Discussion
What is it with some drivers that seem to work on the principle that because a given corner/junction or whatever was clear yeaterday when I went through that it will be today ?
I work on the assumption that if I cannot see round a corner that there will be something in my way, Bin Wagon escaped Dog, crashed car, lost child, Lord Lucan, whatever, I make no assumption that it will be clear as it has been the other 999 times I have been round it.
Why cant some drivers grasp this basic tenet of driving ? unfortunately I like to ride a push bike and this means you dont have any real protection so are very careful as one wrong move you can end up dead, pulled out of a side road today and a young woman in a Small Peugeot came flying round the corner, I mean really fast, I was across the road by then but she was so suprised she slammed on then blew her horn at me !had looked both ways and to a certain extent you have to listen to make sure nothing is coming which I did as it is a dodgy couple of junctions but this dumb girl comes round the corner at probably double the speed she should.
I see it on bends when a car is behind and they decide to overtake which puts them into the oncoming traffic, you can see the throught process of "must get past/hope nothing is coming, ohmygod, ohmygod" and then you get a horns and locking of brakes, sometimes edging out a bit from my rightful place in the gutter helps as it makes the decision for them, ok delays them perhaps 5/1- seonds but better then a head on, sounds a bit sanctimonius but it does work.
This isnt just about cyclists and I fully expect it to be my fault in these circumstances but I see it when in the car as well, I dont get why people cant get their heads round the fact there may be something in the way and have seen a few weeks back a car stuck int he back of a bin wagon, not a hard impact but one that could have been easily avoided with some circumspection,could have easily spoilt a bin mans day as well.
Do you ever find yourself careening round corners as nothing should be in your way, does it impede your progress to slow down ?
I work on the assumption that if I cannot see round a corner that there will be something in my way, Bin Wagon escaped Dog, crashed car, lost child, Lord Lucan, whatever, I make no assumption that it will be clear as it has been the other 999 times I have been round it.
Why cant some drivers grasp this basic tenet of driving ? unfortunately I like to ride a push bike and this means you dont have any real protection so are very careful as one wrong move you can end up dead, pulled out of a side road today and a young woman in a Small Peugeot came flying round the corner, I mean really fast, I was across the road by then but she was so suprised she slammed on then blew her horn at me !had looked both ways and to a certain extent you have to listen to make sure nothing is coming which I did as it is a dodgy couple of junctions but this dumb girl comes round the corner at probably double the speed she should.
I see it on bends when a car is behind and they decide to overtake which puts them into the oncoming traffic, you can see the throught process of "must get past/hope nothing is coming, ohmygod, ohmygod" and then you get a horns and locking of brakes, sometimes edging out a bit from my rightful place in the gutter helps as it makes the decision for them, ok delays them perhaps 5/1- seonds but better then a head on, sounds a bit sanctimonius but it does work.
This isnt just about cyclists and I fully expect it to be my fault in these circumstances but I see it when in the car as well, I dont get why people cant get their heads round the fact there may be something in the way and have seen a few weeks back a car stuck int he back of a bin wagon, not a hard impact but one that could have been easily avoided with some circumspection,could have easily spoilt a bin mans day as well.
Do you ever find yourself careening round corners as nothing should be in your way, does it impede your progress to slow down ?
J4CKO said:
Why cant some drivers grasp this basic tenet of driving ? unfortunately I like to ride a push bike and this means you dont have any real protection so are very careful as one wrong move you can end up dead, pulled out of a side road today and a young woman in a Small Peugeot came flying round the corner, I mean really fast, I was across the road by then but she was so suprised she slammed on then blew her horn at me !had looked both ways and to a certain extent you have to listen to make sure nothing is coming which I did as it is a dodgy couple of junctions but this dumb girl comes round the corner at probably double the speed she should.
See a pattern? :PNah I dont get it either, what also gets me are those who are turning into a junction from the main road but are not aware that they are crossing completely into the other lane as if nothings there. I was given a very dirty look by a young lady in a range rover not long ago when she did this and I gave a little beep of the horn, she was indeed VERY VERY close to my front bumper. I'd say a couple of inches away.
The reason is they are morons and their brains cannot comprehend what could happen.
As you say - cyclists, broken down cars, horses, even the farm gate which is closed 99.9% of the time you drive past it could have a tractor pulling out. As a general rule you want to be able to stop within the tarmac you can see.
Sadly having read some of the replies on yesterdays 'going too fast round a roundabout?' thread where a number of PH'ers see no problem with bombing around roundabouts causing other people to slam on their brakes - we should certainly give up all hope of expecting the general public to start driving properly.
