One single thing that makes you think "knob" Vol 4

[HM-2]

yellowjack said:

Pan Pan Pan said:

What people who want to shop and get fuel should do, is use the parking spaces normally provided in garages with a shop to get their bits and pieces, and then move onto the pumps when they are ready to get their fuel.
Dawdling around in the shop, whilst leaving their vehicle blocking a pump, especially if a fuel station is busy, is just plain ignorant selfish tttery.

Ah, but then they'd leave themselves open to accusations of being considerate. And no one wants to be seen as considerate, as that trait is often also (wrongly) associated with weakness. Better to go for all-out "Me! Me! Me!" and 'dominate' those petrol pumps, eh...

Our BP/M&S has two rows of three pumps with plenty of space to pass either side. There are two normal and one disabled parking spaces about 10m in front of the pumps, by the entrance, and another 5 round the back of the building.

Every single time I go there, someone has parked right by the entrance, blocking the passing space for the left-hand pumps. Last time, it was a woman who hadn't even come to buy anything- she'd just come to chat with the guy running the Costa-to-go stall.

She was very rude when I pointed out that she might wish to reconsider where she leaves her car in future so as not to inconvenience everyone else, until I pointed to the queue of cars that was now stretching onto the main road, as both vehicles at the front pump were tipper tricks that were taking forever to fill...

[deadtom]

When stuck in shuffling traffic I tend to leave a few car lengths in order to smooth the flow as much as I can, if you get it right you can roll along without stopping while the cars in front are constantly stopping and starting.

[untakenname]

I have one car that won't go below 4mph and one that won't go below 8mph so I leave a gap so then can roll forwards without continually pushing the clutch in and out, people in automatics don't realise how hard it is to drive a car with a lightweight flywheel and a studier clutch in traffic.

nonsequitur said:

Hol said:

Why do the two people living opposite the garage, have fake railway tunnels built into their houses?

Fare dodgers.

It's common place on the houses nearby, assumed it would be the same everywhere but it does seem quite localised.

[RSTurboPaul]

deadtom said:

When stuck in shuffling traffic I tend to leave a few car lengths in order to smooth the flow as much as I can, if you get it right you can roll along without stopping while the cars in front are constantly stopping and starting.

This.

If you can roll along at a continuous speed, it smooths the traffic flow and should, in theory, reduce queuing because it removes the 'backwards wave' effect caused by drivers accelerating forward and then standing on the brakes.

It's also a hell of a lot more relaxing and a lot less work for your clutch leg if you're driving a proper manual 'box car.

[David-H]

Very angry white van man earlier today on the road between Edinburgh and Musselburgh as it crosses the river Esk towards the Tesco.
The reason for his anger, I didn't move off when the light I was waiting at turned to green. The reason I didn't move off, the exit to the junction was blocked by traffic backed up from the next roundabout. He was gesticulating wildly at the green light and the road ahead. He then turned apoplectic when I pointed at the queuing traffic only about 30 metres ahead. When we did eventually get moving I could see he was still ranting away, and pointing at what I believe might have been a dashcam. Maybe my 15 (well 2) minutes of fame are just around the corner.

David.

[Magnum 475]

deadtom said:

When stuck in shuffling traffic I tend to leave a few car lengths in order to smooth the flow as much as I can, if you get it right you can roll along without stopping while the cars in front are constantly stopping and starting.

I do this in one of my cars - it's an automatic that creeps at around 7 mph in first. I need a bit of a gap before I let the brakes of, or I'm just riding the brakes whilst moving slowly in the queue of traffic. Bizarrely, it never seems to hold anyone up or make the jams any worse.

[yellowjack]

Magnum 475 said:

deadtom said:

When stuck in shuffling traffic I tend to leave a few car lengths in order to smooth the flow as much as I can, if you get it right you can roll along without stopping while the cars in front are constantly stopping and starting.

I do this in one of my cars - it's an automatic that creeps at around 7 mph in first. I need a bit of a gap before I let the brakes of, or I'm just riding the brakes whilst moving slowly in the queue of traffic. Bizarrely, it never seems to hold anyone up or make the jams any worse.

The only people who think that what you're doing makes jams worse are the numpties who, rather bizarrely, believe thst the best course of action is to surge forward at the merest hint of the car ahead moving, only to have to stomp on the brakes when the car ahead stops precisely 2 ft 3 in further forward. Rolling forward smoothly, at a constant low speed, only when you've established that there is a decent gap opening up, is fine. By the time you get to where the car ahead has accelerated then braked to yet another standstill, there's a good chance it is surging forward again, so you avoid braking to a stop, and that concertina effect at the back of the queue is reduced. Accelerating to the back of the car in front is plain daft, as it leads to so many "false starts" and just makes things slower in the end.

Furthermore, in order to move to one side, a car has to also move forward while applying steering. If you have left no space in which to move forward, then if/when an emergency services vehicle arrives to attend the incident which may well be causing the delay, you'll be unable to move out of it's way to allow it to get through. So ALWAYS leave some space between you and the car ahead. It's basic considerate driving. "Tyres and tarmac" at the very minimum, ffs...

[Flibble]

People leaving too much space are a pain in my commute, all they do is miss the green light cycles and slow everyone down.

[thebigmacmoomin]

People who can see a red traffic light up in front and speed up to it and brake heavily. What is the point of speeding up to a red light, it isn't going to change any quicker. I know the light sequence of the lights on my route home (main road 4 way lights) so just coast up using less fuel if I know that it will still be red when I get there.

deadtom said:

When stuck in shuffling traffic I tend to leave a few car lengths in order to smooth the flow as much as I can, if you get it right you can roll along without stopping while the cars in front are constantly stopping and starting.

I do the same, I hate stop start stop start.

Edited by thebigmacmoomin on Friday 29th November 19:39

Edited by thebigmacmoomin on Friday 29th November 19:40

[Pan Pan Pan]

deadtom said:

When stuck in shuffling traffic I tend to leave a few car lengths in order to smooth the flow as much as I can, if you get it right you can roll along without stopping while the cars in front are constantly stopping and starting.

At shuffling speed an 18 foot gap is all that is needed for safe separation, but leave even just a few car lengths, in a multi lane road, and you are highly likely to get a lane hopper jump into the gap, meaning you, and all the people in the lane behind you, are going no where.
Also where people leave large gaps, (even where there are no lane hoppers, such as on a single lane each way road) when the ignorant gap leaver who is leaving large gaps, finally decides to move off, `some' of the drivers behind may think that whatever has been causing the hold up, has been cleared away and the road is beginning to return to normal, only to have to brake hard when the driver realizes the road is not clear, and it is only the gap leaver finally moving up to the car in front, This is the automotive equivalent of water hammer in a plumbing system, which tends to be noisy and destructive..
A car can reach much higher speeds given a 100 yard gap, than in an 18 foot one, thereby increasing the chance of another more serious shunt taking place. so the smaller gap, at shuffling speed is far safer.

[Pan Pan Pan]

Magnum 475 said:

deadtom said:

When stuck in shuffling traffic I tend to leave a few car lengths in order to smooth the flow as much as I can, if you get it right you can roll along without stopping while the cars in front are constantly stopping and starting.

I do this in one of my cars - it's an automatic that creeps at around 7 mph in first. I need a bit of a gap before I let the brakes of, or I'm just riding the brakes whilst moving slowly in the queue of traffic. Bizarrely, it never seems to hold anyone up or make the jams any worse.

People who only think about themselves, are not taking account of the cumulative effect of numbers of drivers each leaving larger gaps than they need to, on the flow of traffic.
Each driver may only be causing a delay of 10 or so seconds, but add all those 10 second delays up before each car moves off, and they soon mount up to minutes or in some cases much longer. Plus they often prevent other drivers gaining access to a slip road ahead that they need, because the some of the cars in front, have not moved off, when they could do so, holding even more cars up in a traffic jam, that don't need to be there. A stopped car NEVER improves traffic flow.
The shunt / concertina effect is going to be less likely, and less serious, if a driver keeps a small gap between themselves and the car in front, than where a driver leaves a big gap, and only after an unnecessary delay decides to close it up.
A car behind can reach higher speeds in a 100 yard gap, than an 18 foot gap so leaving big gaps is more dangerous.
If a driver in traffic, cannot crawl behind the car in front with an 18 foot gap between them, they must consider whether they are safe to be driving on public roads.
At shuffling speeds a driver has to be seriously poor to allow his car to get brake fade. and if operating a clutch, brake and throttle pedal in a car in a slow moving line of traffic is too much for a car driver, they are either driving a vintage blower Bentley, or they cannot drive properly. Modern cars are piece of p*ss to drive slowly.

[Pan Pan Pan]

yellowjack said:

Magnum 475 said:

deadtom said:

When stuck in shuffling traffic I tend to leave a few car lengths in order to smooth the flow as much as I can, if you get it right you can roll along without stopping while the cars in front are constantly stopping and starting.

I do this in one of my cars - it's an automatic that creeps at around 7 mph in first. I need a bit of a gap before I let the brakes of, or I'm just riding the brakes whilst moving slowly in the queue of traffic. Bizarrely, it never seems to hold anyone up or make the jams any worse.

The only people who think that what you're doing makes jams worse are the numpties who, rather bizarrely, believe thst the best course of action is to surge forward at the merest hint of the car ahead moving, only to have to stomp on the brakes when the car ahead stops precisely 2 ft 3 in further forward. Rolling forward smoothly, at a constant low speed, only when you've established that there is a decent gap opening up, is fine. By the time you get to where the car ahead has accelerated then braked to yet another standstill, there's a good chance it is surging forward again, so you avoid braking to a stop, and that concertina effect at the back of the queue is reduced. Accelerating to the back of the car in front is plain daft, as it leads to so many "false starts" and just makes things slower in the end.

Furthermore, in order to move to one side, a car has to also move forward while applying steering. If you have left no space in which to move forward, then if/when an emergency services vehicle arrives to attend the incident which may well be causing the delay, you'll be unable to move out of it's way to allow it to get through. So ALWAYS leave some space between you and the car ahead. It's basic considerate driving. "Tyres and tarmac" at the very minimum, ffs...

In slow shuffling traffic that gap only needs to be a car length. We are talking about the ones who leave large gaps before they deign to move up to the car in front. who are ignorant of the cumulative effect their action, or (rather inaction) has on the flow of traffic. A stopped vehicle NEVER improves the flow of traffic.

[alpha channel]

We've a set of lights that are timed so that if you're approaching them at thirty (they're in a thirty zone, a factory with two sites on either side with the lights given priority to the factory) they'll change to green by the time you've reached them. I've lost count the number of times I've got some bell end behind me zooming up behind me, then anchoring on as well approach the lights only for me to sail on through a green, they'll then accelerate to catch up.

The latest knob though was last night, up ahead clearly a car broken down with an indi recovery vehicle parked up. This is a road where the majority of drivers have got more sense than the council in that we create a dual lane up to a very busy dual roundabout (left lane to turn left at the first roundabout or straight over then left at the second) at rush hour (otherwise traffic would be backed up onto the A1 rather than merely up to the A1). In front of me a white Audi, slightly in front and in the left 'lane' a Cashcow. All the dick in the Audi had to do is ease off and let the cashcow in, it'd be past the breakdown and on their way, but no. The cashcow then effectively forced the Audi into the oncoming lane, it carried on weaving around in front of the Audi until the Nissan needed to turn left at the roundabout and the Audi right.

