People have forgotten how to drive!!!
Discussion
Went down to NW London from Warwickshire on the M1 and hands down, was the worst motorway journey of my life.
In a 150 miles round tip, I may expect to see maybe 4 or 5 instances of bad driving, but no, there were around 30 or so instances.
Notable ones:
Southbound #1: Ford Ranger Wildtrack used as a family car, overtook me on the outside lane, came back to the 3rd lane and slowed to 65 with nothing ahead of it for miles. I pulled out to overtake and as I was getting ahead, that idiot pulled onto the outside lane literally inches from my front bumper triggering AEB
Southbound #2: Black mercedes had a problem, hazards on and instead of pulling onto the hard shoulder, continued on middle lane (no traffic on the inside lane I should add), at around 30 mph causing a couple of cars to swerve to avoid or brake hard.
Northbound: Land Rover Discovery, was doing 60 in 3rd lane. I went to overtake on the outside lane, and he accelerated to 80+. Being with the family, I pulled back, only for him to slow down to 60 again. Happened 3 or 4 times while I bided my time and pulled out to overtake such that there was traffic ahead and he couldnt accelerate to prevent me from overtaking.
And the sheer number of incidences were people were driving in lanes 2 and 3, with nothing ahead for miles - its just unbelievable.
Rant over!! Back to reality now
In a 150 miles round tip, I may expect to see maybe 4 or 5 instances of bad driving, but no, there were around 30 or so instances.
Notable ones:
Southbound #1: Ford Ranger Wildtrack used as a family car, overtook me on the outside lane, came back to the 3rd lane and slowed to 65 with nothing ahead of it for miles. I pulled out to overtake and as I was getting ahead, that idiot pulled onto the outside lane literally inches from my front bumper triggering AEB
Southbound #2: Black mercedes had a problem, hazards on and instead of pulling onto the hard shoulder, continued on middle lane (no traffic on the inside lane I should add), at around 30 mph causing a couple of cars to swerve to avoid or brake hard.
Northbound: Land Rover Discovery, was doing 60 in 3rd lane. I went to overtake on the outside lane, and he accelerated to 80+. Being with the family, I pulled back, only for him to slow down to 60 again. Happened 3 or 4 times while I bided my time and pulled out to overtake such that there was traffic ahead and he couldnt accelerate to prevent me from overtaking.
And the sheer number of incidences were people were driving in lanes 2 and 3, with nothing ahead for miles - its just unbelievable.
Rant over!! Back to reality now
The last few days since the Friday rush has brought home how many "non-professional" drivers are on the roads. Commuter traffic with a small amount of cutting up and argy-bargy is to be expected. The leisure drivers - those who normally use trains M-F and only drive on weekends were out in force dithering, crossing lanes, MLM in Lane 3, cutting on chevrons to exit motorways, using mobiles in motorway queues and them being stationary whilst those in front of them had moved on 400m.
It seems giving way is optional now, I am seeing this more and more. People drive to the end of the road at full speed as if they are not going to stop, then brake at the last moment and the end up two feet into the main road.
That is before we get into the "I drive a big German SUV so it is always my right of way and I am always right" bullying mentality we seem to have.
That is before we get into the "I drive a big German SUV so it is always my right of way and I am always right" bullying mentality we seem to have.
Rant away, bad drivers do my head in.
I'm up and down the M4 and onto the M25 going from Surrey to Bristol and back four times a month. What I notice is that driving standards get worse on average the closer I get to London.
Just on Sunday evening, had a guy in a works van who casually pulls into my lane as I'm overtaking, no indication just wafted across. No reaction from me at all just waited until he moved to enable me to pass. Which for some reason he took issue with and just didn't want me to pass. I moved to the right to join the M23 from the right lane and as he realises, he indicates, starts merging across the solid white line to stop me by which point I was alongside him. I'm then met with flashing of headlights as I carry on up the road.
The guy literally tried to push me out of a lane, changing from a completely empty lane to do so and then flashes his headlights at me. Zero provocation, just being a moron.
I'm up and down the M4 and onto the M25 going from Surrey to Bristol and back four times a month. What I notice is that driving standards get worse on average the closer I get to London.
Just on Sunday evening, had a guy in a works van who casually pulls into my lane as I'm overtaking, no indication just wafted across. No reaction from me at all just waited until he moved to enable me to pass. Which for some reason he took issue with and just didn't want me to pass. I moved to the right to join the M23 from the right lane and as he realises, he indicates, starts merging across the solid white line to stop me by which point I was alongside him. I'm then met with flashing of headlights as I carry on up the road.
The guy literally tried to push me out of a lane, changing from a completely empty lane to do so and then flashes his headlights at me. Zero provocation, just being a moron.
I'm wondering if the milder weather is dehydrating some people or if they are just full time idiots. On Saturday I had someone in a Nissan Juke pull out of a Lidl car park right in front of me on the main road and he didn't even look. I watched him all the way as he didn't ever look like stopping and he didn't even glance to his right to look for any approaching traffic. I beeped the horn to let him know other humans exist and he jumped almost as if another car on a main road was a shock to him. He then proceeded to take the next right hand turn without indicating and without using the right hand lane.
Also multiple other road users driving along at 20mph in a 30. I'm sure there are many people who don't have licenses or just live in their own little bubble of importance.
Fully agree with the point about taxi drivers. Some of the worst drivers on the road, ironic when driving is there job.
Also multiple other road users driving along at 20mph in a 30. I'm sure there are many people who don't have licenses or just live in their own little bubble of importance.
Fully agree with the point about taxi drivers. Some of the worst drivers on the road, ironic when driving is there job.
I think people just care less these days and know what they can get away with. In a 30 minute trip through town I'll see at least two dogs
t drivers pulling idiot moves or just driving poorly eg straddling lanes round a one way system because they have no idea how big their car is. I feel like a driver shepherd most of the time, enforcing lanes by not cutting them on a curve. I don't mind as my stbox already has scrapes and dinks. 
It means you can perfect how much you can get away with without being in an accident or getting arrested/fined.
t drivers pulling idiot moves or just driving poorly eg straddling lanes round a one way system because they have no idea how big their car is. I feel like a driver shepherd most of the time, enforcing lanes by not cutting them on a curve. I don't mind as my stbox already has scrapes and dinks. DodgyGeezer said:
TBH the standard of some so-called professional drivers isn't something to write home about either 
Yep. Practice is demonstrated to not make perfect!It means you can perfect how much you can get away with without being in an accident or getting arrested/fined.
EVOTECH3BELL said:
I drove into Birmingham the other day....eye-opening.
I was in Brumingham on Friday and Saturday. Some roads were closed on Saturday because of Pride. But every Brummie fecker had to block every junction causing mayhem. I now refused to let any Brummie Uber drivers out or help them in any way shape or form. They can wait and cause mayhem behind me. Driving in Brum is akin to being on a virgin on moped in Cairo/Egypt/Bangkok.DonkeyApple said:
That bit of the M1 is genuinely special. Always has been but the widened stretch from Luton down really has achieved something quite impressive. 
Sunday's were usually peak middle lane Moron time as village idiots from Birmingham visited idiot cousins in London and vice versa.
Yep, that bit of the M1 is a complete free-for-all now. I usually brace myself, find a quiet spot and stay out of trouble. I’ve seen some horrific driving around there: idiots weaving in and out off traffic at crazy speeds and most drivers sticking to the middle two lanes completely oblivious to their surroundings. Sunday's were usually peak middle lane Moron time as village idiots from Birmingham visited idiot cousins in London and vice versa.
As somebody else said, it seems to get worse the closer one gets to London. On the A406 or A13, it's an absolute st show. Arrogant tradesmen in vans on their phones, Addison Lee and Uber cars driven by individuals on which I'd bet strong money that they've never legally passed a driving test in the UK, nonchalant young black girls in Mercedes A-Classes blissfully sitting in the middle lane doing 45mph, aggressive young Asian rude boys driving an inch from the vehicle in front's bumper in their Golf R or Audi S3 (with front window tints and F1-style strobing LED brake light of course), bus drivers who go where they please because nobody is going to pick a fight with a bus.
All drivers (not excluding myself before anyone gets up in arms) have a misguided sense that they are the only sensible and competent driver on the road, but the volume of traffic on the roads has increased, new cars are getting larger and faster, and cheaper to pay for monthly.
t show. Arrogant tradesmen in vans on their phones, Addison Lee and Uber cars driven by individuals on which I'd bet strong money that they've never legally passed a driving test in the UK, nonchalant young black girls in Mercedes A-Classes blissfully sitting in the middle lane doing 45mph, aggressive young Asian rude boys driving an inch from the vehicle in front's bumper in their Golf R or Audi S3 (with front window tints and F1-style strobing LED brake light of course), bus drivers who go where they please because nobody is going to pick a fight with a bus.All drivers (not excluding myself before anyone gets up in arms) have a misguided sense that they are the only sensible and competent driver on the road, but the volume of traffic on the roads has increased, new cars are getting larger and faster, and cheaper to pay for monthly.
Edited by Koyaanisqatsi on Tuesday 30th May 12:07
My theory is it has always been like this, only now more people have access to 'bully' vehicles.
By that I mean we have always, always given way to lorry drivers or those in big trucks for the simple reason we knew and know in any collision we non truckies will lose, potentially big time.
These days more and more drivers are in big SUVs and such that give them the same 'I am the big I am, I am more important than you' feeling of (some) lorry drivers of yonder. Worse and unlike most lorry drivers, modern SUV or large vehicle drivers simply cannot control the vehicle, particularly on tight roads. 10 point turns, clipping or mounting the pavement are considered normal on school runs.
When all of us were driving small cars, manners were better as yes, we all needed to help each other, no-one could stand out.
By that I mean we have always, always given way to lorry drivers or those in big trucks for the simple reason we knew and know in any collision we non truckies will lose, potentially big time.
These days more and more drivers are in big SUVs and such that give them the same 'I am the big I am, I am more important than you' feeling of (some) lorry drivers of yonder. Worse and unlike most lorry drivers, modern SUV or large vehicle drivers simply cannot control the vehicle, particularly on tight roads. 10 point turns, clipping or mounting the pavement are considered normal on school runs.
When all of us were driving small cars, manners were better as yes, we all needed to help each other, no-one could stand out.
av185 said:
Covid
Increased aggression
Increased entitlement
Increasingly detached driving environment of many cars
Increasing use of cars ferrying kids to school
Huge rise in drug driving
Mobile phones and social media
MLMs
May Bank holidays
Diabolical state of the road surfaces
Frustration of heavily congested roadsIncreased aggression
Increased entitlement
Increasingly detached driving environment of many cars
Increasing use of cars ferrying kids to school
Huge rise in drug driving
Mobile phones and social media
MLMs
May Bank holidays
Diabolical state of the road surfaces
Boredom of ridiculously low speed limits
Over-emphasis of Speed Kills not Poor Driving
bigothunter said:
av185 said:
Covid
Increased aggression
Increased entitlement
Increasingly detached driving environment of many cars
Increasing use of cars ferrying kids to school
Huge rise in drug driving
Mobile phones and social media
MLMs
May Bank holidays
Diabolical state of the road surfaces
Frustration of heavily congested roadsIncreased aggression
Increased entitlement
Increasingly detached driving environment of many cars
Increasing use of cars ferrying kids to school
Huge rise in drug driving
Mobile phones and social media
MLMs
May Bank holidays
Diabolical state of the road surfaces
Boredom of ridiculously low speed limits
Over-emphasis of Speed Kills not Poor Driving
Massively reduced Trafpol presence
It’s been like it since Covid, everyone became out of practice and forgot how to drive and don’t seem to have remembered it since
Add in people struggling to pay for fuel and the absence of any sense of urgency that seems to be endemic in this country at the moment and voila, ubiquitous multi lane rolling road blocks of dawdling, entitled, angry tts doing 10mph under the speed limit for 8 hours a day
Add in people struggling to pay for fuel and the absence of any sense of urgency that seems to be endemic in this country at the moment and voila, ubiquitous multi lane rolling road blocks of dawdling, entitled, angry t
ts doing 10mph under the speed limit for 8 hours a dayGassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff