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"... I used to see it often, especially when I lived in Luton."
Interesting you should say that. Most days I take SWMBO to work in Luton and I must say I've encountered worse driving there than anywhere else I've been. Everything from testosterone-pumped youths in tarted-up old BMWs to can't-be-a***d taxi-drivers. There is a general tendency for all sorts of drivers to leave it dangerously late to exit the M1 at Junction 11, cutting across several lanes of traffic at the last minute to do so.
I've not encountered road-rage, though. Just a general "look-after-number-one/couldn't-care-less" attitude. Hardly ever do you get any thanks for giving way or waiting for someone.
Edited by FP on 09/05/2018 at 09:15
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Early on during my wife's time behind the wheel I adopted a very protective attitude towards the potential consequences of her occasional mistakes.
On one occasion she was driving us both along a main road, went to turn right, dithered, unsure of her turning, drove on a bit, indicated to turn right again and a driver who had been forced to wait behind her, twice, beeped his horn. I gave him the middle finger and he made as if to follow us, but thought better of it, and carried on his way. I think I recognised him, that he was a teacher at a local school, and probably thought his job might be at risk if he got involved in any confrontation.
Although nothing bad came of that non incident, it made me think about whether its worth getting aerated over what are often minor spats and misunderstandings. Nowadays, whenever potential conflict looms, I avoid eye contact with other drivers and keep my hands on the wheel. A raised hand, or ironically cheery wave in place of a rude gesture is remarkably effective. Although I still find tailgaters intensely irritating.
There was also a chap I knew in the fire service who was as meek as a lamb until he got behind the wheel of his car, whereupon he turned into a raving, arms flailing, obscenity spouting lunatic. He had several confrontations with other motorists until one person made a complaint to the fire service and he almost lost his job. That seemed to cure him, for a while.
Edited by argybargy on 09/05/2018 at 10:11
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<< I take SWMBO to work in Luton and I must say I've encountered worse driving there than anywhere else I've been. >>
I don't want to precipitate an ethnic argument, but I understand that Luton now has a large ex-Asian population. Perhaps they instinctively drive as they seem to in the sub-continent? :-)
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I moaned about bikers earlier in the thread but lets not forget the car drivers in Lincolnshire.
On an average summer Sunday there is a percentage that refuse to let people who dare to overtake them back in causing near head on collisions. The drivers that act irresponsibly are normally fully loaded with kids going to the coast (probably). When I learned to drive overtaking slower cars was actively encouraged and taught during my lessons, overtook another slower car on my very first driving lesson (my first time out in a car). You were also taught to give other drivers sapce to pull back in safely.
Have I missed something, have the rules been changed? Possibly different in Scotland, plenty of signs stating "allow faster vehicles to overtake".
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Have I missed something, have the rules been changed? Possibly different in Scotland, plenty of signs stating "allow faster vehicles to overtake".
Yes you have, I have come across a number of people who never overtake on a single carriageway and believe it to be dangerous.
Whether they are the same people who behave obstructively when overtaken, I don't know.
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It is a really good policy never to "engage" with an angry or agitated person no matter how rude they are being or how unnecessary their behaviour is. Doing so almost never ends well, even if it temporarily makes you feel better.
Their mood is their problem, not yours.
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<< I take SWMBO to work in Luton and I must say I've encountered worse driving there than anywhere else I've been. >>
I don't want to precipitate an ethnic argument, but I understand that Luton now has a large ex-Asian population. Perhaps they instinctively drive as they seem to in the sub-continent? :-)
Well they all seem to do as they please no matter who they are around my way, even had a person stop on a roundabout to drop the kids off for a local school, then had the front to swear to drivers for hooting at them.
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Depressing reading, though I find myself agreeing with both gordonbennett and nellyjak.
Having recently purchased a TV which has direct connection to Youtube and other apps, I've been watching UK dashcam footage posted on there by the 'sheriffs' one OP referred to.
Yes, many of the errors and misdemeanours are down to poor driving, but equally some of the dashcam warriors exhibit a startling lack of courtesey and patience. For example, the car in front changes lanes on the approach to a junction or roundabout and are firmly rebuked by a stupidly long sounding of the horn, together with a tirade of bleepable language, followed by an agressive accelerate to close in on the miscreant in order to teach them something. Or not.
Sometimes this leads to punishment braking. Entertaining to watch but not good.
