Driving choices

[corradophil 3]

I come across this situation a lot, one car holding up everyone else, who cannot be bothered to pass when it is safe for them to do so.

 

So why do we want to pass?

 

Because we are in a hurry - time seems to become more and more precious, and it is infuriating having it waisted because of others choices?

 

We are running late and being made later by someone else?

 

We are boy racers out for a race who don't care about other road users? I love driving my car fast on a good road in good conditions, and if I am driving for the fun of it I can accept waiting without to much of a problem.

 

The main factor for me to want to get past has to be time, and I think this is not so much of an issue with driving, but an issue with having a life which is more busy than I would like, so every minute becomes more important. People hold you up, which frustrates you, and thats where problems start, as soon as you become angry your perspective gets distorted.

 

Oh yes by the way I would overtake as long as it was safe to do so.

[StuartFZR400 0]

Phil, I think that you're reason is a fair one and as long as you do it all safely within the law, then how can anyone complain. As for me, its not always a time issue, but can be just a 'I want to be making good prgress and have a pleasurable drive'. And as for your 'racers' , choosing to overtake isn't a boyracer attitued (so dont feel bad) as such but deciding to race is just wrong (in my humble oppinion).

 

Back onto the lane-hogger thing, as this has hit a nerve with some. The outside lane hogger is an odd one. Every day I see people queing in the outside lane with the middle fairly empty. I can understand why they are doing it; its most likely the case they dont wat to be doing 65 and want to go quicker but can't due to the build up of traffic and refuse to undertake.

 

I reckon that situation is cause by the middle lane hoggers who trundle along at 60 and dont bother popping into the 20-car-gaps between the slower lorries in lane 1.

[scarlett 0]

its not actually illeagal to undertake tho, is it....? its illeagal if you are doing it dangerously or to intimidate, but if it is a genuinely safe manouver then your ok.... Or at least that was what I was always led to believe.... :roll:

[StuartFZR400 0]

gotta laugh, Highwaycode says:

"112: If you need to change lane, first use your mirrors and check your blind spots (the areas you are unable to see in the mirrors) to make sure you will not force another driver or rider to swerve or slow down. When it is safe to do so, signal to indicate your intentions to other road users and when clear move over."

How often do people on the motorway pull out and make you touch the brakes? Mirror, signal, manouver means you gotta use the mirror for a reason, not a makeup check.

 

Yet be considerate : "slow down and hold back if a vehicle pulls out into your path at a junction. Allow it to get clear. Do not over-react by driving too close behind it." . And considering how many people dive infront of me because I leave a 1.5 car length gap in 5mph congestion, I gotta be cool and just enjoy my tunes, even though you know the've just jumped half-an-hours worth of que.

 

Then Scarlet, no its not ok to undertake at anytime, only when someone is turning right it appears::

 

"139: Overtake only when it is safe to do so. You should

 

-not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake

-use your mirrors, signal when it is safe to do so, take a quick sideways glance into the blind spot area and then start to move out

-not assume that you can simply follow a vehicle ahead which is overtaking; there may only be enough room for one vehicle

-move quickly past the vehicle you are overtaking, once you have started to overtake. Allow plenty of room. Move back to the left as -soon as you can but do not cut in

take extra care at night and in poor visibility when it is harder to judge speed and distance

-give way to oncoming vehicles before passing parked vehicles or other obstructions on your side of the road

only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right, and there is room to do so

stay in your lane if traffic is moving slowly in queues. If the queue on your right is moving more slowly than you are, you may pass on the left

give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would a car when overtaking"

 

then this is a classic; trains of traffic doing 30 in a nice 60:::

"145: Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass."

 

Only last night I was doing 30 in my town after a good blast and some woman was all over me; no way could she stop if I had a small 'moment'. There was no que forming or anything, but I still decided to pull over to let her pass; to only find I caught her up in the 60 that skirts around the town. Laughable.

[.A.N.T. 0]

Yet, if you've got no central reservation lane and you're slowing down to an almost stop in this quick road, then I'll slide under.[/i]

 

(another pet hate of mine, people who slow right down miles before the lanee to turn right... It's long anough to stop from 70 happily so why start braking 100 yards before it...)

 

Yeah, it's a 60mph limit due to people getting killed on the road. Lots of underpasses, but the elderly seem to take a dislike to them so try and cross at rush hour... One was hit under 100m from an underpass. 5.30pm... Tragic really as it'll ruin that persons life (not to mention the old guy they hit!)

