Standard of driving in the UK

[Lammy]

saying that , i was tail gating some van the other day , that didnt have any brake lights working . I almost stacked it into him several times. He looked bemused when I hung out the window giving vigorous wa*k signs and calling him a c * nt

 

[Easy 10]

Tell you what pop-pickers, that downhill lane on the eastbound A27 to get onto the A23 is CARNAGE most mornings now. You have traffic coming off the Hove / Devils Dyke roundabout trying to get OUT of that A23 lane onto the A27, you have the A27-ers wanting to get INTO the A23 lane. Then when it stacks up, you end up having to dodge round the cars at the top of the hill coming out, then try to force your way into the slower moving traffic in the A23 lane, which usually involves (a) cutting someone up to dive into a space, and (b) hitting the brakes before you plough into the car in front. My heart is in my mouth sometimes, and I can't get my arse unclenched till Pycombe most mornings.

Still, its a challenge.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

The old joke used to be the further south you went in Europe, the worse the driving got.

You can't get much further south in Europe than here. The standard here is not very good technically but what we don't have, and what I think the problem is in UK, is the agression.

You may be driving through a fairly narrow road and the guy in front stops because he sees someone he knows and has a chat for a couple of minutes. So you just stop behind him, wait till he's finished, maybe even join in the conversation. When he's done and moves on, you move on too. Simple.

In UK, there'd be blasting of horns, shouting, waving of fists, etc. Everybody is in too much of a rush

 

[Louisjpbacon]

people think everyones equal in a car, giving me abuse....... thats till i get out and try taking thier keys, thats shaken a few people up

 

[Grendel]

im dogged with Muppets doing 70 in the fast lane on my way home 25 miles down the a27 each day. Just move over so I can get past and get home for the WC .

People driving at the speed limit? Outrageous

 

[Tooting Gull]

Re: Re: Standard of driving in the UK

You can't get much further south in Europe than here. The standard here is not very good technically but what we don't have, and what I think the problem is in UK, is the agression.

You may be driving through a fairly narrow road and the guy in front stops because he sees someone he knows and has a chat for a couple of minutes. So you just stop behind him, wait till he's finished, maybe even join in the conversation. When he's done and moves on, you move on too. Simple.

In UK, there'd be blasting of horns, shouting, waving of fists, etc. Everybody is in too much of a rush

I've driven a fair bit on the continent, especially in France. Ten years ago their tendency to gamble on a blind corner there was nothing coming the other way (seen again recently in Sardinia) I found worrying.

Right now, I'd almost prefer it to over here. Driving seems to bring out the chav in your average Brit.

 

[Gwylan]

You notice that it's always other people's driving that's at fault. It's amazing, all these complaints about bad driving and yet no-one owns up to it.

I reckon they should be tracking down these alients who come down from their spacecraft, drive badly and piss off back to another galaxy leaving all the good drivers cursing their luck.

 

[Tooting Gull]

You notice that it's always other people's driving that's at fault. It's amazing, all these complaints about bad driving and yet no-one owns up to it.

I reckon they should be tracking down these alients who come down from their spacecraft, drive badly and piss off back to another galaxy leaving all the good drivers cursing their luck.

Well that's all very clever. So are you admitting you're a shit driver, or what?

 

[Lammy]

You notice that it's always other people's driving that's at fault. It's amazing, all these complaints about bad driving and yet no-one owns up to it.

I reckon they should be tracking down these alients who come down from their spacecraft, drive badly and piss off back to another galaxy leaving all the good drivers cursing their luck.

To be fair I think Dougal is holding his hands up here...

 

[Gwylan]

Well that's all very clever. So are you admitting you're a shit driver, or what?

No. I'm admitting I'm a non-driver. I really am blameless.

 

[Easy 10]

No. I'm admitting I'm a non-driver. I really am blameless.

Ahh, a BACK SEAT driver. Even worse

 

[Tooting Gull]

No. I'm admitting I'm a non-driver. I really am blameless.

It's a very fair point that you make, though. I was wondering looking at the thread how to get some nightmare drivers to 'out' themselves, but I fear that's unlikely.

I know my worst trait on the road, and it is how I react to tailgating, which I hate with a passion and consider the single most needless act of endangering not only the idiot in question but everyone else.

Have been known to touch the brakes on occasion, just enough and no more...usually has the desired 'backing-off' effect, but probably should stop.

 

[Lammy]

It's a very fair point that you make, though. I was wondering looking at the thread how to get some nightmare drivers to 'out' themselves, but I fear that's unlikely.

I know my worst trait on the road, and it is how I react to tailgating, which I hate with a passion and consider the single most needless act of endangering not only the idiot in question but everyone else.

Have been known to touch the brakes on occasion, just enough and no more...usually has the desired 'backing-off' effect, but probably should stop.

