Your bad driving encounters

aVdub · 16 May 2025 at 13:01

Why is it that most who tailgate because you are doing 23mph or 33mph in the 20 and 30 zones are then no-where to be seen when you hit the 50mph or National speed limit zones?

Also see plenty that after taking an ice age to get near to that 50mph speed limit, then continue to carry on at the same speed in the 30mph zone.

jpaul · 16 May 2025 at 13:43

-rounadbout etiquette : members of the family are guilty here - indicating too early adjacent to current exit to leave roundabouts when they are going at next - those joining in front think they will be gone.

for NSL roundabouts if turning right, indicate and pad brake on the roundabout , to show oncoming what I'm doing, also avoids misinterpretation of traffic coming from left of speed and that they might contend joining/filtering going left.
otherwise just engine brake in approach (pleasures of a manual car), so guy in front/occupants will be clear when I arrive, to give best chance to continue w/o stopping;
going straight on use the whole roundabout width to open the bend, why do people pedantically/slowly go around the outside, go around the outside, when no one is sharing it.

JohnStewart · 16 May 2025 at 13:48

I witnessed a poor one yesterday - complete lack of awareness by an elderly driver at a roundabout on dual carriageway, with the right hand lane closed for the last 25m of the approach as there was a lane closue on the other side of the roundabout.

Ambulance with blues flashing and sirens going approaches the roundabout with two cars stopped in front of them waiting to join. The elderly driver sitting at the lines enters the roundabout, clears the lines so they are fully onto the roundabout, pulls over slightly to the left and then stops completely thinking they will let the ambulance past. However, they hadn't left enough room behind them for the car behind them to also join the roundabout (without nudging the cones out of the way), so it is now stuck behind the stopped car and the ambulance stuck behind them, hemmed in by the cones.

I think the elderly driver forgot that the lane was closed and the cones were there and couldn't see them in their mirrors due to the proximity of the car and ambulance behind them.

Eventually after much horn sounding, the elderly driver got the hint and drove slowly through the roundabout and proceeded to hold up the ambulance now directly behind them through the roadworks section, which was thankfully only about 100m.

Resident · 16 May 2025 at 16:40

JohnStewart said:
I witnessed a poor one yesterday - complete lack of awareness by an elderly driver at a roundabout on dual carriageway, with the right hand lane closed for the last 25m of the approach as there was a lane closure on the other side of the roundabout.

Ambulance with blues flashing and sirens going approaches the roundabout with two cars stopped in front of them waiting to join. The elderly driver sitting at the lines enters the roundabout, clears the lines so they are fully onto the roundabout, pulls over slightly to the left and then stops completely thinking they will let the ambulance past. However, they hadn't left enough room behind them for the car behind them to also join the roundabout (without nudging the cones out of the way), so it is now stuck behind the stopped car and the ambulance stuck behind them, hemmed in by the cones.

I think the elderly driver forgot that the lane was closed and the cones were there and couldn't see them in their mirrors due to the proximity of the car and ambulance behind them.

Eventually after much horn sounding, the elderly driver got the hint and drove slowly through the roundabout and proceeded to hold up the ambulance now directly behind them through the roadworks section, which was thankfully only about 100m.

This is why I'm a massive advocate for periodic testing of older drivers. There's a lot more of them now and frighteningly they still get to self-determine whether they're fit to drive.

I'm sure I've posted before about how I nearly lost a mate to a 70 yr old driver, recently declared she was fit to drive and then pulled out on to a NSL road, clipping my mate and flipping his car. Turned out she was legally blind, had a vision distance of about 4ft & cataracts.

In my view driving licences as whole should be revamped with greater requirements towards the health/abilities of the driver.

1. The only required eye-sight check is the one you do at your test. - Change this to an optician led eye test once every 5 years from the date of your provisional application, An eye test result would be needed as part of the application. A system could be set so the optician reports directly to DVSA. This way drivers that SHOULD be wearing them will have it as a licence condition and prosecutable under 'in accordance' if caught without.

2. There is no check to make sure you're medically fit at all - Again make this required for licence application and then renewable every 5 years from age 45 (like professional drivers currently) until 70, at which time it's reduced to every 2 years. Medical will include basic cognitive elements as well as physical health.

Richie · 16 May 2025 at 18:15

Resident said:
This is why I'm a massive advocate for periodic testing of older drivers. There's a lot more of them now and frighteningly they still get to self-determine whether they're fit to drive.

I'm sure I've posted before about how I nearly lost a mate to a 70 yr old driver, recently declared she was fit to drive and then pulled out on to a NSL road, clipping my mate and flipping his car. Turned out she was legally blind, had a vision distance of about 4ft & cataracts.

