Traumatized

[cyberknight]

Once a year on hols to devon
I normally drive on the m42 /m6 to brum for mini cks hospital stuff so im fairly used to motorways but after spending nearly 9 hours to get back home today on the m5 the amount of stupidity had left me dazed and angry by the sheer idiocy and incompetence of the average motorway driver .
Tailgating, jumping into braking zones, nearly ran off the road as someone tried to push into the lane as i was parallel to them, swerving across all 3 lanes to get 2 cars ahead etc .
having a nice beer to calm down

 

[midlife]

Staycation traffic on the M6 near me hateful, I’m having beer too but because it’s Friday

 

[fossyant]

It's shoot driving - take on the self preservaion mode.

 

[Archie_tect]

We gave up trying to drive to the SW during the school summer holiday- the best I could advise would be to drive through the night setting off at 2 in the morning- makes the journey a real adventure for the children and you get an 'extra day'!

 

[Ian H]

Getting into or out of the SW by car is becoming more & more tedious. We tend to use the train where possible... or cycle of course.

 

[Milzy]

It’s always insane when you head south.

 

[Ian H]

Just don't suggest 'upgrading' the roads & sucking even more traffic in.

 

[Edwardoka]

having a nice beer to calm down

Maybe wait until you've stopped driving first...

 

[gavroche]

At the height of lockdown driving to Devon was a doddle. The M6 and M5 were practically empty.
Not looking forward to the next trip during October half term.

 

[classic33]

Maybe wait until you've stopped driving first...

Better still if he waits whilst he no longer has to drive.

 

[neil_merseyside]

In heavy/holiday traffic you could just stay in Lane 1 with the heavy stuff/BEV's as no one else uses L1 so it really is nice and easy, trucks might tailgate each other lots but I've found that recently they don't seem to do it so much with cars, though they damn well do when I'm towing (!?).
The definition of a good driver back in the day, was to get from Edinburgh to London without using brakes (NOTE driver - not a motorist). Sadly that challenge is probably not possible now even for the best drivers due to too many variables (knobbers/motorists) and most certainly not in the school holidays as that is when the worst of the motorists AKA sunday drivers venture out.

 

[kayakerles]

…Tailgating, jumping into braking zones, nearly ran off the road as someone tried to push into the lane as i was parallel to them, swerving across all 3 lanes to get 2 cars ahead etc .
having a nice beer to calm down

Sounds like a regular day riding growing up in NYC. But glad you made it to your destinations safely, and you could enjoy a nice cold bevy at the end of your grueling trip.

 

[Chief Broom]

I gave up motorcycling as i started to feel like a spitfire pilot every time i went....ie might come back might not. Last time i was taken out the driver in court said " i thought i could make it" ....that she could clear a junction before i arrived. Obviously not as imbedded my bike into her Citroen Saxo. Anyhow if i get crunched again it'll be a horrible mess of twisted titanium and re-breaking past breakages. Driving standards are worse than ever and i dont feel lucky anymore..

 

[Dave7]

In the 80s I went on a police 'defensive driving' course (I worked for Shell and all reps got sent on it).
The course focused on how to drive a-to b and arrive relaxed. One of the best courses I ever did.

 

[CharlesF]

@neil_merseyside Exactly!

These days people can pilot a car without being able to drive properly. Leaving braking space, using mirrors, maintaining a constant speed (normal mode is to accelerate hard and brake, repeat) is a mystery to most drivers.

I used to love driving smoothly and rapidly but that’s impossible these days; instead it is one avoidance manoeuvre after the other.