Irrational Driving behaviours
Discussion
swisstoni said:
You’ve been waiting for ages at (possibly temporary) traffic lights that don’t give much green time.
It would seem sensible and fairly public spirited to;
a) be ready to go when the chance comes
b) keep up with the car in front through the lights.
The lights to cross the single lane bridge in my town take an age to change. If you don't keep up with the car in front when the light is on green, the sensor changes the light to red. It would seem sensible and fairly public spirited to;
a) be ready to go when the chance comes
b) keep up with the car in front through the lights.
Seen so many dithery drivers do this. The best is when they make enough of a gap to trigger the sensor, then drive through the amber anyway.
swisstoni said:
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.
Might as well, in my eyes. Assuming you're paying attention to the road and can see oncoming traffic ahead, why not stay away from hazards that could pop out from your nearside? Nothing wrong IMO as long as you pay attention to your surroundings. I've had it before when travelling down an unmarked lane such as this and about 50 feet ahead, a front door opened and a little dog shot out at warp speed, only to be yanked back on a lead when it was right in nearside wheel path. Had I not been in the middle of the lane, I think I'd have mullered the dog. No pavement, just basically front door, a small step then road. People will seemingly involuntarily gravitate towards the centre of the road if there’s no centre line.
FatboyKim said:
Drivers who brake at the sight of any speed camera, no matter whether they are speeding or obviously well under the speed limit. The typical braindead habitual attitude of 'oh, there is a speed camera... therefore I must brake'.
Sign of a guilty conscience, as well as demonstrating the inability to look further ahead than the number plates in front of them. What The Deuces said:
GasEngineer said:
So what should a driver do if there is a steady stream of vehicles with no gap who won't let them in? They must give way to to vehicles already on the carriageway so they have to stop or they will end up on the verge.
Erm not ‘stop suddenly’In all my years of driving I’ve never run out of sliproad and if I did it wouldn’t be with an abrupt stamp of the brakes
On short slip roads or in very heavy traffic it may not be possible to merge at the first attempt. In which case stopping before the merge line would be sensible, to give yourself a bit of room to get up to speed to merge with the traffic when a gap finally does present itself.
Slamming on at the last minute is never going to be the correct choice, although one does see it happen with depressing frequency.
I remember years ago driving through a medium sized rural village, speed limit 30mph and keeping to 30 or thereabouts, a red faced man in a Mondeo approaching from behind at speed. He proceeded to tailgate me through the village, weaving and gesturing his desire to speed up. At the far end of the village he backed off slightly, gave me full beams, a long blast of the horn, and a single digit salute out the window, before pulling into what I presumed was his driveway. Always remember that one - it was like "hey f
k you for driving safely through my village..."
k you for driving safely through my village..."Roderick Spode said:
I remember years ago driving through a medium sized rural village, speed limit 30mph and keeping to 30 or thereabouts, a red faced man in a Mondeo approaching from behind at speed. He proceeded to tailgate me through the village, weaving and gesturing his desire to speed up. At the far end of the village he backed off slightly, gave me full beams, a long blast of the horn, and a single digit salute out the window, before pulling into what I presumed was his driveway. Always remember that one - it was like "hey fk you for driving safely through my village..."
Busting for a dump? k you for driving safely through my village..."
Braking for speed cameras when well under the limit
Stopping at roundabouts when there's nothing coming
Heading straight into the middle lane on a motorway
Blocking people from merging into a lane when 'merge in turn' appears
Sitting behind tractors / cyclists on completely clear roads
Flashing when you overtake on said completely clear road
Reckon I could go on all day!
Stopping at roundabouts when there's nothing coming
Heading straight into the middle lane on a motorway
Blocking people from merging into a lane when 'merge in turn' appears
Sitting behind tractors / cyclists on completely clear roads
Flashing when you overtake on said completely clear road
Reckon I could go on all day!
Negotiating a roundabout in an exaggerated manner.
Ok this isnt so much irrational but whenever I see it I always think to myself...why?
A small tradtitional roundabout that has 3 or 4 entry/exit points with a clear view of all regardless of which lane one happens to be in.
There is a single lane on entry, while on the roundabout, and on exit. 2 cars cannot drive side by side while on the roundabout.
