The missus had to evict a spider from the bedroom the other day that even the dog thought twice about getting off the bed to stamp on, big wuss - it was a good 3" across. The biggest I've seen was too big to fit in a Carling pint glass and she reckons this one was bigger. Fortunately the biggest wuss of the house was out 😉
my van was infected with ladybirds the other day - i didn't mind the first one but after i had evicted 6+ and there were still 5 crawling/ flying about i did start to freak out. I was in a pretty delicate state after biblical diarrhoea / epic wedding drinking.
the OH just carried on driving whilst i whimpered in the corner!!
I was driving down the motorway the other day and I saw a sign that said "Stationery traffic ahead". How I laughed at the idiocy of the signwriter!
Imagine my embarrassment half a mile later when I ran into the back of a WHSmith lorry.
😆 @ SamB
You still fail to a) interpret my original point
I do interpret it, what you mean is I disagree with you. This is not the same thing. but at least you are taking this well.
Just try and be a bit rational, absorb my original point and relax
LOL Yes clearly given the abuse, previous posts and that post in particular I am the one who needs to relax, calm down and get rational here 🙄
No, you didn't interpret what I said correctly at all, otherwise you might have had a more rational view towards the point I'm making. Here, a simple drawing for a simple man....
The blue car cuts to lane 1 on a relatively quiet motorway, travelling faster than anyone around him, to be back in lane 3 a few seconds later. It doesn't matter if I'm the green car, it could be anyone. It's pointless and unnecessary weaving in and out to make a point.
Obviously not to scale...
[img] 
[/img]
I kinda hope that they'll have an "oh im being a 'tard sat here in the middle lane" epiphany moment when they see me pull out across 2 lanes to overtake, then cross back 2 lanes in front of them.But I imagine in reality they don't even notice...
I do this regularly. If bored, I let them overtake me, and repeat, circling them until they get dizzy!
I did a speed awareness course a few weeks ago and we were told that drivers are usually only concentrating on actually driving for 20% of their journey. So this may go some way to answer the original question. Folk aren't checking their mirrors regularly, they have no idea if the lane to their right is clear or not so are unwilling to move over. As it has been pointed out previously I like to drive two or three manouvres ahead. That way you can usually carry momentum and use less fuel which with today's prices is a good thing.
I did a speed awareness course a few weeks ago
If you're such a brilliant driver, what were you doing on one of those?
Wunundred! 🙂
I cannot drive.
Keeping my clean licence of 18 years after a momentry lapse of concentration 😳
mr p's momentry lapse of concentration 😉
......drivers are usually only concentrating on actually driving for 20% of their journey
I very rarely concentrate on my walking, allowing my legs to place my feet in front of each another in a rapid consecutive manner without any conscious thought. Yet despite that, it is remarkably rare for me to step in front of a lorry or walk into a lamppost, and I generally walk in thoroughly safe manner whilst avoiding dangerous situations and following accepted protocols.
I can even do other things whilst walking, such as 'talking'.
my fiancée freaked out after a massive spider ran across dashboard up the A pillar and stopped by her head
Happened to my missus in Oz with a Huntsman spider (which are huge) while alone in our van. It was perched directly above her head at one point, then moved to the dashboard and "just sat staring" at her. She kept driving tho - she reasoned that if she stopped and got out she'd never get back in.
She arrived home in a state of "high anxiety" and I was dispatched to catch it in a Tupperware box (too big for a pint glass!), [u]then[/u] identify if it was poisonous before releasing it in the park.
Did you manage to catch it Graham? Those things move bloody quickly...
Yeah, not far it could go in a Ford Spectron (basically a Transit).
It was a little pant-wetting tho - it was, as you say, chuffin fast and at the time we had no real idea if it was poisonous or not (for the record they're not).
Any reports that I squealed like a little girl when it darted across the roof towards me are greatly exaggerated. 🙂
A year later we accidentally brought one home to the UK with us in our luggage 😯
Sadly that poor little stowaway had to be squished for the sake of the ecosystem. Sorry matey. 😥
A friend here nearly drove into a lap post when pulling his sun visor down, a huntsman landed on his lap!
[url= http://www.fourthcrossingwildlife.com/huntsman_spider2.jp g" target="_blank">http://www.fourthcrossingwildlife.com/huntsman_spider2.jp g"/> [/img]
More on huntsmen here...[/url]
Nice zokes, yeah I'd struggle with one dropping into my lap!
