Annoying Drivers Vent!

DB1904

AdrianC said:

Driving standards are abysmal in this country.

"I'm not speeding and I'm not on the phone, so I'm safe from being nicked, therefore I must be driving safely..."

I've said it before, I'll say it again. RETESTS.

1yr after first test pass.
3yrs after first test pass.
7yrs after first test pass.
Every 10yrs until age 70
Then age-based - 75, 80, 83, 85, 87, then every year.

If you fail, you get one retest within two months.
If you fail or don't take that, you're back to L plates.

Revenue from test fees to cover costs, no more.

Are you suggesting you still drive the way you did when you were a learner and would therefore pass?

Steve182

facade said:

Steve182 said:

1. Is it acceptable to move into the right hand lane on an uncongested dual carriageway almost 1/2 mile before the junction or roundabout at which you plan to turn right, and travel 10-20 MPH below the speed limit for the full 1/2 mile, forcing following drivers who have some kind of a schedule to meet to undertake on the completely clear left lane, when the highway code states that the outside lane is actually for overtaking and that you should have moved over much. much later?

I would say so, yes. 1/2 a mile @ 50 takes 10 seconds longer than @ 70.  Just how desperately late are these drivers that 10 seconds makes such a difference? It will be less than that anyway assuming the 50mph car changes lanes when there is a clear space in the right lane. Then they are going to pass the slower car anyway as soon as they clear the island.....

But why does a slow moving car (eg doing 50 in a 70 limit) NEED to move into the RH lane 1/2 mile or about 40 seconds before a junction on an uncongested road, when the chances of being unable to move to that lane 3/8 of a mile or 30 seconds later are zero?

It matters not whether the car behind will be delayed by 10 seconds or 30 seconds. It's because these drivers are either inconsiderate or oblivious to others. The driving test would certainly fail people for displaying such behavior, so it's not acceptable.

I watched a documentary some years ago. A TV presenter took his driving test again for the TV show. He failed the test  for maintaining only 60mph on the inside lane of a busy 70mph dual carriageway because he was holding up the flow of traffic behind. There is common sense from the DVLA!

I broke my leg last year. Sometimes I had to climb stairs on crutches in pubs or restaurants. I was a lot slower than others behind. People were kind and patient and happy to wait for me, but never once did I just block the stairs with my 1mph pace, I always offered to let them past if I was some distance from the top/bottom. I differ from those driverers because I am considerate to others. Why should others suffer because I'm unable to maintain a reasonable speed?

Steve182

Ganga said:

Steve182 said:

I find it both amusing and often annoying that many (perhaps sometimes the majority?) of drivers behave like sheep. By that I mean they just follow and mimic the behaviour of the majority of cars in front irrespective of road signs or traffic conditions.

Other times some drivers just appear completely clueless. 

Around the Oxford ringroad we seem to have a larger than normal share of drivers who are either like sheep, inconsiderate or just don't have a clue. I call them muppets.

List of gripes that I can think of -

1. Where there are clearly 2 lanes available for a given route (whether dictated by highway code or by specific local road-signs), why am I in the minority in choosing the least congested lane at almost every opportunity? 
2. Is it acceptable to move into the right hand lane on an uncongested dual carriageway almost 1/2 mile before the junction or roundabout at which you plan to turn right, and travel 10-20 MPH below the speed limit for the full 1/2 mile, forcing following drivers who have some kind of a schedule to meet to undertake on the completely clear left lane, when the highway code states that the outside lane is actually for overtaking and that you should have moved over much. much later?
3. Why must drivers stay in the RH lane of dual carriageway or motorway and continue at 65 mph when there is a solitary car 1/4 mile in front doing 63 mph, irrespective of the increasing queue of irate drivers behind itching to undertake?
4. Is it acceptable for a lorry whose speed limiter is out of calibration by 0.1 mph to hold up traffic for 4 miles while it attempts to pass other lorry, whose speed limit is calibrated very slightly differently, but whose driver hates car drivers and refuses to decelerate even slightly to let it pass? 
5. There is a warning of a lane closure 1 mile ahead. 95% of drivers unnecessarily move to the open lane immediately causing the traffic chaos to extend much further back than necessarily. 
   

This is all I can think of for now, Please feel free to add yours!

What about the d-ck heads /flash harry,s in their flash cars who only drive in the outside lane when the inside lanes are empty .

Yes, very good point.

The most annoying type of all are those with some inflated ego who are averse to being overtaken.

I remember one trip on the M40 from London when I really did have to get home quickly, I followed this guy in the outside lane for perhaps 10 miles. He would not move for anything. Finally I gave up and tried to undertake (I avoided flashing lights as I know that usually just makes things worse)  and when I did he just accelerated! 

how I wish I had been in an unmarked police car at that moment!

prowla

I'm following a car, driving at the speed limit.

The car indicates right to turn into a side street and slows down to make their manoeuvre.

There's a car waiting to pull out of the junction, so they wave them to pull out.

But then some oncoming traffic approaches, so they can't do their turn.

So I have to sit there still waiting.

Eventually, there's a gap and they turn off.

Leaving me to go on my way.

I'm sure they think consider themselves to be a polite and considerate driver, but not to the person who they've been holding up behind them by their thoughtlessness.

