Worsening driving standards

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Doggy
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by Doggy »

I think road safety has much to do with making your intentions clear. No hard and fast rule for roundabouts, I straight line them in the car if no ones about, if it's busy I do it proper like.
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by steve_earwig »

I tend to do everything the right way, even if I can't see any other cars on the road, mainly because sometimes cars just do appear out of nowhere (especially if they're driving at an insane speed).

I picked up Max yesterday and took him home again, that's 4 journeys and nothing dangerous happened :shock: Apart from a couple of those idiots that can't be bothered to stop at a junction and carry on half a car's length into the road, probably in the hope you'll panic brake and they can launch themselves out in front of you.
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stevewalsh
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by stevewalsh »

IMG_2528 - Copy (1024x576).jpg
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I see all the crap driving while out delivering these, Its amazing how many drivers dont see me coming till last minute or risk themselves pulling out in front of me.

Makes for an interesting ride :evil:
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Doggy
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by Doggy »

That's a real eye-catching tractor unit you've got there, so much so you might not notice the odd metre of mobile home sticking out either side.
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by stevewalsh »

Its not bad, A dream to drive and just enough room for 2 weeks away, That was a rather wide one from the ABI factory near Beverley UK, to just south of Calais, It was 4.76 metres wide, most of them I move are around 4 metres
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stevewalsh
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by stevewalsh »

Cant get the hang of adding photos,
It makes my trailer look a bit small
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Welly
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by Welly »

Doggy wrote: Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:04 am I think road safety has much to do with making your intentions clear
Definitely! I always remember my Cousins coming up to the Midlands from that London and they couldn't believe how indecisively and how slowly other drivers would change lanes; dithering about as it were. I remember them saying "if you're gonna cut someone up just facking do it properly" then there's no doubt and it's all over in a flash.

Like your photo's stevewalsh, although I think the tractor unit should say "DRIVER EXCEPTIONNEL" 8)
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by mjb »

Welly wrote: Fri Jun 29, 2018 3:58 pm I have a long running debate with Mrs_Welly, when I learnt to drive in 1987 :lol: the Highway Code clearly stated that if the roundabout was clear of traffic then you may take the easiest route through it (ignoring marked out lanes etc) now I still do this because I HATE the feeling of going 'around' the outside of the roundabout makes it feel like a bloody fairground ride so where possible I 'straight line' it. Mrs thinks this is wrong.

How does everyone do roundabouts on here?
For me, it depends. A nice straight dual carriageway roundabout I'll always straighten if there's nobody going the same way as me or waiting to join from the left. If there's someone in one of those other spots, or a pedestrian or something then I'll still straighten it a bit if I can, but not completely flatten it. It's about balancing efficiency and mechanical sympathy with the risk of causing someone else to misinterpret your actions

Similarly on country lanes, I'll completely ignore dotted lane separators and use all the road if I can see there's nobody else around

Also at the opposite end of driving, narrow residential streets with parked cars everywhere. Stuff the white line - I'm giving myself maximum separation in case something/someone comes flying into my path, opens a door on me, etc! Worst cases I've been known to throw cruise control on and rest my foot on the brake.
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Welly
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by Welly »

Excellent reply 10/10 would read again. :D

No seriously, thanks.
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by teamster1975 »

Two words, school run. It's like running the gauntlet every morning and afternoon, they are imbeciles. If there is a car on your side of the road and oncoming traffic, you don't pull out to find that there is no room get back on the correct side. I just laugh at them now, hysteria is better for the nerves. People seem to be far less patient than they used to be and full of anger when they get behind the wheel.
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Welly
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by Welly »

Attention "all other drivers"

if you're driving along and there's an obstruction on YOUR side of the road, let's say a 'Car' is parked for example, then it is up to YOU to stop and give way to me, they're the rules, not MY rules but the rules of the road so don't be surprised when an angry man in a Grey Volvo forces you to brake and stop whilst giving you the 'death' stare...

Thank you.
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by caprixpack »

This annoys me too, but on the other hand people do take it as it's my right of way so even if you were there first and part way around the obstruction I'm still coming through. Had some cock in a vectra nearly plough into me while I was passing a line of 6 cars parked on the road. I was passed the first 4 when he decided to not stop and give way and start beeping and throwing hand gestures, finally resorting to driving up on the pavement. What he didn't see was the unmarked car behind me who promptly turned around and pulled him over.
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highlander
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by highlander »

I know this is rich coming from a BMW driver (I have heard all of the jokes, believe me - and I actually *do* use my indicators properly, thanks very much), but for the love of all things holy, please use your god damned indicators. It's not difficult, expensive, or time-consuming to do. You're literally just lifting a finger to let other drivers know which way you might be going.

It actually takes *less* effort to use your index finger to flip the indicators on than it does to lift your hand up and extend your *middle* finger. You can clearly (and frequently) do one of these thing, so why not do the other?

Also, for those who do bother to use your indicators, when you're on a roundabout, indicate *left* to tell people that you're going to leave the roundabout. Don't just keep your right indicator on and rely on other people's psychic abilities to determine how far round the roundabout you're actually going.

Thanks.
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by DaiRees »

Currently teaching the older Rees junior to command a vehicle. He can make it go, make it stop, park it, reverse it, you know generally drive it reasonably well. But the thing I'm having most difficulty with is teaching him to grow eyes pointing in all directions at once and develop the sixth sense to know when someone is about to something idiotic.

Just on this evening's little little tootle we were forced into evasive maneuvers at least 3 times, including a taxi who was speeding towards us on the wrong side of the road on a blind bend, luckily I caught the brake lights of the car in front just as it disappeared around the corner so suspected something was coming and warned him to slow down and be careful.

We were also overtaken by a couple of chavs in a slammed BMW, obviously offended by the fact that we were doing 20 in a 20 zone, who then braked heavily to near standstill, causing us to brake behind them, so that their sh*t box could crawl over the speed bumps. They then proceeded to speed and crawl for the next mile, averaging about 10 mph and holding us up! Tossers!
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Welly
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Re: Worsening driving standards

Post by Welly »

DaiRees wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:42 pm eyes pointing in all directions at once and develop the sixth sense to know when someone is about to something idiotic
I've been though this with Daughter_Welly, they don't have the same morbid outlook as us 'long in the tooth' drivers, this comes with time, they also have to make mistakes to learn a lesson like when she twatted her alloy wheel up a curb (£120.00 thanks Dad), it probably won't happen again now.

The 'looking ahead' thing is the worst, or even looking behind, even now after passing her test a year ago I'll say "see that Van coming up behind?" to which the answer will be "what Van?" etc etc...

I drive with constant awareness of who is behind, it's of equal importance as who's in front.

Welly
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