Irrational Driving behaviours

[Mr Penguin]

Pulling in when an ambulance is coming the other way and the other side of the road is completely clear.

[Mr Squarekins]

Those more intent on sounding thier horn rather than avoiding an accident.

Rather than take evasive steps, people seem happy to slam on the horn and hit things.

Focussing on the wrong outcome.

[QJumper]

People who drive on or just under the speed limit, and then hit the brakes when they see a speed camera.

[Tyre Smoke]

Zarco said:

Blindly following another driver overtaking a cyclist is my favourite.

Blindly following a cyclist at 10-15mph and won't overtake because of double white lines. It's like they think the bike is five metres long and five wide. When it obviously isn't.

[911hope]

Joey Deacon said:

911hope said:

Scrump said:

Shallow puddle or water filled pothole?

Doesn't matter if the alternative is a crash.

I actually had this same dilemma a few months ago in Devon. Driving along a straight piece of road I suddenly noticed that the storm drain cover up ahead had completely collapsed. I had to make a split second decision, but there was a car coming the other way so I had no choice but to drive over it.

Leading to a massive bang, the unmistakable sound of a tyre deflating and a very bent rim.

Sounds like you made the correct decision.

[911hope]

Lorries overtaking each others on motorways (because of their miniscule and possibly temporary speed advantage). They block multiple lanes and represent a major risk when they pull out into the path of a faster vehicle.

For what? Somewhere between 0% to 1% reduction in journey time.

[Tyre Smoke]

Mr Penguin said:

Pulling in when an ambulance is coming the other way and the other side of the road is completely clear.

911hope said:

Lorries overtaking each others on motorways (because of their miniscule and possibly temporary speed advantage). They block multiple lanes and represent a major risk when they pull out into the path of a faster vehicle.

For what? Somewhere between 0% to 1% reduction in journey time.

Both the modus operandi of 'Road Captains'.

[sean ie3]

Teams of cyclist's grouped in such a manner that I can't give them the prescribed 1metre when I pass. I know who it is that will be at fault if something happens, is it rational to make them aware someone else is using the road and ruin their conversation or just wait until a safe pass can be made? Anyway it is Sunday morning so no need to hurry.

[911hope]

sean ie3 said:

Teams of cyclist's grouped in such a manner that I can't give them the prescribed 1metre when I pass. I know who it is that will be at fault if something happens, is it rational to make them aware someone else is using the road and ruin their conversation or just wait until a safe pass can be made? Anyway it is Sunday morning so no need to hurry.

You mean minimum of 1.5m, surely.

[Dingu]

911hope said:

stupidbutkeen said:

But what if the alternative was to avoid the puddle and not crash, Which happens quite a lot i hear.

Have a read of the original post, there is the part about the oncoming car...

How many of the incidents you observed resulted in a head on crash?

[911hope]

Dingu said:

How many of the incidents you observed resulted in a head on crash?

To answer your question, I have seen one such incident result in a crash.

And I have been the oncoming car on several occasions, where I needed to overt the crash.

I guess it is people like me keeping the irrational alive.

[roadsmash]

Speeding up to avoid letting someone in at a merge point. Moronic.

[Drew106]

911hope said:

Lorries overtaking each others on motorways (because of their miniscule and possibly temporary speed advantage). They block multiple lanes and represent a major risk when they pull out into the path of a faster vehicle.

For what? Somewhere between 0% to 1% reduction in journey time.

Not wanting to waste energy by braking perhaps? The higher the MPG the bigger your margin.

[911hope]

Speeding up to prevent an overtake.

[911hope]

Driving down the middle of a wide road, simply because there isn't a white line.

[motorhole]

Following a car that is stuck behind slower traffic on a single carriageway road, watching them pass up many safe and comfortable overtaking opportunities - fear, hesitancy, whatever the reason I don't know. Then, after many miles, impatience > apparent fear of overtaking and they go for it in about the worst possible place imaginable.

[7mike]

911hope said:

Driving down the middle of a wide road, simply because there isn't a white line.

Why would there not be a centre line on a wide road?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/governmen...


2.2.6.  On rural roads below 5.5 m in width, over‑running of the carriageway edge can occur if
centre line markings are provided, causing maintenance problems. Drivers might also expect
a road marked with a centre line to be wide enough for opposing lanes of traffic to pass. In
these circumstances the centre line should be omitted, but it is recommended that edge of
carriageway markings would be helpful.

[911hope]

7mike said:

Why would there not be a centre line on a wide road?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/governmen...


2.2.6.??On rural roads below 5.5 m in width, over?running of the carriageway edge can occur if
centre line markings are provided, causing maintenance problems. Drivers might also expect
a road marked with a centre line to be wide enough for opposing lanes of traffic to pass. In
these circumstances the centre line should be omitted, but it is recommended that edge of
carriageway markings would be helpful.

For example...Lots of residential roads, roads that have been recently resurfaced.

Point is lots of people don't seem to be able to work out where the centre is, unless there is a line instructing them.

Or is there another explanation?

[swisstoni]

I’ve noticed this phenomenon over the years.

People will seemingly involuntarily gravitate towards the centre of the road if there’s no centre line.

[georgeyboy12345]

911hope said:

georgeyboy12345 said:

I wouldn’t call that irrational. My driving instructor taught me to treat a large puddle as an obstacle where safe to do so and go around it.

And if there were an oncoming car? Would that be rational?

Can you read?