Your bad driving encounters

Rroff · 13 Jul 2023 at 09:34

Probably just didn't care given you were in a larger vehicle and he should have had a decent view sitting up higher than average.

The dual-carriageway I take into the town I work in has a mixture of places you can't u-turn and places you can. Some of these right hand turns off dual-carriageways need serious redesigning or blocking off, though obviously that would cost a lot of money so doesn't get done, there is one on the dual-carriageway I mentioned which has claimed so many lives but nothing has been done - when it was designed traffic levels and usage was very different to today.

Also turnings like that on dual-carriageways are notorious for older people getting it wrong and going head on with traffic going the wrong way

Greebo · 13 Jul 2023 at 09:44

Rroff said:
Probably just didn't care given you were in a larger vehicle and he should have had a decent view sitting up higher than average.

The dual-carriageway I take into the town I work in has a mixture of places you can't u-turn and places you can. Some of these right hand turns off dual-carriageways need serious redesigning or blocking off, though obviously that would cost a lot of money so doesn't get done, there is one on the dual-carriageway I mentioned which has claimed so many lives but nothing has been done - when it was designed traffic levels and usage was very different to today.

Also turnings like that on dual-carriageways are notorious for older people getting it wrong and going head on with traffic going the wrong way

Lol so I should have seen he was waiting to turn right and I should come to a stop on a dual carriageway and give way to him? I must have missed that in the new highway code.

Siliconslave · 13 Jul 2023 at 10:52

Why can't people reverse? I live down a single track road in the middle of the Norfolk countryside - the number of times you meet another driver and they refuse to reverse a few meters to the pass space they've just passed is frankly astounding :rolleyes:

LuckyBenski · 13 Jul 2023 at 10:58

Siliconslave said:
Why can't people reverse? I live down a single track road in the middle of the Norfolk countryside - the number of times you meet another driver and they refuse to reverse a few meters to the pass space they've just passed is frankly astounding

"I passed it, I'm done, you move"

Jay85 · 13 Jul 2023 at 11:08

This roundabout in Sheffield, on a daily basis i have people cut infront of me because they think they can choose either lane. Nearly had a few accidents where i very nearly got side swiped! When you pip them, they are absolutely oblivious as to what they just did. Indicated by the Yellow arrow, swiping right across a lane of traffic.

ICDP · 13 Jul 2023 at 11:18

Greebo said:
Well almost died again today driving to work.

On the A66 dual carriageway driving at 74mph in the fast lane as coming up to a right hand turn when I notice that the opposite carriageway is totally blocked due to an accident.

Just before the accident there is a right hand turn from the other carriageway and obviously people who dont want to wait for the road to clear can turn off or do a u turn (I assume the are allowed to do a U turn? Will have to check as I would imagine a U turn from a dual carriageway into another dual carriageway would be dangerous?).

Anyway there is a wagon carrying gas bottles pulling a trailer full of bottles waiting in the central reservation. No idea whether he just didnt see me or just didnt care but as I am coming up on him he pulls out and keeps going so he has the entire carriageway and hard shoulder blocked off due to his length and poor turning circle.

Thank god the brakes on my xsport X5 are enormous. One emergency stop later and brown trouser moment, I managed to not hit this truck.

Going to download the on board camera footage later and send to the business and the police.

They will likely tell you that you were driving too fast for the conditions (conditions don’t just mean weather). The stopped traffic on the other side of the carriageway should have you slowing down and thinking “look out for muppets”.

Not trying to be condescending but in that scenario I would have slowed down.

theone8181 · 13 Jul 2023 at 11:29

ICDP said:
They will likely tell you that you were driving too fast for the conditions (conditions don’t just mean weather). The stopped traffic on the other side of the carriageway should have you slowing down and thinking “look out for muppets”.

Not trying to be condescending but in that scenario I would have slowed down.

The problem with slowing down everytime there are muppets on the road is that I'd end up having to go in reverse

. There's just so many incompetent drivers. As an example there might be a queue of people doing 40 behind a 'doris', we get to a dual carriageway and very few move to overtake (which does make it easier for me). I just don't get it, I'm starting to think nsl now means 40 or 50.

Greebo · 13 Jul 2023 at 11:46

ICDP said:
They will likely tell you that you were driving too fast for the conditions (conditions don’t just mean weather). The stopped traffic on the other side of the carriageway should have you slowing down and thinking “look out for muppets”.

Not trying to be condescending but in that scenario I would have slowed down.

I'll be honest, it never even crossed my mind that he would even try to attempt pulling out when I was only a few hundred yards away from him and clearly in the fast lane so not travelling slowly. I wouldn't have pulled out on me in a car, never mind in a rigid truck with an additional trailer behind! In fact if it had been a car, I may have more likely thought he might be an idiot and try to go for it and slow down accordingly.

ICDP · 13 Jul 2023 at 11:59

Greebo said:
I'll be honest, it never even crossed my mind that he would even try to attempt pulling out when I was only a few hundred yards away from him and clearly in the fast lane so not travelling slowly. I wouldn't have pulled out on me in a car, never mind in a rigid truck with an additional trailer behind! In fact if it had been a car, I may have more likely thought he might be an idiot and try to go for it and slow down accordingly.

I learned a long time ago not to assume the other drivers sees me. Or more to the point, they see me and won’t do something stupid anyway.

I was actually thinking you were going to describe the usual rubber necker scenario. You know the ones, slowing down to a crawl to have a look at the accident on the other side of the motorway or carriageway even though their lane is clear.

You got out of it OK which is the main point.

Rroff · 13 Jul 2023 at 12:23

Problem with slowing down is sometimes that just encourages people to go or they read your change in speed as giving way to them

I've found increasingly you have to drive decisively as well as defensively and try and get the best balance of both to put people off cutting you up, etc. also works much better in the pickup than some of the smaller vehicles I drive

to the point I'm considering buying another pickup instead of another SUV next time LOL, it isn't a magic bullet but I'd say it puts off over 50% of people from doing something stupid which is quite a reduction in annoyances on the road.

ShiWarrior · 13 Jul 2023 at 12:31

I was driving home from work on Tuesday, 30 zone going into national
I'm in the 30 doing 30, see a merc in my rear mirror in the distance going more than 30 , so anyway, concentrating on the road ahead, I start to accelerate up to 60 as I'm just approaching/ in the 60 zone, then I see a car next to , with an oncoming car, the car over taking me carried on accelerating, so I had to take avoiding action by slamming my brakes on as the car driving towards me didn't slowdown ether :confused:

cheesefest · 13 Jul 2023 at 20:42

Driving back from hairdressers. Car overtook me to go into her driveway. Almost colliding into the van going in the opposite direction.

How i supposed to know where the driver lives?

cheesefest · 13 Jul 2023 at 20:47

Siliconslave said:
Why can't people reverse? I live down a single track road in the middle of the Norfolk countryside - the number of times you meet another driver and they refuse to reverse a few meters to the pass space they've just passed is frankly astounding

I have been in this situation many times. Was on a single track lane in Somerset/Dorset area. Driver in opposite direction could see further than me and made me reverse into a farm entrance. Yet two places to pass on his side within 200m of this.

cheesefest · 13 Jul 2023 at 20:54

Jay85 said:
This roundabout in Sheffield, on a daily basis i have people cut infront of me because they think they can choose either lane. Nearly had a few accidents where i very nearly got side swiped! When you pip them, they are absolutely oblivious as to what they just did. Indicated by the Yellow arrow, swiping right across a lane of traffic.

A similar situation in Leeds with the Leeds City Loop! Every parent who has taken their child to Leeds Uni or Leeds Beckett (formally Leeds Metropolitan) has experienced being in the wrong lane with one car length opportunity to change lanes.

I recognise that roundabout with the Park Hill flats in the distance

Resident · 13 Jul 2023 at 21:57

Jay85 said:
This roundabout in Sheffield, on a daily basis i have people cut infront of me because they think they can choose either lane. Nearly had a few accidents where i very nearly got side swiped! When you pip them, they are absolutely oblivious as to what they just did. Indicated by the Yellow arrow, swiping right across a lane of traffic.

