How is it irellevant? You said going slower didn't give you better fuel economy. It clearly does.
Why do people tailgate?
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How is it irellevant? You said going slower didn't give you better fuel economy. It clearly does.
As a rule I avoid commenting on things that happen while I'm driving as I do over 35,000 a year so inevitably come across lots of incidents of bad driving. Something that happened to me on Friday though does deserve mention simply for the fact that an idiot got his comeuppance.
I was on a fairly quiet motorway and passing a junction when a car attempted to effectively undertake me to join the motorway from the on ramp. It was an incredibly stupid thing to do given that the idiot was in an underpowered Renault Clio and the ramp he was on was uphill while the motorway was flat at that point.
Having joined the motorway in front of me, he was then behind another vehicle which I proceeded to overtake. His actions were made even more annoying when I looked across at him and saw he was in military uniform and the car was full of his fellow squadies all about 20 years old. Squaddie boy pulled out and then being behind me tailgated me so closely, I couldn't see the front of his car. I'm never intimidated in such situations so I did what I always do and turned on my headlights which tends to make them drop off as they have to be hyper-aware of any sudden slowing of the vehicle in front so they react quickly thinking that's the brake-light coming on. All the while, he's making hand gestures at me requiring at least one hand off the wheel. I then took my foot off the accelerator to slow right down causing him to regret trying this shite on. After then applying the accelerator and moving up to the national speed limit, his car could clearly not close the gap but even so, he wouldn't come out of the outside lane even after a car behind him had flashed to let him through. That car went over to the inside lane and took him that way and in a gesture of solidarity of decent drivers, overtook me and paralleled my car effectively preventing squaddie boy from passing us so he sat there on our tails fuming and unable to show his 'driving skills' to his mates as it's two lanes at this point so he can't pass us. We glanced across at each other and gave a big 'thumbs up' gesture to show the car full of idiots behind us that they'd just been bossed and that they should think twice before trying that one again.
He probably needed a girlfriend the sad 'look at me' aerosol (Sp).
I was on a fairly quiet motorway and passing a junction when a car attempted to effectively undertake me to join the motorway from the on ramp. It was an incredibly stupid thing to do given that the idiot was in an underpowered Renault Clio and the ramp he was on was uphill while the motorway was flat at that point.
Having joined the motorway in front of me, he was then behind another vehicle which I proceeded to overtake. His actions were made even more annoying when I looked across at him and saw he was in military uniform and the car was full of his fellow squadies all about 20 years old. Squaddie boy pulled out and then being behind me tailgated me so closely, I couldn't see the front of his car. I'm never intimidated in such situations so I did what I always do and turned on my headlights which tends to make them drop off as they have to be hyper-aware of any sudden slowing of the vehicle in front so they react quickly thinking that's the brake-light coming on. All the while, he's making hand gestures at me requiring at least one hand off the wheel. I then took my foot off the accelerator to slow right down causing him to regret trying this shite on. After then applying the accelerator and moving up to the national speed limit, his car could clearly not close the gap but even so, he wouldn't come out of the outside lane even after a car behind him had flashed to let him through. That car went over to the inside lane and took him that way and in a gesture of solidarity of decent drivers, overtook me and paralleled my car effectively preventing squaddie boy from passing us so he sat there on our tails fuming and unable to show his 'driving skills' to his mates as it's two lanes at this point so he can't pass us. We glanced across at each other and gave a big 'thumbs up' gesture to show the car full of idiots behind us that they'd just been bossed and that they should think twice before trying that one again.
He probably needed a girlfriend the sad 'look at me' aerosol (Sp).
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
You're no better than the squaddie driver. A 'gesture of solidarity'? Nah, a gesture of willy waving though I'm not sure who was the biggest prick.
[QUOTE 3925401, member: 259"]Perhaps you didn't explain this very well, or I'm not understanding, but I always change lanes in good time to let people in on ramps, even if they are going slower than me (well, especially if they're going slower than me).[/QUOTE]
A medal for Mort over here, please. Inscribe it with, 'I always change lanes in good time to let people in on ramps'. He'd like that.