A car approaches intending to follow the road ahead, then on entry turns their steering wheel hard left followed by hard right then finally hard left to exit.
This is a needless amount of effort and makes the obstacle more awkward than it needs to be.
My approach when following the same path uses the minimum steering input required to safely negotiate the roundabout and the whole manouevre is smoother and quicker.
I see this behaviour almost every day on a number of roundabouts the same type as I stated above.
Ok this isnt so much irrational but whenever I see it I always think to myself...why?
A small tradtitional roundabout that has 3 or 4 entry/exit points with a clear view of all regardless of which lane one happens to be in.
There is a single lane on entry, while on the roundabout, and on exit. 2 cars cannot drive side by side while on the roundabout.
A car approaches intending to follow the road ahead, then on entry turns their steering wheel hard left followed by hard right then finally hard left to exit.
This is a needless amount of effort and makes the obstacle more awkward than it needs to be.
My approach when following the same path uses the minimum steering input required to safely negotiate the roundabout and the whole manouevre is smoother and quicker.
I see this behaviour almost every day on a number of roundabouts the same type as I stated above.
Edited by Ron240 on Sunday 28th August 22:48
Some of my pet hates.
Drivers who stop at a roundabout & then look to the right.
Unnecessary braking. Regularly see a Megane with a driver who does this. When I was following him on a local country road he braked 22 times - me? Zero. On a long downhill section in a 50mph limit his brakes light permanently lit - mine? never; I was in 4th gear (out of 7).
Driving slowly down long slip roads onto a motorway or dual-carraigeway & joining at 40mph.
Drivers (usual women) who sit so low in the car they can only just see over the steering wheel. Saw one woman driver recently driving with one hand on top of the steering wheel & leaning towards the centre of the car so she could see around her hand.
Drivers who stop at a roundabout & then look to the right.
Unnecessary braking. Regularly see a Megane with a driver who does this. When I was following him on a local country road he braked 22 times - me? Zero. On a long downhill section in a 50mph limit his brakes light permanently lit - mine? never; I was in 4th gear (out of 7).
Driving slowly down long slip roads onto a motorway or dual-carraigeway & joining at 40mph.
Drivers (usual women) who sit so low in the car they can only just see over the steering wheel. Saw one woman driver recently driving with one hand on top of the steering wheel & leaning towards the centre of the car so she could see around her hand.
Fog lights as a fashion accessory - if it's not foggy they shouldn't be on; if you've driven through fog and it's now clear you're dazzling people.
Choosing not to turn lights on in spray conditions, especially on motorway - just because you have "automatic headlights" doesn't mean if they don't choose to come on then you don't need them.
And the increasingly common "go counter-clockwise around mini roundabouts" (accompanied by lack of indication, naturally) - I just cannot get my head around it.
Choosing not to turn lights on in spray conditions, especially on motorway - just because you have "automatic headlights" doesn't mean if they don't choose to come on then you don't need them.
And the increasingly common "go counter-clockwise around mini roundabouts" (accompanied by lack of indication, naturally) - I just cannot get my head around it.
Glosphil said:
Drivers (usual women) who sit so low in the car they can only just see over the steering wheel. Saw one woman driver recently driving with one hand on top of the steering wheel & leaning towards the centre of the car so she could see around her hand.
Years ago I did some training with a young woman who insisted on sitting as low as possible; she could barely see over the steering wheel. Her reasoning was; a mechanic friend of hers had told her she would be safer in a crash if more of her body was lower than the windows. Her mechanic friend obviously forgot to tell her she was more likely to be in a crash if she couldn't she where she was going Ron240 said:
Negotiating a roundabout in an exaggerated manner.
Also swinging out hard into the middle of the road to turn left.Edited by Ron240 on Sunday 28th August 22:48
I think this is to demonstrate what an expert driver they are, and shows the level of skill and effort required far exceeds a normal driver.
people who speed up as you overtake them
On motorways or duels, people who speed up as the slower vehicle they were overtaking pulls in, meaning you then have t speed up more as they seem to think it is their right to do what they want rather than allow you to pass and pull back over.
On motorways or duels, people who speed up as the slower vehicle they were overtaking pulls in, meaning you then have t speed up more as they seem to think it is their right to do what they want rather than allow you to pass and pull back over.
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