i commute 20 miles each way every week day, so i see quite a lot of stuff..
young lad in a white bmw driving down lane 1 of the m5 taking selfies? check.
at the junction i come off at in the evening (m5 j22 northbbound) the traffic is often queued up the hard shoulder
pet hates are 1) 3rd/.fast lane hoggers. 2) drivers in holier than thou mode, who will aggressively show they're in the right lane... while breaking the speed limit and doing about 90... 3) same as 2 but with the added jeopardy of undertaking. i do see a fair bit of undertaking
This kind of thing has got worse in Southampton over the last ~5 years or so...
Cars approaching t-junction to turn right, going to centre of main road, blocking what would have been their nearside traffic while waiting for someone sympathetic to let them complete the right turn
Cars parking on the pavements, not just a little bit over the kerb, so far over that shopping trolley and pram users cannot get by or sometimes even a pedestrian!
Cars approaching designed pinch points where they don't have right of way, but because the car in front of them goes, they follow it through... To see me heading towards them on Moorgreen Road heading the opposite direction doing ~25mph on my road bike and waiving my fist at them!
Cars approaching parked cars on their side of the road, pulling out to pass them regardless of vehicles coming the other way who have priority
Cars waiting to pass parked vehicles on their side of the road, a vehicle with priority passes them and they start shouting because they didn't get a thanks from the vehicle user with priority! 😆
Instead of waiting a few seconds for a gap in traffic the other way to overtake cyclists with a >1.5 metres gap, vehicles will squeeze past with less than 30cm gap
Vehicles stopping in the ASL box for cyclists, when they had plenty of opportunity to stop at the correct line before, as the traffic lights were turning amber/red
This kind of stuff needs to stop, with fines and temporary (or even permanent) bans for people thinking they are above the rules of the road. On busy roads, introduce more traffic lights, make vehicle license holders re-take their practical tests every ~5 years etc.
Drivers pulling out from side roads in front of me, making you brake when there's no traffic behind me...special place in Hell waiting for them hopefully.
I do about 45K a year, mostly m-way, I see things most days that make me fear for the future of humanity.
Cycling just takes too long for a slow rider like me and I hate cycling on roads.
Problem with cycling: too many cars on the road and a slow cyclist
Solution: drive car and cycle less
Leaving aside the fallacy of driving a car because there are too many cars, I've not ridden a bike in almost 3 months due to working away from home, I'm neither fit, nor fast.
When I got back home I was determined to go 'car light' having seemingly spent 3 months constantly driving stupid distances across the country and generally being a bit fed up with cars and the cost of fuel (and repairs, and insurance, and tax, and MOT's, and tyres). Last week I managed 2.5 days commuting, and the same again this week. The other days were days when I had to move kit around (and I may as well make 45p a mile in my own car than use the company van).
So so far just in fuel I've saved enough for a meal out with the Mrs.
It genuinely takes no extra time out of my day (I reckon 30min each way, 30min I would likely just waste watching the news)
I've got 250 miles of cycling in that I wouldn't otherwise (even forced to ride busy roads it's still more fun than not cycling)
I've lost 3kg of fat.
I'm already 10% quicker than I was 3 weeks ago. OK that rate of change isn't going to continue, but I'm still looking forward to making everyone eat my dust on winter night rides rather than struggling to keep up and begging haribo off everyone! Even on my first ride back in the 'medium' night ride group I was riding people off my wheel through most flatter sections, although I could tell I'd not ridden much overall this year struggling towards the end of the 2 hours after a few hard efforts earlier on.
I'm still in the evangelical honeymoon stage of this experiment, but for the moment I'm sticking with the assertion that commuting by car is for idiots (and the disabled, elderly and those who need to transport stuff for their job).
Drivers overtaking the first person to stop at a red light.
^^^ and -
Coming up to a road works controlled by traffic lights. The light turns red and the car in front stops. I stop. The van behind accelerates, overtakes us both and shoots through on red.
Properly revs me up.
A particular favourite now the M5 is four lanes by Droitwich is that former middle lane hogs now hog lane 3, which gives a full lane of safety clearance to undertake them.
People cutting the apex on roundabouts (e.g. not staying in the left lane if going straight across)
This. Massively and constantly, on a daily basis, this.
