Why don't drivers get out of the way anymore

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Tigger.ufo said:
So, in the circumstances I have described, are you saying that I am the "stupid driver" who has made the mistake?

...or is the "stupid driver" who has made the mistake the one who is next to me hooting and gesticulating?


Heather
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Heather you read my post wrong :| what I meant was I don't go blasting my horn at others willy nilly.

Heather I am agreeing with you :love:
 
nilagin said:
What bugs me when joing a dual carriageway from a slip road is other people refusing to accelerate to an acceptable speed to merge with the traffic on the dual carriageway. Whey they think they can do it at 30 or 40 mph when the traffic is travelling at 60-70mph is beyond me and I get them on at least 3 days out of 5 on the way home from work. What gets me is they have just left the M25, I shudder to think how slow they had been travelling on there.
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Had the best one yet this morning. Following a car down the slip road to join the A127, the other car is travelling at 50mph so not too bad, A127 is clear so the 50 mph is perfectly acceptable, just as the car in front is moving from the slip road onto the A127, the idiot brakes for absolutley no reason at all.:cuckoo:
 
Something which really infuriates me, are drivers who pull out into the "fast" lane of a two lane dual carriageway to overtake something, and then simply match the inside vehicle's speed, usually 60MPH (in a 70MPH limit).
As for being courteous to other drivers, I have noticed something very peculiar both in the UK, but particularly in France. If I am driving around the countryside taking in the views, I always keep an eye in my rear view mirror for other, faster motorists. Then when one comes along, I indicate and edge over to the side in order to let them pass, slowing down. Why is it that some nutters think that they have to slow down (and even stop!) as well, and why do they get annoyed - beeping their horn, making stupid gestures.
The only people who seem to be sensible and recognise what they should do are bike riders, who always acknowledge with a lift of the foot or a wave.
 
nilagin said:
Had the best one yet this morning. Following a car down the slip road to join the A127, the other car is travelling at 50mph so not too bad, A127 is clear so the 50 mph is perfectly acceptable, just as the car in front is moving from the slip road onto the A127, the idiot brakes for absolutley no reason at all.:cuckoo:
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I nearly ended up in someones boot years ago. I was driving in the dark, with a slow car in front of me (I was not too close luckily), and we approached some temporary traffic lights which were at red. As we got about 50 yards away they changed from red to green, and with nothing coming the other way, the other motorist decided to do an emergency stop by the little red sign in the road:eek:
 
andy700 said:
Something which really infuriates me, are drivers who pull out into the "fast" lane of a two lane dual carriageway to overtake something, and then simply match the inside vehicle's speed, usually 60MPH (in a 70MPH limit).
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I frequently get these people, especially as I'm about to need to overtake a slower moving vehicle in front of me. Either that or people who fail to read their surroundings after having overtaken and nothing behind them wanting them to move over, yet they do when they can or should be able to see that a car (invariably me) is indicating and about to move into the middle lane to overtake a vehicle on the inside lane. They are probably the same people that will move to the inside lane of a dual carriageway just as people are trying to join from a slip road. I know we are supposed to move back over after overtaking but please use some common sense.
 
Tigger.ufo said:
I get equally annoyed by people who are joining a dual carriageway/motorway and assume they can just pull into my lane!

I don't care if they put their foot down and go in front of me or slow down and go behind me, but I get really hacked off when they are next to me ,hooting and gesticulating when there is nowhere for me to go! It is their responsibility to adjust their speed, not mine.


Heather
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Agree they are supposed to merge with the traffic already on the dual carriageway by either speeding up or slowing down not by forcing you into the outside lane
 
whitewash said:
yes sorry you are perfectly correct, I am a hooligan. it's perfectly acceptable to pull across on an overtaking vehicle and I will remember this next time.:shrug:
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:lol::lol::lol:

i didnt start overtaking him in the knowledge that he was about to pull over, or (surprise surprise) i would not have overtaken him.
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:clap:
 
nilagin said:
Had the best one yet this morning. Following a car down the slip road to join the A127, the other car is travelling at 50mph so not too bad, A127 is clear so the 50 mph is perfectly acceptable, just as the car in front is moving from the slip road onto the A127, the idiot brakes for absolutley no reason at all.:cuckoo:
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Because a lot of the idiots on the road just don't get that the cameras on the A127 are SPECS and as long as you average 50MPH you won't get the dreaded NIP through the door! :lol:

I use the A127 everyday from Shoebury to Basildon, the amount of plebs that will sit in the outside lane doing 50MPH when the speed limit has changed to 70MPH is unreal, especially when lane 1 is completely empty.

Just shows as general level of cluelessness adopted by a lot of drivers.

Once of my biggest bug bears is people who seem to think it's acceptable to turn right on a roundabout from the left hand lane when the right hand lane permits you to turn right or go straight on :eek:

And then there was the idiot this morning who was in lane 2 approaching the Tescos roundabout on Princes Avenue, I think he was going for the obligatory late cut in to the filter lane but couldn't so turned left from lane 2 :shrug:

Surely going round the roundabout would have been the safer/more appropriate option?
 
