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This just reminded me of a similar(ish) incident recently. Sitting at a red, car pulls up behind, then reverses and angles slightly like they are planning a fancy start in an F1 race. Sure enough they take a flier as soon as amber appears.....except they never really "go for it". I just pull away as per normal (diesel Mondeo estate with 2 kids in the back and a bike mounted on the back too, not a flying machine) and they sit in a really awkward position on the wrong side of the road and just behind me, not gaining nor losing ground - very, very odd behaviour. Eventually pulls in (too close) behind and some time later overtakes in a wide, quiet 40mph limit.... doing all of 45.
For the record - bog standard Fiesta around 2 years old with a man and woman both in their 50/60s in it.
People are weird.
Cougar is winning best electricity joke, currently.
Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
People are weird.
Some folk are simply godawful at driving and should never be let loose in a ton or two of metal.
With the best will in the world, you can't compensate for abject lack of spatial judgment or awareness, the whole fragile-child-ego-in-a-suit-of-armour thing, inability to allow for other drivers' mistakes, ability to retain mental focus on task at hand, etc. etc.
Flaperon
Free Member
Everyone seems angry on the roads at the moment
This! Not really sure why. There seemed to be a big decline in driving standards up in the North East over lockdown, people abandoning indicating etc completely, cutting corners at junctions etc and it doesn't seem to have improved as traffic's returned to the roads.
Friday afternoons seem to make folk especially evil - we were in the car as a family from about 4 last Friday heading over to the NW and there were enough shabby overtakes, inconsistent speeds on the M6 and just general idiocy to make us notice.
I've got no problem with people jumping red lights if there's nobody around or it's safe to so, cyclists especially, but also drivers. As long as they face the music if spotted by old bill. 'If a tree falls in the forest etc". I do it on the bike if safe, but wouldn't personally do it in the car unless an emergency as I need my license for work. What I do have a problem with is this "IT'S MY RIGHT OF WAY" mentality. There's a pedestrian crossing near the park where I go running and over the years I've probably had about five instances of nearly getting run over on it. Usually slammed the brakes on at the last minute followed by angry beetroot-face screaming behind a closed window. Twice there's been angry words with the logic being that when the crossing first came in to view for them there was nobody on it. Therefore THEY HAD RIGHT OF WAY and I shouldn't be there.
Both of these things seem to stem from the same issue, being that a large amount of people simply cannot think for themselves and will blindly follow rules real or imagined, whatever the consequence. Be it mowing down a pedestrian on a crossing because I HAVE RIGHT OF WAY, or sat there like a frightened rabbit at an empty red light whilst an ambulance is on fire behind them with all the sirens blaring...
Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
That really amps up the competition, though.
That’s interesting – where do you live? Hardly see any Teslas round here.
I'm between Nottingham and Derby. There aren't that many of them, but they tend to be driven poorly, which makes it more obvious.
Though we were in Cambridge this week and driving your Tesla like a bellend is not just an East Midlands thing
had this a few times whilst on the bike, but not in the car. I can only assume that car driver was so amazed that a cyclist didn't jump a red, that they couldn't find the time to safely stop, so continued.
worst one was at a junction onto a busy main road. I wanted to turn right, in the correct position at the junction and noted a car behind. clear place comes and I pull out, get halfway across the road an the car driver decided to undertake me and swing round in front of me. there was plenty of room for him to have waited a bit, or even overtaken me on the turn, but an undertake?
I don't often shout profanities at drivers, but this was an exception.
Though we were in Cambridge this week and driving your Tesla like a bellend is not just an East Midlands thing
They're very high performance though, incredibly quick to accelerate.
Also it has an insane amount of infotainment bollocks all on touchscreens so something that you actually have to look at to navigate. Instead of looking at, oh I dunno, the *road* maybe...?
My friend was hit and killed by a RLJ on a pelican crossing.
C19 has meant delayed inquest so no one really knows exactly what happened, and probably never will
The nice thought is he jumped into the road to push a kid cycling to school out of the way as the car approached, he was a level 2 police driver so good spacial awareness. Tthe kid was hospitalised but Rob died at the scene.
Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
That really amps up the competition, though.
Positively.
I’ve got no problem with people jumping red lights if there’s nobody around or it’s safe to so
I do. Because the entire point of traffic lights is that they control junctions where it might not be obvious if it's safe to go. That's why they are used. They aren't used on all junctions. If you let people make up their own mind in all cases then it's just a free-for-all.
