Elderly drivers

new2me said:
Bad drivers come in all shapes, sizes and ages. I would like to send an email to the company with a logo similar to the one I have drafted below, in order to complain about one of their employees. It was dark, so it's all I could make out and was on the A47 between Uppingham and Leicester, so guessing it might be East Midlands E.......

If anyone recognises the logo, let me know :)

a8g3.jpg
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http://www.emeinstallations.co.uk perhaps?
 
new2me said:
Bad drivers come in all shapes, sizes and ages. I would like to send an email to the company with a logo similar to the one I have drafted below, in order to complain about one of their employees. It was dark, so it's all I could make out and was on the A47 between Uppingham and Leicester, so guessing it might be East Midlands E.......

If anyone recognises the logo, let me know :)

a8g3.jpg
Click to expand...
Now would this be the folk you are talking about ?

http://www.emeinstallations.co.uk/

Stu
 
Cheers Stu - see previous two posts ;)
 
Eddzz!! said:
The conditions were empty NSL road. He was joining my route of travel from a T-junction. It was my space that he was pulling dangerously into, not the other way around. I was driving at 60mph and he decided it was safe to pull out in front of me. That's somehow my fault? :cuckoo: If there had been a driver who was perhaps 'less aware' in my position, there could have well been a serious collision. Notice I say collision and not 'accident'. I feel that word suggests no one is to blame when clearly there would have been :shrug:
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You said:

"The other day on a NSL I was coming around a fast corner at about 60mph. Through the grassy verge I could see a car."

So, you were doing the limit around a bend, where you could only see traffic merging with the road through a grass verge. There is every possibility that he had checked, and then based on the fact that your car was not visible decided to pull out. If I had seen the other car waiting to pull out, I would have slowed down, half expecting huim to do it.
We have a section of NSL single carriageway country road close to us, and I can only think of about 100 metres of that road (which is about 2.5 miles long) where it is safe to do 60MPH. I am not a slow driver, but it just would not be responsible to drive to the speed limit there. There are too many blind bends with junctions, high verges, two riding schools, and if there is a lorry coming the other way, then you have to pull in and stop.
 
andy700 said:
You said:

"The other day on a NSL I was coming around a fast corner at about 60mph. Through the grassy verge I could see a car."

So, you were doing the limit around a bend, where you could only see traffic merging with the road through a grass verge. There is every possibility that he had checked, and then based on the fact that your car was not visible decided to pull out. If I had seen the other car waiting to pull out, I would have slowed down, half expecting huim to do it.
We have a section of NSL single carriageway country road close to us, and I can only think of about 100 metres of that road (which is about 2.5 miles long) where it is safe to do 60MPH. I am not a slow driver, but it just would not be responsible to drive to the speed limit there. There are too many blind bends with junctions, high verges, two riding schools, and if there is a lorry coming the other way, then you have to pull in and stop.
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Indeed, I believe it's called defensive driving.
 
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Terrywoodenpic said:
I suppose at 78 coming up 79 I might be thought an elderly driver.
Though so far, I have never had an accident or an insurance claim. I have had one fine for speeding over 40 years ago.
I drive to the conditions at near the speed limits when appropriate.
I do not hold up traffic or get "Honked at" and are rarely overtaken.

When the time comes that I feel uncomfortable driving I will stop. I could cover my normal weekly journeys in a taxi, for less cost than running a car.
But I still value the convenience of driving.

If I get stuck behind a driver of any age, I wait till it is safe and then overtake. My car is powerful enough to overtake swiftly and safely when ever needed.
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At least you have reached "78", you must be doing something right.

Rhodese.
 
Eddzz!! said:
It wasn't a safe location to be overtaking.

The other day on a NSL I was coming around a fast corner at about 60mph. Through the grassy verge I could see a car. You'd have never thought he'd just pull out into the road, but he did. Never slammed my breaks on so hard... Sure enough the bloke behind the wheel was a relic.
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At what age does one become a relic?:thinking:
 
the black fox said:
have you not thought perhaps the old boys car was faulty and he was taking it to a garage for repair .i would far rather be stuck behind a careful driver than some of the arrogant ones that seem to be on the road these days ,i.e if the obstruction is on there side of the road technically you have right of way ,very few seem to adhere to that these days .
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If his car were faulty I would have expected some form of hazard warning lights personally...
 
And to the actual debate.

Yes, it is frustrating that there are people out there who regularly drive far too slow for the conditions. I'd rather not find myself stuck behind one and I won't deny when I see a car that fits the 'general demographic' of vehicles driven by the elderly slowpokes waiting to pull out I don't let them pull out in front of me if the road ahead is clear.
It is frustrating being on an NSL road where good progress can be made at 50 finding a driver doing 30 and still slowing down for any corner.

