The roads are scary
Discussion
I passed my test in 1988 and since the early 90s I have been driving between 40-50,000 miles a year until last year.
Over the last couple of weeks I have had reason to drive some distance on the motorways (400-500 mile round trips in a day approx 5-6 times) for the first time in a while and it has left me wondering how anyone does it these days.
A couple of observations:
- Indicators have become cursory at best. If I put my indicator on I am not indicating that I wish to pull out, I am telling you to move out of the way if you do not wish to be crashed into because I am changing lane immediately.
- I have quite a lot of other things to do while driving so I am likely to be straddling lanes and swerving around. If you point this out to me in any way, I will turn purple, suggest that you are a f****** c*** and offer you some coffee beans or one of my fingers. I will do this even though your ten and seven year old children are in the car with you, trying to ensure they hit every crevice in your car with their motion-induced projectile vomiting.
- Lane three carries 85% of all traffic. Lane two is for Hondas (I could be very specific about the ages, sexes and races of these drivers but I choose not to). Lane one is for 7000 lorries up to their axles in the huge lorry-sized ruts in the tarmac. They appear to be unable to get out of the ruts (which means no-one can ever actually exit the motorway due to there being no gaps in the lorry train from Inverness to Portsmouth) until one brave soul breaks free, drives next to the lorry on his inside for about 50 miles, then realises he can't actually overtake and pulls back in as he runs out of fuel trying. This isn't at all frustrating for the people in the other lanes.
- Audis now outnumber all other cars by a ratio of 14:1. The model can only be identified by the big wheels and clouds of black smoke produced when progress is required. Debadging midrange diesel Audis is the new black. I for one am not fooled into believing they make an RS 2.0TDI.
- Wide loads no longer have to be in lane one with lights flashing. It's now ok to balance a skyscraper vertically on top of a flat bed, secure it firmly with some parcel tape, then "indicate" your way to lane three and have at it.
- The correct way to drive in heavy rain is as close as possible to the car in front, using lights only to flash people out of the way. Do this while dabbing on your brakes every 5 seconds because although you desperately need to get past everyone, you are completely s
tting yourself because you have no idea how to drive in these conditions.
So....is it just me or have standards dropped this far in 11 months?
I thank you in advance for the "cool story bro" pics and to establish my PH credentials, I am not powerfully built, I am a company director, I do not like Red Bull or have a goatee, I have never carried out VBRJ and I do like spelling and grammar to be correct.
Thank you for reading.
Over the last couple of weeks I have had reason to drive some distance on the motorways (400-500 mile round trips in a day approx 5-6 times) for the first time in a while and it has left me wondering how anyone does it these days.
A couple of observations:
- Indicators have become cursory at best. If I put my indicator on I am not indicating that I wish to pull out, I am telling you to move out of the way if you do not wish to be crashed into because I am changing lane immediately.
- I have quite a lot of other things to do while driving so I am likely to be straddling lanes and swerving around. If you point this out to me in any way, I will turn purple, suggest that you are a f****** c*** and offer you some coffee beans or one of my fingers. I will do this even though your ten and seven year old children are in the car with you, trying to ensure they hit every crevice in your car with their motion-induced projectile vomiting.
- Lane three carries 85% of all traffic. Lane two is for Hondas (I could be very specific about the ages, sexes and races of these drivers but I choose not to). Lane one is for 7000 lorries up to their axles in the huge lorry-sized ruts in the tarmac. They appear to be unable to get out of the ruts (which means no-one can ever actually exit the motorway due to there being no gaps in the lorry train from Inverness to Portsmouth) until one brave soul breaks free, drives next to the lorry on his inside for about 50 miles, then realises he can't actually overtake and pulls back in as he runs out of fuel trying. This isn't at all frustrating for the people in the other lanes.
- Audis now outnumber all other cars by a ratio of 14:1. The model can only be identified by the big wheels and clouds of black smoke produced when progress is required. Debadging midrange diesel Audis is the new black. I for one am not fooled into believing they make an RS 2.0TDI.
- Wide loads no longer have to be in lane one with lights flashing. It's now ok to balance a skyscraper vertically on top of a flat bed, secure it firmly with some parcel tape, then "indicate" your way to lane three and have at it.
