Everyone thinks they're a good driver - especially the blokes.

Now, I think that my driving on the whole is better than average (i would say that wouldn't I?) However this is not to say that I am a good driver - I just think that the average is very poor.

I drive too fast sometimes, and let myself get aggrivated by other drivers, though at least I do try to look ahead and anticipate.

It's all the little things - how many times have I sat behind a stationary car with his brakes on instead of the handbrake?

Not so bad if it's just a few seconds, but for most drivers the handbrake is only used for parking - aprat from the fact that it isn't very nice staring into blinding red light after a hard day's work - but more importantly, if I shunted that car, his/her foot would come off the brake, and their car would move forward and hit something else.

One I didn't think of when I was young was when you are waiting to turn right, and you have your wheels turned already to go when the way is clear. I didn't think that a light tap up the rear would send me into the path of the oncoming traffic, as my wheel was turned.

Also, why do drivers (those who bother to indicate at all), not indicate to go right at an island, but do to come off? Why not go the whole hog and indicate properly the whole way round.

General lack of indicating is most vexing when you're sitting to wait to get out of a junction, and someone pulls off without indicating - making you miss you're chance to go.

Too many drivers have no regard for other drivers (or pedestrians).

I'm sure if I took my test now I'd fail.

We all need to chill out too - I was guilty this morning of slight road rage with a woman who was gestering at me to not drive so close (I'd just changed lanes doing about 20, and would have been close when I changed lanes, but then dropped back).

By jestering at me, she made me worse and want to drive even closer. At least I didn't ram her!

What vexes you lot?

Drivers pulling up in the right hand lane against the light at controlled junctions, with no indicators. Then signalling a right turn when the light changes !!!!!
Does my blood pressure no good at all.

That's one close to my heart too! You never know whether or not to go in the right lane if there's already someone there not indicating - in case they indicate right and hold you up when the lights change.

tailgaters, people with fog/driving lights on when conditions don't require/ people on mobile phones while driving - generally don't pay attention to those around them or the manner in which they're driving, those who don't acknowledge/thank u when u let them thru, people who block traffic at r-abouts/junctions as they think you're trying to get 1 space in front of them
people need to chill-out a bit more!

After 23 years I have bought another motorbike for the work run,I thought I would save the carly from the daily battering and reduce my parking costs..because of the time since my last test and a cock up at the DVLA I have to retake my test again.

I have just got back from a 3 hour lesson...Jeez you notice just how many bad drivers are on the road... and I hold my hand up I include myself in that also..

So if you want to see some really crappy driving look at it from a motorbike.

of course after all those years away from a bike I didn't wobble or make any cock ups eemmmmm....hope the instructor has a vauxhall

I've thought about getting a bike more than once - though the difficult test, and (moreso) the safety puts me off.

Defintately make my journey into work a lot quicker - dunno where I'd put the laptop and me butties though!

How about the bloke that follows you down the motorway slip road and dives into the space in the inside lane you're lining yourself up for?

Or the dozy gets on the inside lane on the motorway who don't move into the middle lane when you're trying to pull onto the motorway - even though the other 2 lanes are clear for 18 miles!

I dislike following someone down a sliproad who slows down when they dont see an enormopus gap, then slows down more, and more.... as if thats going to help.

Middle lane cruisers... I just dont understand it.

Sure if there is a car you will overtake in 30 secs, but on a clear motorway?

tailgaters... I reversed out of my driveway last night, another car came round the corner and had to slow to let me pull off, but then followed me so close I couldnt see his lights. This I didnt like.

Him, a middle aged man driving a Corsa, my car, 2 chaps in their twenties with near skinhead haircuts off to training. Almost annoyed me enough to stop and get out.....

Other pet hates... meeting Range Rovers on country lanes who refuse to get their large alloys near the mud at the side and sit in the middle.

Front fog lights.

Someone I was following at night doing 55 on a decent A road, dropping to 35 whenever there was oncoming traffic.