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<< I take SWMBO to work in Luton and I must say I've encountered worse driving there than anywhere else I've been. >>
I don't want to precipitate an ethnic argument, but I understand that Luton now has a large ex-Asian population. Perhaps they instinctively drive as they seem to in the sub-continent? :-)
I'm certain that is the case. I happened to like most of the Asians I met in Luton, but the driving of some of them is indeed as per India/Pakistan. I've spoken with so many Indians and Pakistanis about life in their home country and it really is a different world. Landing at an airport in Pakistan, on a flight from the UK, greeted by relatives in a pick up truck carrying loaded weapons, and being driven home without visiting customs is just one example.
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I think part of the problem is severe congestion in Luton. Then of course you get an awful lot of people who learnt to drive overseas. I've had several near head on collisions with someone of Asian extraction driving the wrong way down a one way street, and shouting at me to get out of their way. The Asians tend not to be aggressive, just 'imaginative drivers' as one Indian lad described it i.e. they do not obey the Highway Code. It's the poor whites that are aggressive. And there are a lot of poor white areas in Luton. I had one person with a string Glaswegian accent shouting at me for no reason in a petrol station forecourt. I thought I was going to be attacked. I'm not sure what the Eastern Europeans drive like, but there are a lot in Luton.
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I drive allover the place.
Worst driving in my experience is around Bexill on the South coast where all the old folk go to retire. So many of these 70 plus people on the road, many without basic car control.
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I am fortunate that the part of the country i live and work in these days is relatively quiet with regards to traffic congestion, and that is fine by me!. Back when i was driving buses, driving into Aberdeen was a nightmare depending on the time of day, worst was when there was a football match on, absolute chaos!.
But years before that, living in Aberdeen and working at a Saab dealer, i discovered the perfect antidote to stress and road rage during rush hour traffic. One of my jobs was dropping off or picking up customers, or their cars, which often happened during rush hour. The solution was to be driving an automatic and have classic FM on the radio!.
How very civilised!
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But years before that, living in Aberdeen and working at a Saab dealer, i discovered the perfect antidote to stress and road rage during rush hour traffic.
Exactly. A comfortable car, a nice music system with an iPhone plugged in, and nice rural scenery. Bliss.
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I drive allover the place.
Worst driving in my experience is around Bexill on the South coast where all the old folk go to retire. So many of these 70 plus people on the road, many without basic car control.
I`d add camber sands to that, assuming you can get near it, last time I drove in that area the indians had taken over with knowwhere to park, even grassed areas were parked on which was a no no years ago
I even got told off for parking outside the fish and chip shop as this person was meant to keep the space for thier brother, not been back there since, crazy place
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Judging from my experience of the last few weeks, I'd advise anyone worried about being on the end of road rage to buy a Honda Jazz. Other road users expect you to be slow, to dither, to take sudden turnings without warning and to circle roundabouts several times in the inside lane while you work out which is your exit. If instead you drive in the least bit competently, they tend to be so delighted and relieved at not being in the slipstream of some dangerous old duffer that they're more likely to make allowances without getting all red in the face about it.
Having said that, some dozy clown in a white Fiesta pulled out in front of me in Mold today as I approached the local superstore, and when I beeped he shook his fist at me. If you're reading this, Sir, you may get away with shaking your fist at placid souls like me when you make a mistake on the road and they beep at you. However, there are people out there who, in a similar situation will chase you for miles and then punch you in the eye if they catch you. So think on the wisdom of acknowledging your mistakes.
Edited by argybargy on 09/05/2018 at 20:17
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Today, in a three hour journey, I was tailgated by 2 Audis, an 8 wheeler tipper, held up for 3 minutes at a T-junction by a woman in front in an MPV who coukdn't judge when the gap in traffic was long enough for her to pull out, and finally by yet another Audi which illegally used the bus lane to overtake 5 cars in front of me and then force its way into the queue.
Those are just the ones my passenger remarked on, there were many others I just noted and let pass.
I often wonder why there are not more road-rage initiated shootings in Texas and Arizona where it is common practice to carry a handgun, they must be more laid back over there.
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You'd really consider shooting someone for holding you up 3 minutes!!!
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I was always struck by how carefully Americans in Florida drove. Possibly not connected with the fact that other drivers might carry firearms.
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A car followed me for a couple of miles the other week, when I reversed into our drive he parked outside and got out, I sent the memsahib inside and popped the boot so I could get my equaliser (tyre lever), the driver was a few inches taller than me, and I wondered what I had done to earn his wrath.. He held both hands up as he approached and said “what a lovely car, I’ve wanted one for years, how long have you had it?” I then showed him what I had in my hand, and he apologised, unaware of the unease his actions had caused. We then had a long discussion on the merits of mk1 MX5 roadsters....
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A car followed me for a couple of miles the other week, when I reversed into our drive he parked outside and got out, I sent the memsahib inside and popped the boot so I could get my equaliser (tyre lever), the driver was a few inches taller than me, and I wondered what I had done to earn his wrath.. He held both hands up as he approached and said “what a lovely car, I’ve wanted one for years, how long have you had it?”
