Driving standards

[Jonboy]

I wouldn’t take ANYTHING AT ALL as meaning “after you” when driving in Italy.

I dunno, if the driver stopped their engine, got out and put their keys on the roof I might consider it as 50/50 possibility...

[jonny777]

 

 

The sheer impatience of so many motorists amazes and worries me; Just on Monday evening, on the way home, in the dark, along a 30mph road with houses and side roads, a car was right behind me and as soon as we got to a straight stretch they put their foot down and flew past me. Where are they going that needs such desperation ? 

 

 

 

 

 

My Dad, (whose driving habits made me very nervous of travelling anywhere with him) had an answer to that. He had a high performance car and would stick precisely to 30mph in a built-up area and then as soon as the limit ended he would stand on his accelerator and race up to 60 or 70 (depending on how long ago it was) and then brake sharply at the next 30mph limit. 

 

He did the same thing at roundabouts on rural roads. 

 

Woe betide anyone who tried to overtake him - he saw that as a sign of his inferiority. 

 

I have no idea where he gained these driving habits from, but I was greatly relieved when he finally gave up driving. 

[bimble]

I once got a lift out of Milan with an Italian friend in some small Fiat... that was an... interesting... journey!

[polybear]

Never realised you could get a small Fiat inside a lift

[Bert Cheese]

I have just stumbled across this and to be fair haven't read all 240 pages...

 

Given the thread title and a quick browse though I have had the thought below:

 

"If they dealt with middle lane cruisers correctly/harshly there would be no need to turn the M27 into a smart motorway at a cost of umpteen million pounds" 

 

Fining/removing these plentiful idiots would at a stroke make the motorway a much safer place...unfortunately they apparently feel "comfortable" there though and I haven't seen a patrol car on the motorway for months as police resources are cut.

Edited November 15, 2018 by Bert Cheese

[newbryford]

Indeed some unscrupulous fraudsters use the "correct" use of the headlamp flash to deliberately cause a crash, so that on paper they are not at fault, and can claim whiplash for all five occupants of the car.

 

it has got to the point where the "correct" use of the headlamp flash is far more likely to cause a crash than not using it at all, something the advocates of "doing it by the book" should bear in mind before getting on their high horse...

 

 "Crash for cash" - pulling in front, braking sharply and unexpectedly to deliberately cause a rear end collision - usually at the entrance to roundabouts, now it's "Flash for cash". Oncoming driver flashes to "allow" car to turn right across it. But then doesn't slow down...... 

[30801]

"If they dealt with middle lane cruisers correctly/harshly there would be no need to turn the M27 into a smart motorway at a cost of umpteen million pounds"

Well at least it gives a chance that if you break down in what is now lane one nobody will be using it...

[Enterprisingwestern]

Well at least it gives a chance that if you break down in what is now lane one nobody will be using it...

 

Generally speaking, on a 4 lane motorway there are 3 hard shoulders in my experience.

 

Mike.

[Nick C]

To which add driving in the dark, driving in a downpour, driving when snow and ice are on the road surface. It's always in my mind at this time of year that quite probably anything up to 5% of the drivers on the road are not only relatively new to driving, but many will not have had to drive in the 'difficult' conditions particularly applicable to winter.

 

One of the first things I did after passing my test was to do the "Pass Plus" course - which I think they still offer - it was a 6-hour set of extra lessons (with the same instructor) covering motorways, night driving, adverse weather etc. I believe it was well worth having done it.

 

Never realised you could get a small Fiat inside a lift

 

I've seen lifts big enough to get a small Fiat in. The question surely is whether you can do it the other way around...

[PaulCheffus]

I've seen lifts big enough to get a small Fiat in. The question surely is whether you can do it the other way around...

Hi

 

I once helped put a Ferrari in a lift. It was for an exhibition at Olympia back when I used to design smoke machines and the car (owned by the MD) was displayed on our stand.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[dvdlcs]

This is pretty standard behaviour here in WA. To the extent that I will often seriously consider not indicating for a lane change if I judge that I can complete the manoeuvre without conflict.

 

As that is where this happened then I will agree with you.

 

Unfortunately as well as the group of drivers that simply aren't paying attention there seems to be a growing minority that seem to try and set other drivers up, like in the instance that I described by deliberately boxing them in behind slow moving traffic etc.

[dvdlcs]

Much too late now, but having watched Formula 1 cars with flashing red lights when they are harvesting energy etc. I do wonder whether a flashing red light, or something similar, should be displayed on the rear of a car where the cruise control is in use. Just a note to anyone approaching from behind that the car is in a semi-automated mode.

 

Perhaps this might be considered for cars that can be in a driverless mode, as and when they appear on the public roads.

[TheQ]

Much too late now, but having watched Formula 1 cars with flashing red lights when they are harvesting energy etc. I do wonder whether a flashing red light, or something similar, should be displayed on the rear of a car where the cruise control is in use. Just a note to anyone approaching from behind that the car is in a semi-automated mode.

 

Perhaps this might be considered for cars that can be in a driverless mode, as and when they appear on the public roads.

More like they''ll have one on in manual human controlled mode. As once they crack the self driving systems, they'll be much safer than humans...

[kevinlms]

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1063305259567595520

 

Black BMW driver does a runner. What a surprise?

[polybear]

 "Crash for cash" - pulling in front, braking sharply and unexpectedly to deliberately cause a rear end collision - usually at the entrance to roundabouts, now it's "Flash for cash". Oncoming driver flashes to "allow" car to turn right across it. But then doesn't slow down.....

 

I've noticed more and more that cars waiting to turn right are increasingly waiting longer until they are sure of the other driver's intention to allow them across, even after being flashed

[newbryford]

One of the first things I did after passing my test was to do the "Pass Plus" course - which I think they still offer - it was a 6-hour set of extra lessons (with the same instructor) covering motorways, night driving, adverse weather etc. I believe it was well worth having done it.

 

 

 

Pass Plus seems to have dies a death nowadays.

It was a suggested minimum of 6 hours covering 6 topics - urban driving, rural driving, all-weather, night, dual carriageways and motorways

It was supposed to have given the new driver a better understanding beyond the driving test - particularly with stuff that they may or will not have encountered in detail - they may not have encountered nigh driving and most certainly not motorways.

 

It's up to the instructor to sign it off and the financial incentive (apart from the experience) was so that the pupil can gain extra discount on their insurance.

I was once offered a wedge of cash to do nothing but simply sign a Pass Plus form so that someone I hadn't even taught to drive could go and get their certificate and thus discount. Needless to say they were told to go away in short jerky movements.

However, the stats of new driver incidents and Pass Plus didn't stack up, so the insurance companies starting reducing or not even offering discounts, hence Pass Plus has virtually dried up.

 

The introduction of allowing learners on motorways with qualified ADIs is a good one - but as has been said before - pretty useless if you live in the Outer Hebrides…...

[Enterprisingwestern]

Pass Plus seems to have dies a death nowadays.

It was a suggested minimum of 6 hours covering 6 topics - urban driving, rural driving, all-weather, night, dual carriageways and motorways

It was supposed to have given the new driver a better understanding beyond the driving test - particularly with stuff that they may or will not have encountered in detail - they may not have encountered nigh driving and most certainly not motorways.

 

It's up to the instructor to sign it off and the financial incentive (apart from the experience) was so that the pupil can gain extra discount on their insurance.

I was once offered a wedge of cash to do nothing but simply sign a Pass Plus form so that someone I hadn't even taught to drive could go and get their certificate and thus discount. Needless to say they were told to go away in short jerky movements.

However, the stats of new driver incidents and Pass Plus didn't stack up, so the insurance companies starting reducing or not even offering discounts, hence Pass Plus has virtually dried up.

 

The introduction of allowing learners on motorways with qualified ADIs is a good one - but as has been said before - pretty useless if you live in the Outer Hebrides…...

 

The problem is that the Outer Hebrides have got to come a bit more up to date and get rid of the man with red flag first!

 

Mike.