The ones that really annoy me are the ones that do 40 in a 60 zone,! Quite twisty so can't pass, then continue to do 40 in a 30 zone.
Its like " no rules apply to me, I'll do hat I want"
 
The only time I pull close to the kerb is for motorbikes and emrgency vehicles.
The reason for doing it for motorbikes is it pretty much allows them to pass without crossing the white lines etc.

As for letting cars overtake me, as I have a better view than them of the road ahead I will indicate left when it is safe for them to pass (a trait taught to me by my Dad when he was an HGV driver). 9/10 the person behind knows what it means and acts accordingly.
 
I used to do a lot of driving for work and loved moaning about other drivers :D
 
The motorway lane discipline is much worse the further south you go. In areas with those traffic bunching speed management systems they tell drivers to stay in lane all the time. Now it seems on normal motorways drivers just sit in any lane and trundle along in a daydream. The m25 is noticeably bad for this.
 
If they can not get past when you are in the centre of your driving lane, then moving to the side of the lane probably makes it no safer for any one, and usually more dangerous.
They should wait till it is safe to pass in a free lane, not squeeze past driving traffic.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
If they can not get past when you are in the centre of your driving lane, then moving to the side of the lane probably makes it no safer for any one, and usually more dangerous.
They should wait till it is safe to pass in a free lane, not squeeze past driving traffic.
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I actually do this to be honest. If it's obviously safe to do so and there's plenty empty road ahead, i'll move over so as to suggest they pass if they wish. I find motorcyclists usually acknowledge with a wave, but car drivers maybe 50/50.
Never having had powerful cars, I always found slow overtaking from a guy in front to be most infuriating; eg seeing someone use the full stretch beside a crawler lane to overtake a lorry, totally ignoring the queue behind that will evetually have to tuck in behind that lorry again :bonk:
 
andy700 said:
The only people who seem to be sensible and recognise what they should do are bike riders, who always acknowledge with a lift of the foot or a wave.
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I am a biker myself and I always try to anticipate other road users moves, as when I am on my bike I will probably come off worse.

I have seen a good few bikers doing silly things, but obviously you get both good and bad drivers and riders :)
 
Russ77 said:
Because a lot of the idiots on the road just don't get that the cameras on the A127 are SPECS and as long as you average 50MPH you won't get the dreaded NIP through the door! :lol:

I use the A127 everyday from Shoebury to Basildon, the amount of plebs that will sit in the outside lane doing 50MPH when the speed limit has changed to 70MPH is unreal, especially when lane 1 is completely empty.
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I live at the 70mph region of the A127, west of the M25 so they haven't even got that excuse.
 
Most certainly people should drive in the appropriate lane.
However the OP was about people not pulling to one side of the lane in which they were driving.

To do so is incorrect.
The overtaking manoeuvre is the responsibility of the overtaking driver.
The driver being overtaken should maintain his speed and position in his lane.
The overtaker should do so by moving into the free lane when safe to do so.

It is never correct to share lanes. or encourage others to do so.

This might be frustrating at times, then so be it.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
Most certainly people should drive in the appropriate lane.
However the OP was about people not pulling to one side of the lane in which they were driving.

To do so is incorrect.
The overtaking manoeuvre is the responsibility of the overtaking driver.
The driver being overtaken should maintain his speed and position in his lane.
The overtaker should do so by moving into the free lane when safe to do so.

It is never correct to share lanes. or encourage others to do so.

This might be frustrating at times, then so be it.
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Wot he said. :thumbs:
 
Indicator use annoys me the most for three reasons:

1. Many people don't bother indicating at junctions. It's not exactly difficult to move that little lever.

2. Often on a single carriageway road (not dual or motorway) someone will indicate right, overtake then indicate left to get back into the only lane they should be in.

3. People indicating left when entering a roundabout and still indicating left as they exit it.


Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
Indicator use annoys me the most for three reasons:
2. Often on a single carriageway road (not dual or motorway) someone will indicate right, overtake then indicate left to get back into the only lane they should be in.
Steve.
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It is correct to indicate before you change direction.

Lorries, in particular, appreciate it if you flash your lights when they are clear of you, so they know it is safe to pull back in. They usually acknowledge with a left/right signal.
 
Steve Smith said:
I will move to the left a bit if a motorcyclist is going past.

Steve.
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Cycles and motorcycles should allow, and be given, the same overall space as a car when passing.

It is not the width of the machine that is the important factor, it is the clearance given, which needs to be greater for a two wheeler.
 
Steve Smith said:
Not to get back over to the correct side of the road though.
Steve.
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It is true few of us bother... but we should.
It is a warning of your intentions to those coming behind.
If you do not you can leave them stranded.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
Most certainly people should drive in the appropriate lane.
However the OP was about people not pulling to one side of the lane in which they were driving.

