me to your last point, which seems to be that there's always someone slow up ahead. Fine, overtake again. Overtaking vehicles individually is easier than when they're in a queue. That's a defeatist attitude.

Joe Horner:

But that averages out. Slow drivers are just as likely to make you "miss" a red light as a green one, thereby saving you from having to stop.

No - the slow driver makes you arrive at the junction later. You could have missed several red, green, red sequences. It's not about a red light, it's about being stuck stopped for minutes, when you could have been through the junction already, having stopped or not.

barbiedoll:

People who don't keep up with the flow of traffic are making my blood pressure rise. There's always someone who is checking their phone/reading the paper/putting on their make-up, so that they don't realise when the traffic has started moving. They then crawl along at 2mph to catch up, only speeding up to beat the temporary lights, which I then get stuck at.

I agree with some of this. Sitting stopped and not paying attention, yes. Crawling along at 2mph - if there's nowhere else to go, no junctions coming on, and no green light waiting, I think this is fine. Saves fuel and wear, with less concertina-ing (?) and stopping and starting.

aileth

People who view the braking gap you've left, taking into consideration speed and conditions, as fair game to swerve into, most of the time with no indication. Especially fun in the wet!

People who amber gamble but then end up getting stuck in a hatched box junction and suddenly develop a set of blinkers meaning they somehow can't see you burning a hole into the side of their head.

On the same note, people who block you from coming out of a junction and act as if you aren't there.

Our journey to work is very dependent on the kindness of people letting us onto the main road from a side road. The traffic moves decently, but always backs up due to pure volume. A lot of people are very courteous, but you tend to get the same offenders day-in day-out exact same time who are apparently allergic to letting one car out in front of them.

facade

aileth wrote: »

A lot of people are very courteous, but you tend to get the same offenders day-in day-out exact same time who are apparently allergic to letting one car out in front of them.

I won't let you out if I'm safely behind a nice clean catalyst fitted petrol engine

There is no way I'm going to risk choking behind some stinky diesel in a traffic queue :mad:

On the other hand, if I'm already behind some stinky diesel, I'll keep letting cars out until I can breathe again:cool:

Retrogamer

facade wrote: »

I won't let you out if I'm safely behind a nice clean catalyst fitted petrol engine

How would you know if the vehicle has a cat fitted

facade

Because I can't smell anything

Also most petrol cars have them nowadays, since about 1993 I think.

I can't tell from the front whether the car waiting to be let out is a diesel, so I err on the side of caution

I won't let out 4x4s, vans, lorries, buses either, as apart from the fumes, I can't see through their windows, and I end up driving blind behind them.

Gloomendoom

facade wrote: »

I won't let you out if I'm safely behind a nice clean catalyst fitted petrol engine

There is no way I'm going to risk choking behind some stinky diesel in a traffic queue :mad:

I have diesel, so does my wife. Neither are stinky. The exhaust smells a bit like the exhaust from gas boiler. The tailpipes are clean and shiny inside too.

The benefits of cats and dpf's.

Retrogamer

facade wrote: »

Because I can't smell anything

Also most petrol cars have them nowadays, since about 1993 I think.

I can't tell from the front whether the car waiting to be let out is a diesel, so I err on the side of caution

I won't let out 4x4s, vans, lorries, buses either, as apart from the fumes, I can't see through their windows, and I end up driving blind behind them.

I was playing devil's advocate and was wondering how you'd spot gas converted petrol that's been de-catted.

How do you tell if it's a diesel from the back though? Is it just the black smoke you see or the badges?

facade

You misunderstand, or I'm being too obtuse

I am continually reminded that "No good deed goes unpunished"

If I let somebody out in front of me, they will belch fumes out that choke me, or I have to switch to recirculate and suffer condensation. (I guarantee it, because I have proved it many times )


It matters not how many DPFs and catalysts are legislated*, I will still end up in a cloud of smoke & fumes, so if I am happily trundling behind a car that doesn't smell, I'm not risking losing that just to be nice

*I was under the impression that these did something too, but try following a diesel Mondeo

benham3160

facade wrote: »

You misunderstand, or I'm being too obtuse

I am continually reminded that "No good deed goes unpunished"

If I let somebody out in front of me, they will belch fumes out that choke me, or I have to switch to recirculate and suffer condensation. (I guarantee it, because I have proved it many times )


It matters not how many DPFs and catalysts are legislated*, I will still end up in a cloud of smoke & fumes, so if I am happily trundling behind a car that doesn't smell, I'm not risking losing that just to be nice

*I was under the impression that these did something too, but try following a diesel Mondeo

I'm not sure which planet you're from?

Modern diesels with DPFs (I own petrols and diesels, including a pre-catalyst petrol that runs pretty rich ) emit particulate levels very similar to those of catalysed petrol engines providing the system is working effectively.

I'm not confusing visible smoke with "emissions" which I grant are two different things, but it's been a good long while since I sat behind a diesel engined car pouring soot out the tailpipe. Modern diesels do occasionally "fart" as they go on to boost but it's general for a fractions of second.

Judging by your reliance on recirculation mode coupled with the condensation issue I think it's time for a new "pollen filter" for your car more than anything.