[Norm81]

One of the first things I did after passing my test was to do the "Pass Plus" course - which I think they still offer - it was a 6-hour set of extra lessons (with the same instructor) covering motorways, night driving, adverse weather etc. I believe it was well worth having done it.

It would still be a problem for some to cover adverse weather unless you did the course in the winter, like I did. Then you get to deal with motorway driving in the snow! As you say, well worth it not just for the slight decrease in insurance premium.

[TheQ]

The problem is that the Outer Hebrides have got to come a bit more up to date and get rid of the man with red flag first!

 

Mike.

The Hebrides don't have men with red flags they have sheep!

[Titan]

The Hebrides don't have men with red flags they have sheep!

 

Is that their excuse for baad driving?

[MarkC]

Is that their excuse for baad driving?

Where's the "Groan" button?

[royaloak]

I think that there should be a 2 part driving test with the second part dealing with motorway driving.

What about people who dont have any motorways near them, the motorway network runs out at Exeter so what about people who live South West of that?

 

I saw a learner car today with a sign proudly proclaiming 'pass your test in one week' now that is frightening because what have they actually learned apart from the bare minimum to pass the test?

[newbryford]

What about people who dont have any motorways near them, the motorway network runs out at Exeter so what about people who live South West of that?

 

I saw a learner car today with a sign proudly proclaiming 'pass your test in one week' now that is frightening because what have they actually learned apart from the bare minimum to pass the test?

 

Motorways and lack of them in certain areas was discussed up thread a couple of pages..

For drivers in urban areas, maybe the 2-part test should include rural roads?

The list could go on - there is no perfect scenario/test.

 

One week may have been 30-40 hours plus of driving/on the road. The average for a test pass is reckoned to be 45 hours these days. I had pupils that managed with much less than 20 hours of formal lessons, but other factors were a major player (2 years of motorbike. 18 months of tractors on roads, practice with parents, etc.)

 

(Personally, I had 12 hours of formal tuition, and a serious amount of parent/brother sitting in - for example, 170 miles in one day to the north east and back on a monthly basis for 6 months - but that was back in 1979)

[polybear]

My Driving Instructor was an Alchie (spelling?).  He'd always have a small bottle of whisky he'd take a swig from during a lesson (must've been my driving?).  On most lessons we'd stop at an offie for him to stock up on drink and fags. One saturday morning at around eleven he declared (whilst clutching a small third (?) size bottle of Johnnie Walker) "this is my second bottle today and I still feel as though I haven't had a drink".  However, and bearing in mind I'd already spent 5 years on motorcycles in sun, rain, snow and ice and at the time was up to a 750 Honda, he still saw things before I did and was as sharp as ever.  Mind you, boy would he have got the book thrown at him if caught.  I was 21 then, it was a long time ago with different moral standards, he was good at his job ( apart from the obvious); I'd have a very different view now.

His previous job?  He was in the Met.....

[PhilJ W]

My Driving Instructor was an Alchie (spelling?).  He'd always have a small bottle of whisky he'd take a swig from during a lesson (must've been my driving?).  On most lessons we'd stop at an offie for him to stock up on drink and fags. One saturday morning at around eleven he declared (whilst clutching a small third (?) size bottle of Johnnie Walker) "this is my second bottle today and I still feel as though I haven't had a drink".  However, and bearing in mind I'd already spent 5 years on motorcycles in sun, rain, snow and ice and at the time was up to a 750 Honda, he still saw things before I did and was as sharp as ever.  Mind you, boy would he have got the book thrown at him if caught.  I was 21 then, it was a long time ago with different moral standards, he was good at his job ( apart from the obvious); I'd have a very different view now.

His previous job?  He was in the Met.....

Many years ago (40+) I knew someone who lost his licence for being in charge of a motor vehicle whilst under the influence of drink despite someone else being behind the wheel. He was teaching his girlfriend to drive and on an evening out he had rather too much to drink he persuaded the girlfriend to drive the car. He promptly fell asleep in the passenger seat, the girlfriend panicked and 'froze' in the middle of a busy road junction. Thats how the police found them and he lost both his licence and his girlfriend.