Biggest culprits - inconsiderate drivers?

matttye

Gavin83 wrote: »

Ok. It's not something I've noticed when driving to be honest. I couldn't pick one particular brand of car that promotes bad driving.

Lets assume your right for a second though. There are really two possibilities here. Firstly that its something about the car. I personally can't see how an individual could drive, for example, a Ford and drive like a saint. Upon purchasing their next car, a BMW they then suddenly start driving dangerously and inconsiderately.

Therefore there is the second option, that naturally bad drivers for some reason are attracted to BMW/Audi over other brands. Is this what your suggesting?

It's more likely that seeing any bad driver in one of the cars you have a preconception about is going to enhance the preconception.

So if you think BMW/Audi drivers are bad, then every time you see someone driving those cars it's going to enhance your idea that they are bad drivers, whereas you might be more likely to shrug off bad drivers in other cars.

andygb

photome wrote: »

Thats my biggest "hate" its usually old people or lorries

Followed one today unfortunately. She was doing between 30 and 50MPH in the national speed limit, and then accelerated away from me in the built up 30 zone:eek:

WaywardDriver

alastairq wrote: »

I have yet to see a Ford Focus with a pop-up sign at the back saying ''I'm doing 40 for no good reason''.

Everyone will have a 'reason' for doing what they are doing.

Yes some will have a "good" reason - balancing fish tank on passenger seat - while reason for others is they're inconsiderate. To quote someone more profound than me "A simple way of becoming a more considerate person is to reflect on how your actions affects others, and to think if this is how you would want to be treated."

photome

alastairq wrote: »

Bear in mind, your '40' may not be the other driver's '40?'

But what does it matter, to you, what others do?

As long as you can cope, comfortably, with what they do?


So, are you going to hate yourself once you become old?

Are you going to forma a ''HAte-a-Granny' club?

Or, as the years pass, are you going to make a concerted effort to not do those things you currently find hateful, on the roads?

Wondered when you would appear.

There is no excuse for doing 40mph in a 60 unless conditions dictate (which is rare) it is too slow and no excuse for still doing 40 when you hit the 30 limit.

The person that drives like that has no idea what is going on around them and is a menace.

How do you condone that person breaking the law on both counts

photome

andygb wrote: »

Followed one today unfortunately. She was doing between 30 and 50MPH in the national speed limit, and then accelerated away from me in the built up 30 zone:eek:

Maybe it was mrs alastairq

almillar

alistairq:

Everyone will have a 'reason' for doing what they are doing.

As for pulling over?

I explained a bit what I thought a good or bad reason would be - transporting something fragile is fine, enjoying the scenery is not, if you've got someone behind, two examples.

Where are you expecting me to pull over?
Oh yes, I can stop, all right.....but I will be in your way, and it will be twice as difficult to go round my stationary vehicle, honest....far better to simply follow until an opportunity arises [This is a serious issue those who undergo so-called 'blue light' training have to face.]

Pull over into a layby or somewhere convenient of course. Actually, you're wrong here, even if you just slow down or stop, it would make it EASIER for the people behind you to overtake. You'll actually be less in the way doing this.

The real problem isn't the 40 mph hero...but the one behind, who simply will not overtake, even when slapped in the face with a 5 mile clear view ahead.

I agree with this part - if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. If you're not planning to overtake, back off and leave a gap for the person behind you to overtake into, if he can't do 2 cars at once.

If it's too busy to pass, or too twisty, or the road markings make it prohibitive...then should we actually be going any faster in the first place?

One speed for all? Nope.

As for a concept of 'moving aside' to allow others to pass...as I noted quite early on in this thread....well are we really presenting the vehicle behind with a 'better view?'

If I want a better view, I'll pull out into the other lane to look.

If they are that close they cannot see beyond my vehicle, I wouldn't really want such drivers in front of me......doubtless getting in the way further down the road?

That's not your choice! If I don't want drivers in front of me, I overtake them!

So, if you want to overtake me....I'll simply keep 'my course, and my speed'....[as the HC demands?}

Yep, that's all you're required to do WHILST someone is overtaking. I'm suggesting ways to keep everyone happy by making it easier to let someone perform that manoeuvre.
I don't remember anyone actually asking you to 'move left' - I asked you to pull over, as in stop, or at least slow down, if holding people up. You're not required to, but it would be a courteous thing to do.

alastairq

Wondered when you would appear.

