If I Was A Traffic Cop I'd.......

Discussions on better road driving, advanced courses and the like
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RobBruce
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If I Was A Traffic Cop I'd.......

Post by RobBruce »

With my new change in vocation I have had loads of people telling me what they would do in this position..... and suicide does NOT count! :shock:

I thought I'd throw it open to all and start off a good old rant about peoples pet hates on the road. (Robin - are you there? Ranting required!)

SOME of mine include kiddies in the back with no seatbelts; those who park on zig-zags and especially the to55ers who sit in the outside lane at red traffic lights, then move off 2 feet only to stop then indicate right :evil: Where's me pen? :rtm:

Anyone else got pet hates???


Rob
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Post by garyw »

Outside lane hoggers
....outside lane hoggers
...........outside lane hoggers
..............outside lane hoggers
..................outside lane hoggers
.......................outside lane hoggers
.............................outside lane hoggers
....................................outside lane hoggers (Flash Flash)
outside lane hoggers

They just slow up the motorways :head: :head:
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Post by DavidM »

I'm with Gary on this one ... Outside lane hoggers

and allow "road vigilantes" - so that in the absence of traffic cops - cos you are all going to be replaced by yellow gatsos - the more responsible members of the road using fraternity - determined by car brand and bhp of course - can dole out punishment "Judge Dredd" style on idiot road users
Last edited by DavidM on Tue 24 Aug, 2004 22:13, edited 1 time in total.
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RobBruce
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Post by RobBruce »

:D


Thought that might pop up...........

For your information, it's not the outside lane - It's the BMW lane :wink:
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Post by DavidM »

And SUV driving school run mothers who have never taken their off road vehicle out of town let alone off road (apart from their cobbled drive) - lock those women up and throw away the key
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Post by Robin »

If I was Traffic cop I'd make the outside lane speed limit 80mph.
Minimum permitted !
Last edited by Robin on Wed 25 Aug, 2004 21:58, edited 1 time in total.
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DavidO
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Post by DavidO »

Apart from several of the aforementioned anti-social driving habits:

1. The "beam me up scottie" brigade who live in a fantasy world on motorways. Those who believe that indicators (if they use them at all) are inter-galactic force fields. i.e these orange immortality beams are switched on AFTER the driver has begun switching lanes thereby protecting him from impact from the faster vehicle currently overtaking him. :evil:

2. Pil***ks who use rear fog lamps at night, in the rain on motorways. They should be allowed to retain their prized red possessions, but the remainder of the vehicle should be confiscated on the spot. :evil:

3. Tail-gaters. They should be made to drive their vehicles with a very long pole attached to the front, carrying a powerful electric current with wires attached to driver's nether regions. When the very long pole touches rear of car in front, the circuit is made, and....enough said :twisted:
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muffles
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Post by muffles »

tailgaters - hate them - great idea david.

outside lane hoggers - yes - but only in certain circumstances, i.e. there is space in the inner lane, and i don't mean a gnats c*ck's worth, so the poor guy has to pull in and then 2 seconds later pull out again (oo-er). One of the worst things is if you are a driver who wants to stick to the speed limit and you are overtaking cars going at 50/60, and some idiot behind you is right up behind you basically demanding that you speed?! almost want to stop and punch them, sorry guv'nor :lol:

hate people that undertake too - but also only in certain circumstances. sometimes there is a line of cars all overtaking, and there is actually a gap in the inside lane. now we all know that going along there is illegal, but some people just can't contain their excitement at the sight of space, and dive in after it. it's even worse when i leave an appropriate amount of space to the car in front of me, some people see it as an invitation to pull in there?! a couple of days ago a guy tried to do exactly this, except our line was going fast enough to get past the inner lane slow car before he reached his target. so he tried to pull in anyway, almost hit my car, and then started waving at me after he pulled in behind me - i was like WTF? seriously, how was i in the wrong? i prevented him breaking the law! :twisted: anyway, he signaled, which leads to...

yes indicating. hate people that don't do it, and also agree with david's sentiments. it seems that once you are indicating it gives you a right to pull out, but i'm really not sure where that law came from!

pfft, can you tell i'm a bitter driver :mrgreen:
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Post by Jules75 »

People who don't indicate at round abouts! I'm sorry, but I didn't have the mind reading chip installed at birth! :head:
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Post by spokey »

I believe there is an offence called "driving without due care and attention." This is my personal favourite, getting stuck behind someone who either doesn't know or doesn't care that there are other cars on the road. Most of the grumbles I've seen here fall into this category in one form or another.

A typical symptom, and one that peeves me greatly, is the old fart doing 50 on the country lanes who makes it as difficult as possible for you to overtake by "leaning" to make the road too narrow for you to get past. When you do get past eventually, leave him behind, and then slow down for a village, he's still doing 50 into the village. :roll:

But outside lane hogging, centre lane owners club, tailgating and the inspiration to undertake all stem from people not driving with due care and attention.

I agree that undertaking is bad, but when you have been stuck behind a lorry in the overtaking lane of a dual carriageway for 5 miles with nothing in the other lane, you have flashed your lights, hooted and used your indicator while the guy in the lorry hasn't even looked in his rear view mirror the whole time, what are you supposed to do? Oh yes, you're supposed to get hooted at and gestures made at you from the lorry driver. :roll:

I think a common cause of people getting angry is because they get a fright. And they get a fright because ... :?: They're not paying attention :!:

I have about a 95% success rate of telling who is going to do a lane change before the indicators come on or the car changes direction, because drivers generally have a warmup "lean" towards one side or another when they're going to change lanes. Sometimes it's a false alarm, but it's generally quite reliable... :nerd:

The problem with "driving without due care and attention" as a law, is that you can't enforce it with a scamera.

So, in conclusion Rob, if you are becoming a traffic cop, I'd be grateful if you could target all those inattentive and inconsiderate people who get in my way. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Ciao,
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Post by Dav »

Pet hates......Volvo drivers who wear hats, gloves and glasses and are usually members of a local croakers club who will stop on a main A road to let someone out of a minor junction and then look surprised when they are nearly shunted into the car they have so kindly let out.
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Post by Zmeagol »

Driving in India is the real education. The roads are narrow and often poorly maintained, whilst the vehicles are underpowered and without any of the modern technology we take for granted. Where there's only a couple of miles an hour difference in speeds they can't wait for a 500-yard gap in the traffic before overtaking, so they just honk their horn and go for it, often on a blind bend.

In the UK this would be suicide, but Indian drivers are extremely cooperative and the oncoming lorry (which has now appeared) moves over a bit, the vehicle being overtaken moves over, and the driver squeezes through. In three separate trips to India, I haven't see a single example of anyone getting uptight.

I think the real problem in the UK is lack of driver education, coupled with a real attitude problem from some drivers. Assertive driving yes, aggressive driving no.

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stu
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If I was a traffic cop

Post by stu »

I'd be the fastest traffic cop in the world Ma :lol:
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Post by Robin »

Rob you've started something here :)
See also the 'appalling lane' discipline thread. I'll complete my ranting for you with these points:-

There are some drivers often woman, though not all as some are very good drivers, with poor spacial awareness that drive down the middle of the road with parked cars either side so you have to pull over when there would have been enough room if only they had kept to their side of the road. I know that's not PC & to counter it I will admit that men drivers are prone to other vices such as excessive speed in inappropriate places.

You need never question why there might be 100 yard queues at lights where there ought not to be. It's becuase of the sleepy sloths that move off at the traffic lights about 5 seconds into the green phase. Or those that move off so slowly they leave a big gap between themselves & the car in front thereby reducing the number of vehicles that make it through on that green phase.

I prefer the continental way of driving.
You have to stay awake & alert to survive there !
Last edited by Robin on Wed 25 Aug, 2004 08:52, edited 3 times in total.
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Post by ZZZEMMCO »

:shock: Agree with most posts, + Lorries in Roadworks sections who push you along 2 mtrs from your bumper, while you are keeping to the posted limit, in nearside or middle lanes and being reminded that the camera,s are on. :head:

The biggest gripe of ALL------The fact that the BIB have been Hi-jacked by the Politburo for political purposes, and some order that used to be maintained ,with a form of respect from drivers, has gone.

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Post by garyw »

muffles wrote:tailgaters - hate them - great idea david.

outside lane hoggers - yes - but only in certain circumstances, i.e. there is space in the inner lane, and i don't mean a gnats c*ck's worth, so the poor guy has to pull in and then 2 seconds later pull out again (oo-er). One of the worst things is if you are a driver who wants to stick to the speed limit and you are overtaking cars going at 50/60, and some idiot behind you is right up behind you basically demanding that you speed?! almost want to stop and punch them, sorry guv'nor :lol:

hate people that undertake too - but also only in certain circumstances. sometimes there is a line of cars all overtaking, and there is actually a gap in the inside lane. now we all know that going along there is illegal, but some people just can't contain their excitement at the sight of space, and dive in after it. it's even worse when i leave an appropriate amount of space to the car in front of me, some people see it as an invitation to pull in there?! a couple of days ago a guy tried to do exactly this, except our line was going fast enough to get past the inner lane slow car before he reached his target. so he tried to pull in anyway, almost hit my car, and then started waving at me after he pulled in behind me - i was like WTF? seriously, how was i in the wrong? i prevented him breaking the law! :twisted: anyway, he signaled, which leads to...

yes indicating. hate people that don't do it, and also agree with david's sentiments. it seems that once you are indicating it gives you a right to pull out, but i'm really not sure where that law came from!

pfft, can you tell i'm a bitter driver :mrgreen:
Muffles, I really hope that this post was written in jest, or maybe I'm seeing too much red to find the funny side. YOU are the driver that I think we're on about..
In Europe if there is a gap the driver pulls over to let the faster car past. its polite and doesn't harm anyone.
Tailgaters, don't you perhaps think that because you have decided to "stick to the limit" and you shouldn't just go a little quicker to allow the other driver to pass, then you wouln't have tailgaters.
Undertaking, obviously there is space on your inside so why aren't you in it...

If you wrote the thread in Jest then :lol: you got me, if not :evil:
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Post by Desperado »

My pet hate is people who pull up to a set of red lights and end up half over the white line, then with the lights on red they continue to move forward slowly so when the light hits amber they can get the jump on everyone and make it to the next corner first. I mean why, what is the point? :head:

I watched on car at a round about last week do this but by the time the amber light lit he his whole car was two car lenghts past the white line and he hadn't evern started accelerating. :shock:

Where are the police when you need them.
Out sitting in 'Safety' camera vans on empty motorways probably waiting for a Z3 driver doing 80....
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Post by 321bhp »

im on the m11 last night 2am car in the outside lane is doing 70-75 im catching up doing 90 ,he wont move over so i pass to his left side,he waves his fist at me ,i give him the 2 finger salute,problem solved on to the next car,ready with my 2 fingers :D :D
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See both sides here Gary/Muffles

Post by stu »

and Gary you know my style, but I too see idiots doing what muffles is saying, usually in vans that then can't do more than 70 when the road ahead clears, so you're then stuck behind them for 10 minutes etc. after they've just undertaken and forced their way into your safety gap in front.

BTW, just let go, don't worry about the rest of the world 'breaking the rules' , just get where you're going, stress free and in one piece. :D
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Post by muffles »

guys i'm afraid i'm not joking, but i think you also are thinking of a different situation to me.

the other moan you guys mentioned is about if i am overtaking cars at 70mph. if there are 3 cars going at 50-60mph in the left hand lane, i am going to overtake them - pulling out only when there is space of course, but i am going to do it.
but how dare anyone try to push me to break the law? i am going past these cars at 10-20mph faster than them, it's not exactly trundling past? telling me to pull in is just ridiculous (when there is no space i mean) because i just have to slow down (these cars are at 50-60mph remember) and pull out again.

essentially what i am being asked to do is slow down MY journey for the OTHER driver. and not only that, but to let him commit an offence! i don't try and stop people committing offences, but if they are asking me to give up something for them to do it - well i think i've explained my view on that.

i think i had better stop writing essays now, no-one will get me to change my view i'm afraid - and that view is that I will not positively try and get in people's way and prevent them driving fast, etc - but i will not cause myself trouble by pulling over and having to wait for the next spot whilst travelling below my intended speed (the limit). IMPORTANT: remember i said i move over if there is space for me but i won't squash myself in because another driver wants to speed. :roll: :|
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Post by muffles »

oh i forgot to add - most people don't realise how much space you should leave in front of your car (2 car lengths is pish, it's much more than that - but the gov't can't convince you of any more).

what this means is that people sometimes see a gap but can't see the cars ahead of that and realise that the gap is intentional - so they think it's one of those annoying drivers (yes i think they're annoying too) that refuse to use any other lane.

i would also like to point out that i don't think i leave enough space (but at least 2 car lengths) so incidents where people have undertook me have been pure bad driving!
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Post by Zmeagol »

Cooperation should be what it's all about. Rather than rigidly sticking to one speed throughout the whole journey, drivers should be slowing within an inner lane to let a faster driver pass in an outer lane, then as they move to an outer lane they should speed up to pass quickly and smoothly. Then return to an inner lane.

I always try to maintain the two-second rule between cars by noting where the car in front passes a point, then counting, "and one and two and..." until I pass the same point. The "and" equates to a half second, so "and one and" is 1.5 seconds gap--not enough.

Where the motorway is fairly empty I pull back into an inner lane unless I'm likely to be pulling back out again within 30 secs (again, try using counting to get a feeling of this gap). When the motorway is busier I reduce this 30-second rule accordingly.

If I'm in in an outer lane with a faster car coming up behind, and there's a smallish gap in an inner lane, I will indicate a couple of seconds in advance to let the driver of the faster car know I'm going to change lanes, then as I pull in I drop the speed to ensure they pass quickly. Then I can indicate out, accelerate and pull into a faster lane.

Note that throughout this I have spoken about inner lanes and outer lanes, not THE outer. In my experience, and in the view of the RAC report, most of the congestion problems are down to drivers hogging lane 2.

Tim
Last edited by Zmeagol on Wed 25 Aug, 2004 11:05, edited 1 time in total.
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Robin
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Post by Robin »

muffles wrote:essentially what i am being asked to do is slow down MY journey for the OTHER driver.
Hang on though by not letting others pass you are slowing other drivers.
If I'm doing 70 & someone wants to overtake me I simply move over into the middle or inside lane at the 1st opportunity.
Is that really too much to ask ?
Also it is what is req'd of you according to the highway code.

I think maybe you ARE one of the lane hoggers that we are discussing.

Lets be honest 70mph was set as the limit 40 years ago when stopping distances were twice what they are on modern cars. It's far too low for modern cars on motorways.
Last edited by Robin on Wed 25 Aug, 2004 11:12, edited 4 times in total.
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muffles
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Post by muffles »

this is more like what i think tim - but what do you do if there isn't any space on the inner lane and some guy (maybe in a z3 :twisted: ) comes up behind you and sticks to your bumper?

do you speed? do you cut up people in the inner lane in an effort to get out of the way (and i know the people can often be quite reluctant to let you in as well as out, even if you indicate)?

that's the dilemma i face, and i chose to continue overtaking IF i am going a fair bit faster than the "overtakees" (for want of a better word). if i am going at the same speed or very similar to the overtakees, i'll pull in as soon as i'm allowed to (by the other cars).
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Post by Gwynn »

Agree with all of the above and especially Jules75's comments about roundabouts.

All hire car number plates over here are prefixed with a H so you can be aware that the car may
1 Stop suddenly without warning
2 Go round a roundabout several times before exiting.
3 Drive the wrong way down a one-way street
4 Do a 25 point turn in the middle of the road.
5 All of the above!

If I ruled the world when a driver is stopped for any of the "offences" in the above posts
the arresting officer would apply a P (pratt) or W (w****r) prefix sticker to the number plate, then DavidM could legitemately blast them off the road if he ever came across them :twisted:
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Post by DavidM »

Robin wrote:If I'm doing 70 & someone wants to overtake me I simply move over into the middle or inside lane at the 1st opportunity.
This is exactly the behavior we witnessed in Europe - and it makes things so much easier
Robin wrote:Also it is what is req'd of you according to the highway code.
Exactly - however most people are oblivious to the keep left rule - scratch that - most people have forgotten the Highway code completely within 24 hours or passing their driving test
Robin wrote:I think maybe you ARE one of the lane hoggers that we are discussing.
Certainly sounds that way to me
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Post by DavidO »

Almost all of these issues are down to the fact that drivers on motorways have no idea what is going on around them. (they know what's going on in front of them, but not AROUND them).

It's all down to the little glass reflective thingys on the windscreen and doors.

If more drivers used them constantly (instead of merely for pulling away from kerbs and preening themselves) so that they could plan manouvres in advance, then most of this thread wouldn't exist.
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Post by Andre_z_3000 »

I hate people who speed up when you go to overtake them, I swear thesy do it on purpose.

My other fav, the person who overtakes you then slows down in your lane, like why did you overtake me you shumck!

And of course, tailgaters, you always see these people at the next set of traffic lights anyway.
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Post by steve'z3'ski »

Mine's quite simple.........

I hate and I mean to the point of actually forcing you over, pulling you out and breaking a few bones.........people who don't say thank you when on that very rare occasion I let them out.

I'm turning white even thinking about it......... :head: :head: :head:
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Post by muffles »

aargh! i feel like tearing my hair out here!!

i said - i am talking about a situation where I CAN'T MOVE OVER - i consider myself to stick to the keep left rule thanks!

so how did my situation a) change in to your situation b)?

a) i am overtaking a group of cars travelling at roughly 50-60mph on a 2 lane road. there is no room to move in, without cutting up the other cars. i am travelling at 70mph. someone decides they should come zooming up behind me and stick on my bumper to try and get me to speed up, and i can't move over to let them carry on their merry way.

b) i am overtaking no-one. i am stuck in the right hand lane of a 2 lane road. someone comes up behind me.

don't you see? in a) i am being pressurised to speed, as i cannot move over. I HATE THAT.

in b) i am being an idiot :lol: but that's a situation i don't often find myself in, and if i do i am in the wrong and admit it (and move over).

all clear now? :lol: :dunce:

p.s. robin what you said about moving over at the first opportunity is exactly what i would do. however the impression given on this thread is that you should speed up (above speed limit - whether it's right or wrong you can get done for it don't forget) to satisfy the other driver's need :|
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stu
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It's not speed that's the major issue for me

Post by stu »

as we acknowledge, the two second rule is a good general guide, but to think that 70 is safe carte blanch is not good.

We should drive appropriate to the prevailing conditions, including traffic. :wink:

Just 'cos we've got ABS/DSC/CBC etc, doesn't mean that if the guy/lady in front slams on that you wont slam into the back of him/her.

Seen it so many times on the motorway, usually in the outside lane too.

Doesn't stop me be a prat sometimes too and also I do blast passed people who hog the outer lanes, leaving the inner lane completely free for miles. I also laugh at the dicks who then flash you for doing so. :lol:
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Post by Zmeagol »

muffles wrote:essentially what i am being asked to do is slow down MY journey for the OTHER driver.
Yes, and its called cooperation. You need to try to overcome the self righteous view.

In considering whether or not to pull out into a stream of faster traffic that I will then cause to slow down, I try to balance the inconvenience to them vs the inconvenience to me. If the choice is to cause an outer lane traffic speed to drop by 10 mph against me having to slow by 20 mph by staying in an inner lane, I would say the balance is with me. So I would wait for a gap and move out.

But if the inconvenience to me is only 5 mph and I would inconvenience an outer lane by 20 mph, then the balance is with them and I will stay in place.

Tim
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Post by muffles »

i agree wholeheartedly with what you're saying stu.

i am just a little bit upset/annoyed that people are grouping me in with people who do hog the lane when i don't - i just don't want to speed.
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Post by muffles »

and i also agree with you tim! i would not pull out if a lane of cars is bombing along in the outside lane and i will just get in their way. my situation involves me already overtaking some cars.

i know what you are saying about cooperation and maybe that sentence is worded too strongly, but i would also want to point ou the cooperation of the other driver, who (of the type i am talking about) has a "get out of my way you silly fool" attitude. he could at least let me get to a spot where i can pull over! :mrgreen:
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AndyBass
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Post by AndyBass »

Wow, Rob, you smacked the wasp nest here haven't you!. We can all relate to incidents of bad driving when we wanted to choke the living $hit out of someone, but is it worth getting all stressed up for. No, I don't think it is. Stu is right when he says "let go". Let the idiot get past and hassle someone elses back bumper. He's going to get nicked not you. Tim says "cooperation" and I agree, but accept that there is a fine line between cooperation and letting them walk all over you. For what it's worth, I think the general standard of driving in this country is appalling. The sooner the government introduces compulsory re-tests after a period of, say five or ten years the better. We all passed our test (I hope!!) and how many of us would relish the thought of having to take it again. Not many I suggest. As soon as the new driver gets out on his or her own they are off like a shot, thinking they are the next F1 champion. Thats why they have a probationary period of two years. Get six or more points, back to provvie licence status. BTW my pet hate, mobile phone users, they get nicked every time :wink:
We all have a photographic memory, just some don't take the lens cap off!
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muffles
Joined: Tue 15 Jun, 2004 14:12
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  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: London

Post by muffles »

thank god you didn't stir it up andy (i know i did too guys :mrgreen: ). i think i was just about to call it quits! i think the situation i was talking about was being assumed to be something else by many people, maybe i didn't say it very well :dunce:

we should definitely all stop getting worked up about it though :)
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TonyCal
Joined: Tue 21 Oct, 2003 07:18
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Post by TonyCal »

there is one thing that bugs me. it does not matter which lane i'm in. Set the cruise control to 70 (Sat Nav speed) the legal limit on motorways, and the only things going slower than me are the Artic trucks. oh and its usually a Focus driver riding my rear bumper.
garyw
Joined: Fri 07 Nov, 2003 22:29
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  Porsche

Post by garyw »

Zmeagol wrote:You need to try to overcome the self righteous view
Thats the line I was looking for, not to anyone specific, but possibly the UK driving population.
It does seem that these people hogging the lanes both 2 and 3 have this thing that they don't want to be overtaken, I did read somewhere that it can be seen as aggressive. :?
I am also white van man :oops: and the amount of people who have done the things as mentioned above, accelerated as I get along side of them, pulled out in front of me.. all because they don't want to be overtaken by a van :evil: .
Muffles maybe you/we have mistaken what has been said, and I would never expect anyone to put their life in danger or break the law, for me to be able to pass them.
I do drive quick on the motorway, but as Tonycal stated travelling at 70mph is probably the most dangerous thing you could do, its mayhem at that speed.
I do feel safer going a little quicker than 70mph. I fully accept that if I get stopped I get a ticket, I'm not going to moan about it.
I also think that if you are going to drive quick then you need a different style of driving, I drive alot in my mirrors, I watch as far in the distance as I can see, not like many who just watch the car in front. I am prepared to brake for people to pull out, if they do I don't flash my lights and tailgate them, unless they sit there going nowhere and presto brings us back to where we started...
Maybe Tim made a valid point that lane 2 could be half of the problem as one lane hogger in lane 2 reduces a motorway to a dual carriageway, but Europe manage fine with dual carriageways.
Garyw
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muffles
Joined: Tue 15 Jun, 2004 14:12
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Post by muffles »

garyw wrote:Muffles maybe you/we have mistaken what has been said, and I would never expect anyone to put their life in danger or break the law, for me to be able to pass them.
that's all i was getting at, some people choose to pressurise you even when its obvious you cant go anywhere, which to be honest drives me nuts! :oops:

glad we figured it out in the end :mrgreen: :dunce:
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SCORPION
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Joined: Tue 18 Nov, 2003 18:24
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  Z1 roadster
Location: Greasby

Post by SCORPION »

I want a Hummer (Not the little Hummer 2, the proper one)
Every night I come home I turn right at the lights. 9 times out of 10 after the lights have changed to red while I'm sitting in the middle of the lights waiting to turn, someone will come through, preventing my right turn. Not only that, they accelerate at the red light (and me). Why can't they understand that when the lights are on green, the next light is a red one so they should be ready to slow down.
The Hummer might allow me to continue on me legal way regardless.
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Post by 'MC' MarkC »