And the one I'm increasingly seeing:
The positive angle: That message about "leave a decent gap when passing a cyclist in your car" actually might be getting through to people - lots of motorists giving me nice wide gap, thanks.
The less positive angle: We seem to need to modify the message to include "but if it will lead to you nearly having a head on collision with oncoming traffic, maybe just hang back a bit, yeah?"
I also have the "you're jumping the queue!" people not letting a merge happen as per t'otherjonv's post^ when I'm in the car, mainly in one spot - it's three lanes on the ring road, and a few hundred yards on there's a roundabout where the rightest most lane is right turn only, with the other two being left or straight on.
The traffic flows in the evening rush hour often mean the righty lane is backed way way back with traffic when the other two are still flowing.
You do obviously get the odd nobhead who deliberately sails up the flowing lanes with a view to cutting in right just before the junction, which is clearly a dick move, but the result can be that where I join the road, from the left, the right lane which I need to be in is already stacked back past where I join, and when I try and indicate to get into that lane there's often the pull-up-to-the-bumper types (usually a bit gammony looking) who WILL NOT BE LETTING ME IN under any circumstances.
Without fail if I proceed a little further up the queue, someone will let me in, which of course renders Mr Gammon (and it is invariably a Mr) a bit ragey, going by the horn beepage which can follow, and when this happens I follow the only proper course of action, which is to let as many other cars as feasibly possible into the queue in front of me. Most fun when I can still see Mr Gammon in the rear view mirror a couple of cars back.
I had a cracking 'not in a car variant' on edlong's experience.
Waiting at the departure gate for a flight, I had found a seat in the little holding pen before they herd you on and was waiting for the flight to actually start boarding.
The ground agent arrived, did her checks and stuff and then did the little announcement that the flight was ready for boarding and would club / assistance / children, etc. like to come up first, and then other passengers would be called in a short while.
'Everyone' stood up.
But I'm a seasoned traveller and realised that a short while = 3 more minutes sitting down. Once that passed, the queue started to shuffle forward. inches at a time, so i stood up and occupied the standing equivalent of the space I'd been sat in.
But the guy who'd been sat in the seat to my left, ie: one space further away from the desk than me wasn't having it. Apparently I was 'pushing in' because I hadn't stood up 3 minutes earlier. And he wanted me to go and join the end of the queue. I think I actually snorted with laughter, before going absolutely nowhere. I could sense the seethe all the way along the airbridge!!
It’s like the proliferation of motorway joiners pulling out into Lane 1 assuming those on the motorway can/will move into lane 2 or adjust their speed.
Mrs Doris was explicitly told to do this when she was learning to drive (10ish years ago) and has taken it to be gospel ever since.
I think I actually snorted with laughter, before going absolutely nowhere.
Hmmm, a bit British of me perhaps but the place to join a queue is at the back. If you actively choose not to join when it's forming, you get to **** right off if you want to go in front of me when you decide the time's right for you to get up.
I’ve stopped crying and drove home leaving everyone a gap and indicated everywhichwaybutloose as I approached junctions to turn.
And I used my headlights in the pissing torrential rain earlier.
Took me 5mins longer, but saves racing the Jaaaaag through 1ft rivers of rain on the M27 yeah.
I did - I was just in a seated position occupying exactly the same position in the queue I'd have been in if i stood up.
It's not as if I stayed seated right until my position reached the front and then demanded to be let in there.
Counter
If the moment the lady had started the announcement (bearing in mind the announcement wasn't inviting the queue to start, rather warning us that we would be boarding in a few minutes) I'd leapt to my feet, am I then entitled to overtake everyone else because they were slower than me getting up?
@doris: Chatting to a police driver the other day, he also finds the 'blind joiners' on the motorway not only dangerous but acting contrary to the HC. Suggest you rebrief your Mrs!
I do move over when I can because the moronic joiners seem hell-bent on an accident otherwise, but it's not always possible.
I'm pretty sure that contributes to the increased accident rate at junctions because 2 lanes are affected rather than just one if joined properly. Mobile phones don't help either....
And why can't people merge in turn?
And don't start me on foglights!!!!
I am starting to notice...
Well, you need to pay more attention, as it's been going on for years.
Having said that, the overall standards (or lack thereof) in driving have really nose-dived over the last few years.
It's a combination of lack of understanding of how things should be done (not helped by no requirement to take motorway lessons - unless that's changed recently), impatience, lack of consideration for others, an inflated sense of self importance, and an almost complete absence of Police.