That guys photo by the plug gives an idea of the size:
[img] 
[/img]
http://www.fourthcrossingwildlife.com/danger_huntsman_spiders.htm
I do have a slight distain for those folks that accelerate from being a small dot away in your rear view mirror whilst im overtaking, to flashing me you the way like you just did something wrong and dared to cross their path.I'm joyful that my car costs about a tenner to scrap and that rear bumpers are 30 quid as I sometimes wonder when I stand on the brakes if the idiot would actually dare get out of his car after they ran smack into the back of me
I smile inside when someone tailgates me and picture the front end of their BMW wrapped around the 3.5t rated towbar on the back of my 2t truck.
I do have a slight distain for those folks that accelerate from being a small dot away in your rear view mirror whilst im overtaking, to flashing me you the way like you just did something wrong and dared to cross their path.I'm joyful that my car costs about a tenner to scrap and that rear bumpers are 30 quid as I sometimes wonder when I stand on the brakes if the idiot would actually dare get out of his car after they ran smack into the back of me
Patience my pretty, wait until you come across me in my foreign plated little Pug. Clearly Johnny Foreigner doesn't know what he's doing , so you can tailgate me on the motorway, overtake me in dangerous places, cut across me at roundabouts, jump out in front of me from junctions and generally treat me like shit. That should help you feel better. 😉
On my speed awareness course they advised us to think of tailgaters as lonely - that's why they drive so close... 🙂
And they also advised just get out of their way, safely, when you can - they're not safe to be around and you're better off letting them through and live to see another day.
I'll never forget the time when I was a passenger and a guy had his window down whilst doing 80 on the M6 on the inside, leaning out of the window and offering us out, there and then. Quite how he thought that was likely to happen I don't know. Clearly needed to go and visit a psychologist.
People wouldn't be so aggressive if they didn't have a half-tonne of metal wrapped around them IMO
On my speed awareness course they advised us to think of tailgaters as lonely - that's why they drive so close... 🙂
And they also advised just get out of their way, safely, when you can - they're not safe to be around and you're better off letting them through and live to see another day.
I'll never forget the time when I was a passenger and a guy had his window down whilst doing 80 on the M6 on the inside, leaning out of the window and offering us out, there and then. Quite how he thought that was likely to happen I don't know. Clearly needed to go and visit a psychologist.
People wouldn't be so aggressive if they didn't have a half-tonne of metal wrapped around them IMO
On my speed awareness course they advised us to think of tailgaters as lonely - that's why they drive so close... 🙂
And they also advised just get out of their way, safely, when you can - they're not safe to be around and you're better off letting them through and live to see another day.
I'll never forget the time when I was a passenger and a guy had his window down whilst doing 80 on the M6 on the inside, leaning out of the window and offering us out, there and then. Quite how he thought that was likely to happen I don't know. Clearly needed to go and visit a psychologist.
People wouldn't be so aggressive if they didn't have a half-tonne of metal wrapped around them IMO
stumpy01 - Member
Sometimes it's not possible if there are cars overtaking at the time. I quite often have to slow down/speed up to let people join as they appear to have no idea they are about to drive into the side of me. Pretty sure the highway code says the traffic attempting to join should merge, not that the traffic on the carriageway should adjust speed/take action to avoid unobservant people joining from the slip road.
+1 on this, see it all the time where the sliproad joins the A130 from the rettendon turnpike, going towards canvey from chelmsford.
Annoyingly they quite often seem to actively match my speed, rather than accelerate or brake to slot in in front or behind. Very strange. Once I held my ground and the dopey mare carried on joining anyway just sat right next to me so there were three cars across driving on a 2 lane DC. WTF!
I was always taught to drive at the speed limit not 5mph slower. If the speed limit is 70mph then I drive at 70mph. Why drive 5mph slower than every body else thus making every one overtake you.
I was always taught to drive at the speed limit
That is retarded. The speed limit is not a recommended speed, it's a speed LIMIT.
I drive on the M4 for my commute, I set the cruise to 70 and generally hold it there, anticipating how much time I need to pull out and overtake without slowing others down who are passing me.
It really winds me up when I'm in the left lane, a car pulls level with me in the middle lane, matches my speed and holds me there so I can't pull out and have to slow down so I can pull out to overtake slower vehicles. This despite me indicating and there being an empty lane outside the other car.