It's well known that people don't always make good decisions, especially when they are tired, annoyed, anxious and so on. I made a bad decision on my trip last weekend, for example, because I was in a hurry. Sure, there are times at a deserted crossroads when there's no-one about when it's probably safe. But you have to make that call - this is a safe situation - and you're not rational, your perception and reading of the situation will change day-to-day, and one day you'll get it wrong. And the other person you didn't see or who was going faster than you thought or was assuming the road would be clear is going to get hit.
The whole point of having rules is that they get stuck to. Once you start making up your own we're all buggered.
They aren’t used on all junctions
And they aren't always used on junctions
"Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
That really amps up the competition, though.
Positively."
There's a potential difference of opinion to be seen
I do. Because the entire point of traffic lights is that they control junctions where it might not be obvious if it’s safe to go.
Not true. They are usually installed at junctions when the traffic volume is so large that cars have trouble entering the main road without them.
There are several sets of lights near me where the roads worked perfectly well without them for decades when traffic volume was lower.
So just like the junctions were safe as a give way before lights were installed they are still safe to treat the lights as a give way at 3am with no traffic about.
I have been known to treat red lights as a give way when there is zero other traffic in sight and I know there is no cameras. In fact treating aed light as a give way at 3am is safer than the frequent amber gambling at peak hours.
Aren't only cyclists RLJers? (Ironic) #makingprogress
If you are in a country which allows the proceeding at caution on a red through a junction then go for it (Canada, US, some EU I have seen do far), these always give way to pedestrians or others at the junction.
In the UK, red means red even if it's 'safe' to ignore it, hell, people have trouble enough making 'safe' decisions when there aren't flexible rules!
“Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
That really amps up the competition, though.
Positively.”
There’s a potential difference of opinion to be seen
Ohm my goodness.
Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
That really amps up the competition, though.
Positively.”
There’s a potential difference of opinion to be seen
Ohm my goodness.
Watt?
They are usually installed at junctions when the traffic volume is so large that cars have trouble entering the main road without them.
Yep. So it provides some impedance to those wanting to push through.
One for me in Bristol. Years ago, I mean years ago.
Ferrari BB512 (Blue). Did'nt give a toss straight through. I was expecting the Police to be following close.... but no.
Insane.
Yep. So it provides some impedance to those wanting to push through.
You've induced a reaction here
Most drivers are habitual red light jumpers, so I find it odd the amount of anger directed towards cyclists for it. Go to any busy traffic light junction, wait for lights to turn red and there's a 50/50 chance a driver will go through. Sometimes when when the lights go amber and I drive through I think 'maybe I could / should have stopped' but then 3 cars follow me when it's definitely red! Lots of folk do it and end up blocking traffic especially road works. Personally I've had it a few times in a car stopping at red lights and the car behind pulls round to overtake and jump them. Had it at zebra crossings to where the idiot nearly took out the family crossing. Yeah it's pretty angry out there with all the drivers in a rush to get to the next traffic queue first...
Riding a bike, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. I'll generally saunter through carefully if safe. At least you've then not held up Mr Beetroot-face in his RR because you're in front of him and haven't shot off at 35mph a nanosecond after amber.
In the UK, red means red even if it’s ‘safe’ to ignore it, hell, people have trouble enough making ‘safe’ decisions when there aren’t flexible rules!
Much as I like the idea of discretionary reds like the have in the US, this is the reason I think we are too late introducing them over here.
At least you’ve then not held up Mr Beetroot-face in his RR because you’re in front of him and haven’t shot off at 35mph a nanosecond after amber.
I'm dawned if I'm going to be bullied into breaking traffic laws to appease an angry driver, and once or twice I've explained it to the driver face to face when they've felt I should have pulled out into traffic when I didn't think it was safe to do so.
Obviously if there's an emergency vehicle with blues and twos going then I'll do whatever I safely can to help them through.
The US has the left turn on red thing, but not at all junctions. They also have a system where late at night the lights just flash amber (or orange, as they call it, how dare they?) and it becomes a give-way. They also have cross-roads that have a single flashing light which can be red, making it a four-way stop, or orange making it a give-way.
Most drivers are habitual red light jumpers
Mate, that's as bad as saying all cyclists jump red lights.
