How do you cope with slow, dawdling, indecisive drivers?
Discussion
I prefer indecisive crap drivers that you can plan to get past over the tailgating muppets following.
My mind boggles at the amount of people who will knowingly tail gate, weave around and there is no way for them to get past. ( talking peak time traffic here in 40-50 zones) nine times out of ten when traffic does open up and legal speeds can increase they can't keep up anyway or driving a car with f
k all power ( mines no power house either) so why hassle the driver in front who is also stuck in slow traffic ?
Muppets.
My mind boggles at the amount of people who will knowingly tail gate, weave around and there is no way for them to get past. ( talking peak time traffic here in 40-50 zones) nine times out of ten when traffic does open up and legal speeds can increase they can't keep up anyway or driving a car with f
k all power ( mines no power house either) so why hassle the driver in front who is also stuck in slow traffic ? Muppets.
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
This - absolutely 100%. It is the ONLY way...or walk, or take the train (but then people still get in your way).
Motorcycles really are the only way. Unless it's snowing, or forecast to snow, I'll be on the bike. Completely stress free and overtaking all you poor sheep who haven't discovered the better way.
20 years ago I would have agreed with this but I see too many idiots in cars/vans etc that don't have any awareness of what is going on around them that I just wouldn't contemplate a return to two wheelsMotorcycles really are the only way. Unless it's snowing, or forecast to snow, I'll be on the bike. Completely stress free and overtaking all you poor sheep who haven't discovered the better way.
GingerWizard said:
shandyboy said:
It's easy to say that but if it happens in your commute, you *know* what the journey "should" take, so it does end up becoming frustrating when you are held up by someone who clearly is lacking in err... driving ability.
I think you miss the point, just because a journey takes X amount of time in your mind, does not mean that it should; and when it does not you shouldn't get frustrated over it. Life is too short. For instance what happens when you come across a set of funeral cars? A emergency vehicle, burst water main etc etc etc People are crap at driving, and making decisions.Just got to chill out and realise its only a few moments difference.
Time to just turn up the radio and relax...
jools182 said:
This morning for example. Bin truck was down the street. He saw me getting in the car, and starting it up and as soon as I started setting off he moved and blocked me in the drive, so admittedly I was already not in the best frame of mind
At this point I'd have gotten out of the car and quietly, calmly asked him why he'd blocked me in.Edited by Hackney on Friday 14th February 15:52
Moonhawk said:
Part of the problem IMO is the message "slow driving = safe driving" seems to have settled into many drivers minds. Doesn't matter that their speed is inconsistent and unpredictable, that they have poor lane discipline, make poor decisions holding up traffic flow and that they make poor use of mirrors and signals......the fact that they are driving well below the speed limit makes their driving safe.....and that's all they need to know.
Hardly a day goes by these days where I don't see people driving like this - and even what should be a straight forward journey on relatively clear roads is punctuated by having to deal with such drivers.
As long as the speed kills drum is still being beaten and poor driving of the kind mentioned above goes unpunished - there is no incentive to change. You just have to accept it - getting wound up will do you no good and could lead to you making a mistake - further reinforcing the idea in these peoples minds that they are the good safe drivers - and you are the evil, speeding maniac.
Great post Hardly a day goes by these days where I don't see people driving like this - and even what should be a straight forward journey on relatively clear roads is punctuated by having to deal with such drivers.
As long as the speed kills drum is still being beaten and poor driving of the kind mentioned above goes unpunished - there is no incentive to change. You just have to accept it - getting wound up will do you no good and could lead to you making a mistake - further reinforcing the idea in these peoples minds that they are the good safe drivers - and you are the evil, speeding maniac.
Prizam said:
OP - There are too many idiots out there.
Unfortunately i think we have lost the fight. Idiots prevail and so long as they are going slowly, they cant be dangerous.
Get a motorbike.
Too many idiots and the solution is to buy a bike? Unfortunately i think we have lost the fight. Idiots prevail and so long as they are going slowly, they cant be dangerous.
Get a motorbike.
The number of idiots on the road makes the idea of a bike less appealing not more to me.
All of those saying turn up the music and sit back and relax: Please would you mind leaving a gap in the train of cars that you're in so I can leapfrog and overtake you and the dawdler and enjoy the rest of my commute.
Last night I was 6 cars back from the front of a queue being held up by an HGV that was slowing to 15mph at times on hills on an NSL B road - Behind the HGV were an Audi TT (immediately behind the HGV) and a Subaru Imprezza (One car behind the Audi TT) - not one of these cars made a move to pass where it was perfectly safe to do so. Rqually there was no space between cars for me to lepfrog into.
Last night I was 6 cars back from the front of a queue being held up by an HGV that was slowing to 15mph at times on hills on an NSL B road - Behind the HGV were an Audi TT (immediately behind the HGV) and a Subaru Imprezza (One car behind the Audi TT) - not one of these cars made a move to pass where it was perfectly safe to do so. Rqually there was no space between cars for me to lepfrog into.
Moonhawk said:
Part of the problem IMO is the message "slow driving = safe driving" seems to have settled into many drivers minds. Doesn't matter that their speed is inconsistent and unpredictable, that they have poor lane discipline, make poor decisions holding up traffic flow and that they make poor use of mirrors and signals......the fact that they are driving well below the speed limit makes their driving safe.....and that's all they need to know.