A medal for Mort over here, please. Inscribe it with, 'I always change lanes in good time to let people in on ramps'. He'd like that.
earlestownflya
Well-Known Member
- Location
- earlestown.merseyside
it's irrelevant because i don't think sitting on a rolling road in laboratory conditions is the same as being on the public highway...
ClichéGuevara
Legendary Member
- Location
- Kingston upon the River Hull
[QUOTE 3925401, member: 259"]Perhaps you didn't explain this very well, or I'm not understanding, but I always change lanes in good time to let people in on ramps, even if they are going slower than me (well, especially if they're going slower than me).[/QUOTE]
I think the proper thing is for cars using the ramp to do so properly. It's effectively a give way junction, but designed so that vehicles on it can build their speed and merge with existing traffic, without that traffic having to adjust it's speed or position.
I think the proper thing is for cars using the ramp to do so properly. It's effectively a give way junction, but designed so that vehicles on it can build their speed and merge with existing traffic, without that traffic having to adjust it's speed or position.
winjim
Straddle the line, discord and rhyme
You are correct, that is very bad driving.
High jinx at 70mph on the public highway? Hang your head in shame. You are not in charge of policing the motorways and shouldn't be trying to "boss" anyone.
earlestownflya
Well-Known Member
- Location
- earlestown.merseyside
exactly right
True, however on this instance the slip road was uphill. Car was already said to be underpowered so change lanes - simples
ClichéGuevara
Legendary Member
- Location
- Kingston upon the River Hull
The car on the slip road is still the one that needs to time joining the junction according to the conditions on the major road.
I used to be offered a lift home sometimes by my boss (Mr Barker). After accepting a couple of times I began to say I was calling elsewhere so I'd catch the bus.
A pretty rational mild mannered man behind the wheel he became a raving lunatic.
He was a small man and his company car was a Morris 1800 (remember them?) he would sit right on the edge of the seat, chest leaning on the huge steering wheel with his arms around the rim. Maximum acceleration always, and if there was a car in front he was within inches of the bumper tutting and puffing in impatience. When the car moved out of the way he would sort of lean sideways with the steering wheel and zoom around and forward to the next car that was in his way.
Bizarrely he made it to old age and died in his bed.
A pretty rational mild mannered man behind the wheel he became a raving lunatic.
He was a small man and his company car was a Morris 1800 (remember them?) he would sit right on the edge of the seat, chest leaning on the huge steering wheel with his arms around the rim. Maximum acceleration always, and if there was a car in front he was within inches of the bumper tutting and puffing in impatience. When the car moved out of the way he would sort of lean sideways with the steering wheel and zoom around and forward to the next car that was in his way.
Bizarrely he made it to old age and died in his bed.
Yes I know.
ClichéGuevara
Legendary Member
- Location
- Kingston upon the River Hull
[QUOTE 3925456, member: 259"]Yes, but the OP said it was all quiet, so why not just change lane and let them in, especially if they have an underpowered car?[/QUOTE]
To be fair, I probably would, but if you think of it as a give way junction, which it is, the onus is on the vehicle on the minor road not to just pull out, in the same way it is at other give way junctions.
For me it's a failing in the test that motorway driving isn't included and not a lot of emphasis seems to be placed on the correct way of using a slip road or multi lane roads.
To be fair, I probably would, but if you think of it as a give way junction, which it is, the onus is on the vehicle on the minor road not to just pull out, in the same way it is at other give way junctions.
For me it's a failing in the test that motorway driving isn't included and not a lot of emphasis seems to be placed on the correct way of using a slip road or multi lane roads.
DaveReading
Don't suffer fools gladly (must try harder!)
- Location
- Reading, obvs
I agree. Many drivers seem not to have a clue about the correct way to join a motorway. If I'm doing my customary 60-65 in the LH lane with faster traffic passing me, and there's a reasonable gap ahead of me and behind me, I'll tend to stay in that lane at a steady speed and let joining traffic slot behind or in front (I don't care which).
But you still get idiots who ignore the gaps and practically sideswipe you because they somehow think it's your job to stay out of their way.
