Driving "standards" slipping...

[GrumpyGregry]

...hereabouts?

Last two days I've been ferrying my big sis around, on her first visit back to SE England in 20 years, using tlh's car.

Stopped in a filter lane at front of queue waiting to turn right from one rural B road to another. Queue of cars waiting to turn left out of the road I'm about to join. Indicators already on, check mirrors, all good, gap in the traffic coming the other way, all good, start to make the turn, the car immediately behind me in the filter lane guns it, and overtakes me whilst I am making my own turn, with his horn blaring. Streaks off down the road like a scalded cat.

In a queue of traffic on a road over a bridge. Single white my side turning to double white. See lemon curd car with blue lights on passing the queue behind me. Oncoming traffic starts pulling over to its left. I indicate left and start pulling over to my left. Long BEEEP! from car behind which then pulls out to overtake, crossing the double whites, cutting up the advancing paramedic in his car who pulls an emergency stop.

Watched six cars go through a red light on rural road works after they had changed. Slowed to a stop. Loud horn from following car and lots of gesticulation from its driver who thinks I'm a serial self-abuser.

Countless people texting in traffic or reading facebook on mobiles.

Many cars no longer have working indicators.

Speed limits are for wimps.

Is it me?
Is it a seasonal thing?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Is it me?
Is it a seasonal thing?

It's the norm nowadays.
They've passed a test they'll never need to sit again and there's so few cops around that any offending is highly unlikely to be punished. It's depressing.

GC

 

[Markymark]

I think in London traffic moves so slowly now it's seen as fine to mess on a mobile etc as the worst that can happen is a low-speed bump.

Low-speeds bumps are generally fine when it's between 2 cars, less so when one is a squishy cyclist.

 

[Dayvo]

I drove over to England three weeks ago (returned this morning) and was shocked at how bad the standard of driving has become.

Undertaking on a busy M25 last week was the worst I saw, and when I beeped the young driver she just showed me the finger through her window. She just continued drifting from lane to lane, wherever the gap was and didn't give a toss. I'd like to think that she didn't make it home that night, but expect she'll see/cause a lot of problems in future

My brother summed it up when he said they're taught how to pass the test these days, not how to drive and, as a result, will probably only get worse throughout their driving lives.

Funnily enough, driving through Germany was the scariest I experienced, but that was down the speeds on the autobahns, not the incompetence. Glad I won't be spending much time on English roads in future.

 

[martint235]

Going through red lights is just getting ridiculous now. Plus ignoring yellow boxes. On my commute, even on a bike, I have to miss at least one phase of lights at a particular junction cos the yellow box is packed with cars

 

[swee'pea99]

I don't see much evidence of declining standards, but then again, I don't get out much. The one thing I will say I have noticed is an increasing tendency for people to ignore zebra crossings. Time was, they were pretty much sacrosanct, and only the scummiest of scumbags ignore someone waiting or - even worse - already on the crossing. But now it seems to be becoming more common - over the last few days I've twice seen drivers actively swerve around someone crossing rather than stop. I'm sure that didn't used to happen when I were a lad. As fas as I'm concerned, such people should be nailed using CCTV and sent a £100 fine thru' the post; £200 if you don't pay within 7 days; car scrapped if you ignore that.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Ha... and to think I forgot the one that made me want to blow of steam by posting on here.

country B road. Straight. Drizzling, so I have my headlights on but otherwise good visibility. Cyclist in space lemon jacket and helmet cover with retina burner front light coming towards me in the distance. Further off three or four cars.

Gap closes to cyclist. As it does. Car following cyclist executes an overtake that I'd be delighted with as a cyclist. That I'd be proud of as a driver. Almost text book. Almost. But for... but for...

The timing of the overtake required me to brake hard, abs kicking-in hard, to avoid the oncoming, overtaking, car. The driver didn't slow, didn't deviate, starred straight ahead throughout, and just gunned their Jeep Grand Cherokee onwards.... as if I wasn't there.

 

[martint235]

I was going down a London street, cars parked both sides for about 50 yards. Room for me to get through with an oncoming car or car alongside but not both. As I entered the 50 yards with a car entering the other end towards me, a Toyota pulled alongside me. I ignored him figuring he had nowhere to go and had to stop for oncoming car. He didn't so the result was two cars trying to squeeze through an incredibly tight gap part of which was occupied by a cyclist. Guy in the Toyota wound his window down and shouted "You'll get killed cycling like that". Cyclist told Toyota driver to go "f*** himself" and carried on my merry way leaving them to sort out who was going to reverse.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

[QUOTE 3989849, member: 9609"]Filter lanes and Queues on B roads - there is something went very wrong with where ever you are. I did 22 mile this morning on B and unclassified roads, 2 lorries, a tractor and 4 cars - everybody smiled and waved.[/QUOTE]
25 minutes to travel 8 miles. 35 minutes to travel 10. Both this morning peak. I wondered at the bloke in the AM Vantage this morning. Did he enjoy the four miles of packed roads I followed him on any more than I did in tlh's beaten up old Sabb 93?

What's gone wrong with where I am? Very high levels of affluence. Extremely long average commutes to work. Employment locations grouped closely together. Fetishisation of car ownership/use and the ever present mantra of "But living where we do, and working where I do, I have no choice but to drive to work dahrling!"

 

[Accy cyclist]

Not indicating coming off or going round a roundabout and jumping red lights is becoming acceptable. The former can cause frustration the latter can cause a death! If i'm unable to see left or right at a junction i wait a good 5 seconds after the lights have changed to green before i set off. I've seen cars drive past while the lights have been on green for a good few seconds. These evil gits know they could wipe someone out but they're prepared to take that chance

 

[MichaelW2]

How much of this lunacy is due to the influence of Top Gear arsing around, Interceptors police chase drama, how much due to playing out Grand Theft Auto IRL. The days of young men driving fully insured GTi pockets rockets have passed. Are uninsured drivers just sociapathic?

 

[Markymark]

How much of this lunacy is due to the influence of Top Gear arsing around, Interceptors police chase drama, how much due to playing out Grand Theft Auto IRL. The days of young men driving fully insured GTi pockets rockets have passed. Are uninsured drivers just sociapathic?

I think its more to do with drops in visible traffic police, perception of the 'safety features' in cars and male over confidence in their ability. I bet you 98% of men would say they are above average drivers.

 

[Shadow]

Is it me?

Partially, possibly.
(but unlikely)

Is it a seasonal thing?

No.

Maybe you should ferry visiting big sis around with one of the household's bikes? or a tandem? And I'd be quite happy to come and join you. (when the incessant rain stops)

 

[Arjimlad]

Ha... and to think I forgot the one that made me want to blow of steam by posting on here.

country B road. Straight. Drizzling, so I have my headlights on but otherwise good visibility. Cyclist in space lemon jacket and helmet cover with retina burner front light coming towards me in the distance. Further off three or four cars.

Gap closes to cyclist. As it does. Car following cyclist executes an overtake that I'd be delighted with as a cyclist. That I'd be proud of as a driver. Almost text book. Almost. But for... but for...

The timing of the overtake required me to brake hard, abs kicking-in hard, to avoid the oncoming, overtaking, car. The driver didn't slow, didn't deviate, starred straight ahead throughout, and just gunned their Jeep Grand Cherokee onwards.... as if I wasn't there.

I see this very regularly as a cyclist. The oncoming driver hands in the air with a "what on earth?" expression as they re-engage 1st gear to move out of the verge..

 

[screenman]

A lot of the people on here are car drivers, are they all as perfect as you lot