There is no excuse for doing 40mph in a 60 unless conditions dictate (which is rare) it is too slow and no excuse for still doing 40 when you hit the 30 limit.

The person that drives like that has no idea what is going on around them and is a menace.

How do you condone that person breaking the law on both counts

Aaah, I wondered when the supporters of urban myth would appear.

There are a million-and-one excuses for doing '40' in a '60'...especially when , not every vehicle on the roads has a 60 mph limit. It is not for you, or anyone else, to decide whether the person in front is 'in the wrong'.....what the above quote does show is, the driver concerned thinks everybody is doing the right thing, as long as they are doing what that driver wants them to do.

Pull over into a layby or somewhere convenient of course. Actually, you're wrong here, even if you just slow down or stop, it would make it EASIER for the people behind you to overtake. You'll actually be less in the way doing this.

Perhaps you are not visualising the same single carriageway roads as I am?

Slowing down a bit, as suggested.....with constant oncoming traffic? Or, bends where the view ahead is restricted?

Better to 'keep moving', as better progress is to be made?

When was the last time you had a clear path around a stationary vehicle? On a busy, but not very wide single carriageway?

Again, to do as suggested would involve a road which was wide enough to accommodate the stopped vehicle, oncoming traffic, and oneself, with little in the way of obstruction.

If those characteristics aren't met, then a stopped vehicle will create a delay.

Again, we visualise differing roads.....?

f I want a better view, I'll pull out into the other lane to look.

Splendid course of action, just what I would do....[given the right circumstances].

Yep, that's all you're required to do WHILST someone is overtaking. I'm suggesting ways to keep everyone happy by making it easier to let someone perform that manoeuvre.
I don't remember anyone actually asking you to 'move left' - I asked you to pull over, as in stop, or at least slow down, if holding people up. You're not required to, but it would be a courteous thing to do.

Of course, the latter part of my post referred to observations made very much earlier on in this thread...and not by you...but I thought I mentioned something to that effect..?

DigForVictory

Himself, who does not drive & therefore has more time to note marques, has not got a polite word for Audi drivers. Indeed "bet X drives an Audi" is about as nasty a family insult as we've yet come up with en masse.

Most taxis drive like folk possessed by demonic forces & up to a point I can forgive - they're driving to make a living. I do note that some van drivers as almost as hazardous, but are just slightly fewer in number round my way.

Give me a UK based HGV driver every time for predictable courtesy. Even their European counterparts are usually pretty good.

Some women are a disgrace to their gender behind the wheel, but so are some blokes. Were the school run driven unanimously by fathers, I'm not completely convinced we'd all be safer.

It's a bit easy to point at "entitlement" & women drivers, mostly as there's nothing like jealousy to sharpen the eyesight & ire.

The "new" Mini drivers produce howls of anguish from the passenger seat/gunner bay... He can recall the real thing being driven by dafter-than-a-tree-full-of-squirrels types, who managed to accomodate a cold start with clothes pegs as the choke cable lacked the needed friction & generally wrangle it's mechanical vagaries as part of the fun of doing 90 in the wet up Mow Cop. (I'm so glad he survived his teenage years - & wish he'd learned a bit more engineering, but he was largely involved holding the mini in one place whilst spanner & mallet were deployed.) The new folk have no idea of the history & not much more of the Highway Code.

So, Audis, New Minis & taxis are my top 3 vehicles to view with extreme prejudice...

ElefantEd

Following a car doing 40mph for 5 miles, rather than driving at 60mph for the same distance takes you a whole extra 2.5 minutes. And in practice, less than this because you are unlikely to be able to go at 60mph the whole time anyway.

Is it really worth getting into such a tizz for such a short amount of time? Lighten up, you'll enjoy both life and driving a lot more!

BillTrac

I voted Taxi as the worst, but I mean the pre-booked 'private hire' type not the flag them down type.

We have hundreds and hundreds (literally hundreds, as there were a recorded total of 225 two years ago and they breed like rabbits)

Cut corners, speed, stop where they like, ignore no right turn signs, double park, park on yellows, block junctions. Bearing in mind we have a 20mph limit on the majority of our roads in the city it's like the limit isn't relevant to them. :mad:

There are more complaints but these are the first

And since when is an Astra hatchback a suitable car for a taxi? It always used to be Mondeo size so you could get four plus luggage in but not now.