Things I like... courteous motorists.

drivers who approach a roundabout with right hand indicator,then go straight on!Why?
those that refuse to use bus lanes when its legal to do so and the inability to use the inner lanes of a motorway in case someone passes them.

Dumbheads who can't seem to grasp about bus lanes that are only active for two or three hours a day. Instead they treat them as 100% buslanes and avoid using them. They glare when you do. This should be a capital offence.

Sevenman - "Things I like... courteous motorists"

It's amazing how it can change you mood for the better being let out / thanked / whatever by courteous motorists.

I do dislike the ones who don't thank you - mind you I remember my brother once thanking someone by raising his hand about one inch above the gearstick - "How they going to see that you div" I jested. I have just caught some people waving to thank in pitch black, as opposed to flashing!

Worst ones are when you wait ages at one end of a street to let someone through from the other end, and they are totally oblivious / ignorant to your kindness. My reason for living was to let you through. Obviously.

Oh - another one. In front of a school near my house, there is a traffic calming thingy, where you have right of way when you are "in" the traffic calming thing (great explanation!) I always wait if there's someone coming through, but the amount of people that enter the stretch when you're already comming through. (Not to mention the ones that don't thank you for letting you through).

I tend to drive 1 mile extra to avoid it as it annoys me so much. (That's the drivers, and not the traffic calming, which is definately good in front of the school).

Kevin Mc

Another pet hate.

Some of the roads around me have a lot of parked cars, and they tend to come in ~50m lines of thereabouts. I have seen people parked at the other end with their headlights on, so you stop to let them come through and they just sit there.....

sidelights.

It helps to let it out! ;-)

I'm feeling all chilled!

Sat behind a car this morning who let about 20 cars through (he didn't have much choice in the matter!) and not one of the miserable gits thanked him.

I think most of it is drivers being gormless and totally ignorant of all around them.

Good drivers hmmm? VERY few about. I think all that has been said just about sums it up. I think driving can be improved by just one thing. Concentration. Concentration and courtesy....OK two things.
If you concentrate on your driving properly, and assume every other driver is a complete moron, who, at the slightest opportunity, will do something stupid, you cant go far wrong.
Like Kprm77, I thought I was a good driver, till I took a proper driving course. 8 weeks, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and passed as a Grade 1 Advanced (police) driver. Yes, I was a traffic cop. Nobody likes being critised for their driving, it seems that to do so, is to question their very manhood ( Women are not so aggressive).
I thought I could make a difference, I even trained as a driving instructor when I left the Police, but gave up ( [expletive deleted] pay from BSM).
I reckon a retest every 3 years should help a bit. It would make you think, and keep you up to date with all the changes in legislation and road signs!


Allan

Just though of some more pet hates....
Badly adjusted headlights in the car following you so that the back of your head starts to burn ( Peugeots seem worse)
People driving along a dual carriageway using full beam with ME going the other way.
Anyone wearing a hat ( just look for them) and especially if they are in a Rover.
People overtaking you in a 30 zone...when you are doing 35.
Idiots on motorways that weave in and out of traffic when its going slower than they want to go.
The list goes on...
Allan

Allan - I think you're spot on with:

"If you concentrate on your driving properly, and assume every other driver is a complete moron, who, at the slightest opportunity, will do something stupid, you cant go far wrong."

One of those things they can't really teach you, but you learn through experience!

Kevin Mc

The cyclist who rides non stop into your road from your left without a glance to his/her right. There must be quite a number who owe their lives to my reactions, yet if you hoot them you get the fingers, I even had one thump the car as I drove past.
Most of the forgoing are on my list, but the other week I let a hot VW driven by a young guy with a very short haircut in to the traffic & got a wave of thanks.

dave_H wrote:


but the other week I let a hot VW driven by a young guy with a very short haircut in to the traffic & got a wave of thanks.[/b]

It is usually difficult to guess who the courteous ones will be. Suppose I tend to have stereotypes in my head - so when a young shaven head chap in a clapped out Peugeot gave me a big wave of thanks the other day - it took me by surprise.

Of course us Saab types are very courteous! ;-)

People who do 40 mph in a 50 zone and carry on doing 40mph in the 30 zone.

People who do 40 mph in 60 mph zones but you need to get upto 80 to get past them.

People who zoom past you on the motorway and then cut across and go up the exit slip way (Apparently DRIVEN do this as one of their car assement tests...)

At the moment I don't use my handbrake at all because it's sticking. I will get it sorted soon .. PROMISE!!

I am not a good driver, even though I passed my test with only one minor fault. Simple reason is I don't do enough miles on varying roads.

I agree with the gripe about indication (or lack of). Tamworth is a terrible place, it's packed with roundabouts and the upshot of that is that in order progress, M.S.M. gets completely ignored. Most drivers don't even position their car in the correct part of the road relative to their intended exit. Put it this way, having 200bhp on tap helps when pulling out, especially at roundabouts!

And speeding in urban areas, I find realy despicable. Some of my mates are extrememly guilty of this, but then they can get away with it can't they?! I personally detest speed cameras put on fast roads, they are a simple case of profiteering. however, speed cameras in built up areas - I have no problem with at all.

And boyracers generally.

Oh .. and and and people who use their fogs/drivers lights in all weathers. HAVE MERCY ON MY CORNEA'S FOR PITY'S SAKE!!

Mpen is right as he is finding out you do see a lot of mind bogling things from the seat of a motorcycle, if you ride a bike it does make you a more alert car driver, although I am not perfect far from it, maybe some things I do wind up other people as things other drivers do wind me up, several years ago, I worked for the police for 13 years involved with police vehicles, (I was a civilian you understand) which ment I had to take the police driving course for the vehicles I were involved with, untill then I thought I could drive, but you do fall back into bad habbits as I have done, so when someone cuts me up ah well live and let live, except when I am on my bike, thats different If someone cuts me up then its treated as attemted murder and is treated acordingly.

Regarding the bright lights comment (esp Peugeots)... The reason is that the Peugeot 405 estate is a very populay reppy car which also has typical french suspension (soft). Hence, when Mr. Rep has loaded his full arsenal of sales gear into the boot of his Peugeot he should then take the 2 seconds of time required to adjust the headlight beam with the button provided just for him! But that obviously means appreciating the car enough to bother reading the manual and knowing where more things are than just the horn! *cough*. I am calm now.

No. 2. On the rare occassion that I am in the slow lane approaching a slip road I often see cars coming down it who will collide with me if I don't move. Surely I have right of way so, they should slow down or speed up, not just come on to the road and make me slam my brakes on to miss them (assuming I can't change lane) When I am about to join a carriageway I tend to check for cars in the mirror and over my shoulder, not just assume that if there is something there it will let me in!

What a great topic this is!

Jez,you are quite correct,the vehicle joining the motorway"should"use the slip road and if necassary,the hard shoulder to accelerate to a speed where they can slip into the traffic stream.But there again,when leaving a motorway , you should be in the nearside lane at or before the 300 meter board.These are the rules according to the highway code,now if the rate of literacy is as low as we are told it is , is it any surprise that no one knows the rules?

Can I add another one??

People who switch back to main beam before they have actually passed you

Trucks.

I should probably give a bit more detail, although I suspect most will understand without!

I used to try and keep a balanced opinion of 'truckers' in that there were as many good ones as those with, in my opinion, almost zero regard for human life. For each truck you let out there's another who will simply barge out forcing a serious stamp on the middle pedal. For each who waits to overtake the truck doing .5mph slower than him, there's another who drives side by side with him for a good few miles before he (or she!) is finally past. Pulling out into dual carriageways, from lay-bys, onto roundabouts. All this and an interesting stat from the D.o.T. that something daft like 50% off all trucks on the road are in such ill-repair they are dangerous and you see why I gave up on the good ones and tar anything with more than four wheels with the same brush. I could go on, but I'm sure you're all asleep by now!

I appreciate these guys have a job to do, but for a group who live on the road you'd think they'd realise the consequences of their actions.