Hardly a day goes by these days where I don't see people driving like this - and even what should be a straight forward journey on relatively clear roads is punctuated by having to deal with such drivers.
As long as the speed kills drum is still being beaten and poor driving of the kind mentioned above goes unpunished - there is no incentive to change. You just have to accept it - getting wound up will do you no good and could lead to you making a mistake - further reinforcing the idea in these peoples minds that they are the good safe drivers - and you are the evil, speeding maniac.
You speak the truth.Hardly a day goes by these days where I don't see people driving like this - and even what should be a straight forward journey on relatively clear roads is punctuated by having to deal with such drivers.
As long as the speed kills drum is still being beaten and poor driving of the kind mentioned above goes unpunished - there is no incentive to change. You just have to accept it - getting wound up will do you no good and could lead to you making a mistake - further reinforcing the idea in these peoples minds that they are the good safe drivers - and you are the evil, speeding maniac.
Tyre Tread said:
All of those saying turn up the music and sit back and relax: Please would you mind leaving a gap in the train of cars that you're in so I can leapfrog and overtake you and the dawdler and enjoy the rest of my commute.
Last night I was 6 cars back from the front of a queue being held up by an HGV that was slowing to 15mph at times on hills on an NSL B road - Behind the HGV were an Audi TT (immediately behind the HGV) and a Subaru Imprezza (One car behind the Audi TT) - not one of these cars made a move to pass where it was perfectly safe to do so. Rqually there was no space between cars for me to lepfrog into.
You need more horsepower Last night I was 6 cars back from the front of a queue being held up by an HGV that was slowing to 15mph at times on hills on an NSL B road - Behind the HGV were an Audi TT (immediately behind the HGV) and a Subaru Imprezza (One car behind the Audi TT) - not one of these cars made a move to pass where it was perfectly safe to do so. Rqually there was no space between cars for me to lepfrog into.
Captain Muppet said:
jools182 said:
... braking for puddles (?)...
Sometime the only difference between a puddle and a wheel shattering pothole is that afterwards your wheel is shattered.Depending on local knowledge and the fragility of the wheels on my car I may also brake for puddles.
Edited by Captain Muppet on Thursday 23 January 11:15
In France we have a thing called a "sans Permis". This is a small underpowered car that people don't even need to have a license to drive! Normally driven by someone of 90+ With no idea what they are doing, max speed around jogging pace. Get behind one on a country road with lots of blind bends and crests with no overtaking opportunities. Oho ooh boy! Give me a gun!
kambites said:
Captain Muppet said:
If the car behind is dangerously close to me I pull over and let them pass. More often than not they aren't agressive or in a hurry, just terrible at judging distances.
I often do, but it's irritating if you do that then come out of the 30 limit into a 60 limit and they carry on at 40. Moonhawk - Thank you for your post. I was criticized just a few days ago on this forum, for describing exactly the type of driver you refer to, with the person in question making the comment that nobody here has (ever) heard anyone make the comment that because a driver stays below a posted limit then that makes them a safe driver. In fact it does not make them safe drivers, it only makes them a slow driver. the two are NOT the same thing.
As posted elsewhere, I never overtake someone who is driving at the posted limit, because this is really all that could be asked of another driver (but I do try to get past them as soon as possible where the limit is higher, because all too often a driver who drives below a posted 30 mph limit will often also tend to crawl on where the posted limit increases (Probably in the belief that this does in fact make them safe drivers???) The slow moving ditherers are generally a danger to all road users around them, with their comment / belief that they drive below the limit and have never had an accident so this makes them safe drivers. To which my response is `You may never had an accident, but by driving the way you do, how many have you caused?'
As posted elsewhere, I never overtake someone who is driving at the posted limit, because this is really all that could be asked of another driver (but I do try to get past them as soon as possible where the limit is higher, because all too often a driver who drives below a posted 30 mph limit will often also tend to crawl on where the posted limit increases (Probably in the belief that this does in fact make them safe drivers???) The slow moving ditherers are generally a danger to all road users around them, with their comment / belief that they drive below the limit and have never had an accident so this makes them safe drivers. To which my response is `You may never had an accident, but by driving the way you do, how many have you caused?'
iloveboost said:
I guess just setting off earlier is the only solution really.
That only helps you not be late and I don't generally find that "damn, now I'm going to be late" is the source of the frustration.Captain Muppet said:
I cope with slow, dawdling, indecisive drivers by either overtaking them if it's safe or following them at a safe distance and hoping they crash.
I like this answer.kambites said:
If you've got plenty of time, you can either (1) stop and wait for the slow person to bugger off or (2) turn off and go a different way. I occasionally choose my commute route solely on the basis of which way a slow car goes, even if it means it takes me twice as long to get there. 
I do this when I have to go into my local town. There's a roundabout which I can go left, right, right or I can go right, left, left. Each route takes the same time, ends up at the same centre and is the same distance give or take. I have no favoured choice, I decide left or right depending on the car in front. If they are dawdling and go one way, I go the other.jools182 said:
I've driven in Europe quite a lot and this problem just doesn't seem to exist there. You actually feel like you are getting to your destination rather than feeling like you're being held up. I just wonder what it is about this country that makes people drive like that.
There is usually less traffic in Europe. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff