Everyone belting along at 80 ish in mist, drizzle and general dampness, all a good two feet off each others bumper! Only the a38 in Derbyshire but still prompted me to say **** this, got off, and made my way on the country roads! Tools!!

ah but you forgot that it’ll never happen to them!

yep whats the chances rugby club will get 100% of the blame for M5? 1 or 2 (or more) drivers too close to the person in front noooo not their fault.

I’m not saying smoke mist fog whatever wasn’t a factor but that doesn’t directly cause 30+ vehicles to collide and my experience of motorway driving says a little thing like visibility suddenly dropping to <50ft doesn’t slow the majority down.

I’m not saying smoke mist fog whatever wasn’t a factor but that doesn’t directly cause 30+ vehicles to collide

Yeah – read one interview with a young lad who saw what was unfolding in front of him and pulled over into the central reservation only to then watch cars flash by him and crash into the back of the accident – too many people driving too quickly and not concentrating.

I agree with all of the above. Why wont people accept responsibility I drive 10’s of thousands of miles a year and the amount of idiots overtaking whilst fiddling with their touch screen phones/drinking coffee and generally refusing to slow down regardless of other users and road conditions is staggering and is getting worse.

I can’t believe the way people drive on motorways, drove the length of the country a few months back and where its busy the fast lane seems to be solid line of cars a few feet from each other, braking sharply and then accelerating sharply trying to get back to 80 whilst the inner lanes are much quieter and cruising at a constant speed. Even if the inner lanes are undertaking them they still feel the need to sit in the outer lane, idiots. 80mph limit will see everyone aiming for 90 and it will be hell.

Yup – I was tailgated by a bloke in a church-owned minibus (guess he wasn’t feeling very Christian-minded that morning) a couple of weeks ago. It was early morning and the M1 was almost deserted yet he still felt the need to tailgate me, eventually overtaking and pulling into the inside lane (cutting up a van in the process) then realising he was in a (well signposted) exit junction filter lane and ended up cutting up the van again trying to get back onto the M1.

I just eased right off and let it play out as the van had to swerve across two lanes to avoid him.

Clown.

the fast lane

I think this is part of the problem with motorway driving. People don’t seem to understand how they work. The fact that this has slipped into common usage says quite a lot IMO.

I think this is part of the problem with motorway driving. People don’t seem to understand how they work. The fact that this has slipped into common usage says quite a lot IMO.

Yup – ‘cos it isn’t the fast lane anymore – it is usually slower than the slow lane and middle lane. 😉

if you’re driving right behind someone, surely you’re a little safer, as they won’t decellerate much before you hit them, lessening the impact 😀

There’s been a spate of accidents though – the big one on the M5, there was an 8 vehicle one the next day on the M6 up round Tebay somewhere.

Then yesterday a lorry fell off a bridge onto the M56 and there was also an 11-vehicle accident on the M6 around Staffordshire.

Early onset of darkness, crap weather, crap driving.

🙁

If someone is tailgating me then I need to make sure I have enough room in front of me that we can both stop safely when he goes into the back of me – so I drive slower.

This seems to upset some people.

Brother in law works for Samworths.
They lost two drivers that night, and yet another is still in intensive care.
He said he was due to take one of the loads that night that was involved in the crash but they sent him north instead. A fully laden lorry would have had no chance of stopping at those speeds. To hear him sobbing in shock over the phone on saturday morning was a very sobering experience. He said that night that as the news came through as he was driving there were cars speeding past at 80 to 90 mph, he was travelling at under 60mph, but at those speeds and a heavy load if something were to happen he would not be able to aviod it.

I was tailgated by a bloke in a church-owned minibus (guess he wasn’t feeling very Christian-minded that morning)

There are as far as I’m concerned, two dead sure, 100% confident correct stereotypes for bad drivers in this world.

1. They have a fish on the back of the car.
or
2. They wear a hat when driving the car.

If someone is tailgating me then I need to make sure I have enough room in front of me that we can both stop safely – so I drive slower.

