Driving standards

[rockershovel]

I’ve lately been travelling on the M62 and M27, which (both being largely composed of a continuous string of junctions) are much troubled with the practice of hurtling along stationary, or slow moving queues of traffic backing out of the slip road onto the main carriageway, then cutting abruptly into a space slightly more than a cars length in the queue..

[chaz]

I’ve lately been travelling on the M62 and M27, which (both being largely composed of a continuous string of junctions) are much troubled with the practice of hurtling along stationary, or slow moving queues of traffic backing out of the slip road onto the main carriageway, then cutting abruptly into a space slightly more than a cars length in the queue..

 

 

What you haven't realised is that the driver involved is very important and shouldn't be held up by us plebs.

[Baby Deltic]

What you haven't realised is that the driver involved is very important and shouldn't be held up by us plebs.

That is one thing that really annoys me and it's usually another docile motorist who fails to move up quick enough or let's them in, encouraging them to do it more in the future. These idiots are chancers who try and bully their way in with trucks roaring up behind them in the live lane they have stopped in, blowing their horns and swerving round them. It doesn't sit to well with me if I've been queuing for ages like everyone else and some impatient git drifts in ahead.

Edited July 21, 2018 by Baby Deltic

[ejstubbs]

That is one thing that really annoys me and it's usually another docile motorist who fails to move up quick enough or let's them in, encouraging them to do it more in the future. These idiots are chancers who try and bully their way in with trucks roaring up behind them in the live lane they have stopped in, blowing their horns and swerving round them. It doesn't sit to well with me if I've been queuing for ages like everyone else and some impatient git drifts in ahead.

 

As you say though, the rude, arrogant behaviour is basically enabled by other drivers who are rubbish at queuing: too lazy to move up as the queue advances - or just as likely, too busy fiddling with [the mobile phone nestled in] their crotch to notice when it does.

 

Other annoying queuing behaviour includes people who stop two or three car lengths short of the vehicle in front, then creep forwards sporadically for no detectable reason, the queue in front of them not having moved at all.  This makes the queue longer than it needs to be, increasing the likelihood of junctions behind getting blocked, and means that the drivers behind also have to basically creep forward every time the eejit in front does if they are not to end up with an unjustifiably large gap in front of them.

 

When I'm on the VFR I sometimes take perverse pleasure in filtering up the outside of the queue and pointedly pulling in to the unnecessary spaces that such drivers leave.  It's a bit like overtaking a middle lane hogger on an otherwise empty motorway by moving all the way over to lane three, and then all the way to lane one again once safely past.  Some of them get the message, others are either too stupid to understand or are too thick-headedly stubborn to do what they're supposed to.

 

Less annoying but still difficult to understand are the types who pull up at a red light then after fifteen to twenty seconds start creeping forward as if they think the light is about to change, then stop when they realise it isn't - and then when the light does go green, it seems to take them by surprise and they only react when they notice vehicles in the other lane have already set off.  It's as if they're eager to get moving one minute, then suddenly get bored and their mind starts to wander (dare I say, at the risk of appearing to have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about it: quite likely in the direction of their mobile phone).  It's almost as if, dare I say it, they're not actually concentrating on the job at hand ie being safely in control of their vehicle.  But that couldn't possibly be the case, could it...

 

(By the way, I've heard that the BBC are auditioning for a new series of "Grumpy Old Men".  I thought I'd mention it here as some of the regular participants on this thread might be interested in applying.  They turned me down on the grounds that I'm not sufficiently "viewer friendly".  P.S. Not all of the aforegoing may be strictly true.)

Edited July 21, 2018 by ejstubbs

[Southern Steve]

The thing that bugs me most is the prevalent practice these days of sitting in   non moving traffic with a foot on the brake pedal, thus dazzling the car behind with a flood of bright red light.

 

 

I was always taught to apply the handbrake when stationary or is current thinking/teaching not the same?

[newbryford]

The thing that bugs me most is the prevalent practice these days of sitting in   non moving traffic with a foot on the brake pedal, thus dazzling the car behind with a flood of bright red light.

 

 

I was always taught to apply the handbrake when stationary or is current thinking/teaching not the same?

 

Blame the popularity of automatic gearboxes...….

[chris p bacon]

The thing that bugs me most is the prevalent practice these days of sitting in   non moving traffic with a foot on the brake pedal, thus dazzling the car behind with a flood of bright red light.

 

 

I was always taught to apply the handbrake when stationary or is current thinking/teaching not the same?

 

 

It might be an automatic in front, you have to apply the brake to select park.  

[PhilJ W]

The thing that bugs me most is the prevalent practice these days of sitting in   non moving traffic with a foot on the brake pedal, thus dazzling the car behind with a flood of bright red light.

 

 

I was always taught to apply the handbrake when stationary or is current thinking/teaching not the same?

I was behind one like that on the M11. Traffic was at a standstill due to a car fire a couple of miles further on from where we were, and it was pretty obvious that we would not be moving any time soon but one woman sat with her foot on the brake for at least 20 minutes before someone reminded her that her car was equipped with a handbrake.

[PhilJ W]

It might be an automatic in front, you have to apply the brake to select park.  

But thats usually the handbrake not the footbrake.

[chris p bacon]

But thats usually the handbrake not the footbrake.

 

Nope.

 

To select Drive or Reverse I have to put my foot on the brake to take it out of 'Park' , to select 'Park' I have to put my foot on the brake, then when in 'Park' I can take my foot off the brake and depress the 'handbrake' Release of the 'Handbrake' is a lever to the right of the steering column.

 

Either way your foot goes on the brake before you can move.

[Southern Steve]

Nope.

 

To select Drive or Reverse I have to put my foot on the brake to take it out of 'Park' , to select 'Park' I have to put my foot on the brake, then when in 'Park' I can take my foot off the brake and depress the 'handbrake' Release of the 'Handbrake' is a lever to the right of the steering column.

 

Either way your foot goes on the brake before you can move.

 

That's poxy modern cars for you!

[Enterprisingwestern]

Anyway, it's not a handbrake, it's a parking brake. (We've been here before!).

 

Mike.

[Baby Deltic]

Cars with electronic handbrakes on auto hold will still show brake lights even off in neutral if the ignition is on. I'm pretty sure my Passat does.

[stewartingram]

Cars with electronic handbrakes on auto hold will still show brake lights even off in neutral if the ignition is on. I'm pretty sure my Passat does.

 

Once again quote #5636

[Guest]

I was always taught to apply the handbrake when stationary or is current thinking/teaching not the same?

At the back of a queue you should keep your brake lights on until someone stops behind you. Assuming they notice you of course. The brake lights should help there.

[newbryford]

At the back of a queue you should keep your brake lights on until someone stops behind you. Assuming they notice you of course. The brake lights should help there.

 

Especially if I happen to be at the back of a queue in a blind location I will have the brake lights on.

As a vehicle approaches, I will release the brake and reapply to reinforce the brake lights. I also leave a slightly larger gap from the vehicle in front - just in case there is any reason to move forward from the approaching vehicle if I think It's coming in too fast. I have had to do this once and it saved my rear from being hit!

[shortliner]

At the back of a queue you should keep your brake lights on until someone stops behind you. Assuming they notice you of course. The brake lights should help there.

If the queue is on a fast road where traffic would not be expected to be at a stand-still, I put my hazard flashers on too if I'm the last car in the queue!

Edited July 21, 2018 by shortliner

[MJI]

Blame the popularity of automatic gearboxes...….

 

Autos have neutral, they have hand brakes, they have park

[Baby Deltic]

Once again quote #5636

My car is a manual, not an automatic as quoted in post #5636, therefore, as far as I am concerned it is not relevant to my post.

Edited July 21, 2018 by Baby Deltic

[PhilJ W]

My car is a manual, not an automatic as quoted in post #5636, therefore, as far as I am concerned it is not relevant to my post.

I too drive a manual, I don't like automatics. A little aside, in the US where automatics predominate a manual gearbox is regarded as an excellent anti-theft device.

[IWCR]

Apologies  for motorway queue jumping,  Ive had to do this on the M4.

Heading home from a job in heavy traffic,  Overtaking slow traffic which was in the left lane, soon after finding the left lane totally stopped,  then realising it is the queue for the A34 junction some 5 miles away which I needed to use, the next turning off beyond this being Reading  more than 10 miles further.  Slowed  and  indicated,  someone  did let me in,  thanks, (it wasnt deliberate.)

 

Pete

[PhilJ W]

Worst of all for drivers forcing there way in is the A13/M25 Junction 30. If there is a holdup on the QE2 bridge the number of drivers trying to force their way in forms a second queue taking up the second of three lanes. To make matters worse some idiots try to force their way across from lane 3.

[royaloak]

It might be an automatic in front, you have to apply the brake to select park.  

Whats wrong with neutral?

[Jonboy]

I had an Skoda on hire a while back with one of those eco engines that stop when stationary and restart when you pull away....it stopped when you braked and restarted immediately upon release of the foot brake.

[chris p bacon]

Whats wrong with neutral?

 

 

It could roll forwards or backwards.  You need your foot to engage the parking brake and your hand to disengage, having the box in Neutral means both hands are off the steering wheel to pull away.

I was taught that Neutral is not a position to be used for an auto box unless you're being towed.

 

I always find it amusing that brake lights are annoying for some drivers, if I took the bulbs out they'd be even more p*ssed off......can't please some people.