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Topic: Rant (Read 2396 times) |
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sector-9
Senior Member
No scorpio anymore
Posts: 1069
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Okay I've decided - 80% of car drivers should be banned from the road until they've learned a few simple rules (all in the highway code and taught in driving lessons):
- On a motorway or dual carriageway you should drive in the left hand lane unless overtaking something.
- Speed limit on a single carriageway road is 60mph for cars and motorbikes and 70mph on motorways and dual carriageways (unless towing then it is -10mph for both).
- Anticipate when another vehicle is likely to pull out in front of you (e.g. they're approaching a lorry and you're in the middle lane).
Most of my driving (some 70K/year) is on motorways and main roads up and down England/Wales. I've found that very few car drivers pull into the left lane after they've finished overtaking. It's very inconsiderate as it means anybody wanting to overtake them has to squeeze into the right hand lane to do so. Worst still, such drivers are usually totally oblivious to those in the left lane that are trying to pull out to overtake something. The amount of time I've been approaching a lorry but couldn't overtake because somebody has been sat next to me - or too close behind - in the middle lane, with no intention of actually overtaking. Or the reverse, I can't get out of the RH lane (without speeding) because somebody is sat in the middle lane - with nothing on their left!  Even worse are those that sit in the middle lane and don't even do 70mph but dawdle along at 60 or so...
Darren
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fordcos
Full Member
all i want is for everything to work for once
Posts: 149
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Re: Rant
« Reply #1 on: May 6th, 2006, 1:10pm » |
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great thought is was just me that came across these idiots.
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where are all the good spares
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mr._floppy
Junior Member
Posts: 100
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Re: Rant
« Reply #2 on: May 6th, 2006, 2:59pm » |
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Can't think of any reason why we can't adopt the US habit of weaving in and out of lanes as the fancy takes us , thus doing away with the outdated need to stick to the left all the time .
The onus then is on the " I'm in a hurry " driver to safely negotiate his way round the lane hoggers.
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Baz
Moderator
Senior Member
S Reg. 1998 24v Cosworth S2.9 COS (Deceased)
Posts: 4009
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Re: Rant
« Reply #3 on: May 6th, 2006, 3:04pm » |
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ALL Lorries should be banned from the roads during the hours of daylight and at rush hour thus making the road traffic more evenly spread throughout the day.
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sector-9
Senior Member
No scorpio anymore
Posts: 1069
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Re: Rant
« Reply #4 on: May 6th, 2006, 3:56pm » |
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If somebody sits in the middle lane and I'm gaining on them without speeding then I'll stay in the LH lane and pass them - I'm doing the correct speed in the correct lane. As for banning lorries, we've got so many of them now because we no longer have a decent rail network for goods. Personally I think lorry drivers have much better road awareness than car drivers and are more considerate. Though I would ban lorries from overtaking each other unless there's at least 10mph difference in speed!
Darren
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nuttyscorp
Full Member
1998 (R) 2.3 ultima
Posts: 515
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Re: Rant
« Reply #5 on: May 6th, 2006, 9:10pm » |
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having driven many nights (friday and saturday as a cabbie), the thing that gets me most, is the amount of people who still drink and drive,and even more so, comletely drunk. those of you that work on the road these hours will know exactly where i'm coming from.
do you sit behind them watching them weaving about? or floor it, hoping they wont weave into you?
and are they really that stupid, thinking they are "ok to drive", when its blatantly obvious otherwise.
Russ
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project car :- "84" mk2 granada 2.8i ghia X TURBO (rs 500 box)
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Baz
Moderator
Senior Member
S Reg. 1998 24v Cosworth S2.9 COS (Deceased)
Posts: 4009
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Re: Rant
« Reply #6 on: May 6th, 2006, 9:44pm » |
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Get on your phone and report them...just remember they may run over and kill someone you care about Russ!!
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Bren
Full Member
I claim the 5th amendment officer
Posts: 241
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Re: Rant
« Reply #7 on: May 6th, 2006, 10:09pm » |
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This rant could have been from me. On average I do about 4,000 Km per week and about half of this is on the M6, M1 M25 and M20. The rest is mostly in France and Belgium. Much as I don't want to admit this but British drivers are fast becoming the poorest drivers in Europe as far as I am concerned.
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Vote WHITTINGTON for London Mayor
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nuttyscorp
Full Member
1998 (R) 2.3 ultima
Posts: 515
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Re: Rant
« Reply #8 on: May 6th, 2006, 10:19pm » |
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on May 6th, 2006, 9:44pm, Baz wrote:| Get on your phone and report them...just remember they may run over and kill someone you care about Russ!! |
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at 2am on a fri/sat night, a call to the local police, about a "possible" (we know otherwise) drink driver, will not be of there utmost urgency, no doubting it will go on their "database?" and will be looked out for when issues such as brawls/urinating/disturbing the peace etc, are sorted out, (very evident between 2-3am) by this time they will be home/ or involved in an accident.
hopefully the police will record info/regs, to catch them at another time...........without doubt between the hour of 2/3am, i will see 3 d/drivers every night.
Russ
p.s by no means do i mean any disrespect, about the way the police work their night shift, i've seen the s*** they have to put up with, ....respect is due where its due.
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project car :- "84" mk2 granada 2.8i ghia X TURBO (rs 500 box)
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sector-9
Senior Member
No scorpio anymore
Posts: 1069
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Re: Rant
« Reply #9 on: May 6th, 2006, 11:33pm » |
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on May 6th, 2006, 9:10pm, nuttyscorp wrote:| ...are they really that stupid, thinking they are "ok to drive", when its blatantly obvious otherwise? |
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That's the problem. They can rely on the fact that there are too few police to catch them. And why aren't there enough? The ones I've spoken to have blamed an increase in paperwork to be filled in at the station (they still only work the same number of hours though, so that means less hours out and about). Also they aren't getting the funding needed - it's better (from an accountant/manager's point of view) to install speed cameras which can all be serviced by one or two people, pay for themselves and quite often generate profit . Of course, speed cameras don't actually make the roads safer - they probably make it worse by replacing real police - and they're easily rendered useless just by removing or covering your number plate... 
Darren
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Re: Rant
« Reply #10 on: May 7th, 2006, 12:07am » |
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Driving is a stressful experience, but you have to remember...anyone that has a driving licence is entitled to be on the road, good or bad. Every driver thinks that they are the safest/best driver & they all slag off other drivers just because they don't drive like they do. You get cut up/you cut someone else up...it's life.... nobody's perfect.
As for drunk drivers...a couple of years back, I followed a swerving Previa coming up to some traffic lights. I pulled up beside him, wound my passenger window down & asked if he was okay. He looked at me in a drunken daze & told me to f**k off. I got out of my car & pulled his keys out through his open window (he was to drunk to resist). He got out of his door & tried to punch me with flailling arms....I drove off with his keys..leaving him rolling around the road next to his car.
My driving instructor who was a wisened old man once told me..."treat every other road user as an idiot & anticipate what they are going to do"....Use the Force!!
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Baz
Moderator
Senior Member
S Reg. 1998 24v Cosworth S2.9 COS (Deceased)
Posts: 4009
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Re: Rant
« Reply #11 on: May 7th, 2006, 8:56am » |
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Johnny, my dear old dad used to say exactly the same. He drove in excess of 50k a year and was trained at the metropolitan police driving school and was also a Rolls Royce trained advanced Chauffeur. He could drive extremely well in all conditions but was also not averse to an extra turn of speed now and then!!
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Spannerdemon
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Get on your phone and report them...just remember they may run over and kill someone you care about Russ!!
I did this about two years ago when a BMW convertible shot past me on my way home from work at about 10pm. The guy was all over the road (The A38 Expressway).
The police emergency services answered. "Hello, Emergency Services Peterborough"!!!
The guy had NO IDEA where the A38 was. Like between Devon and Cornwall.
Why the hell i should have been connected to Peterborough...I don't know!.
You're right though.
GET THESE PEOPLE OFF THE ROAD.
They might just kill YOU, Your Wife, Daughter, Son, or somebody YOU love. It's not telling tales. They are a total menace on the road.
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Danny_R
Full Member
97 Ford Crown Vic 4.6L V8 ,88 Mercury GM 5.0L V8
Posts: 381
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Re: Rant
« Reply #13 on: May 7th, 2006, 3:53pm » |
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I agree that the UK does need more police to rid the roads of these dangerous drunk drivers. Here in the US we have Highway Patrol or State Troopers as they are more commonly known which deal solely with such drivers on the highways, and all the riff raff causing trouble around the neighborhoods are dealt with by the city and county police departments. Always plenty of cops on hand to deal with the smallest of incidents.
Danny_R
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mr._floppy
Junior Member
Posts: 100
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Re: Rant
« Reply #14 on: May 7th, 2006, 5:32pm » |
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Would you all be happy for random breath tests to be introduced ?
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sector-9
Senior Member
No scorpio anymore
Posts: 1069
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Re: Rant
« Reply #15 on: May 7th, 2006, 6:50pm » |
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Yes. But I very rarely drink at all...
Darren
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monghad
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Bad driving is not contained to a specific age group or gender, I have been blocked from overtaking by Grandad driving down the outside lane at 50 mph on a motorway, overtaken whilst in stationary traffic by mothers using the hard shoulder to get to the next junction to get the kids to school. Dangerous overtaking on country roads by inexperienced drivers is a near every day experience, I do between 100 and 250 miles per day in the works Transit and have lost count of times I have been cut up on roundabouts by people with no lane discipline.
Here in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland(For our overseas viewers) the local papers report road crash fatalities involving young drivers nearly every week.
I am sure that nearly everybody on this site has lost somebody they know to a fatal crash, I personally have lost good friends, one of whom had been driving home one night along the Edinburgh bypass, the report said that he had been speeding, his 2.0 Capri had flipped going around a bend and rolled several times, he survived that, but, he climbed out of the wreckage and walked in front of a truck, he was killed instantly, the only saving grace is that he did not kill anybody else. He was a VERY pleasant and funny guy and I still think of him when I am on the Bypass. 
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Bren
Full Member
I claim the 5th amendment officer
Posts: 241
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Re: Rant
« Reply #17 on: May 7th, 2006, 10:39pm » |
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Yes - no problem with random breath tests at all, because let's be realistic about it, we already have them!! A police officer can stop you on the flimsiest of reasons and then carry out a breath test if given the slightest indication that you have had a drink.
Unfortunately they have to be out and about to be in a position to stop somebody, and that's going full circle to previous comments on this thread. Also in theory we do have a dedicated branch of the police who deal with traffic, but I suppose in practice they also are used on general matters because of money, manpower or political expediency. It's not so long ago since we regularly heard the oft repeated "why don't they catch burglars instead of hammering the motorist all the time" I was one of those then, but now at the front of the shouts about ***** motorists.
Bren
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Spannerdemon
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Very definitely.
Also random Drug testing for drivers, as I reckon there are more of them these days. Long, automatic custodial sentences for those convicted.
You've only got to see the aftermath of just ONE of the 'aftermath accidents', (my wife see it regularly as she is a nurse), caused by driving with 'substances' to bring it home.
Bits of human body spread all over the road, blood and guts all over the car, and the sure knowledge that for some unfortunate family or families, they have a funeral on their hands.
These selfish drivers don't just injure/ kill themselves! They usually take innocent people with them.
You are NOT OK to drive if you have been drinking!! You only THINK that you are...............
but that's what drink/drugs do to you.
 Only wish the government would take it far more seriously.
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Baw_Flinger
Full Member
Ex 2.3 owner..... Snif
Posts: 438
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Re: Rant
« Reply #19 on: May 8th, 2006, 11:07am » |
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I am in total agreement. I know a couple of people who have had their licenses taken from them while under the influence. The first was a couple of points over but the other one was legless by all accounts. I gave hime such a bollocking and didnt speak to him for a month afterwards because I take it that seriously. I wont even have one drink when driving and dont see the point of it anyway. The same goes for a few times in the past where I would rather pay £25 in a taxi than get in the car with someone who has had 4+ pints and offerd a lift.
The worst place I have been for drunk driving is South Africa, where there is no public transport to speak off. Out there it is perfectly normal to go out on a complete blowout till 3am and drive home with a car full off likewise bladderd people. Of coarse, this is in a country where MOT does not exist, road tax is £25 per year and insurance seems to be optional (if you get pulled, you bribe the copper with a fiver or so to get off). Now, I'm a drinker but to have someone match you drink for drink (double JD's all night), then drive you home when you have no choice was very sobbering!! 
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