In my view driving licences as whole should be revamped with greater requirements towards the health/abilities of the driver.

1. The only required eye-sight check is the one you do at your test. - Change this to an optician led eye test once every 5 years from the date of your provisional application, An eye test result would be needed as part of the application. A system could be set so the optician reports directly to DVSA. This way drivers that SHOULD be wearing them will have it as a licence condition and prosecutable under 'in accordance' if caught without.

2. There is no check to make sure you're medically fit at all - Again make this required for licence application and then renewable every 5 years from age 45 (like professional drivers currently) until 70, at which time it's reduced to every 2 years. Medical will include basic cognitive elements as well as physical health.

You want mandatory retakes of test from 45 years of age because of elderly drivers doing silly things?

How cognitively impaired do you think the average 45 year old is for driving? :confused:

Considering the current wait list for tests for new drivers, can you imagine the wait list when you add over 45s for retest?

There are 33 million licence holders in the UK and over 5m of them are over 70. If we conservatively assume that 11 million are over 45, that's 2.2 million extra tests every year (over your proposed 5 year retest scenario) which it more than double the current capacity

Resident · 16 May 2025 at 18:22

Richie said:
You want mandatory retakes of test from 45 years of age because of elderly drivers doing silly things?

How cognitively impaired do you think the average 45 year old is for driving?

Considering the current wait list for tests for new drivers, can you imagine the wait list when you add over 45s for retest?

There are 33 million licence holders in the UK and over 5m of them are over 70. If we conservatively assume that 11 million are over 45, that's 2.2 million extra tests every year (over your proposed 5 year retest scenario)

I mean, reading comprehension is a necessary skill for drivers. Seemingly one you lack.

Point out where I said retesting, ie theory & practical driving tests in my suggestions for better safety?

Richie · 16 May 2025 at 18:29

Resident said:
I mean, reading comprehension is a necessary skill for drivers. Seemingly one you lack.

Point out where I said retesting, ie theory & practical driving tests in my suggestions for better safety?

DOH! Time for me to take a cognitive test apparently

Brun · 16 May 2025 at 18:43

Never gonna happen. Elderly people account for too many voters.

cuke2u · 16 May 2025 at 19:53

Richie said:
You want mandatory retakes of test from 45 years of age because of elderly drivers doing silly things?

How cognitively impaired do you think the average 45 year old is for driving?

Considering the current wait list for tests for new drivers, can you imagine the wait list when you add over 45s for retest?

There are 33 million licence holders in the UK and over 5m of them are over 70. If we conservatively assume that 11 million are over 45, that's 2.2 million extra tests every year (over your proposed 5 year retest scenario) which it more than double the current capacity

I've been travelling to Peterborough every day, 40 min journey, and the most cognitively impaired drivers I've come across seem to be under 45. They do not seem to understand how two lane roundabouts works, have zero spacial awareness and just cut across the lanes to straighten up it thereby nearly having collisions with drivers in the right hand lane.
As a nearly 70 year old younger drivers need to read the highway code or just get out of my way..

jpaul · 16 May 2025 at 20:53

[ first sign of cognitive decline, short term memory loss re discussing same problem every couple of weeks

Unfit/ unsafe drivers

And you have evidence of this instead of coming across as bit sexist and ageist? It isn't granted that younger drivers take more risks it is a fact that a disproportionately high percentage of younger drivers are killed or seriously injured as a result of their own behaviour. This isn't a UK...

forums.overclockers.co.uk

fortunately highway code is mostly early learning
]

Rroff · 17 May 2025 at 00:10

cuke2u said:
I've been travelling to Peterborough every day, 40 min journey, and the most cognitively impaired drivers I've come across seem to be under 45. They do not seem to understand how two lane roundabouts works, have zero spacial awareness and just cut across the lanes to straighten up it thereby nearly having collisions with drivers in the right hand lane.
As a nearly 70 year old younger drivers need to read the highway code or just get out of my way..

Can't say I've seen any demographic which has a monopoly on bad driving but I do see the same patterns regularly

particularly on the nicer days lately I've seen a big up tick of a couple of younger people in Fiat 500 or similar, tunes on and paying more attention to chatting and their phones than what is going on around them... driving to work today I 3 times encountered pensioners in little red Corsas or similar dawdling around with no consideration for anyone else.

Coming home just now saw some terrible driving from a big murdered out style SUV - passed me at considerable speed, ran a red light, used a turning lane at the next set of lights to overtake someone and last I saw looked like they were overtaking someone at considerable speed in a 30 on a blind bend.

