What happened to common courtesy?
Discussion
Went to take the dogs out in the Defender this afternoon. Our village is a nightmare at the moment as Northern Gas Networks are replacing all the gas pipes in the village. The 'main' road, little more than a lane with houses on one side and field's and the village pub on the other is a bit of a cut through, so NGN have put traffic lights up with one set controlling perhaps a quarter of a mile, and little holes randomly down one side. Two side roads (of which mine is one) exit onto this road within the controlled area.
As you pass the traffic lights there is a big sign that says 'Joining traffic is not signal controlled'.
I check the road and pull out. As I am going up the hill some middle aged woman in a relatively new Passat comes down the hill, and I stop just before one of the pull ins so she can pull over (its about 3 car lengths long and relatively clear of snow) and we can pass. Its not like she is going to be inconvenienced or going to have to parallel park or something, but she is signalling that she won't move and I have to reverse 50 - 100 yards back into my road! I point to the gap, and she points then to the pub car park, wanting me to drive into the car park, through the parked cars and out again. I point at the gap her side. After about 30 seconds she decides to pull over just enough for me to squeeze through. As I drive past she winds down her window and screams 'Its green you f...ing moron'.
What's that all about? Seriously is moving the wheel a couple of inches one way and making a slight arc that bigger deal these days, and as you can't see either sets of lights from the junction of my road its not like I have pulled out when I can see I am going against the light or even that she was coming! I was just amazed by the language and attitude.
As you pass the traffic lights there is a big sign that says 'Joining traffic is not signal controlled'.
I check the road and pull out. As I am going up the hill some middle aged woman in a relatively new Passat comes down the hill, and I stop just before one of the pull ins so she can pull over (its about 3 car lengths long and relatively clear of snow) and we can pass. Its not like she is going to be inconvenienced or going to have to parallel park or something, but she is signalling that she won't move and I have to reverse 50 - 100 yards back into my road! I point to the gap, and she points then to the pub car park, wanting me to drive into the car park, through the parked cars and out again. I point at the gap her side. After about 30 seconds she decides to pull over just enough for me to squeeze through. As I drive past she winds down her window and screams 'Its green you f...ing moron'.
What's that all about? Seriously is moving the wheel a couple of inches one way and making a slight arc that bigger deal these days, and as you can't see either sets of lights from the junction of my road its not like I have pulled out when I can see I am going against the light or even that she was coming! I was just amazed by the language and attitude.
She obviously thought you had gone through a red light whilst hers was on green and was trying to make a point of making your life difficult.
Without sounding like a keyboard warrior I personally would have stood my ground and made her use the passing place you had stopped for her to use.
In something similarly related I nearly plowed into a prick in a BMW X3 earlier today after he failed to give way and moved onto my side of the road to pass 2 parked cars. It's a 40mph road and I was doing the speed limit but when he saw he would have to stop he floored it. I was in a 12 ton Volvo so I was past the point of no return and saying it was close is an understatement.
Chances are a little X3 would have done me no harm but it s
ts me up the damage that I would done to him. Yeah maybe I should have anticipated it and I did lift off as I always do when approaching a hazard but the speed he accelerated and then whipped onto my side of the road was very quick.
Without sounding like a keyboard warrior I personally would have stood my ground and made her use the passing place you had stopped for her to use.
In something similarly related I nearly plowed into a prick in a BMW X3 earlier today after he failed to give way and moved onto my side of the road to pass 2 parked cars. It's a 40mph road and I was doing the speed limit but when he saw he would have to stop he floored it. I was in a 12 ton Volvo so I was past the point of no return and saying it was close is an understatement.
Chances are a little X3 would have done me no harm but it s
ts me up the damage that I would done to him. Yeah maybe I should have anticipated it and I did lift off as I always do when approaching a hazard but the speed he accelerated and then whipped onto my side of the road was very quick.Posted on another forum and mildly related:
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common
Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how
old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic
red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable
lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies
(don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults,
not children, are in charge
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing
regulations were set in place.
Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a
classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch;
and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened
his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for
doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining
their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get
parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student;
but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted
to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became
businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a
woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She
spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents,
Truth and Trust,
by his wife, Discretion,
by his daughter, Responsibility,
and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he
was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the
majority and do nothing.
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common
Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how
old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic
red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable
lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies
(don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults,
not children, are in charge
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing
regulations were set in place.
Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a
classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch;
and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened
his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for
doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining
their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get
parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student;
but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted
to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became
businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a
woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She
spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents,
Truth and Trust,
by his wife, Discretion,
by his daughter, Responsibility,
and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he
was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the
majority and do nothing.
trevt said:
ah, but you assume she read the signs........why would she?
on the daily commute I join a roundabout with give way markings on my lane. The other two both have stop markings. No-one ever stops or even looks like stopping.
on the daily commute I join a roundabout with give way markings on my lane. The other two both have stop markings. No-one ever stops or even looks like stopping.
sadly this is often the case. I was always told to never assume that road users around you are competent.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff