(no subject)

[graculus]

Driving an 84 mile round trip to work and back every day, I get to observe all kinds of wonderful driving behaviour. Sometimes I really wonder how/if some of these people actually passed their test in the first place.

My personal favourite behaviours are as follows:

the road narrows down to one lane further on but the guy in the big car insists on passing everyone who is being sensible and merging in turn, only to want to shove in right where the diminishing lane ends

people who insist on getting overexcited when you're keeping to the speed limit. This is particularly appropriate on roads where the limit is 60. I had one lot of muppets getting all bent out of shape at me the other day on a dual carriageway and when I finally pulled over to let them pass, the passenger insisted on doing what can only be described as a bad sea-lion impersonation while hanging out of the window. At 60 mph. A genuine candidate for the Darwin awards, I think.

pulling out on a roundabout while driving a 4x4 (an SUV to my transatlantic chums) just far enough that people driving other cars can't see past you and they definitely can't see over you, so they're forced to either trust that you're going to pull out sensibly when there's nothing coming (unlikely) or wait till you've gone...

people who think that 'give way' actually means 'please muscle your way into traffic ignoring the fact that other people actually have the right of way because you're a guy/driving a big car/driving a white van/you're just so cool everyone should get out of your way'

people who think that the white lines on the road at roundabouts and other kinds of junctions are there just for decoration and wander all over the place. Also applies to people who don't know what those pretty yellow grid boxes are for...

I'm sure there are more, but those are the top contenders at the moment...

Comments

[amycooper.livejournal.com]

Those with no understand what those pretty lines are in the road for scare me.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

And there seem to be so many of them...

[lovellama.livejournal.com]

I prescribe to 'the zipper way' of merging when a two lane goes down to a one lane. You go as far as you can in the lane that is closing, and then merge right before the lane begins to end. I don't agree, though, with people who zoom way ahead on the empty lane-that-is-ending- just because others have held up traffic trying to get over in the through lane meters before the lane actually ends.

It just seems wasteful to have everyone over in one lane as soon as the notices go up that a lane will be closing a two hundred meters ahead. Everyone proceed normally to the beginning of the lane closure and then merge! :)

[graculus.livejournal.com]

There's a sensible balance to be struck between the two, I agree, but what I'm talking about is the majority of people very sensibly merging in turn so that the traffic keeps moving and yet there's always someone who thinks they should be able to shove in further up. I rarely even make eye contact... ;)

[sg1scribe.livejournal.com]

I find steadfastly refusing to acknowledge their presence generally works. Recently a young lad tried very hard to bully his way in front of me - shame I was driving Hubby's company car and so it wasn't my insurance or paintwork that was at risk ;-) He got the 'bring it on, punk' look :-)

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

What are those pretty yellow grid boxes for? (person from the US talking here - I don't think we have those here)

[graculus.livejournal.com]

On some junctions here (more usually crossroads than anything else) there are yellow grid boxes painted - the law says that you shouldn't enter the box unless there's also space for your car to leave it, thus ensuring that the junction doesn't get blocked by stationary traffic.

[fledge.livejournal.com]

Unless you're waiting to turn right, in which case you're allowed to sit in the box. Or at least that was the rule when I learned to drive...

[fledge.livejournal.com]

You could add people who insist on driving in the overtaking lanes on the motorway at less than the speed limit, when the lefthand lane is not particularly blocked and actually going at their preferred speed.

Am with you on all of those! And nowadays, a lot of people seem to be unable to use roundabouts at all.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

I swear there are people over here who have absolutely no idea of the concept that you give way to traffic coming from *your* right....

[fledge.livejournal.com]

No, and then the idiots coming from the right don't know it either, so they hover around indecisively and you *have* to go or the whole roundabout would gridlock...

[sg1scribe.livejournal.com]

You didn't mention my favourite, which is people who assume all other road users are psychic and so they, therefore, don't need to use their indicators

My second favourite group are the people who believe double yellow lines don't apply if they are just nipping in to the local newsagent for a packet of fags.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

I just work on the basis that people who don't indicate could be going absolutely anywhere and that people who *do* indicate could have got it wrong (which is something I've seen a couple of times) or have just forgotten to turn their indicator off from earlier on...

[rhade-rad.livejournal.com]

There are also those who remember they are supposed to indicate but only do so AS they start to manoeuvre. So they haven't caught on to the principle of "signalling your intention".

My personal bugbears are:
people who cut into to your sensible reaction space not, in my case as a biker, riding on the bumper of the car in front. Two seconds gap.

and car drivers who drive on their brakes so every few seconds a red light flashes without any apparent justification.

Also don't like cars who ride right on my back wheel. Not sensible, please tell your friends, as the power:weight ratio and gearing on motorbikes means they have very efficient engine braking, so we can slow quite quickly without any signal. Though I do tend to touch the rear brake if I think someone is too close.