Driving standards

[kevinlms]

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

It was probably a parent, doing the 'instructing'.

[coachmann]

If you are an attention-seeker, weave in and out of traffic cutting people up with a sticker on the back of your vehicle saying "How's my driving today guys".....

[melmerby]

Something that seems to have become more prevalent is the "must overtake the bus at all costs" attitude exacerbated by lack of observance of what's actually happening in front of them

 

Recently I have seen several drivers overtake a bus, blindly, when it had been slowed/stopped by the traffic conditions in front.

On one occasion with almost fatal consequences, a bus stopped at a red pedestrian crossing light and the yob behind (in a certain unmentionable make of car) roared past on the wrong side of the road, realising at the last minute exactly why the bus had stopped, emergency stopped just short of the, by now, crossing pedestrians.

 

On a similar occasion the bus has been overtaken when it was stopped for somebody waiting to turn right.

 

These sort of of things used to occasionally happen but now seem much more often.

Nearly all bad driving I see is due to lack of attention by the driver, compounded by "not my fault"* attitude to everything that happens.

 

Keith

 

*This seems to apply to most things these days

Edited August 6, 2015 by melmerby

[30801]

unfortunately the DashCam was off (oops) otherwise the police would have received their first video from me.

 

Don't get a dashcam where you have to press a button to start it recording.

[melmerby]

You can't blame the drivers totally when the standard of instruction is so poor and seemingly anyone can pass the test and where road marking is appalling.

 

Around where I live driving school cars are quite common (national and local)

It's not unusual to approach a junction to be confronted by a learner's car reversing around it unsighted due to fencing etc. there.

They also park near junctions when giving in-car instruction to pupils.

 

There is a road nearby with traffic calming measures (alternative right of way single vehicle wide chicanes) regularly along the road.

One is on a blind LH bend where you have to give way but can't see what is coming until you are on the RH side of the road ready to pass through it.

 

Another road marking faux-pas consisted of a traffic light junction where the road sign showed one lane turning right but the white road markings showed two lanes turning right - result many arguments on who should be where!

 

Keith

Edited August 6, 2015 by melmerby

[Arthur]

Gentlemen, we need a more relaxed and appreciative approach to our fellow travellers. I find a cheery wave of acknowledgement can go a long way.

 

This chap had been following me for fifteen miles or so last week and I was able to capture his cheery wave as we halted at a roundabout. I was lucky to get this shot, I had to quickly put my sandwich down, fortunately, I already had the phone in my other hand. I really appreciated his gesture suggesting that I am a Number One driver, many other drivers have recognised this as I wander the local lanes in my enormous 4x4.

 

I responded in friendly support of his belief by gesturing back that he was the Number Two driver.

 

Two fellow Knights of the Road, heart warming.

 

[Arthur]

 

Here's the vid. from which that clip is taken, Instant Karma.

 

[Guest]

Here's the vid. from which that clip is taken, Instant Karma.

 

 

And the winner in the "serves you right" category is...

[coachmann]

'Must overtake the damned bus' was around years ago, but small wonder when top speed of yer average half-cab decker was 35mph if you were lucky and roads outside of built-up areas had unrestricted speed limits. Today I follow Arriva buses at 60mph when there is no point in overtaking.

Edited August 6, 2015 by coachmann

[melmerby]

I have noticed a great variation in the standard of M/C riding in different parts of the country which may colour people's opinion of them.

 

Around here (Worcestershire & Birmingham) generally the motorcyclists are well behaved and don't do stupid things or speed excessively however in Cumbria where I lived for 8+ years they were a PitA.

Regularly going at excessive speed, racing each other, not observing road conditions seemed to be normal.

Whilst living there it was not unusual for the emergency services to be called to attend a "One Vehicle" accident where a rider had over-cooked it and ended up in a ditch/hedge/copse etc.

 

On the A686 from Haltwhistle during decent weather they would ride at excessive speed in packs and gather in Melmerby in groups of up to 20 and challenge each other to get to Alston or Hartside and back in the quickest time.

