state of driving

[User16625]

I tend to agree, but define 'dawdling'... I am a very 'steady' driver, and always try to match my speed to the conditions at the time. I tend to stick to speed limits. This certainly makes me a dawdler in some drivers' eyes. I certainly p*** people off when I hang back from overtaking cyclists until safe to do so!

Dawdling: Going excessively slowly.

Dawdlers don't force anyone to do anything. Each driver is responsible for their own actions, not the driver of the car in front.

If the car in front is 'dawdling' then chill - pull back, give a little space, and relax as you bimble along behind. The extra 10 seconds on your journey is really not important, no matter how people may try to rationalise it that way. No, it's a psychological failing, a sexual insecurity if you will, that makes people want to 'dominate' each other on the road.

They force others to go slowly if there isnt an opportunity to pass. The solution to this is to pull over and let others pass when ever reasonably practical. This way the slow people can continue to go slowly, and the faster people can carry on driving, cycling or what ever at their chosen speed. This reduces frustration and danger that results from risky overtaking, tailgating or general anger management issues some people may be having. People who drive recklessly are in the wrong, but I would rather have an idiot f-off away into the distance than have her fuming her anger right behind me.

 

[Drago]

They don't force anyone to do anything. Drivers have a duty to slow to accommodate traffic flow where necessary. You or I have not God or law given right to punt along at whatever velocity happens to suit us and sod everyone else.

A drivers inability to drive without getting frustrated and then driving in a stupid manner is entirely their own doing, and no one elses. I would rather a frustrated idiot did not try to overtake me, thank you very much. I would rather they approached their driving with the skill and seriousness that it deserves, and sits back sensibly until a safe and appropriate opportunity to pass (not overtake) presents itself. If a following driver is incapable of doing so then that really is no one elses fault but theirs - to blame a driver who is driving in a safe and lawful manner and doing nothing more than going slower that some impatient plank would like is simply victim blaming.

Roger Ramjet should either leave early, or seek counselling. Or do us all a favour and catch the bus before they kill someone.

 

[DCBassman]

Dawdlers don't force anyone to do anything. Each driver is responsible for their own actions, not the driver of the car in front.
If the car in front is 'dawdling' then chill - pull back, give a little space, and relax as you bimble along behind.

Yup, just reset the cruise control and carry on...

 

[DCBassman]

Dawdling: Going excessively slowly.

Define excessively slowly...

Someone who relentlessly drives at 20 in a 30 zone might well be dawdling. Someone doing 50 on a single cariageway (60 limit) isn't dawdling.

No easy answer...

 

[Ajax Bay]

They ["dawdlers"] force others to go slowly if there isnt an opportunity to pass. The solution to this is to pull over and let others pass when ever reasonably practical.

I do agree with this. If you are behind a dawdler having anger management issues, @RideLikeTheStig , adopt your identified solution: "pull over and let others pass". Then they are behind the dawdler and you have removed the cause of your angst.

 

[gbb]

I see the same day in day out.
I currently drive 15 miles on the A1M each day and while people don't seem to go too fast...but still inevitably 80 mph seems to be a cruising speed, it's the entering and exiting where you see the most dangerous driving, lane changng at speed, crossing solid white lines on the feeder lanes, accelerating like they'e on a F1 grid...a van yesterday, steadfastly sticking in lane 2 at 60 meanwhile there is NOTHING in the left lane for about a mile ahead, that's a regular bugbear, you'll often see cars sat in lane 3 of 4 for miles on end for no good reason. Last second exiters, 80 mph in lane 4, cross three lanes at the last minute to get onto the A14...and why, it's currently average speed camera'd with mountains of roadworks so they'e not going anywhere fast a few miles up the road.
This morning, heavy rain, lots of spray...does it slow some drivers down ?...not a chance, they'e still stuck up the car in fronts ass doing 80...maybe more.
Me and two other cars I see regularly do 60 to 70 on that stretch...and we seem like snails.

 

[Dan B]

Someone who relentlessly drives at 20 in a 30 zone might well be dawdling

Or maybe they're in a builtup area and wishing to give anyone they crash into a fighting chance of survival. It's a limit not a target

A lot of 20 limits are on roads which were 30 two decades ago. We know more now than we did then.

 

[mgs315]

Define excessively slowly...

Someone who relentlessly drives at 20 in a 30 zone might well be dawdling. Someone doing 50 on a single cariageway (60 limit) isn't dawdling.

No easy answer...

I’d call it driving to the situation and conditions. Night time and driving rain, blind bends and the like I’d say a fair bit below the limit is advisable. Nice clear day, no sun in eyes, no rain, open road and no side roads why not open the taps. I would as a cyclist so why not as a car driver?

For what it’s worth I live in south London and regularly drive in the city. Mostly at night (white van man here!), dodging Uber drivers and drunks. The standard of driving has never been good as far as I can remember in my limited years (30-odd here). I hover a foot over the brake as I drive as much as I hover a hand over the brake as I ride. Always expect the person in front to be an idiot/entitled dick and you’ll only be pleasantly surprised by their driving standard.

 

[GaGa]

If I'm commuting in via car or bike I see al

Certainly the standard near me in West Yorkshire has got worse. Potentially because the chance of being caught unless near a camera is almost nil.

In my area we've also got a lot of young drivers in high-powered cars racing around the town centre, often in hired cars. That's caused a number of crashes and at least one death.

ost daily complete acts of stupidity.

The standard of driving at the moment is utterly horrific.

This morning alone, I have seen someone go the wrong way up a slip road, I had to slam the brakes on twice (car)

1) one person overtook when a dual lane merged into one lane guy decided to overtake several cars behind me then cut me up badly.

2) On a roundabout I was on the roundabout and a van didn't slow, or look, just went over the mini roundabout forcing me to emergency stop, also she should've given way to me in the first place.

A few years ago the D.S.A. started training learner driver to drive on their brakes and not their gearbox. In order to get better fuel consumption figures cars are now made of lighter components, including the drive train. Just watch cars approaching a traffic island , drive as fast as you dare and then brake, brake, brake.

 

[Drago]

Aye, point and squirt is the order of the day. Modern drivers lack both road craft (Or choose not to display any) and poor vehicle control skills.

 

[GaGa]

I think by far, the worse trait that seems to be on the increase, is that when male drivers see cyclists in front of them, they will risk life and limb (usually the cyclist's) to get past as quickly as possible - as if having a cyclist in front of them, is a threat to their manhood.

I have affectionately called this "Tiny Willy Syndrome" or TWS for short

Well Audi drivers must have very tiny willies .

 

[Drago]

Well Audi drivers must have very tiny willies .

Yes, even the women.

 

[Brandane]

Dawdlers don't force anyone to do anything. Each driver is responsible for their own actions, not the driver of the car in front.

If the car in front is 'dawdling' then chill - pull back, give a little space, and relax as you bimble along behind. The extra 10 seconds on your journey is really not important, no matter how people may try to rationalise it that way. No, it's a psychological failing, a sexual insecurity if you will, that makes people want to 'dominate' each other on the road.

Given your previous occupation, you will be familiar with section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Particularly the bit referring to "driving without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road". You will also be aware that the basis upon which this is judged is that a competent driver should be able to drive to a standard where they would pass the DSA driving test. That means being able to drive at up to the speed limit where road and traffic conditions permit. Try dawdling on your test and you will fail.

"Dawdlers" are the motons who regularly drive on the A78 between Largs and Skelmorlie, a road I regularly use. It's a national speed limit single carriageway (and I'm sure half of the drivers on the road don't realise that the NSL on such a road is 60mph).. Yet they sit there at 35/40mph oblivious to the traffic behind and with nothing in front of them, too busy admiring the views out over the Clyde. Thing is, when they reach the 30mph limit at Skelmorlie (or Largs in the opposite direction), they STILL sit at 35/40mph... Those are the drivers who should have their licences taken off them. Totally unaware of how they should be driving.

 

[alicat]

I do think a lot of motorists think the limit is 50 on a single carriageway. I see it a lot on a section of the A446 near me.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Strangely enough, I was only thinking recently about how the standard of driving has improved, although it's probably because the vast majority of my riding is in the countryside. It's been noticeable how wide a berth you are given and how people wait till it's safe to overtake. Perhaps the "give them 1.5 m" messages have sunk in.