Madness and Near Misses.

[paulie b]

It seems our roads are populated by an ever increasing number of risk takers, those who are ignorant of the highway code, and downright morons. Each time I drive I witness stupidity from other road users. Let's be clear, I'm not saying I never make mistakes, but there is a clear difference between a mistake and recklessness.

Only today, on a three mile journey, I saw two oncoming vehicles whose drivers were chatting away on the phone. 

Drivers who think it is their right to cross into the face of oncoming traffic so they can get around a parked car. Drivers who tailgate. Drivers who throw rubbish out of the window. Drivers who cut you up. Drivers who pull out of a junction when you approach. Drivers who power straight through roundabouts without giving way to oncoming traffic. What examples of these and other behavioour wind you up?

And do you dare register your displeasure by tooting the Aygos feeble little horn?! 

[zuh]

I come across incivilities on the road every single day. I do not react, it would only stress me and my passengers. I never use my horn in this case. Again, it would mostly bother people who live by.

Once, I raised my hand at someone who did not like it and engaged a dangerous car chase. This crazy guy was trying to cut me off and drive me out of the road. I still don't know how I managed to avoid hitting his car when he was braking right before me. Some people get killed regularly on their daily commutes. You never know who you might come across, so my advice is try to avoid problems with crazy guys. Some people have nothing to lose while you have.

[Plob]

53 minutes ago, zuh said:

Some people get killed regularly on their daily commutes.

I'd hope it might only happen the once!

😂

[Cyker]

This is why I bought a Dashcam!!

[paulie b]

15 hours ago, Cyker said:

This is why I bought a dashcam!!

I never drive without one! In fact I have two - forward and rear facing. It's amazing how many people you see speeding up behind you. In fact, just before I got my Aygo, I was in my old car. I pulled out of a junction. The nearest car was about 150 yards away. It came screaming up behind me and was almost nudging my back bumper. The woman driving stayed there until she realised I wasn't about to exceed the speed limit because of her actions. At the first opportunity she overtook (On a twisty country road) and as she passed I noticed the rear window was festooned with 'Caution - baby on board' stickers!

  

[estate]

A couple of lazy, sloppy driving I've noticed more than ever now is cutting corners when turning into a side street.  I've even witnessed driving instructors doing this, so I'm now assuming it's how they are taught to drive today the other which can be a bit more serious is the inability to look in both directions whilst they are turning left at a give way junction. They just seem to assume that traffic will only be approaching the junction, on thier side of the road from the right, again maybe another modern way of driving. 

[paulie b]

Yes. I've noticed that too. It's sloppy and dangerous. Funny you should mention the driving instructors. Only the other day I followed one (on her own in the marked driving school car) through a built up area. After making several turns without indicating, she pulled to the kerb (again without warning). I had to restrain myself from pulling alongside and pointing out that if she was teaching people to drive, she would be better served learning to observe the rules/etiquette of the road herself.

[Wiz201]

20 hours ago, Cyker said:

This is why I bought a dashcam!!

I have one too, won't be without one now. I have tooted my horn at drivers mostly roundabouts.

[paulie b]

I passed a white van man coming in the opposite direction a few days ago. He had his smartphone in his hand. He wasn't talking but laughing his head off while looking down at the screen. I can only presume he was reading a text or watching video content. Unfortunately I hadn't fixed my action camera 'dashcam' the the windscreen today, and was relying on my 'proper' (but poor resolution) Dashcam. Reviewing the footage, I could make out no detail of the driver or his antics. Had I been able to capture him in sufficient detail I would have forwarded the footage to his company. 

[RUToyota]

I think we all see examples of breathtaking stupidity, recklessness and lack of skills and basic "awareness", on a daily basis.

...but I virtually never use my horn and/or make any overt gestures...just a shake of the head, as I simply expect to encounter such buffoonery at some point in my journey.

I would be exhausted if I reacted as some do by the time I got to my destination.!!..and it doesn't actually make the situation any better.

