Bad driving in the UK - What is the solution?

[Gaming4Life]

I'm sorry. I'll post a story about a bad driver now.

A few weeks ago a senile looking guy parked his car slap bang in the middle of FOUR petrol pumps. At first I assumed he'd simply forgotten if his filler is on the left or right, but then I realised he'd also forgotten if his fuel tank was under the engine bay or under the boot!

Then about 2 minutes after he went to pay, the chap came back and was looking at all four pumps trying to figure out which one he used.

Aha that's just plain daft! you must have laughed your ass off at watching him xD

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I'm sorry. I'll post a story about a bad driver now.

A few weeks ago a senile looking guy parked his car slap bang in the middle of FOUR petrol pumps. At first I assumed he'd simply forgotten if his filler is on the left or right, but then I realised he'd also forgotten if his fuel tank was under the engine bay or under the boot!

Then about 2 minutes after he went to pay, the chap came back and was looking at all four pumps trying to figure out which one he used.

That's not about bad driving on the roads

 

[asim18]

That's not about bad driving

You telling me he flew his car into the middle of an entire petrol station bay meant for four vehicles?

Actually I don't care what you think mate. I watched him drive it in and out. I was right behind him.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

You telling me he flew his car into the middle of an entire petrol station bay meant for four vehicles?

Actually I don't care what you think mate. I watched him drive it in and out. I was right behind him.

Where is the danger to other road users though?
Parking a car (unless in the middle of the road) isn't going to hurt anybody.
Have you got a proper bad driving story, hopefully one that involves a cyclist?

 

[asim18]

Where is the danger to other road users though?
Parking a car (unless in the middle of the road) isn't going to hurt anybody.
Have you got a proper bad driving story,

So is this thread about bad driving or dangerous driving?
or Dangerous driving which only affects other road users?

Because until I know for sure I have a feeling you're going to carry on changing the implied subject of the thread.

hopefully one that involves a cyclist?

Oh dear lord haha. I'm sorry I called that cyclist a ********.

 

[[TW]Fox]

14 hours, what a joke.

Why is it a joke? I had 7 hours...

I passed in 1975 with around the same amount of hours and have 40 years of accident free driving (touch wood)

So it did you no harm then.

A driving instructor isn't a Police Class 1 trained expert, they are not miracle workers and there is only so much spending 60 hours of your life paying them £20 an hour to point at traffic lights can do for you. Almost all of it is just practice, for which you don't need a driving instructor.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

So is this thread about bad driving or dangerous driving?
or Dangerous driving which only affects other road users?

Because until I know for sure I have a feeling you're going to carry on changing the implied subject of the thread.

The OP clearly made a thread about bad driving on the roads with serious implications for other road users. He did mention yellow line parking which can be dangerous (especially for cyclists) but petrol station parking isn't going to hurt anybody except upset impatient drivers of which I'd be one of them.

I'm sorry I called cyclists ****s.

I call them worse and I'm a cyclist, like I said they are my main hate on the roads along with young male drivers.
However turn this into a cyclist hate thread and it will be closed.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

So it did you no harm then.

Yes it has done great harm because I have little idea about the Highway Code 40 years on.
I agree with what somebody else suggested, we should all be re-tested every so many years.
It's insane that you can spend a few hours on lessons and then be allowed out on the road with a heavy piece of metal, no wonder there are so many accidents.
However, the system keeps a lot of people in work so is not likely to change.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Yes it has done great harm because I have little idea about the Highway Code 40 years on.

Then this is a poor reflection on you. The highway code is there for you to read - online right now if you choose. Your driving instructor isn't the one who teaches you the highway code, that part is self study.

 

[DampDog]

Retest every ten years up until 50 years old and retest every 5 years from then. More emphasis to motorway driving should be given during the tests.

Too many people driving badly who've clearly passed their test 50 years ago and their driving style isnt up to standard for todays driving.

I don't understand why people get hung up on the notion of "re-test" every X-number of years. The roads are full of drivers who drove to the standard for the duration of the test and know the standard required. Problem is, once they are behind the wheel by themselves they drive like utter lunatics with no regard for either their own or others safety, even basic road markings are too much trouble to comply with.

Do you think that they suddenly lost the ability or forgot how to drive within a few months/years OR simply have the mind-set that the rules don't apply to them? The majority realise they are doing something wrong but simply don't give a toss. If you put the majority back under test conditions they'd modify their driving for the time required to pass the test then carry on regardless.

You can teach almost anyone how to drive, what is much harder to do is change their attitude to driving or to other drivers.

