Our overcrowded roads

[Humpy D]

I'm new to Pistonheads and no doubt the subject of this discussion has been raised countless times before but anyway, here goes.

There is no doubt that our roads are getting more overcrowded but does anybody feel (like I do) that the situation could be improved immeasurably by people thinking a little bit more about what they are doing and the road planners do the same. My personable bugbears are as follows:

Middle lane hoggers - what is it with these people. Don't they realise that by sticking to the middle lane means that the capacity of a typical motorway is reduced by 1/3? Just think of how crap the traffic would be if all motorways were only 2 lanes but effectively that if what a lot of them are. Why don't the overhead gantries start reminding people to move over to the inside lane if clear rather than telling us pointless messages?

Tailgaters - apart from being perhaps the most dangerous thing to do (including speeding) these people invariably have to dab their brakes constantly to avoid going into the back of you and thus the domino effect starts.

Traffic lights on roundabouts - one word, Why? Surely there should be one or the other not both. To me this is pandering to poor drivers who can't fathom out how to use a roundabout correctly.

Braking - related to the tailgaters subject but even drivers who don't tailgate seem far to keen to dab their brakes for no apparent reason. If you are paying enough attention and you are sufficiently skilled (which all drivers should be) then you should give yourselves enough thinking time so that you don't need to jump on your brakes all the time.

I don't for one minute believe that I am a perfect driver. Far from it. I just think that rather than all and sundry going on about building more roads we, as drivers, need to take more responsibility for what we are doing and to think a bit more. It is common sense after all.

[RDE]

Not a new topic, but often discussed and permanently baffling. I used to think an overhaul of public transport, coupled with not hiking the sodding prices all the time, would sort out a lot of congestion because it would then be easier to have a driving aptitude test (which would be designed to separate the wheat from the chaff to a sensible degree). I'm becoming more of the opinion that this wouldn't help because of the sheer number of people in the UK (especially the bottom bit). Also, regardless of how much some people dislike driving or how bad they are at it, I think a lot of people are far too stubborn to chage their ways and consider an alternative.

While the things you suggest would make driving a much less painful experience, there would still be a less than ideal number of people on the road. The point about roundabouts and traffic lights is a particular gripe, as you rightly reason. 'Habitual brakers' are about the most frustrating group on the road, aside from people who just drive really slowly for no apparent reason. I think the occasional braking comes from being a muppet, so you feel endangered when another car comes the other way, or when a corner comes up, or just because you've gone 20 seconds without braking. If you just cover your brake, you'll normally discover that they don't actually slow down, they're just doing it because it makes them feel safer. Either way, they should get out of the car and go back to dribbling in front of the TV and breathing through their mouth.


P.S. Welcome to PH There is some light-hearted stuff on here as well

[evoesque]

Agree with all of the above.

Rant Mode: ON

I'll also add people that crawl through traffic lights.

GET A MOVE ON!! There is no need to leave a 20 foot gap between you and the person in front before you set off. If you kept up then I wouldn't be sat here for another 3 minutes waiting only for someone else to do exactly the same thhing 2 cars in front of me.

Rant mode: OFF