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Title: motorway hell.......... Post by taliban on Sep 4th, 2006, 12:26pm stayed at a friends in manchester sat night and left for london at about 3pm yesterday afternoon. took my usual route; m6, m6 toll then onto the m40. firstly, why are there so many drivers that dont know/understand basic motorway driving? im on the nearside lane (which was clear) cruise control set at 70, i end up undertaking countless morons sat in the middle lane (which is actually an overtaking lane) travelling at 60, 65. technically i should have overtaken them in the outside lane (often known as the fast lane) which is what it is there for, however, in that lane there was countless groups of vehicles having little battles, i.e. tailgating at 75, 80 mph, and i literally mean 10yds apart! so that was not a safe place to be. if the police had seen me, they could've put 3 points on my licence for undertaking, although each time i used caution and made the manouvre smoothly. secondly; just past j5 then everything stops? a lorry fire ahead closes the motorway but i've past the last exit and have to sit it out. 2 1/2 hours later im on my way again, then, on the a40 getting near white city everything stops, police close the road in the distance, another accident? i can see a junction to turn off in the distance but nothings moving. i lost track of the time, spent at least an hour there, i finally got home (dulwich) at 10pm! but on a good note, my 2.5tdi returned on av 45 mpg, behaved impeccably and the temp never went above the halfway mark, which was nice...... |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by Spannerdemon on Sep 4th, 2006, 3:56pm Middle Lane retards don't use the lanes properly because they are nothing but THICK, LAZY, STUPID DRIVERS. :-/ Tailgaters intimidate because they THINK that they are the most important people on the motorway. Simple answer to tailgaters is to just ignore them, and slow to 70mph, and keep it at 70mph until they back off. Basically they are impatient little tossers trying to bully their way through the traffic. Don't let them. ;D If they shoved their way to the front of the queue in your local chippy, they would probably get a well deserved smack in the mouth. :o Very good MPG. I'm impressed. Wish my 2.9 gave me that sort of return!! ;) |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by TiberiuS on Sep 4th, 2006, 7:28pm Similar thing happened to me last Tuesday, I left home at 4pm bound for London (later than planned because of a pile up closing the A12 most of the day). Got through the A133, A120 as usual but then there was a heavy downpour and the A12 started stacking up badly southbound; tuned the radio, another 5 car pile up near Chelmsford. That was at 4:45pm, got stuck there until 8:50 when the Police turned us all around and directed us off from the entry sliproad at Ingatestone. Diverted through Brentwood > Orsett > A13, got to London at 10:30, one helluva 2 hour journey. While we were stuck on the A12 news came of another (3rd) crash Northbound, about 2 miles from the first earlier that day. What's going on? when the rain came I slowed to 50, I could barely see past the end of the bonnet but cars were still screaming past at 80. It isn't the first time I've seen blood spilt on the A12, seems a common occurance nowadays. Its not speed (within reason) that kills, bad driving - tailgating and the like does. Most things I can forgive but tailgating really narks me, sometimes if I get a clear road I'll bury my foot in the deep pile and make some distance, normally though it's best just to settle down and let 'em pass if they can muster enough power. Regards, TiberiuS ;) |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by Octavian_P on Sep 4th, 2006, 8:35pm In Romania half of the open roads are "taken" by tailgaters with bmw that don't signal....with SUV-'s that ignore traffic signs and laws etc etc.... i hate them and the cops only stop you for giving you a ticket for speeding ....with a few km over the limit.... ...The BMW kind of people just bribe them....and continue havoking chaos the same way... ...but the tailgaters annoy me the greatest.....the most stupid kind of species that live on earth, they are so proud of themselvs...the road is theirs.....they can flash you continosuly, they horn you, they show obscene signs to you......AND I SHOW THEM MY BIG RED STOP LIGHTS !!!!!...THAT SETTLES THEM.....BLASTED BAST@RDS.... PS: also i have a nice brake-ing method, just slighty touching the brake, enugh just for the tail lights to turn on.....also another method especialy at night...of great effect is turning the rear foglamps on.... |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by Baw_Flinger on Sep 5th, 2006, 8:15am I hate tailgating in heavy traffic and is the one thing that really gets on my wick. I am used to the M25 style of driving, which is give the car in front loads of space and try to keep that distance by just coming off the gas to slow. Most folk are just right up each others @rse so they are just; stop, start, stop...... If most folk just left a bit of space, there would not be this so called 'phantom traffic jam' syndrome. But the worst thing is when some BM or white van geezer just nips into the space you have left >:( Scum bags! |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by jonnycab on Sep 5th, 2006, 10:34pm There seems to be too much aggression & no patience on the road nowadays. Everyone seems to think they own the road & there is hardly any politeness. Only about one in ten cars will probably give way, & if you are in the wrong (everyone makes mistakes), then instead of being sympathetic they just want to smash your face in. What ever happened to human compassion & logic. I think it still exists in everyday life, but not whilst behind the wheel. The person who will hold the door open for you in a shop will not let you out of a junction ??? The person standing behind you in a queue at the post office won't push in front of you, but when in their car all they want to do is get in front of you. ??? If Freud were alive today, then I think he would be a very busy man ;) |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by taliban on Sep 5th, 2006, 11:01pm totally agree jonny. cars/driving is a strange thing. i remember years ago some copper on tv said he could insult a man, insult his wife etc and nothing much would happen, but suggest the man was a bad driver and all hell would break loose. a year ago i became a bus driver, and it really does make your driving more patient, you get used to car drivers pulling all sorts of stupid stunts, a favourite of the brain dead is a risky overtaking stunt at speed quickly followed by sharp braking only to turn right or left 30yds down the road, why? 5 seconds and the bus has passed their turning, this is much more common near the congestion zone in london with people using 'rat runs'..... |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by Spannerdemon on Sep 6th, 2006, 7:30am I think most people don't let bus drivers in because they never signal Thank you when you do. Bus drivers very very rarely let other drivers in, and i think that is where the problem is. It's a bit of give and take, as usual. That said, I've met some very courteous bus drivers too! But on motorways (back to the thread) Let's face it NOBODY travels at 70mph on the Motorways these days. The speed limit is a joke, because these roads were built to get people between major cities in a reasonable time. (Not counting the infamous M25 of course.....How DO you cope with THAT!!) Got stuck for 6 hours on it once going to Cambridge.......never, ever again! If the police were to speed check every vehicle here where I live near the M5, they would catch tens of thousands of people every week. It's down to the individual, but from where I stand, I value my licence (Clean now for over 30 years), and the safety of my family far more than getting from A to B faster than anyone else. I occasionally stray over the speed limits, (and in this area they are VERY keen with their cameras), but in general I enjoy my car far more by driving it sensibly, within the speed limits, and I also find that I get reasonable mileage, and virtually no wear and tear as a result. I often have a little chuckle to myself when I see some of these drivers going hell for leather down our roads. Hammering the S**T out of their cars, and then turning up at the garage and saying "F*****g cars playing up again >:(............or HOW MUCH :o when they find out how much their tyres are going to cost them. Yeah.......Right!! ;) |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by Octavian_P on Sep 6th, 2006, 10:43am on 09/06/06 at 07:30:35, Spannerdemon wrote:
70 mph !!!!! ....on a motorway ??? ......i fell asleap at the wheel going soooooo slllllooooooow ;D PS: about two months ago i had a trip to germany.....in a focus .....and i saw the autobhan....incredible....on the return with a mondeo doing 125 mph ....i was overtaken by a porche doing at ease about 160-170 mph ......it went like a rocket beside me.....i thought that moment that my engine stalled.... :P PS2: forgot to mention....they have NO SPEED LIMITS...but don't have so many accidents and there are NO tailgates, and everybody behaves verry nice...if they see you comming hard from behind they simply step away and let you pass them.....verry polite |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by mazzy_j on Sep 6th, 2006, 2:02pm During my 2 week drive around Europe i have to say that our continental companions have a much more polite attitude to driving on motorways. French drivers are still as mad as ever on country roads and have an amazing ability of being able to overtake around a blind bend or hill and there not be another car coming - amazing to watch ;) Most of the motorways are dual carriageways so middle lane hogging isn't an issue. They use the overtaking lane as its meant to - for overtaking!! and then pulling in once past. The German autobahn was an absolute pleasure to drive on. From Austria to Luxembourg its was free flowing (until it rained and then everyone slow to a crawl). I think it is a whole lot safer because i could concentrate on driving and not looking out fo hidden speed cameras. I went with the flow and 90mph was a comfortable crusiing speed, 100mph down hills. Didn't see a single car with their foot to the floor, i suppose they've already seen how fast their car will go and don't see the need to knacker their pride and joy. As for middle lane hoggers, if they're doing it at night a quick flash of my spotlights lets them know they're being inconsiderate and pull in, if not then its full beam on and 660W's of light in your rear view mirror ;) :) usually they get the idea... Matt |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by Spannerdemon on Sep 6th, 2006, 2:45pm Yeah. the German Autobahns are brilliant. My wife's Son works in Munich, and last time we were over he took us to Neuschwanstein Castle for a day out. Incredible. His Mercedes never once fell below 120 mph, and other drivers used the Autobahm considerately and intelligently. A really good country to drive in. Then you come back to our middle Lane Dimbos trundling along at 65mph...........God help us!! :( |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by Danny_R on Sep 6th, 2006, 8:29pm Same thing happens over here, except people DO undertake and the cops are not really bothered. Shame they don’t have a standard issue police car across the UK. All you've got to do here is buy a Ford Crown Victoria and people are very different drivers, stick to speed limits, use turn signals etc etc.. I'll be coming back to England soon to see my folks. I'm really looking forward to 4 cylinder cars, crazy taxi drivers, speed humps and speed camera's everywhere ;) |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by TiberiuS on Sep 6th, 2006, 8:47pm Agree with what has been said, I always intend to stick to 70 with the cruise on the motorways but nearly always end up straying over. Its easier to speed in the Scorpio, it's much quieter and willing to speed. The point is that hiding speed cameras on every road earns more money than making the roads safer for Mr. Bloggs. There is speed and there is dangerous driving, both are related but not the same thing - some people just don't seem able to adjust speed to road or conditions. Just my thoughts :) Regards, Tiberius. |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by jonnycab on Sep 6th, 2006, 11:06pm Talking about middle lane drivers at night. At night when there is nothing on the road, the middle lane is a good place to be, as the outside lane on most motorways has ditches (lorry gullies) & it is not a very enjoyable driving experience. :P |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by taliban on Sep 7th, 2006, 1:31am 'I think most people don't let bus drivers in because they never signal Thank you when you do. Bus drivers very very rarely let other drivers in, and i think that is where the problem is. It's a bit of give and take, as usual. ' love it ;D i always give the thumbs up out my cab window if someone lets me out, if i dont, they might not do it again. funny thing is i now do what really used to irritate me before i started driving buses; if no ones letting me out (even though its in the highway code) i have to make my own gap, arm out window signalling im moving off, start the manouvre slowly covering the brake, someone always lets you out then, then i give em the thumbs up even though i havent given them much choice. the thing with buses is we're often trying to keep within time limits hence once we're moving we dont want to stop etc to let people out of junctions, if a bus does that everywhere, its because the drivers running early and is trying to lose time. have to admit that i never used to use buses, but now i get free transport on them i use them more often, and i've witnessed some diabolical bus driving. another thing; if you have an accident with a bus (in london) make sure your statement is true i.e. facts are facts, the average bus has 18 very high quality cameras on it, they are internal as well as external front, side, and rear facing. over the past few years many a car driver has been caught out lying about an accident due to this, the bus company will also persue the car drivers insurance not just for the damage but loss of projected revenue as well. this obviously works both ways; if the accident is deffo the bus drivers fault, demand that the bus company downloads the footage. |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by taliban on Sep 7th, 2006, 1:35am 'Talking about middle lane drivers at night. At night when there is nothing on the road, the middle lane is a good place to be, as the outside lane on most motorways has ditches (lorry gullies) & it is not a very enjoyable driving experience.' jonny nooooooooooo! if the motorways clear at night and i come across a middle lane driver, for my own safety i ssume 'oh oh, another drunk driver trying to balance between the pretty white lines' |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by mazzy_j on Sep 7th, 2006, 9:25am Well, i agree about sitting in the middle lane if the road if it is deserted. Quote:
You can all count yourselves lucky at having proper suspension because at the moment my diesel is 120 miles away from me this week and i'm having to use the girlfriends g-reg mini thou to ooo I can't wait to get my civilised car back ;D Matt |
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Title: Re: motorway hell.......... Post by jonnycab on Sep 7th, 2006, 10:06am on 09/07/06 at 01:35:25, taliban wrote:
Obviously you move over when another vehicle is coming up behind :P But, if you are doing 70mph, then no vehicle by law should be able to pass you ;) |
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