Other pet hate isn't actually a road user.. People who start to cross the road by wheeling their pushchair/pram into the road first. Custard for brains IMHO.

.. and breath, and relax!

As a truck driver I thought I should ignore jd's comments,but I can't so here goes.
Yes we have idiots in our midst and we are not proud of that fact.and yes there is a problem with overtaking that has been made worse with speedlimiters.I was off the road for a number of years,when I returned to the saddle we had speed limiters,now these monstrosities are very crude and no two are set the same,there are other factors that decide the speed of a wagon at any one time,aerodynamics,load,number of axles on the road.one touch of the brakes can wipe 20mph off at a stroke,and building that speed again can take time.Yes we could all sit behind each other so as not to upset jb.but how would you like to sit in a several hundred ton sandwich looking at the back of a pig truck for miles on end?
If I need to pull out to over take on a busy road I start to indicate when there is a car alongside,that means I need to come out,after that car,if you boot it to ensure I can't,then tough mate, eat armco.
We have a limited amount of time available to us,no more than 4 1/2 hrs at a time.and that can be used in one traffic jam.
So sorry jb,but there is a reason for the truck to be in your way,show a little tolerance and courtesy and it will be returned.
One final thing.The stat from the D o t,I have driven every type of vehicle except for a car tranporter,including buses and coaches
and have done since 1959,in all that time the only really dangerous vehicles I have been asked to drive,have been passenger service vehicles

Appreciate the comments.. and I'm sure truck drivers see the most idiotic driving from other road users as well. If we had a rail or canal system to help distribution and didn't rely completely on J.I.T. methods I'm sure I'd have a different opinion as the numbers would be lower and consequently the occurances. I've just had too many heart stoppers where I've been completely cut-up to avoid several tonnes of metal turning up in my lane to be open minded anymore. Just because the indicator goes on doesn't mean the car has to slow down and let something out. Good practice, which I think I have some of, means if I'm travelling in traffic I let people over. Same applies for slow moving vehicles in the inside lane. Someone not wanting to have to ease of the throttle is not cause for me stamping on my brakes and getting a nice view of a metal bar. Like I said, I realise this is not total, but through whatever pressures, I'm seeing more and more - hence the generalist comments.

That said, the most amazing bit of driving I've ever seen was by an arcticulated truck driver. Not sure how he got into the position but basically had the end of the trailer in my stationary inside lane and the cab somewhere between the second and third. I sat dumfounded as it slid towards me and somehow the guy got it straight and under control and pulled into the lane a few hundred yards further up. I owe him a few Yorkie bars! ;-)

One thing I've not seen mentioned is roundabout ditherers. They are typically female, but not uniquely, and apparently daren't pull onto the roundabout if another vehicle is on it. Indeed some I've seen won't join if they can see as much as a milk float waiting to join from the nearest visibile road to the right.

The problems really come when they change their mind, go then stop, and the vehicle behind drives into them.

I know it sounds sexist but such drivers are, in my experience, mostly female, and I understand the phenomena is partially explained by women having a different spacial awareness to men (whopping generalisation). Some people might explain it by them having a better sense of self-preservation. But whatever, it's blasted well frustrating. And no, personally I've never driven into the boot of a roundabout ditherer.

JB.Do not hold your breath waiting for a better transport system,there aint one,we live on too small an Island for rail ever to be a viable proposition except for specific bulk loads,as for canals,leave them to the holiday maker,no business could afford the extra stock they would have to carry to cover that in transit.Every load starts and finishes its journey by road,the transfer time on and off rail is so long and costly as again to price rail out of the market without vast government subsidy's.
And road transports final trump card is flexibility,any load can be diverted with a phone call.

Another one about roundabouts, those that use the left lane to turn right cutting everyone up in the process, especially when they don't indicate.

Neil

They do it the other way round at M1 J5 & turn left off the roundabout from the right hand lane (of three!). BMW had to go round again this morning - lost game of chicken with artic (going all way round in left hand lane!!).