Aggression on the Roads...

Aggression on the Roads...

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Discussion

surveyor

Original Poster:

17,768 posts

183 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
quotequote all
Seem's to be on the increase....

I made a cockup today, missed a blind spot and pulled out in front of someone. My fault, and something I need to learn from (everyday is a learning day). The other driver did a fine job of avoiding me, sounded his horn, with a few choice words.

No harm no foul, quite deserved them and hold my hand up.

This was on A1M near Newcastle. The entry slip from the services involves crossing the exit lane for the next junction. Not the best layout, but I digress.

Anyway, I'm by now back on the A1M. Car that avoided me is on the exit, stopped with the guy red faced leaning out of his window screaming....

This achieved nothing. I'm certainly not going to stop and discuss with this sort of individual. His blood pressure must be sky high... I'm more of the type to deal with this sort of thing and move on... Why do it?

Anyway - I'll watch the dashcam threads over the next few days... see if I'm featured smile


Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
quotequote all
If you put your hand up and apologised to him then I can't see the issue, if you didn't then I can understand why he might be upset.

I did a similar thing last year, blind spot and my error, I just apologised and made sure he could see me saying sorry with my hand up...that calmed him down.


benjijames28

1,702 posts

91 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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Some people take these things far too personally. The roads are a big competition, they are the only perfect driver, nobody can get in their way or in some cases even overtake them without revenge deemed a necessity.

It's like when your in the wrong lane, there's a gap, you check mirrors, indicate, check mirrors, and the driver in the other lane speeds up to block you getting 5 metres in front of him, it's all one but competition.

I see this more and more and it pisses me off. I try to take a calmer approach to driving, we all make mistakes, you have to as understanding of other peoples mistakes as you hope they will yours.

Oilchange

8,421 posts

259 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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I ran a red light today, half way over a junction, lights obscured so didn't see them change and carried on after they went red.
Put my hand up and put it down to bad luck. Nobodies perfect!
Didn't have an unfortunate ranter going apoplectic at me though. I'd probably just have smiled at him and shrugged.
I can't get excited about things like that, no one was hurt and lets face it, getting in a car is a risky business that we all seem to take for granted.

Bill

52,482 posts

254 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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Wills2 said:
If you put your hand up and apologised to him then I can't see the issue, if you didn't then I can understand why he might be upset.

I did a similar thing last year, blind spot and my error, I just apologised and made sure he could see me saying sorry with my hand up...that calmed him down.

This. And if a waved apology doesn't calm things, blow him a kiss. biggrin

IroningMan

10,154 posts

245 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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Imagine how the driver in the OP might react to a perceived slight by a cyclist...

I spend a lot of time behind the wheel - 30k miles a year and sometimes more - and seem to have mostly got the hang of the Zen approach: today you had a in your life; never mind - they have a in their life every day. Move on and NEVER engage with another road user except to make space for them, express thanks or apologise.

'Twas not always so and I used to get very antsy about other peoples' driving, but I have learned to care and not to care, as Eliot might have said.

sebulban

285 posts

118 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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Over the years, with the mileage I do with work, I have encountered some proper fk knuckles!!! Don't get me wrong I make a fair amount of mistakes, but like the OP I put my hand up so its tough to have a go. But when people make mistakes, THEN proceed to abuse me and even threaten me I just don't know what they are thinking!!

All Ill add to this is as a professional mixed martial artist Ive done my civic duty a fair few times :-)

benjijames28

1,702 posts

91 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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Just another bit to add to this lol...

I was crossing a road today (on foot obviously), I'm half way across a busy ish road and some woman in a 4x4 BMW starts beeping her horn and waving her arms and flapping her lips at me.

I was alreqdy half way across the busy road, but on coming traffic wasn't going to stop to I was waiting for a car to go past before crossing the other side.

Here's me thinking pedestrians had right of way.

Drive Blind

5,076 posts

176 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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I think the problem is there are an increasing number of drivers who drive like a cock on purpose, the IDGAF attitude, the rules don't apply to me.

So when somebody does make a genuine mistake a lot of drivers just assume it's yet another cock.

Section 8

541 posts

188 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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If you drive a shed load of miles a year you would end up having a massive heart attack if you let every numpty get under your skin. I have had a few near misses today alone as i spend the majority of my day in Manchester/Birmingham/Leicester city centres in a lgv. If i screw up i just hold my hand out/ click hazards and offer a gesture of appology and if someone screams and rants so be it. Likewise if someone drops a bk i have to try and let it go and accept they are as human as i am.

As someone who is currently in anger managment therapy i have had to adapt this passive attitude as i was heading towards being that bellend who went postal on that lorry with a shovel. That said i have got zero tollerance for people on the fking phone while at the wheel like the complete and utter gimp who was sat at 35 in the outside lane of a dual carriageway weaving about like he was pissed texting his little heart out with headphones on while i was sat behind flashing and beeping with 10-15 cars up my arse end. This went on for over half a mile. Did i go apest? No i got the lot on dashcam and when he finally looked up and saw me and moved over still texting i smiled over and pointed to the cam in the cab. Karma!!

caelite

4,273 posts

111 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
quotequote all
IroningMan said:
I spend a lot of time behind the wheel - 30k miles a year and sometimes more - and seem to have mostly got the hang of the Zen approach: today you had a in your life; never mind - they have a in their life every day. Move on and NEVER engage with another road user except to make space for them, express thanks or apologise.

'Twas not always so and I used to get very antsy about other peoples' driving, but I have learned to care and not to care, as Eliot might have said.
Haha I need to give that a try, I do about the same miles, probably a bit more (spend several hours every day in a van). My rule is keep it in the cab biggrin. Shout and scream every profanity under the sun, wave my arms around. But keep it down if the windows are open and keep my hand off the horn apart from to alert people.

I'm in my early 20s and am probably well overdue my first heart attack biggrin

Sir Lord Poopie

212 posts

89 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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Drive Blind said:
I think the problem is there are an increasing number of drivers who drive like a cock on purpose, the IDGAF attitude, the rules don't apply to me..
The problem is there are too many cars on the road.

/thread

IroningMan

10,154 posts

245 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
quotequote all
caelite said:
Haha I need to give that a try, I do about the same miles, probably a bit more (spend several hours every day in a van). My rule is keep it in the cab biggrin. Shout and scream every profanity under the sun, wave my arms around. But keep it down if the windows are open and keep my hand off the horn apart from to alert people.

I'm in my early 20s and am probably well overdue my first heart attack biggrin
You're doing much better than me: when I was in my early 20s I was a total wker behind the wheel.

Josho

748 posts

96 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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I had one the other day. Driving in a Suzuki Swift I had just picked up. Going along some lanes round a blind bend and a Mazda I was following had anchored up a bit sharpish with an oncoming lorry in view.

I hit the brakes but the tyres were so abysmal in the damp that the ABS went mental and barely slowed the car. So I maneuvered around Mazda and into path of lorry who had thankfully stopped.

Mr Mazda man did creep forward probably in anticipation of a rear ender.

I backed behind said Mazda and allowed lorry to go past and apologised to all.

Door opened on the Mazda guy gets out having ago. I apologise again and he wonders around the road then keeps coming back. Another apology then a request for him to move so I can get on.

He then gets abusive, so I just drive on and he screams some more abuse and kicks the car. Then comes at me when I stop and jump out.

Well I had a very stressful week which wasn't his fault but he ended up the other side of his stty Mazda bonnet.

Absolutely no need for itn

Rubin215

3,985 posts

155 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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I'm an excellent driver and obey all the rules of the road apart from the ones that don't apply to me.

I never ever make mistakes and if I do then it's always because of something that some other idiot did (or didn't) do.

This therefore gives me the legal right to go bat-st red-faced apoplectic at any other road user whenever I feel they would benefit from a good shouting at.

You're all wkers...



whistle

caelite

4,273 posts

111 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
quotequote all
IroningMan said:
You're doing much better than me: when I was in my early 20s I was a total wker behind the wheel.
Haha, I always have that temptation in the back of my head to just, not brake. Especially with my big Shogun or one of the ~5ton work vans. Got my no claims to worry about though! There's always the breaker bar sat convieniently behind the passenger seat of my car if I ever need to diffuse someone else road rage.

Edited by caelite on Friday 2nd December 21:04

nickfrog

20,872 posts

216 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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I'm not being funny but I have detected more aggressive behaviour since the Brexit vote, it's like if the angry have been vindicated. I am probably imagining it though !

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

123 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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Some of these folk that get upset need to take a trip to somewhere like Morocco... Every junction is a competition to squeeze around/ahead of any car in front. The rush hour has to be experienced to be believed....

IroningMan

10,154 posts

245 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
quotequote all
nickfrog said:
I'm not being funny but I have detected more aggressive behaviour since the Brexit vote, it's like if the angry have been vindicated. I am probably imagining it though !
I wonder. It's not hard to picture the Venn diagram that describes the group of 'Leave Voters' and the group of 'I Know My Rights', somehow...

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
quotequote all
Driving over 30k a year means I have to relax and share the road otherwise I'd be in a padded cell or worse by now.

I have one simple rule (I'm simple) I always try not to make a manoeuvre that causes another car to brake if I do by mistake I apologise, since I've adopted this rule the road is a much more pleasant place.

I also thank everyone that lets me out etc...if I'm bombing down the outside lane and a car sees me and moves over I flash my hazards as well when I go past (I do like to make a little progress at times)