Driving standards

[Bryan+]

People don’t seemingly understand how to wait behind a parked car on your side of the road, just swerve into oncoming traffic mate and make me move.

 

[Rita_Poon]

Ten days ago, as I was approaching a busy roundabout and there being (I thought) no vehicles between myself and the roundabout, I looked to my right, saw a gap to pull into the roundabout, accelerated and went straight into the rear tyre of a motorbike. The bike reared up, wheelie style (obviously had his brakes on) before coming back down and escaping across to the opposite exit.

Fortunately the rider was fine. I accepted responsibility as, regardless of the fact he seemed to appear from nowhere, he was in front of me and I drove into him.

My car (a 2010 Fiesta Titanium automatic) only had a motorbike-rider's arse-shaped dent in the bonnet and could've probably done with a new bumper assembly. The bike, I later found out, was bent sufficiently to be written-off. The rider had said his wife didn't want him to go back on the bike anyway so she'd probably thank me for making sure he now couldn't.

My car was perfectly fine other than a cosmetically-challenged face, so we continued our 25-mile journey home without any problems whatsoever. However, my insurance company decided that the damage might be sufficient for the car to be written off. I was a bit perturbed by that as I imagined I'd probably only get about £2,000 for it after excess. Nevertheless I agreed to wait for an assessor to turn up.

Before he did, I got an email from the insurance company which offered a settlement figure if I'd rather not wait for the assessor. Imagine my delight when I read the figure was £4,700! Four hours after calling them the money was in my account and I started looking around for another car.

The Fiesta is being collected tomorrow. Hopefully the driver won't notice that the alloy wheels that were on the car when I bought it have been replaced with steel wheels. I changed them a couple of years ago as the very low-profile tyres the previous owner had put on it resulted in my teeth loosening every time I drove over a pot hole. I never got round to telling the insurance company and didn't seem to think it necessary seeing as I hadn't increased the value.

I'm reliably informed by a dealer that the insurance company is now out of the equation and I needn't worry.

Watch this space

So you haven't asked if they can make the car available to you for first refusal?
Had the biker been filtering and gone for the same space as you (him being smaller, nimbler, lighter, was evidently quicker - to his detriment)?

 

[RAFUH]

*waits

 

[gonetomorrow]

Horns are supposed to be used to warn of your approach, not as a road rage tool.

In the time it takes to parp the horn you could have slowed down, you ghastly little man!

 

[TyphooToffee]

So you haven't asked if they can make the car available to you for first refusal?
Had the biker been filtering and gone for the same space as you (him being smaller, nimbler, lighter, was evidently quicker - to his detriment)?

No, was I was so pleased with the offer I snatched their hand off. I'll be able to get myself a newer car. I was always a bit annoyed with myself for buying a Fiesta because I prefer a higher driving position. I see this as a way to rectify that.

Mrs TT told me that her recollection was that she saw the bike in front of me and was expecting me to slow down and stop, and that it was more a case of me not stopping in time, rather than pulling onto the roundabout.

I suffer from sleep apnoea and had recently been extremely tired and disoriented. We'd collected the grandson from his school and were on our way home. I don't feel sleepy as such but when I'm driving I need to concentrate and not carry on a conversation, especially as I also have ADHD. Nevertheless it's not surprising that I was distracted enough to not see the biker.

I hadn't been using the CPAP machine as the full-face mask was just wasn't working for me. Since the accident I have been given a nasal mask and it's been a revelation. I now get a deep sleep every night and feel like a new man - something Mrs TT had often felt she needed too!

 

[Tommy Chong]

Ten days ago, as I was approaching a busy roundabout and there being (I thought) no vehicles between myself and the roundabout, I looked to my right, saw a gap to pull into the roundabout, accelerated and went straight into the rear tyre of a motorbike. The bike reared up, wheelie style (obviously had his brakes on) before coming back down and escaping across to the opposite exit.

Fortunately the rider was fine. I accepted responsibility as, regardless of the fact he seemed to appear from nowhere, he was in front of me and I drove into him.

