The things you see ...
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streaky

Original Poster:

19,311 posts

279 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
quotequote all
A quick trip to our local tip - well, SWMBO has been particularly annoying this week - and, in the space of some 8 miles, I saw the following 'incidents' that have appeared in recent threads:

1) www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=163211&f=10&h=0 : 2 cars stationary on a 'KEEP CLEAR' road marking, preventing cars turning and causing a block-back of around a dozen other vehicles ... which then caused other problems.

2) www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=163859&f=10&h=0 : Police car travelling at some 50mph on a dual carriageway in NSL ... with a queue of cars behind him. I passed at a (speedometer indicated) 74mph (which my Origin B2 shows as 68mph). No-one followed me past!

3) www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=162349&f=10&h=0 : As I was about to filter right at a set of traffic signals (under green arrow), no fewer than three cars ran the lights against me. I can only conclude that they assumed their light was green because vehicles in the left lane alongside me were still crossing.

4) www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=163211&f=10&h=0 : Again! At the same junction as (1)! But with a twist. The Area Car was behind me. The driver (aged about 35 I guess) got out to speak to the van driver (in his early 20s I guess) whose vehicle was blocking the junction. I wound down my window to listen. The BiB's opening words were: "So you're a product of our modern education system are you?"

5) www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=92852 : A pedestrian strode confidently out behind a bus across a speed bump and gave me the finger as I very nearly swiped them with the o/s wing mirror. I have come to expect such behaviour at this location, so it was no surprise (neither the pedestrian nor their gesture).

Despite the nice weather, I think I'll say at home and watch the Rugby!

Streaky

>>> Edited by streaky on Saturday 19th March 10:29

Flat in Fifth

48,779 posts

281 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
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Hi Streaky,

I saw two new ones for me yesterday.

1) Person abandoned car at the give way line into a roundabout. Didn't break down, just sort off got out and beggared off. People behind them just sat there waiting for the road clearing pixies to arrive and magically sort it.

2) Urban T junction, bit busy, supermarket, pub, few shops, chippy, some housing. Lots of vehicles parked, all illegally apart from mine.

A car just abandoned in the middle of the junction ( and I do mean middle) dipped headlights left on ...... while the owner did a bit of shopping in Tescos.

Apparently he thought it was OK because he'd left the keys in so anyone could move it if needed.

The final thing that makes one really really wonder what goes through some folks' minds is that the junction in question is .....















right outside the local nick.


>> Edited by Flat in Fifth on Saturday 19th March 15:46

alans

3,774 posts

286 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
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I went to Essex the other day anticlockwise on the M25 around 23:00hrs, since when has the hard shoulder become a park for HGV's? no lights and foggy I had a BiB behind me and he didn't give them a second glance. I returned about 04:00 and they were still there.

Alan

Imadreamer

353 posts

276 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
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Saw a guy stop on a busy bridge by the M25 this morning so he could put the windbreak between the seats of a convertible.

Hollywood Wheels

3,689 posts

260 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
quotequote all
streaky said:
Police car travelling at some 50mph on a dual carriageway in NSL ... with a queue of cars behind him. I passed at a (speedometer indicated) 74mph (which my Origin B2 shows as 68mph). No-one followed me past!


That one always gets me Streaky. It amazes me why people just won't go past. We have a few dual NSL's on my ground. Often we'll have to pootle along in lane one at 30 for various reasons, looking for someone/thing etc. I'll look in the rear view mirror and see two solid lanes of traffic doing 29.9mph!

Hollywood Wheels

3,689 posts

260 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
quotequote all
Flat in Fifth said:

A car just abandoned in the middle of the junction ( and I do mean middle) dipped headlights left on ...... while the owner did a bit of shopping in Tescos.

Apparently he thought it was OK because he'd left the keys in so anyone could move it if needed.

The final thing that makes one really really wonder what goes through some folks' minds is that the junction in question is .....

right outside the local nick.



He was probably a PCSO

busa_rush

6,930 posts

281 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
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Driving home on Friday on a B road I overtook a bicycle, he was doing I guss about 8-10 mph. More traffic ahead but I could see that the car behind me didn't overtake the bicycle, it wasn't difficult, a car can be past a bike in 3 seconds or so but the driver just didn't seem to have confidence to pass it. How do these people pass their test ? Glad he was behind me and not in front.

WildCat

8,369 posts

273 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
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Hollywood Wheels said:

streaky said:
Police car travelling at some 50mph on a dual carriageway in NSL ... with a queue of cars behind him. I passed at a (speedometer indicated) 74mph (which my Origin B2 shows as 68mph). No-one followed me past!



That one always gets me Streaky. It amazes me why people just won't go past. We have a few dual NSL's on my ground. Often we'll have to pootle along in lane one at 30 for various reasons, looking for someone/thing etc. I'll look in the rear view mirror and see two solid lanes of traffic doing 29.9mph!


I always overtake police cars if they are going too slow ... und the kittens (if in car) always give a wave to them..

Ist always strange that not many people will do this - und if ist legal - ist hardly being disrespectful - have even overtaken the gendarme at 5 mph above speed limit und they have never bothered (ist only you are in French reg car Swiss get points on licence if copped in France - und Swiss enjoy persecuting the French in return..)

I drive on my UK licence und passport when in France .. but my accent would give the game away... Am off home to Appenzell this week ...first really long drive since youngest kitten arrived....und am looking forward to it.

streaky

Original Poster:

19,311 posts

279 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
quotequote all
busa_rush said:
Driving home on Friday on a B road I overtook a bicycle, he was doing I guss about 8-10 mph. More traffic ahead but I could see that the car behind me didn't overtake the bicycle, it wasn't difficult, a car can be past a bike in 3 seconds or so but the driver just didn't seem to have confidence to pass it. How do these people pass their test ? Glad he was behind me and not in front.
I 'like' the ones where a truck (or other wide vehicle) passes parked vehicles with oncoming traffic but small car behind waits for the opposing traffic to stop and let her (usually!) through - Streaky

stepej

445 posts

270 months

Sunday 20th March 2005
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Hollywood Wheels said:

Flat in Fifth said:

A car just abandoned in the middle of the junction ( and I do mean middle) dipped headlights left on ...... while the owner did a bit of shopping in Tescos.

Apparently he thought it was OK because he'd left the keys in so anyone could move it if needed.

The final thing that makes one really really wonder what goes through some folks' minds is that the junction in question is .....

right outside the local nick.


He was probably a PCSO


Many a true word spoken in jest !!!....

gh0st

4,693 posts

288 months

Sunday 20th March 2005
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Few years back I saw someone in cornwall miss their juntion on a roundabout, so they stopped and REVERSED BACK to it!! cars flying everywhere to get out of their way - culprit - coffin dodger 80+ at least

Car parked on a busy sliproad just over the crest of the hill from a busy duel carrageway - driver using the phone parked up, was not broken down as shortly after I passed them and several other cars nearly hit it, it pulled off. culprit - middle aged man in a BMW

Vehicle on A38 today decides that it will overtake a lorry on the start of a really obvious steep hill. Remained level at 40 MPH while huge queue of cars built up over a 5 minute period then pulled back in behind - Culprit - Sainsburys lorry

Then finally on my way back from reading I was almost taken out by a vehicle swiping from lane 3 to lane one guesturing at anyone who dared react by flashing lights or moving out of his way to prevent certain death - culprit - White van man


Stereotypes - not true at all are they

streaky

Original Poster:

19,311 posts

279 months

Sunday 20th March 2005
quotequote all
gh0st said:
Few years back I saw someone in cornwall miss their juntion on a roundabout, so they stopped and REVERSED BACK to it!
It never fails to amaze me how many drivers forget that roundabouts are ... well ... round! Many moons ago I used that attribute to good effect ... I used to approach a roundabout in the outside lane (of a 3 lane dual carriageway) and drive all the way round the roundabout at the end and beat 60+ cars queuing in the other two lanes ... every workday morning! Amazingly, no-one else cottoned on (that I ever saw)! - Streaky

towman

14,938 posts

269 months

Monday 21st March 2005
quotequote all
gh0st said:
Vehicle on A38 today decides that it will overtake a lorry on the start of a really obvious steep hill. Remained level at 40 MPH while huge queue of cars built up over a 5 minute period then pulled back in behind - Culprit - Sainsburys lorry


Another good reason to punch Jamie Oliver.

gh0st

4,693 posts

288 months

Monday 21st March 2005
quotequote all
towman said:

gh0st said:
Vehicle on A38 today decides that it will overtake a lorry on the start of a really obvious steep hill. Remained level at 40 MPH while huge queue of cars built up over a 5 minute period then pulled back in behind - Culprit - Sainsburys lorry



Another good reason to punch Jamie Oliver.


Do I need a reason?! Does ANYBODY?!?

mechsympathy

58,686 posts

285 months

Monday 21st March 2005
quotequote all
gh0st said:
Car parked on a busy sliproad just over the crest of the hill from a busy duel carrageway - driver using the phone parked up, was not broken down as shortly after I passed them and several other cars nearly hit it, it pulled off. culprit - middle aged man in a BMW


Similar to this in Snowdonia a couple of weeks ago I went past a car that had stopped halfway around a sweeping, fairly blind bend on an A-road.

Why?

To take a fking picture

puggit

49,804 posts

278 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
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Spotted this morning, Eastbound on-ramp on to M4 at jc3. Mercedes A class comes flying up the sliproad, sees the ubiquitous queue (which was quite short and moving for once), so brakes and dives for the hardshoulder before reversing 300m back to the roundabout.

8.14 on my clock if any BiB want to check the cameras

superflid

2,254 posts

295 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
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streaky said:

It never fails to amaze me how many drivers forget that roundabouts are ... well ... round! Many moons ago I used that attribute to good effect ... I used to approach a roundabout in the outside lane (of a 3 lane dual carriageway) and drive all the way round the roundabout at the end and beat 60+ cars queuing in the other two lanes ... every workday morning! Amazingly, no-one else cottoned on (that I ever saw)! - Streaky


The straight-on 360, one of my favorites!