Your bad driving encounters/irritations

[Richie]

...and then getting on the horn rather than slowing down was the icing on the cake for me)

Don't you know that, when legally in the right, you are protected by a "Bubble of Righteousness" that means you cannot be harmed, regardless if you exacerbate the situation, cause... well, you are "in the right"


** read the above as the indicating driver in your example BTW, not as "you" ***

 

[Nabinium]

PI once filmed in my village, they stopped a car under a 'county lines' sting. 4 occupants, all in possession of Class B plus a bootful, enough to keep Amsterdam's cafe's running for a short while.

End of the episode when they do the roundup - "No further action due to lack of evidence" for all 4 of the occupants. They caught them red-handed and the CPS dropped it.

I've no love for the police but to have such an open/shut case thrown because the CPS couldn't be bothered must be soul-destroying.

It really is soul-destroying after the lengths that the police go to capture these scum too.

The chase I mentioned that featured in PI - if I recall, they were driving a large van dangerously and they actually drove on the wrong side of a dual carriageway and decamped on that side before running into some treeline. Obviously they couldn't escape due to the helicopter and multiple units/dogs swarming the area.

Even after they were literally driving head on towards traffic on the wrong side of a dual carriageway, I was flabbergasted how they weren't able to prove who was driving. Helicopter saw it all. I think part of the issue was probably the fact that they all bailed out the driver's door... so I imagine they weren't able to depict from the footage from the helicopter which one was the driver. Forensics probably didn't result in anything either. Really soul-destroying honestly to have put members of the public at great risk to just then walk away.

 

[bigmike20vt]

surely they were all culpable then?

if you are in a gang and beat someone up and they die, wouldn't everyone involved in the fight get done not just the person who threw the killing punch ?

and they don't get to play wrong place wrong time and trapped in the car as they all piled out of the driver's door and legged it rather than stopping when they had the chance?

 

[Nabinium]

surely they were all culpable then?

if you are in a gang and beat someone up and they die, wouldn't everyone involved in the fight get done not just the person who threw the killing punch ?

and they don't get to play wrong place wrong time and trapped in the car as they all piled out of the driver's door and legged it rather than stopping when they had the chance?

Not sure really, you'd hope so, but seems like that wasn't the case with this one.

 

[Haggisman]

surely they were all culpable then?

if you are in a gang and beat someone up and they die, wouldn't everyone involved in the fight get done not just the person who threw the killing punch ?

I guess the argument there would be:

You can always choose to walk away from the fight, so even if you weren't the one who threw the killing punch, you still contributed.

Whereas you can't just choose to stop being a passenger in a vehicle you're already in if the driver decides to start driving dangerously.

While I don't agree with it, even the worst lawyer would just claim that their client was screaming at and begging the driver to stop but they just wouldn't listen, and "innocent until proven guilty" means that in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, it leaves a very weak case with plenty of scope for "reasonable doubt".

But yeah, it must be a real kick in the teeth to have risked your life to stop someone, only for them to get away with it on a technicality

 

[jpaul]

joint venture legislation ? - the Bentley case etc.

 

[pastymuncher]

I never rely on anyone's indicators on roundabouts and wait for them to commit if there is a chance of interaction even though it sometimes annoys people behind me, too many people do stupid things on roundabouts.

We don't have to worry about that here because most have no idea what those orange lights on the corners of their car are used for so it's standard practice to keep your distance until they have made their move!!

 

[m4rmite]

I popped into the local aldi yesterday and there's a breakfast van on the wickes car park next door.
A guy returning from the van had a breakfast in a polystyrene tray, he gets in his car, turns out on and opens up the tray.
Off he drives whilst eating the breakfast whilst holding the tray in 1 hand and the fork in the other
I was praying for someone to make him brake hard.

 

[Mysterae_]

Tonight I was the second car behind somebody that seemed to be incapable of driving at night or isn't used to it and was caught out by it getting darker sooner. While in an unlit NSL road they would barely touch 50mph and as soon as another car came towards them they'd brake to 40, which was quite often. Then it was back to 50....and brake again. I kept a good distance as I could see the car in front of me was getting really frustrated at the yo-yo'ing speed and braking and might have done something impatiently stupid. Thankfully they didn't and we all got our chance to overtake.

 

[Teknobry]

Tonight I was the second car behind somebody that seemed to be incapable of driving at night or isn't used to it and was caught out by it getting darker sooner. While in an unlit NSL road they would barely touch 50mph and as soon as another car came towards them they'd brake to 40, which was quite often. Then it was back to 50....and brake again. I kept a good distance as I could see the car in front of me was getting really frustrated at the yo-yo'ing speed and braking and might have done something impatiently stupid. Thankfully they didn't and we all got our chance to overtake.

You weren't on the A628/A616 by any chance?
Dark and a bit of rain, best drive at 35/40 in a nsl and brake for every oncoming car or slight bend in the road.

Then flash headlights when I overtake.

 

[Mysterae_]

You weren't on the A628/A616 by any chance?
Dark and a bit of rain, best drive at 35/40 in a nsl and brake for every oncoming car or slight bend in the road.

Then flash headlights when I overtake.

Ha, no, it was the A9 in the Highlands although you describe it to a tee!

 

[Blackjack Davy]

Anyone else live in an area with parking that isn't marked out with spaces? It's nightmare by me as people are so inconsiderate

Last night 2 small cars were taking up the space of 4 vehicles, yet on other days you'll see the same 2 cars trying to squeeze into spaces because other people have done the same as them. If something inconveniences you, why also act that way??

