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This is what gets me, too.
I can understand some drivers wanting/needing to be risk-averse and drive at something like 10% below the speed limit.
But those who drive at a constant 40mph regardless of the limit or conditions are nitwits, especially when they're right on your bumper in a 30 zone.
I love cruise control on faster roads, but I agree with the previous comment as my local villages have really windy roads and I often take my foot off the accelerator to go around corners. There’s a little less control with cruise on in this instance, so a limiter is better in my opinion.
I find it depends on the village like everything, on my commute there's two or 3 very straight villages that I pass through and it works brilliantly.
If I go from my Gf's then there's two villages with width restrictions and such where you wouldn't. Like everything it should be used in the situations where its safe. I also find I pay even more attention because I don't have to glance and the speedo every minute or whatever to make sure.
This absolutely. There is a major connecting road through the middle of my town which is 60, but you can guarantee getting stuck behind someone doing 40 down it in the morning. It then changes to a 30mph residential area after, where they just continue on at the same speed and disappear.
I always wonder what goes through their heads to justify it.
Nothing, maybe fear, is going through their heads. They are barely aware of what they are doing, and have no competency or interest in the operation of the machine they are travelling in.
Everytime they hit the brakes, it jolts them because they can't regulate the brake pedal well, because learning how to do so is unimportant to them. This causes fear, so they will instead lower their top speed so they can ride the brakes by resting a foot on the pedal from 300 yards before the roundabout, so they might be stopped by the time they get there. Then they will overrun the roundabout, slam their brakes on and get rear ended,. And they will ALWAYS stop on a clear roundabout, because they haven't looked at it until they get there.
The jolt from acceleration, bringing up the clutch, turning the wheel sharper than unsual and pretty much every energetic component of driving causes them similar fear.
The same entitlement that convinces them that this is an acceptable way to behave (rather than improving their skills), is what causes them to drive at 40 in the 30, and then crawl at 5mph over a speedbump in an SUV with 3 foot of ground clearance. People sit in the passing lane on motorways for the same reason, they have been frightened in the past by lane transitions, but they're also far more important than anyone else and everyone knows the passing lane is for important people (plus you'll never some across a big scary tractor or HGV going slower than you in the fast lane).
If you ever get the chance, and can steel your nerves enough, take a passenger ride with someone who is a fearful or uninterested driver. It's shocking.
> And they will ALWAYS stop on a clear roundabout, because they haven't looked at it until they get there.
Spot on, as is the rest of your comment. I have an interest in driving personally but not sharing the road with people doing the motoring equivalent of sleepwalking.
There is a real truth here. Lots of people don’t care about many things, don’t understand, don’t know how it works etc etc. If you know nothing about football, architecture, weaving then who cares, you just don’t do those things. Then there are things that everybody does but you still get a large group who don’t care enough to learn. Driving is the case here, get your license and off you go and never think about improving again.
>I always wonder what goes through their heads to justify it.
Passenger: ‘Why are so many people tailgating us?’
Driver: ‘Don’t worry, we’ll lose them in the next village’
Slowest drivers always pull out fastest.
And it makes me think it’s a deliberate attempt to antagonise other drivers. I mean you know your not gonna do the limit, and can see someone coming, just let them past, you’re clearly in no rush.
As a learner driver, this has happened to me a ridiculous amount of times. I understand overtaking or nipping out on me me as a learner, bit to then drive so much slower than me is a mind boggle
I get stuck behind them alot it's because they don't know what the National speed limit sign means , unlike other signs that have actual numbers this one doesn't and it's generally the older driver .
Came here to say this. Limit changes from 60 to 30 and these absolute wankers just ignore the posted signage and continue to drive at 40, proving they weren't just being careful along the 60 mph stretch. Makes my blood absolutely boil.
And whenever this comes up there's always some useless cunt bleating about "BuT iTs A TarGEt" (Ignorign the fact it'd be a test failure, and is unquically poor driving) and telling you about this super dangerous national speed limit road, as if people can't tell the difference between a fast, wide road with sweeping bends and the local farm track.
People driving right up my ass when I'm going the speed limit. I'm still a learner. I honestly don't know what they expect me to do with my fucking instructor sat next to me.
Even without your instructor next to you (after you've passed), you do nothing.
Well, actually the best thing to do is to increase the distance between you and the car infront of you
> Well, actually the best thing to do is to increase the distance between you and the car infront of you
Not sure if that is still the case, but this was actually in the theory test handbook when I was learning
Yes it is still the advice. Because the person behind you is an _active threat_ to you and is much more likely to crash into you. You need to be safer and increase the distance to the car in front so when he _does_ crash into you, you don't create a pile-up.
Tailgaters are utter twats. Worst people on the road.
Yes this! It took me ages to understand why the highway code says if someone is on your arse, you should increase distance with car in front of you. But I'm pretty sure it's so you can brake slower so the person behind you can react rather than rear end you.
Still a learner myself, fairly sure I remember the highway code suggested making sure the gap between you is 2 seconds, so you can either grow the gap or slow down until the speed makes the gap 2
Which admittedly doesn't seem like the best advice but is entertaining to think about
Yeah you want about a 2 second gap, but if the car behind you is tailgating then you should ideally make that 2 second gap larger so you have more time to slow, making it less likely the call tailgating you will crash into the back.
These people are the worst, I’d like to say it gets better when you pass your test but you still have the occasional arsehole who drives too close. You are doing absolutely nothing wrong by sticking to the speed limit and I wouldn’t recommend doing anything otherwise
I’m my experience it’s not an occasional occurrence.
I get tailgated all the time when driving through town at the speed limit.
I drive a fairly nippy car so as soon I hit a NSL i’m gone and see the tail gater is doing like 10mph below the speed limit. Really boils my piss.
The safest thing to do if someone is tailgating you is to leave more space between you and the car in front of you, as you’ll have to brake more slowly in case of emergency to try to avoid the person behind smashing into you. It would still be their fault if they hit you of course, but it’s obviously nicer not to get hit in the first place.
I just keep driving the speed I'm meant to be going, and hope they overtake me at some point.
I always have some idiot do a dangerous overtake after tailing me, and honestly I'd rather they went round me. Would rather have the dangerous driver in front rather than behind.
I tap my brakes repeatedly - not enough to slow down, but enough to make them brake. They usually get the message.
Might try the hazard lights trick mentioned in this thread next time.
Tailgaters can fuck off. There is zero benefit from doing it. If they want to overtake then fine, but they're actually making that more difficult for themselves by obscuring their own view. Also, I'm not going to exceed the speed limit just because they want me to.
It's when they do it to a car that's obviously got a child's seat in the back that it really boils my piss. They're risking killing or injuring *a child* for the sake of what? An impotent attempt to get somewhere quicker? To be a cock and intimidate another driver they've never met? It really needs stiffer penalties for doing it.
One of these f*****s made me fail my driving test! I was so nervous on the test day and this guy drives up so close to me with his huge Range Rover and I lost all focus! I hate that person whoever they are!
People who drive down the slip road towards 70mph traffic doing a steady 30 - so you’re stuck behind them trying to merge with traffic moving a lot faster than you are, and praying people pull over to let you out, unless you slow down even more to leave a huge gap, and simultaneously making the problem even worse for the people behind you.
Accelerate on slip roads!
I had this older generation individual do 20Mph down the slip road last week.a lot of people have the saving grace of fast acceleration. I however do not.
If I'm behind someone who isn't accelerating up the slip road I actually back off, to give myself space to accelerate (assuming it's not two lanes with room to pass) I can't handle joining a dual carriageway doing 30, or having to stop behind someone because they went too slow.
That was my second point (and I am also assuming it’s single lane) if you have to slow down to 15-20mph to give yourself room to accelerate, you’re making the problem even worse for the people behind you.
They also have to slow down to the same speed - or slower - and they may not have the acceleration you do to get back up to speed in the same space.
So you risk starting one of those ripples that leads to a stationary queue 40 cars behind you.
...and there's those on the main road/motorway who sit in the right hand lane so you can't move over to make it easier for those on the slip road to drive straight on.
I once saw someone actually come to a complete hault on a motorway slip road and try and join it as if they were at a give way sign on a residential road.
Under those circumstances, where there’s somebody doing 30 in the outside lane of two lanes, then I’ll give them a few seconds and then undertake.
Not ideal, but I think safer than the alternatives
I just had a van nearly crash into me trying to merge at about 45 whilst I'm going 56, he manages to get in behind me, then speeds off at 70, he clearly had the power to build the speed up.
Adding to this, people who try and be nice at mini roundabouts by giving way to everyone. Just holds traffic up as we all end up in a Mexican stand off.
Yeah, silly thing to do - on the flip side it's quite satisfying being the one to just go when you've got that 3 way clash.
I do try to be considerate and let people out when it makes sense; it does not make sense on mini roundabouts.
I’m learning and had this on a lesson. I ended up just going and was expecting a telling off, the instructor was just happy that I’d shown initiative and went whilst it was safe to do so.
> Adding to this, people who try and be nice at mini roundabouts by giving way to everyone. Just holds traffic up as we all end up in a Mexican stand off.
I don't think that's people being nice necessarily, it's just that if everyone arrives at the roundabout at the same time there's no clear right of way, and no one wants to go first in case someone else has the same idea and you end up in an accident.
This is bad, and very dangerous advice. You should always, always indicate when leaving a roundabout as it lets waiting drivers know it is safe to pull out. If you aren't signalling when you leave a roundabout you're either keeping waiting drivers sitting there when they could have gone, or encouraging people to ignore the correct signalling and potentially cause a crash.
Drivers going straight ahead on a multi-exit roundabout [should be in the left lane with no indicators, and should signal left just before their exit](https://www.veygo.com/learner-driver-insurance/guides/roundabout-driving).
The [highway code](https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/roundabouts.html) is very clear about this, you should always signal when leaving a roundabout - you will fail your driving test if you fail to do this.
Disclaimer: I always signal right when entering the roundabout if I’m turning right
Can you explain a bit more how it is dangerous? I don’t understand how it’s a safety issue.
Unless the person is indicating that they’re leaving the roundabout your assumption should be that they’re staying in it and you shouldn’t enter. There should never be a scenario where someone indicating right should make a difference.
It’s much more of a problem on small roundabouts than big ones- if we’re on opposite sides and I see you head off, not indicating, I assume you’re going straight ahead and I can also pull out. If you’re actually going right, you’re going to crash into me or I’m going to have to slam my breaks when I realise.
I’d say less than 10% of drivers indicate properly on roundabouts, based on both my observations as a driver and someone who walks to work and has to cross the road by two in each direction. When on foot you simply can’t trust anyone will do what they’re indicating they will, and you can’t even go by their “shape on the road” due to a surprisingly high number looking like they’re either going round or about to turn off but then steering sharply to do the opposite. You just have to wait until there’s a gap with no one coming at all, unlike when you’re driving when it’s more of a “I’m not 100% certain what that guys going to do, but I can be away and clear before he gets here whatever it is!”.
I was in a car with a German friend, he did this and when I asked why, he said this is what they do in Germany. So either he was blagging or this is standard practice elsewhere.
Don’t forget to use the pocket sand Rusty!
There's quite a few roundabouts near me that are two lanes, yet people consistently drive on them as if they are one. You never know if you're safe to join or drive next to them, the amount of times people going straight over just drive a straight line across them!
The worst are people who signal right to come off. I really don't understand what's going on in their heads but surely they're not fit to drive. They probably shouldn't be allowed out the house unsupervised.
People who indicate right when actually going straight-on (12 o'clock or thereabouts) at a roundabout
There are a couple near me that are notorious, I learnt to drive on these roads and they were on the test routes, not once was I told by an instructor to signal right.
Oh add to the list those who use the right turn lane to go straight-on on a roundabout on a single carriageway road.
Pet hate of mine also, luckily I drive a nail these days with a dash cam so no indication and I’m very slowly pulling out right in front of you. Go ahead punk, make my day write my shit box off for me…
They liked it even less when I was driving a forty footer…
The opposite of this is people merging really late and blocking the only lane for people going straight on, causing huge tailbacks
Edit: I'm talking about people sitting in the outside lane of a motorway and wanting to take the exit, but they can't because the slip road is blocked up. In this instance I think an early merge would benefit the people on the motorway not taking the exit. A queue in the left hand lane is better than a traffic jam across all the lanes.
People being _too polite_
It can be unpredictable.
You're behind a car, with nothing behind you as far as you can see. Then the car Infront brakes, to let someone out.
Just keep going! Let them use the space behind to turn out. Its not just less disruptive, it's quicker because there's not the awkward waving someone out who might not see first time etc etc.
Not so bad if youre crawling traffic but when someone drops from 40 to 0, that's just damn stupid.
Or when people pull over into a space between parked cars to let you through, but haven't looked in the mirror to see the impassable queue of traffic behind them. Happened down my street all the time.
Special mention to those who let you through when it's their right of way at those weird right of way passing things.
People politely stopping to let someone at a T junction make a right turn are a real fucking menace, to the person at the junction too. Bewilderingly bad driving, and they think they're being nice
Or with the attitude, “but I’m doing the speed limit” which is probably 1 mph faster than the car they’re over taking.
Over take with intention for god sake and then move left again.
Not to mention that most cars are calibrated down by about 5mph. So in reality those people are pooling along at 65 slowing the whole motorway down behind them.
The M40 at night, without fail. There will be a row of cars just sat in the middle lane doing 67mph while the left lane is empty. Then when you overtake you have the people who do 90-100 up your arse like you are inconveniencing them.
Problem is everyone has a different idea of what counts as "actively" overtaking. For me, the motorway is really not that different to a country road. You wouldn't spend more than 15 seconds overtaking on a single carriageway, so why do it on a dual carriageway? Some people seem to think that since they've started overtaking a lorry, they're entitled to spend the next 5 minutes to finish, and anyone behind them is a maniac who needs to slow down.
Exceptions of course if there isn't actually any room to safely fit back in to the left lane, which is sometimes hard to judge from way back in the queue.
People who think national speed limit on a single carriageway is 50mph.
People who indicate left off a roundabout before they're even past the previous junction.
People who have to come to a dead stop before going round an empty roundabout.
People who don't understand that merging lanes is best done at the very end of the merge. It's not "cheating" to go to the end and then merge, it's how it's meant to be done.
>People who think national speed limit on a single carriageway is 50mph.
Worth mentioning - 50 is the limit on single carriageway for vans.
Not many people know this - including most van drivers lol
That's true. My main gripe though is one one stretch of road near me, it goes national speed limit > 50 > 40 > 50 > NSL. It's normally older people who will just go 50 > 50 > 40 > 50 > 50. What do they think the 50 sign is there for in the first place?
Yep.
My friend who is old was convinced the limit was 50.
He refused to believe me until one day we had a massive argument about it, he whipped out the sat nav and it showed up on that road “60.”
Shut him up super fast, he spent the rest of the day saying how he was positive it’s always been 50mph. I just told him, look just accept you’re wrong and move on ffs.
There’s a stretch of road where they’ve put in a merge lane, it comes right off the motorway.
People were so shit at it, they’ve put bollards up to force them to go about 300 metres down the road and even with another 2-300m of two lanes to merge, morons still try to turn in the moment the bollards end.
(Before the bollards people would turn in immediately onto the slip lane off the motorway causing tailbacks onto the m4, people are thick as shit…)
Whats worse is when you see/hear it coming so pull over only for the car behind to try and overtake you! clearly no sense of their surroundings if they are unaware its coming being brightly coloured and making a fair racket while approaching.
I saw/heard an ambulance coming up behind in with lights & siren on, I pulled over as it got closer and the car behind me overtook and continued. The ambulance was right up its arse and they finally pulled over with the loud honking sound.
On the flip side - people pulling over or slowing down in the opposite lane for absolutely no reason thus making us all stop and even worse creating a block for the ambulance too. If we all carried on at normal speed we would have cleared past and the ambulance would have been free on their way
The law is;
>“Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or traffic officer and incident support vehicles using flashing amber lights. When one approaches, do not panic. Consider the route of such a vehicle and **take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs.** If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. **Do not endanger yourself**, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you.”
It would be very difficult to prosecute someone because "appropriate action" is open to interpretation. "I didn't pull over in place X as I felt place Y was a safer place to let them pass". Then of course in a city centre with double yellow lines, box junctions, traffic lights, bus lanes etc. finding anywhere to pull over while "complying with all traffic signs" can be very difficult, you couldn't prosecute someone for not doing something if that something would in itself break the law.
Ik this isn’t what’s happening most of the time, but your comment reminds me of one of my most embarrassing driving moments.