But I would rather be stuck behind one of those folk than have the other end of the spectrum behind me. Those for whom speed limts are targets and will tailgate anyone who dares drive slower than the limit. Or the drivers who go pretty much everywhere on autopilot, hardly noticing any other drivers on the road. The general standard of driving certainly where I live is sadly remarkably low. Defensive driving is a matter of course for me and even so every other day I have to evade someone else.
 
RichardtheSane said:
If his car were faulty I would have expected some form of hazard warning lights personally...
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Not legal!!!!

As per:


Hazard warning lights.
These may be used when your vehicle is stationary, to warn that it is temporarily obstructing traffic. Never use them as an excuse for dangerous or illegal parking. You MUST NOT use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead. Only use them for long enough to ensure that your warning has been observed.
Law RVLR reg 27
 
Thanks for the info.

Proves some of our laws are pretty dumb!
 
omens said:
I've seen drivers going less than the speed limit. It's a sunny, dry day. Clear conditions, perfect for 70mph on the motorway. What do I encounter? An elderly chap doing 50mph in the middle lane.
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I do several hundred miles a week in "white van" and come across the lane hogger with all too much regularity, it's not an age thing, all ages,both sexes do it in a wide varity of vehicles at various speeds, now if I could get a 20mm cannon mounted on the front of the van?
 
Eddzz!! said:
Got stuck behind one today on my lunch hour. Plodding along in his Honda Jazz at around 15mph in a 40. I made it back to the office just in the nick of time! What's the general consensus? Are they a danger to the roads? I never felt as though him driving slowly was dangerous, but it sure was annoying...
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I would much prefer to be behind a slower driver who is possibly driving within their capabilities than some idiot with a phone stuck to their ear controlling the vehicle with one hand.

If driving behind a slower driver really annoys, then maybe you are so impatient that worrying about getting back to an office you are more of a danger on the road than the slow driver. If you can't plan your trip to allow time for the unexpected then possibly taking a driving course again would be a good idea.
 
realspeed said:
I would much prefer to be behind a slower driver who is possibly driving within their capabilities than some idiot with a phone stuck to their ear controlling the vehicle with one hand.

If driving behind a slower driver really annoys, then maybe you are so impatient that worrying about getting back to an office you are more of a danger on the road than the slow driver. If you can't plan your trip to allow time for the unexpected then possibly taking a driving course again would be a good idea.
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That's just a little bit unfair, I often have limited time to get to locations it's not a case of poor planning, it's a case of not enough time in the day, if someone is not able to maintain a speed that is safe an yes going too slow is more than likely to get you pulled by the police in the same way going too fast will..
 
There is no such thing as limited time,either leave earlier-plan to get back later or don't go in the first place.
 
If someone can't handle doing 70mph on the motorway/DC in perfect driving conditions, then IMO they shouldn't be on the road and may well be just as dangerous as a driver simultaneously drinking tea, on the phone and typing on their laptop. It shows a lack of awareness of one's limitations.

If someone is doing 40mph on a NSL SC, I will overtake them where it is safe to do so. What makes it more dangerous is where there are roads that have double white lines on the straights but broken lines on the blind bends. That IMO is just dangerous.
 
MWHCVT said:
That's just a little bit unfair, I often have limited time to get to locations it's not a case of poor planning, it's a case of not enough time in the day, if someone is not able to maintain a speed that is safe an yes going too slow is more than likely to get you pulled by the police in the same way going too fast will..
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There is always enough time when you have an accident or are dead.
 
realspeed said:
There is no such thing as limited time,either leave earlier-plan to get back later or don't go in the first place.
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Of course there is, as someone that is self employed...sometimes my work means I need to be able to travel at the expected speeds to get my entires days work done, if I don't get the work done, I don't get paid simple as that...I'm not going to say I've never broken the speed limit as I'm not a liar but I plan my days so that I shouldn't need to...that said sometimes there isn't flexibility in travel time to allow for excessive delays...someone who isn't able to maintain the expected speeds could be a danger on the roads
 
omens said:
If someone can't handle doing 70mph on the motorway/DC in perfect driving conditions, then IMO they shouldn't be on the road and may well be just as dangerous as a driver simultaneously drinking tea, on the phone and typing on their laptop. It shows a lack of awareness of one's limitations.

If someone is doing 40mph on a NSL SC, I will overtake them where it is safe to do so. What makes it more dangerous is where there are roads that have double white lines on the straights but broken lines on the blind bends. That IMO is just dangerous.
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0 or what ever... but you do not have to. Many heavy lorries are going slow in the inside lane and you would not argue with them.

Most people Keep up with the flow of the trafic 7
MWHCVT said:
You can have a really bad crash even when not in a rush ;) trust me
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I am not sure I would care to trust you in that case.
 