It's usually taxis either taking the left A61S or Vic Quays lanes then cutting up people in the City lane because they don't wanna wait

Resident · 13 Jul 2023 at 22:00

Greebo said:
Well almost died again today driving to work.

On the A66 dual carriageway driving at 74mph in the fast lane as coming up to a right hand turn when I notice that the opposite carriageway is totally blocked due to an accident.

Just before the accident there is a right hand turn from the other carriageway and obviously people who dont want to wait for the road to clear can turn off or do a u turn (I assume the are allowed to do a U turn? Will have to check as I would imagine a U turn from a dual carriageway into another dual carriageway would be dangerous?).

Anyway there is a wagon carrying gas bottles pulling a trailer full of bottles waiting in the central reservation. No idea whether he just didnt see me or just didnt care but as I am coming up on him he pulls out and keeps going so he has the entire carriageway and hard shoulder blocked off due to his length and poor turning circle.

Thank god the brakes on my xsport X5 are enormous. One emergency stop later and brown trouser moment, I managed to not hit this truck.

Going to download the on board camera footage later and send to the business and the police.

Traffic Commissioner would also be interested.

cheesefest · 14 Jul 2023 at 06:52

Greebo said:
Well almost died again today driving to work.

On the A66 dual carriageway driving at 74mph in the fast lane as coming up to a right hand turn when I notice that the opposite carriageway is totally blocked due to an accident.

Just before the accident there is a right hand turn from the other carriageway and obviously people who dont want to wait for the road to clear can turn off or do a u turn (I assume the are allowed to do a U turn? Will have to check as I would imagine a U turn from a dual carriageway into another dual carriageway would be dangerous?).

Anyway there is a wagon carrying gas bottles pulling a trailer full of bottles waiting in the central reservation. No idea whether he just didnt see me or just didnt care but as I am coming up on him he pulls out and keeps going so he has the entire carriageway and hard shoulder blocked off due to his length and poor turning circle.

Thank god the brakes on my xsport X5 are enormous. One emergency stop later and brown trouser moment, I managed to not hit this truck.

Going to download the on board camera footage later and send to the business and the police.

Could have caused more issues if any of the gas bottles fell of the truck. Seen one gas bottle truck with the bottles moving about a great deal.

Nasher · 14 Jul 2023 at 08:17

Almost had a crash this morning while driving out of a carpark. Someone suddenly launched out of a space without looking :/

Yaayuh! · 14 Jul 2023 at 08:33

No so much bad driving as just being a grumpy nob.

Trundling along a busy road in town at about 5mph in the traffic light queue, as I do every day. A guy pulls out of a side road in his pick-up and sits in a yellow box to check for oncoming traffic before crossing over an heading the opposite direction. Not a problem, happens almost every day, large space ahead of me for him to do the manoeuvre.

I slowly approach the car as he's waiting and it looks as though he didn't like the fact I was still approaching as he pulled off as he mouthed "F-U Axe-wound!" whilst giving me the chav-lad death stare...

It's a Friday, man. I presume he got out the wrong side of his cot this morning and didn't have time to eat his favourite crayons.

Jay85 · 14 Jul 2023 at 11:21

cheesefest said:
A similar situation in Leeds with the Leeds City Loop! Every parent who has taken their child to Leeds Uni or Leeds Beckett (formally Leeds Metropolitan) has experienced being in the wrong lane with one car length opportunity to change lanes.

I recognise that roundabout with the Park Hill flats in the distance

Resident said:
It's usually taxis either taking the left A61S or Vic Quays lanes then cutting up people in the City lane because they don't wanna wait

This is my daily commute to work so im always on the look out lol. The problem with this area, once there's an accident it will cause a traffic jam always back up the parkway back up to the M1! Been stuck in this for over an hour before and had to detour round Meadowhall to re-enter the city.