I saw a nasty accident a few years go when someone went round me as I stopped for the red light that changed as I approached. They got 3/4 the way across before a large van smacked into their rear 3/4 and flipped them over! The van had been coming from my left through a series of lights and as they knew the sequence they caught their green light perfectly so were doing just under 30 when they went through. The X5 (yep, BMW) was also doing roughly 30 as they had gunned it, slid a decent distance on it's side and roof. The van driver suffered a bit of concussion as it didn't have an airbag (old Transit) but the X5 driver's wife was in hospital for a while with a few broken bones, the husband walked away with a few scratches. I had to give a statement as a witness and the driver of the X5 got banned for a few months.
The US has the left turn on red thing.
Right. Left on red would be very messy.
The first time I was in the US I absolutely soiled myself being driven back from the airport by the family I was staying with. "Well, it's red, they'll surely have seen it... any minute now they'll slow down... yup, any mome- *zoom* FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
They also have a system where late at night the lights just flash amber
I've thought we should do that for as long as I can remember. Sitting at a red traffic light on a clear crossroads at 2am quietly growing a beard to myself, what's the point? It's daft.
Best one I had was a driver in the middle of a queue for traffic lights with an obstruction just beyond. After a few full cycles, crossed into the opposite lane drove past at last 5 queuing vehicles through red light on the wrong side of the road and turned left.
It's the second time I've taken great pleasure in sending the police some dashcam footage.
I do. Because the entire point of traffic lights is that they control junctions where it might not be obvious if it’s safe to go. That’s why they are used. They aren’t used on all junctions. If you let people make up their own mind in all cases then it’s just a free-for-all
I'm with Molgrips on this one
driving your Tesla like a bellend is not just an East Midlands thing
Must be something to do with the magnetic flux density in the area.
Happened to me a few years ago on a narrow road in Painswick S Cotswolds, black Audi Q something went round me at the red in the middle of the village where it’s v narrow and straight into the front of a police car, they weren’t happy (Audi and fuzz)
I had my foot run over once while waiting at lights on the motorbike. Still kind of regret that I kept it upright rather than just dropping it on the side of the car, since they just drove off, harder to do with a handlebar sticking through your window
Bring on the robot drivers.
Cars have speed sign reading tech these days, wouldn't be hard to adapt this to recognise traffic lights. That could at least record the frequency of red lights jumped to help dangerous driving prosecutions, and people would be less likely to do it if they knew big brother was watching.
There's a bar near me with a big glass window front. We quite often sit with a beer and watch the world go by outside. There's a pelican crossing a few feet to the left and it's amazing how many drivers simply ignore the lights. Last night I watched a Prius taxi drive through the red lights while people were on the crossing. A stunning display from a "professional" driver.
I had my foot run over once while waiting at lights on the motorbike.
I had that too - bloody hurts! The guy who did me had a broken arm in plaster and in a contraption so it was kept at a right angle, not entirely sure he should have been driving at all.
The big new thing here seems to be going around traffic islands on the wrong side of the road. Scooters here don’t give a toss and last week I’d stopped at a zebra crossing and one followed by a proper biker just went around on the wrong side, ridiculous. Getting the odd car doing it now.
and people would be less likely to do it if they knew big brother was watching.
While I agree tech should be used in this way for the wider interests of public safety, can you imagine the "I've got Hooman Rites" outcry?
The most amusing I’ve seen was pulling up to stop at a red light at some roadworks on the A59 towards Harrogate. The car behind me (Rav 4 iirc) jumped me and the red light. Followed by the police car that was following them. I smiled as I passed them a quarter of a mile down the road.
Last night I watched a Prius taxi drive through the red lights while people were on the crossing. A stunning display from a “professional” driver.
People complain about large German saloons but round here, the worst drivers by a country mile are minicab drivers. Zero ****s given about anything anyone else.
The big new thing here seems to be going around traffic islands on the wrong side of the road.
I used to live almost opposite one. Coming down the road was straight through, coming up you had to left-right slightly to go around the island. The number of people who used to straight-line it on the wrong side of the road was astonishing, usually driving something you could fit a grapefruit up the exhaust.
... mind you, when you did left-right it around the island in a hot car on a wet road, this was the result.
Blue car was my parked Passat, black one was a stolen Scooby. The bollards you can see at the back is where the island is. Best guess is he came up far too fast and was caught by massive oversteer, with hilarious consequences.