[StuartFZR400 0]

We've got a duel-carriageway that was a national. Due to there being many crossing points in the 4m wide contral part, there were many nasty accidents. They've closed all those now = great, but they also dropped the limit to 50 :(

 

Which did work for a while, I remember the first week people didn't realise. Then for the next 1 month everyone stayed to 50, especially by the flashing sign. However, every day I get (mostly women) easing past at 60 - 65. (maybe the blokes have got too many points to risk it, lol)

 

* I hear your pet hate; most peeps dont know the braking performances. However you gotta give people room; there could be any number of reasons they do it; they may have lost control at that junction on grit before, or whatever.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Going back to the 60mph single carriageway thing again, the most annoying aspect of it is people's attitudes to being overtaken. I'd like to know when overtaking was banned? A good 50% of the people I overtake on single lane roads either shake their heads, flash me, veer over to try and stop me overtaking or speed up. The latter two are dangerous and they have no right or justification what so ever to do that, regardless of what they think of the manouvre. Too many wannabe traffic cops in the UK. If they don't like being overtaken then they're too aggressive and dangerous to be allowed on the roads. Driving tests should include physc' evaluations aswell imo. We are after all, in control of an object capable of killing.

 

I will always overtake if my lower speed threshold is reached, i.e. 40 in a 60 and I'm not in the mood for crawling along. I just overtake them and get on with it, I don't give it a second thought. I couldn't care less what they think of my driving and I certainly don't care about them. If they want to sit there at 40, that's there bag, I will not be dictated to by a plebian.

 

Besides, my car hates fiddling along at slow speeds, it prefers cruising along at a decent pace, which makes me even more anxious to get past the feckers.

 

Some people automatically assume the worst in people that over take and treat the manouvre with the same animosity and aggression as an insult to their family, when all they want to do is progress their journey a bit.

It's not like I overtake them and keep on accelerating to 100+, I merely get past them at sit at 70ish, which is fine on a single carriageway.

 

I once overtook a line of 7 or 8 vehicles because they were all bunched up like Lemmings, waiting for god. I know the car well enough to know when it can and can't pull it off, but I never weave in and out of cars 1 by 1 as that does get people's backs up....but FFS they should read the feckin HWC and observe the safe braking distances. It's almost like they're claiming that bit of road in case someone nips in front of them, paranoid fools!

 

Cars have improved massively, but driving standards haven't. Most modern cars shave at least 40% out of the HWC stopping distances, more grunt for overtaking etc but people just don't use it to their advantage for improved road craft.

 

Grrrr :-)

[colinstubbs 0]

The trouble is your average joe is either too ignorant,lazy,selfish or totally unaware of the world outside his, or her, bubble to give a flying fook about any other road users. General attitude is poor and it fecking SUCKs, the cnuts. Another hate of mine is tw@ts who can't get indication or lane choice right at roundabouts.....it ain't rocket science FFS!

 

I'd overtake if it was safe, anything to stop being the first to encounter the slow tw@ts crashing in front of me as they fall asleep!

[StuartFZR400 0]

Colin you've hit another peeve - lane discipline at roundabouts. Too many people drive too quickly around them and therefore cut lanes to avoid potential loss of control - although I bet they could do it if only they tried, but no, instead they mindlessly cut lanes and wonder why my proper peep on the horn was given as Im alongside.

 

Only today I was in lane 2 in a busy area coming to an island and Miss Saab ahead booted it; good for her. Mr small van in lane 1 was going about 8mph less than the limit and she cut across his nose before the island and stopped* (another peeve of mine - poor Mr mimi-van). So obviously I kept to lane 2, got a rolling start and we drove ahead - but thats exactly what she tried to do, rather than stay in lane. However being 1/2 a car length ahead, when I kept in lane she had to brake; she then overtook me 200yds later and frowned @ me - her driving was terrible and I bet she wouldnt dare do those manouvers with plod about.

 

Kev - I think we're in a major minority !! .......... have you ever noticed these slower drivers choose to stick to 40 even when they reach a 30?

 

Oh and people can say "sit back and relax, dont get involved". I try this and it doesnt work, because even slow driving etc doesnt help as people still cut lane along with all other bad habbits. The best thing I find is to predict thier poor manouver and get out of the way , to slow or drive ahead.

[Lippy 0]

it comes to something when you can predict the spanners drving along UK roads who you "know" are about to cut you up, and generally be a pain in the ass.

 

I never trust vans, vectras* and chavs**

 

 

 

* no offence to sane vectra drivers

 

** offence intended you burberry w***ers ;)

[dinkus 10]

I find that Rover drivers (MG's don't count), Hondas (Type-R's don't count) and/or when the driver is wearing a hat (either flat or cap) are the worst.

 

[/sweeping generalisation]

[steve_16v 0]

I don't trust any other road users to know what they're doing, especially old people!

[blackcat 0]

have you ever noticed these slower drivers choose to stick to 40 even when they reach a 30?

 

They are the worst kind of driver. They only have one speed whether in a 30 or a 60 zone they go 40mph. :bad-words:

[ZippyVR6 0]

I overtake, when it is safe and when I can see the clear point ahead, Not because Im in a hurry or because the size of my knob is an issue to me but because I enjoy driving a capable car quickly.

 

If you want to flash me or swerve then do so, Im already gone and you are not my problem, the only time it becomes a problem is when they speed up, They are watching your bumper and not the road infront, thus If I need to brake for horses or tractors or a fine young lass in a beer garden then they are barreling up behin you with a red mist.

 

The middle lane thing is my biggest problem, I must admit to ocasional undertaking, when I can see no old bill, but usually I make a point of overtakeing 2 lanes and then keep my indicator on left till ive over taken then and back on to the inside lane.

 

Roundabouts happen so quickly that I never worry about them the thing that gets me is when someone has taken the wrong lane and ends up floundering about where they are going. those you have to watch out for as they are into uncharted teretory and are liable to make some ridiculous manouvers.

[stingman123 0]

Sunday Car drivers......as long as the car is going 2 mph faster than they can walk, the're happy......and b*gger the rest of us! Gggrrrrrrrr

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Colin you've hit another peeve - lane discipline at roundabouts.

 

Yep. People roll up to roundabouts now in the right hand lane and go straight over. Or start off in the left lane and then hog the whole roundabout whilst still going straight over. Some roundabouts are OK with that as intersections are generally big old things, but urban roundabout discipline is a joke.

 

Kev - I think we're in a major minority !! .......... have you ever noticed these slower drivers choose to stick to 40 even when they reach a 30?

 

Yep....usually volvo drivers. 40 in a 60 and 40 in a 30. F'ckin muppets.

There was a volvo driver yesterday who was doing a good speed in the distance but as I caught up to him he slowed down to 40. I over took him (it was a 60 road) and sure enough, I get the old flashing of lights, swerving etc. He was red with rage, steam coming out of his ears the lot. I just p1ssed myself, gave him the w@nker hand movement and sped off :-) But I'd pulled up to him slowly and respectfully with loads of space between us, I didn't tailgate him at all.....so why he then slowed down and reacted that way when over taken was a mystery. See my earlier comment about Physc' evaluations!! He clearly thought it was his road and resented me being there. I bet he wouldn't try and stop people overtaking him on a footpath if he was walking though.....

 

Oh and people can say "sit back and relax, dont get involved". I try this and it doesnt work,.

 

Nope, it doesn't because it affects you directly and being forced to drive in a manner other that what you're used to is irritating, but there's degrees of irritation though, for example ,heavy traffic is clearly no one's fault in particular but pricks doing way under the speed limit raises blood temperature, I'm sorry.

[Yandards 0]

Top thread, where to start?

 

After spending the last 5 years driving a 100 miles roundtrip commute across a selection of roads I have a few problems.

 

I will overtake, and the constant velocity drivers (40 in a 60, 40 in a 30) are an annoyance; as well as driving at the same speed they are usually the ones that fail to understand roundabouts, indication and any form of observation aside from tunnel vision forward.

 

Undertaking really grips my sh1t, personally I think it is the most dangerous thing you can do; too many people don't check the mirrors when overtaking so it's just a recipe for disaster.

 

As for 'doing a line' much of my regular run involved roads where a queue would form behind a single lorry, as I like to know whats coming up I always look as far down the road as I can, as such I like to get up to the back of queue at overtaking speed when the road opens up to clear point. (The road is bendy but flat and you can see cars, bikes etc over the edges of the fields if you look) despite me being on the wrong side of the with indicators on, it soon becomes apparent that the mong at the back of the queue has failed to check his mirrors, failed to indicate and just wanders out into my path.

 

Is what I have done incorrect? No I think that I have demonstrated good observation, correct overtaking procedure and energy efficient driving.

 

Ultimately it all comes down to why most new cars are boring though, the vast majority of drivers see their cars as an extension of the house etc and a utility with a driving license being a right not a privilege. Driving is a skill that needs to be practised and should be concentrated on.

[ZippyVR6 0]

Driving is a skill that needs to be practised and should be concentrated on.