To do so is incorrect.
The overtaking man-oeuvre is the responsibility of the overtaking driver.
The driver being overtaken should maintain his speed and position in his lane.
The overtaker should do so by moving into the free lane when safe to do so.

It is never correct to share lanes. or encourage others to do so.

This might be frustrating at times, then so be it.
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Yes I suppose you are right technically :)






Terrywoodenpic said:
It is correct to indicate before you change direction.

Lorries, in particular, appreciate it if you flash your lights when they are clear of you, so they know it is safe to pull back in. They usually acknowledge with a left/right signal.
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Hiya Terry, technically not correct to flash your lights or do a quick left and right indicator signal of thanks.

I know we all do silly things while driving, and I am posting in fun ;)
 
jonbeeza said:
Hiya Terry, technically not correct to flash your lights or do a quick left and right indicator signal of thanks.

I know we all do silly things while driving, and I am posting in fun ;)
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As far as I know flashing your lights is equivalent to sounding your horn ... it is only a warning.

However lorry drivers have used it, and understand it in the context that they are free to pull in if they want.
There must be a danger though, that some one might flash to warn them not to pull in with horribe results.
 
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When I had to use the M25 on my BSA C15 (very, very scary!) I would raise my left arm to indicate to lorries that they were far enough past me to pull in safely and was always thanked with a blip of the indicators.

....couldn't flash as Joe Lucas "prince of darkness" electrics meant engine misfired if I put the headlight on!


Heather
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
As far as I know flashing your lights is equivalent to sounding your horn ... it is only a warning.

However lorry drivers have used it, and understand it in the context that they are free to pull in if they want.
There must be a danger though, that some one might flash to warn them not to pull in with horribe results.
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Yes the highway code says, only flash your headlights to warn other road users you are there. Does anybody really use it as a warning though? A biker waiting at a give way, a lorry flashes the bike to warn him he is approaching. The bikers thinks the wagon is letting him come out. Not a nice thought :|
 
jonbeeza said:
Yes the highway code says, only flash your headlights to warn other road users you are there. Does anybody really use it as a warning though? A biker waiting at a give way, a lorry flashes the bike to warn him he is approaching. The bikers thinks the wagon is letting him come out. Not a nice thought :|
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Only time I use my main beam as a warning is if another motorist has failed to switch his lights on, or when approaching a cross roads on a country lane at night where I know visibility is poor due to hedegrows, or narrrow humpback bridges in country lanes, daytime I sound my horn at the latter.
 
nilagin said:
Only time I use my main beam as a warning is if another motorist has failed to switch his lights on...
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Just remembered when a motorist will flash headlights as a warning, and that's when there is a speed trap ahead :naughty:
 
jonbeeza said:
Just remembered when a motorist will flash headlights as a warning, and that's when there is a speed trap ahead :naughty:
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That has happened to me a couple of times but I only realised it was for a speed camera when I saw it. One time when someone flashed at me, I thought something must have been falling off of the car and pulled over to check!


Steve.
 
jonbeeza said:
Just remembered when a motorist will flash headlights as a warning, and that's when there is a speed trap ahead :naughty:
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I seem to remember someone getting prosecuted for doing that.
 
nilagin said:
I seem to remember someone getting prosecuted for doing that.
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Not sure about flashing, but I'm sure that someone once set up a warning sign and was prosecuted :thinking:

As for flashing, I saw this dosey mare once flash a pedestrian friend at a junction. An on coming driver thought she was flashing them to turn right ... BANG! :nuts:
 
nilagin said:
I seem to remember someone getting prosecuted for doing that.
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I remember someone telling me they had been flashed at while driving, I was about to say the dirty sod, till she went on to say as there was a speed trap ahead :)
 
Highway code says

Flashing headlights. Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.
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If you assume it means you can pull out, and you end up embedded in something else, it is you that are in the poo.

The Highway code is the arbiter of fact on the matter, not what people have come to think of as what flashing lights means.
 
new2me said:
Not sure about flashing, but I'm sure that someone once set up a warning sign and was prosecuted :thinking:

As for flashing, I saw this dosey mare once flash a pedestrian friend at a junction. An on coming driver thought she was flashing them to turn right ... BANG! :nuts:
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I had to give way at a crossroads once and there was a dog standing at the side of the road, I felt compelled to stop short of the line and flash my lights at the dog as if it were a pedestrian waiting to cross. Dog happily crossed the road and I pulled away laughing to myself.:lol:
 
Driving cars with pop up headlights soon gets you away from flashing people, the lights have gone out well before the lights have come up, so you just look like your car is having a spasm, and no one knows what you were trying to do!
 
Aaaaaargh! - Sunday drivers.
Just got back from shopping, and had to follow three cars crawling along at 25 - 30MPH in a 50MPH limit for nearly 6 miles. If I had been behind the lead car, then I would have been able to overtake safely between the evenly spaced central traffic islands, but the other two cars simply insisted on tailgating each other instead of making a move.
Have people forgotten how to overtake safely?
 
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