Driving standards

[peanuts]

99% of the people I see doing it round my way (as I said previously, there are two roundabouts near me where it happens on a regular basis) are driving expensive cars with Scottish registrations.  I don't think they're all Polish plumbers, just arrogant, entitled s*ds.  Same as the ones that think it's a good idea to pick an argument with an artic over road space.

hgv driver code rule 5a if it is large expensive and German it will cut you up for the purposes of this rule lexus count as german 

[kevinlms]

Rule 185 of the Highway Code actually contains some sound advice on this point: "watch out for all other road users already on the roundabout; be aware they may not be signalling correctly or at all".  (Arguably the first rule in the "Using the road" section should be: "watch out for all other road users; be aware that they might not be signalling correctly or at all, observing traffic laws or the Highway Code, acting rationally or with any evidence of a sense of self-preservation - and they may indeed give every impression of actively trying to kill you.")

 

Another example of bad roundabout behaviour is approaching in the left-hand lane when you actually want to turn right - the reason being that there's a bit of a queue in the right-hand lane.  Perpetrators of this inconsiderate stunt usually don't indicate until they're past the first exit, at which point they put their right indicator on.  I suspect this is a feeble attempt to disguise their selfishness, maybe hoping that people will think, "Oh, he must have changed his mind, I'll be kind and let him in".  No, more often than not they're just rude, impatient b*st*rds.  Prime locations for the observation of this kind of behaviour in my neighbourhood are the roundabout coming off the A1 (southbound) to join the A720, and the southern roundabout at the Lothianburn junction coming off the A720 to join the A701 northbound.  (The latter only has left and right turn options, so by turning right from the left lane you run the real risk of getting squeezed out at the right-turn exit.  You pretty much put the onus on the other driver - who is doing what they're supposed to - not to drive in to you, simply because you chose to ignore the rules because of your selfish impatience.)

 

Despite the above, the fact is, a roundabout is one of the safest bits of road infrastructure, for vehicles approaching in different directions.

 

Generally, because everyone is going around in the same direction (clockwise - hopefully!) and at a reduced speed. So in most cases, if you get cut off/someone fails to give way/pulls out in front of you etc and contact occurs, then its almost certainly happens at low speed and only body panels and pride get hurt.

[chriswright03]

I know some places where they have replaced traffic lights with a roundabout.  Complete reversal of policy and it seems to work with far less congestion.

[PhilJ W]

 

 

And on the subject of Russian videos, just why do all of those wheels keep flying off almost everything?

 

Tony

German MOT failures are dispatched to Poland which has a less stringent MOT and when they fail that test they are sent further east ending up in Russia.

[Horsetan]

I know some places where they have replaced traffic lights with a roundabout.  Complete reversal of policy and it seems to work with far less congestion.

Stavanger is full of roundabouts!

[duncan]

my ex sister in law drove into the back of a luminous green JCB at a roundabout, don't know if she was facing backwards to the kids at the time, or if it was her usual driving !

 

& she wanted to drive my sports car  

[MarkC]

I know some places where they have replaced traffic lights with a roundabout.  Complete reversal of policy and it seems to work with far less congestion.

 

Durham County Council, in their wisdom, have put traffic lights on the 3 roundabouts where the A690 passes through the City of Durham and crosses the River Wear on Milburngate Bridge. A cynic might suggest that the seemingly deliberate 'not ideal' sequencing that's operating is a deliberate ploy to <justify> their well-known ambition to have a bigger local car tax  "congestion charge" in the city, which by coincidence would include Milburngate Bridge. I, of course, couldn't possibly comment...

 

[peanuts]

I know some places where they have replaced traffic lights with a roundabout.  Complete reversal of policy and it seems to work with far less congestion.

seems to be doing the opposite around manchester many roundabouts removed and replaced with gyratories controlled by traffic lights usualy infested with "safe cycleways"

[Rugd1022]

On my short drive to DIRFT this morning at 5.30, a shade under three miles, I saw four cars with no lights on and two with just their DRLs on at the front, two of them were blatantly texting as well.

 

I give up!

[duncan]

They know they won't be caught, so no reason not to text !

[royaloak]

Try telling that to 44-ton artic drivers. 

Have you ever driven a 44-ton artic?

 

There is no way on this Earth they can possibly stay in the lane with the swing needed to get the trailer round the corner, of course us that know that fact do not position our cars in a way that a large vehicle will be impeded in its movement or likely to come into contact with my car.

Large vehicles includes anything with a trailer or long vehicles such as buses etc.

 

I do find it hilarious when some numpty goes around the outside of a bus/lorry where it is plainly obvious that the bus/lorry is going to have to swing its front end out to get around the corner (coming off a roundabout etc), I have been a witness twice to accidents where somebody has tried to overtake a lorry on roundabouts and there has been 'contact' between the two, in both cases I made it clear that the lorry was already making the maneuver when the car started to overtake and the car was therefore at fault.

 

Most car drivers (especially those who only learned enough to pass the test and then promptly forgot most of it) dont consider anyone else and have no idea how much road some users need!

Edited January 27, 2018 by royaloak

[Horsetan]

On my short drive to DIRFT this morning at 5.30, a shade under three miles, I saw four cars with no lights on and two with just their DRLs on at the front, two of them were blatantly texting as well.