They also used to ride through the village as if there was no speed limit (it is 30mph)

The Parish Council urged the Police to monitor their speed and the Police responded by setting up a front view speed trap on a winter weekday. Naturally they didn't catch any!

 

Keith

[beast66606]

 

 

 

I don't - but I do have to plug it in !

[Sidecar Racer]

More ' Karma' .

 

[Ron Ron Ron]

...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?

 

 

Surely not all people in N. Wales are like that?

 

.......are they?

 

 

 

.

[gismorail]

As an HGV articulated wagon driver I see it all every day but last week took it to new levels. It was approx 05.30 on the M54 heading east cruising along at a steady 56 mph on a fairly quite motorway. As I reached Junction 3 a little Toyota Go being driven by a young lady was coming down the slip road so I moved into the second lane (note that this is a two lane motorway ) so that she could access the motorway from the end of the slip road and as she did I was about level with her ....... as is quite normal she started to accelerate in front of me so once there was a safe distance between us I indicated to move back into the slow lane. During this time I had keep in cruise control so my speed was constant and after about quarter of a mile I was starting to gain on her as she had not keep a constant speed herself. I therefore indicated to move back into the second lane and was overtaking her fairly quickly and as the cab of my wagon started to get alongside her I noted that she was chatting away on a mobile phone that was not hands free. Once the rear of my trailer was safely clear of her car I started to indicate to move back into the slow lane keeping an eye on her position in my mirror, as I started to move over I took a second glance in the mirror and noticed that she was accelerating and was starting to undertake me ..... I therefore repositioned myself back into the second lane as she continued to overtake me in the slow lane ...... still chatting on the phone.....and did'nt glance in my direction and once she was clear of me I moved over to the slow lane. Now during all of this I was still in cruise control therefore my speed had not varied from 56 mph and she was now well ahead of me and probably reaching 70 mph plus and I just carried on my way. After a couple of miles I was starting to gain on her again as she had started to slow down and I had to start slowing down myself until eventually I was doing below 50 mph and still gaining . A check in my o/s mirror showed me that there was no other traffic behind so I indicated and moved back into the second lane and was accelerating fairly rapidly and passing her ...... as the cab of my wagon became level with her car I glance across and not only was she still chatting on the phone which was balanced against her ear on her shoulder but was also drinking out of a Costa coffee cup ................. and yes you guess it once the rear of my trailer was level with the front of her car she suddenly started to accelerate past me again........ well I had to do something so once she was ahead of me I moved back into the slow lane but this time hit the very loud air horns and an all the spot lights........ it must of shocked her into reality as the coffee cup was abandoned and the car shot off into the distance ....... one things for sure that until I hit the air horns she had no idea that I was there ........ I mean how the hell can you not see a 45 ton articulated wagon doing 56 mph on an empty motorway     

[gismorail]

Surely not all people in N. Wales are like that?

 

.......are they?

 

 

 

.

Must in in the Rhyl area on holiday 

[runs as required]

Oh Dear!

What a terrible thread to happen across, just as I have started into a period of waking-up in the night with cold sweats.

Not far off 80 years old, are my wife and I getting too old to survive in todays 'rat race'?

SWMBO has got to the point where she prefers keeping her Ferrari red Mazda MX5 in her costume jewelry box to admire rather than drive (I'm only allowed to drive it to and from the annual MOT).

 

Apparently I'm too old to rent a self-drive car in Italy.

But I do drive a nicely weathered Mondeo (Reg NU52xxx - the last time the Magpies won an FA Cup Final) and regularly whizz us up and down the country to check out our grandchildren.

Is there any advantage to having a refresher course in driving in today's conditions for the over 75s? ...and who might you recommend?

(Someone with an interest in railway history might be an advantage.)

 

dh

[gismorail]

Oh Dear!

What a terrible thread to happen across, just as I have started into a period of waking-up in the night with cold sweats.

Not far off 80 years old, are my wife and I getting too old to survive in todays 'rat race'?

SWMBO has got to the point where she prefers keeping her Ferrari red Mazda MX5 in her costume jewelry box to admire rather than drive (I'm only allowed to drive it to and from the annual MOT).

 

Apparently I'm too old to rent a self-drive car in Italy.

But I do drive a nicely weathered Mondeo (Reg NU52xxx - the last time the Magpies won an FA Cup Final) and regularly whizz us up and down the country to check out our grandchildren.

Is there any advantage to having a refresher course in driving in today's conditions for the over 75s? ...and who might you recommend?

(Someone with an interest in railway history might be an advantage.)

 

dh

Whatever you do don't get a mobility scooter if this how you feel .............

[leopardml2341]

As an HGV articulated wagon driver I see it all every day but last week took it to new levels. It was approx 05.30 on the M54 heading east cruising along at a steady 56 mph on a fairly quite motorway. As I reached Junction 3 a little Toyota Go being driven by a young lady was coming down the slip road so I moved into the second lane (note that this is a two lane motorway ) so that she could access the motorway from the end of the slip road and as she did I was about level with her ....... as is quite normal she started to accelerate in front of me so once there was a safe distance between us I indicated to move back into the slow lane. During this time I had keep in cruise control so my speed was constant and after about quarter of a mile I was starting to gain on her as she had not keep a constant speed herself. I therefore indicated to move back into the second lane and was overtaking her fairly quickly and as the cab of my wagon started to get alongside her I noted that she was chatting away on a mobile phone that was not hands free. Once the rear of my trailer was safely clear of her car I started to indicate to move back into the slow lane keeping an eye on her position in my mirror, as I started to move over I took a second glance in the mirror and noticed that she was accelerating and was starting to undertake me ..... I therefore repositioned myself back into the second lane as she continued to overtake me in the slow lane ...... still chatting on the phone.....and did'nt glance in my direction and once she was clear of me I moved over to the slow lane. Now during all of this I was still in cruise control therefore my speed had not varied from 56 mph and she was now well ahead of me and probably reaching 70 mph plus and I just carried on my way. After a couple of miles I was starting to gain on her again as she had started to slow down and I had to start slowing down myself until eventually I was doing below 50 mph and still gaining . A check in my o/s mirror showed me that there was no other traffic behind so I indicated and moved back into the second lane and was accelerating fairly rapidly and passing her ...... as the cab of my wagon became level with her car I glance across and not only was she still chatting on the phone which was balanced against her ear on her shoulder but was also drinking out of a Costa coffee cup ................. and yes you guess it once the rear of my trailer was level with the front of her car she suddenly started to accelerate past me again........ well I had to do something so once she was ahead of me I moved back into the slow lane but this time hit the very loud air horns and an all the spot lights........ it must of shocked her into reality as the coffee cup was abandoned and the car shot off into the distance ....... one things for sure that until I hit the air horns she had no idea that I was there ........ I mean how the hell can you not see a 45 ton articulated wagon doing 56 mph on an empty motorway     

Similar thing when driving a 53 seater some years ago, 3 lanes tho and when close to overtaking, driver in n/s moved to lane two and actually slowed down. Coaches not allowed in o/s lane, so heavy but not harsh braking needed and once slowed down enough car driver floored it.

[chris p bacon]

I like it when on the approach to Black cat roundabout the lanes are defined as right hand = right turn (Bedford Bypass) and left lane= Southbound A1, always being in the left lane as I head South it tends to move faster than the right so people will pull out to undertake and then try and squeeze back in at the roundabout. Sometimes when I've passed cars have pulled out not seeing that I'm towing the digger, makes great entertainment in the mirrors 

 

Black Cat roundabout has just undergone an "upgrade", it's quite amusing as those that used to undertake and then push in on the roundabout have found themselves in the Southbound lane with kerbs stopping them pushing in. Strangely enough the slow speed accident rate has gone down too as there are fewer shunts when traffic avoided the push ins.

[Gwiwer]

 

 

how the hell can you not see a 45 ton articulated wagon doing 56 mph on an empty motorway

 

I can assure you after having captained them for many years that all buses are invisible.  Even red double-deck ones negotiating Hyde Park Corner.

 

Case 1.  I'm travelling along a regular one-lane-each-way main road at the permitted 40mph in a semi-rural area with little likelihood of a stop being required for a mile or three.  Moderate traffic but moving freely.  There is perhaps 20 metres in front of me or roughly two of my vehicle lengths.  Out of a farm gateway right behind the car ahead of me trundles a tractor with both a hay-bale on raised forks ahead of the beast and a trailer-load of hay behind.  The only evasive action available to me is an emergency brake application which unseats a couple of older passengers and causes one slight injury.  I am therefore legally obliged to report the matter.  Matey isn't about to pull over but trundles along at around 20mph as they do irrespective of the road rules requiring they pull in to allow following traffic to pass.  But I'm following closely enough that when there's a safe gap in oncoming traffic I can get round him and pull up in front leaving him nowhere to go.  His response?  "Never seen a bus this time of day before - you must be late."  I doubt if he even looked before pulling out but even if he did the presence of an oncoming double-decker just don't register in his brain.

 

Case 2.  I'm on a country run travelling very cautiously along a single-track lane but with decent visibility.  I see an oncoming car but am at least ¼ mile beyond the last passing bay though I know there's one roughly where the car is.  The car keeps coming.  I stop.  The car keeps coming and eventually just stops before making contact with me.  Elderly driver leans out and yells "Sorry old son - I didn't see you.  Now back up old chap - can't you see I'm driving a motor car through here???!!!" 

 

Karma sometimes catches up.  Watched from work tonight as traffic in the main street outside stopped due to red traffic lights around 10 vehicles ahead.  All except for one who decided it wasn't necessary to stop and drove up onto the footpath scattering pedestrians in his attempt to make progress.  His progress was halted by three uniformed police officers who happened to be on patrol in the right place at the right time. 

[Jub45565]

I don't necessarily think driving standards have changed, but there is a general lack of common courtesy all round really.  If we want to drive slowly that is fine, but if there is a queue of 50 vehicles behind us we should really pull over and let the traffic pass.  It is the same courtesy that means we indicate at roundabouts and junctions to allow other road users to understand our intentions and so continue their own journeys if it isn't going to cause a conflicting manouver.  

 

Too many people live in their own little world without a thought to anyone else and what little things one could do to help other people out.

 

Live and let live.

[Ron Ron Ron]

Only a few days ago, as I pulled up in the outside lane of a dual carriageway at traffic lights, waiting to enter a busy local roundabout, I noticed the young female driver of the car who pulled up alongside me in the inside lane was holding up her smartphone in front of her and conducting a FaceTime or Skype video call.

She had clearly been doing this while driving and approaching the traffic lights, as she was in the middle of the call as she drew up alongside me.

 

The lights turned green and I moved off onto the busy 4 lane wide roundabout.

A 100 metres or so further on, she shot past me on my nearside and turned off around the sharp bend onto the motorway spur road, phone still held high at almost sun visor level and seemingly still deep in conversation.

 

You see some stupid and daft things, but this incident was truly scary.

Mind you, she looked dead fit .....but she's just lucky she didn't end up dead.

 

 

 

.

[APOLLO]

 

Brit15

[Re6/6]

Until recently I had a big Jeep Cherokee with jacked suspension heavy winch on the front and substantial tow bar at the rear and nobody seemed to want to come anywhere near me!

 

I do miss the old mule but the wallet doesn't.

 

I now have a smaller version!

 

What I have noticed is the increasing lack of skill with 'anticipation' and not to mention the rudeness and bad manners of old farts in their brand new little 'micro cars'. What particularly p1sses me off is not acknowledging  when one gives way out of courtesy...and I'm one of them.... I've been driving over 50 years now!

 

I s'pose that it partially down to the modern vehicle with all its computerized add-ons where the driver seems to have actually to do less and less apart from pointing it in the right direction!

As for this 'auto-parking', if anybody can't correctly reverse to park they should'nt have a licence.

 

Hat, coat......

Edited August 6, 2015 by Re6/6

[leopardml2341]

As for this 'auto-parking', if anybody can't correctly reverse to park they should'nt have a licence.

 

Hat, coat......

Couldn't agree more, and it IS part of the test these days is it not? Edited August 6, 2015 by leopardml2341