Waiting at the departure gate for a flight...
The irony of the stupidity surrounding the 'etiquette' of queuing to board a plane, is that I guarantee that everybody will leave the ground at the same time 😉
I currently do a driving job (specialist courier) so cover loads of miles a year in addition to the 15k of personal miles I do, mainly to go biking. I'm looking to get out of the line of work for various reasons but the standard of driving by others is one of them. Everything mentioned above I have seen on more than one occasion, usually in the same day. The British general standard of driving is woeful and I would gladly vote for:
* More traffic police, funded by the fines they generate.
* More disqualifications, particularly for mobile phone use behind the wheel.
* Mandatory retests every 5 years or so.
People need to learn that a driving license is a privilege earned that can be taken away at any time if you disobey the rules. It is not a right and if you do lose it arguing that it will mean you find it hard to get to work or ferry the kids around is not reasonable grounds to keep it. A vehicle is easily capable of killing a lot of people if used incorrectly and the sooner that sinks in the safer we will all be.
Siting in the middle of a dual cariageway, after crossing from a side road, and suddenly pulling into the outside lane if a few vhicles are in the inside lane, thats until one of the vehicled doing 60 plus decides to overtake a vehicle in the inside lane, result a crash.
Also vehicle overtakes car in front, and suddenly turns left and brakes hard to cause a collision, usually on 30 mph roads
After driving around Naples recently I think the UK is more than civilised when it comes to driving.
I've never understood the rush to board a plane. Standing in a queue to sit in a confined space for a few minutes more? I sit and wait until the queue is almost gone then get on the plane. We all have an allocated seat, we all take off and land together. I'll have a few more minutes with my legs stretched out thanks.
Anyway, back to driving. I'm not sure why people wanting the third exit at a roundabout, ie crossing the on coming traffic, think they don't need to indicate.
"I’ve never understood the rush to board a plane."
It is so they can take up all the overhead storage with the bags that they should have checked in.
I do wonder if the increase in people driving in Britain who didn't pass their driving test in Britain has made the roads more chaotic. I passed my test in the UK, but have lived in other countries where I've been able to swap my uk license for a local one. However, the way the locals are taught to join roads or indicate at roundabouts (for example) are entirely different. If they drove like that in the uk I'd think they were aggressive lunatics.
I do wonder if the increase in people driving in Britain who didn’t pass their driving test in Britain has made the roads more chaotic.
You wonder incorrectly. The worst drivers on the roads are an even mix of all ethnicities and age groups. While I personally suspect that new drivers are the worst for sitting in their cars texting, the average white van man has no qualms about answering his phone or reading the paper at the wheel, and you can tell when an HGV driver is watching TV because they're using the rumble strip to guide them.
It’s like the proliferation of motorway joiners pulling out into Lane 1 assuming those on the motorway can/will move into lane 2 or adjust their speed.
Mrs Doris was explicitly told to do this when she was learning to drive (10ish years ago) and has taken it to be gospel ever since.
Well, it’s been my experience over the last two years of driving on a lot of motorways while covering tens of thousands of miles that this is the accepted practice of experienced road users, and which also uses common sense. Approaching a motorway on-ramp, you check behind and move out into lane two, allowing drivers entering to accelerate up to motorway speeds, they can then, when appropriate, move out into lane two, allowing the slower traffic, mostly trucks, the chance to move back into lane one.
This works, mostly, and I fail to see how else one could join a motorway in a simpler fashion, provided driver’s follow that procedure. Which in my admittedly limited experience they actually do. Because it works to everyone’s advantage.
It’s like the proliferation of motorway joiners pulling out into Lane 1 assuming those on the motorway can/will move into lane 2 or adjust their speed
You'd think people would think ahead and kind of plan for vehicles joining a motorway from an on ramp though. It's hardly a surprise there might be people coming on and ditch the "I was here first" attitude.
"You wonder incorrectly"
Fair enough. What you described is far worse than what I imagined. It sounds appalling.
You’d think people would think ahead and kind of plan for vehicles joining a motorway from an on ramp though. It’s hardly a surprise there might be people coming on and ditch the “I was here first” attitude.