Some of the more silly posts on this thread remind me of one of the Top Gear team being given a driving lesson by Sir Jackie Stewart. :nono:
 
new2me said:
Bad drivers come in all shapes, sizes and ages. I would like to send an email to the company with a logo similar to the one I have drafted below, in order to complain about one of their employees. It was dark, so it's all I could make out and was on the A47 between Uppingham and Leicester, so guessing it might be East Midlands E.......

If anyone recognises the logo, let me know :)
Click to expand...

Courtesy of Mr Google ;)

7712483951798dd08c822c55dbdaeca1_zpsbc7344a0.jpg

EME Installations Ltd
920d Melton Road
Thurmaston
Leicester
LE4 8GR

Tel: 0116 260 6107
Fax: 0116 260 7490
Email: enquiries@emeinstallations.co.uk
Click to expand...
 
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Same old crap by some regarding older drivers. I would now be classed as an older driver, I have never had an accident, no points or penalties on my license ever. Most of my driving life I have driven quick cars, Jags, Marcos, Noble GTO3R an extremely quick car, at present a Megane 265 Sport, 265 BHP. I drive the same now as always, why should people generalise and put all older drivers in the same bracket? There are some dire younger drivers out there and some very good ones, I do not automatically think all young drivers are idiots, statistics prove younger drivers have more accidents, given time to gain experience they will hopefully all become good drivers. Sermon Over.
 
realspeed said:
There is no such thing as limited time,either leave earlier-plan to get back later or don't go in the first place.
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My one hour lunch break is plenty of time to get to the Tesco and back which is 10 minutes away from my office. 20 minute round trip, plus another 20 minutes in the Tesco itself = 40 minutes. My journey back took me over 15 minutes as opposed to my regular 10 because of said slowpoke.
 
Eddzz!! said:
The conditions were empty NSL road. He was joining my route of travel from a T-junction. It was my space that he was pulling dangerously into, not the other way around. I was driving at 60mph and he decided it was safe to pull out in front of me. That's somehow my fault?:cuckoo::shrug:
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Yes. It is somehow your fault.

When I was learning to drive, I was taught to look at the cars around me, imagine what is the most stupid thing they could do, and make sure I was prepared for it to happen. Apparently you weren't taught the same way.
 
My personal favourite gripe is people who drive at a constant 29 mph where the limit is 40. I reckon they must think they're being safe and careful because they're driving just under the limit. But the irony is they clearly haven't seen the 40 limit sign, so you have to wonder how many other signs they don't see... Doesn't seem very safe and careful to me.
 
terrysphotoz said:
I drive the same now as always, why should people generalise and put all older drivers in the same bracket?
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I don't think anyone is saying that about all older drivers.
But it is hard to ignore the fact that there is a certain age demographic who are much more likely to be found driving significantly slower than other traffic on the road. Fortunately for the most part the ones who do this often buy the same sort of vehicle and are therefore easier to spot at a distance.

It's no different to folk who generalise and put all drivers of a certain german car brand in the same bracket. Or 4x4 drivers. Etc. It's a generalisation based on experience...
 
StewartR said:
When I was learning to drive, I was taught to look at the cars around me, imagine what is the most stupid thing they could do, and make sure I was prepared for it to happen.
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I was taught the 'expect the worse' principle, although I like the way you word it better :)
 
RichardtheSane said:
It's a generalisation based on experience...
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The thing is, you have experienced perfectly good driving from the majority of older drivers, but not noticed them as they were doing nothing 'wrong' ;)
 
StewartR said:
When I was learning to drive, I was taught to look at the cars around me, imagine what is the most stupid thing they could do, and make sure I was prepared for it to happen. Apparently you weren't taught the same way.
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It's a very useful way of putting it. My instructor taught me similar but it's probably something a lot forget over the years.

Assuming everyone else can and will do silly things has saved many an accident from ever happening.
 
new2me said:
The thing is, you have experienced perfectly good driving from the majority of older drivers, but not noticed them as they were doing nothing 'wrong' ;)
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Is that not what I said if you took my whole post in context?
 
StewartR said:
My personal favourite gripe is people who drive at a constant 29 mph where the limit is 40. I reckon they must think they're being safe and careful because they're driving just under the limit. But the irony is they clearly haven't seen the 40 limit sign, so you have to wonder how many other signs they don't see... Doesn't seem very safe and careful to me.
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I agree, but I don't find that more annoying than the people who do 30mph in a NSL, and then speed up to 40+mph when they get into the slightly wider 30mph limit which has road markings
 
My biggest gripe, in the city, is people who ignore bus lane times and avoid them when they can be used ... then get all upset when you use them assuming they are going a different way!
 
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