Was driving to the office this morning, past the local school. its a 30 and i dont speed through here - the boys in blue like to set up a camera just after.
Obviously just dropped the kids off, a old toyota people carrier pulls out right in front of me, dangerously in my opinion, and he/she doenst make much of an effort to get up to speed, causing me to brake , . I flashed to indicate my displeasure.
Then, they applied the brakes and pointed to the 30 sign! I was astounded that they do something wrong and then make out im speeding. Honestly. They then stopped and let everyone out. Just to make a point.
Must be nice to have so much time on your hands.
And to make it clear, i am 100% sure i was not speeding.
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Afraid it happens. Those people who pull out like you describe don't have the ability to judge distances, and therefore speed so in their mind you were going too fast and that gave them the "right" to pull out. Dangerous, but will they they ever change their ways? I live near a school and the driving and parking is appaling and a danger to the kids. Indicators don't exist, yellow lines are ignored.
Or the other way of looking at it is some drivers have the mentality of "i'm here, live with it" and will pull out whatever speed you are doing, or pull across a junction into a yellow box, just because they are No.1 and everyone else has to drive around them.
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I've noticed many times that there seems to be a kind of psychological lock that tells people exiting from schools, car boots, any kind of "event" that they are in the main stream of trafic, and anyone else on the main road in the minor one. Parents driving in or out of school gates seem to think the main road goes right in through the gates too.
I'm not sure that they are being consciously discourteous, it's more just that they cannot comprehend that there might be anyone else in the world not going where they are going at that moment. When I've given a warning toot to someone just about to emerge from a school entrance they often look really puzzled, and can't understand why I'm not going to the school too.
Another habit I've noticed is that people who are turning onto a main road but only going a short way before turning off again, eg a quick left then right, invariably pull out straight in front. Again, they don't really see the road they are crossing. They may well be local, so it's their road anyway.
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On a similar theme more and more drivers seem to consider that they do not need to stop if they come up to a parked car on their side of the road, but simply pull out and expect the oncoming traffic to take any required avoiding action.
If I happen to be in the Volvo or the van, I will just keep going in the hope of giving them a brown trouser moment, but in more delicate vehicles discretion prevails.
Apparently in the event of a crash both vehicles would be equally at fault as there is no particular right of way for either driver as would apply where chicanes are signed, but it should be a matter of courtesy to give way.
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One mans junk is another mans treasure
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" On a similar theme more and more drivers seem to consider that they do not need to stop if they come up to a parked car on their side of the road, but simply pull out and expect the oncoming traffic to take any required avoiding action.
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I find they never do it why I'm driving my 7.5 tonner, nor my beaten up 405 estate, but they always do if I'm in SWMBOs Focus.
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Apparently in the event of a crash both vehicles would be equally at fault as there is no particular right of way for either driver as would apply where chicanes are signed, but it should be a matter of courtesy to give way.
Interesting. So I'm happily driving along a marked carriageway, when a car approaching me on the opposite side of the road decides to cross the centre road markings as they pull around a parked vehicle, coming into my marked lane and crashes into me, maybe not head-on but quarter-on, and this would be seen as a 50/50 accident?
Can this be true?
So if the same car did the same but just decided to cross the centre lines not due to a parked car but because they were incompetent, this would be deemed as 100% their fault?
Same scenario to me. I'm worried now!
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>> >> Apparently in the event of a crash both vehicles would be >> equally at fault as there is no particular right of way >> for either driver as would apply where chicanes are signed, but >> it should be a matter of courtesy to give way. >>
Can this be true?
Well TBH, I cannot quote chapter & verse on this but I am certain it comes down to that no motorist has the 'right' to any part of the road unless signage indicates this.
I presume though, should an accident occur, insurance companies/police would have a view on cupability depending on the position of the vehicles; I guess if one vehicle was the 'wrong' side of the centre marking this would have some considerable bearing on the matter.
Just to reminisce for a moment, about 40 years ago I was that very motorist and collided with the oncoming car. The owner of the parked vehicle very promptly moved it onto his drive ( it was on the apex of a bend which gave me some excuse ) leaving me to take the blame.
I disliked the whole experience so much that, up to now, i've not repeated it!
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One mans junk is another mans treasure
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I thought the HC said something about the car on the obstructed side having to give way?
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www.highwaycode.gov.uk/15.htm
139: Overtake only when it is safe to do so. You should
* not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake
* use your mirrors, signal when it is safe to do so, take a quick sideways glance into the blind spot area and then start to move out
* not assume that you can simply follow a vehicle ahead which is overtaking; there may only be enough room for one vehicle
* move quickly past the vehicle you are overtaking, once you have started to overtake. Allow plenty of room. Move back to the left as soon as you can but do not cut in
* take extra care at night and in poor visibility when it is harder to judge speed and distance
* give way to oncoming vehicles before passing parked vehicles or other obstructions on your side of the road
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If there is room for 3 vehicles across the road then it would seem stupid to stop and give way. In some places this would mean you'd never be able to get around a parked vehicle even if there was physically enough room due to the amount of oncoming traffic! Deliberately obstructing an oncoming car when there is room for 3 across should be classed as inconsiderate driving. Road travel is about cooperation and should be about making the traffic flow better for everyone.
teabelly
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.. If there is room for 3 vehicles across the road then it would seem stupid to stop and give way..
Alot of main-ish (esp. urban) roads now have a broad central hatching with discontinuous white lines
to re-inforce this very point, as some people 'insist' on driving on or near the carriageway
divider, so making for the unnecessary stopping of traffic trying to pass a parked/stationary vehicle
from oncoming . I try to make room when I see a 'constriction' point looming, as I hate needlessly inefficient motoring,
whether my fuel tank's affected or theirs.
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Yes of course this is what drivers *should* do and my grumble is that some don't.
However giving way is not a legal requirement and so can't be enforced.
Sorry I can't link to it but the home page of local yokel's Highway Code link says:
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Many of the rules in the Code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence. You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving. In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison. Such rules are identified by the use of the words MUST / MUST NOT. In addition the rule includes an abbreviated reference to the legislation which creates the offence.
Although failure to comply with the other rules of the Code will not, it itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, The Highway Code may be used in evidence in any court proceedings under Traffic Acts to establish liability.
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So if you were in collision with one of these overtaking vehicles it would be necessary to battle out with the insurance companies to establish liability; after all the overtaking diver could claim that the 'right of way' driver was speeding and had in fact encroached on *his* patch of road.
It all comes down to the fact that a motorist rarely has a absolute claim to a particular bit of road
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One mans junk is another mans treasure
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a,
it happens. It's annoying but today's driving is characterised by lack of observation and a lack of awareness of what's around the driver. Maybe I repeated myself there. Until someone buys me retro fit machine guns / missiles / phasers there's no point getting excited.
As for cars coming the othre way pulling out, I have no problem if there really is room and I'll budge over to help. If it's clearly pushing it, then, as I approach the parked car I'll make full use of my side of the road to make it clear I expect the oncoming car to stop. It usually works. Car body language is important and it helps to learn to read it and use it.
JH
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Same sort of thing happened to me today. young girl pulls out of a sideroad ..I brake and she stops halfway acroos the road. she then gives me the verbals in language that would make a sailor blush and speeds off. I don't pretend to be a breat driver driver but I try my best!
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I wonder what a "breat driver driver" is?
Sadly the kind of incidents described are commonplace, at least here in sunny Luton. I've had several cases of a near head on with someone coming the wrong way down a one way road. In the most recent case the other driver got angry because I would not reverse to let him continue.
Someone pulling out from a side road into your path is common. Someone entering a roundabout as you go round. is common. They do say that if you have to perform ermgency braking, then most of the time you are at fault. Well I have to do so maybe once a month, and I'm damned if I can see how I am at fault.
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Equaly bad can be the school run drivers who without indicating perform an emergency stop as soon as they see the slightest apology of a parking slot or better still the no parking zig zags right outside the gates.
After all why should they be forced to park in a nearby empty car park and walk 100 yards.
I actualy got reported to the police by some lunatic after a car pulled out straight in front of my van causeing me to have to swerve on to the empty pavment to avoid hitting the car, they took great umbridge at the fact that I found thier actions wrong and told them so.
Thankfully i took photos of the road and showed the police who decided to take no action. It is a shame that the police force cant spend some of thire time enforceing the no parking markings at the school rather than harasing an inocent driver.
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re the enforcement of zig-zags, I think its often down to the individual PC. In one town rearby, there is very little abuse, but in my village, the PC doesn't regard this sort of thing as important. Result: free for all. However, for sheep rustling, he's on the case...
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I am constantly amazed at peoples willingness to drive down the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic.Makes me want to get a cheap old banger,but legal of course,and not bother to take evasive action.
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Thought about getting a Sierra?
(Well I thought it was funny).
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Force them to ride a motorcycle for 12 months they would soon change their ways.
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Thought about getting a Sierra? (Well I thought it was funny).
I was waiting for that -I hope you're not calling my carefully maintained velocopede with it's shiny new MOT a banger ; )
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I am constantly amazed at peoples willingness to drive down the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic.Makes me want to get a cheap old banger,but legal of course,and not bother to take evasive action.
Hire a van.....
Seriously though I know how you feel. Couple of times now I've had to perform almost an emergency stop with planks just crossing over to the other side of the road when overtaking parked cars.
Having said that, IME a lot of blame has to be placed at the door of some of the drivers of the parked cars. The number of times I've come across folk who park 2 feet from the side of relatively narrow roads because they're only going to stay there a couple of minutes and can't be bothered to park properly as a result. There have been one or two occasions where I've had to stop for someone because they've pulled right out into my lane because of one of these idiots. It's hard to blame such a driver when he may not have realised as he started the manouvre how far out one idiot was. (OK he should have looked ahead, but it's a forgivable sin in my book).
As an aside, I was beeped the other day for the heinous crime of driving too slowly. Shortly before my turnoff, there was a huge puddle of water on the 60mph bypass A-road I was traversing. All the locals know about this, and slow down to maybe 20 or 30 to avoid having to go into the middle of the bendy road. About 500 yards after this is the turnoff. So, I didn't bother to increase my speed above 40 because I'd have only had to brake hard immediately afterwards anyway. Tailgater plank behind me decides to get the hump as he wants to go 70, and sounds the horn as I'm pulling into the (short) sliproad. At no point had I applied the brakes, and I'd started indicating well in advance. Well sorry for living mate...
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It interests (..and sometimes irritates ) me when oncoming drivers pull out onto 'my' side leaving far too big a gap between themselves & the parked vehicle . I'm aware of course of the dangers of parked car doors suddenly opening or of people (esp. kids) darting out etc., but in situations where these are not likely , .i.e obviously empty cars, deserted streets etc, some drivers seem to apply the 'door wide open 1 metre' gap rule .
Interesting because it seems their judgement of risk seems to conclude it's more (..and I hope this doesn't sound callous in any way) dangerous to hit a pedestrian emerging or a door opening than an oncoming vehicle head-on, at closing speeds of maybe 60mph or more.
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I've been reading this thread for a couple of days and lo and behold I experience an example of this this morning. I had pulled out of a filling station which is on a slight bend on a busy main road. Soon afterwards I noticed a motorcyclist attempting to overtake me (he was definitely not in sight when I pulled out). He wasn't going particularly fast and I pulled slightly to the left to let him past. It looked like a 'sensible' sort of motorcyclist - rider and passenger in matching protective gear on a tourer type bike - I got the impression they were 'middle-aged'.
Anyway, as I got round the next bend I could see there was a bit of an altercation. I can only presume that a transit-type van had pulled out of a side road in front of the biker causing him/her to brake quite sharply - the van seemed to then slam on his brakes causing the biker to brake even harder and swerve. The biker then attempted to overtake the van at which point the van driver swerved towards the bike forcing him wide towards the oncoming traffic. I thought it was incredibly stupid thing to do and put the lives of the biker and pillion in danger. There was much shouting and fist waiving and the biker then accellerated away.
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Yep you get a LOT of people pulling out in front of you-what gives?
They don't always get away with it though news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/62549...m
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c
He won't be doing it again then but there are two innocent parties who were lucky to esacpe with their lives. Time for a rant about cameras v patrol cars? What's the point? Just assume everyone else is an idiot and might do anything.
JH
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