Do you do this?

almoststew1990 · 1 Jun 2015 at 18:53

Pathetic thread incoming!

On my way home there is a signalised roundabout at the top of a sliproad where the left lane is first exit, middle lane is straight over (back onto M27) and right #1 and right lane is right #1 and right #2.

The first exit is usually blocked as the weak link the road is the set of traffic lights half a mile up the road. The queue backs down onto the left lane of the slip road, so on a 30 second green light at the roundabout you might only get 5 cars through. Some people (one every 40 people in the middle lane) skip the queue in the left by going in the middle lane and then cutting accross into exit one

So today I was at the head of the queue at the lights at the roundabout, ready to turn left. A crappy van turns up in the middle lane and edges over the line slowly, rocking back and forth on the clutch and clearly eager to shoot off and cut infront of me to get into the left lane. I thought that it's not really fair on everyone else. So when it went green I also gunned it and he wasn't able to push in front of me and had to slot in behind me (well before anyone would have run out of road), and I got a blast on the horn for my trouble.

This is the first time I've acted in 'annoyance' as I am usually the calmest, most passive driver out there, and upon reflection have now decided that it probably wasn't worth it although I did get a feeling of "ha!" at the time.

TL; DR: Do you act block people trying to do illegal dick moves or just let it slide?

Obligatory google earth image of a roundabout.

Hyburnate · 1 Jun 2015 at 18:57

I've done a couple of things out of annoyance like that already and usually on reflection it isn't worth it. It entirely depends on the mood, the other week a lane was closed and a van gunned up the outside lane and I was near the front he tried to cut infront of me and I wouldn't let him in purely because he was on his phone, right thing to do? Probably not.

It's done now and you just have to forget about it. In the future it's probably not worth it (I usually do, if someone wants to overtake I'll pull in to the left and slow, that way if they crash I did all I could.

iaind · 1 Jun 2015 at 18:57

Let it slide, you are entirely in control of the space around your car, doing that only serves to ensure its a tiny space and potential for an accident. You can't control other drivers behaviour, only yours - so drive in a way that means cretins don't have a chance to cause an accident, not in a way that you think might annoy them

Housey · 1 Jun 2015 at 18:58

iaind said:
Let it slide, you are entirely in control of the space around your car, doing that only serves to ensure its a tiny space and potential for an accident. You can't control other drivers behaviour, only yours - so drive in a way that means cretins don't have a chance to cause an accident, not in a way that you think might annoy them

Good advice and more should take this approach. Idiots are not worth effort, it's why I never usually spend much time in many of the threads in GD

SlyReaper · 1 Jun 2015 at 19:10

I'm ashamed to admit I have done similar in the past, just because another driver annoyed me. It's not worth it. If they're that eager to get ahead of you, chances are they'll speed ahead and they're not going to hold you up.

[TW]Fox · 1 Jun 2015 at 19:15

It's a stupid idea getting into a confrontation like that, he could easily have been bloody minded enough to force his way in damaging your car in the process, sure it would have been his fault but is it worth the hassle?

Johno please? · 1 Jun 2015 at 19:15

Some people seem to think they're entitled to be in any lane whenever they want, so get upset when they don't get their own way.

iaind · 1 Jun 2015 at 19:16

Housey said:
Good advice and more should take this approach. Idiots are not worth effort, it's why I never usually spend much time in many of the threads in GD

Exactly this.. The thing to remember is that the idiots don't care. The van driver in the OP didn't go home and cry himself to sleep, promising to himself to change his ways - the only person you really annoy by doing stuff like this is yourself... It's just not worth the hassle

mattyg · 1 Jun 2015 at 19:17

Yep... But then as a courier I've been known to do both.....So swings and roundabouts.....

Conanius · 1 Jun 2015 at 19:19

I don't do that.

What I do do, is get in the right hand land, and spin round the roundabout. There are several junctions I know where doing this is loads quicker.

Haters going to hate.

Scuzi · 1 Jun 2015 at 19:20

What if he was unfamiliar with the area and realised he was in the wrong lane at the last minute? The dick in this scenario is the person actively blocking in the name of righteousness.

almoststew1990 · 1 Jun 2015 at 19:22

iaind said:
Exactly this.. The thing to remember is that the idiots don't care. The van driver in the OP didn't go home and cry himself to sleep, promising to himself to change his ways - the only person you really annoy by doing stuff like this is yourself... It's just not worth the hassle

and that was my epiphany moment!

(although I should clarify I'm not upset or troubled by it, and have already decided it is not worth it, I just wanted to see if other people thought the same)

PMKeates · 1 Jun 2015 at 19:24

I'm the guy in that middle lane tbh, just I'd have gone first

energy · 1 Jun 2015 at 20:12

Scuzi said:
What if he was unfamiliar with the area and realised he was in the wrong lane at the last minute? The dick in this scenario is the person actively blocking in the name of righteousness.

I have been in the situation you describe and just go the full circle round and come back off, totally safely, totally legally and at the cost of 20 or 30 seconds. Same thing on motorway slip roads, if I find myself in the wrong lane for whatever reason never try to cut back in if I realise I'm in the wrong lane, just go up the slip road and back down again.

As for going all the way round the roundabout to come off at the "first" exit, I have been known to do this intentionally when the left lane is queuing. Legal & safe, but morally dubious!

Dav4 · 1 Jun 2015 at 20:15

Good on u op serves him right. It's always white van man pushing in and doing whatever he wants. It's rude and arrogant u wouldn't jump a que in a bar or shop so why do people think they can do it when there in a protective metal bubble. :confused:

Every morning on my way to work when the main road bare's right u guarantee without fail that someone will get in the left lane at the lights and then try to cut right across me to bare right because they can't be bothered waiting behind a couple of cars. The crappy 1.0 Corsa with twin boom pipes that tried it a while back ended up stuck as every car behind me gunned it so he couldn't get across

pepsilol · 1 Jun 2015 at 20:20

I bought a fast car so I could do dick moves. So if you gunned I'd have just dropped it a gear.

I do dick moves but I 100% make sure it causes no one any issues like them having to brake to let me in. I do it extremely swiftly.

Howard · 1 Jun 2015 at 20:24

iaind said:
Let it slide, you are entirely in control of the space around your car, doing that only serves to ensure its a tiny space and potential for an accident. You can't control other drivers behaviour, only yours - so drive in a way that means cretins don't have a chance to cause an accident, not in a way that you think might annoy them

This. Too many people drive themselves into trouble then moan because they had a "non-fault" accident. It's not worth it.

mjt · 1 Jun 2015 at 20:25

Wow, you guys would **** your pants driving in Brussels.

What OP saw is commonplace at EVERY junction.

Burnsy2023 · 1 Jun 2015 at 20:29

[TW]Fox;28114546 said:
It's a stupid idea getting into a confrontation like that, he could easily have been bloody minded enough to force his way in damaging your car in the process, sure it would have been his fault but is it worth the hassle?

I've been to a job on that exact junction where someone did exactly that and they ended up getting into a fight in the middle of the road. Either party could have easily avoided the situation but just got to the point where they see red and cause more trouble than it's worth.

Housey · 1 Jun 2015 at 20:35

Burnsy2023 said:
I've been to a job on that exact junction where someone did exactly that and they ended up getting into a fight in the middle of the road. Either party could have easily avoided the situation but just got to the point where they see red and cause more trouble than it's worth.

Yea, but I learned him and you wont take me coppa