AndyBass wrote:The sooner the government introduces compulsory re-tests after a period of, say five or ten years the better.
Could be a good idea. However the current test is outdated. There should be more focus on driving attitudes, and indeed, much more on using mirrors at all times rather than only when you are manouvering/changing lanes etc. I constantly use them, and could probably inform my passenger of the makers names of the 3 cars immediately behind at any given time without having to look again (this is not of course due to my keeping a watchful eye for plod at all :!::D).
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AndyBass
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Post by AndyBass »

The current test is being updated, with the written test and now hazard perception test. My wife has just qualified as a driving instructor and in the coming months and years it will be more difficult to pass. Eventually parents won't be able to learn their kids to drive, it'll be qualified instructors only, with check sheets for each pupil, like an NVQ in driving. All that can't cater for when they get on their own. You've got to want to drive safely and considerately, and if you don't want to you won't, and thats what we all see day in day out. Don't you know it's cool to race about with no seat belt on? Anyway, back to the thread, and a few more pet hates.
Idiots who drive quick in supermarket car parks then pull at an angle into a space. (Reverse parallel park and bay parking now testable)
Yoofs in sooped up Corsas with exhausts like chimneys who insist everyone in a mile radius listens to their "music".
Smokers who think the street is the place for their butt ends( and truckers who chuck them into open topped Zeds) :head:
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Kiwi
Joined: Thu 12 Feb, 2004 23:45
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  M coupe S50
Location: Auckland (but currently in London)

Post by Kiwi »

AndyBass wrote:Smokers who think the street is the place for their butt ends( and truckers who chuck them into open topped Zeds) :head:
:shake: Um - that's me (not flicking them into convertibles though obviously). I removed my ashtray to fit a Leather Z armrest and have no-one to stub them out now. Appreciate that is not a good excuse and I feel bad about it - really should keep a tin container in the car.

My top 4 pet hates (first one has already been mentioned):

- Waiting to turn right at a busy traffic light controlled intersecton whereupon the morons heading straight at me continue to flood into the intersection even it is aboundingly apparent that their lane has come to a halt and that they will end up trapped in the middle of the inersection thus blocking my right turn. Not sure about the UK but guess it is the same as here - road rules state you should not enter an intersection until the exit is clear. Would like that Hummer indeed (or tracked bulldozer).

- People who haven't mastered the hill start. Cue backwards rolling towards the nose of my pride and joy - time seems to go into slow motion as I watch frantically to see if they will get the clutch engaged in time. Once had a fool in an SUV (don't get me started on them) roll backwards down a carpark ramp and do massive damage to the front of my MX5.

- Failure to use indicators - in this country, one could be forgiven for believing that the vast majority of SUV's just have their indicators painted on for all they are used. Wonder what the drivers think that little stalk protruding from the steering column is intended for?

- Can't say this without sounding un-PC so won't even try - in the city I live in almost a quarter of the population is of Asian descent and many have recently immigrated from a country where they have speed limits of 30kph, chronic road congestion, have probably never driven anything other than a bicycle, are strict adherents of speed limits (regardless of the predominant traffic flow) - so whilst I understand why there are issues with their driving, it doesn't make the frustration much easier to bear (once got run off the motorway by one of these gentlemen in the RH lane deciding to join my lane via the rear of my car - was lucky not to be seriously injured).

And about old people not being in total control of their vehicles - certainly an element of truth in that - however it doesn't tend to upset me - I usually feel more sorry for them than anything else. Having said that, I wasn't impressed when whilst stationary at the front of the line at some (red) traffic lights about 10 years ago on my motorbike, I was rammed from behind by an old couple at about 20 kph. Wrecked my bike and just about my hopes for a family :shock: .
garyw
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Post by garyw »

Kiwi, I agree with the your Asian populations standard of driving, I spent three weeks driving around Auckland and North shore, and they really have no idea.
At least you can undertake, so that stops that nonsonse going on, and you have the Scary (for an englishman) turning left and giving way to a car turning right at the same junction. :shake: I used to give way to everyone, it seemed the safer option. :nerd:
My friends there explained it many times and I still worried.

I actually got married at the top of Skytower 8-)
and as the T-shirts says. I support NZ and anyone playing Australia :lol:

Garyw
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Giles
Joined: Fri 10 Oct, 2003 17:51
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Post by Giles »

I am chuckling whilst reading this absorbing thread.

Everyone has a view and opinion of their driving skills and it is generally high.

I can assure you that having attending a driving skills day at Prodrive yesterday which was run by professionals I realised that I am frankly an appalling driver - I say this in ALL seriousness and am very happy to admit the fact.

I guarantee that EVERYONE that has contributed to this thread so far with the probably exception of Rob Bruce (as I assume he has taken the police driving skills course), would be in for a MAJOR shock were they to attend what I did yesterday.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.....
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muffles
Joined: Tue 15 Jun, 2004 14:12
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Post by muffles »

i agree with that giles - i don't think i am any better than the average driver, but i do wonder if the driving skills you are talking about are racing driving skills. about 5 years ago (and i am sure i have degraded since then) i was almost ready to take my IAM test - which i was told was similar to the police test :D

of course as i mentioned i think i have gone downhill :P

i think the IAM test is well respected enough to be able to get a discount on some car insurance... :rtm:
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Zmeagol
Joined: Wed 08 Oct, 2003 15:38
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Post by Zmeagol »

I totally endorse your thoughts, Giles. Thanks to an introduction via the BMW Car Club I've been undergoing 'observation' during the last few months for my IAM Advanced Driving test. I have to say my initial assessment was less than perfect--I've always prided myself on forward observation of road conditions and road users but this was at the expense of not appropriate notice of road signs, so I went straight through a 'stop' sign!

Like ROSPA, the IAM syllabus is based on the Police Roadcraft book and is rather inflexible so I don't always agree 100% with some of the techniques I'm being taught, but there's no doubt my driving has improved. But there's some way to go yet.

Tim
garyw
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Post by garyw »

To dear Giles on top of your high horse. :?

I would no doubt fail any modern driving standard type test. I have way to many bad habits. But those rules being recently taught by various advanced driving agencies leave alot to be desired and as some recent conversations showed, some of the idea are plain "Silly" :dunce:
They may work for do-gooders and the so, but in the real world, I think not.
For those of us that travel during the day everyday, Sunday is the day of the motorist nightmare. Work in the office/factory all day and go out to play on the roads at the weekend.
When does the M1 and M6 stop , peak hours and Sundays.. :shake:
I have not had the joy of yet being on a scheme to be a better driver although one is coming to me very soon. I hope I am enlightened.

I understand what you are saying and there is no quick fix.
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Robin
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Post by Robin »

Topic drift again !
I wouldn't close my mind completely about a road driving course but I am skeptical. After 30 years on the road well 40 actually including my cycling days, I've seen every bad trick in the book that other drivers are likely to play on me & I've learned to anticipate them.
I'm not sure that instinct, experience, spacial awareness, alertness & judgment can be taught in a few lessons.
In fact I'm not sure some of them can be taught at all.
Six years on motorbikes helped me develope those attributes.
For example, I always had to assume every person waiting to emerge from a side road was going to pull out in front of me becuase one day for sure someone would pull out & on a bike you can't afford to let any contact happen.
The WW II pilots that survived were most often were the ones that got through the 1st few sorties & gained vital experience & then in addition to that had survival instinct & all those qualities that can't be taught.

When I see people driving badly I think most of them seem half asleep inately slow witted types. How would advanced driving lessons help them ?
I'm happy to be proved wrong.
Jeez I hope I haven't wacked a wasps nest here :x
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JayCee
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Post by JayCee »

Giles wrote:I can assure you that having attending a driving skills day at Prodrive yesterday which was run by professionals.
Giles
Went a month or so ago with the RX8 on a prodrive day (free with the purchase of the RX). Like you I thought it was a fantastic day, one on one instruction, AM on the circuit with the instructors, PM on the public roads with an IAM guy, which was good as a refresher as both Janet and I passed our IAM tests about 15 years ago. Well recommended even though the tyres were decidedly second hand at the end of the morning session :twisted:
John
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