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3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Leon on Derv
I was going to post this eariler in the week but considered it pointless; following events in the early hours of this moring I changed my mind.

In the last few days I have seen some of the most foolish / dangerous behaviour on the roads some involving motorists and other road users.

1 - Started on Thursday morning - I was sat in a stationery queue of rush hour traffic when a man wearing a suit passed me on a unicycle.... (I kid you not!) Got me thinking, surely that is neither safe nor legal. Dont think they have brakes for one thing.

2 - On the same afternoon I witnessed a middle aged guy attempting to start his car from another using jump leads while sitting next to a petrol pump on the forecourt of a supermarket filling station. When one of the staff pointed out the foolishness of this and told him not to use the leads on the forecourt, he let rip with a torrent of expletives and scared the life out of the poor girl.

3 - On Thursday night I was driving through the city at closing time when a young bloke who had obviously more alcohol in him than common sense decided he would run headlong towards oncoming traffic with both arms outstretched in a similar fasion to a primary school kid impersonating an aeroplane. There was much screaching of tyres and this fool missed being wiped out by about 8 - 10 feet as the driver of the on coming vehilce did not react as soon as (s)he might have. He dived towards the pavement where he thought it would be amusing to roll around acting like the car had actually hit him, as his mates cheered and aplauded. Made me so angry to think of the consequences for the other motorist had (s)he hit him, I wanted to go over and pound him into the ground just for his sheer stupidity - tough love or road rage - i'm not sure which!

4 - I was driving home in the early hours of this morning in fair conditions (slightly damp well lit road, no traffic with good night viz) when I saw a car which had left the road on a straight stretch reducing a 20ft long wooden D-rail fence to matchsticks. Myself and another passing motorist stopped at the scene to find a seriously wrote off car with a fatally wrote off teenage driver - no further comment as cause has yet to bed determined.

There is still no real point to this post, but I cant help but replay all these events over in my head. I've concluded the first 3 road users are just too stupid to be allowed to use public roads. As for number 4 - my thoughts have been for his family today.

Take care out there,
Leon
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - BobbyG
Sorry to hear that Leon especially the fatality.
It always brings things home to you when you actually experience first hand situations which we often read about from a distance.

Just now there is a family mourning the loss of their son/ brother etc. Our thoughts are with them.
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - john deacon
one of the fashions amongst the disabled kids in their electric wheelchairs round here appears to be an advanced sort of militant disabled rights protest, along the lines of the idiot cylists who take over london on certain days and scream abuse at the drivers, anyway these teenagers in elec wheelchairs have taken to using their chairs in the road quite frequently in the city centre, and not the side of the road either, right up the centre

while i sympathise with them, one of them will be killed soon, and no doubt the driver will be blamed
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Imagos
i see point 3 often in my town centre very often. Sometimes i feel like running them over just to teach them a lesson, after all it's going to hurt them more than me :-)

3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Ian (Cape Town)
... and with new legislation for 24 hr pub opening, expect it during your Thursday morning trip to work, sunday morning trip to get the papers etc etc etc.


3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Avant
I'm glad you posted that, Leon: it helped you by getting it off your chest, and it reminds us to be vigilant and watch out!

It's also frightening that 1 to 3 all have the vote! As for 4, all we can do is think of and pray for his family - and try to do our best for our own children. Sadly so many teenagers don't accept that experience counts for anything: you have to do it by persuasion rather than laying down the law, but even that doesn't always work.
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - cub leader
Sadly so many teenagers don't
accept that experience counts for anything: you have to do it
by persuasion rather than laying down the law, but even that
doesn't always work.

unfortunately most of us young drivers only realise that experience counts after having made a bad mistake. My friend had a skoda Felicia for 4 weeks before writing it off at high speed on a wet road. calmed down for a bit had another minor accident and is know a fairly safe driver. we all make mistakes its drivig carefully enough to not make big ones that helps. maybe pass plus or IAM should be compulsory!
--
I'm a student, I have time!!!!
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - carl_a
The first 3 are just a sign of the times. As one great American radio talk show host says "It's sick out there and getting sicker".
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Bromptonaut
Sorry to hear of these experiences, wonder how many other travellers "passed by on the other side" before you stopped to offer assistance

Biggest danger with the unicycle is probably the loss of attention it causes in others!. No brakes, but no freewheel either, so little danger of a runaway.
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Pugugly {P}
En route from a friend's house on Anglesey last night, "making progress" (quite legally)along an unlit bendy section of the A5025 saw a moving patch of darkness a bit darker than the night around it, turned out to be an agricultural type on a quad towing a large box trailer with zero lighting to the rear. Incredibly stupid action. I missed him hoped the cars behind me did as well !
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - PatrickO
The one I like is the Chav that crosses the road slowly when you are driving toward him and they just look at you as if to say, "If you hit me I shall not die as I am Chav man!" (I'm too cool to run, also bullet proof and well 'ard). You do feel like running them over just to teach them a lesson.
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - BazzaBear {P}
The one I like is the Chav that crosses the road
slowly when you are driving toward him and they just look
at you as if to say, "If you hit me I
shall not die as I am Chav man!" (I'm too cool
to run, also bullet proof and well 'ard). You do feel
like running them over just to teach them a lesson.