This seems to upset some people.

Indeed – my general rule is “the closer you get, the slower I drive”. It’s amazing how some people don’t seem to get the message.

samuri – Member
There are as far as I’m concerned, two dead sure, 100% confident correct stereotypes for bad drivers in this world.

1. They have a fish on the back of the car.

Didn’t take long to get into the usual STW anti-religion christian bashing!

Digusted of Trunbridge Wells

I have a fish on the back of my car!

there is an easy solution to this. Ban seat belts and fit all cars with a nice sharp spike in the middle of the steering wheel. people would either drive carefully or die quickly.

Risk compensation is a part of why this is happening – people feel so safe they take more risks – so the answer is to make them feel less safe

Had to drive over the crash site on Monday morning. I was sickend by the terribly short piece of new tarmac that marked the site. So short! 37 vehicles… just terrible

I remember being in fog, doing 45-ish, this seemed to me the limit of visibility at quite intense concentration. I was passed by others doing about 80, but it’s ok, they had their fog lights on.

I’ve see a truck wheel, a hank of rope and a pallet lying on the tarmac at night, avoided all of them. Perhaps a Learning Experience Weekend with obstructions like these every half-mile or so might change attitudes: I can’t think of anything else that could. For the media seem to be blaming smoke now.

Didn’t take long to get into the usual STW anti-religion christian bashing!

Digusted of Trunbridge Wells

And yet you had no issue with my distrust of hat wearing drivers. Interesting.

Been my experience that the presence of breasts is often an indicator of poor driving; taxi drivers, lorry drivers, white van man, sales reps …

the fast lane

I think this is part of the problem with motorway driving. People don’t seem to understand how they work. The fact that this has slipped into common usage says quite a lot IMO.

Yep, exactly! My dad worked in Germany for a couple of years, and the locals warned him about the police fines for staying out in the overtaking lanes on M.ways.

I guess the only way it’s ever going to improve in the UK is to educate motorists better on motorway driving somehow (include it as part of a more comprehensive driving test?) – then introduce much heavier penalties for tailgaters etc. Personally, I’d like to see drivers re-tested every few years (including a proper eyetest!).

fit all cars with a nice sharp spike in the middle of the steering wheel. people would either drive carefully or die quickly.

Don’t forget the motorbikes 😈

motorway driving should be part of the test..

when I did my test I was offered and took a free post test motorway lesson with West Mercia Police.. very useful.

there is an easy solution to this. Ban seat belts and fit all cars with a nice sharp spike in the middle of the steering wheel. people would either drive carefully or die quickly.

Alec Issigonis at his best!

+1 for TJ and the spike.

APF

…Personally, I’d like to see drivers re-tested every few years (including a proper eyetest!)…

probably a good idea, but…

i suspect the driving-cocks would be the ones to pass such tests, and then carry on as before (if not worse, now that their status as ‘driving god’ has been confirmed).

while my/your mum would probably fail*, as her reverse parking isn’t what it was.

(*me too, i’m rubbish at reverse parking – it must be genetic)

Alec Issigonis at his best!

😆 be quite ‘interesting’ to do an experiment where people all had to drive original Issigonis Minis. er..I guess there are all sorts of potential ‘fatist’ scenarios in that one though 😉

while my/your mum would probably fail, as her reverse parking isn’t what it was*.

(*i’m sure reverse-parking skills are genetic, mine’s terrible…)

Not an issue for my parents, as they’re no longer around – but I know what you mean. I think my eldest sis and my wife would both probably fail on reverse parking (just watching ’em reverse is WOAAHHH!!), and I think you’re right aboyt the genetics thing, because my wifes dad is c**p at reversing – his car has so many retro-fit parking sensors, it’s like a mobile radar station! I guess the threat of loosing their licence would force people to learn how to drive properly – I know it’d certainly improve my driving!

be quite ‘interesting’ to do an experiment where people all had to drive original Issigonis Minis. er..I guess there are all sorts of potential ‘fatist’ scenarios in that one though

He always said of the mini that it should be uncomfortable to drive so people did not nod off and had to concentrate on driving.

and yep they are bouncy and uncomfortable!

think actually it was Sir Stirling who first quoted the steering wheel spike idea and he def knows about crashing!

