At least they didn't try to force you off the road, or in the case of one berk, he put his foot to the floor whilst I was overtaking, going from 45-50 (on a 60 limit road on good conditions) to 80+. Some people are just dangerous, selfish *********.
I experienced a similar situation a while back on the North Yorks Moors heading to Whitby, past Fylingdales. The road was straight with clear visibility of over a mile ahead, no traffic approaching, yet the driver who'd been dawdling at 45mph for the past 5 minutes immediately stamped on his throttle as soon as I was level with him during my overtake.
As it happens, I had plenty in hand to complete the overtake, as the road ahead was clear.
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As it happens, I had plenty in hand to complete the overtake, as the road ahead was clear.
Unfortunately the planned speed limiters will aid such lunatics in their quest to force anyone daring to overtake them into an emergency situation , presumably punishment for not abiding by their dictate of how the road should be driven.
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A lot of empathy for S40 Man.
A few weeks ago, travelling in the dark on a similar road, there was a Honda CRV in front of me.
Whilst it was travelling rather slowly for the conditions in my opinion (30-35 MPH), I was in no hurry.
However, every time a car came in the opposite direction, the CRV's brake lights would come on and the car would slow to anything between 15 and stationery. Very frustrating.
"If you are worried about driving at night, stay home", I thought.
I had bets with myself whether it was a female or an old(er) bloke, possibly with hat.
When they eventually turned off, it was the former.
As to speeding up to hinder or prevent an overtake, this seems to happen more often now. Not only has the skill of safe overtaking been almost lost, the attitude of many is that the overtaker is either driving dangerously or being aggressive.
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A few weeks ago, travelling in the dark on a similar road, there was a Honda CRV in front of me.... every time a car came in the opposite direction, the CRV's brake lights would come on and the car would slow to anything between 15 and stationary.
Perhaps the reason was being dazzled by each approaching car. I sympathise with that, especially if the road was wet.
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A few weeks ago, travelling in the dark on a similar road, there was a Honda CRV in front of me.... every time a car came in the opposite direction, the CRV's brake lights would come on and the car would slow to anything between 15 and stationary.
Perhaps the reason was being dazzled by each approaching car. I sympathise with that, especially if the road was wet.
Slowing down to 15mph for someone coming the other way is simply dangerous and if their eyesight is that bad they should not be driving.
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<< Slowing down to 15mph for someone coming the other way is simply dangerous and if their eyesight is that bad they should not be driving. >>
Sorry, but that's just ridiculous and heartless. During rain the road is (obviously) reflective, and over-bright modern headlamps make almost everything else invisible. Lane markings disappear and the only likely navigation feature may be an illuminated kerb. It's not just a question of 'bad eyesight'.
And presumably continuing at 30mph might be twice as dangerous?
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<< Slowing down to 15mph for someone coming the other way is simply dangerous and if their eyesight is that bad they should not be driving. >>
Sorry, but that's just ridiculous and heartless. During rain the road is (obviously) reflective, and over-bright modern headlamps make almost everything else invisible. Lane markings disappear and the only likely navigation feature may be an illuminated kerb. It's not just a question of 'bad eyesight'.
And presumably continuing at 30mph might be twice as dangerous?
If every time someone comes towards you and you have to slow down to 15mph you think that person should be driving? That's ridiculous. They are a danger to themselves and to others.
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If every time someone comes towards you and you have to slow down to 15mph you think that person should be driving? That's ridiculous. They are a danger to themselves and to others.
Depends on the road.
If it was on a well marked unclassified county road then you're right. On the other hand it might be something narrower but just wide enough not to need passing places?
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If every time someone comes towards you and you have to slow down to 15mph you think that person should be driving? That's ridiculous. They are a danger to themselves and to others.
Depends on the road.
If it was on a well marked unclassified county road then you're right. On the other hand it might be something narrower but just wide enough not to need passing places?
From the original description it was a well marked country road so no need to slow down.
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From the original description it was a well marked country road so no need to slow down.
TBH I thought we'd moved on from OP's specific incident and into a more general discussion.
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Depends on the road.
If it was on a well marked unclassified county road then you're right. On the other hand it might be something narrower but just wide enough not to need passing places?
You're partly right, it's wide enough for two cars, but not wide enough to warrant a dividing white line, hence why you may need the other drivers cooperation.
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‘Unfortunately the planned speed limiters will aid such lunatics in their quest to force anyone daring to overtake them into an emergency situation , presumably punishment for not abiding by their dictate of how the road should be driven.’
The planned speed limiters will be able to be overridden by pressing the accelerator to the floor, just like kickdown in an auto.
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The planned speed limiters will be able to be overridden by pressing the accelerator to the floor, just like kickdown in an auto.
Did a politician or a press article say this, if so i'd take it with a large pinch of salt like everything else they say, we've had limiters for years in lorries, they've caused nothing but trouble on the road and at no point was there ever a legal override.
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At least they didn't try to force you off the road, or in the case of one berk, he put his foot to the floor whilst I was overtaking, going from 45-50 (on a 60 limit road on good conditions) to 80+. Some people are just dangerous, selfish *********.
That’s potentially dangerous. A year back someone blocked my overtake on a short dual carriageway section, then slowed down and dawdled on the winding single carriageway stretch that lasted for miles. Most people are considerate, but sometimes I do wonder if the brain cell count reaches double digits.
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At least they didn't try to force you off the road, or in the case of one berk, he put his foot to the floor whilst I was overtaking, going from 45-50 (on a 60 limit road on good conditions) to 80+. Some people are just dangerous, selfish *********.
