Driving Attitudes

[pensioner]

I went to the Caravan show at the N.E.C. yesterday,,( bit disappointing ) but it was the driving attitude of the motorist around me going and coming home.
I accept that at 74 I'm a dinosaur, but I don't potter along at 45 to 50 in the middle lane, as a retired instructor and examiner I'm well aware of what's going on around me and although I keep a bigger gap than the rest I do keep up.
Yesterday there was weaving,,undertaking,,tail gating,,middle lane huggers,,and the nutter that comes flying up the outside lane and then cuts across with a few yards to spare to exit the motorway,,being forced to break because the other guy wouldn't wait for a safe gap to join the motorway,,I suspect he expected me to change lanes to let him in but due to traffic I couldn't. Then instead of adjusting to traffic conditions he just swings out into the 2nd then 3rd then outside lane,( if there is one ) and shoots away,,only to be caught up a few miles down the way by the next jam,,so he weaves in and out to try to make progress.
This wasn't an isolated incident either, it happened time and time again. Seems to me attitudes have changed so much over the years, and I know some reading this will have the attitude "if you don't like it hang up your keys",,well I don't intend to,,and hopefully some reading this will agree with me,,I have fitted a dashcam front and rear, as my only defense.
The one thing I DO try to avoid is night driving, having read an article; backed up by the optician, about how much less light gets to my eyes compared to a 20 something year old.Quite scary actually.

 

[Craigyoung]

I agree , driving attitudes today stink and there is more aggression than ever now I think , this is coming from me as a bus driver around Sunderland & south shields and who commutes to work on my bike !

 

[Thingy]

I agree driving standards and attitudes are plummeting. However compared to the driving standards abroad it could be worse.

An afternoon on the Peripherique or Tangianalle would really open your eyes. Its like choreographed suicide.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I agree , driving attitudes today stink and there is more aggression than ever now I think , this is coming from me as a bus driver around Sunderland & south shields and who commutes to work on my bike !

A caravanner, A Cyclist, and a Bus driver! :evil: one day you might find some means of transport that really winds up the driving public :evil: !!! :lol:

But yes there are plenty of bad driving examples to be seen where I live in the West Midlands. All those mentioned by Pensioner, but also

• no seat belts,
• using mobile phones whilst driving,
• Poor lane discipline and signals at traffic islands,
• Speeding
• Badly aimed or not dipping head lights

 

[Grahamh]

And they are not all angry young men. Out on my bike this week ( new years resolution) on a country lane - I'm not brave enough for main roads; I approach a chap walking away from me on the other side of the road. A car approaches as I draw up to the pedestrian and comes literally straight at me. I stop and start to get ready to jump. The car stops, quite literally 2 feet from me and the woman driver gesticulates at me to reverse. I (politely) say that, as the obstruction is on her side of the road she should give way; I receive a barrage of abuse am told that I am 'very rude' I was lost for words.

 

[Craigyoung]

That is one thing I am not short of is words when I'm out on my bike if someone should pull out on me . Not long ago someone pulled out on me and I nearly put my foot through their head light

 

[Hutch]

I often have to travel on the M25 onto the M1, and where the motorways join, east and west then going North, not sure if it 6 or 7 lanes, it is an absolute speedway. Until junction 8 which I think is two miles. Especially not good towing the van.
Craig, I do get hacked off with cyclists, who think they are Dutch and have the right of way at all times especially at traffic light. I always slow down to give over a metres passing room and also for horses which are always on the roads around us here.

 

[Anseo]

I often have to travel on the M25 onto the M1, and where the motorways join, east and west then going North, not sure if it 6 or 7 lanes, it is an absolute speedway. Until junction 8 which I think is two miles. Especially not good towing the van.
Craig, I do get hacked off with cyclists, who think they are Dutch and have the right of way at all times especially at traffic light. I always slow down to give over a metres passing room and also for hoses which are always on the roads around us here.

Since they don't pay road tax, cyclists and hoses should be banned, so there !

 

[Craigyoung]

I often have to travel on the M25 onto the M1, and where the motorways join, east and west then going North, not sure if it 6 or 7 lanes, it is an absolute speedway. Until junction 8 which I think is two miles. Especially not good towing the van.
Craig, I do get hacked off with cyclists, who think they are Dutch and have the right of way at all times especially at traffic light. I always slow down to give over a metres passing room and also for hoses which are always on the roads around us here.

Since they don't pay road tax, cyclists and hoses should be banned, so there !

Nownow john ,
Let's not get personal

 

[Hutch]

Thats why in Milton Keynes we have Redways for Pedestrians, cyclists and hose riders. Probably over 100 miles of them, Oh and the calendar, The Roundabouts of Milton Keynes is a must.

 

[Craigyoung]

When we were in Holland the other year it was more of a case of look for the bike before you look for the car on the roundabout !! hmy:

 

[Hutch]

When we were in Holland the other year it was more of a case of look for the bike before you look for the car on the roundabout !! hmy:

That because they have right of way due to a Royal decree, when a young Prince was knocked off his bike .

5.The City Milton Keynes
roundabout blog 5
Forget New York, Paris or London, for any roundabout lover, it’s all about Milton Keynes. Nowhere in the UK has such a high concentration of roundabouts. Depending on your own view of what’s worthy of the definition ’roundabout’, this roundabout Mecca has between 300-1300 of them. While some people may view Milton Keynes as somewhere there isn’t much going on, for any self-respecting roundabout enthusiast, it can provide hours, days, if not weeks of fun. Surely, the Milton Keynes’ Tourist Board has missed a trick by not publicising this haven of circular sensations.
There must be some sad Buxxers out there.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I often have to travel on the M25 onto the M1, and where the motorways join, east and west then going North, not sure if it 6 or 7 lanes, it is an absolute speedway. Until junction 8 which I think is two miles. Especially not good towing the van.
Craig, I do get hacked off with cyclists, who think they are Dutch and have the right of way at all times especially at traffic light. I always slow down to give over a metres passing room and also for hoses which are always on the roads around us here.

Since they don't pay road tax, cyclists and hoses should be banned, so there !

Deep intake of breath..............No on second thoughts I won't

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

I often have to travel on the M25 onto the M1, and where the motorways join, east and west then going North, not sure if it 6 or 7 lanes, it is an absolute speedway. Until junction 8 which I think is two miles. Especially not good towing the van.
Craig, I do get hacked off with cyclists, who think they are Dutch and have the right of way at all times especially at traffic light. I always slow down to give over a metres passing room and also for hoses which are always on the roads around us here.

Since they don't pay road tax, cyclists and hoses should be banned, so there !

Hmm, who does pay Road Tax? I thought it was abolished in 1937 and replaced by Vehicle Excise Duty. Perhaps I'm mistaken? I'm sure I will be corrected if I'm wrong...........

 

[Craigyoung]

As it happens there's a lot of cars now that don't pay road tax so stick that in your pipe and smoke it !!

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

Sorry to be a pedant, but they aren't exempt from "Road Tax", they are exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). There is, currently, no such tihing as "Road Tax" and, in any case VED goes into general taxation, so isn't hypothocated to road maintenance.

 

[Craigyoung]

Sorry to be a pedant, but they aren't exempt from "Road Tax", they are exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). There is, currently, no such tihing as "Road Tax" and, in any case VED goes into general taxation, so isn't hypothocated to road maintenance.

Ok .

 

[Thingy]

As it happens there's a lot of cars now that don't pay road tax so stick that in your pipe and smoke it !!

As long as you arent in central London or you may contravene the Low Emission Regs.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Can I use my wood burning steam engine please?

 

[Craigyoung]

...Can I use my wood burning steam engine please?....

Ha ! Prof ,

I was expecting a massive 4 or 5 paragraphed reply from your there but you stumped me on that short one

 

[otherclive]

I try and avoid our rural Wiltshire B roads. Modern cars have such good road holding that the majority drive too fast to avoid cyclists, horses, farm vehicles or walkers. Some of our worst local fatalities have been on the B roads. So I tend to stick to main roads or the town.

I think by using my bike in town that I am doing a public service. It uses far less road space so should ease congestion. It helps motorists stay within the speed limit and avoid penalty points. Minimal wear and tear on our poor roads. Whilst I emit some CO2 it is far less per mile than if i used the car. There may be occasional methane emissions and methane has a greater warming effect than CO2 it is broken down in the atmosphere within 10 years unlike CO2 which last almost indefinitely. I also improve air quality too by inhaling the harmful particulate matter and NOX. So the lack of any financial contribution to the exchequer is more than compensated for by the benefits I contribute.

 

[Anseo]

Thats why in Milton Keynes we have Redways for Pedestrians, cyclists and hose riders. Probably over 100 miles of them, Oh and the calendar, The Roundabouts of Milton Keynes is a must.

I will retract on my view that cyclists should be banned (jailed instead).

But hose riders - never.

People who ride hoses are antisocial and a menace to the road network

 

[Gabsgrandad]

These 'HOSE' riders seem to be getting up your pipe, Anseo?

 

[Anseo]

These 'HOSE' riders seem to be getting up your pipe, Anseo?

They sure are Pete, never gave it any thought until Hutch brought it to my attention.

I googled it and they are an ever increasing band of ne'er-do-wells, time the police clamped down on em.

I haven't seen em on the roads up here yet Pete, but no doubt it is only a matter of time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiE58Ri5axQ

 

[Raywood]

Drivers here in Scotland are not brilliant but I do find once you reach England things get worse and racetracksabound.