I agree, in general however.... on a 2-lane carriageway you can't have everyone moving into the outside lane particularly when the traffic is heavy. Unless I'm mistaken an 'on ramp' or slip road is also called an acceleration lane and you're supposed to use it to get up to the speed of the traffic so you can merge safely.
So as i approach one of these junctions, if moving out isn't really an option it's obvious to me to ease speed slightly so I'm still at the speed of the lane 1 traffic but there's now a decent gap in front of me for cars to join into, at the same speed.
The number of drivers I see most weeks on the A3 at Guildford, who bimble along the slip road and then suddenly act surprised that there are cars in L1 amazes me, I assume they work in the hospital / research park and do it every day, and there's traffic every day.
Which then means do I have to slow right down to the bimble speed they're at so they can still go out in front of me (result, everything behind me in L1 has to slow down as well, and it concertinas to a stop somewhere further up the road) or do I keep my speed and they have to come to a halt at the end of the slip road (result, everyone else on the slip road has to slow or stop too, and then try to join the road at much lower speeds / with less room to accelerate. And they think I'm a ****)
I have observed this practically daily for years, and one person who doesn't know what they are doing can bring the road to a halt.
LOL...
So despite seeing this practically every day for years, you're a) still shocked and surprised and b) still sitting in L1? Why on Earth don't you move to L2 earlier - like when you see the off ramp? What generally follows and off ramp...? Yes, an ON ramp. You've got prior knowledge of the road, and the likelihood of traffic congestion. You can't change everyone else's driving habits, but you can change yours!
Apparently the red light on temporary traffic lights doesn’t mean stop, who knew?
It's not always possible to move across to L2 but it seems joiners can't be bothered to adjust speed/ give way as they should.
It might be the 'accepted' practice but it's incorrect because it involves L1 and L2. One reason for traffic jams and accidents.
A dangerous trend.
And what about L2 hoggers.....?!
Another trend I’m seeing is the oncoming right turn’ers, those that insist on turning in front and across you just meters ahead just so the can make thier exit 3seconds faster.
But...
I have to say all I see is about 30% of those instances that have been pointed out so far on here, so that leaves the 70% of us that drive sensibility and considerately.
Enjoy going to the shops you lot 🤠😜💋
I do around 35k a year for business. I could have a major accident every day that wouldn’t be my fault if I followed the highway code. The standard of driving in this country is quite frightening.
I used to adhere to the HC, but now I don’t, It’s too stressful if I do. Unfortunately I have now turned into one of them out of necessity.
I think the major factor in the shit driving is the lack of actual police on the road. They have focused on the wrong thing. Is an observant person doing 80-90 in the outside lane more of a danger than the person in lane 1 or 2 doing their makeup, on the phone and generaly not paying attention? Cameras don’t pick these up where an actual human would. I bet the standard of driving would improve if the risk of being caught doing ****ish things increased.
I used to adhere to the HC, but now I don’t, It’s too stressful if I do. Unfortunately I have now turned into one of them out of necessity.
^^ Depends on what you mean, I think. I often drive back from work late at night and it's just easier to stay comfortably in lane 1 at 74 mph than constantly flick from right to left to pass everyone rolling along at 65 in the middle lane. Safer, IMHO, and arguably not undertaking as the traffic in my lane (me) is moving faster than their lane. I try to let people change lane in traffic jams if they try - partly because it means that they don't get so pent up and mainly because the stupid car insists on letting them in unless I drive it myself.
Just the other day someone decided to do a U-turn out of a traffic jam on a 60mph A-road directly into my path. He knew I was coming; knew that I would *just about* be able to stop, and went anyway.
The generally shite driving is linked to the greater sense of entitlement and selfishness endemic in society. ("Why should you hold me up?" Speed limits are for slow cars". "Everyone cuts the corner on roundabouts". "You managed to stop, didn't you?"
I agree with others that the problem is just lack of police. I saw a video on YouTube of dash cam footage from the last month or two and the standard of driving is simply appalling.
But it’s not JUST the lack of police....
Speed is a quantifiable and easily recorded variable, hence the spread of cash raising cameras all over the network. What they don’t measure is L2 drones who have no awareness, dangerous lane crossings or HGVs pulling out simply because they’ve indicated.
I use L1 as much as poss and don’t normally go above 75. Quite often I get a clear run on L1 whilst people are effectively queuing nose to tail in the overtaking lanes. Just can’t quite understand the mentality TBH.
I also avoid motorways as much as possible!
I think the major factor in the shit driving is the lack of actual police on the road
How many police would you need on the road to make any difference. Must be in the 10,000s possible even 100,00s (there are a lot of roads).
Would the cost of that be worth it just to get the bad drivers to drive a bit better (especially bearing in mind road deaths continue to drop (accepting that may be because of better cars). Is it really a priority for the countries budget ?
The revenue raised by having police on the road would easily pay the wage of the extra officers. Then as standards improve the revenue would lessen so then you would need less police but hopefully the standards would have incresed. A bit like prey and predator. They will eventualy find an equilibrium.
Why on Earth don’t you move to L2 earlier – like when you see the off ramp
Yep, and this shit driving technique is exactly why you see so many middle lane morons. Oh there’s another off ramp in 5miles, might as well stay in this lane...
no,it not no its not im a fantastic driver!
blah blah I’m afraid you’re one of them.
We need an on-the-spot fine system for minor violations IMO. No points, just a fine (and the delay to your journey while it's done). Points system could still exist alongside.
And retesting. Doesn't have to be too onerous, could be every 30 years to start with. Get the system working then reduce to every 20 years, etc. I'd like to do a retest, I'm sure it would do me good.
Another way to spot the moron mergers that think traffic should give way to them is when they are the traffic and you are the merger trying to do it properly. Yeah great, reverse drag race to see who can brake harder to get behind the other.
Dezb who said anything about staying in lane 2l and hogging it And there's no "middle lane" when we were talking about a 2 lane road..... If you pull parts of the conversation out of the context it was in... Jesus. The chap was talking about having to slow down, while in two lanes of slow traffic while people join. If the traffic is slow then there's ample oppurtubity to change back to Lane 1 in 5 miles ya douche.
The guy I was replying to was saying this happens to him daily for years but continues to sit in lane one and whine. There's nothing to stop him changing lanes and then moving back again and nothing to do with hogging any lanes or sitting in a non existant third lane. He's got prior knowledge of the road, knows how the traffic usually is and sits in lane 1 getting wound up. Daily.
It’s not always possible to move across to L2
No nott always, but you know the ramp is there, cant you plan ahead a bit? Nervous driver? You can see the signs that suggest there might be an on ramp, you have mirrors eyes and indicators , move earlier and move back when you feel safe to do so? You said it was 2 lanes of usually slow moving traffic Have some confidence and look a bit further than the BMW badge on your bonnet?
Fark.... If there's a pothole do you drive over it every day or plan ahead to avoid it?
Yeah, but you can see and overtake slow traffic. You don’t have to move over to the middle lane ‘just in case’ That is exactly what most middle laners do. Anyway, I take your point, but it’s banging your head against a wall trying to advise people on their driving. Everyone is awesome and everyone else is clueless! 😀
As mentioned before I pull over when I can but it's not always possible, particularly in the 50mph zones on the M6 when traffic density is intense.
Absolutely not a nervous driver and I plan ahead more than most, but I don't arbitrarily pull into L2 to slow faster traffic down just in case an inattentive driver joining can't understand their responsibilities. That's what causes accidents and tailbacks. It's up to the joining traffic in those circumstances to give way. But they don't and seem surprised if you can't move out of the way....
But this is STW.... so..... whatever!
PS... perhaps if people feel the HC is inappropriate in certain circumstances it's time it's changed? Just a thought....
So despite seeing this practically every day for years, you’re a) still shocked and surprised and b) still sitting in L1? Why on Earth don’t you move to L2 earlier
As said; the traffic in that lane is already pretty much nose to tail at rush hour time, so you can't get all the traffic into one lane. Instead you leave a space for someone to match their speed to and join. It's their inability to do so that creates the issues.
There is a secondary factor, in this case because of the shape of the junction, the off ramp immediately follows the on ramp. So if you want to leave, using your method you'd then be forcing yourself pretty much into a lane of merging traffic - and if they can't manage to find space in one line of traffic, to expect them to spot a gap and that gap be pinched by a late leaver only increases the hazard.
Yes it's a bad design, made substantially worse by people who can't drive properly.
The revenue raised by having police on the road would easily pay the wage of the extra officers.
Ah, that's great then. Good that you have worked it all out.
Ah, that’s great then. Good that you have worked it all out
Somebody else that's worked it all out!