Aiming for them would be wrong (probably) but there's nothign wrong with gunning the engine a bit,a nd I find if you beep the horn when a few inches away from them, they jump in a most satisfying way.
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - BazzaBear {P}
3 typos in one sentence. I'm very proud.
For that matter, I'm a little hazy about my use of commas. (or is that comma's?) ;)
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Stuartli
"commas" is correct - the second version means "comma is".

People's stupidity on the roads, whether as drivers, riders or pedestrians, is often mind bogglingly stupid and irresponsible.

Which is one reason why we really do need to go back to every police force operating a full complement of traffic cars, equipped with all the latest technology to record such incidents if and when they come across them.

The traffic car crews can also take the appropriate action with offenders to help them realise the folly of their ways.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Clanger
"commas" is correct - the second version means "comma is".

Or "belonging to comma" ...

Was overtaken while turning right into a single track road last week. Paused in the middle of the road to let the car out so I could enter, quick "lifesaver" in the door mirror before setting off only to find it full of Clio headlights. How the Clio passed between me and the car exiting the s-t-r I will never know. We were in a 30 limit and it was dark, and I guess the Clio was doing over 50. Got a fleeting impression of baseball caps and open mouths (mine as well) as it passed. No number plate lights. I wished them a handful of flat tyres ...
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - mfarrow
>> "commas" is correct - the second version means "comma is".
>>
Or "belonging to comma" ...

Though there are exceptions to possession spellings, like "its".

I was in town driving between two "raised" mini roundabouts spaced about 20 yards apart. Keeping in the middle of my lane (cycle track to left), I see in my passenger's front window a BMW 3-series overtaking on the inside! I thought not to dignify his action with a reponse, and I ended up following him up the road anyway, so he didn't get very far.

There's also a crossroad which has been changed to a "Straight Ahead Only". They couldn't have made it clearer:

- Big white arrow on the road with the words "AHEAD ONLY" written underneath.
- Green "Straight on" arrows in place of old lights.
- Old lane markings burnt away and white hatchings now either side of "AHEAD ONLY" and arrow.
- "No right Turn" and "No Left Turn" pictorial signs on yellow background with "AHEAD ONLY" written underneath, at both 5 and 10 yards before the junction.

Has been in place before Christmas, and I still see people turning right and left! Arrgggghhh!!!!
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - cub leader
3 typos in one sentence. I'm very proud.
For that matter, I'm a little hazy about my use of
commas. (or is that comma's?) ;)

You should speak to L'escargot. Very good at sorting out spelling and grammatical errors!!
--
I'm a student, I have time!!!
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - AR-CoolC
Mrs C walked into the house yesterday with a great big grin on her face after popping to asda, now I know popping to asda very rearly puts a smile on your face, so asked why.

It turned out that one of the above mentioned chavs was standing at the roadside next to a large puddle with a look of "I'm chav-man thefore you cannot splash me" so she turned the steering wheel slightly to the left and completely soaked him.

It made her day.
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - commerdriver
Satisfying though it may be, (and I wish i'd seen it) doesn't that leave you open to a charge of driving without due care?
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - mfarrow
His word against hers.

If he's got evidence (unlikely), she could claim "I had to swerve slightly to avoid a stray dog" :-)
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Altea Ego
It made her day.

It may have

But will it make her day when "chav man an 'is mates spy er car in Asda car park and stick the tyres wiv a chav blade, or gouge ace marks in the paintwork wiv a chav key or put the winders in"
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - GrahamF1
Probably not.

The reason behind my policy of only splashing youths for fun when nowhere near home, work, or anywhere else I leave my car.
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - AR-CoolC
It wasn't in asda car park, but in the street between there and home which is a couple or three miles away. Also bearing in mind she drives a silver Punto, they would be very lucky to see her again.

I'm still smiling now thinking about it, I wish I was in the car at the time.
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - BazzaBear {P}
Was the youth in question doing anything wrong at the time besides looking like a chav? Can't help thinking that, however satisfying, your wife was maybe a little harsh.
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - smokie
Yeah, somewhat Chavvy behaviour by your Mrs I'd say :-)
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Bromptonaut
so she
turned the steering wheel slightly to the left and completely soaked
him.
It made her day.


Ha Ha Ha, somebody did the same to me while I waited (astride the Brompton) to turn into a London street. I laughed all the way into the office and all the dripping way up the stairs.

If I'd caught him I'd have emptied my drink bottle in his lap.
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - LukeMH
>The one I like is the Chav that crosses the road slowly when >you are driving toward him and they just look at you as if to >say, "If you hit me I shall not die as I am Chav man!" (I'm too >cool to run, also bullet proof and well 'ard). You do feel like >running them over just to teach them a lesson.