AdrianC

DB1904 said:

AdrianC said:

Driving standards are abysmal in this country.

"I'm not speeding and I'm not on the phone, so I'm safe from being nicked, therefore I must be driving safely..."

I've said it before, I'll say it again. RETESTS.

1yr after first test pass.
3yrs after first test pass.
7yrs after first test pass.
Every 10yrs until age 70
Then age-based - 75, 80, 83, 85, 87, then every year.

If you fail, you get one retest within two months.
If you fail or don't take that, you're back to L plates.

Revenue from test fees to cover costs, no more.

Are you suggesting you still drive the way you did when you were a learner and would therefore pass?

I'd like to think I drive a lot better than the way I did when I passed (first time - a third of a century ago), thanks to having a lot more experience, and would have zero issue passing again. But I happily accept that I may have picked up bad habits that I ought to lose.

If you think that "driving for a test" is somehow completely different to driving in real life, then I suggest you would probably fail - for good reason.

Username03725

theatretony said:

Username03725 said:

On 4 lane motorways, the brainless idiotic dimwits who normally clog up the middle lane sit oblivious in lane 3 of 4

You missed out lane 2, you should be in the 'driving lane' at all times unless overtaking. 

It was literally in the opening sentence - "brainless idiotic dimwits who normally clog up the middle lane"; these are the people who now disable lanes 2 and 3 (and 1 if it's empty) on 4-lane m/ways with their moronic lack of awareness and apparent belief that the correct 'normal' driving lane is one below 'the fast lane.' Police marksmen on m/way bridges could resolve it. Or freelancers who fancy a bit of easy target practice.

Username03725

Another annoyance is people who take umbrage at being overtaken. It's quite simple - if you drive at significantly below the limit on an open road and it's safe and I don't feel like driving at the limits of your ability, I'll probably overtake you so that I can drive at my own pace and my rhythm, and not have to put up with your brake lights flashing on at every bend in the road however minor, and your dithering at junctions. It's not about saving 4 seconds on the journey, it's about not having to drive behind someone who isn't really up to the task.


I used to drive to work along a country lane that joined a busier country road at a right-turn T junction, then a mile or so on joined an A road at a v busy roundabout and then a few miles up the road met another roundabout. If I was a minute or two late I knew I'd be behind someone who lived round the corner and who who took the kids to school that way. I'd usually pass her if safe to do so on the country lane and then put up with her smug grin as she arrived on my bumper at the junction. In a chance social encounter one day she asked me why I was always in a rush, so I explained it to her thus:

"If I wait behind you at that T I know you'll give up numerous chances to join that road as you need a gap the size of the QE2 before you'll pull out. In that time I can watch 20 or 30 cars go past while you dither and ignore the numerous safe chances to pull out. If I do that I then have 20 or 30 cars ahead of me that have to slot into the busy traffic on the main road at the roundabout, where the majority of traffic is coming from the right, so I'll be waiting there far longer than if I hadn't passed you. At the next roundabout a few miles up the road the exact same situation happens, by which time 100 or more cars & lorries may have got ahead of me coming from the left at the first roundabout. By passing you there in perfect safety I can knock 10 minutes off my journey time"

"Why not leave earlier then?" was her reasonable response.

"Because like you I take the kids to school but theirs is in the opposite direction, and the head has confirmed that I'm not allowed to leave reception age kids unattended outside the school before it opens at 8:30, even if I use my bike lock to secure them to the gate. I cannot begin my journey to work until I've done that."

theatretony

prowla said:

The car indicates right to turn into a side street and slows down to make their manoeuvre.

That is ANOTHER bug bear of mine.  People who indicate to turn but brake before indicating.

The procedure I remember is to indicate your intention FIRST then brake so I know you are braking for the turn you indicated for. Not put your brakes on, then indicate!!

Or even worse, the ones who do not indicate at all on roundabouts/junctions (when necessary) I usually say under my breath 'I'll indicate for you!!!'

BOWFER

theatretony said:

prowla said:

The car indicates right to turn into a side street and slows down to make their manoeuvre.

That is ANOTHER bug bear of mine.  People who indicate to turn but brake before indicating.

The procedure I remember is to indicate your intention FIRST then brake so I know you are braking for the turn you indicated for. Not put your brakes on, then indicate!!

Or even worse, the ones who do not indicate at all on roundabouts/junctions (when necessary) I usually say under my breath 'I'll indicate for you!!!'

People who indicate to overtake a parked car....that's fine (if a little unnecessary).
But then they indicate left to pull back onto their own side of the road...
Why do they do this??
Good job you indicated, mate, I thought you were going to stay on the wrong side of the road forever.

Biggus_Dickus

Every driver will do things that rile other drivers from time to time. Sometimes it’s a justified reaction and other times it’s just a perception issue because said ‘riled’ driver hasn’t understood or appreciated what you did and why you did it.

Anyone who thinks their driving is always so perfect that they never ‘annoy’ other drivers is delusional.

Notwithstanding the obvious motoring nutters of course, but getting yourself aggravated about every perceived misdemeanour committed by other drivers isn’t good for ones blood pressure. A little forbearance is usually all that’s required.