As you say - cyclists, broken down cars, horses, even the farm gate which is closed 99.9% of the time you drive past it could have a tractor pulling out. As a general rule you want to be able to stop within the tarmac you can see.
Sadly having read some of the replies on yesterdays 'going too fast round a roundabout?' thread where a number of PH'ers see no problem with bombing around roundabouts causing other people to slam on their brakes - we should certainly give up all hope of expecting the general public to start driving properly.
Jayho said:
See a pattern? :P
Nah I dont get it either, what also gets me are those who are turning into a junction from the main road but are not aware that they are crossing completely into the other lane as if nothings there. I was given a very dirty look by a young lady in a range rover not long ago when she did this and I gave a little beep of the horn, she was indeed VERY VERY close to my front bumper. I'd say a couple of inches away.
Not always females, I am no misogynist ! though I see a woman every morning in a black RR sport with some mis spaced reg that spells "RATTY" (anyone seen this one in knutsford ?), cant make out what it should actually say and she was right over on my side of the road the other day then coming the other way on my bike, as in taking three quarters of the road, too fast and seemed distracted, she is a menace !Nah I dont get it either, what also gets me are those who are turning into a junction from the main road but are not aware that they are crossing completely into the other lane as if nothings there. I was given a very dirty look by a young lady in a range rover not long ago when she did this and I gave a little beep of the horn, she was indeed VERY VERY close to my front bumper. I'd say a couple of inches away.
That's one of the biggest differences I find between driving in the UK and driving in South Africa.
In South Africa, there are fewer blind bends, because there's not always a building or forest right up against the roadside, and the roads themselves are wider. So you can see a lot further. There's also often a lot of spare tarmac, and then spare dirt just off from the tarmac, to plot any escape routes or deal with any unexpected deviations from your plotted course.
Thus it was possible in SA to often drive around corners at the car's own limits and be sure that there is nothing to hit that you can't already see, and its easy to pick your moments for when there's noone else around. Whereas in the UK, at least down south where I am, it is rarely possible to get anywhere near the car's limit while maintaining safe margins of visibility and separation from from other people, and even when you can, there's usually very little room for mistakes, and very hard looking scenery to crash into should you make it over the inevitable ditch.
I see occasional examples here of people driving much faster than my own observational capacities would allow me, or simply not taking into account what could be over that blind crest or around that blind corner.
On balance, though, I'd have to say that drivers in the UK are, on average still an order of magnitude safer than those in South Africa.
In South Africa, there are fewer blind bends, because there's not always a building or forest right up against the roadside, and the roads themselves are wider. So you can see a lot further. There's also often a lot of spare tarmac, and then spare dirt just off from the tarmac, to plot any escape routes or deal with any unexpected deviations from your plotted course.
Thus it was possible in SA to often drive around corners at the car's own limits and be sure that there is nothing to hit that you can't already see, and its easy to pick your moments for when there's noone else around. Whereas in the UK, at least down south where I am, it is rarely possible to get anywhere near the car's limit while maintaining safe margins of visibility and separation from from other people, and even when you can, there's usually very little room for mistakes, and very hard looking scenery to crash into should you make it over the inevitable ditch.
I see occasional examples here of people driving much faster than my own observational capacities would allow me, or simply not taking into account what could be over that blind crest or around that blind corner.
On balance, though, I'd have to say that drivers in the UK are, on average still an order of magnitude safer than those in South Africa.
Kong said:
Sadly having read some of the replies on yesterdays 'going too fast round a roundabout?' thread where a number of PH'ers see no problem with bombing around roundabouts causing other people to slam on their brakes
Well, if they would pull out in front when they have no right of way....If it was a junction onto an NSL it wouldn't even be up for debate.
You can never assume how fast a car is going, you assess it yourself based on...well...how fast the car is going.
roachcoach said:
Kong said:
Sadly having read some of the replies on yesterdays 'going too fast round a roundabout?' thread where a number of PH'ers see no problem with bombing around roundabouts causing other people to slam on their brakes
Well, if they would pull out in front when they have no right of way....If it was a junction onto an NSL it wouldn't even be up for debate.
You can never assume how fast a car is going, you assess it yourself based on...well...how fast the car is going.
roachcoach said:
Ah, didn't realise you were on about a blind roundabout.
I admit I'm slightly coloured by the amount of people who see you coming, look...wait...wait...wait....GO GO GADGET 10MPH CRAWL! at the terminal moment.
Then flip you the finger when you get upset.
Quite right, people who cut you up are far worse than those who drive round too fast!I admit I'm slightly coloured by the amount of people who see you coming, look...wait...wait...wait....GO GO GADGET 10MPH CRAWL! at the terminal moment.
Then flip you the finger when you get upset.
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