My technique is simply to apply the 2 second rule. As he/she adjusts their distance to the back of my car I adjust my speed to ensure that the 2 second rule is obeyed.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

The problem is you end up having to drive aggressively because everyone else is. I used to do the A23 run up to Gatwick, and I found that you had to drive like everyone else on the road or it'd take you about 3 hours to get to work. At first I'd be in the overtaking lane leaving the recomended gap. Trouble was undertaking tossers would stream up the inside lane and cut in at the last momemt. it would take miles to get past anyone, so pretty soon I found myself nose to tail with everyone else, thanking my lucky stars that I wasn't in one of the regular minor accidents you see week in week out.


Now I work in Brighton and get the bus. It's brilliant, I'd hate to have to drive to work again

 

[Skint Gull]

Re: Re: Standard of driving in the UK

You can't get much further south in Europe than here. The standard here is not very good technically but what we don't have, and what I think the problem is in UK, is the agression.

You may be driving through a fairly narrow road and the guy in front stops because he sees someone he knows and has a chat for a couple of minutes. So you just stop behind him, wait till he's finished, maybe even join in the conversation. When he's done and moves on, you move on too. Simple.

In UK, there'd be blasting of horns, shouting, waving of fists, etc. Everybody is in too much of a rush

If that happend to me i'd think i had every right to be bloody aggressive! I'm afraid thats a bad defence for the Sunday Driver type of motorist. They're the people who because they're not in a hurry think its ok to:
Clog up the middle/fast lane at 65!
Let out EVERY bugger coming from a side road!
Brake down to 20 mph when they come up to traffic lights just in case they might perhaps possibly go red!
Move into the outside at a red light even though they have no intention of getting anywhere near the speed limit before the car on the inside lane!
Stop on a roundabout even though there's nothing coming!

If anyone on here is guilty of any of the above sins then

 

[Tooting Gull]

Re: Re: Re: Standard of driving in the UK

If that happend to me i'd think i had every right to be bloody aggressive! I'm afraid thats a bad defence for the Sunday Driver type of motorist. They're the people who because they're not in a hurry think its ok to:
Clog up the middle/fast lane at 65!
Let out EVERY bugger coming from a side road!
Brake down to 20 mph when they come up to traffic lights just in case they might perhaps possibly go red!
Move into the outside at a red light even though they have no intention of getting anywhere near the speed limit before the car on the inside lane!
Stop on a roundabout even though there's nothing coming!

If anyone on here is guilty of any of the above sins then

How's the old blood pressure?

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

Re: Re: Re: Standard of driving in the UK

Clog up the middle/fast lane at 65!
...
Brake down to 20 mph when they come up to traffic lights just in

Those to in particular piss me off, and a complete failure to indicate at all on roundabouts.

Especially the middle-lane-60mph-drivers, sitting there chugging along with nothing to their left; I want to overtake them, but as my car's rather underpowered, I'll end up getting in the way of everyone in the fast lane and taking eons to get up to speed. Yet it's a choice of that, or trying to force them into the right bloody lane, which is hardly preferable.

 

[JJ McClure]

Re: Re: Re: Standard of driving in the UK

Stop on a roundabout even though there's nothing coming!

That well macks me off that does.
I'm not a fast driver and rarely speed but where I make up time is things like junctions and roundabouts where it's all about timing your approach and anticipating the right lane to be in.

 

[glasfryn]

I thought the driving was bad in brighton until we moved to wales.
seems that they are allowed to drive without a seat belt
drive straight over mini-roundabouts they also think that by using their indicators it comes off their f***ing electricity bill and tractors 15 mph all times unless going downhill then 80mph no one reads the lanes and then creates a rumpus when they have to cut you up to get in the right lane and nothing to see a farmer driving his volvo estate with a sheep in the passenger seat (not against the law) but a bit off putting when laughing your todger off and trying to drive.

 

[Icy Gull]

If I try and leave a decent gap between myself and the car in front, especially travelling at speed. I then seem to spend my time braking as slower drivers on an inside or outside lane suddenly pull into the gap with one flick on the indicator, obviously thinking I am psychic. Driving like that almost encourages what is then seen as tailgaiting, just to stop dangerous lane swapping.

I also find some people are thick enough to just sit in the blind spot, probably not realising that they cannot be seen. If I didn't always glance over my shoulder before pulling into the outside lane I'd probably have an accident everytime I go on a busy motorway. If you are gonna overtake, do it ,don't dawdle taking 30 seconds to overtake.

Braking before indicating is f***ing annoying as well, but marginally better than not indicating at all.

As someone else said above driving in France on motorways is a real pleasure. Narrow and quite empty country lanes where pretty well everyone drives in the middle of the road, including going around blind bends and at speed is quite hairy.