Thing is, poor parking rarely kills anyone, whereas driving 2 foot from the car in front clearly does.

I’m definitely all for semi-regular re-testing. Operators of other heavy machinery usually have to do some kind of retesting or refresher course so why not drivers?

I see there are currently quite a few epetitions about driving but the one about retests only has a few signatures (mainly because it is very poorly worded).

I went on a speed awareness course recently 34 in a 30 I’m a very bad man..

I was very surprised at the difference in impact speed in a motorway collision braking hard from 70mph and 90mph and for what appears to be a slight increase in speed you’re taking a minor knock and making it a proper bad crash.

Also there was a video of a very similar crash to this one a few years back- in the fog, multiple cars and vans and then a big fire a horrible way to die.

People drive way to close and way too fast and all the time that cars are built that offer very high top speeds and apparent “safety” features it will always be this way.

What would make many people slow down is deterent penalties. Isn’t that what they are supposed to be?
Instead of 60 quid how about 5 grand. Or the car. Yes it would cause hardship to a few but people would learn. Thats not as hard as a funeral because some f wit wouldn’t slow down.

People drive way to close and way too fast and all the time that cars are built that offer very high top speeds and apparent “safety” features it will always be this way.

I can’t really see why any UK road car should allow you to drive at more than 70 for any longer than a minute.

Doesn’t solve the “60 in a 30” muppets, but it would at least ensure that folk stuck to the national speed limit and hopefully make them a bit more aware of their speed overall.

samuri – Member
“Didn’t take long to get into the usual STW anti-religion christian bashing!

Digusted of Trunbridge Wells “

And yet you had no issue with my distrust of hat wearing drivers. Interesting.

Actually I reported you for that.

(Currently wearing a Trilby)

Like Surfer above, I drive maybe 45000 miles a year, a lot of it for work. It’s noticeable that since speeding detection has become better that the average speed on motorways seems to have fallen. 15 years ago, during the week you could easily get swept along at 90 in the fast lane with all the other “business” drivers and merc sprinters. Nowadays that speed is probably nearer 75.
However, the distance these guys keep still seems the same. i.e too short, totally irrespective of the conditions. I’m certainly capable of the odd driving error, but am hugely concerned when folk tailgate even in clear dry bright conditions and try very hard to make “personal” road space if the weather deteriorates. But, there’s always some ‘uckwit, happy to take your braking gap, or drive a foot off your bumper, no matter which lane you are in. No matter what the conditions around Taunton on the fateful night. Speed, distance , distraction, will all have played even a tiny part I’m sure. Sad all the same.

Didn’t take long to get into the usual STW anti-religion christian bashing!

Apparently Christians are fair game. But nobody would dare make a similar comment about Muslims because they’d be lynched.

Anyhow, back on-topic.

Re. deterrents: every motoring offence (yes, even the piffling minor ones) should carry a minimum penalty of having your car crushed to the size of a satsuma & being invoiced for it.

But nobody would dare make a similar comment about Muslims because they’d be lynched.

Do Muslims advertise their faith on the back of their cars? I’ve seen the Sikh crossed swords symbol occassionally, and the Darwin fish crops up every so often but most of the time it’s the Icthus and more frequently these days the Nurburgring.

Sorry that was a bit OT.

Apparently Christians are fair game. But nobody would dare make a similar comment about Muslims because they’d be lynched.

🙄 dear oh dear.. it wasn’t an anti-Christian statement, just an anti-folk-with-fish-symbols-on-the-back-of-their-car observation.

I’m not sure you’d be up in arms if he’d said the same about cars sporting Baby On Board signs or Chessington World of Adventure stickers.

Stop trying so hard to be persecuted.

I was being silly btw.