My car (a 2010 Fiesta Titanium automatic) only had a motorbike-rider's arse-shaped dent in the bonnet and could've probably done with a new bumper assembly. The bike, I later found out, was bent sufficiently to be written-off. The rider had said his wife didn't want him to go back on the bike anyway so she'd probably thank me for making sure he now couldn't.

My car was perfectly fine other than a cosmetically-challenged face, so we continued our 25-mile journey home without any problems whatsoever. However, my insurance company decided that the damage might be sufficient for the car to be written off. I was a bit perturbed by that as I imagined I'd probably only get about £2,000 for it after excess. Nevertheless I agreed to wait for an assessor to turn up.

Before he did, I got an email from the insurance company which offered a settlement figure if I'd rather not wait for the assessor. Imagine my delight when I read the figure was £4,700! Four hours after calling them the money was in my account and I started looking around for another car.

The Fiesta is being collected tomorrow. Hopefully the driver won't notice that the alloy wheels that were on the car when I bought it have been replaced with steel wheels. I changed them a couple of years ago as the very low-profile tyres the previous owner had put on it resulted in my teeth loosening every time I drove over a pot hole. I never got round to telling the insurance company and didn't seem to think it necessary seeing as I hadn't increased the value.

I'm reliably informed by a dealer that the insurance company is now out of the equation and I needn't worry.

Watch this space

Sounds like borderline insurance fraud, mate...
But not.

Anyway, whether it's a motorbike, or a bicycle rider, just remember:

 

[TyphooToffee]

I spend an awful lot of time on the road for work, and people just go to sleep on the motorway. Just absolutely no awareness of what's going on around them. It's quite shocking. I have absolutely no qualms about overtaking on the inside these days. There are brain dead zombies everywhere and I cba sitting behind them for miles waiting for them to realise they're asleep and getting mad about it.

The 4 lane bits are the worst. They all sit in lane 3, while lane 2 is practically empty. Knobs.

I will often pull into the inside lane as it's often empty up to 400 yards ahead. I think people stay in lanes two and three for a couple of reasons: they are ignorant and they are selfish. I've never been a lorry driver but I have been a car-delivery plater and been a passenger many times. Therefore I understand their frustration and annoyance with slow lane-hoggers.

 

[Rita_Poon]

No, was I was so pleased with the offer I snatched their hand off. I'll be able to get myself a newer car. I was always a bit annoyed with myself for buying a Fiesta because I prefer a higher driving position. I see this as a way to rectify that.

Mrs TT told me that her recollection was that she saw the bike in front of me and was expecting me to slow down and stop, and that it was more a case of me not stopping in time, rather than pulling onto the roundabout.

I suffer from sleep apnoea and had recently been extremely tired and disoriented. We'd collected the grandson from his school and were on our way home. I don't feel sleepy as such but when I'm driving I need to concentrate and not carry on a conversation, especially as I also have ADHD. Nevertheless it's not surprising that I was distracted enough to not see the biker.

I hadn't been using the CPAP machine as the full-face mask was just wasn't working for me. Since the accident I have been given a nasal mask and it's been a revelation. I now get a deep sleep every night and feel like a new man - something Mrs TT had often felt she needed too!

I hate to be all serious about anything, so please bear with me. The above reads like an admission of guilt re death by dangerous driving. I realise you didn't kill the biker this time. Does the boss not drive? If your focus isn't there, can she not take the wheel?
What has brought sleep apnoea on? My drift towards problematic sleeping is the sheer vastness of weight I've piled on again. With my BMI now over 32 I'm gonna try with the doctor to get to see a weight specialist and see if I can get on the mounjaro gravy train.

 

[ClausThomsen]

I will often pull into the inside lane as it's often empty up to 400 yards ahead. I think people stay in lanes two and three for a couple of reasons: they are ignorant and they are selfish. I've never been a lorry driver but I have been a car-delivery plater and been a passenger many times. Therefore I understand their frustration and annoyance with slow lane-hoggers.

It's beyond annoying. What gets me though is that for the majority of a long motorway journey the 1st lane is probably the least stressful one to be in. Everything is ahead or to the right and it's only at junctions where you have to be aware of your left.

As for driving standards one of my big gripes is people who form a huge queue in one lane where two lanes merge. They then get annoyed at those of us driving up the empty lane and merging in turn at the correct merging point and attempting to police it by keeping within 2 centimetres of the rear bumper in front of them. The concept of traffic flow and the issues caused further back by pointlessly long queues is lost on them.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

Genuinely think all the delivery drivers, food and Amazon type thing, will be the end of our relatively high standards. Stop where you want, get out on a main road, no indication, hammer round in first, anything goes. It’s like bad parenting … it becomes the norm

 

[Tommy Chong]

Utterly horrendous.

I went down the M4 towards the M25 2 days ago - in a fast lane sat a white van doing a steady 65mph absolutely not bothered about hogging the lane, with nothing inside him. A line of angry BMW drivers lined up on his bumper, eventually gaving to undertake him. I did too, eventually, but only on the very inside lane.

Every journey i end up behind someone doing at least 20mph lower than whatever the speed limit is, despite good conditions etc. Not helped that modern cars over-read their speed by at least 5mph at 70.

Journeys I remember taking 1 ½ hours, 20 years ago, now regularly take over 2 hours.

People can't park either. Was stuck behind a car in our high street last week, that was double parked .... against an empty space.... some bint decided it was too much effort to squeeze their SUV into a perfectly big enough space, so just parked next to it ffs.

So YES, plenty of evidence that driving is worse.

Since COVID, I have activity looked for jobs where I can work remotely from home...

I can't do with the toxicity and road rage during rush hour traffic any more.
You get home after work, and you're spent after getting so worked up on the roads.

No, was I was so pleased with the offer I snatched their hand off. I'll be able to get myself a newer car. I was always a bit annoyed with myself for buying a Fiesta because I prefer a higher driving position. I see this as a way to rectify that.

Here's a suggestion, if you really want to turn this whole unpleasant experience into a positive win for yourself.

Enquiry with the insurance company if you can purchase your old damaged, written-off Fiesta back, and at what selling price.
You can probably haggle them down to a really low price, on account that it's damaged, and that they're probably looking to scrap it ASAP.

But not before getting a quote from a reliable, but cheap panel beater, to fix the damages and the get the car up to a roadworthy standard.
And then sell it at a fair, but relatable, market value for what a second hand 2010 Fiesta Titanium would go for.
Less the costs, you should come out smelling of roses with a decent sized profit.

I know a mate who did something similar to this. It took a bit of effort, but he came out on top, and with his earnings, he went on a three-week party holiday to Ibiza!
Just a thought, mate.

 

[Walken]

Genuinely think all the delivery drivers, food and Amazon type thing, will be the end of our relatively high standards. Stop where you want, get out on a main road, no indication, hammer round in first, anything goes. It’s like bad parenting … it becomes the norm

Contractors and taxi drivers put everyone in self defence mode. Anger is infectious

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

It's beyond annoying. What gets me though is that for the majority of a long motorway journey the 1st lane is probably the least stressful one to be in. Everything is ahead or to the right and it's only at junctions where you have to be aware of your left.

As for driving standards one of my big gripes is people who form a huge queue in one lane where two lanes merge. They then get annoyed at those of us driving up the empty lane and merging in turn at the correct merging point and attempting to police it by keeping within 2 centimetres of the rear bumper in front of them. The concept of traffic flow and the issues caused further back by pointlessly long queues is lost on them.

I've noticed an interesting recent phenomenon of large numbers of folk sitting in the right hand lane doing under 35 in 40mph urban dual carriage ways. The left lane being clear, naturally.

Im increasingly considering the possibility that lanes to the right are just nicer places to be. Or possibly reflect people's politics?

One friend recently told me they had a conversation with colleagues who thought the three motorway lanes denote 60-70-80 limits. Right-o.

 

[John from Bootle]

Not arsed about people driving too slow. Hate people who drive too fast.

I often wonder if the impatient bellends leg it everywhere as fast as they can, or do they just drive fast because they're inconsiderate and are no more in a rush than they are when it actually takes some effort to get somewhere as fast as you can.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

Contractors and taxi drivers put everyone in self defence mode. Anger is infectious

Funnily enough, I get really vocally cross at the little people, less so at the burly builders…