That’s potentially dangerous. A year back someone blocked my overtake on a short dual carriageway section, then slowed down and dawdled on the winding single carriageway stretch that lasted for miles. Most people are considerate, but sometimes I do wonder if the brain cell count reaches double digits.
I've mentioned this before in another thread, but there was an elderly couple in a BMW I think on the local dual carriageawy, tootling along at 55mph and not even bothering to pass the vehicle in the inside lane, after pulling out! They stayed there for about 3 miles. Didn't even look in his mirrors once - I don't think they were even aware of people flashing and tooting them. And this was the second time I'd seen them do this on the same stretch of road in a few months.
I could easily see the same bloke going the wrong way down the same road at night, something that has unfortunately happened more than once on that road. Some people shouldn't be on the roads.
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Some people shouldn't be on the roads.
I agree with you, but maybe some of them have been forced into making their own travelling arrangements because the public transport systems are so dire, especially in rural areas. Just a sad fact of modern life.
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Some people shouldn't be on the roads.
I agree with you, but maybe some of them have been forced into making their own travelling arrangements because the public transport systems are so dire, especially in rural areas. Just a sad fact of modern life.
...and an indictment on modern society and how we deal with getting older and the treatment of the elderly. In days of yore, most people could walk to their local shop - even villages had one - nowadays, most people have to drive everywhere because smaller towns and villages are essentially dormitories with little or no shops of note or that stay open past 4pm.
The same goes for leisure activities - most little cinemas etc have gone, rarely do smaller towns have anything to do (except perhaps getting hammered with a kebab to follow) in the evening. You have to travel by car to do anything, plus, public transport is concentrated on the more populus areas and families are now spread all over the country.
Still, good driving habits (including courtesy towards both older drivers and, from them, to the rest of us) should be encouraged so people can go about their business reasonably and safely.
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<< ...and an indictment on modern society and how we deal with getting older and the treatment of the elderly. The same goes for leisure activities - >>
As long as you live in a capitalist society - enjoying its advantages - you have to accept that nearly all activities are businesses of some kind and must remain viable as determined by some kind of accountant. When the main public decides that their preferred shopping outlets are no longer in town centres, traditional commercial streets die off and the only way to shop is by car - as many people's weekly shop is too bulky to be taken home on public transport. Another reason why public transport only makes sense at rush hour.
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<< ...and an indictment on modern society and how we deal with getting older and the treatment of the elderly. The same goes for leisure activities - >>
As long as you live in a capitalist society - enjoying its advantages - you have to accept that nearly all activities are businesses of some kind and must remain viable as determined by some kind of accountant. When the main public decides that their preferred shopping outlets are no longer in town centres, traditional commercial streets die off and the only way to shop is by car - as many people's weekly shop is too bulky to be taken home on public transport. Another reason why public transport only makes sense at rush hour.
It depends - I've seen (and mentioned in the forum) OAPs go downhill health-wise very quickly once their transport lifeline is taken away from them. In the case of my neighbour, going from someone who could occasionally drive and went out occasionally, helped at home by his wife, to a house-bound person needing twice-daily carers to vists and whose only trips out are in the back of ambulance at 2am.
All this changed in a year or so, because he had to give up driving. To me, I think he's essentially given up and is just waiting for the inevitable to happen. Sad really. As such, perhaps we should be a bit more generous as a society when this sort of thing happens with public transport outside of peak times - at the very least having some kind of reasonably priced community-type taxi services for them. The longer they remain in good health, the better.
Anyway, perhaps something for another time, given I am straying off topic myself after calling that out on another thread today.
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It depends - I've seen (and mentioned in the forum) OAPs go downhill health-wise very quickly once their transport lifeline is taken away from them. In the case of my neighbour, going from someone who could occasionally drive and went out occasionally, helped at home by his wife, to a house-bound person needing twice-daily carers to vists and whose only trips out are in the back of ambulance at 2am.
Isn't the issue simply that he was going downhill health-wise?
Losing the ability to drive was one of many way points on that journey.
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It depends - I've seen (and mentioned in the forum) OAPs go downhill health-wise very quickly once their transport lifeline is taken away from them. In the case of my neighbour, going from someone who could occasionally drive and went out occasionally, helped at home by his wife, to a house-bound person needing twice-daily carers to vists and whose only trips out are in the back of ambulance at 2am.
Isn't the issue simply that he was going downhill health-wise?
Losing the ability to drive was one of many way points on that journey.
Partly, but his enthusiam for life quickly diminished because he couldn't walk the distance to the nearest bus stop, nor wish to wait around for ages for a bus (especially in bad weather).
Even my parents, who are about 5-10 years younger are on the same slope - my mum now will not drive on any dual carriageway or motorway due to nervousness, even at quiet times of the day and in good weather. It came about because she got used to doing local driving only and lost confidence.
My neighbour did have health issues, but I think also lost confidence and didn't venture out so much anyway, but giving up driving really kicked off his deterioration - almost losing the will to live, now trapped at home. I think that going out and doing things, with family, friends etc on a regular basis helps, including keeping driving skills/abilities up for as long as possible. Rather like getting daily exercise - they did things at their destination so their body and brain were exercised.
I think that sometimes this loss of confidence through lower usage (perfectly understandable) has unintended consequences, often that the perpetrator does not fully grasp. I suspect they often don't realise they are causing more than a nuciance to other drivers by either driving erratically or way too slowly. That being said, non-OAPs have just as much to be sorry for, given the poor state of driving these days.
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