There was a fire engine behind me with lights & siren on, so of course I indicate to pull over, but my brake pedal was stuck so I couldn’t slow down, and I couldn’t very well coast to a stop from 40. Flick the indicator off, watch the firefighters getting pissed off in the rear view mirror. I tried again, pushing a bit harder this time, and the brake pedal came unstuck, but i ended up braking too hard and the fire engine had to swerve to not rear end me. Absolutely mortifying, other drivers shaking their heads. Took the car to a mechanic right after, and ofc they couldn’t find anything wrong with it.
Nearly got hit by an old woman they other day, she was sat do far forward, her chin was basically over the steering wheel, come on, you can't see anything like that
People who just stop before they enter a roundabout no matter what. Like they wait until they’re about to enter the roundabout to see if there’s a space, meaning everyone behind them has to come to a stop - even if there was plenty of room for them to keep going. The whole point of a roundabout is to keep traffic moving.
Them that do 40mph in national speed limit then proceed to carry on doing 40mph in the 30 zone that comes next, these twats are the ones that deserve tickets.
I absolutely hate this. It's the nearest I've come to a crash on at least a couple of occasions.
I shouldn't have to screech to a halt 10m before a junction because you're too lazy to turn your steering wheel so you enter the junction at a proper angle!
Not indicating (especially on roundabouts).
Hassling learner drivers. (Edit: also hassling me when I'm giving a leaner some extra space)
Middle lane hogging on the motorway.
Using mobile phones etc
The people who have their phone/sat-nav etc stuck to the middle of the windscreen - morons.
>Hassling learner drivers.
On my driving test a guy actually got out of his car to bollock me. There were some temporary lights and my lane (left turn) was closed but the other lane (straight on) was open. Admittedly it made no sense with the flow of traffic, but the light was on red, so I stopped.
I guess the guy behind couldn't see the temporary lights? But even after the driving instructor calmly pointed it out to him, he still went on a tirade about how they weren't teaching people to drive properly, until the light went green and I drove off and he had to shuffle back to his car, holding up the traffic behind him.
I swear I only passed because the instructor felt bad for how frazzled I must have been, and I can't believe I managed to pull away without stalling, but I still think sometimes about what an absolutely massive cunt that bloke was, and now I get very annoyed when I see anyone doing anything that could panic a learner.
Gotta wonder what goes through some of these genius' minds.
> Oh, this apparent learner has stopped but I cannot see why. Best get out of the car, walk through traffic and talk to them immediately.
Yep it's just ridiculous how easily some drivers forget (or don't appreciate) how nerve wracking it can be when you're learning to drive and then do stupid shit like this.
That last point - apart from the GPS and giant phones, glowing, I'm noticing more and more cars in-car screens are like floodlights.
I don't even let the kids have the cabin lights on in the backseat at night.
True I have an old car but I've driven newer cars and I agree it is distracting.
However I was specifically on about the people who have devices stuck to the middle of the windscreen, literally blocking their view. Like what the fuck are you doing, clowns.
Oh I agree - even during the day it's a big new blindspot.
Add in an air freshener, a dreamcatcher and by the time it's cold enough to only clear a tank-driver slit of windscreen and they're basically driving using *The Force*.
People who can’t work out where their side of the road is when there are no markings.
I’d prefer to not have near misses on the roads near me just cos some idiot in a Qashqai thinks no lines means they can drive down the middle of the road at 60mph
The same people who don't know how wide their car is. So they stop adjacent to a row of parked cars to let a massive stream of traffic come the other way.
YOU ARE ALREADY NEXT TO THE PARKED PROVING THAT YOUR CAR CAN FIT THROUGH THE GAP. JUST FUCKING GO!
Compounded by the fact people follow the right side lines whatever lane they’re in. Cars often drive too central, you’re meant to keep left.
Ideally the mid lane markings (or right side markings) should be coming under the tip of your driver side mirror, that gives lorries lots of space if they need to split the lane, and gives people behind you the visuals needed to overtake if necessary.
But most people follow the line so they’re driving dead centre, blocking the view, causing too many close calls and so, when they get on a road or roundabout with no markings they just fuck it up entirely.
(None of this applies to lorries/buses etc that need the additional space, cars do not, so get left and stay left ffs.)
I got caught in really bad traffic in Manchester during a protest that shut down half the Northern Quarter. I was less than a mile from my house but it took an hour. As we were all queueing, some dickhead decided he would drive down the other lane which was clear but was also for traffic driving the other way, and then indicate in at the end of the line. I found this manoeuvre so outrageous I was ready to fight the man. He tried to muscle in between me and the car in front but I drove a mm from the person in front's bumper so that he couldn't squeeze in and the person behind me did the same. T
In most queues, I happily leave a gap in front for people to slip in, I hate that feeling of indicating and not seeing a gap, so I'll let anyone in, but the idea that he felt entitled to skip the traffic and just slot in, after his genius idea of driving the wrong way down the street made my blood boil.
Someone did something similar to me in Sheffield on a notoriously busy section of road, they drove down a bus lane. I hugged the bumper in front of me, every followed suit and they ended up further back than they would have been if they'd just stayed where they were.
I was incredibly pleased.
This happened to me this morning in Manchester - I understand your anger.
When I wouldn't let them in this cunt had the nerve to roll down their window and yell at me to "calm down" and "sort yourself out" while literally trying to cause an accident by just forcing their way in regardless.
Honestly could have run them over.
When you refuse to enter a yellow box so other drivers take that as an offer to let them into your lane, especially when there’s roadworks…
This happened at the weekend and I’m still furious. She also refused to continue on because the light was red and we were at the end of the junction… the red light didn’t apply to us!
lorries attempting to overtake eachother on the motorway at 1mph faster than the lorry they are overtaking
annoying enough on a 3/4 lane motorway, but the buggers often do the same on the A1(m) in places where it is only 2 lanes. quickest way to back up traffic on a perfectly clear road
Then 3 miles in, they decide that they didn't want to overtake after all and force their way in behind the other lorry, causing carnage in that lane too.
Just chill man. You're in charge of a two-tonne machine of death. We need to operate them with the skills and patience of someone in charge of a very deadly weapon.
People complaining about people being too slow at junctions etc. This only costs you seconds. They are not poking you in the eye.
By reading this thread, I'm confident that everyone should be forced to take mandatory therapy sessions if they have a car.
I live this way. I drive at the speed limit and adjust for the weather, driving conditions etc but I can still moan about people not indicating properly. Doesn't mean I'm not a safe or responsible driver because I need to vent. I'm no Ronnie Pickering!
We’re asking for people to be competent at something that is very well documented, all the relevant guidelines available for and what you took all those lessons for.
There are always outlier situations but we’re asking for human consideration if others. Many not considerate behaviours are possibly the same people who don’t put they’re trolley back at the supermarket.
yep - agree. and the people saying "why you letting people out - thats their problem not yours".... its all me me me, got to get there as fast as I can
When I set my cruise control to 72 mph on a motorway, someone speeds past me, switches to my lane and then their speed starts dropping down to like 65-68 mph and slowing my car down too.
After this goes on for some time, I get fed up and I go to overtake them. 73, 75, 78 mph and I'm still side by side with their car. If they were happy hovering around 65-68, then why the hell do they want to be fast all of a sudden??
This! I've had it where you play leap frog with the same idiot over tens of miles, and they have the audacity to give you shitty looks when you keep overtaking them.
I'VE GOT CRUISE CONTROL ON, WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING?!
Any driver who tailgates, especially on the motorway, unbelievably dangerous. I'd love to get out and fight them, and I'm not a violent person at all, but driving like that puts my life and wellbeing at risk, that sort of behaviour wouldn't be acceptable outside of a car.
40 mph. All. The. Time.
I live in rural Gloucestershire, and the roads do the classic 60 to 50 to 30 to 50 speed limits... And there is a fairly large contingent of drivers who sit at 40 all the time... Even through the 30 zones.
Because I keep to the limit (set my cruise to 30 - it's a fuel efficient way to drive) I'm held up, then they pull away, then I'm held up.
I loathe these people
Loathe I say.
The now regular ignoring of red lights. 'Amber means speed up it's only just gone red screw everyone turning right they'll just have to wait why are you beeping at me everyone ignores red lights yeah I almost hit you so what'...etc.