The lack of traffic cars on the road to catch poor, irresponsible drivers is the problem. Safety cameras that rake in money but only force folk to adhere to the speed limit for 30-40 yard don't make drivers safer. All the do is hit the brakes everytime the satnav beeps.

 

[Fuzz]

Almost all of it is just practice, for which you don't need a driving instructor.

This..


I started driving when I was about 7
Got to my 17th birthday, booked a 1 hr lesson.. he told me I needed to look in my mirrors more and had nothing else to add.
Booked a second lesson and he said lets not waste time here and just book your test.
Passed first time.
Had a load of accidents in the first few years though because I drove everywhere like I had stolen it.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Booked a second lesson and he said lets not waste time here and just book your test.
Passed first time.
Had a load of accidents in the first few years though because I drove everywhere like I had stolen it.

Boom

It's insane that you can spend a few hours on lessons and then be allowed out on the road with a heavy piece of metal, no wonder there are so many accidents.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I don't think its insane at all and neither do I think there are 'so many accidents'.

We have a fantastic road network with world leading safety record.

 

[Dup]

The problem is nothing to do with drivingat all. We're all perfectly capable of driving a vehicle an in a safe manner with the system we have.

The problem we have is peoples attitudes. It's accepted young drivers think they're invicible, older drivers are oblivious and those in the middle, frankly, are mostly too self important to care about anything but getting to where they're going however they see fit.

As Housey says, etiquette goes a hell of a long way and goes some way to being a better human being too. I think once passed we should have compulsory guides, being taken into tricky hot spots and being taught how to handle them and shown common things that can just make driving easier and safter all round. I think the pass plus could evolve and be somewhat compulsory within a certain timeframe from passing.

 

[Scougar]

In the grand scheme, driving standards in the UK are pretty good. Just watch some Russian dashcam vids for perspective

Heck yes. Compared to the US, the UK is like the Gold driving standard. (It doesn't help that the road layouts are freaking awful either).

 

[Doggie2k]

Coming from a country (Australia) that has very strict speed limits, patrol cars everywhere and Random breath testing I am shocked at the speed a lot of people do in the UK. It's been a real learning curve for me even though our roads, signage and rules are very much similar

 

[Gaming4Life]

Would I be classed as an irresponsible driver if I'm only 16 and drive about 2 1/2 miles up the road in a land rover defender? Considering that I do have a tractor drivers license

 

[AshD93]

Wow - I didn't expect such a response - Some interesting debates going on. (I did create this thread primarily to hear other opinions so seems it worked)

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Just wanted to share my two drives today and the experience I had:

First experience - We were going to view some houses about 5 minutes drive away from where I currently live. Approaching a two lane entry roundabout (left lane left turn and straight, right lane straight and right turn). I want to turn right so get into the right lane. Driver in front of me waiting at the roundabout. Left lane is empty. TWO drivers drive past in first lane, enter the roundabout and proceeds straight. The driver in front of me finally pulls out and goes straight... WHY!? I then go round the roundabout to the next roundabout where I find a car with one out of three brake lights working. This is a journey of less than five minutes!

Experience 2 - Went for a night time drive down the country lanes - Went fairly well (as I met pretty much no-one). Finally got onto some main roads and instantly someone decides to pull out on me without looking and causes me to break harshly. Also in the city I meet someone else who decides 25-30 MPH is the appropriate speed on a 40 MPH A road.

And then finally, as I thought about what I was going to reply in this thread, I get a driver in front of me doing 20 MPH in a 30 for no reason. Get the opportunity to pull up next to them at the next lights. And she was on the phone.

This may be location based - But the driving standards in Leicester are ****


Oh and I wish a painful death to all the people I flash through and then don't get any appreciation back. I mean seriously, you have to lift one finger, is it really that hard?


**** RANT OVER ****

 

[hurfdurf]

I don't think its insane at all and neither do I think there are 'so many accidents'.

We have a fantastic road network with world leading safety record.

I think its fairly insane what we let 17 year olds get away with, I know I used to drive my Zetec S like an absolute berk and I totalled an MX5 before I was 18. It's a bit 'I'm all right Jack, pull up the ladder'ish but I do think there needs to be more restrictions placed on 17 year old drivers such as mandatory black box's to regulate insurance and what not, or not letting them have passengers after 9pm or something, I have no idea what restrictions really or how to best implement them.

 

[hurfdurf]

Also in the city I meet someone else who decides 25-30 MPH is the appropriate speed on a 40 MPH A road.
**** RANT OVER ****

Calm down, could be someone lost or unsure of their driving ability. Bemoaning driving standards in this country because some people don't drive bang on the limit 24/7 is hardly fair. I know if im on facebook whilst im driving I don't go as fast as I could.