why is the guy in front sometimes hard work?

[bryan35]

I noticed this again this morning driving in to work.
You get someone infront of you who tends to do things that your not expecting.
He'll slow down/speed up for no apparent reason, change lane/hover between lanes, etc etc.
YOu find that you have to keep a really close eye on him because if you look away for a moment, you'll be in the back of him.
Usually you can guarantee that he'll be on his mobile, because for reasons that are beyond me, people can't drive and use a mobile at the same time. WELL, not entirely true, people can phone and drive as long as the driving isn't taxing - quiet motorway for instance.

BUT, this chap wasn't.

drunk? - bit early.
Nagging wife? - she must have been very small
Can't see? - likely
Can't drive - maybe. Lot's of oldies don't have driving licenses.

Fortunately, he was driving completely safely as he never went over the speed limit, and it was I, accelerating to get past him when I got the chance, who was the child murdering maniac travelling at 75.

[Roadcop]

bryan35 said:

Usually you can guarantee that he'll be on his mobile, because for reasons that are beyond me, people can't drive and use a mobile at the same time.

There's far too much of it about....drivers who simply can't do the two things at once....(much to my friend TripleS' disgust )

These numpties are the reason why the clamping down of mobile phone use started...

[tonyhetherington]

A friend of mine drives like that.

He is literally the worst driver I have ever been in a car with and the reasons are numerous. The way he holds the wheel has a HUGE bearing. It will be difficult to explain but imagine driving on a straight motorway, he would have his LEFT hand at the 2 o'clock position, and his right hand smoking or something - certainly not on the wheel. The momentum is on the wrong side for your muscles and so you have feck all control. Consequently he has very little accurate control.

Then he changes cd

Then he lights a cigarette (I've quit now, but used to smoke - you need to look at the flame/fag for a good few seconds!!)

Then he texts

and texts a bit more

then changes cd

then opens a halls soother

In every single one of the occurences he strays a little or wobbles a little in his lane. Scares me witless sometimes!! You wouldn't beleive how many subtle hints I try to make (I am an IAM Observer) about doing an IAM course to brush up etc...but the problem is, you can insult a man's wife, but not his driving!!!

My point is (rather than having a rant about my friend, sorry about that!) is that there's nothing specific - it's a bit of this, a bit of that, and EVERY occasion creates a bit of a wobble or a bit of a more stern brake than expected.

[Pulsatingstar]

I think I might drive a bit like that when I have no idea where im going, which is especially bad as im a nightmare with directions and finding places. I normally factor in a getting lost time onto journeys!

[BliarOut]

The most annoying ones are the ones who slow down for a bend... And then lift off at the apex as well

Oi, you. Put your bloody foot down

[einion yrth]

BliarOut said:

The most annoying ones are the ones who slow down for a bend... And then lift off at the apex as well Oi, you. Put your bloody foot down

And then accelerate in the straights so that you can't safely get past them.

[pdV6]

Almost as bad as the ones who brake whenever a vehicle passes in the opposite direction. WHY?

[TripleS]

Roadcop said:

bryan35 said: Usually you can guarantee that he'll be on his mobile, because for reasons that are beyond me, people can't drive and use a mobile at the same time. There's far too much of it about....drivers who simply can't do the two things at once....(much to my friend TripleS' disgust ) These numpties are the reason why the clamping down of mobile phone use started...

Boing! Good morning Gary, I trust you are well.

No, it's not disgust, but the ability of individuals does vary enormously, and unfortunately some folks can't even do one thing at a time particularly reliably.

I'm just catching up with things this morning as I was travelling all day yesterday, well away from your patch though Gary. You must have had a quiet spell!

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[TripleS]

BliarOut said:

The most annoying ones are the ones who slow down for a bend... And then lift off at the apex as well

I can't understand the mentality of the people who are on the brakes as soon as they even see a bend, even if they are already travelling much slower than would be appropriate for the situation.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Roadcop]

TripleS said:

I'm just catching up with things this morning as I was travelling all day yesterday, well away from your patch though Gary. You must have had a quiet spell! Best wishes all, Dave.

Very quiet yesterday...spent the day blatting up and down the motorways testing new vascar/pro-vida...M62, M60, M6, A57, M1, A42.....

Loved it..

[WildCat]

Roadcop said:

Very quiet yesterday...spent the day blatting up and down the motorways testing new vascar/pro-vida...M62, M60, M6, A57, M1, A42..... Loved it..

Ach so, Strassen { Liebchen - I am glad you changed you name again - No Messing klingt mie!)

But I hope your little playing mit those nasty toys did not cause the little accident which I heard about on radio yesterday. It was a minor - but caused nasty little jam according to that Sally Traffic person.

But hope you had nice Christmas und Neujahr. I got tipsy on mince pies - had little accident when I was mixing the ingredients und my right hand was a little heavy on the bottle! The whole family had a headache from it!

[Roadcop]

Hiya Wildcat darling..

I think your posts was enquiriing whether my motorway playing caused an accident?
Well no we didn't....we had a super time and some free Mocha coffees at the service stations too...

I think you also enquired whether my Xmas was ok? It was thank you honey....We even travelled up the M6 to your area...en-route to Scotland...Brrr it was cold..

Gary

[TripleS]

Roadcop said:

Hiya Wildcat darling.. I think your posts was enquiriing whether my motorway playing caused an accident? Well no we didn't....we had a super time and some free Mocha coffees at the service stations too... I think you also enquired whether my Xmas was ok? It was thank you honey....We even travelled up the M6 to your area...en-route to Scotland...Brrr it was cold.. Gary

Huh, nesh southerners!

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Dibble]

TripleS said:

Roadcop said: Brrr it was cold.. Gary Huh, nesh southerners! Best wishes all, Dave.

You'll be pleased to know I'm still pootling round in short sleeved shirt and no coat most of the time (unless it's wet).

[bobbins]

tonyhetherington said:

A friend of mine drives like that. He is literally the worst driver I have ever been in a car with and the reasons are numerous. The way he holds the wheel has a HUGE bearing. It will be difficult to explain but imagine driving on a straight motorway, he would have his LEFT hand at the 2 o'clock position, and his right hand smoking or something - certainly not on the wheel. The momentum is on the wrong side for your muscles and so you have feck all control. Consequently he has very little accurate control. Then he changes cd Then he lights a cigarette (I've quit now, but used to smoke - you need to look at the flame/fag for a good few seconds!!) Then he texts and texts a bit more then changes cd then opens a halls soother In every single one of the occurences he strays a little or wobbles a little in his lane. Scares me witless sometimes!! You wouldn't beleive how many subtle hints I try to make (I am an IAM Observer) about doing an IAM course to brush up etc...but the problem is, you can insult a man's wife, but not his driving!!! My point is (rather than having a rant about my friend, sorry about that!) is that there's nothing specific - it's a bit of this, a bit of that, and EVERY occasion creates a bit of a wobble or a bit of a more stern brake than expected.

You must be bonkers to go in a car with him. Especially for the texting. And you're an IAM Observer!!!!

[Roadcop]

Dibble said:

TripleS said: Roadcop said: Brrr it was cold.. Gary Huh, nesh southerners! Best wishes all, Dave. You'll be pleased to know I'm still pootling round in short sleeved shirt and no coat most of the time (unless it's wet).

You wear body armour, though, don't you?

[Dibble]

Roadcop said:

You wear body armour, though, don't you?

Always

[Dibble]

Plus of course, my "natural insulation"...

[Roadcop]

[pdV6]

tonyhetherington said:

{description of a complete and utter hopelessly lost cause numpty}

Some people surely should be permanently excluded from holding driving licenses; they're just too hopeless to be safe under any circumstances.

Reminds me of an old neighbour of my parents...
Amongst other things, she:

• Had an auto-only licence, as she couldn't cope with manual

• Had a cr4p ancient Japanse car (Nissan Bluebird IIRC) that had a particularly unintelligent auto 'box that would flick between 3rd and 4th every few seconds at her chosen motorway cruising speed (about 50mph)

• Would either refuse to notice what the gearbox was doing or didn't see that it was basically not the best thing for it to be doing

• Would mutter & roll her eyes whenever anybody passed her on the motorway, despite said cruising speed of 50mph-odd

• Was one of those people who, when at the front of the queue at a red light, would take such an age to get their sh1t together and pull away that she would only just make it across on green, trapping the queue behind her on red

• Despite parking in the same car park every day, would sit at the entrance barrier for many minutes searching for her pass-card before inevitably finding it in the same place it always was

• Also had an ancient Shogun for a while. She once asked my dad to give her a lift to the airport in it so that she didn't have to pay parking and dad didn't have to use his petrol (nice). Unfortunately dad nearly didn't make it back from the airport when the engine died due to there being no oil in it.

• Went straight around to my parents to accuse me of nearly killing her when I gave her a lift home from work one day in my old Mini. The reason? "Racing home at over 100mph". This in an absolutely clapped-out Mini that struggled to get 75pmh on the clock flat out on an empty road, one-up with a a following wind.

• To add insult to injury, she once asked my dad to teach her a bit about cars in order that she might put in for her advanced driving test (Thankfully, dad managed to tactfully decline somehow)

She would occasionally give me a lift to work in the days when I had less reliable transport available (see Mini!). Some of the scariest journeys of my life...