 

I give up!

Happens frequently on the M1 down here. Also, on the North Circular, loads of drivers are spending time on their phones as opposed to driving.

[APOLLO]

Wagon drivers -- they want ALL the road !!!!!

 

 

Brit15

Edited January 27, 2018 by APOLLO

[royaloak]

Wagon drivers -- they want ALL the road !!!!!

 

 

Brit15

And I bet some prat still tried to overtake/undertake it!

[PhilJ W]

my ex sister in law drove into the back of a luminous green JCB at a roundabout, don't know if she was facing backwards to the kids at the time, or if it was her usual driving !

 

& she wanted to drive my sports car  

I once had a car that was bright yellow (as BT used to paint their vans). One bright sunny morning an idiot came out of a side turning leaving a big scrape along the side. His first words were "I didn't see you."

[royaloak]

I once had a car that was bright yellow (as BT used to paint their vans). One bright sunny morning an idiot came out of a side turning leaving a big scrape along the side. His first words were "I didn't see you."

I have had somebody run up the back of the Leyland Olympian double deck bus I was driving because they didnt see it stopped at the bus stop underneath Denby Dale viaduct, it was an Austin 7 reg no 1111CX, the car died but the reg no lived on.

[chris p bacon]

German MOT failures are dispatched to Poland which has a less stringent MOT and when they fail that test they are sent further east ending up in Russia.

 

Just outside Sandy we have a large auction yard where MoT failures and insurance write offs are sold. The day after auctions there are a procession of Polish lorries loading bits of car on board, these are not rolling chassis, but cars that have been bent so badly that very little remains and they are forklifted inside a curtain sider and stacked 3 high.

I often wonder how many return here on a ferry with a wheel at each corner and a family on board.

Edited January 27, 2018 by chris p bacon

[APOLLO]

I have had somebody run up the back of the Leyland Olympian double deck bus I was driving because they didnt see it stopped at the bus stop underneath Denby Dale viaduct, it was an Austin 7 reg no 1111CX, the car died but the reg no lived on.

 

Mate had an old mini years ago, Reg No 714 KX - we nicknamed him Keith Xylophone (hence remembering the reg number) !!!

 

One night we all piled in, 8 of us, bust the rubber cone suspension - but we helped repair it the following weekend. 

 

Good old days !!!

 

Brit15

[MarkC]

I once had a car that was bright yellow (as BT used to paint their vans). One bright sunny morning an idiot came out of a side turning leaving a big scrape along the side. His first words were "I didn't see you."

Ah, classic SMIDSY syndrome... 

[Horsetan]

....cars that have been bent so badly that very little remains and they are forklifted inside a curtain sider and stacked 3 high.

I often wonder how many return here on a ferry with a wheel at each corner and a family on board.

How many foreign-plated cars are involved in accidents over here? Were they right hand drive?

[chris p bacon]

How many foreign-plated cars are involved in accidents over here? Were they right hand drive?

 

They're all UK plates that go to auction there, I think it's used for insurance disposals. The auctions are weekly and it's a pretty big yard.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.1374413,-0.3003848,600m/data=!3m1!1e3

[Rugd1022]

Happens frequently on the M1 down here. Also, on the North Circular, loads of drivers are spending time on their phones as opposed to driving.

 

I regularly see people on the M1 texting when I have to go to Willesden or Wembley, completely oblivious to their surroundings and the North Circular is a hateful piece of tarmac. If I have enough time I'll try to use the M40 / A40 instead of the M1, I can easily get to Willesden or Acton from there via the backroads if needs be. Thirty five years ago I used to walk from Hammersmith to Old Oak and vice versa on nights and not see a soul, but I wouldn't try it now!

[tomparryharry]

This week's driver prize... Reversing the car out of the local hospital. Ford Fiesta comes along, and stopped quite tight behind me. " Need to reverse out of there" sez I. " Can't do that! It's all the way down there!" Sez he. "Well mate, you parked up my ar$e" came the reply" "No! I'm not moving!" "Suit yourself... and got back into our car.

 

Surprise, surprise, he found out how to extricate himself, after all.

 

Some people....

 

Ian.

Edited January 27, 2018 by tomparryharry

[Coryton]

Despite the above, the fact is, a roundabout is one of the safest bits of road infrastructure, for vehicles approaching in different directions.

 

Generally, because everyone is going around in the same direction (clockwise - hopefully!) and at a reduced speed. So in most cases, if you get cut off/someone fails to give way/pulls out in front of you etc and contact occurs, then its almost certainly happens at low speed and only body panels and pride get hurt.

 

On the other hand, someone trying to cross an exit road is faced by a constant stream of traffic, indicating unpredictably, and coming off the roundabout somewhat faster than a car turning 90 degrees at cross-roads would. And, despite everyone going round and round in the same direction, they don't seem to work too well when cycles and cars mix.

 

And I bet some prat still tried to overtake/undertake it!

 

Looked as if there was quite a lot of space to get under...

[peanuts]

They know they won't be caught, so no reason not to text !

this  . used to regularly travelin my waggon  jn20 -- jn11  m62 both ways during rush hour usually center lane through the road works every time traffic stopped either side would be able to see down into all the stopped cars either side 99% would be head down fiddling on there phone oblivious to the world around them