Invariably, when I reset the cruise I end up overtaking the offending driver as they've now slowed down. Only for them to pull level with me again when I move back over to the left.
Why?
If i am driving up a slip road about to pull out onto a dc or motorway i indicate and check the mirror to see if its safe to filter out.During my motorcycling lessons i made a mistake of riding down the slip road and accelerating out in front of a lorry.Its the kind of thing that didnt cause the lorry to brake,i was (what seemed) quite a distance away,but the instructor freaked as he saw the risk i put myself in.The habit i have had for the past 15 odd years was to boot it and try to filter out safely.. and expect drivers to either pull out into the other lane or slow down/speed up to help me out.
If i was in their position,i would also do this for them.. but the fact is,if the traffic is heavy and theres no room to pull out,you may need to come to a complete stop.None of this slowing right down and thinking you are in the right by pulling out regardless.It was only after my bike test that i found this out.Only for the bike test i wouldnt have ever felt that i must treat a slip road as a junction and if need be, i must come to a complete stop.I was there and made these mistakes.You expect folk to help each other out but the fact is,if you are driving along and approach a slip road to your left,you do not have to slow down,speed up or move lanes.You may feel a bit of a dick for not making any effort to help the drivers filtering in but if it means a) having to slow down,putting yourself at risk from dozy drivers behind you. or b) pulling out into the faster lane because of someone elses lack of road knowledge and/or courtesy.. then you are just adding to a problem.
If the road is very quiet i still do pull out into the other lane to help drivers but not if its going to upset other drivers speeds and positions.I learnt my mistake on the bike training by an instructor that is no longer with us.This was the biggest bad habit i carried on since 1993 and only for him, i would still be doing it.
I now treat a slip road as a junction.Might sound daft but thats effectively what they are.Dont feel in the right when filtering out of them,you arent.
That is retarded. The speed limit is not a recommended speed, it's a speed LIMIT.
No, it's common courtesy. The roads are a means of communication. Deliberately driving slower than the conditions and speed limit allow inconveniences everyone else. Those who think this isn't the case are, as you so eloquently put, retarded. (And would also fail their test if they were to take it today - it's called "making good progress" - you are expected to be able to handle a car at the speeds allowed on UK roads, hence why wherever possible, test routes always take in DC and NSL sections.)
I don't believe you would fail your test for say driving at 55 in a 60. Could be wrong though. They would surely fail you for breaking the speed limit! I believe you can be prosecuted for failing to make progress, but I wouldn't think the remit of that would include driving at 90% of the limit.
Plenty of people seem to like pottering about in their cars while on NSL roads. Perhaps they are just cautious drivers, or not especially competent. I don't see a benefit in forcing them to go faster. In the grand scheme of things it's not really a big problem. TBF, I wish there were more who did it in 30 limits!
Correct, you drive to the speed limit unless conditions dictate that you slow down. Bends, passing closely to park cars, peds etc are conditions that would entitle you to slow down. drive at 25 in a 30 for no good reason, you will soon have 3 minor faults: Fail!
As soon as you leave a restricted zone you should accelerate promptly. It reduces the liklihood of being tailgated, and dangerous overtaking by those stuck behind you.
When I did my HGV, the guy before me failed for going too slow, and he was a confident driver who drove at an appropriate speed. The reason he failed was because we were driving a DAF XF (the sort of truck that normally crosses Europe twice a week) which is considerably taller than your average supermarket lorry. the extra height makes it feel even slower and the examiner thought he was dawdling. I had to 'make progress' even on narrow roads where I was well over the centre line, and do a controlled stop for approaching traffic...ie stand on the brakes an, on a couple of occasions, let the ABS keep the empty wagon behind in check.
Double post
Correct, you drive to the speed limit unless conditions dictate that you slow down
Yes, but they aren't going to fail you for being 1% under are they? 5%? 10%? Surely there would have to be some leeway given.
I did three miles on the dual carriageway at 50 mph during my test - sat behind a lorry.
The tester asked me afterwards why I hadn't speeded up to 60 and I told him the truth - had a bit of a 'moment' and forgot the legal speed limit, so played it safe!
I passed....
Has anyone mentioned that it's a limit and not a target yet? 😉
User removed...if you had done it a few times, the minors would have totted up to three meaning a fail. They allow for the odd mistake.