On two occasions now I've had people wander up the drive to express admiration for my caravan. They were both driving Transits and were definitely not members of the caravan club!
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I was always struck by how carefully Americans in Florida drove. Possibly not connected with the fact that other drivers might carry firearms.
probably because speeding fines are much bigger in Florida, while I was out there $175 for speeding, but double if workers were on the freeway/sideroads, a lot of work going on on 528 as well so I can see why....
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I was always struck by how carefully Americans in Florida drove. Possibly not connected with the fact that other drivers might carry firearms.
probably because speeding fines are much bigger in Florida, while I was out there $175 for speeding, but double if workers were on the freeway/sideroads, a lot of work going on on 528 as well so I can see why....
I wasn’t thinking of speeding, rather the lack of aggression while driving.
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I was always struck by how carefully Americans in Florida drove. Possibly not connected with the fact that other drivers might carry firearms.
probably because speeding fines are much bigger in Florida, while I was out there $175 for speeding, but double if workers were on the freeway/sideroads, a lot of work going on on 528 as well so I can see why....
I wasn’t thinking of speeding, rather the lack of aggression while driving.
I thought you may have guessed that the police in Florida will pull you for almost anything, so to be aggresive out there your likely to get put inside rather quickly
also there are more police in Florida that patrol than I have seen in UK for years, so it stands to reason drivers behave themselves
staff in the garage warned me to be aware of the police officers around as they are very strict.
I didn`t need to be told twice !
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When I first worked in Chicago, and started driving there, I was warned not to get into arguments as "everyone else has a pistol in their glove box".
So it's true few get aggressive, or argue even after a crash, it they do one tends to end up shot. So a different set of balances you need to work with.
Same with as very expensive car stereos never get stolen as "everyone would feel entitled to shoot anyone caught stealing them" so risk/reward calculation is very different for potential thief.
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Not the 70 pluses are a menace, incompetent, all old fools who should be banned from driving thing again. There are a lot of older people with sharp brains and excellent reactions around. Age is not an indicator of ability. There are many people of all age groups who drive well and many who don't.
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I take it you have never driven around an area regularly that has a high proportion of retired people...
Sure there are exceptions, but the generalisation helps you stay alive if you work with it, as mostly it will help keep you alive
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Then we disagree, generalisations are seldom worth taking heed of. The disrespect shown to the older people who drive is not good.
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Not the 70 pluses are a menace, incompetent, all old fools who should be banned from driving thing again. There are a lot of older people with sharp brains and excellent reactions around. Age is not an indicator of ability. There are many people of all age groups who drive well and many who don't.
Indeed. The worst group are young men, who have by far the most accidents. Elderly drivers are often annoying as they can be slow and dithering, but overall safe.
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If not exactly safe maybe less likely to cause a major high speed accident, just gotta watch out for those "faulty" accelerators and cars which suddenly take off by themselves. Oh and while I'm at it, twice recently I've been sat in my car in car parks when a resounding thump has signalled an elderly driver opening their door onto mine. In both cases they were quite unapologetic.
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If not exactly safe maybe less likely to cause a major high speed accident, just gotta watch out for those "faulty" accelerators and cars which suddenly take off by themselves. Oh and while I'm at it, twice recently I've been sat in my car in car parks when a resounding thump has signalled an elderly driver opening their door onto mine. In both cases they were quite unapologetic.
I agree about the door bumping, they usually respond with the "whats all the fuss about" attiutude, when a chip of paint the size of your toenail is missing from your motor.
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... I've been sat in my car in car parks when a resounding thump has signalled an elderly driver opening their door onto mine. In both cases they were quite unapologetic.
I remember parking my car, and soon afterwards another pulled up alomgside, followed by a door being banged into mine. The culprit was also unapologetic, but young middle-aged, who blamed the dog. It isn't always the wrinklies.
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It seems that the first thing that new drivers do is find out where the horn push is.
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... I've been sat in my car in car parks when a resounding thump has signalled an elderly driver opening their door onto mine. In both cases they were quite unapologetic.
I remember parking my car, and soon afterwards another pulled up alomgside, followed by a door being banged into mine. The culprit was also unapologetic, but young middle-aged, who blamed the dog. It isn't always the wrinklies.
I gave an Indian colleague a lift on many occasions . On one occasion he opened the door, and smashed it into the car next to us. It didn’t bother him, but I was mortified. He was quite young. Wrinklies do not commit all, or even most, of UK crimes.
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The ignorant come in all shapes ages nationalities sexes sizes and social/financial standing.
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