Is it me?

[ferrariF50lover]

Hi all,

I'm usually to be found posing daft theoretical questions in the SPL board, but IO have a more general (and real life) question which seems more appropriate here.

The situation is this:

I do an awful lot of my driving on motorways. Following football around the country tends to have that effect. Now, I understand that standards of driving, particularly on these bigger roads are abysmally low, so I'm not necessarily surprised by the situation in which I find myself so frequently.

Generally, if I'm just cruising about with no particular pressure upon my journey time (ie, I left on time), then I will happily set my cruise control at somewhere around a GPS indicated 75. I find this gets me past lorries and those doing a speedo indicated 70mph fast enough not to be a nuisance to those wanting to go much faster in the outside lane, but it's not so fast that I need concern myself with policemen hiding in bushes or my rapidly plummeting fuel economy.
Now the crux of the matter. I find, I'd say on average at least every 25 motorway miles, that I am happily cruising along at a fixed speed, when, for no reason, another car place itself just on my offside rear corner (presume I am on the inside lane and it is clear for some distance). They will have been going faster than I (for how else would they have caught me?), but then, upon basically getting to my blind spot, they decide that they must, for mile after mile, sit there, doing exactly the same speed as me. Of course, this isn't too much of a problem provided nothing goes wrong. The problems begin when I want to overtake the lorry I am rapidly approaching.
Now, I indicate nice and early, and nothing happens. So I move my car to the edge of my lane and still nothing happens. By this time, I am forced to slow down to let the other guy past only then to pull out and overtake the lorry.

Why do these people do this? Does it happen to anyone else? Why is it that they can see my indicator, see the lorry I'm going to hit unless they move out of the way and still continue to sit there, neither overtaking nor pulling in behind?

I do appreciate that I have no divine right to ride along at the same speed the whole time, but these people seem to be on a mission to force me to brake.

Is the road full of morons, or am I a st driver who doesn't know something that everyone else does?

Simon.

[anonymous-user]

So you see them approaching a position where they will block your movement out from the lane. And you see a scenario unfolding ahead (a lorry for example) that will require you to move out. And you do nothing about it?

Try slow down or speed up for a bit! I think you car will be fitted with a couple of controls to allow you to do this quite easily. It's called driving btw.

[jimmsy]

I like to go along on cruise control and get this all the time. Some of the observant people will speed up or allow me out when I indicate, but others seem to just do it to be knobs. Normally people in peugeots for some reason.

[ferrariF50lover]

Max_Torque said:

So you see them approaching a position where they will block your movement out from the lane. And you see a scenario unfolding ahead (a lorry for example) that will require you to move out. And you do nothing about it?

Try slow down or speed up for a bit! I think you car will be fitted with a couple of controls to allow you to do this quite easily. It's called driving btw.

Have another look at what's actually written, then try again. It's called reading btw.

Simon.

[Douglas Arfempty]

Max_Torque said:

So you see them approaching a position where they will block your movement out from the lane. And you see a scenario unfolding ahead (a lorry for example) that will require you to move out. And you do nothing about it?

Try slow down or speed up for a bit! I think you car will be fitted with a couple of controls to allow you to do this quite easily. It's called driving btw.

What a completely unnecessary and pathetic comment.

OP, I understood what you meant, it was written clearly and rather simply, and I agree with you. I'm also a big cruise control fan, and this annoys the hell out of me.

[magooagain]

I am new to cruise control and have just started using it about two months now.
Allready i cant believe the amount of drivers that vary thier speeds so much.

When i close up on a lorry and ready to overtake at a safe distance low and behold the driver that was staying a decent distance behind speeds up and so i have to brake and let them pass me before i overtake.

IMO its the main reason why alot of folks hog the centre lane.

[Gad-Westy]

Yep, happens to me a lot. That and pulling out to overtake someone who then matches your speed. It's very tricky to make steady uninterrupted progress in the uk even on very quiet stretches. The only time when this doesn't happen is when well above the limit.

[ferrariF50lover]

Phew, glad it's not just me. I also get the 'wait...wait...wait...wait...oh, you want to come out? I'll just speed up and cut you off' routine as well.

I'm beginning to think it's deliberate, but this happened to a EO Focus ST, a silver, diesel A3 and a black, diesel Zafira. I can't see anything which might link these three cars sufficiently closely as to even begin to suggest that they might attract a 'certain type of moron'.

Still none the wiser, although I feel better knowing I'm not completely alone.

Simon.

[anonymous-user]

ferrariF50lover said:

Max_Torque said:

So you see them approaching a position where they will block your movement out from the lane. And you see a scenario unfolding ahead (a lorry for example) that will require you to move out. And you do nothing about it?

Try slow down or speed up for a bit! I think you car will be fitted with a couple of controls to allow you to do this quite easily. It's called driving btw.

Have another look at what's actually written, then try again. It's called reading btw.

Simon.

Well, i've read it again. And i stick by what i said. It's up to you to drive your car. if that means changing your speed, well so be it. It's called Driving btw.#


ETA: It never happens to me. If i see that i will be arriving at a moment in time, at which the requirement for me to reposition my car on the road will be co-incident with another car blocking that move, i will just adjust my speed to ensure it doesn't happen.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 5th December 19:14

[ferrariF50lover]

Gad-Westy said:

Yep, happens to me a lot. That and pulling out to overtake someone who then matches your speed. It's very tricky to make steady uninterrupted progress in the uk even on very quiet stretches. The only time when this doesn't happen is when well above the limit.

I can vouch for the last bit too. I began to type, then deleted, that I spent the first six or seven years of my driving career with an average cruising speed of 100mph and never once had a problem with another motorist. I didn't even have anyone pull out on me for the sake of looking. Slow down to 70ish and it seems that's where all the idiots reside.

Simon.

[ferrariF50lover]

Max_Torque said:

Well, i've read it again. And i stick by what i said. It's up to you to drive your car. if that means changing your speed, well so be it. It's called Driving btw.

I'd never have thought that someone who can write and use the internet and drive and whatnot could have such trouble with basic comprehension of written information. Still, every day is a school day, I guess.

Simon.

[DKS]

Max_Torque said:

Well, i've read it again. And i stick by what i said. It's up to you to drive your car. if that means changing your speed, well so be it. It's called Driving btw.#


ETA: It never happens to me. If i see that i will be arriving at a moment in time, at which the requirement for me to reposition my car on the road will be co-incident with another car blocking that move, i will just adjust my speed to ensure it doesn't happen.

I think you're missing the point. He has seen them and is reacting in plenty of time. What he's asking is why do people insist in sitting in his blind spot, and not over take or slot in behind?

[anonymous-user]

DKS said:

He has seen them and is reacting in plenty of time.

So what is the problem?

Or does the OP want every other driver on the road to actively help him drive his car, rather than him do it? Funny how it's always the "other guy" causing the issue.

[Capri86]

Max_Torque said:

ferrariF50lover said:

Max_Torque said:

So you see them approaching a position where they will block your movement out from the lane. And you see a scenario unfolding ahead (a lorry for example) that will require you to move out. And you do nothing about it?

Try slow down or speed up for a bit! I think you car will be fitted with a couple of controls to allow you to do this quite easily. It's called driving btw.

Have another look at what's actually written, then try again. It's called reading btw.

Simon.

Well, i've read it again. And i stick by what i said. It's up to you to drive your car. if that means changing your speed, well so be it. It's called Driving btw.#

ETA: It never happens to me. If i see that i will be arriving at a moment in time, at which the requirement for me to reposition my car on the road will be co-incident with another car blocking that move, i will just adjust my speed to ensure it doesn't happen.

Edited by Max_Torque on Thursday 5th December 19:14

What the OP is clearly highlighting is other drivers lack of observation and/or inconsiderate driving. Whilst in close proximity to another car driving at a steady speed it should be easy to predict/plan ahead but so many seem oblivious.

I too have found trying to make steady progress under cruise control can be extremely difficult. If you want to actively vary you speed above the limit it's not such a problem but stick to 70/75mph and it makes for a very frustrating driving usually.

[anonymous-user]

Capri86 said:

What the OP is clearly highlighting is other drivers lack of observation and/or inconsiderate driving.

Really? Wow, Hold the front page for tomorrows papers! ;-)

Capri86 said:

Whilst in close proximity to another car driving at a steady speed it should be easy to predict/plan ahead but so many seem oblivious.

it's almost like they are just, oh, i don't know, "cruising" along and not thinking about driving. perhaps they are using cruise control..............

[Gad-Westy]

Max_Torque said:

So what is the problem?

Or does the OP want every other driver on the road to actively help him drive his car, rather than him do it? Funny how it's always the "other guy" causing the issue.

Jeez, talk about looking for an argument where there isn't one. I don't think the OP was asking anything other than why people do it and do other people notice it? He already told us his solution so clearly he knows how to deal with the situation.

[gaz1234]

Morons. Next

[Gad-Westy]

Max_Torque said:

Capri86 said:

What the OP is clearly highlighting is other drivers lack of observation and/or inconsiderate driving.

Really? Wow, Hold the front page for tomorrows papers! ;-)

Capri86 said:

Whilst in close proximity to another car driving at a steady speed it should be easy to predict/plan ahead but so many seem oblivious.

it's almost like they are just, oh, i don't know, "cruising" along and not thinking about driving. perhaps they are using cruise control..............

It must be great up there

[shovelheadrob]

I totally agree with the OP, I also find the opposite happens, cruise control set at say 68mph (large van & this gives best compromise of speed & economy) I am catching a slower vehicle doing say 60mph yet as I get near to level with them they will accelerate to match or slightly exceed my speed. No problem I'll drop in behind them but then within a mile they drop back to 60, repeat ad infinitum or give it a quick squirt & pass at a million leptons & if I have to do that several times a day it can reduce my economy quite a bit.

[DKS]

Max_Torque said:

So what is the problem?

That they're doing the same speed as a car on their left on a motorway or D/C, in the other car's blind spot.