Do you ever 'self-police' the roads?
Discussion
soupdragon1 said:
I do, when the occasion presents itself.
Example
Heavy commute motorway traffic, we've 4 lanes of traffic about 2 miles long. Left 2 lanes go North, right 2 lanes go east. The left lanes move a lot slower, so you get lots of people going right hand lane all the way, 2ish miles and then cut in at the last minute. Quite dangerously at times, nipping into tiny gaps.
It's got to the point the left lanes are driving nose to tail to stop these people, but they still cut in anyway, aggressively at times.
So I self police.
I leave a very attractive gap, inviting them to cut in in a safe manner. But I drop a gear and sit bang in the optimum power band, ready to 'speed match' them. As they are about to pass me and take the big gap, I speed up. They soon realise I'm not letting them in and their plan is foiled.
They end up going down several miles of motorway which ends at a big roundabout which is always log jammed. They have to negotiate that, drive all the way back to the start of the 4 lane motorway and start all over again. Minimum 15 mins extra journey time, in their efforts to save I minute. Nice to serve some justice to others sometimes.
Anyone else self police on the road?
Quite the opposite for me. If I'm in a stationary lane and someone in a live lane stops and sticks their indicator on to get in front of me, then I'm letting them in - quickly.Example
Heavy commute motorway traffic, we've 4 lanes of traffic about 2 miles long. Left 2 lanes go North, right 2 lanes go east. The left lanes move a lot slower, so you get lots of people going right hand lane all the way, 2ish miles and then cut in at the last minute. Quite dangerously at times, nipping into tiny gaps.
It's got to the point the left lanes are driving nose to tail to stop these people, but they still cut in anyway, aggressively at times.
So I self police.
I leave a very attractive gap, inviting them to cut in in a safe manner. But I drop a gear and sit bang in the optimum power band, ready to 'speed match' them. As they are about to pass me and take the big gap, I speed up. They soon realise I'm not letting them in and their plan is foiled.
They end up going down several miles of motorway which ends at a big roundabout which is always log jammed. They have to negotiate that, drive all the way back to the start of the 4 lane motorway and start all over again. Minimum 15 mins extra journey time, in their efforts to save I minute. Nice to serve some justice to others sometimes.
Anyone else self police on the road?
Edited by soupdragon1 on Tuesday 22 May 18:29
I'd rather be part of the solution than the cause of a HGV ploughing into the back of them because he couldn't slow in time - even if there are a buffoon, I don't want them to die because of it. Christ.
I gave up trying to prove a point to people driving badly years ago. There's a number of roads round here where the locals have invented their own rules (turning right in the left lane at roundabouts, cutting across lanes just before roundabouts etc), and if you in any way try and speed match them to prove its your lane not theirs, they'll just do it anyway, and you'll end up having an accident or being road raged.
Not worth it. I'll continue my manoeuvre correctly, not following the crowd in doing something stupid, but am ready to leave room for them to do their s
te manoeuvre if needs be.
Easier on the blood pressure lol.
Not worth it. I'll continue my manoeuvre correctly, not following the crowd in doing something stupid, but am ready to leave room for them to do their s
te manoeuvre if needs be.Easier on the blood pressure lol.
soupdragon1 said:
Very good 
Just spotted you have a new volvo so now it's all making sense!Mate of mine had one of the estates in white... sometimes he'd drive home with his hi-vis jacket on from work, amazing how many drivers were on their best behavior when they spotted him in the mirror lol.
Sad Ken said:
I gave up trying to prove a point to people driving badly years ago. There's a number of roads round here where the locals have invented their own rules (turning right in the left lane at roundabouts, cutting across lanes just before roundabouts etc), and if you in any way try and speed match them to prove its your lane not theirs, they'll just do it anyway, and you'll end up having an accident or being road raged.
Not worth it. I'll continue my manoeuvre correctly, not following the crowd in doing something stupid, but am ready to leave room for them to do their ste manoeuvre if needs be.
Easier on the blood pressure lol.
Exactly this. We have a roundabout near us with 4 lanes on it and very few use it correctly. I’m not going to put my car and myself in harms way to prove a point, it’s easier to leave a little bit of room to allow for the stupidity of others and just get on with life. Not worth it. I'll continue my manoeuvre correctly, not following the crowd in doing something stupid, but am ready to leave room for them to do their s
te manoeuvre if needs be.Easier on the blood pressure lol.
soupdragon1 said:
TameRacingDriver said:
I'm sure there used to be a popcorn smiley on here....
Lol 
Absolutely expecting these 1st few posts, it is PH after all
But I know others self-police too, I see others do similar all the time. Just curious as to others people's views.
Pica-Pica said:
jjones said:
Lorry drivers where it goes 2 lanes into one and slap their lorry dead centre to prevent people passing either side. Really pissed me off when i am filtering down the middle of the traffic.
I have not seen this for a long time, maybe dash cams have stopped this.About ½ mile from roadworks a lorry driver decided he was going to enforce the road laws by his rules.
The ‘merge in turn’ near the road works therefore couldn’t happen for a while until I realised that if I went slightly to the right, driving half on the road and half on the grassy bit of the central reservation I could get by, not something I agree with but he was being a complete
.Now I’m not suggesting I was right however he had no right whatsoever to block two lanes for 1000 yards or so.
CS Garth said:
soupdragon1 said:
I've got value from the thread, I've recognised what I'm doing from a different point of view so despite making myself look a bit daft from my original post, I'm happy to admit that and take it on the chin. It's all good.
.
Good for you for having the depth of character to admit that .
Can I just offer a maybe different perspective on this? Sometimes, we have a 2 mile warning that the lanes reduce. Most will merge in plenty of time. However, Mr big balls decides he will bowl down the soon to be closed lane and barge in at the last moment.
No doubt congratulating himself on all the time he has saved etc. If you have not guessed, this really pisses me off.
End of contribution.
No doubt congratulating himself on all the time he has saved etc. If you have not guessed, this really pisses me off.
End of contribution.
FlabbyMidgets said:
I was on a dual carriageway last week. Traffic in lane 1, lane 2 flowing free. Megane came down lane 2 to behind me and tried slotting in. Corsa behind me was triggered, accelerating to close the gap and stop this megane joining. I left a gap and waved him in front of me. Corsa was enraged, hands going etc.
Anyway, why be a nob, just let them in. Also is it half term?
Agreed, this is what I would do. Anyway, why be a nob, just let them in. Also is it half term?
overunder12g said:
Can I just offer a maybe different perspective on this? Sometimes, we have a 2 mile warning that the lanes reduce. Most will merge in plenty of time. However, Mr big balls decides he will bowl down the soon to be closed lane and barge in at the last moment.
No doubt congratulating himself on all the time he has saved etc. If you have not guessed, this really pisses me off.
End of contribution.
It is irritating, I agree.... but that option is also open to you too (barging in).No doubt congratulating himself on all the time he has saved etc. If you have not guessed, this really pisses me off.
End of contribution.
95% of the time I let a car in (if I'm not inconveniencing cars behind too much), 5% of the time, I will merge in late..... in fact late mergers are doing everyone a favour. There was a discussion on here a while back advocating late merging and using all the available lanes until the last possible moment. I know this is a bit different to the OP's scenario.
Love it when this happens, Theresa huge queue and there's people trying to nip in at the end, and people are blocking them, what I love doing is leaving a 2-3 car length gap.
Let people merge safely, and police against the aholes who try to block others.
Unless you're that BMW 1 series who did this to me the other day on a merge in turn, how the mighty fall when they realise at the next roundabout they're in the wrong lane, and need to be in my lane
Rather not create aggro for others, never know when it'll come back and bite you
Let people merge safely, and police against the a
holes who try to block others.Unless you're that BMW 1 series who did this to me the other day on a merge in turn, how the mighty fall when they realise at the next roundabout they're in the wrong lane, and need to be in my lane
Rather not create aggro for others, never know when it'll come back and bite you
pits said:
Rather not create aggro for others, never know when it'll come back and bite you
Yes quite. There was a full on punch up between a taxi driver and a cyclist today just off Chancery Lane in London. Proper punching.They will both go home with loose/chipped teeth and bruising - it looked totally ridiculous too.
Deliberately antagonising other road users, as you suggest, can backfire.
soupdragon1 said:
Neither. Although I would be prepared to accept that's it the wrong thing to do. Maybe I should do nothing and just let them so it. It's an epidemic and dangerous manoeuvres are regular. It's my way of trying to foil them. Being sent down the wrong motorway will make them think twice is where I'm coming from.
I'm not a dick though, I do it for (What I think) is the right reason. As I say, quite happy to accept it's the wrong thing to do, but as per usual, were straight out of the blocks with insults on what is supposed to be a discussion forum.
I always make a conscious effort to have reasonable discussions on forums and try my best to not throw insults around.
Hasn't been a great start to the thread though I have to say!
You are an arse, but your not the only one in this country. By all means, don’t let people cut in by not leaving a gap, but don’t play games whereby you can cause an serious accident. People like this are worse than people cutting in, but to be fair - both sets of drivers are aI'm not a dick though, I do it for (What I think) is the right reason. As I say, quite happy to accept it's the wrong thing to do, but as per usual, were straight out of the blocks with insults on what is supposed to be a discussion forum.
I always make a conscious effort to have reasonable discussions on forums and try my best to not throw insults around.
Hasn't been a great start to the thread though I have to say!
holes, just a shame I have to use the same road as themI don't when I am driving - too many potential outcomes with implications that don't bear thinking about!
That being said, I often feel as a pedestrian that drivers can be chastised for their idiocy!
Tonight, I was walking home and approaching a pedestrian crossing (no traffic lights, pelican) and noticed a grey Nissan Qashqai (sp?) approaching at speed. It was clear that he could not stop even if he tried. I waited at the crossing but raised my arms to draw attention to his, potentially disastrous, oversight. I was met with a "It's not a red light, is it. Pr*ck!" out of the driver window. The irony of course being that he had been stopped just shouting distance away at an actual red light.
He seemed even more irritated when I pointed that very fact out to him. In short, he could have injured a pedestrian that wasn't taking as much care as I was, or even a child.
Not on!
That being said, I often feel as a pedestrian that drivers can be chastised for their idiocy!
Tonight, I was walking home and approaching a pedestrian crossing (no traffic lights, pelican) and noticed a grey Nissan Qashqai (sp?) approaching at speed. It was clear that he could not stop even if he tried. I waited at the crossing but raised my arms to draw attention to his, potentially disastrous, oversight. I was met with a "It's not a red light, is it. Pr*ck!" out of the driver window. The irony of course being that he had been stopped just shouting distance away at an actual red light.
He seemed even more irritated when I pointed that very fact out to him. In short, he could have injured a pedestrian that wasn't taking as much care as I was, or even a child.
Not on!
The problem is, when a queue stretches for miles in one lane up to a junction it can extend beyond the first signs telling you which lane you need. You can't see the road markings for the traffic covering them. People passing a queue and then trying to move in might seem like queue jumpers to those who use the stretch of road everyday and know they need to get in the correct lane a long way back. They might in fact be people unfamiliar with the road and the quirks of where the traffic builds up locally trying to get into the correct lane at the earliest point. If going a different way because they're in the incorrect lane is obviously going to take a long detour they'll be keen to correct their error.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff