Speeding not an issue
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4592119.stm
Tailgating 'top driving threat'
Driving too close to the car in front and using mobile phones are considered the biggest threats on UK roads, a survey says.
More than half of more than 700 drivers surveyed by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) considered the two activities "highly dangerous".
Drivers who overtake on single carriageways and those who cut up others were the next on the list.
The IAM called for stiffer penalties for drivers caught using a mobile.
The IAM is an organisation working to improve UK drivers' skills.
'Lacking skills'
Tailgaters topped its poll with women, with 60% of respondents naming them as a highly dangerous risk on Britain's roads, compared with only 47% of men.
Too many road users slip into bad habits, either through ignorance, impatience or, even worse, aggression
Steve Norris, IAM Council member
Likewise, more women (61%) found talking on mobile phones while driving to be dangerous compared with men (44%).
But younger drivers were least likely to find others' activities to be dangerous.
Only 30% of those aged between 17 and 29 regarded phoning and driving to be a "highly dangerous" activity, compared with 50% in all of the other age groups of those questioned.
With tailgating, only 40% found it highly dangerous, compared with 55% in the other age groups.
Steve Norris, a former road safety minister and member of the IAM Council, said: "Many of Britain's motorists regard other drivers as lacking basic road safety skills.
"Too many road users slip into bad habits, either through ignorance, impatience or, even worse, aggression.
'Filling hospitals'
"Tailgating and phoning while driving are activities which are a clear threat to the safety of others. No-one has the right to drive badly but the results of bad driving fill our hospitals every day."
The IAM is urging the Highways Agency and other road safety organisations to paint more chevrons reminding people of the two-second rule - the time indicating a safe gap between two vehicles.
It also wants stiffer penalties for drivers caught using a mobile phone at the wheel, which was made illegal 18 months ago.
"More effective police action would help the government achieve the aim of making 'phoning-and-driving' as socially unacceptable as drinking-and-driving," Mr Norris said.
The survey was carried out by BRMB.
Tailgating 'top driving threat'
Driving too close to the car in front and using mobile phones are considered the biggest threats on UK roads, a survey says.
More than half of more than 700 drivers surveyed by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) considered the two activities "highly dangerous".
Drivers who overtake on single carriageways and those who cut up others were the next on the list.
The IAM called for stiffer penalties for drivers caught using a mobile.
The IAM is an organisation working to improve UK drivers' skills.
'Lacking skills'
Tailgaters topped its poll with women, with 60% of respondents naming them as a highly dangerous risk on Britain's roads, compared with only 47% of men.
Too many road users slip into bad habits, either through ignorance, impatience or, even worse, aggression
Steve Norris, IAM Council member
Likewise, more women (61%) found talking on mobile phones while driving to be dangerous compared with men (44%).
But younger drivers were least likely to find others' activities to be dangerous.
Only 30% of those aged between 17 and 29 regarded phoning and driving to be a "highly dangerous" activity, compared with 50% in all of the other age groups of those questioned.
With tailgating, only 40% found it highly dangerous, compared with 55% in the other age groups.
Steve Norris, a former road safety minister and member of the IAM Council, said: "Many of Britain's motorists regard other drivers as lacking basic road safety skills.
"Too many road users slip into bad habits, either through ignorance, impatience or, even worse, aggression.
'Filling hospitals'
"Tailgating and phoning while driving are activities which are a clear threat to the safety of others. No-one has the right to drive badly but the results of bad driving fill our hospitals every day."
The IAM is urging the Highways Agency and other road safety organisations to paint more chevrons reminding people of the two-second rule - the time indicating a safe gap between two vehicles.
It also wants stiffer penalties for drivers caught using a mobile phone at the wheel, which was made illegal 18 months ago.
"More effective police action would help the government achieve the aim of making 'phoning-and-driving' as socially unacceptable as drinking-and-driving," Mr Norris said.
The survey was carried out by BRMB.
MrsMiggins said:
In their defence, the IAM don't say that overtaking is dangerous, the people surveyed did. Another consequence of the dumbing down of driving.
On the other hand, that just leaves more space on the other side of the road for me! Vroooom!
If the feckers drove a bit faster I wouldn't have to overtake.
Einion Yrth said:
MrsMiggins said:
In their defence, the IAM don't say that overtaking is dangerous, the people surveyed did. Another consequence of the dumbing down of driving.
On the other hand, that just leaves more space on the other side of the road for me! Vroooom!
If the feckers drove a bit faster I wouldn't have to overtake.
Yes OK, sorry, I'll withdraw part of my criticism of the IAM. There's still too much of the old women mentality amongst some of their groups though.
As for the overtakees driving a bit faster - they would need to drive a lot faster to make much of my overtaking inappropriate, but maybe that's just indicative of what I find to be a natural pace for driving.
Incidentally, does anyone else remember that TV programme about North Wales Police, where they showed two clips about their advanced driver training?
First of all there was a sequence where an officer was being assessed for his suitability for advanced training, and then in the second sequence he had been accepted and was out on a training session.
I was a bit amused when the commentator made reference to an advanced driver needing to be proficient at high speed overtaking - and then we overtook a car travelling at about 45 mph, and went up to a speed of about 60-65 mph in the process!
What do you regard as high speed overtaking? Maybe I'm just a terrible tearaway, but I think of high speed overtaking as meaning overtaking somebody that is already doing at least 70 mph. BTW I am talking about single carriageway roads here. DCs don't count.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
>> Edited by TripleS on Monday 30th May 18:56
Balmoral Green said:
no mention of how they are BOTH in the wrong
I assume the piece was not about use of lane discipline (which AIUI is not illegal, but an issue of politeness) but tailgating - an issue of (illegal) driving without due care and attention?
I far prefer the MLM to the idiots who cut dangerously across the MLMs from lane 1 to lane 3 to lane 1 trying to teach them a lesson, and then back out to 2 or 3 again a few seconds later to make the next pass.
Huntingdon to Cambridge stretch attracts more of it's fair share of traffic and accidents, I believe it's one of the worst in the country.
It's been beautifully engineered to carry not only all the east/west traffic, but also the north/south.
The A14/A1 junction (Spittals) is particularly notorious: it's a favourite spot for HGV's to fall over, and it's one of those rare roundabouts where the left hand lane is used to turn right, so plenty of people pulling out infront of traffic.
Genius.
It's been beautifully engineered to carry not only all the east/west traffic, but also the north/south.
The A14/A1 junction (Spittals) is particularly notorious: it's a favourite spot for HGV's to fall over, and it's one of those rare roundabouts where the left hand lane is used to turn right, so plenty of people pulling out infront of traffic.
Genius.
Overtaking is possibly the most dangerous maneouvre you can make on a road, so its not surprising that people consider it a risky thing to do.
Perhaps thats because so many people don't really know how to do it, or don't have the power, or get annoyed when its done to them and close the gap.
Perhaps thats because so many people don't really know how to do it, or don't have the power, or get annoyed when its done to them and close the gap.
Balmoral - not trying to have a go at you, and in fact, I agree that poor lane discipline is a cause of the frustration which leads to poor overtakes and people following too close.
However, tailgating is a voluntary action of the following driver. As such it is entirely their responsibility.
I'd be interested in views on what makes it tailgating, and what makes it a good contact position prior to an overtake...
However, tailgating is a voluntary action of the following driver. As such it is entirely their responsibility.
I'd be interested in views on what makes it tailgating, and what makes it a good contact position prior to an overtake...
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