In Blackpool / Preston, the Chavs, don't just walk slowly, they stop, in the middle of the road, forcing you to slam your brakes on, while they and their mates have a good laugh and stick their fingers up at you, thow stones at your car, etc. The only way to combat this is to drop down 2-3 gears and put your foot to the floor as you aproach any Chavs that look like they are going to step out into the road. This makes them change their minds very quickly

People probably say that is irressponsible, as you might actually hit them, but its either that or face having your car damaged, get carjacked while you are forced to make a complete stop, for the amusement of a bunch of s**mb*gs
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - LukeMH
Idiot stories to add to the list

1) This is a standard/common one. Every day on the way to work I drive down a long single cariage way which has several roundabout in the middle of it. As it is impossible to overtake, at EVERY single roundabout, the BWM and Merc drivers try to overtake by going straight ahead in the turn right only lane. This results in a near collision, lots of screaching tyres, horns beeping and swearing. This happens every single day at every roundabout and its always the same handful of 5-6 cars that do it. They are risking an accident 10+ times a day for the sake of getting 4-5 cars in front. Thats madness????

2) Only a week ago, I was driving on a dual carage way, there were no cars in the inside lane, and a car in the outside lane doing about 45-50mph. (the speed limit here was 70mph) I flashed my headlights, the car didn't move, I flashed again, still nothing, after flashing and beeping at the car for ages the driver decided to move over (we had traveled over 5miles with him refusing to move over driving at 45-50mph on a straight dual carageway) into the inside lane. I floored my car to get past him (he was doing about 45mph at the time) and he decided to speed up, I was doing 70mph alongside him, so I put my foot down more, 80, 90 ..... he continued to match my speed and drive alongside me. As I couldn't get past him (at a sensible speed) I pulled back in behind him and broke back down to 70... he broke back down to 50mph again. So off I go again flooed it up to 100mph to get past him, and for about 2mins he drove about 6 inches from the back of my car at the same speed as me, before slowing back down to 50mph and pulling back out into the outside lane on this empty dual carageway.

3) On a long journey on the M6, I was in the outside lane overtaking another car, both myself and the car I was overtaking were travelling at considerable speed, so you couldn't say we were holding anyone up, nor was I overtaking at only 1mph fast then him. Quick as a flash, from out of nowhere (I never saw the car aproaching from behind in my mirrors) a vauxhall Astra shot between my car and the car I was overtaking .... using a non-existant gap between the 2 cars. I have no idea how he got down the middle of us and he must have brushed our wing mirrors in the process. The car was doing in the region of 110-120mph. I watched in complete shock as the car then drove to the next block of cars in front, swerved from the 4th lane to the hard shoulder, undertook a huge number of cars and then swerved back out to the 4th lane again. That is the worst driving I have ever seen in my life (or the best?, if he managed to go down the middle of 2 cars at 110-120mph without killing several innocent people on the motorway)
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - SlidingPillar
I had a very similar occurrence to number 2. Driving at about 65 mph (my Land Rover likes this speed) on the lane 1 of the M25, I close on a Renault doing about 55. Signal and pull out to overtake (plenty of room no-one inconvenienced). He speeds up to exceed my speed, I go "ho hum" and pull in behind him.

He slows down and the same thing happens again. And again. Other than he was not going to be overtaken by a Land Rover there was no reason for this. As I had quite a way to go, I eventually saw my opportunity with closing pack of cars, and overtook him and several other cars by going into lane 3 when he was blocked from pulling out and obstructing.

The funny thing is he then overtook me at about 90 I guess and stayed a resolute 1/2 mile ahead, at 65. Speed I wanted to travel anyway so remarkably silly.

I might add the conditions were dusk, not much traffic on average, and my ?excessive? speed quite reasonable.
Leon are you OK - Pugugly {P}

After the events of that night ?
Leon are you OK - Happy Blue!
Yep, just what I was going to ask. Any news about the poor lad's family?
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
Leon are you OK - Leon on Derv
Thanks for your concern chaps.... I am fine - just took a few days to clear my head. To close off this thread - there were no witnesses to the accident and no other vehicles involved. Police have made appeals for information, the media have reported that the car was caught by high winds. There were no tyre marks up to the point where the car left the road, so any of many theories could be applied.

The smashed up fence has been repaired and the only evidence of a fatality is a small bunch of red flowers attached to the fence.

This is not the first fatal RTA i have encountered up close, but as I get a bit older I tend to think a bit more deeply about the shockwave effect to the friends, family, colleagues and community.

Once again, thanks for your concern...

Leon
3 x idiots - 1 x unfortunate - Big Vern
1 - Started on Thursday morning - I was sat in
a stationery queue of rush hour traffic when a man wearing
a suit passed me on a unicycle.... (I kid you not!)
Got me thinking, surely that is neither safe nor legal.
Dont think they have brakes for one thing.

>>

You don't need brakes on a unicycle, the cranks are connected directly to the wheel, i.e. you pedal backwards you go backwards. As such you have tremendous control over your speed and direction etc [not whilst learning though :o)] My bicycle is not required to pass an MOT so how can you define what is and what is not legal with regard to pedal cycles?

That said unless his uni had a large wheel ( greater than 22 inch) the gearing will be so low you would better walking unless travelling less that 1 mile. I speak from bitter experience of doing parades on a 8 foot high giraffe unicycle. Legs weren?t the same for days later!