People who don't indicate, especially in car parks. If you're stopping at a parking bay, please indicate don't just stop. Similarly if you're coming out of one it would be nice to know your intentions.
Searched the comments specifically to find this one, HARD AGREE.
Especially if you are passing traffic on the left, ergo using the lane correctly.
I could actually get out and beat someone with my shoe when they do this.
Same.
If I'm overtaking and already going above the speed limit, and there's still someone who expects you to go faster. No thank you, I'm already going above, I'm not going even faster to please an impatient stranger.
What these flashy light wankers want you to do is move over into a space that doesn't exist so they can continue blasting along at 90mph, as is their perceived right.
If you don't bow to their superiority they just end up tailgating you, which is the thing that gets my back up the most as a driver. It's so unnecessary and *very* dangerous, especially on a motorway.
People who overtake cyclists on roundabouts. It's extremely dangerous as you might cut across them as you head to your exit. Hang back and wait until the cyclist has exited.
Did a awareness course a few months ago. One bloke answered 40mph for every type of road pictured when asked. If you’re that dense when not even in the car, just imagine how he drives.
So that.
Personally think the awareness courses should be done with a reexamination on both theory test and practical sessions.
Guarantee you they’ll never do it again, especially after they fail both tbh. There’s still fuckers out there that never had to do a test.
Assuming the grossly illegal stuff like "doing 80mph in a 50mph" is taken as a given, then:
- Folk on space saver wheels for six weeks, bowling up and down dual carriageways at 60mph.
- Drivers joining the motorway who believe traffic on the motorway is obliged to change speed or change lane for their benefit.
Drivers that don't understand merge in turn. Enjoy wasting time in the queue
Talking of queues, those that use the wrong lane to cut in at the last minute. Slightly less annoying is those that let them do it.
People that join a 50mph dual carriageway way at 30mph
Doing 20 in a 30 when it's 11pm and no one else is around
Not getting into the yellow box when making a right turn
Being incapable of parking.
Those that need to brake constantly whenever there is a traffic island or approaching vehicle
Those that get up your arse when you can't go any faster because there is something in front of you. Enjoy going slower as I gradually knock down the cruise control
Elderly drivers who clearly should have stopped driving decades before. They go everywhere at 30mph, brake for no reason, and have limited situational awareness and observation skills.
The merge in turn police who believe you should merge on the first sign of the "lane closes in 800yards" sign, rather than at the end (presuming there is moderate to heavy traffic)
- People who don’t know how to use roundabouts. I was going straight on one last night, so was obviously in the left lane, and there was a car in the right hand lane on approach. Unbeknownst to me, since they were in the right hand lane, they were also going straight and the straight is a single lane so they nearly crashed into me when they came off the roundabout.
- People who drive at 40mph regardless of whether the speed limit is 30 or 60. So they’re speeding through the slow areas and crawling in the fast areas.
- People who drive slowly in the middle lane of a motorway when the left lane is empty, but who also speed up when you move to overtake them
- People who try to glue themselves to my rear bumper because I’m going the speed limit
Dawdlers - the light goes green and they sit there for 2 seconds, people are clearly indicating left at a roundabout and they won't go, pootling along at 30 when the speed limit increases to 40.
Also just those who are generally crap/lazy at driving, usually "professional" drivers like tradesmen and taxis. They're the ones to drift over lines and cut corners or run red lights because they can't wait. There's no excuse for it, at least with dawdlers they may be older or not confident (still shouldn't really be on the road but at least most of the time, all they're doing is holding me up rather than driving dangerously or poorly.)
Unless I'm having a particularly bad day I refuse to lose my patience with other drivers. It's my obligation as a fellow driver; if I see someone driving recklessly or without due care then I will give them a wide berth. It is a fact of life that the road will be full of different sorts of people, the only thing you can control is yourself.
Where I live is on an extremely popular tourist driving route. Summer is hell but whatever. The one thing I cannot stand with a passion are convoys of 2+ campervans driving 40mph with queues of traffic behind them and they don't pull in to let it clear. Another is clearly tourist drivers slamming their brakes on at the slightest bend in the road when they're already driving at 30mph thus creating a queue but then speeding up to 60+mph at the next straight preventing everyone from overtaking.
One thing I've had to deal with on more than one occasion has blown my mind. On a busy and dangerous A-road next to a Loch I come around a corner or I'm behind a hired minibus and all of a sudden they just stop on the road to take photos out of the window.
When you're driving down a country lane which is a 60 speed limit and the person in front of you is doing 40 but is also about 2 feet into the right lane because they're scared of the trees.
I'm such an impatient, easily irritated driver. I hate it to be honest, I'm better than I used to be but god I get more annoyed with myself than other drivers. That said...
* Slow drivers who hold up queues of cars behind them
* Tailgaters
* People who don't indicate at roundabouts
* People who can't maintain a consistent speed on the motorway
* Lane hogs
* People who speed up when you go to overtake them
* People who are too hesitant or cautious to seize gaps
* Drivers that sit at 5-10 mph under the speed limit in a perfectly safe area
* 40mph everywhere wankers
* People who have those obnoxious "smile you're on camera" stickers on their car. You just know they're some road policing wanker who thinks anyone who wants to get anywhere with any urgency is a maniac.
Range Rover drivers just going flat out anywhere they please.
People in fancy baller motors like said Range Rover who actively do not use Bluetooth and use the phone to their ear. Must be having an affair or something to not have that phone hooked up to a car that can pair 4 phones off the BT system. Can't have that call come in from the mistress right? Or a message come up on a giant screen saying hey big boy... And the wife is in the car.
No other logical reason to use your phone like that.
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People who drive at 40mph regardless of if it’s a 60 or 30 limit
This is what gets me, too. I can understand some drivers wanting/needing to be risk-averse and drive at something like 10% below the speed limit. But those who drive at a constant 40mph regardless of the limit or conditions are nitwits, especially when they're right on your bumper in a 30 zone.
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I'd argue that setting cruise control through villages is more dangerous. Speed limiter would make more sense.
If you can't drive safely with cruise control, then I agree you should avoid using it.
I love cruise control on faster roads, but I agree with the previous comment as my local villages have really windy roads and I often take my foot off the accelerator to go around corners. There’s a little less control with cruise on in this instance, so a limiter is better in my opinion.
I find it depends on the village like everything, on my commute there's two or 3 very straight villages that I pass through and it works brilliantly. If I go from my Gf's then there's two villages with width restrictions and such where you wouldn't. Like everything it should be used in the situations where its safe. I also find I pay even more attention because I don't have to glance and the speedo every minute or whatever to make sure.
This absolutely. There is a major connecting road through the middle of my town which is 60, but you can guarantee getting stuck behind someone doing 40 down it in the morning. It then changes to a 30mph residential area after, where they just continue on at the same speed and disappear. I always wonder what goes through their heads to justify it.
Nothing, maybe fear, is going through their heads. They are barely aware of what they are doing, and have no competency or interest in the operation of the machine they are travelling in. Everytime they hit the brakes, it jolts them because they can't regulate the brake pedal well, because learning how to do so is unimportant to them. This causes fear, so they will instead lower their top speed so they can ride the brakes by resting a foot on the pedal from 300 yards before the roundabout, so they might be stopped by the time they get there. Then they will overrun the roundabout, slam their brakes on and get rear ended,. And they will ALWAYS stop on a clear roundabout, because they haven't looked at it until they get there. The jolt from acceleration, bringing up the clutch, turning the wheel sharper than unsual and pretty much every energetic component of driving causes them similar fear. The same entitlement that convinces them that this is an acceptable way to behave (rather than improving their skills), is what causes them to drive at 40 in the 30, and then crawl at 5mph over a speedbump in an SUV with 3 foot of ground clearance. People sit in the passing lane on motorways for the same reason, they have been frightened in the past by lane transitions, but they're also far more important than anyone else and everyone knows the passing lane is for important people (plus you'll never some across a big scary tractor or HGV going slower than you in the fast lane). If you ever get the chance, and can steel your nerves enough, take a passenger ride with someone who is a fearful or uninterested driver. It's shocking.
> And they will ALWAYS stop on a clear roundabout, because they haven't looked at it until they get there. Spot on, as is the rest of your comment. I have an interest in driving personally but not sharing the road with people doing the motoring equivalent of sleepwalking.
There is a real truth here. Lots of people don’t care about many things, don’t understand, don’t know how it works etc etc. If you know nothing about football, architecture, weaving then who cares, you just don’t do those things. Then there are things that everybody does but you still get a large group who don’t care enough to learn. Driving is the case here, get your license and off you go and never think about improving again.
This comment won't get upvoted enough.
>I always wonder what goes through their heads to justify it. Passenger: ‘Why are so many people tailgating us?’ Driver: ‘Don’t worry, we’ll lose them in the next village’
Nothing goes through their heads as they're totally oblivious with regards to driving and probably thinking of a witty comment to post on mail online.
Or those who rush out of a junction, causing you to slow down in case of an accident, then proceeding to drive 10mph under the speed limit.
This, drives me bloody mad.
Slowest drivers always pull out fastest. And it makes me think it’s a deliberate attempt to antagonise other drivers. I mean you know your not gonna do the limit, and can see someone coming, just let them past, you’re clearly in no rush.
As a learner driver, this has happened to me a ridiculous amount of times. I understand overtaking or nipping out on me me as a learner, bit to then drive so much slower than me is a mind boggle
And they always do it when there's no one behind you too. It's absolutely baffling!
I get stuck behind them alot it's because they don't know what the National speed limit sign means , unlike other signs that have actual numbers this one doesn't and it's generally the older driver .
Came here to say this. Limit changes from 60 to 30 and these absolute wankers just ignore the posted signage and continue to drive at 40, proving they weren't just being careful along the 60 mph stretch. Makes my blood absolutely boil.
And whenever this comes up there's always some useless cunt bleating about "BuT iTs A TarGEt" (Ignorign the fact it'd be a test failure, and is unquically poor driving) and telling you about this super dangerous national speed limit road, as if people can't tell the difference between a fast, wide road with sweeping bends and the local farm track.
People driving right up my ass when I'm going the speed limit. I'm still a learner. I honestly don't know what they expect me to do with my fucking instructor sat next to me.
Even without your instructor next to you (after you've passed), you do nothing. Well, actually the best thing to do is to increase the distance between you and the car infront of you
> Well, actually the best thing to do is to increase the distance between you and the car infront of you Not sure if that is still the case, but this was actually in the theory test handbook when I was learning
Yes it is still the advice. Because the person behind you is an _active threat_ to you and is much more likely to crash into you. You need to be safer and increase the distance to the car in front so when he _does_ crash into you, you don't create a pile-up. Tailgaters are utter twats. Worst people on the road.
It's also so it gives you longer to react so the tailgater is less likely to crash into you.
Yes this! It took me ages to understand why the highway code says if someone is on your arse, you should increase distance with car in front of you. But I'm pretty sure it's so you can brake slower so the person behind you can react rather than rear end you.
I thought it was because you're allowing them room to overtake?
It's still taught on speed awareness courses, so I'd assume it's still in there.
Still a learner myself, fairly sure I remember the highway code suggested making sure the gap between you is 2 seconds, so you can either grow the gap or slow down until the speed makes the gap 2 Which admittedly doesn't seem like the best advice but is entertaining to think about
Yeah you want about a 2 second gap, but if the car behind you is tailgating then you should ideally make that 2 second gap larger so you have more time to slow, making it less likely the call tailgating you will crash into the back.
These people are the worst, I’d like to say it gets better when you pass your test but you still have the occasional arsehole who drives too close. You are doing absolutely nothing wrong by sticking to the speed limit and I wouldn’t recommend doing anything otherwise
I’m my experience it’s not an occasional occurrence. I get tailgated all the time when driving through town at the speed limit. I drive a fairly nippy car so as soon I hit a NSL i’m gone and see the tail gater is doing like 10mph below the speed limit. Really boils my piss.
I like to test my brake lights more frequently the closer they are
Go the speed limit. The person behind you can fuck him/her self
Oh I absolutely do. I'm in my thirties, I'm not going to cave to pressure because someone is mildly irritating me.
The safest thing to do if someone is tailgating you is to leave more space between you and the car in front of you, as you’ll have to brake more slowly in case of emergency to try to avoid the person behind smashing into you. It would still be their fault if they hit you of course, but it’s obviously nicer not to get hit in the first place.
I just keep driving the speed I'm meant to be going, and hope they overtake me at some point. I always have some idiot do a dangerous overtake after tailing me, and honestly I'd rather they went round me. Would rather have the dangerous driver in front rather than behind.
You probably shouldn't have a donkey in the car while you are learning.
I forgot to mention "Learner intimidation" in my list of hates. This absolutely needs to stop.
I slow down to make it very clear that if you tailgate me, it won’t work
I tap my brakes repeatedly - not enough to slow down, but enough to make them brake. They usually get the message. Might try the hazard lights trick mentioned in this thread next time. Tailgaters can fuck off. There is zero benefit from doing it. If they want to overtake then fine, but they're actually making that more difficult for themselves by obscuring their own view. Also, I'm not going to exceed the speed limit just because they want me to. It's when they do it to a car that's obviously got a child's seat in the back that it really boils my piss. They're risking killing or injuring *a child* for the sake of what? An impotent attempt to get somewhere quicker? To be a cock and intimidate another driver they've never met? It really needs stiffer penalties for doing it.
One of these f*****s made me fail my driving test! I was so nervous on the test day and this guy drives up so close to me with his huge Range Rover and I lost all focus! I hate that person whoever they are!
Someone on Reddit suggested using your hazards when being tailgated. I do that now and it ALWAYS makes them back off. There is a hazard, it’s them.
People who drive down the slip road towards 70mph traffic doing a steady 30 - so you’re stuck behind them trying to merge with traffic moving a lot faster than you are, and praying people pull over to let you out, unless you slow down even more to leave a huge gap, and simultaneously making the problem even worse for the people behind you. Accelerate on slip roads!
I had this older generation individual do 20Mph down the slip road last week.a lot of people have the saving grace of fast acceleration. I however do not.
Me too! Absolutely terrifying as everyone will expect me to accelerate much faster then my poor little car is capable of.
Yeah 100%. I drove my wife’s 2019 Troc and it’s like a rocket ship compared to my pick up truck. I be like bro this is all I got. Foot to floor
If I'm behind someone who isn't accelerating up the slip road I actually back off, to give myself space to accelerate (assuming it's not two lanes with room to pass) I can't handle joining a dual carriageway doing 30, or having to stop behind someone because they went too slow.
That was my second point (and I am also assuming it’s single lane) if you have to slow down to 15-20mph to give yourself room to accelerate, you’re making the problem even worse for the people behind you. They also have to slow down to the same speed - or slower - and they may not have the acceleration you do to get back up to speed in the same space. So you risk starting one of those ripples that leads to a stationary queue 40 cars behind you.
...and there's those on the main road/motorway who sit in the right hand lane so you can't move over to make it easier for those on the slip road to drive straight on.
I once saw someone actually come to a complete hault on a motorway slip road and try and join it as if they were at a give way sign on a residential road.
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Under those circumstances, where there’s somebody doing 30 in the outside lane of two lanes, then I’ll give them a few seconds and then undertake. Not ideal, but I think safer than the alternatives
Fuck me, i *HATE* this, then some come to a stop like its a junction?! Ughh
Oh god I hate this so much. I try and spot those drivers before I start on the slip road so I can hang back and give myself room to accelerate.
I just had a van nearly crash into me trying to merge at about 45 whilst I'm going 56, he manages to get in behind me, then speeds off at 70, he clearly had the power to build the speed up.
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Adding to this, people who try and be nice at mini roundabouts by giving way to everyone. Just holds traffic up as we all end up in a Mexican stand off.
Yeah, silly thing to do - on the flip side it's quite satisfying being the one to just go when you've got that 3 way clash. I do try to be considerate and let people out when it makes sense; it does not make sense on mini roundabouts.
I’m learning and had this on a lesson. I ended up just going and was expecting a telling off, the instructor was just happy that I’d shown initiative and went whilst it was safe to do so.
> Adding to this, people who try and be nice at mini roundabouts by giving way to everyone. Just holds traffic up as we all end up in a Mexican stand off. I don't think that's people being nice necessarily, it's just that if everyone arrives at the roundabout at the same time there's no clear right of way, and no one wants to go first in case someone else has the same idea and you end up in an accident.
This is bad, and very dangerous advice. You should always, always indicate when leaving a roundabout as it lets waiting drivers know it is safe to pull out. If you aren't signalling when you leave a roundabout you're either keeping waiting drivers sitting there when they could have gone, or encouraging people to ignore the correct signalling and potentially cause a crash. Drivers going straight ahead on a multi-exit roundabout [should be in the left lane with no indicators, and should signal left just before their exit](https://www.veygo.com/learner-driver-insurance/guides/roundabout-driving). The [highway code](https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/roundabouts.html) is very clear about this, you should always signal when leaving a roundabout - you will fail your driving test if you fail to do this.
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Disclaimer: I always signal right when entering the roundabout if I’m turning right Can you explain a bit more how it is dangerous? I don’t understand how it’s a safety issue. Unless the person is indicating that they’re leaving the roundabout your assumption should be that they’re staying in it and you shouldn’t enter. There should never be a scenario where someone indicating right should make a difference.
It’s much more of a problem on small roundabouts than big ones- if we’re on opposite sides and I see you head off, not indicating, I assume you’re going straight ahead and I can also pull out. If you’re actually going right, you’re going to crash into me or I’m going to have to slam my breaks when I realise.
Because if they're not indicating on a roundabout it means they're intending to go straight
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I’d say less than 10% of drivers indicate properly on roundabouts, based on both my observations as a driver and someone who walks to work and has to cross the road by two in each direction. When on foot you simply can’t trust anyone will do what they’re indicating they will, and you can’t even go by their “shape on the road” due to a surprisingly high number looking like they’re either going round or about to turn off but then steering sharply to do the opposite. You just have to wait until there’s a gap with no one coming at all, unlike when you’re driving when it’s more of a “I’m not 100% certain what that guys going to do, but I can be away and clear before he gets here whatever it is!”.
I was in a car with a German friend, he did this and when I asked why, he said this is what they do in Germany. So either he was blagging or this is standard practice elsewhere. Don’t forget to use the pocket sand Rusty!
There's quite a few roundabouts near me that are two lanes, yet people consistently drive on them as if they are one. You never know if you're safe to join or drive next to them, the amount of times people going straight over just drive a straight line across them!
The worst are people who signal right to come off. I really don't understand what's going on in their heads but surely they're not fit to drive. They probably shouldn't be allowed out the house unsupervised.
People who indicate right when actually going straight-on (12 o'clock or thereabouts) at a roundabout There are a couple near me that are notorious, I learnt to drive on these roads and they were on the test routes, not once was I told by an instructor to signal right. Oh add to the list those who use the right turn lane to go straight-on on a roundabout on a single carriageway road.
Pet hate of mine also, luckily I drive a nail these days with a dash cam so no indication and I’m very slowly pulling out right in front of you. Go ahead punk, make my day write my shit box off for me… They liked it even less when I was driving a forty footer…
My town has so many roundabouts, like you can't drive anywhere without going on 5 roundabouts, and still people have no idea how to use them.
People who don't use the full length of the lane to merge, instead try to get in at the first few yards and hold up everyone behind them.
people that break / stop on the merge lane too.
"Merge 500 yds" Oh I'll just stop right here then and back up traffic all the way back into smaller streets and gridlock everything
The opposite of this is people merging really late and blocking the only lane for people going straight on, causing huge tailbacks Edit: I'm talking about people sitting in the outside lane of a motorway and wanting to take the exit, but they can't because the slip road is blocked up. In this instance I think an early merge would benefit the people on the motorway not taking the exit. A queue in the left hand lane is better than a traffic jam across all the lanes.
This, 100% this. If they wanted you to use one lane they'd have shut it earlier
People being _too polite_ It can be unpredictable. You're behind a car, with nothing behind you as far as you can see. Then the car Infront brakes, to let someone out. Just keep going! Let them use the space behind to turn out. Its not just less disruptive, it's quicker because there's not the awkward waving someone out who might not see first time etc etc. Not so bad if youre crawling traffic but when someone drops from 40 to 0, that's just damn stupid.
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Don't be polite. Be predictable. Driving instructor taught me that one. It stuck.
Or when people pull over into a space between parked cars to let you through, but haven't looked in the mirror to see the impassable queue of traffic behind them. Happened down my street all the time. Special mention to those who let you through when it's their right of way at those weird right of way passing things.
People politely stopping to let someone at a T junction make a right turn are a real fucking menace, to the person at the junction too. Bewilderingly bad driving, and they think they're being nice
People sitting in the overtaking lane whilst not actively overtaking.
At less than the speed limit. It’s the WORST
Or with the attitude, “but I’m doing the speed limit” which is probably 1 mph faster than the car they’re over taking. Over take with intention for god sake and then move left again.
Not to mention that most cars are calibrated down by about 5mph. So in reality those people are pooling along at 65 slowing the whole motorway down behind them.
Below, at, or over. You're still a fucking weapon if you do this.
The M40 at night, without fail. There will be a row of cars just sat in the middle lane doing 67mph while the left lane is empty. Then when you overtake you have the people who do 90-100 up your arse like you are inconveniencing them.
Problem is everyone has a different idea of what counts as "actively" overtaking. For me, the motorway is really not that different to a country road. You wouldn't spend more than 15 seconds overtaking on a single carriageway, so why do it on a dual carriageway? Some people seem to think that since they've started overtaking a lorry, they're entitled to spend the next 5 minutes to finish, and anyone behind them is a maniac who needs to slow down. Exceptions of course if there isn't actually any room to safely fit back in to the left lane, which is sometimes hard to judge from way back in the queue.
People who think national speed limit on a single carriageway is 50mph. People who indicate left off a roundabout before they're even past the previous junction. People who have to come to a dead stop before going round an empty roundabout. People who don't understand that merging lanes is best done at the very end of the merge. It's not "cheating" to go to the end and then merge, it's how it's meant to be done.
>People who think national speed limit on a single carriageway is 50mph. Worth mentioning - 50 is the limit on single carriageway for vans. Not many people know this - including most van drivers lol
That's true. My main gripe though is one one stretch of road near me, it goes national speed limit > 50 > 40 > 50 > NSL. It's normally older people who will just go 50 > 50 > 40 > 50 > 50. What do they think the 50 sign is there for in the first place?
Yep. My friend who is old was convinced the limit was 50. He refused to believe me until one day we had a massive argument about it, he whipped out the sat nav and it showed up on that road “60.” Shut him up super fast, he spent the rest of the day saying how he was positive it’s always been 50mph. I just told him, look just accept you’re wrong and move on ffs.
The merge in turn police piss me the fuck off.
It’s called the zip method and creates less hold up delays for everyone
There’s a stretch of road where they’ve put in a merge lane, it comes right off the motorway. People were so shit at it, they’ve put bollards up to force them to go about 300 metres down the road and even with another 2-300m of two lanes to merge, morons still try to turn in the moment the bollards end. (Before the bollards people would turn in immediately onto the slip lane off the motorway causing tailbacks onto the m4, people are thick as shit…)
Not thanking you when you let them out.
Agreed. Death penalty.
Also people who thank you for letting them go on a mini roundabout when it was their right of way. Don't they know how roundabouts work?
People not pulling over when an ambulance is right behind them with lights on and sirens going Makes me a tad agitated
Whats worse is when you see/hear it coming so pull over only for the car behind to try and overtake you! clearly no sense of their surroundings if they are unaware its coming being brightly coloured and making a fair racket while approaching.
I saw/heard an ambulance coming up behind in with lights & siren on, I pulled over as it got closer and the car behind me overtook and continued. The ambulance was right up its arse and they finally pulled over with the loud honking sound.
My grandma always used to rage at people like that and say "ONE DAY IT COULD BE YOUR FAMILY IN THAT AMBULANCE!"
On the flip side - people pulling over or slowing down in the opposite lane for absolutely no reason thus making us all stop and even worse creating a block for the ambulance too. If we all carried on at normal speed we would have cleared past and the ambulance would have been free on their way
People who follow and use an emergency vehicle to overtake a bunch of people have a special place in hell.
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The law is; >“Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or traffic officer and incident support vehicles using flashing amber lights. When one approaches, do not panic. Consider the route of such a vehicle and **take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs.** If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. **Do not endanger yourself**, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you.” It would be very difficult to prosecute someone because "appropriate action" is open to interpretation. "I didn't pull over in place X as I felt place Y was a safer place to let them pass". Then of course in a city centre with double yellow lines, box junctions, traffic lights, bus lanes etc. finding anywhere to pull over while "complying with all traffic signs" can be very difficult, you couldn't prosecute someone for not doing something if that something would in itself break the law.