It's so annoying

Happens everywhere I think, around here its sort of the opposite in that they park almost bumper to bumper so its a 20-point manoeuvre just to get out. Parking spots at the start and end of double yellows are sought after as they (usually) don't park on those so you've got space in front/behind

I nearly had a crash on way to work today. technically it would have been my fault. Morally it was the stupid driver in the other car imo.

I was going right at a round about. a car was entering the roundabout indicating left. They were to my right however and I should have read the road better as they were probably going too fast to take the exit they were indicating..... but I pulled out anyway due to their indicator.

I have had an accident like this van ploughed into the side of me a driving instructor would say "wait for confirmatory action" i.e. don't assume anything wait until they have actually made the move

People tend to cut the corners off in general on junctions. Drive's me mad!

Roundabouts are the worst you're supposed to stay over to the left if you're taking the exit ahead but people just cut straight over the right lane then back into the left even if theres someone trying to take the right hand exit and signalling right but nope, they'll cut right in front of you as if you don't exist. I remember my mother doing it once and this car behind beeped her and she got very cross "alright mate!" and totally failed to grasp she had done anything wrong.

 

[Nabinium]

I have had an accident like this van ploughed into the side of me a driving instructor would say "wait for confirmatory action" i.e. don't assume anything wait until they have actually made the move

Yep. Not solely relying on their indicators is what I try to keep in my mind. Just can't trust some people to do the right thing.

 

[bigmike20vt]

Yep. Not solely relying on their indicators is what I try to keep in my mind. Just can't trust some people to do the right thing.

in my defence so do i most of the time...... like i said in my initial post, i put my hands up, technically it would have been me at fault, however when its busy it can be really annoying when you hold up traffic just on the off chance some nobend cant use indicators properly.... but i know indicators are a courtesy not a legal requirement... for some reason!.

(driving without due care and attention possibly, but given anyone could sit at a roundabout or junction for a few hrs and catch dozens then, a rule which is ignored and never enforced may as well not be a rule at all.)

 

[Uther]

They've just changed the road layout in the local town, used to be two lanes running up to a roundabout, with the right lane just a right turn in to a shopping centre.
Someone in their wisdom has now made it one lane, with two lanes coming the other way. I expect carnage

 

[Nabinium]

however when its busy it can be really annoying when you hold up traffic just on the off chance some nobend cant use indicators properly

I think this is the bit where most people are caught out/pressured to just go and hope for the best. Personally don't think holding up traffic for a few seconds is such a big deal. Some people are too impatient just to save 2 seconds in their journey. But yes, it would help if people actually used their indicators properly.

If it is busy and a constant flow of approaching cars all indicating and turning into whatever road/exit I'm coming out of, then yes, I would go cautiously. If it's not as busy and only a car or two indicating and turning in, then I'll just wait until the car has started to turn/exited and then go. Body language is also another factor too. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes not as obvious.

 

[jpaul]

Closing speed of the vehicle arriving at previous turn of the roundabout plays in evaluating if you practically have time to enter,
if it's a powerful/maneuverable vehicle or increasingly an ev you know you have less time to slot in (roundabouts will be a fascinating challenge for fsd , need a fast lookup of reg plates to determine car type)

 

[Richie]

Closing speed of the vehicle arriving at previous turn of the roundabout plays in evaluating if you practically have time to enter,
if it's a powerful/maneuverable vehicle or increasingly an ev you know you have less time to slot in (roundabouts will be a fascinating challenge for fsd , need a fast lookup of reg plates to determine car type)

I have started seeing an increase in the high risk pull outs/overtakes being done by EV owners. I do understand that they can accelerate away quickly but, on the flip side, so do their owners which then means they will do much higher risk actions which they would not have done in a ICE vehicle and, generally, these higher risk actions involve higher speeds. Although the vehicle might be quicker, the driver's reactions and "mental speed" does not suddenly increase with buying a faster car.

 

[bigmike20vt]

I have started seeing an increase in the high risk pull outs/overtakes being done by EV owners. I do understand that they can accelerate away quickly but, on the flip side, so do their owners which then means they will do much higher risk actions which they would not have done in a ICE vehicle and, generally, these higher risk actions involve higher speeds. Although the vehicle might be quicker, the driver's reactions and "mental speed" does not suddenly increase with buying a faster car.

EVs are certainly quicker on average than an average oilburner for sure...... but fast cars have been a thing for ever, whether its a chavved up 350z overtaking me, or a tesla model 3, it makes little difference (just that the nissan looks and sounds a lot better doing it *** )

i dont think the power source really matters when it comes to dangerous overtaking or aggressive roundabout etiquette

***I may be biased

 

[Infidelus]

I thought I was done for a few minutes ago.

I was just on my way back from a walk. There are some roadworks going on near where I live where the water company are replacing pipes. At the end of one road there was a road closed sign. I had just turned in to that road and was walking down on the left pavement.

About 30 feet in two cars drive by towards the dead end (both women drivers as it happens). The first one realised she wasn't going to be able to go any further so after they've passed me I looked right to cross the road and see her pull over to the right. The second car stops and I start crossing the road (probably about 15 feet behind where she's stopped). The next thing I know the second car is reversing into me. I start smashing my hand on her boot and window trying to get her attention but she keeps coming.

After I hit her car about six times she finally stopped! A bit shaken up I start yelling obsenities through the back window about her not looking where she's going. The next thing I know she's pulled a U-turn and gives me a five-knuckle-shuffle sign as though it's my fault she wasn't looking in her mirror.

The first driver then pulled up beside me and asked if I was OK and said she didn't think the second one was looking in her mirror. I usually don't take my phone with me when I go out for a walk but it's one of those rare occasions I wish I did.