a small rant about "nice guy" drivers

[mjr]

[QUOTE 4879314, member: 9609"]its a picture of a boys bike[/QUOTE]
Why? Because it's got a crossbar and not pink?

 

[mjr]

My understanding is that most driving instructors nowadays teach that the handbrake is used only when parking. I remember giving a friend's daughter a lift and she was gobsmacked when I applied the handbrake at red lights.

I doubt that because some stop start systems won't activate if the foot brake is held - only if all pedals are released and speed is near zero.

 

[John the Monkey]

My understanding is that most driving instructors nowadays teach that the handbrake is used only when parking. I remember giving a friend's daughter a lift and she was gobsmacked when I applied the handbrake at red lights.

Interesting - my eldest passed his test recently (this year) and always uses the handbrake when stopped.

On nice guy drivers, how about a hand for those ones who hover a foot or so from your back wheel, but don't overtake until it's safe? I appreciate them not skimming me, but crikey, back off a bit and lower my blood pressure, old thing!

 

[jefmcg]

My least favourite "nice" behaviour is people already on a roundabout stopping to let me in.

 

[jefmcg]

Why? Because it's got a crossbar and not pink?

I assumed @User9609 had better eyesight than me, and could see its penis.

Anyway, if you are going to judge gender by tertiary sexual characteristics, then you should know they have a ponytail.

On the other hand, he says his name is Eric.

 

[atalanta]

Maybe the OP didn't learn to drive in the UK?

You are correct! Glad to know this little custom didn't make it over to the UK, would hate to spring out in front of someone thinking that's what they intended when in fact they meant nothing of the kind... Have edited the original post to reflect my lack of UK-headlight-etiquette knowledge.

I assumed @User9609 had better eyesight than me, and could see its penis.

Anyway, if you are going to judge gender by tertiary sexual characteristics, then you should know they have a ponytail.

On the other hand, he says his name is Eric.

I do have a ponytail, but my name's not Eric. And that is my bike.

 

[winjim]

My understanding is that most driving instructors nowadays teach that the handbrake is used only when parking. I remember giving a friend's daughter a lift and she was gobsmacked when I applied the handbrake at red lights.

Highway code rule 114. Brake lights are very dazzling to the driver behind. I also know of somebody who managed to cause a crash in stationary traffic when their foot slipped off the clutch.

Edit: I am very cautious about passing in front of or behind cars which I can tell are being held on the clutch, especially if it's between stationary vehicles. One small slip and it's two broken legs.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

Highway code rule 114. Brake lights are very dazzling to the driver behind. I also know of somebody who managed to cause a crash in stationary traffic when their foot slipped off the clutch.

Related to this, another "nice driver" thing that annoys me - stopping your car so I can cross the road.

Thanks, but I really don't want to push my toddler's buggy in front of your car. I'd rather wait until you've passed and go behind you. Oh, and as long as you're waving your hand I'll keep shaking my head and smiling.

 

[jefmcg]

EDIT: I am now reliably informed that a single flash of the headlights does not mean "go ahead, other road user" in the UK. Many thanks for the correction, it will probably end up saving my bacon some day...

Sorry, but this is not true. In at least the south east, drivers in slow moving traffic flash their headlights all the time to indicate a person waiting to turn right across them should proceed or the driver waiting behind a stop line should join the traffic.

 

[John the Monkey]

My least favourite "nice" behaviour is people already on a roundabout stopping to let me in.

Happens all the time in France and Belgium (or at least, the bits I've ridden in). It's quite discombobulating when you're used to UK driving (where a lot of people seem quite keen to drive *through* you to enter the roundabout)

 

[mjr]

Sorry, but this is not true. In at least the south east, drivers in slow moving traffic flash their headlights all the time to indicate a person waiting to turn right across them should proceed or the driver waiting behind a stop line should join the traffic.

No, they flash their headlights to warn you that they're an incompetent driver who ignores parts of the highway code.

 

[Dirk]

On the other hand, he says his name is Eric.

She says her name is Jack.

You just never know these days.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

I've thought of another. There's a bit on my commute where I turn right off the road to get to a shared path. So, I'm near the centre line, I can see the gap between cars about four cars back, and I'm waiting for the traffic to pass so I can nip across in that gap.

Hang on, the front car is slowing down. They've stopped. They think they're doing me a favour and want me to go in front of their vehicle when there may be a idiot cyclist flying up their left hand side. No thanks, I'll wait. Now it's my fault, I've held them up and they drive off in a snot. All the people behind them have also had to slow down so they don't like me either and the gap has disappeared.

 

[Dirk]

Sorry, but this is not true. In at least the south east, drivers in slow moving traffic flash their headlights all the time to indicate a person waiting to turn right across them should proceed or the driver waiting behind a stop line should join the traffic.

I must have missed the 'South East' edition of the Highway Code......

 

[winjim]

She says her name is Jack.

View attachment 362083

You just never know these days.

They say their name is Jack, and that they prefer to be referred to using non gendered pronouns.