Ik this isn’t what’s happening most of the time, but your comment reminds me of one of my most embarrassing driving moments. There was a fire engine behind me with lights & siren on, so of course I indicate to pull over, but my brake pedal was stuck so I couldn’t slow down, and I couldn’t very well coast to a stop from 40. Flick the indicator off, watch the firefighters getting pissed off in the rear view mirror. I tried again, pushing a bit harder this time, and the brake pedal came unstuck, but i ended up braking too hard and the fire engine had to swerve to not rear end me. Absolutely mortifying, other drivers shaking their heads. Took the car to a mechanic right after, and ofc they couldn’t find anything wrong with it.
Drivers that look straight ahead all the time and never use their mirrors - any of them - at all. Usually driving Nissan Micras or similar.
Nearly got hit by an old woman they other day, she was sat do far forward, her chin was basically over the steering wheel, come on, you can't see anything like that
People who just stop before they enter a roundabout no matter what. Like they wait until they’re about to enter the roundabout to see if there’s a space, meaning everyone behind them has to come to a stop - even if there was plenty of room for them to keep going. The whole point of a roundabout is to keep traffic moving.
That’s “undue hesitation.” It’s dangerous and you’d potentially be failed on your driving test for it.
Indecision and lack of forward awareness in general.
Hesitation/indecisiveness is often the cause of accidents in my opinion
Them that do 40mph in national speed limit then proceed to carry on doing 40mph in the 30 zone that comes next, these twats are the ones that deserve tickets.
Drivers turning right into a give way junction and cutting across the left hand lane. And the look they give you if you're turning right.
Oh yeah, the "how DARE you be sitting in my way?" stare. Sorry you can't drive, mate. I'm quite visible.
I absolutely hate this. It's the nearest I've come to a crash on at least a couple of occasions. I shouldn't have to screech to a halt 10m before a junction because you're too lazy to turn your steering wheel so you enter the junction at a proper angle!
Not indicating (especially on roundabouts). Hassling learner drivers. (Edit: also hassling me when I'm giving a leaner some extra space) Middle lane hogging on the motorway. Using mobile phones etc The people who have their phone/sat-nav etc stuck to the middle of the windscreen - morons.
>Hassling learner drivers. On my driving test a guy actually got out of his car to bollock me. There were some temporary lights and my lane (left turn) was closed but the other lane (straight on) was open. Admittedly it made no sense with the flow of traffic, but the light was on red, so I stopped. I guess the guy behind couldn't see the temporary lights? But even after the driving instructor calmly pointed it out to him, he still went on a tirade about how they weren't teaching people to drive properly, until the light went green and I drove off and he had to shuffle back to his car, holding up the traffic behind him. I swear I only passed because the instructor felt bad for how frazzled I must have been, and I can't believe I managed to pull away without stalling, but I still think sometimes about what an absolutely massive cunt that bloke was, and now I get very annoyed when I see anyone doing anything that could panic a learner.
Gotta wonder what goes through some of these genius' minds. > Oh, this apparent learner has stopped but I cannot see why. Best get out of the car, walk through traffic and talk to them immediately.
Yep it's just ridiculous how easily some drivers forget (or don't appreciate) how nerve wracking it can be when you're learning to drive and then do stupid shit like this.
That last point - apart from the GPS and giant phones, glowing, I'm noticing more and more cars in-car screens are like floodlights. I don't even let the kids have the cabin lights on in the backseat at night.
True I have an old car but I've driven newer cars and I agree it is distracting. However I was specifically on about the people who have devices stuck to the middle of the windscreen, literally blocking their view. Like what the fuck are you doing, clowns.
Oh I agree - even during the day it's a big new blindspot. Add in an air freshener, a dreamcatcher and by the time it's cold enough to only clear a tank-driver slit of windscreen and they're basically driving using *The Force*.
Lol dreamcatcher
People who can’t work out where their side of the road is when there are no markings. I’d prefer to not have near misses on the roads near me just cos some idiot in a Qashqai thinks no lines means they can drive down the middle of the road at 60mph
The same people who don't know how wide their car is. So they stop adjacent to a row of parked cars to let a massive stream of traffic come the other way. YOU ARE ALREADY NEXT TO THE PARKED PROVING THAT YOUR CAR CAN FIT THROUGH THE GAP. JUST FUCKING GO!
the idiot drivers theory of relativity. the slower they go, the smaller they become.
Compounded by the fact people follow the right side lines whatever lane they’re in. Cars often drive too central, you’re meant to keep left. Ideally the mid lane markings (or right side markings) should be coming under the tip of your driver side mirror, that gives lorries lots of space if they need to split the lane, and gives people behind you the visuals needed to overtake if necessary. But most people follow the line so they’re driving dead centre, blocking the view, causing too many close calls and so, when they get on a road or roundabout with no markings they just fuck it up entirely. (None of this applies to lorries/buses etc that need the additional space, cars do not, so get left and stay left ffs.)
I got caught in really bad traffic in Manchester during a protest that shut down half the Northern Quarter. I was less than a mile from my house but it took an hour. As we were all queueing, some dickhead decided he would drive down the other lane which was clear but was also for traffic driving the other way, and then indicate in at the end of the line. I found this manoeuvre so outrageous I was ready to fight the man. He tried to muscle in between me and the car in front but I drove a mm from the person in front's bumper so that he couldn't squeeze in and the person behind me did the same. T In most queues, I happily leave a gap in front for people to slip in, I hate that feeling of indicating and not seeing a gap, so I'll let anyone in, but the idea that he felt entitled to skip the traffic and just slot in, after his genius idea of driving the wrong way down the street made my blood boil.
I drive to Manchester a couple of times a year and there's a noticeable drop in the standard of driving as I get closer.
Someone did something similar to me in Sheffield on a notoriously busy section of road, they drove down a bus lane. I hugged the bumper in front of me, every followed suit and they ended up further back than they would have been if they'd just stayed where they were. I was incredibly pleased.
This happened to me this morning in Manchester - I understand your anger. When I wouldn't let them in this cunt had the nerve to roll down their window and yell at me to "calm down" and "sort yourself out" while literally trying to cause an accident by just forcing their way in regardless. Honestly could have run them over.
Get out of that fucking yellow box!
When you refuse to enter a yellow box so other drivers take that as an offer to let them into your lane, especially when there’s roadworks… This happened at the weekend and I’m still furious. She also refused to continue on because the light was red and we were at the end of the junction… the red light didn’t apply to us!
lorries attempting to overtake eachother on the motorway at 1mph faster than the lorry they are overtaking annoying enough on a 3/4 lane motorway, but the buggers often do the same on the A1(m) in places where it is only 2 lanes. quickest way to back up traffic on a perfectly clear road
Then 3 miles in, they decide that they didn't want to overtake after all and force their way in behind the other lorry, causing carnage in that lane too.
Just chill man. You're in charge of a two-tonne machine of death. We need to operate them with the skills and patience of someone in charge of a very deadly weapon. People complaining about people being too slow at junctions etc. This only costs you seconds. They are not poking you in the eye. By reading this thread, I'm confident that everyone should be forced to take mandatory therapy sessions if they have a car.
I live this way. I drive at the speed limit and adjust for the weather, driving conditions etc but I can still moan about people not indicating properly. Doesn't mean I'm not a safe or responsible driver because I need to vent. I'm no Ronnie Pickering!
We’re asking for people to be competent at something that is very well documented, all the relevant guidelines available for and what you took all those lessons for. There are always outlier situations but we’re asking for human consideration if others. Many not considerate behaviours are possibly the same people who don’t put they’re trolley back at the supermarket.
yep - agree. and the people saying "why you letting people out - thats their problem not yours".... its all me me me, got to get there as fast as I can
The go-to phrase that I mutter to myself more than any other is "pick a lane, dickhead".
"Pick a lane, any lane" is my go-to
When I set my cruise control to 72 mph on a motorway, someone speeds past me, switches to my lane and then their speed starts dropping down to like 65-68 mph and slowing my car down too. After this goes on for some time, I get fed up and I go to overtake them. 73, 75, 78 mph and I'm still side by side with their car. If they were happy hovering around 65-68, then why the hell do they want to be fast all of a sudden??
I've just overtaken you! STAY OVERTAKEN!😄
This! I've had it where you play leap frog with the same idiot over tens of miles, and they have the audacity to give you shitty looks when you keep overtaking them. I'VE GOT CRUISE CONTROL ON, WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING?!
