Your bad driving encounters/irritations

[ICDP]

Had one of the self appointed traffic police try to block the right hand merge in turn lane on a slip road leading to a motorway. Of course all the sheep were in the left lane “queuing” at a dead stop all the way back on to a very busy traffic light controlled roundabout. I went in to the right lane rather than unnecessarily block yet another green traffic light at one of the entry and exit of the roundabout.

A guy in a grey Kuga moved over from the left lane to cut up and block traffic in the right lane, but he misjudged and left just enough room for me and one other car to pass him. Of course when he realised he couldn’t judge distances, he moved out to the right some more and stopped, but now he had left too much room in the left lane and cars started moving up the inside of him.

His pathetic attempts at policing the “queue” had backfired spectacularly. He was left floundering and honking his horn in utter futility at all the “queue jumpers”.

What an absolute bunch of numpties people are if they don’t know how to use both lanes to merge in turn. They don’t realise they aren’t “queuing like proper British people”, or that the people in the left lane don’t have “right of way”. It’s merge in turn and exists to reduce the congestion and the need to “queue” in the first place.

 

[Rroff]

Honestly the merge in turn thing has been really poorly addressed - the guidance has gone from vague advice to move to the left early, to vague mention of merging, to throw away mention of merge in turn when appropriate. And many people haven't even noticed, if they even care, where rule 134 has ended up. A lot of people of my dad's generation are still of the notion that the Highway Code way to do it is the good old fashioned British way.

When approaching a roundabout queued up in lane 1 to go straight over (second exit) and wanting to take the first exit, I still get a lot of dirty looks for using lane 2 and going all the way around the roundabout into my exit skipping the queue.

 

[d_brennen]

Had one of the self appointed traffic police try to block the right hand merge in turn lane on a slip road leading to a motorway. Of course all the sheep were in the left lane “queuing” at a dead stop all the way back on to a very busy traffic light controlled roundabout. I went in to the right lane rather than unnecessarily block yet another green traffic light at one of the entry and exit of the roundabout.

A guy in a grey Kuga moved over from the left lane to cut up and block traffic in the right lane, but he misjudged and left just enough room for me and one other car to pass him. Of course when he realised he couldn’t judge distances, he moved out to the right some more and stopped, but now he had left too much room in the left lane and cars started moving up the inside of him.

His pathetic attempts at policing the “queue” had backfired spectacularly. He was left floundering and honking his horn in utter futility at all the “queue jumpers”.

What an absolute bunch of numpties people are if they don’t know how to use both lanes to merge in turn. They don’t realise they aren’t “queuing like proper British people”, or that the people in the left lane don’t have “right of way”. It’s merge in turn and exists to reduce the congestion and the need to “queue” in the first place.

These people are allowed to vote

 

[theone8181]

Fairly sure you can't get a PCN for parking in a charge spot (unfortunately ), unless it's a council owned one maybe?

It might be a council one as it's on the main street, however I'm convinced that it can't have happened in the 2 minutes that I was gone.

 

[lordrobs]

Yeah merge in turn is a massive issue all over the UK.

I left a roundabout on one of those lanes that merges in a few hundred yards later. Woman in a C3 with her kids in the car decided to leave it right to the last second to accelerate into the gap I was going to merge in to which left me the option of jumping on the brakes and tuck in behind (now travelling slower than the rest of the traffic) or running it up the chevrons on her outside and seeing just how committed she was to running me off the road. I obviously went with the former.

It wasn't even like I was trying to skip any traffic, I was just on a road that I'd never driven on before and was following the markings on the roundabout.

The other behaviour that is gaining traction is the weaving into every braking gap on the motorway to carve through traffic. Usually some ding dong who thinks he's casting for the next Fast and the Furious film. One hand on the wheel at the 12 o'clock position. Tugging it left and right like he's yanking on something else. I'm sure these people think they are driving gods but it is everyone around them that is the reason they don't end up in a nasty accident.

 

[jaybee]

The merge in turn thing is really embarrassing. Especially when you are travelling as a passenger in a car where the person driving you does it! I would say 90%+ of people don't understand it.

 

[ICDP]

The merge in turn thing is really embarrassing. Especially when you are travelling as a passenger in a car where the person driving you does it! I would say 90%+ of people don't understand it.

Yeah, I remember politely explaining to my wife how the person driving on the right lane to get ahead of her was not in fact a “cheeky effer” but that she should instead consider doing something similar to reduce the congestion…

Our spare bed is actually quite comfortable

 

[CrazyGreggy]

I had to threaten to badge my own dad from the passenger seat once for doing something similar.

Awkward

 

[lordrobs]

The merge in turn thing is really embarrassing. Especially when you are travelling as a passenger in a car where the person driving you does it! I would say 90%+ of people don't understand it.

I remember an ex-boss of mine once berating himself for not "getting up the arse of the car in front" which allowed someone to merge in from a slip road.

My wife gets the rules but will join the queue for fear of a merge in turn blocker forcing her off the road. I think that is a big factor as to why people simply tag onto the queue and add to the tailback.

 

[Bear]

Gormless knuckle dragging van drivers that insist on sitting in the outside lane for no reason

 

[CrazyGreggy]

Gormless knuckle dragging van drivers that insist on sitting in the outside lane for no reason

They’ll get run over sitting there!

