Rude gestures from another motorist

Electro_Magnet

Hi all,

I've been driving only a few months but feel like a confident and safe driver. Today I had an experience which I cannot understand and which shook me up, so I'm looking to get your advice and hear if you've had similar experiences.



I was driving to somewhere I hadn't been before, and approached a roundabout. I have been taught to stay in the left-hand lane unless otherwise required, and that it is standard practice to be in the left-hand lane if going straight ahead at a roundabout. On the road sign approaching the roundabout, straight ahead was marked at the 12 o'clock position (if that helps).



Approaching the roundabout there were two lanes, and thus I was in the left-hand lane. However, just before getting to the roundabout, road markings said my lane was 'left only'. This would have taken me onto a motorway, which I didn't want.



Realising that I was in the wrong lane, I indicated that I wanted to get into the right-hand lane. It was about 11.30am, and not particularly busy. There were no cars behind me in the left-hand lane, and maybe 5 cars queueing in the right-hand lane.



A silver car in the right-hand lane held back, allowing me to get into the correct lane. As the silver car let me in, I could hear someone behind blasting their horn. It was not the driver of the silver car, so I didn't think anymore of it. As far as I was aware, I had made a safe maneuver - I did not cut anyone up, and it's not like I was trying to jump the queue or anything.



Having gone straight ahead at the roundabout, the road opened up into two lanes. Then (about 30 seconds after the roundabout) a small van pulled alongside me - we were doing about 40mph. He starts honking his horn. A bearded middle-aged man with a baseball cap was staring into my car, scowling at me. Both his hands were off the steering wheel as he was gesticulating 'backwards' - I can only assume back to the roundabout. He then made a series of obscene hand gestures at me and sped off.


I was really surprised / shocked. I've never experienced that kind of rudeness from another motorist before, and I don't even understand what I could have done to upset him.



What do you think - was my maneuver of changing lanes at the roundabout really bad? How do you deal with these kinds of situations?



I was fortunate to have a passenger with me who told me to let it go and continue safely, which I did.



Any advice, similar experiences and opinions of the situation much appreciated. Thanks!

twhitehousescat

your passenger was correct , ronnie pickering has taken a job driving a van

GunJack

This is one of those "just get used to it" scenarios that a new driver will build experience of dealing with over the coming years, unfortunately...

TooManyPoints

Welcome to the world of motoring!

JackeeBoy

When my little brother was learning how to drive, I always told him the most important thing about driving is to be confident. I'm not talking about arrogance or trying something you're not comfortable doing, but drive how you want to drive and don't feel pressured by anyone else.

There's a roundabout I go past daily and in my 4 years living where I am, I have witnessed at least 5 accidents. It's a little be difficult as most cars exiting are is on the following exit and cars are going at speed. Every now and again I would get beeped for not following the other car out, but not going to take any risk.

One accident I witnessed was when a car in front of me, after beeping the car in front of him, followed the car on the right out. The car on the right suddenly stopped and the guy in front of me got hit quite badly.

In short, people are idiots, get used to it and don't let it affect your driving

martinthebandit

The correct response in such situations is to smile sweetly and blow them a kiss.

AdrianC

Electro_Magnet wrote: »

I was driving to somewhere I hadn't been before, and approached a roundabout. I have been taught to stay in the left-hand lane unless otherwise required

On a multi-lane road, yes, absolutely.

and that it is standard practice to be in the left-hand lane if going straight ahead at a roundabout.

Not that simple...
Look at the signage and markings, and think about where most traffic's going to be going. Get in the most appropriate lane. That may not be the left.

On the road sign approaching the roundabout, straight ahead was marked at the 12 o'clock position (if that helps).

Approaching the roundabout there were two lanes, and thus I was in the left-hand lane. However, just before getting to the roundabout, road markings said my lane was 'left only'. This would have taken me onto a motorway, which I didn't want.

There y'go - in that situation, a lot of the traffic would be going left - so you could have guessed you'd want to be in a more central lane.

If you tell us which roundabout, which direction, we can walk you through streetview and give you a bit more indication of where the clues lay.

Realising that I was in the wrong lane, I indicated that I wanted to get into the right-hand lane. It was about 11.30am, and not particularly busy. There were no cars behind me in the left-hand lane, and maybe 5 cars queueing in the right-hand lane.

A silver car in the right-hand lane held back, allowing me to get into the correct lane.

That's considerate driving on his part. Good for him.

As the silver car let me in, I could hear someone behind blasting their horn. It was not the driver of the silver car, so I didn't think anymore of it. As far as I was aware, I had made a safe maneuver - I did not cut anyone up, and it's not like I was trying to jump the queue or anything.

Having gone straight ahead at the roundabout, the road opened up into two lanes. Then (about 30 seconds after the roundabout) a small van pulled alongside me - we were doing about 40mph. He starts honking his horn. A bearded middle-aged man with a baseball cap was staring into my car, scowling at me. Both his hands were off the steering wheel as he was gesticulating 'backwards' - I can only assume back to the roundabout. He then made a series of obscene hand gestures at me and sped off.

I was really surprised / shocked. I've never experienced that kind of rudeness from another motorist before, and I don't even understand what I could have done to upset him.

Lucky you for not having come across people like that before. There's a lot of them about...

Sometimes, it's the smallest imagined slight that'll set them off. Just smile inwardly and ignore them. Don't engage, and don't let them get to you.

What do you think - was my maneuver of changing lanes at the roundabout really bad? How do you deal with these kinds of situations?

The r'a'b? A bit more forethough, and a bit more experience, will help you realise that it's rarely as simple as hard and fast rules imply.

I was fortunate to have a passenger with me who told me to let it go and continue safely, which I did.

Your passenger, I take it, has more driving experience?

Loanranger21

Don't let it get to you. Your passenger has the correct attitude, carry on safely. There is always someone who has never made a mistake and who is The Best Driver In The Whole World.

elsien

Some drivers are irrational idiots. Sound like you had the misfortune to meet one of them. I tend to a nice wave rather than blowing them a kiss although the more sensible approach is just to clock they are being a tosspot then ignoring them.

mollycat

"What do you think?"

I think I'm absolutely dumfounded (and happy for you), that you have reached the age you can learn to drive and pass your test without realising that the world is absolutely jam packed with ashholes like this.

Ignore them wherever you can, on the road, in the pub, in the workplace. If they can't be ignored, deal with them in an assertive way.

TLDR; Don't let idiots effect your wellbeing.

eamon

It can be interesting driving in different places. Roundabouts can be tricky/difficult junctions to navigate. Road side signs can be ambiguous when matched to the road markings, directional signs get obscured by large vehicles and/or trees. Locals get used to the prevailing conditions and visitors are left to wonder who designed such chaos.