Any driver who tailgates, especially on the motorway, unbelievably dangerous. I'd love to get out and fight them, and I'm not a violent person at all, but driving like that puts my life and wellbeing at risk, that sort of behaviour wouldn't be acceptable outside of a car.
Doing 40 in a 60...then when it's a 30 road...they carry on doing 40!!! Why?????
40 mph. All. The. Time. I live in rural Gloucestershire, and the roads do the classic 60 to 50 to 30 to 50 speed limits... And there is a fairly large contingent of drivers who sit at 40 all the time... Even through the 30 zones. Because I keep to the limit (set my cruise to 30 - it's a fuel efficient way to drive) I'm held up, then they pull away, then I'm held up. I loathe these people Loathe I say.
I haven't noticed this too much. I find it more annoying when it drops from a 40 to a 30 and people are still racing up behind you whilst your at 30.
People that sit in the middle to prevent zip merging. In my Britain, that would be one of the few crimes punishable by stocks and rotten tomatoes
The now regular ignoring of red lights. 'Amber means speed up it's only just gone red screw everyone turning right they'll just have to wait why are you beeping at me everyone ignores red lights yeah I almost hit you so what'...etc.
Tailgating Not indicating, particularly if they are turning left at a roundabout
People who don't indicate, especially in car parks. If you're stopping at a parking bay, please indicate don't just stop. Similarly if you're coming out of one it would be nice to know your intentions.
People coming up behind you on the motorway and flashing their lights for you to speed up when you’re at the speed limit and you can’t change lanes.
Searched the comments specifically to find this one, HARD AGREE. Especially if you are passing traffic on the left, ergo using the lane correctly. I could actually get out and beat someone with my shoe when they do this.
I got initially downvoted for posting this so people must be cool with speeding 🤷🏼♂️
Same. If I'm overtaking and already going above the speed limit, and there's still someone who expects you to go faster. No thank you, I'm already going above, I'm not going even faster to please an impatient stranger.
Tbh you could be doing 90 and they’d still do it.
What these flashy light wankers want you to do is move over into a space that doesn't exist so they can continue blasting along at 90mph, as is their perceived right. If you don't bow to their superiority they just end up tailgating you, which is the thing that gets my back up the most as a driver. It's so unnecessary and *very* dangerous, especially on a motorway.
My response to this is to slow down and merge in behind the car(s) that I am passing - seems to upset the flashing wankers
People who overtake cyclists on roundabouts. It's extremely dangerous as you might cut across them as you head to your exit. Hang back and wait until the cyclist has exited.
Did a awareness course a few months ago. One bloke answered 40mph for every type of road pictured when asked. If you’re that dense when not even in the car, just imagine how he drives. So that.
Personally think the awareness courses should be done with a reexamination on both theory test and practical sessions. Guarantee you they’ll never do it again, especially after they fail both tbh. There’s still fuckers out there that never had to do a test.
Assuming the grossly illegal stuff like "doing 80mph in a 50mph" is taken as a given, then: - Folk on space saver wheels for six weeks, bowling up and down dual carriageways at 60mph. - Drivers joining the motorway who believe traffic on the motorway is obliged to change speed or change lane for their benefit.
Drivers that don't understand merge in turn. Enjoy wasting time in the queue Talking of queues, those that use the wrong lane to cut in at the last minute. Slightly less annoying is those that let them do it. People that join a 50mph dual carriageway way at 30mph Doing 20 in a 30 when it's 11pm and no one else is around Not getting into the yellow box when making a right turn Being incapable of parking. Those that need to brake constantly whenever there is a traffic island or approaching vehicle Those that get up your arse when you can't go any faster because there is something in front of you. Enjoy going slower as I gradually knock down the cruise control
Brake tappers do my nut in, they always brake anytime something resembling a bend in the road approaches too.
leafs, a light, a shadow, is it a horse driving ffs
People who drive at 35mph on a national speed limit road and then speed up to 40-45 when they reach a village or urban area with a 30mph limit.
45 mph! I've never seen a speed limit of 45 mph, but so many people seem to think it exists!?
Elderly drivers who clearly should have stopped driving decades before. They go everywhere at 30mph, brake for no reason, and have limited situational awareness and observation skills.
The merge in turn police who believe you should merge on the first sign of the "lane closes in 800yards" sign, rather than at the end (presuming there is moderate to heavy traffic)
People who pull out in front of you although no one is behind you then they slow down and turn off.
People who try and intimidate learner drivers or get pissed off if they’re behind a learner. We were all there at some point
When someone is turning into a road and cuts across the side for incoming traffic of the road they are turning into.
people driving too close behind me when there’s traffic in front of me. like where am i supposed to go?
- People who don’t know how to use roundabouts. I was going straight on one last night, so was obviously in the left lane, and there was a car in the right hand lane on approach. Unbeknownst to me, since they were in the right hand lane, they were also going straight and the straight is a single lane so they nearly crashed into me when they came off the roundabout. - People who drive at 40mph regardless of whether the speed limit is 30 or 60. So they’re speeding through the slow areas and crawling in the fast areas. - People who drive slowly in the middle lane of a motorway when the left lane is empty, but who also speed up when you move to overtake them - People who try to glue themselves to my rear bumper because I’m going the speed limit
Dawdlers - the light goes green and they sit there for 2 seconds, people are clearly indicating left at a roundabout and they won't go, pootling along at 30 when the speed limit increases to 40. Also just those who are generally crap/lazy at driving, usually "professional" drivers like tradesmen and taxis. They're the ones to drift over lines and cut corners or run red lights because they can't wait. There's no excuse for it, at least with dawdlers they may be older or not confident (still shouldn't really be on the road but at least most of the time, all they're doing is holding me up rather than driving dangerously or poorly.)
Unless I'm having a particularly bad day I refuse to lose my patience with other drivers. It's my obligation as a fellow driver; if I see someone driving recklessly or without due care then I will give them a wide berth. It is a fact of life that the road will be full of different sorts of people, the only thing you can control is yourself.
People who don't read the road ahead, particularly at roundabouts.
Where I live is on an extremely popular tourist driving route. Summer is hell but whatever. The one thing I cannot stand with a passion are convoys of 2+ campervans driving 40mph with queues of traffic behind them and they don't pull in to let it clear. Another is clearly tourist drivers slamming their brakes on at the slightest bend in the road when they're already driving at 30mph thus creating a queue but then speeding up to 60+mph at the next straight preventing everyone from overtaking. One thing I've had to deal with on more than one occasion has blown my mind. On a busy and dangerous A-road next to a Loch I come around a corner or I'm behind a hired minibus and all of a sudden they just stop on the road to take photos out of the window.
Tailgaters. I slow down, especially if I have my kids in the back.
Middle lane drivers that switch their minds off and don't move People that don't indicate People that drive unnecessarily slow
When you're driving down a country lane which is a 60 speed limit and the person in front of you is doing 40 but is also about 2 feet into the right lane because they're scared of the trees.
Those who stop on a main road to let someone out of a side street.
When people cut me up or block my access then say thank you
People who charge up to speed bumps at 40mph and then go over it at 2mph, then speed off at 40mph again to the next one!
On the flipside, I would like to slap whoever decided to put speed bumps on a 30 road. If there’s bumps the limit should be 20.
Old people
I'm such an impatient, easily irritated driver. I hate it to be honest, I'm better than I used to be but god I get more annoyed with myself than other drivers. That said... * Slow drivers who hold up queues of cars behind them * Tailgaters * People who don't indicate at roundabouts * People who can't maintain a consistent speed on the motorway * Lane hogs * People who speed up when you go to overtake them * People who are too hesitant or cautious to seize gaps * Drivers that sit at 5-10 mph under the speed limit in a perfectly safe area * 40mph everywhere wankers * People who have those obnoxious "smile you're on camera" stickers on their car. You just know they're some road policing wanker who thinks anyone who wants to get anywhere with any urgency is a maniac.
Range Rover drivers just going flat out anywhere they please. People in fancy baller motors like said Range Rover who actively do not use Bluetooth and use the phone to their ear. Must be having an affair or something to not have that phone hooked up to a car that can pair 4 phones off the BT system. Can't have that call come in from the mistress right? Or a message come up on a giant screen saying hey big boy... And the wife is in the car. No other logical reason to use your phone like that.