Member's Bad Driving Experiences

[Solocle]

There's a thread for bad driving caught on camera, but what happens when the cameras aren't rolling?
Well, here's a place for you to release your rage at the guy you encountered eariler.

I'll start: today on the A303, I was in the outside lane at 70. (No, it's not what you think). Up ahead are two lorries. As I'm approaching to pass, lorry 2, a Somerset Bin Lorry, signals and pulls out. Annoying, but I duly slow down to 50. He makes is manoeuvre and cuts in on lorry 1. In the mean time, I'm beginning my passing manoeuvre. And a roundabout is approaching (one of those traffic light ones). So lorry 2 starts braking. Lorry 1 is clearly looking to pull out, either having a macho moment or problem with mr overtaking lorry's proximity. I clear him and he pulls out tight behind me. I've been slowing down for the roundabout, which is approaching in earnest and on a green light, so this is about 40 mph now. I anticipated what was about to happen and shifted to second. And surprise surprise, the light changed to amber. I floored my little city car and hammered through the lights on the rev limiter at 50 mph. And I got through on amber. However, if I hadn't anticipated that happening, I reckon it would have been red. And I'd still have gone through.
I've gone through red before, but that was a temporary light that was causing serious traffic problems (it turned green, but the oncoming traffic was still coming. And still coming when it turned back to red). This was the first time I've been prepared to jump a fixed red light. It was that or several tons of metal rammed up my .

[Solocle]

mr alan said:

This won't go well for you, await comments about anticipation, planning, forward thinking and observation. Perhaps you should have waited till after the roundabout to overtake ?

Edited by mr alan on Thursday 20th April 21:30

Well, I'm pretty good at anticipating. I had plenty of time for the maneover before the lorry pulled out, and once he did I sat nicely back from him. You know how long those things take to overtake each other! Shouldn't have been an issue then, and I was happy to sit behind him through the roundabout. Pulling in would have meant tight behind the other lorry, and I can't remember whether there was another vehicle in that space. It wasn't really a significant detail except for what came later. Once I saw him cut in I was beside the other lorry (or very close), so the safest thing was just to go past.

Edited by Solocle on Thursday 20th April 21:54

[Solocle]

Willy Nilly said:

My member can't drive on it's own.

OK, very funny. No need for this thread to get too coarse. That would rub me up the wrong way.

[Solocle]

OK, to get this thread back on the straight and narrow. Here's another.
I was a learner. A37 north towards Yeovil. I have a coach behind me. And he's tailgating me. For doing the speed limit. I wasn't a slow learner by any means. When it went to 60, he looked like a right twonk.

[Solocle]

Which would be? There's one for caught on camera, but could you point me to this one of which you speak? I looked, but couldn't see one.

[Solocle]

JamesRR, it makes perfect sense (not their driving). I've encountered that a few times (not quite as slow, but pretty much the same). Just think they're quick. On occasion I will try to sit in the outside lane, to avoid jangling with slip roads. But when I do, I do a speed that justifies my presence. If my left is clear and a faster vehicle turns up, I'll move over. if they're aggressive, I'll still move over, but I'll be a lot more careful (read slow) in doing so. But sounds like you did exactly the right thing and they were just being... let my get my thesaurus.

EDIT
That reminds me of another. Part of the reason I do the above now. I was in the inside lane minding my own business. Car in the outside lane is holding back behind me. Slip road. Solid traffic on the slip road. Other guy is starting to speed up a bit. I think that there was stuff behind him (but I don't think it was why he was speeding up). So I hit 3rd gear and accelerate into the space in front of him, except I don't because he cut me off. That was the one time so far I truly felt out of control of the situation. I sat on the horn keeping as far right as possible and didn't get hit.

Edited by Solocle on Thursday 20th April 22:39

Edited by Solocle on Thursday 20th April 22:41

[Solocle]

OK, it was a bit more generic than ehat I was searchging for.