Do people think they are invincible?

[g3org3y]

Driving on the M25 today encountered some properly heavy rain. Lots of spray and areas of standing water.

To be fair, it required one to proceed with caution so I slowed down a touch - 60-65mph.

(Not mentioning the amount of people who continued to drive with no lights) I did however noticed quite a few people absolutely bombing it along - the rate at which they overtook they must have been going 90+. Too quick for the conditions imvho.

Perhaps I'm just more 'aware' of the conditions with my old rattly car compared to someone in a perfectly cocooned new E Class or 5 Series?

Perhaps I'm off the ball and this is a perfectly reasonable speed in new metal (I'm sure new stuff is stunningly competent - 100 probably feels like 60!) but surely all it takes is one patch of standing water to result in a car/armco kissing match?

[JimmyTheHand]

You only need to ask "Do people think?" and the answer when driving is often no.

[MartinQ]

JimmyTheHand said:

You only need to ask "Do people think?" and the answer when driving is often no.

It's probably "yes" in this case though.

[danjama]

In Essex, people usually are invincible!







I kid...

[Pints]

The more safety gadgets and driver aids they put into cars, the more you'll see drivers behaving like they're invincible.

[Xerstead]

JimmyTheHand said:

You only need to ask "Do people think?" and the answer when driving is often no.

Absolutely , They don't think they are invincible, they just don't think how fragile they are.
Unfortunately I've been there after it's gone wrong.
I've picked up a girls, ringing, phone from what was left of her passenger seat as we lifted her body out of the car. Seeing 'Home' flashing up on screen just made it worse.

Edited by Xerstead on Wednesday 12th September 23:07

[Chrisw666]

Pints said:

The more safety gadgets and driver aids they put into cars, the more you'll see drivers behaving like they're invincible.

I don't think it gets that far. The people who drive very fast in poor conditions, erratically, brake late, cut people up, tailgate, etc etc don't ever think 'what if.....' when driving. So the safety system and car quality is irrelevant, they just never expect danger to enter their journey.

If you start every drive assuming the worst that can happen is you won't get there at all you'll take care, if you drive as if the worst thing in the world is arriving five mins later than the guy in front you won't be remotely sensible.

[standardman]

They're just trying to make progress , its ok ?

[btdk5]

standardman said:

They're just trying to make progress , its ok ?

Exactly. People probably look at the op when its dry and think ohh gosh isn't he going too fast.

Just try and keep out of the way. Good lad.

[g3org3y]

btdk5 said:

standardman said:

They're just trying to make progress , its ok ?

Exactly. People probably look at the op when its dry and think ohh gosh isn't he going too fast.

Just try and keep out of the way. Good lad.

I'm more than happy to push on when conditions suit it.

I'd be less happy to be in the vicinity of Mr 520d when the laws of physics come out on top, he (or she) aquaplanes and bins it into the barriers.

[northwest monkey]

Xerstead said:

Absolutely , They don't think they are invincible, they just don't think how fragile they are.
Unfortunately I've been there after it's gone wrong.
I've picked up a girls, ringing, phone from what was left of her passenger seat as we lifted her body out of the car. Seeing 'Home' flashing up on screen just made it worse.

Edited by Xerstead on Wednesday 12th September 23:07

I'm assuming you're in the Police & this must be one of the hardest parts of the job - I'm not sure how I'd deal with something like that.

I wonder if it's partly how cars are sold these days. Every single car advert talks about 'safety' & if people buy into the 'NCAP' rating then maybe people do feel safer.

That aside though, I think some people either forget or just don't bother to think they are in charge of a ton of metal travelling at 25-30 meters every second and that actions have consequences. I find the vast majority of people are more bothered about where they are going, not how they are getting there.

[sassanach0]

how much wreckage did you see, after all if they were all driving to fast then they must of crashed.

[carreauchompeur]

Too
Have
?

[Cotty]

northwest monkey said:

That aside though, I think some people either forget or just don't bother to think they are in charge of a ton of metal travelling at 25-30 meters every second and that actions have consequences. I find the vast majority of people are more bothered about where they are going, not how they are getting there.

I tend to agree. People think they can just drive as they always do regardless of conditions. They just don't think what their ton of car is capable of doing.

[Pints]

Chrisw666 said:

Pints said:

The more safety gadgets and driver aids they put into cars, the more you'll see drivers behaving like they're invincible.

I don't think it gets that far. The people who drive very fast in poor conditions, erratically, brake late, cut people up, tailgate, etc etc don't ever think 'what if.....' when driving. So the safety system and car quality is irrelevant, they just never expect danger to enter their journey.

If you start every drive assuming the worst that can happen is you won't get there at all you'll take care, if you drive as if the worst thing in the world is arriving five mins later than the guy in front you won't be remotely sensible.

If people were dying on a fairly regular basis from relatively low speed shunts and impacts, you can be darn sure that most drivers would pay more attention and care on the roads. You can have 40mph hits now and walk away with barely a scratch.

Or, as someone else suggested, nails on the dashboard which impale you on impact.

[Zigster]

I've definitely become more conscious of my "vincibility" as I've got older, particularly since I've had the wife and kids in the car with me. I don't think I was ever a bad (i.e. careless or dengerous) driver but I suspect I wasn't as consciously aware of just how quickly and easily things can go tits up.

I don't think it's that (some) drivers think they are invincible but more that they just don't think at all. IMHO, it affects younger drivers more than older, but there are certainly lots of middle-aged drivers who are yet to cotton on to their vincibility. And one of my (70-something) aunts who now takes it too far the other way ...

[Cyder]

sassanach0 said:

how much wreckage did you see, after all if they were all driving to fast then they must of crashed.

Funny how poor grammar and writing moronic statements tend to go hand in hand isn't it?

[Chicane-UK]

I think a lot of people have gotten very accustomed to driving cars absolutely dripping in driver aids.. so give no thought to speed that's suitable for the conditions.

[Fatman2]

Pints said:

The more safety gadgets and driver aids they put into cars, the more you'll see drivers behaving like they're invincible.

Sadly I don't think so. It's UK attitudes IMHO.

I've noticed crazy drivers in mainland Europe but have definitely noticed that they are infinitely more sensible when driving in poor conditions.

For some reason, rain, shine or snow, UK drivers still seem to have that "I want to be in front of you" mentality, which overrides everything.

[StottyZr]

Its quite incredible how stable new motorway barges are at high speed and in adverse conditions.