 

 

ab-so-bloody-lutley

[billinjah 0]

strange that on my local roads people really dont mind being overtaken? ive noticed when in cambridge people are funny about it! but lane hoggers are THE most annoying! especially when you cant over take and you dont trust their awareness to undertake! i just put the full beams on and press the horn even if it takes a few miles.

[StuartFZR400 0]

Oh boy, there are sane people in this world after all...

it becomes a problem is when they speed up, They are watching your bumper and not the road infront,

This became very clear to me in the 1.6 Golf, so hence I stopped many of my overtakes. However the C is just enough to get those stupid ones, as they still only go upto 55, whereas the C is happy to keep pulling past. Thats got to be one of the most dangerous things Ive come across.

 

The middle lane thing is my biggest problem, I must admit to ocasional undertaking, when I can see no old bill, but usually I make a point of overtakeing 2 lanes and then keep my indicator on left till ive over taken then and back on to the inside lane.

I do the same on the motorway. Last night I had to laugh on a duel-carriageway as I saw one of those hatchback BMW's ahead in the 2nd lane , doing say 68. SO I came up and he didnt move, so I straddled the line, still with a 2sec gap; no response so I flashed - just incase he hadnt seen me. No movement. Around the next bend a big traffic jam ahead meant he backed off so I carried on ahead under him to come alongside - he gestured the Willy Wonker @ me; I felt sorry for this stupid business man, middle aged, thinking that someday a lad of my age will get out a twot him one!

 

Kev, I empathise with all of that, as yu can tell.

 

as I like to know whats coming up I always look as far down the road as I can,

Exactly, you want to know whats ahead all the time; scannig for tractors popping out a feild or whatever. So should you come across some traffic, your first view is "ah yes its clear up ahead - I can overtake"; you pop past before anyone has even dreamt of such a thing. So when you pop back in before what you can see as a hazard ahead (any number of things) - they then choose to get into the Hulk Rage and flash you............. why? Did you just scare them? I reckon so; because if they dont see it as safe to overtake, then how dare you - little knowing that you've made a calcualted* judgement.

 

* unlike that lad in the mini when I was on the bike

 

I bet billinjah ; certainly a problem on that A14.

[StuartFZR400 0]

Can I gripe about a lane-hogging-phone user too? Only last night a girl in a 106 or somthing was hogging the 2nd lane of a duel-c. Wouldnt budge. But when she did, I eased along side to see that she was holding her mobile. I slowed to her sleepy pace and shook my head. She never looked at me and stared ahead whilst still chatting - if only I was a plod in an unmarked.

 

She slowed, I slowed; but 55 was a joke so I pizzled off

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You certainly can mate :-)

 

From the other thread....which explains it nicely!

 

Young women in hatchbacks

I completely admit that this one is speaking purely from personal experience from years spent horse riding on Britain’s roads. It has to be said that most drivers are kind and courteous, slowing down and giving me plenty of room. The very best are motorcyclists, who appreciating the vulnerability of a rider, will slow to a crawl or even stop. Obviously you get the occasional boy racer who deliberately tries to provoke but the absolute worst are young women in hatchbacks. They are seemingly oblivious to anything else on the roads. How they can fail to register half a ton of horse is beyond me, their concentration is clearly taken up with the essentials of driving on the Queen’s Highway, like applying make-up, arranging the next girlie night out or fiddling with their iPods. So much for female multitasking

[StuartFZR400 0]

You certainly can mate :-)

 

From the other thread....which explains it nicely!

 

years spent horse riding on Britain%u2019s roads. The very best are motorcyclists, who appreciating

 

bikers... "who appreciate..." thier beautiful peachy delights on display and hence slow down to take a good l@@k :-P

[chubbybrown 0]

Vehicles should actually keep to the left unless overtaking,if they did that there would be no undertaking as theres no reason for it.

 

Id rather do the 70-80 in the most left lane as it tends not to attract the traffic cops that sit on the flyovers.

Also as a Truck,car and Motorcycle rider I destest anything behind me as Im always thinking Im going to get rear ended,so I just let them pass....easy

this applies twce as much if theres snow or Ice on the road

 

None of that flooring it crap when people try to pass me,I do get slightly annoyed when they are doing 40 and your alongside them trying to overtake doing 80 thinking ' hehe your not watching your Mpg meter now ' lol

 

when in a hurry I have been known to flash me lights and point to the left lane and they tend to take the hint,needless to say they stay in a fixed gaze forwards !

[veeDuB_Rado 0]

My driving choice?

 

Forwards, backwards, lef and right. ;)