Rroff · 18 May 2025 at 23:52

No idea what had happened but on my way home just now came across someone (police already in attendance) who'd managed to park their car in the pedestrian island at traffic lights here https://maps.app.goo.gl/1Fk2C94Zk8FoxHGr6 I'm assuming a bit of speed was involved.

theone8181 · 19 May 2025 at 07:36

Richie said:
You want mandatory retakes of test from 45 years of age because of elderly drivers doing silly things?

How cognitively impaired do you think the average 45 year old is for driving?

Considering the current wait list for tests for new drivers, can you imagine the wait list when you add over 45s for retest?

There are 33 million licence holders in the UK and over 5m of them are over 70. If we conservatively assume that 11 million are over 45, that's 2.2 million extra tests every year (over your proposed 5 year retest scenario) which it more than double the current capacity

I don't think it should start at 45, I think mandatory tests every 10 years would help, should also create loads of jobs as driving examiners.
While I'm thinking about it, I'd love to know why people that can't see past the end of their bonnet (literally) feel they are safe to drive. That should be dangerous driving at the very least, possibly attempted murder to discourage it.

Kenai · 19 May 2025 at 07:48

theone8181 said:
should also create loads of jobs as driving examiners.

There's a shortage of them as it is, 'lack of available jobs' isn't the problem that needs solving in the realms of driving exams

Rroff · 20 May 2025 at 23:33

To be fair it shouldn't be "that" difficult to at least include some kind of basic eyesight certification at the 10 yearly photo update at the very least.

Rroff · 21 May 2025 at 01:12

I have to wonder about some people - driving earlier caught up behind someone doing 50 in a NSL 60, they eased off to slightly under 50 when we got into a 40 then were probably doing 40 in a 30, caught up with them again on the next bit of NSL where they were doing 50 for about 3 miles when suddenly they took off doing probably 80+, saw them in the distance braking hard into a 30, then caught up with them again when they had to stop to let cars through a narrow bit and then the rest of the time I was behind them they were driving exactly to the speed limit.

lovelyhead · 21 May 2025 at 08:14

I am getting increasingly sick of people overtaking me in a 20mph zone. There is a small village near me which is a 20mph zone with a short straight at the end. I stick to 20mph until the end but about 50% of the time someone is behind me at the start of that stretch they will overtake me. The police would make a killing in fines if they stuck an officer there for the day. I honestly think people who do this are scum.

tom_e · 21 May 2025 at 08:24

lovelyhead said:
I am getting increasingly sick of people overtaking me in a 20mph zone. There is a small village near me which is a 20mph zone with a short straight at the end. I stick to 20mph until the end but about 50% of the time someone is behind me at the start of that stretch they will overtake me. The police would make a killing in fines if they stuck an officer there for the day. I honestly think people who do this are scum.

There's a section of my commute on the A5 that goes past Weston Park, at that point it drops from NSL to 30mph with double solid white lines. 9 times out of 10 if there's someone behind me and I drop to 30 going into that section they'll overtake before we get to the end...for me then to catch up to them in the NSL :rolleyes:

One day they'll meet one of the lorries often coming the other way and realise it's 30 with no overtaking because they've got no where to go other than into a solid stone wall.

Haggisman · 21 May 2025 at 09:12

Richie said:
why the hell have you also not put your indicator on? Its obvious you want to move over!!

Because these people are quite literally as thick as pig ****

jpaul said:
-rounadbout etiquette : members of the family are guilty here - indicating too early adjacent to current exit to leave roundabouts when they are going at next - those joining in front think they will be gone.

If you're indicating adjacent to the exit then that's correct... I assume what you mean is indicating BEFORE the previous exit.

jpaul said:
for NSL roundabouts if turning right, indicate and pad brake on the roundabout , to show oncoming what I'm doing, also avoids misinterpretation of traffic coming from left of speed and that they might contend joining/filtering going left.

Oncoming aren't going to see your brake lights

jpaul said:
going straight on use the whole roundabout width to open the bend, why do people pedantically/slowly go around the outside, go around the outside, when no one is sharing it.

Because it's a "ROUNDabout", not a "straightoverabout", and while it might be "cool" to take the racing line, it's also a bad habit to get into for that one time where you're not paying full attention and miss the motorbike to your right...

theone8181 · 22 May 2025 at 07:34

A

Haggisman said:
Because these people are quite literally as thick as pig ****

If you're indicating adjacent to the exit then that's correct... I assume what you mean is indicating BEFORE the previous exit.

Oncoming aren't going to see your brake lights

Because it's a "ROUNDabout", not a "straightoverabout", and while it might be "cool" to take the racing line, it's also a bad habit to get into for that one time where you're not paying full attention and miss the motorbike to your right...

Agree on that last point, seen plenty of people straight line a roundabout and I don't think they even check to see if anyone is turning right.