 

[nalla]

Gormless knuckle dragging van drivers that insist on sitting in the outside lane for no reason

ha ha nothing worse, especially when they not doing the speed limit, got a m8 at work who does this at 4:30 am on a dual carriage way when there is hardly anyone about, outside lane, 50 in a national speed limit area, what a tool lol.

 

[Blackjack Davy]

as you come round even with left indicator on about to try to come over into lane 1 and exit, they just pull out as if to say that you should be exiting into lane 2. I was always taught that you exit into lane 1 which should always be possible, unless someone has undertaken you on the roundabout aggressively, or if people do what I'm describing here which is wrong as they are not giving way to the right.

I don't think thats correct you exit into lane 1 only if its clear if someone has pulled out into the left lane and wants to turn left along with you i.e. on your inside then you continue in lane 2 and move over to 1 only if/when clear. Or you can simply take the 1st lane all the way round to the same exit left lane thats ok too. But you do not own the left exit lane if you're right.

 

[Rroff]

Gormless knuckle dragging van drivers that insist on sitting in the outside lane for no reason

I don't know how to put this nicely, but I know several van drivers who do this kind of thing and it is always the same story: 40+ and their mum has basically done everything for them their whole life, never tidy up behind themselves and absolutely clueless as to when they are being inconsiderate to other people until someone remonstrates with them.

 

[Nabinium]

I don't know how to put this nicely, but I know several van drivers who do this kind of thing and it is always the same story: 40+ and their mum has basically done everything for them their whole life, never tidy up behind themselves and absolutely clueless as to when they are being inconsiderate to other people until someone remonstrates with them.

And they're usually so far up your backside too, even though doing that won't get them any quicker to their destination.

 

[LowEndTorque]

Van drivers appear to be little more considerate since I switched to the Mondeo estate, or maybe it is a placebo effect because I had a hatchback before they appeared closer to the rear. Who knows..

In other news, people around where I live have gone from cutting corners when turning right to having a 3rd of their car in the oncoming lane. There is no effort to correct the turn despite me being there in my lane. It is scary to see this zombie like driving. Two have gotten a beep from me but I am sure they have no clue to what they did wrong.

 

[Haggisman]

I don't think thats correct you exit into lane 1 only if its clear if someone has pulled out into the left lane and wants to turn left along with you i.e. on your inside then you continue in lane 2 and move over to 1 only if/when clear. Or you can simply take the 1st lane all the way round to the same exit left lane thats ok too. But you do not own the left exit lane if you're right.

While true, the person joining the roundabout should not do so unless it's clear. That's ALL lanes, not just lane 1 if there's another car in lane 2

Yeah merge in turn is a massive issue all over the UK.

I left a roundabout on one of those lanes that merges in a few hundred yards later. Woman in a C3 with her kids in the car decided to leave it right to the last second to accelerate into the gap I was going to merge in to which left me the option of jumping on the brakes and tuck in behind (now travelling slower than the rest of the traffic) or running it up the chevrons on her outside and seeing just how committed she was to running me off the road. I obviously went with the former.

And then you get the muppets who just have to get in front of you even if they're 5 cars back, you're doing the speed limit, there's a massive gap behind you, and the only way they'll actually be able to pass you is by using the other side of the road.

Here is a great example

 

[jaybee]

I don't think thats correct you exit into lane 1 only if its clear if someone has pulled out into the left lane and wants to turn left along with you i.e. on your inside then you continue in lane 2 and move over to 1 only if/when clear. Or you can simply take the 1st lane all the way round to the same exit left lane thats ok too. But you do not own the left exit lane if you're right.

But on that basis I could pull out into the path of a massive lorry coming round and be like "well I'm turning left into lane 1, screw you" and lorry has to just stop dead on a roundabout as lane 1 exit is blocked.

I think generally one is meant to gradually spiral outwards from a roundabout - even if it means switching lanes - once past your penultimate exit and towards lane 1 if clear to do so. By clear, I mean don't cut anyone up to your left. There should not be anyone to your left undertaking you generally unless they are driving aggressively and undertaking on a roundabout. So most exits should be towards lane 1 by default. That is how it is taught. Don't be in lane 2 unless overtaking or there is reason to do so.

I see this a lot and to deal with it, yes, I simply exit into lane 2 and floor it past the impatient people that didn't wait and then get back into lane 1. My point is that you shouldn't have to. Learners find this difficult as they are typically slower and then get stranded in lane 2 with impatient ****s undertaking them.

 

[lordrobs]

While true, the person joining the roundabout should not do so unless it's clear. That's ALL lanes, not just lane 1 if there's another car in lane 2



And then you get the muppets who just have to get in front of you even if they're 5 cars back, you're doing the speed limit, there's a massive gap behind you, and the only way they'll actually be able to pass you is by using the other side of the road.

Here is a great example

TBH driving standards in the midlands are atrocious, second only to drivers on, or inside, the M25.

 

[Haggisman]

TBH driving standards in the midlands are atrocious, second only to drivers on, or inside, the M25.

Yes, it's really noticeable when we've been away for a few days and come back!