Free At Last Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 I am that person at the front of the queue driving at 20mph in a 20mph zone. I apologize to everyone who was in a hurry and had to be somewhere that had to pull out and zoom past. It was nice though, being able to drive with nothing in front of me. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted August 5, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) On the way to work this morning... Overtake over lots of interesting paintwork almost straight into a right-turning van. I seem to have titled this video Audi... Had my hat-cam been working properly the other week I'd have a couple called Dacia... Thanks for that, actually the best part was at the end, where you tube gives you some other videos. One of Duchess of Sutherland struggling to turn on steam turntable & then in the snow over Shap, so thanks very much! So two bonus points for you! Edit to say, I know the turntable is actually vacuum powered. Edited August 5, 2015 by kevinlms 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardml2341 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 I've just bought a dashcam! Also, I don't ever tell anyone I'm a good driver, others say I am, but I'm not arrogant enough to believe that I've got nothing more to learn. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted August 5, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2015 Been driving for 41 years now. All of the min the UK but for the past 20 also in Australia and with a little European and New Zealand mileage under my belt. Also drove in a professional context carrying fare-paying passengers for some years before being lured and cajoled from home shores by the love of a good woman For what it's worth I have also been (though no longer am) a keen cyclist having first taken to two wheels on the tarmac aged 7 with a shiny new cycling proficiency badge on my handlebars. There are drivers and drivers. There are far more than there were simply because the planet is becoming ever more overcrowded. We are also becoming more intolerant, self-centred and impatient and not just on the roads. That mix is a recipe for all manner of errors, foolhardy moves and the downright stupid. The roads are not the place for winning Darwin Awards despite the determined effort of the few to do so. I find that in general UK drivers (and also in general excluding those drivers in the UK but not of UK origin) are reasonably predictable in their moves, often accommodating of your intentions if clearly signalled and also respectful of road rules and the need to safely share the roads with others. There are many exceptions and individual cases of idiocy, stupidity and perhaps ignorance or forgetfulness. But even cycling through central London I found that by being assertive enough to take the full lane I was entitled to (provided I did not unreasonably impede others) and glancing over my shoulder before making a clear signal I was allowed just enough space to pull across and turn or change lanes safely. I was trained to expect the unexpected, keep my mind on the road and to read the road ahead. I duly passed the car test (second attempt), advanced driving test (first) and the coach / bus test as it then was (second attempt) in a fair short space of time. Most of my driving is now done in Australia where in some states insurance is not mandatory and neither are annual vehicle safety checks. In other words the roads can be full of unroadworthy vehicles driven by uninsured people in a manner suggesting they really don't give a damn. And sometimes they don't. The attitude far too often (and far more often than in the UK) is simply "Far Kew". I finally abandoned cycling after the fifth time I was pushed off by a passenger intentionally leaning from a car window for that specific purpose. Self-preservation won over good intent. In all countries where I have driven there are arrogant and selfish motorists and there are respectful and polite law-abiding ones. I try to be the latter. I also try to keep a sharp eye out for the former and have reacted very quickly on those occasions when the Darwin Award brigade has done something stupid / dangerous / unlawful and threatened my safe passage. To date I have 41 years incident-free driving under my belt. And not a single demerit point. Does that make me a good driver? That's not for me to judge but I do believe I was well trained. It also makes me fortunate as I haven't been rammed in the rear by anyone else - yet - and I'm typing this with as many fingers as I can spare very very firmly crossed that these don't prove to be famous last words. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 30801 Posted August 5, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 5, 2015 Most of my driving is now done in Australia where in some states insurance is not mandatory and neither are annual vehicle safety checks. In other words the roads can be full of unroadworthy vehicles driven by uninsured people in a manner suggesting they really don't give a damn. And sometimes they don't. The attitude far too often (and far more often than in the UK) is simply "Far Kew". I finally abandoned cycling after the fifth time I was pushed off by a passenger intentionally leaning from a car window for that specific purpose. Self-preservation won over good intent. Looking at https://cycliq.com/I did wonder about cycling & Australia. I thought some of their example videos were there to scare you into buying a camera, but maybe they really are representative. I am tempted to get one of their rear-facing cameras. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted August 5, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2015 Seeing bad driving is certainly common enough. Is there more of it? I'd say yes but then I always think everything is getting worse, but putting that aside I'm not so sure. Perhaps there is more but whether it's a greater percentage or not I don't know. More traffic means more bad driving to be seen, even if the actual standard is unchanged. I do wish people would stop being in such a desperate hurry all the time though, and that feeds back into itself in a vicious circle. The worse a journey is the more people will want to get it over in a hurry... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted August 5, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2015 Thanks for that, actually the best part was at the end, where you tube gives you some other videos. One of Duchess of Sutherland struggling to turn on steam turntable & then in the snow over Shap, so thanks very much! So two bonus points for you! Edit to say, I know the turntable is actually vacuum powered. Theres also a clip of the NASCA incident where the driver ran in to his pit crew. All I can say is if that pit crew entered the Olympic gymnastics they'd grab all the gold medals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted August 5, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 5, 2015 I've just bought a dashcam! I've been giving that some serious thought too. Can I ask what model you went for and your experience in using it so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 47137 Posted August 5, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2015 On the way to work this morning... Overtake over lots of interesting paintwork almost straight into a right-turning van. I seem to have titled this video Audi... Had my hat-cam been working properly the other week I'd have a couple called Dacia... The guy had hope in his heart when he passed the turning on the right - but if there was no paint at all on the road, I suggest he wouldn't have made the attempt at all. - Richard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardml2341 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) I've been giving that some serious thought too. Can I ask what model you went for and your experience in using it so far. Literally just ordered it Russ, will report back when it's up and running. Edited August 5, 2015 by leopardml2341 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Seems to be less indicators being used these days especially on roundabouts - but then I am a grumpy old f**t apparently. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted August 5, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2015 Not another bad driving thread.... It'll probably degenerate into a typical bad v good car/motorcycle/biker/Volvo/truck/bus/taxi/rickshaw/tut-tut/etc before locking. Also people from outside this country seem to think that they can drive forever on the licence from there own country. Don't they realise its only 12 months during which they need to obtain a UK licence by taking the TEST. Not quite true. There are a number of countries - EU and certain designated others[1] where the licence can simply be exchanged without taking a UK test if you become a UK resident (at least 185 days in the UK within 12 months) More details via this website [1] Designated countries’ are: Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe. Cheers, Mick 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Not another bad driving thread.... From the "Get off my lawn" collection of grumpy RMweb threads. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted August 5, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2015 Be afraid. Be very afraid. https://www.facebook.com/dashcamownersacrossuk?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/DashCamOwnersAustralia?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/pages/Australian-Dashcam-Owners/906145129437921?fref=ts and many others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted August 5, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2015 Where's the key...... I can hear it turning in the lock........... Cheers, Mick 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 30801 Posted August 6, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 6, 2015 From the "Get off my lawn" collection of grumpy RMweb threads. A few years ago I looked out of my window to see an inept driver doing a fourteen point turn over my lawn... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I've been giving that some serious thought too. Can I ask what model you went for and your experience in using it so far. I have just bought a Transcend Drivepro 200 which got good reviews and is excellent. If you go for it make sure you buy the suction bracket to go with it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 30801 Posted August 6, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 6, 2015 I've had a Blackvue for the last four years. It's unobtrusive and fit & forget. Don't get a dashcam where you have to press a button to start it recording. Mine's long obsolete now but the current range is here: http://www.blackvue.co.uk/index.php/online-shop/blackvue-products BTW as with all dash-cams you'll need to reformat the SD card every few weeks. They all use FAT32 and fragmentation is a problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 The main problem I think is that a lot of people lead stressful lives, work, family, social you name it. This stress builds and when they get in their isolated tin can (car) the stress somehow is relieved by anger / bad / discourteous / non thinking driving. Many accidents are also caused by the "Act first, look think second" actions that stress can cause. Pedestrians and cyclists are also not immune from this. We all need to chill a little, be more vigilant and a bit more courteous with each other. Simple Brit15 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 (edited) There is no such thing as ;'drivers'. They are people, the same kind of people who :- appear on Jeremy Kyle, walk across your lawn to post a charity bag, bump into you in supermarkets, pick their noses, talk loudly on Mobiles, drop litter, urinate on bus seats, let their kids run riot in surgeries etc. Did we expect people to magically become angels when sat behind the wheel? Leaving aside the bus seat reference, the above could apply to female 20-somethings except that I would have to add:- parking as close to a supermarket entrance as possible regardless of parking space markings, driving everywhere at full pelt, cut you up on a motorway with a sign in the back window "Child on board", choosing wrong lane on roundabouts and ignoring 'right of way' due to inbuilt 'Women first' syndromes. Again not unexpected when history tells us females are illogical. Well, thats my tuppence worth. Boy I luv a chuckle on these forums.... Edited August 6, 2015 by coachmann 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamperman36 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Several years ago whilst working for a local concrete fabrication company I was required to take several concrete moulds to a yard about half a mile from ours for shotblasting. I had to move one mould at a time ratchet strapped onto the forks of a JCB Loadall. I had a flashing amber light on the cab and used my mirrors and indicators however on entering the yard I was taking the moulds to I had to swing out right in order to get into the gateway on the left. I had moved five moulds without a problem, however when moving the sixth I had a learner driver following me, as I came to the gateway I started indicating left and started to swing out at which point the learner decided to pass. Im not sure just how close we came but I needed 5 mins to stop shaking. 2 mins patience wouldn't have hurt and what sort of driving instructer would put there pupil in that of danger Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 30801 Posted August 6, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 6, 2015 I had a flashing amber light on the cab and used my mirrors and indicators Sometimes flashing lights are a bad thing. I have a problem with bin lorries. I find it difficult to pick out indicators from the other twenty orange flashing lights on the back. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Collier Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Many many things annoy me about peoples lack of driving skills but they probably all come down to social skills rather than driving. I holidayed in Cornwall last week and one thing was a common factor on the journey. You are on a motorway or dual carriage way and signs start telling you that in a mile the outside lane will go and you will have to merge with the inner lane so people start moving over and everything continues to move smoothly until (sorry to point the finger at the same people) BMW/Merc/Audi man decides to wait until they reach the chevrons as the lane ends to push in, usually still travelling way over the speed limit. Everyone has to stand on their brakes to let the selfish idiot in and the knock on effect is everything coming to a stand still. It is a lack of manners. Gareth Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted August 6, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 6, 2015 and what sort of driving instructer would put there pupil in that of danger One like the guy who passed me the other day, doing about 60mph in a 30mph limit, in a driving school car, unfortunately the DashCam was off (oops) otherwise the police would have received their first video from me. Because I was expecting to have a great video I didn't bother reading the company name but it wasn't one of the nationals. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardml2341 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 In my experience, the bad drivers are the ones that 'know' (sic) they are good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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