- The correct way to drive in heavy rain is as close as possible to the car in front, using lights only to flash people out of the way. Do this while dabbing on your brakes every 5 seconds because although you desperately need to get past everyone, you are completely s
tting yourself because you have no idea how to drive in these conditions.So....is it just me or have standards dropped this far in 11 months?
I thank you in advance for the "cool story bro" pics and to establish my PH credentials, I am not powerfully built, I am a company director, I do not like Red Bull or have a goatee, I have never carried out VBRJ and I do like spelling and grammar to be correct.
Thank you for reading.
Once upon a time, when having a car required a great deal of expenditure and time, to purchase/keep running properly, driving was considered something akin to a vocation/profession. Nowadays, it is seen as everyone's right to own and drive a car, much the same as having a new pair of shoes and, treated accordingly. Gone (well for most folk) are those days and, would seem most drivers do not see driving as an art or a profession - the driving test seen as a means to and not the start of a career in driving. Sad days indeed!
Tidybeard said:
- Audis now outnumber all other cars by a ratio of 14:1. The model can only be identified by the big wheels and clouds of black smoke produced when progress is required. Debadging midrange diesel Audis is the new black. I for one am not fooled into believing they make an RS 2.0TDI.
This always gives me a good chuckle. Seeing a base spec Audi with RS badges always makes me laugh, though I also like to laugh at the sales reps in S Line Audis too, who are willing to travel in absolute discomfort on one of the worst suspension designs of our era for the sake of having the little red badges on their car. 40,000 miles a year in a car that feels like it has square wheels? No thanks!Driving standards have dropped, politicians used to be noble, children used to have more respect for their elders, Petrol used to cost less, roads used to be silky smooth and pot hole free, radio one used to play music instead of autotuned overproduced hype, just make sure you use plenty of sunscreen.
Diesel Audis tend to be the worst driven cars on the road. They have all the sporting credentials of a Passat, but the owners must think their diesel rep-mobile is some kind of status symbol that must be ragged everywhere. They are the bane of the roads these days, BMW drivers put them to shame. It's clear who deserves the reputation....
I stopped doing 1500 miles a week in 2007. Got back on the road in 2010 and the difference was marked, on the motorways and open A roads. Average speeds in open traffic seem slower, which may be a function of both the cost of fuel and the increased fear of automated speed enforcement. Lane discipline as a result has become worse, with many drivers even on dual carriageways happy to sit in lane 2 for no good reason.
Generally standards have not improved as I can see it.
Generally standards have not improved as I can see it.
The police aren't indicating at all either, round our way.
Also round our way though, it does seem that the complete and utter dorks who are a bit short on cash are attracted to BMWs, whereas the middle/aspirational-middle management stars do all seem to be in Audis. For people who chalk up the miles, they regularly surprise me with how bad they still drive.
Very funny rant though OP, gave me a good laugh.
Also round our way though, it does seem that the complete and utter dorks who are a bit short on cash are attracted to BMWs, whereas the middle/aspirational-middle management stars do all seem to be in Audis. For people who chalk up the miles, they regularly surprise me with how bad they still drive.
Very funny rant though OP, gave me a good laugh.
In the past week I've had two people nearly hit me going all the way round a roundabout in the outside lane. Thanks to decent brakes and quick reactions I avoided them.
Lane hoggers drive me nuts. If someone is doing 40 in a 50 in lane two, when it's clear for them to be in lane one, I have no shame in flashing my lights and if that fails beep the horn. This is common practice (and courteous) in mainland Europe, it should be here to instil some lane discipline - which is shockingly bad over here.
Lane hoggers drive me nuts. If someone is doing 40 in a 50 in lane two, when it's clear for them to be in lane one, I have no shame in flashing my lights and if that fails beep the horn. This is common practice (and courteous) in mainland Europe, it should be here to instil some lane discipline - which is shockingly bad over here.
More stringent tests are needed for passing your test. As said in a previous post people see a car as a right not a priveldge, although with the cost of motoring going up and up that may change (either that or we will have more non taxed, non insured etc cars on the road) although that's for a whole different thread!
LiamM45 said:
In the past week I've had two people nearly hit me going all the way round a roundabout in the outside lane. Thanks to decent brakes and quick reactions I avoided them.
How come you let it happen a second time? A bit of anticipation can save you from situations where quick reactions and decent brakes may not be enough. Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
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