That kind of behaviour is rather unusual though, first time I've seen that of of fk-wittery in nigh on seven years of driving that stretch of road.

[S1KRR]

Yesterdays knob. Fiat 500

Sitting behind a scooter at 30moph. Properly up the riders arse. Plenty of space on this single carriageway to overtake. But no, just keeps tailgating (pillion gating? )

Road eventually goes to dual lane. I decide to take the opportunity to do the pair of them. 500 pulls out into my path. Then passes the scooter at what feels like 33mph! Then brake checks me! Not close enough to be a problem, but then as we go around the corner back into a single lane. He does it again to a complete halt! Again I don't ram him. But he's giving all the coffee beans! He looks about 70!


Like a real what the fk are you doing moment!



Oh, and chuck in the numerous people this morning in dark with the thick fog. 1 with no lights on at all! And another doing 35-40 in the middle lane of a 3 lane 70! Thankfully with fogs on.

And many, many MLMs


And breathe! :lauhgh:

Flibble said:

Today's knob, learner driver, or really their instructor. Said instructor thought taking a very nervous learner on to Princess Road (3 lane main route into Manchester) during the morning commute was a good plan. They nearly caused an accident immediately on joining the road by blind merging into the path of a van. No idea wtf the instructor thought they were playing at there, it would be enough to put a new driver off for life.

This is something I see a lot.

Instructors making learners drive excessively slowly. Or onto roads that they probably aren't quite ready for yet.

In fact I think the general standard of teaching is probably dogst currently!

[ChevronB19]

People on a near deserted motorway (M6 Penrith to Carlisle) sitting in the right hand lane, no traffic ahead of them.

Never seen this before this year but now I see at least one each trip.

[RSTurboPaul]

Pan Pan Pan said:

Magnum 475 said:

deadtom said:

When stuck in shuffling traffic I tend to leave a few car lengths in order to smooth the flow as much as I can, if you get it right you can roll along without stopping while the cars in front are constantly stopping and starting.

I do this in one of my cars - it's an automatic that creeps at around 7 mph in first. I need a bit of a gap before I let the brakes of, or I'm just riding the brakes whilst moving slowly in the queue of traffic. Bizarrely, it never seems to hold anyone up or make the jams any worse.

People who only think about themselves, are not taking account of the cumulative effect of numbers of drivers each leaving larger gaps than they need to, on the flow of traffic.
Each driver may only be causing a delay of 10 or so seconds, but add all those 10 second delays up before each car moves off, and they soon mount up to minutes or in some cases much longer. Plus they often prevent other drivers gaining access to a slip road ahead that they need, because the some of the cars in front, have not moved off, when they could do so, holding even more cars up in a traffic jam, that don't need to be there. A stopped car NEVER improves traffic flow.
The shunt / concertina effect is going to be less likely, and less serious, if a driver keeps a small gap between themselves and the car in front, than where a driver leaves a big gap, and only after an unnecessary delay decides to close it up.
A car behind can reach higher speeds in a 100 yard gap, than an 18 foot gap so leaving big gaps is more dangerous.
If a driver in traffic, cannot crawl behind the car in front with an 18 foot gap between them, they must consider whether they are safe to be driving on public roads.
At shuffling speeds a driver has to be seriously poor to allow his car to get brake fade. and if operating a clutch, brake and throttle pedal in a car in a slow moving line of traffic is too much for a car driver, they are either driving a vintage blower Bentley, or they cannot drive properly. Modern cars are piece of p*ss to drive slowly.

I'm not sure I am following your logic.

You seem to be saying that people who leave a larger gap power away and then stand on the brakes at the back of the (now stationary) vehicle in front, and everyone behind them does the same but more so, so an accident is likely?

In my experience, and that of the two posters you've quoted, one can set off when the vehicle in front sets off but just coast along at a slow speed, and while the gap in front increases in size due to the vehicle in front powering away, it rapidly decreases in size when they stand on the brakes again very shortly afterwards.

The aim of driving well in queuing traffic is to arrive at the vehicle in front just as it powers away (again...) so that one does not have to touch the brakes or change speed - and by doing so, one does not have to stop, which as you have pointed out, NEVER improves traffic flow.

It also means no delays in setting off - because one does not have to set-off, one is already rolling - and as the people behind don't have to set-off either, there is a much larger reduction in time spent stationary across the line of traffic .

If that means creating a gap in front that's larger than 18' (or whatever) then that's what is needed - one can't apply an arbitrary gap as 'correct', it changes in each individual situation.

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Saturday 30th November 19:20

[LetsTryAgain]

Pan Pan Pan said:

People who only think about themselves, are not taking account of the cumulative effect of numbers of drivers each leaving larger gaps than they need to, on the flow of traffic.
Each driver may only be causing a delay of 10 or so seconds, but add all those 10 second delays up before each car moves off, and they soon mount up to minutes or in some cases much longer. Plus they often prevent other drivers gaining access to a slip road ahead that they need, because the some of the cars in front, have not moved off, when they could do so, holding even more cars up in a traffic jam, that don't need to be there. A stopped car NEVER improves traffic flow.
The shunt / concertina effect is going to be less likely, and less serious, if a driver keeps a small gap between themselves and the car in front, than where a driver leaves a big gap, and only after an unnecessary delay decides to close it up.
A car behind can reach higher speeds in a 100 yard gap, than an 18 foot gap so leaving big gaps is more dangerous.
If a driver in traffic, cannot crawl behind the car in front with an 18 foot gap between them, they must consider whether they are safe to be driving on public roads.
At shuffling speeds a driver has to be seriously poor to allow his car to get brake fade. and if operating a clutch, brake and throttle pedal in a car in a slow moving line of traffic is too much for a car driver, they are either driving a vintage blower Bentley, or they cannot drive properly. Modern cars are piece of p*ss to drive slowly.

This is utter drivel.

It is unquestionably better practice to maintain a manageable gap in order to keep rolling rather than stop start, stop start forevermore.

[strangely-brown]

[quote=S1KRR]Yesterdays knob. Fiat 500

........... He looks about 70!

Ageist prick

[yellowjack]

strangely-brown said:

S1KRR said:

Yesterdays knob. Fiat 500

........... He looks about 70!

Ageist prick

Eeee, y'auld git...

[Kuji]

LetsTryAgain said:

Pan Pan Pan said:

People who only think about themselves, are not taking account of the cumulative effect of numbers of drivers each leaving larger gaps than they need to, on the flow of traffic.
Each driver may only be causing a delay of 10 or so seconds, but add all those 10 second delays up before each car moves off, and they soon mount up to minutes or in some cases much longer. Plus they often prevent other drivers gaining access to a slip road ahead that they need, because the some of the cars in front, have not moved off, when they could do so, holding even more cars up in a traffic jam, that don't need to be there. A stopped car NEVER improves traffic flow.
The shunt / concertina effect is going to be less likely, and less serious, if a driver keeps a small gap between themselves and the car in front, than where a driver leaves a big gap, and only after an unnecessary delay decides to close it up.
A car behind can reach higher speeds in a 100 yard gap, than an 18 foot gap so leaving big gaps is more dangerous.
If a driver in traffic, cannot crawl behind the car in front with an 18 foot gap between them, they must consider whether they are safe to be driving on public roads.
At shuffling speeds a driver has to be seriously poor to allow his car to get brake fade. and if operating a clutch, brake and throttle pedal in a car in a slow moving line of traffic is too much for a car driver, they are either driving a vintage blower Bentley, or they cannot drive properly. Modern cars are piece of p*ss to drive slowly.

This is utter drivel.

It is unquestionably better practice to maintain a manageable gap in order to keep rolling rather than stop start, stop start forevermore.

Not always.