I am envious and do want an EV, my problem isn’t the car, it’s the driver 🙂
It's not everyone or every driver, but some of the particular stuff I have seen on the roads over the last 12 months does seem a bit more unhinged than before, like the max level of crazy has gone up higher. I'm of the mindset that it's general life stress, pouring out through a steering wheel.
you reach a set of lights where there are two lanes, you pull up in the right hand lane only for them to floor it when they go green so you have no chance of overtaking
There's an instructional series of videos out there to help you with this situation, i think Vin Diesel is in them? 😆
In Chesterfield people just seemed completely incompetent.
That's just Chezzie folk in general! 🤣🤣🤣
My current pet peeve is the ones who think that when they’re turning right out of a minor road into a major road, give way line is in the middle of the major road.
You’re a bully, and no, I’m not letting you out.
Definitely seen that motorway speeds are slower. I think thats down to volume and cameras being everywhere.
Would be interesting to see if that has in any way equated to decreased deaths
I live in one of the few parts where you can still drive a car fairly quickly and safely - long may it remain that way
Amazes me how many just disappear out of sight behind me when we get to the NSL bits too, they are the ’40mph absolutely everywhere’ group
Yep its those type of drivers that worry me. Dangerously fast in slow areas, and dangerously slow in fast areas. Clearly not paying any attention to anything going on around them. But of course they will have a dash cam as its everyone else's fault that nearly crash every time they drive
"Gets tiresome repeatedly going lane 1 – lane 3 to overtake the ones doing 60"
I don't bother, I simply carry on driving at the same speed in lane 1 and pass them on their left. The amount of progress that can be made, especially on the M25, is amazing.
Maybe because of more use of satnavs in cars - you can see your ETA and the fact that driving like a knob doesn't make an awful lot of difference to it, but just means more risks, more stress and more fuel costs.
Easter / Christmas etc when these people Use A Motorway
Oh god, pulling out onto the M6 from the M42 over Christmas behind the stereotypical Honda Jazz. It was one of the 'double' slip roads where the left hand slip becomes a new lane 1 to make a 4 lane motorway and the right hand slip joins the motorway a few hundred metres sooner into what is currently lane 1. Jazz is in front of me in the right slip, doing about 35mph. Doesn't even indicate but trundles out into lane 2. I've left a big gap to try to get up to speed so I can go lane 1 to (empty) 2 straight away and leave the Jazz to deal with the HGV bearing down on us at 56mph.
I'm closing on the Jazz, indicate and move to lane 2 when it flashes the indicator once, wobbles towards lane 2, then back to lane 1, then back out to lane 2 in front of me. On the brakes as the HGV passes us on the left.
We pass the other slip road and so there's a new lane 1 meaning we're in lane 3 of 4 doing 35mph in the dark, with two empty lanes to our left. I managed to get into a gap pretty quickly and left them to it.
Not so much on the speeding down here, being in the crowded south there's rarely the space to get up to any speed. But RLJers - amber's the new green, and the first two seconds of red is the new amber. As someone else said, when you stop on amber expect to be abused, and occasionally overtaken so they can go through the red on the wrong side.
On motorways it's absolutely lane hogging that's the new menace. By doing so (officially at least, can't condone Mister-P's behaviour) you cut the overtaking space down from 2 lanes to 1 and can create a mile of queue in no time. Well done you utter ****wits.
Speed on motorways - I had to be travelling around the Oxford / Banbury / South Brum part of the M25 regularly towards end of last year and in the evenings it's like the Nurburgring with predominantly german cars all hammering past at 120. Stereotyping but a particular type of driver as well.
I’m just pottering around within the speed limit in my van.
People driving at the speed limit on the country lanes round here are going too fast for the conditions - single lane roads with passing places, blind corners, cyclists, pedestrians, wildlife. County council van drivers are the worst IME.
I do this as well, or rather drive exactly and calmly at the speed limit. There must be some drivers who think that everyone else in the world drives incredibly slowly because every time they hammer up to inch from the tailgate the car in front slows right down.
If there is a car up my jacksy, I have to increase the distance to the car in front because he has given himself no chance of stopping if I have to slam on. They haven't got any thinking time, let along braking time, although can't imagine there is much going on in the brain stem of the driver behind.
Round my way every 20mph is for the most part ignored. Ditto 30mph, and the 40mphs are effectively treated as motorways speed-wise. Add in the sheer volume of folks ignoring traffic lights on red; pedestrians waiting at zebra crossings; and the ones who pay no attention at roundabouts etc it's getting quite dicey. I'd also say I've seen an increase in blatant mobile use too - not even bothering to try and hide it. On the recent regular trips to Glasgow, however, once away from Newcastle and then off the A69 (that's another story altogether) the motorways have been generally serene. Last trip I let ACC do the work and it was one of the more pleasant longer distance drives I've had.
Oxford / Banbury / South Brum part of the M25
Are you thinking of the M40, because that is like the autobahn!
Personally speed isn't something i notice being a huge issue around my way, bar a few idiots now and again, i tend to worry more about the folk who seem to not be able to see very well, this week a few pulling out of side streets making me brake, following an old guy yesterday he stopped and waited at every mini roundabout when you could see they were clear a long way back, slowing down for green lights and so on, was painful and slow, but this is the usual nightmare around here, there definitely needs to be more testing when people get older and less able, as well as testing and monitoring for those who shouldn't be on the road through drink/drugs/lack of a license!
I think there has been a devaluation of speed limits, or boy who cries wolf. At least in semi rural and out suburban areas.
There are many places where 40-> 30 and 50->40 etc, but in a over use in a over zealous manor by which I mean an entire road is dropped rather than the busy / dangerous section or the 30 been extended well outside a village resulting in sense of "empty road works" scenario where there are long stretches of excess speed limits and people consider the entire stretch to over limited. Hence devalued.
I always notice when driving in Germany and France the limits change a lot more and seem more appropriate with jumps from 30kph back up to 40 or 70 then back down to 40kph etc where as in the UK the entire long road will be set at a low speed limit. As stated originally this is more of a edge of two and semi rural roads
I don’t bother, I simply carry on driving at the same speed in lane 1 and pass them on their left.
Me too & unless you are changing lanes to undertake or just not allowing drivers enough time to pull back in after their overtake, you're very unlikely to get done or create more danger than going lane 1,2,3,2,1 instead.
You’re a bully, and no, I’m not letting you out.
Or maybe, as I find every single morning as I try to pull out of my street, the person on the minor road is sick of not being able to pull out because no-one lets them despite trundling past in a queue at walking speed. Just back off and let the person out, you'll make their day and feel good you've done someone a favour.
I don’t bother, I simply carry on driving at the same speed in lane 1 and pass them on their left.
Me too & unless you are changing lanes to undertake or just not allowing drivers enough time to pull back in after their overtake, you’re very unlikely to get done or create more danger than going lane 1,2,3,2,1 instead
Just stay in lane 3, then you don't have to weave in and out. It's much less stressful.
This seems to be regional. Every time I go to the North of England I am shocked by the level of bell-endery on show by drivers.
Every time I go to the North of England
Can confirm as stated above
Are you thinking of the M40, because that is like the autobahn!
Doh! Yes, M40.
Or maybe, as I find every single morning as I try to pull out of my street, the person on the minor road is sick of not being able to pull out because no-one lets them despite trundling past in a queue at walking speed. Just back off and let the person out, you’ll make their day and feel good you’ve done someone a favour.
+1
Are you thinking of the M40, because that is like the autobahn!
That and the drag racing between the roundabouts of the A43 Silverstone way, I think it warms people up for a bit of flat out on the M40 towards London.
Ok so most motorway speeds have dropped.
Motorway speed limits have dropped and I think there is less speeding going on in general than there used to be when we were younger. Also less drink driving - it’s far less socially acceptable than it was. Also using mobile phones in cars is reducing - as I see when driving.
maybe we are just getting a bunch of gumpy old gits noticing other people’s driving habits.
One thing I’ve really noticed is in London / burbs on traffic junctions without cameras is the number of drivers going through reds. Super dangerous especially if you are a cyclist.
I dunno, Did an 80 mile round trip, 98% motorway today (M62) and whilst I didn't witness any 'aggro' driving, I did see 5 or 6 examples of complete bellendry.
So only circa 2 hours driving...Mostly being in the wrong lane for the speed you are going ie not overtaking/crawling past at +1mph, not matching speed joining the motorway, people pulling in too soon forcing me to brake after thier overtake...
Motorway driving really should be a mandatory part of the driving test.
A470 up in North Wales, dark, wet, rainy, I thought I was driving for the A Team with the rear wheel slides in the van!
A lot of young folk have black boxes now which can temper their enthusiasm a bit.
I hope black boxes don’t become mandatory, just another case of paint by numbers. An amount of acceleration or turning G force on an empty road gets scored poorly, driving through a primary school at kicking out time at 22 while looking at your phone gets scored well.
I would like to see mandatory dash cams including a camera looking at the driver.
being watched in that way might cause many people to shape up.
Also using mobile phones in cars is reducing – as I see when driving.
Not from what I see. Cycle down the outside of a queue of traffic and keep an eye on the drivers, it'll easily be 25% checking phones. It's easier to see at this time of year too, dark outside and the tell tale glow of a phone from their right hand, sometimes they'll try and hide it down by their knee.
Maybe less use when actually driving 🤷🏻♂️
But certainly it's still endemic behaviour for a few seconds at every set of lights or in slow moving traffic.
On motorways it’s absolutely lane hogging that’s the new menace. By doing so (officially at least, can’t condone Mister-P’s behaviour) you cut the overtaking space down from 2 lanes to 1 and can create a mile of queue in no time.
Depends on the circs but it might be okay... Highway Code Rule 268
Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.
Bellends are gonna bellend
What I hate is the school run when folk use our street as a timetrial on the way to dropping their kids at the school gate. Usually mums, usually German SUV, usually on their phones, usually cutting blind corners
Speed bumps in our estate make no difference, I slow to 10mph over them, most folk don't seem to see them. Usually mums, usually German SUV, usually on their phones, usually cutting blind corner.
The more "rural" the motorway the better, IME. The more frequently a motorway passes city junctions the worse it becomes
Stats-wise the Dept of Transport doesn't hold so-called smart motorway collision data, National Highways keep that, but proper motorways have always been relatively safe; until there is a collision and then it involves many more vehicles
I often pootle at 65-68 now and am always surprised at how rarely you get overtaken
I always set the cruise to 70MPH for motorways and dual carriageways where a lower limit has not been posted and I’m always surprised at the number of drivers pootling along in the middle or 3rd lane at 65-68MPH who I then overtake. Usually only to find them accelerating to 70MPH or faster when they realise they’ve been pootling along absentmindedly. 😏
Local roads though are like something out of mad max. Kind of. Always surprised at the number of folks I see overtaking in 20MPH zones and roaring down the road. Usually to stop at the next set of lights and have folks catch up with them.
I’m a stickler for 20MPH and 30MPH limits and find a calming joy in having aggressive, speeding, drivers weaving about a metre from the bumper looking to overtake.
In manchester it also seems that traffic light colours are considered guidance rather than mandatory.
Pleasantly though I see a lot more of drivers yielding on turns to pedestrians.
Motorways are fine – apart from anywhere south of Manchester…
It's a continuum where the closer you get to London the greater the incidence of maniacs and the less patient people are, but to be fair, it's pretty much always been that way, at least this century. There are magnetic death rays generated by the magnetic mass of vehicles circumnavigating the M25 that fry people's brains over time. The M60 has a similar impact, but lower traffic volume mean it's less pronounced.
I would like to see mandatory dash cams including a camera looking at the driver.
being watched in that way might cause many people to shape up.
I don’t think so. You can take your compulsory surveillance and forget it.
Having said that, our current car came with all round cameras and in a recent software update started to use the cabin camera to identify inattentive driving. it seems 5 such ‘pay attention Dave’ events remove the autopilot features for a period!
Drove hours down through Wales on New Years Day, heavy rain, mostly A roads interspersed with small towns. Notable how fast people wanted to go regardless.
I was doing about 55 on the A roads which felt safe given the conditions, branches and water everywhere. Had one motorbiker overtake and show frustration. No wonder they get killed so often. Then near Shrewsbury one of those 'wide A roads that isn't a dual carriageway but people use as one' had loads flying past at 70.
I would like to see mandatory dash cams including a camera looking at the driver.
If not compulsory then speed/phone use cameras everywhere.
Then near Shrewsbury one of those ‘wide A roads that isn’t a dual carriageway but people use as one’ had loads flying past at 70.
Those terrify me. Can't understand why some people hug the gutter and invite other drivers to make risky overtakes against oncoming traffic. Why don't they mark the lanes so you've got two in one direction, one in the other, then reverse it intermittently?
A dual carriageway is a road with a central reservation, it's not related to the number of lanes.
Price of fuel probably a factor . Wang around for hours at over 80 and it kills the mpg. Higher geared , quieter cars just roll through 30 limits at 45 as that's 1200rpm in top gear so very economical and quiet, if not anti social.
A dual carriageway is a road with a central reservation, it’s not related to the number of lanes.
Well I never. Struggling to think of anywhere that has a central reservation that isnt also multiple lane mind.
You'll start noticing them now. Which means you can tailgate and flash the vehicle in front mistakenly sticking to 60. 🙂
A dual carriageway is a road with a central reservation, it’s not related to the number of lanes.
Wasn't suggesting they put a reservation or barrier in, just that they divide it into lanes with either a dotted or solid line in between, so in theory you're less likely to get two cars side by side in both directions.
Those terrify me. Can’t understand why some people hug the gutter and invite other drivers to make risky overtakes against oncoming traffic. Why don’t they mark the lanes so you’ve got two in one direction, one in the other, then reverse it intermittently?
The Coroner's Corridor
You will see crawler lanes on hilly roads laid out like this, but it's permanent and for an obvious (and short) reason.
Has anyone else noticed the number of people who seem to think that just because their phone is in a cradle, it's absolutely fine to use it to watch a movie? Maybe they don't realise just how obvious it is from outside their car, although it's usually a van driver. Bonus points for turning the phone landscape and propping it up in the instrument binnacle.
NHS funding could be solved in a heartbeat by putting cameras that look sideways in cars and having a private company trundle them up and down the motorway. £1,500 fine for each offence should do nicely. This is the sort of thing that is ideal to be handed out to G4S or similar, because they've got a motivation to catch offenders but there's absolutely no ambiguity about the crime.
[also available for private enforcement under a Flaperon government: tailgating, pavement parking, illegally spaced number plates, tinted number plates, driving with a headlight out, driving with all brake lights failed, increasing speed after being overtaken, slowing down to 65 to go under an inactive gantry camera, loud exhausts, Ionity / Osprey electricity prices, throwing McDonalds' litter from the window...]
Those terrify me. Can’t understand why some people hug the gutter and invite other drivers to make risky overtakes against oncoming traffic. Why don’t they mark the lanes so you’ve got two in one direction, one in the other, then reverse it intermittently?
Because they are absolutely lethal. The Heads of the Valley road (A470) used to be all like that in South Wales and the accident rate was horrific.
Has anyone else noticed the number of people who seem to think that just because their phone is in a cradle, it’s absolutely fine to use it to watch a movie?
Yes, plus people FaceTimeing or whatever you call it.