Konabunny...whilst I see the 😉 , when you are on test, it really is a target. You should always aim to hit the target, even though you may never reach it due to the conditions. On the HGV they are particularly hot on it as even on an unrestricted single carriageway, you can only go 40mph. So if you are doing 35mph you will be causing severe congestion. As soon as each hazard has passed they want positive acceleration towards the speed limit until another hazard gives you a reason to slow again...if you slow down for a pinch point and then get preoccupied with checking one of your five mirrors or get lost in the middle of the gearbox, and don't accelerate away afterwards, that'll be one of your three minors/lives gone. Actually it'll be one minor plus a major if you'd picked the wrong gear from the 18 on offer 🙂
It never ceases to amaze me the reaction of all the crap drivers, finger wagglers gesticulaters, potty mouths, etc,etc. When you pulla gun on them they soon back off.
Actually it'll be one minor plus a major if you'd picked the wrong gear from the 18 on offer
Easily solved, just use an Actros with a Powershift 'box.
😉
No, it's common courtesy. The roads are a means of communication. Deliberately driving slower than the conditions and speed limit allow inconveniences everyone else. Those who think this isn't the case are, as you so eloquently put, retarded. (And would also fail their test if they were to take it today - it's called "making good progress" - you are expected to be able to handle a car at the speeds allowed on UK roads, hence why wherever possible, test routes always take in DC and NSL sections.)
Well that's a load of tosh, mostly. Roads are a means of transport for a start. And if you can find anything, anywhere that says I must drive at the speed limit then I'll eat my hat.
Matey, I know all about 'making progress' and I'll tell you right now I can catch people doing 10mph less than them, I do it regularly on A roads. As for 'inconvenience', FFS, are you dreaming? Can you tell me exactly how I'm inconveniencing anyone on the inside lane of the motorway? If they don't have the skill to pass me at that speed then they shouldn't be driving really, should they?
This is why I do 65:
It saves me a shitload of fuel/money
I don't have to look out for cameras and cops
It's more relaxing because I don't have to be constantly scanning for faster cars and roadrage in the outside lane, I just let it all float past
I did the maths. Increasing my AVERAGE speed by 10mph (which is a tall order) will save me 4 minutes in one hour. I only spend one hour on the M4 on my way home.
So, for the risk, and the stress, and the cost, I sacrifice 4 minutes. It's just not worth it. Basically, IMO, it's called thinking for yourself and driving in a mature manner.
And if I wanna go fast and play with the big boys, I'll do it properly on the Ducati like I did on Friday, which gets 47mpg at 95mph, with 50+ mph of speed in reserve to show the Audi drivers whos boss. 😛
Oh, and I'm not actually taking a test anymore either. So that's immaterial. You learn how to pass a test, THEN you learn how to drive.
I did three miles on the dual carriageway at [u][b]50 mph[/b][/u] ... tester asked me afterwards why I hadn't speeded up to [u][b]60[/b][/u].. forgot the legal speed limit, so played it safe!
Erm... you sure you know it now? 😉
I asked this a couple of pages back:
If you change lanes, surely it's only common sense and courtesy to match your speed to that of the traffic already in that lane?Rigidly sticking to your self imposed speed limit will only lead to bunching as everyone slows behind you, won't it?
Still no answer, anyone?
I did the maths. Increasing my AVERAGE speed by 10mph (which is a tall order) will save me 4 minutes in one hour.
65 miles at 65 mph = 60 minutes (obviously)
[url= http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=65+miles+at+75mph ]65 miles at 75 mph[/url] = 52 minutes.
I agree though - if the road is busy, or has tailbacks/jams, you are better off going slowly than speeding from delay to delay.
Graham. Sorry, I either got it wrong or forgot. It was acouple of years ago now! Still makes no difference to me 🙂
If you change lanes, surely it's only common sense and courtesy to match your speed to that of the traffic already in that lane?
Rigidly sticking to your self imposed speed limit will only lead to bunching as everyone slows behind you, won't it?
Still no answer,
If the traffic is light and the outside lane empty there's no need For ANYONE to speed up or slow down. That's the whole point if my OP! 🙂
If it's a bit busier, personally I'll speed up as I pull out yes. That's only sensible. But I'm good at judging gaps well in advance, sometimes that involves pulling out very early so I don't get boxed in by a stream if traffic going only slightly faster. No need to interrupt my cruise if it can be avoided, no reason to shoot myself in the foot getting stuck behind a truck!