I'm fortunate in that I do not suffer from "road rage", having driven many thousands of miles over 50 years..though I cannot claim the same about computer rage..lol

[mickburkesnr]

I was driving home yesterday and the road goes from 40mph to 70mph, leading up to a roundabout. I'm in the "fast" lane, building up speed to get to 70mph when some idiot decides they want to go in front of me without indicating. I was at about 50mph at this point so slowed down, expecting them to pick up speed. They don't. They stick to 40mph. Other drivers are behind me and start to under take, so I can't undertake. I decide to flash them, but they don't move. They didn't go above 40mph at all until we got to a roundabout.

I pull up along side them, as much to remind them that they shouldn't be driving like that on a 70mph road. All I got for my trouble was a person who I can only describe as being a Vicky Pollard tribute act, giving me the V sign and shouting something back at me. I start laughing, I couldn't help it, that just wound her up. Went to green and I drove away, and in the mirror she does the same thing again! Except this time I'm doing 70mph and I just left them for dust.

Another time, which actually scared me, was driving along the same road in the rain. I notice a red car in the slow lane (these are all dual carriageways by the way) and I'm half way along this guys car when he starts to drift towards me, in to my lane. I sound the horn, I'm edging my car towards the central reservation but then I have to slam the anchors on. It's only when I do that does he look up and steer his car away from mine, straight in to the kerb and struggles to correct it.

The wife was in the passenger seat and she's in tears. We didn't crash but it would've been a nasty accident had he not corrected himself as I genuinely think he would've gone in to the crash barrier in front of me. She then got angry saying "That b*****d was watching something on his phone!!!!" she wanted me to stop so she could take his registration but I couldn't be bothered with it. I thought the scare might wake him up. Plus I had no video of it so it'd be my word against his. But like I said, I didn't die!

[Cyker]

This is why I love my D4D!!! On the motorway, I just stay in the slow lane most of the time at 63mph, which seems to keep me ahead of the crawlers but away from the speed freaks in my own little bubble of calm road.

When I need to overtake, I don't even need to drop a gear, just floor it and the turbo spins up almost instantly with the diesel torque and it's 63 to 70* fast enough to hang onto the tail of a passing car, pass, lift off, back in the slow lane; 3-4 seconds maybe.

I'm not looking forward to going back to petrol; I reckon I'd have to go from 6th to 4th or 3rd to even have a hope of pulling an overtake that quickly, or spot for a big enough gap and see if I can finish the pass within 10 seconds!!

Or just drive at 56mph everywhere... I suspect that would help with the mpg tho'!

[estate]

19 minutes ago, Cyker said:

I'm not looking forward to going back to petrol; I reckon I'd have to go from 6th to 4th or 3rd to even have a hope of pulling an overtake that quickly, or spot for a big enough gap and see if I can finish the pass within 10 seconds!!

That's exactly what you need to do. I changed my 2.2 D4D, after it was written-off for a 1.8 petrol and it's pretty timid, definitely doesn't give you the same reassurance, when you need a bit of power. 

[Cyker]

Awww... I wish I could bolt some electric motors to the rear wheels to give it more of a kick! :P

[Heidfirst]

4 hours ago, estate said:

That's exactly what you need to do. I changed my 2.2 D4D, after it was written-off for a 1.8 petrol and it's pretty timid, definitely doesn't give you the same reassurance, when you need a bit of power. 

Agreed, I miss the low down tractability & shove of my 2.2 D4D  you definitely need to rev higher & swap cogs more often in the 1.8 petrol.

Still running in really though so hopefully it will get a little better as it loosens up

[RUToyota]

11 hours ago, estate said:

That's exactly what you need to do. I changed my 2.2 D4D, after it was written-off for a 1.8 petrol and it's pretty timid, definitely doesn't give you the same reassurance, when you need a bit of power. 

Now that's a problem I just don't have with my petrol Estima...'cos it's 3 litres of Toyotas' finest V6 with 220 horses....and 4wd to boot.!

It's a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing (for an MPV)...when I press the loud pedal...she goes.!!!..and I love it.