Worst bit of driving I have seen in a long time!

[thomas]

I've become used to a lot of things on the road, but this really surprised me today. Thankfully I only witnessed it, rather than being part of it!

Went out with the UNI club to Yarmouth, on the way back. We get overtaken by a learner (fine), then by the car behind them (fine). The car behind then decides to overtake the learner.

Now, this would have been fine and I can understand the frustration of being stuck behind a learner (both as a driver and cyclist ).

However, there was a car coming towards the car and it was pretty obvious he wasn't going to get past and back in before the car coming towards him would get to him.

He carries on anyway, until the learner and car coming the other way both stop to let him squeeze through. From what I saw, the space must have only just been wide enough.

Not sure what on earth was going through his mind as he did this.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Must get past?

 

[purplepolly]

Not sure what on earth was going through his mind as he did this.

You're assuming he has one?

 

[thomas]

You're assuming he has one?

haha .

Must get past?

yep. No backing down. It reminded me of some of the bus/lorry drivers I saw in Vietnam. It may work over there as it is the normal way of driving, but a bit different here.

 

[bad boy]

It begs believe at times it really does. I think since ive started cycling I appreciate just how dangerous and responsible you have to be behind the wheel of a car. Some people are so wrapped up in their own world they are incapable of acting in a selflessness manner when driving I mean, what possesed him or her to perform such an overtaking move !?, I have kids and a wife and that is always at the forefront of my mind what the f**k is the rush for ?.

 

[GrasB]

Not sure what on earth was going through his mind as he did this.

Anything but the situation on the road & the possible outcomes.

 

[thomas]

Okay. Yesterdays was pure stupidity...todays worst driver just shouldn't be on the road!

I think this has confirmed any thought that when you get to a certain age you should get re-tested. Was walking back, could hear an ambulance coming. Looked at the junction and a car had stopped. Funny I thought, as the Ambulance sounded to be coming from the other direction (so the car wouldn't of needed to stop).

A car then comes from the other direction, followed by the Ambulance on the other side of the road to get around it (at the traffic lights). This (old) driver was completely unaware that the ambulance was there and wasn't stopping. The ambulance had to stop for him. You could tell the driver was a bit miffed (and quiet rightly).

An ambulance is hard to miss, even without sirens, assuming your paying attention when driving. This one at full blues and twos on, the works. Even with my noise cancelling earphones I could hear it!!

Got to the top of the road and a friend was waiting at the lights. He sounded as surprised about it as well.

 

[JamesAC]

Okay. Yesterdays was pure stupidity...todays worst driver just shouldn't be on the road!

I think this has confirmed any thought that when you get to a certain age you should get re-tested. Was walking back, could hear an ambulance coming. Looked at the junction and a car had stopped. Funny I thought, as the Ambulance sounded to be coming from the other direction (so the car wouldn't of needed to stop).

A car then comes from the other direction, followed by the Ambulance on the other side of the road to get around it (at the traffic lights). This (old) driver was completely unaware that the ambulance was there and wasn't stopping. The ambulance had to stop for him. You could tell the driver was a bit miffed (and quiet rightly).

An ambulance is hard to miss, even without sirens, assuming your paying attention when driving. This one at full blues and twos on, the works. Even with my noise cancelling earphones I could hear it!!

Got to the top of the road and a friend was waiting at the lights. He sounded as surprised about it as well.

With respect, it's got bugger all to do with age. From many observations, both as a pedestrian, a cyclist, and a driver, I have come to the conclusion that many drivers, irrespective of age, gender or anything else, have no knowledge of anything on the road or pavement that is not in the 2 square yards in front of their bonnets.

For example, the young woman who drove past me (I was on my bike) with care and consideration, then once her head was past me and I was out of sight, I was out of her mind. She indicated left, and parked. On top of me!

For example, the business man who drove through a set of traffic lights that were "out". Fair enough, but there was a policeman in a yellow jacket directing traffic in the middle of the junction. The guy just drove past him and his stop signal!

That's why cycling in primary is so important in dangerous situations: you are (or soon will be ) in the 2 square yards of road that the driver is aware of.

 

[thomas]

With respect, it's got bugger all to do with age.

I'm not saying with everyone, but to a certain degree as we get older it does effect us. This in turn will have a knock on effect with our driving.

 

[Arch]

Okay. Yesterdays was pure stupidity...todays worst driver just shouldn't be on the road!

I think this has confirmed any thought that when you get to a certain age you should get re-tested. Was walking back, could hear an ambulance coming. Looked at the junction and a car had stopped. Funny I thought, as the Ambulance sounded to be coming from the other direction (so the car wouldn't of needed to stop).

A car then comes from the other direction, followed by the Ambulance on the other side of the road to get around it (at the traffic lights). This (old) driver was completely unaware that the ambulance was there and wasn't stopping. The ambulance had to stop for him. You could tell the driver was a bit miffed (and quiet rightly).

An ambulance is hard to miss, even without sirens, assuming your paying attention when driving. This one at full blues and twos on, the works. Even with my noise cancelling earphones I could hear it!!

Got to the top of the road and a friend was waiting at the lights. He sounded as surprised about it as well.

I have an ambulance story. Riding over lendal Bridge in York (fairly narrow bridge over the river, just about room for one wide vehicle in each lane). I heard a siren up ahead, and knowing the road reckoned it would be coming onto the bridge in the oppposite direction to me - that lane was at a standstill, so if it wanted to get on, it would have to use my side of the road. So, I pull over to the kerb, as does the car a little way in front of me, leaving just enough space for a vehicle to get through. Just as the ambulance (actually a fast reponder paramedic car, blues and twos, hi-vis yellow and green checkered sides) appears, moving to drive down the middle of the road through the gap left by the car ahead, a woman drives past me, and meets the paramedic car head on - it has to stop while she drives past, apparently oblivious.

She had to stop at the lights ahead, and seeing her passenger window open I asked her had she not seen/heard the ambulance?
"What?"
"The ambulance, I pulled over to let it past, you just got in its way".
"I didn't see it". And she didn't sound especially concerned. So I told her she should get her eyes tested, and she told me to F*** off. Charming.

Anyway, I completed my ride in record pace due to adrenalin and fury, and she'll probably get a peptic ulcer one day. I hope the ambulance attending her when it bursts gets stuck behind some ignorant oblivious driver....

 

[thomas]

She had to stop at the lights ahead, and seeing her passenger window open I asked her had she not seen/heard the ambulance?
"What?"
"The ambulance, I pulled over to let it past, you just got in its way".
"I didn't see it". And she didn't sound especially concerned. So I told her she should get her eyes tested, and she told me to F*** off. Charming.

Lovely! I can't get that attitude.

I remember, not long after I had passed my test, was driving home. Saw a police car coming from my right on the roundabout with blues and twos. Not close enough to worry about yet, but took note. The Police car turns onto the road I was on so I just pulled in as the road was pretty wide in this section. Now, the car behind starts to pull out to go past, then all of a sudden quickly steers left into the kerb to get out of the police cars way . Simply looking in a mirror before going around me (which they should of done) would have shown them why I'd pulled in. Didn't take a brain surgeon.

 

[PBancroft]

Lovely! I can't get that attitude.

I remember, not long after I had passed my test, was driving home. Saw a police car coming from my right on the roundabout with blues and twos. Not close enough to worry about yet, but took note. The Police car turns onto the road I was on so I just pulled in as the road was pretty wide in this section. Now, the car behind starts to pull out to go past, then all of a sudden quickly steers left into the kerb to get out of the police cars way . Simply looking in a mirror before going around me (which they should of done) would have shown them why I'd pulled in. Didn't take a brain surgeon.

On my commute I go past a fairly major hospital, and regularly see ambulances come and go with blues and twos on.

I am constantly surprised at how many drivers don't get out the way upon hearing the siren. Not that they keep going either: they just stop dead in the middle of the road, leaving the ambulance driver to navigate around and between them all at a much slower pace than if they just kept moving.