Numpty counrty differences
Discussion
I have just spent 10 days hooning round the autobahns. What a difference to the UK motorways. Why is it that in Germany as you come up behind a slower car they invariably move out of the way. This morning, driving to work I come up behind a car, wait for a while for him to move over into clear space, no go so I hang back wait again, no go so I flash him, qick like not an angry one - so then I get a brake test!
Because the locals in their AudiBMWMerc would rush up to their back bumper and flash the lights .... Self presevation means you move over PDQ.
In the UK the LAW says you mustn't go over 70, ever, so they're preventing crime!
Conversly it's the opposite at pedestrian crossings where jay walking ist verborten!
In the UK the LAW says you mustn't go over 70, ever, so they're preventing crime!
Conversly it's the opposite at pedestrian crossings where jay walking ist verborten!
I have just spent 10 days hooning round the autobahns. What a difference to the UK motorways. Why is it that in Germany as you come up behind a slower car they invariably move out of the way. This morning, driving to work I come up behind a car, wait for a while for him to move over into clear space, no go so I hang back wait again, no go so I flash him, qick like not an angry one - so then I get a brake test!
I know I absolutely should not advocate this but just overtake them on the left.
It seems that if you flash your lights that this is taken as a mortal insult. Road rage.
You never know if the guy in front is a numpty or someone who will genuinely be happy to try and kill you.
Without wanting to open a can of worms about excess speed on motorways etc etc it absolutely staggers me how many numpties on the road have no idea about how to drive on a motorway - especially lane discipline. You see them tommy tootling along in the middle lane with no spatial awareness or idea how much congestion they are causing...makes me mad!
Compare these eejuts with most German (or, in my experience, French and Belgium) drivers who do drive in the proper lane and its doubly infuriating. Legalise overtaking on both sides, I say.
Compare these eejuts with most German (or, in my experience, French and Belgium) drivers who do drive in the proper lane and its doubly infuriating. Legalise overtaking on both sides, I say.
cutmonster said: Without wanting to open a can of worms about excess speed on motorways etc etc it absolutely staggers me how many numpties on the road have no idea about how to drive on a motorway - especially lane discipline. You see them tommy tootling along in the middle lane with no spatial awareness or idea how much congestion they are causing...makes me mad!
Compare these eejuts with most German (or, in my experience, French and Belgium) drivers who do drive in the proper lane and its doubly infuriating. Legalise overtaking on both sides, I say.
I agree! The solution to busy roads IS NOT to build extra lanes on the M1 and M6 - it is to get people to use the lane capacity that exists now correctly!! Or better still, get the numpties off the road completely - makes me angry!
One system that I encountered in Germany was that where HGVs are prohibited from overtaking during certain hours (seemed like most of the day! 
. Were thay to introduce such as system here (I know, I know, cloud cuckoo land) it would immedialtely clear 1 lane of most motorways.
Next, this thing about middle-lane hoggers. I work with a guy who's 53, and he says that when he learned to drive (and motorways were still a new thing in the UK), it was deemed OK to drive in the middle lane; the nearside lane was for slow vehicles and the outside for overtaking. I suspect most of you are not much older than me at most, and when I learned to drive, it was 'keep to the left-most lane, move over only when conditions (e.g. overtaking) dictate'.
If he's right, then maybe it's those who learned to drive under this 'old' system that are to blame.
As a White Van Man a lot of the time, I get to see rather too many acts that sum up the arrogant, ignorant, incompetent 'mememememe' free-for-all that UK driving has descended into, and it p155es me off no end, because I like to think that I am a reasonably competent driver - i.e. I know the rules, even if I occasionally lapse. But you won't catch me sat in the middle lane for 20 miles; or not using indicators; or driving with my fog lamps on when unnecessary; or yakking on the mobile whilst trying to cruise at 95, 4 feet from the car in front, panic braking every 30 yards; or any one of the myriad other things that folk do on the roads that annoy others. I may stay in an overtaking position for longer than necessary, but (a) it's probably to p155 off the tosser who's trying to force his way past me and (b) if you had to drive a van as sluggish as mine, you'd be reluctant to back off as well.
Ian
. Were thay to introduce such as system here (I know, I know, cloud cuckoo land) it would immedialtely clear 1 lane of most motorways. Next, this thing about middle-lane hoggers. I work with a guy who's 53, and he says that when he learned to drive (and motorways were still a new thing in the UK), it was deemed OK to drive in the middle lane; the nearside lane was for slow vehicles and the outside for overtaking. I suspect most of you are not much older than me at most, and when I learned to drive, it was 'keep to the left-most lane, move over only when conditions (e.g. overtaking) dictate'.
If he's right, then maybe it's those who learned to drive under this 'old' system that are to blame.
As a White Van Man a lot of the time, I get to see rather too many acts that sum up the arrogant, ignorant, incompetent 'mememememe' free-for-all that UK driving has descended into, and it p155es me off no end, because I like to think that I am a reasonably competent driver - i.e. I know the rules, even if I occasionally lapse. But you won't catch me sat in the middle lane for 20 miles; or not using indicators; or driving with my fog lamps on when unnecessary; or yakking on the mobile whilst trying to cruise at 95, 4 feet from the car in front, panic braking every 30 yards; or any one of the myriad other things that folk do on the roads that annoy others. I may stay in an overtaking position for longer than necessary, but (a) it's probably to p155 off the tosser who's trying to force his way past me and (b) if you had to drive a van as sluggish as mine, you'd be reluctant to back off as well.
Ian
wedg1e said: One system that I encountered in Germany was that where HGVs are prohibited from overtaking during certain hours (seemed like most of the day!
Next, this thing about middle-lane hoggers. I work with a guy who's 53, and he says that when he learned to drive (and motorways were still a new thing in the UK), it was deemed OK to drive in the middle lane; the nearside lane was for slow vehicles and the outside for overtaking. I suspect most of you are not much older than me at most, and when I learned to drive, it was 'keep to the left-most lane, move over only when conditions (e.g. overtaking) dictate'.
If he's right, then maybe it's those who learned to drive under this 'old' system that are to blame.
As a White Van Man a lot of the time, I get to see rather too many acts that sum up the arrogant, ignorant, incompetent 'mememememe' free-for-all that UK driving has descended into, and it p155es me off no end, because I like to think that I am a reasonably competent driver - i.e. I know the rules, even if I occasionally lapse. But you won't catch me sat in the middle lane for 20 miles; or not using indicators; or driving with my fog lamps on when unnecessary; or yakking on the mobile whilst trying to cruise at 95, 4 feet from the car in front, panic braking every 30 yards; or any one of the myriad other things that folk do on the roads that annoy others. I may stay in an overtaking position for longer than necessary, but (a) it's probably to p155 off the tosser who's trying to force his way past me and (b) if you had to drive a van as sluggish as mine, you'd be reluctant to back off as well.
Ian
I remember returning North on the M1 in 1967 having been to the Chelsea v Spurs Cup Final.Imagine, nothing in the "Overtaking Lane". Middle lane being used by drivers exceeding the speed limit ,in general. Nearside lane being Bangers and HGV,s (or lorries as they were called). My father was driving I was only a young boy. I drive very much like yourself but I do hte those idiots who sit on your bumper flashing lights knowing damned well you just can,t go anywhere!
2002 unfortunately!! It can only get worse.
Geoff
The numpties down here seem to specialise in driving on the B roads at 31 mph in the middle of the road whilst peering over the bonnet, wondering why they can't see very far in the dark. I am convinced that most of do not know they have a FULL BEAM to illuminate the bloody road ahead and make some progress.
The rest of them seem to take great joy in making any overtaking manouvre(sp?) more dangerous for you by either; a) speeding up
doesn't work 
or b) drifting across very frightening 
.
Harry
The rest of them seem to take great joy in making any overtaking manouvre(sp?) more dangerous for you by either; a) speeding up
doesn't work or b) drifting across very frightening . Harry
HarryW said: The numpties down here seem to specialise in driving on the B roads at 31 mph in the middle of the road whilst peering over the bonnet, wondering why they can't see very far in the dark. I am convinced that most of do not know they have a FULL BEAM to illuminate the bloody road ahead and make some progress.
The rest of them seem to take great joy in making any overtaking manouvre(sp?) more dangerous for you by either; a) speeding up
Harry
Harry,
Having just turned 50 and not a numptie, the day I have to slump over the steering wheel is the day I let the Tuscan go. In the meantime the "OLD BASTARDS" who can,t drive should get themselves off the road, IMHO
Geoff
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