Standards of driving rant

[THE_Liam]

Is it just me or has the standard of driving in general got worse the past couple of years?

Last night, coming past a sliproad I moved to the right lane to let a few people get down the sliproad easier. One of them was a lad in a black A4. After the sliproad I indicated to change lanes to the left, and he floored it to try and stop me changing lanes. I got across before he got there to get the usual arm-waving and light-flashing, and then he pulls into the right lane and stops level with me to scream a load of abuse at me. So I shoted something along the lines of "That wouldn't have happened if you'd not tried to undertake me you lady garden! If it's a problem, come off at the next junction and we'll have a word!" and he dropped a gear and floored it down the 40mph duel carriageway at 70-80mph after screaming "Wanker!!!" at the top of his voice...

This morning on the drive back to work, I've seen a black BMW undertake 6 cars at 100-110mph on a 70mph dual carriageway past a school, then nearly run a Sharan off the road forcing back into the right lane before the roundabout...

A woman trying to change lanes on a 40mph dual carriageway before a slip road, and another woman speeding up and slowing down to stay alongside her and block her...

A taxi tailgating me at 45 in a 40 when I was overtaking on the same dual carriageway, and I mean really tailgating me, couldn't even see his grille...

A bloke moving across into the gap between 2 lanes to stop a motorbike filtering...

Countless peiople doing double the speed limit in a built up area, not indicating, changing lanes without looking, cutting across 3 lanes into sliproads at the last moment, tailgating, and more road rage than I have ever seen...

Has the general standard of driving got worse, or are people these days just so ignorant, self-obsessed, selfish and discourteous that it shows in how they drive?

[Sian]

Is it just me or has the standard of driving in general got worse the past couple of years?

Last night, coming past a sliproad I moved to the right lane to let a few people get down the sliproad easier. One of them was a lad in a black A4. After the sliproad I indicated to change lanes to the left, and he floored it to try and stop me changing lanes. I got across before he got there to get the usual arm-waving and light-flashing, and then he pulls into the right lane and stops level with me to scream a load of abuse at me. So I shoted something along the lines of "That wouldn't have happened if you'd not tried to undertake me you lady garden! If it's a problem, come off at the next junction and we'll have a word!" and he dropped a gear and floored it down the 40mph duel carriageway at 70-80mph after screaming "Wanker!!!" at the top of his voice...

This morning on the drive back to work, I've seen a black BMW undertake 6 cars at 100-110mph on a 70mph dual carriageway past a school, then nearly run a Sharan off the road forcing back into the right lane before the roundabout...

A woman trying to change lanes on a 40mph dual carriageway before a slip road, and another woman speeding up and slowing down to stay alongside her and block her...

A taxi tailgating me at 45 in a 40 when I was overtaking on the same dual carriageway, and I mean really tailgating me, couldn't even see his grille...

A bloke moving across into the gap between 2 lanes to stop a motorbike filtering...

Countless peiople doing double the speed limit in a built up area, not indicating, changing lanes without looking, cutting across 3 lanes into sliproads at the last moment, tailgating, and more road rage than I have ever seen...

Has the general standard of driving got worse, or are people these days just so ignorant, self-obsessed, selfish and discourteous that it shows in how they drive?

Taxi drivers are the worst ones! On way back from pugfest was a woman on her phone going 80+ on the 3rd lane!

[THE_Liam]

I think part of it is traffic police. More bothered about doing someone for doing 64 in a 60 than someone changing lanes dangerously or cutting people up - I've seen both happen right in front of traffic officers and they've done nothing. Is a nice, simple fixed penalty for speeding easier than doing someone for careless or dangerous driving?

[jammapic]

Absolutely mate... I do about 30k a year for work, and I have noticed that in the last few years people are getting worse and worse. Up until maybe, the beginning of this year I had never seen anyone fly up the hard shoulder at 90+mph, when the motorway was busy, but moving well at 70 or 80. This year alone I must have seen it 3 or 4 times.

I'll tell you the scariest thing though - the difference in driving for work during the week, where reps are flying up and down the motorway, and then the weekend where people who look truly terrified behind the wheel, try and battle the big scary motorway.

The stereotypical Sunday driver is now a weekend driver - and the amount of skill / knowledge / confidence some people have to drive on the motorway is truly terrifying.....

My boss and colleague had one a few months ago. Driving along in the fast lane, on their way to a meeting when a guy in a clapped out old Fiesta wanted to be past. They moved over to let him by, which he struggled to do as he was flat out. Next thing, he started to get a speed wobble so the guys dropped back seeing something was about to go terribly wrong. Before anyone knew what had happened Fiesta had taken out 2 or 3 cars in the middle / slow lane, and was facing backwards in the hard shoulder. Lack of control? Pushing a shit car too hard? Who knows. The fact remains, his driving skill was not where it needs to be.

Scary.

[1616six]

I've seen a black BMW undertake 6 cars at 100-110mph on a 70mph dual carriageway past a school..

School on a dual carriageway?!

[DavidA]

I think part of it is traffic police?

Yes...not enough of them. They (being the local authorities) think they can cut back on the police budget by installing speed cameras. It doesn't work as speed cameras don't catch the bad drivers.

[Ruan]

It's all down to the fact that in this country, driving is considered a right, not a privilege.

I personally take pride in my driving skill, but I know multiple people who simply cannot be bothered, they use cars to get from A to B. I personally don't think it should be allowed, the driving test needs to be vastly updated, I mean, they teach you to reverse around a corner, which yes shows car control, but people don't practice doing it, so they instantly lose the skill... Soon as people pass their tests, some people are too scared to parallel park, so they just don't do it... It needs to be vastly updated and tested on a regular basis IMHO - or at least some scheme of self improvement.

It winds me up that I'm considered the same in the eyes of insurance as your stereotypical lawyers tea boy in a financed up 116i who absolutely twats it everywhere but cannot drive for shit.

My other massive bugbear is people who drive into parking spaces - usually I try and explain why driving into a space is so vastly more dangerous (you've got to blindly reverse out - when you reverse in, you always have where you're looking towards the front and can see what's going on...) There's only one time people should be allowed to drive into spaces - that's supermarket carparks as then you can get into the boot to put your shopping in.

[cpikey316_]

Terrified A road drivers annoy me, one doing 40mph, 3 more behind too terrified to overtake. Meaning I cant overtake. Its even more fun when they sail through a residential 30mph area at 40mph too

They may only be doing a short distance, but their dithering is adding half an hour to my 3 and a half hour drive to Wales.

Then you have the clowns who crawl around gentle bends at 25mph, but suddenly turn into Lewis Hamilton as soon as a straight bit appears

Generally I get annoyed by other road users too much. It was better in my saab, when I had some power to overtake.

[Toms306]

There are no standards of driving these days.

I get so frustrated by the ignorance and inconsiderate behaviour on the road I end up raging and joining them! I'm not a good driver in terms of skill, I'll freely admit that, but one rule I do stick to is not making other people brake...I get cut up at least 5 or 6 times on a normal B road journey and just wonder why people cant wait at the give way lines for 5 seconds? Instead they like testing crappy 306 brakes from 50ish and get arsey when I end up so close to their bumper. :facepalm:

There are so many more things I could rant about but I'd be here all day haha. I keep meaning to get one of those dash cams, to prove whether it IS everyone else or if I'm just a lady garden.

[Ruan]

Oh forgot - had a cracker a few weeks ago...

Taking the M6 junction off the M42 iirc, I'd indicated and was in the slip lane, some absolute eejit in a Citroen C4 comes flying up my arse, flashing beeping etc... I'm just like ERRR gtfo, there's two lanes, if you're that fussed, just go to the next lane, it's totally empty and goes to the same place you bellend - held my speed at ~55mph. He decides to come along next to me and start giving me every hand gesture in the book...

I did my usual stick a massive smile on my face and look over, which usually succeeds in winding them up more... What the f*ck is the need, then did a shocking wrench of the wheel and pulled millimeters infront of me... Getting close to bumpers doesn't intimidate or annoy me, I just correct my speed to keep a sensible distance.. FFS!

[Just Sean]

People are just lady gardens. I'm gonna be installing cameras in mine front and rear. Just to protect myself from other people

[Niall]

Agree with Ruan 101%! People should not class driving as a privilege. I think we need to toughen the driving test up and have regular check ups.

I had a good one yesterday funnily enough. Pulled away from the lights, two lanes merging to one. I was in the left and had a prison lorry in the right next to me. Big bastard one. I pulled away quicker due to not being in a lorry and next thing I know, he's on my arse so close to the point I couldn't see his bumper. Just headlights on full beam through my rear window. I stayed just above 30 admittedly and he was trying to push me faster and faster, flashing me, revving his engine. All it would of taken would be for me to brake for a crossing or something and he would of written the car off. Indicated left into a road after about half a mile(he wouldn't of seen this. Too close), slowed down sensibly (was tempting to just down anchors) and pulled in and how he didn't clip the corner of my car and spin me I don't know. On avoiding me, he bumped the bloody thing over a traffic island and then drove past on the horn swearing out of the window. Definitely being reported to his company today on account of being a grade A wanker

[Danny2009]

What really really f*cking annoys me is on the motorway and some lady garden from the lane to the left cuts infront of me making me slow down so I don't plough into back of them but 99.9999% of the time there's nothing behind me for f*cking miles why not just wait instead of being a lady garden!

Surely this just Dosent happen to me?

[Toms306]

Happens to me all the time Danny (but dual carriageway, no motorways here!), I just tailgate them then coal past afterwards lol. can ignore it once or twice, but it happens several times in a few miles!

[Connor]

Oh forgot - had a cracker a few weeks ago...

Taking the M6 junction off the M42 iirc, I'd indicated and was in the slip lane, some absolute eejit in a Citroen C4 comes flying up my arse, flashing beeping etc... I'm just like ERRR gtfo, there's two lanes, if you're that fussed, just go to the next lane, it's totally empty and goes to the same place you bellend - held my speed at ~55mph. He decides to come along next to me and start giving me every hand gesture in the book...

I did my usual stick a massive smile on my face and look over, which usually succeeds in winding them up more... What the f*ck is the need, then did a shocking wrench of the wheel and pulled millimeters infront of me... Getting close to bumpers doesn't intimidate or annoy me, I just correct my speed to keep a sensible distance.. FFS!

Sounds like when we on our way t'up north

[r3k1355]

What really really f*cking annoys me is on the motorway and some lady garden from the lane to the left cuts infront of me making me slow down so I don't plough into back of them but 99.9999% of the time there's nothing behind me for f*cking miles why not just wait instead of being a lady garden!

Surely this just Dosent happen to me?

Happens to me often too, it's more annoying than anything but some people cut it so close it's properly dangerous.

Some lady garden in a Transit tipper did it the other week on the M621, no indicators or anything he just yanked across into the outside lane right in front of me.
I was on the anchors so hard the ABS and TC was going mental, only avoided him by an inch or so.

It was so bad even my mrs was swearing out of the window at they guy - and she never gets angry!!!

[THE_Liam]

It isn't just me that's noticed this then. I guess because we're all car and driving enthusiasts so we take driving more seriously, so we notice it, but it has definitely got worse. The amount of disagreements and road rage incidents I see, and in some cases have been involved in (because admittedly I have an awful temper) made me glad I know how to handle myself in a dangerous situation, and then I thought, how bad has it got when I'm there thinking "Glad I know hand to hand combat when I'm driving"...

Another one, when I went ip to the dales on Sunday, was stuck behind a Freelander doing 40 for 2-3 miles, saw a big straight, safely and easily overtook her. Next thing she's on my arse flashing her lights and pointing at her kid in the passenger seat, so I pulled over to see what the problem was, genuinely not being aggressive, just knowing that I wont stand for that for 10 miles. She locked the doors and started screaming "I'm calling the police!!! You nearly killed me!!!"

I just drove away...

[Danny2009]

There all ten men/women behind glass soon as you try to confront them about how much a lady garden they are they a shit them selves and lock them selves in or b drive off

People that pull out on you and drive slow as possible piss me rite off

Now I'm guilty of pulling out on people I'm rather impatient but never when it's dangerous and get up to speed as fast as possible so not to hinder the drivers behind

[Piggy]

As a qualified driving instructor...I always see faults, naturally. I also have OCD...if no one had noticed.

However I do agree, in the last couple of years I am bombarded by driving issues.

The one that really gets me is roundabouts...people seem to get SO confused and have no ability to navigate them...when its one of the simplest inventions since the can opener.

Pulling out is another one, I have countless occasions where I can see ahead a junction and a waiting car,it can be from 500yds away....400yds....300yds, make brief eye contact with the driver...then 100yds....they pull out!!!??

I have found the need to coal more often to back drivers away, people get STUPID close now on all roads...I think maybe its too much trust in modern cars.

I remember seeing a safety program, the guy suggested having rubber fuel tanks hanging over the front bumper, no windscreen, no seatbelts and a big spike sticking out of the steering wheel.....sounds mad but I bet people would be more careful with their driving.

I too take great pride in my driving, parking etc....and have always assumed its just ignorance or lack of concentration when others drive like morrons...but that 106 crash/onboard footage at Pugfest just shows me how bad peoples car control is.


Regular driving assessments is what is needed imo. Not a pass/fail. Just an assessment and training.

[Poodle]

It's all a symptom of a greater problem - chronic selfishness. Everyone considers themselves more important and capable than anybody else on the road. Culture and current law-making and -enforcement just emcourages this style of thinking.

I see it every time I get in a car, most upsettingly it's just as bad from people that I otherwise have great respect for...

[THE_Liam]

When did we descend to this level as people? I always hated driving in London because of this behaviour, but now West Yorkshire is just as bad. Why such a rush? Is driving to work like that and getting there all tense and wound up really worth an extra 10 minutes in bed? Is it just the fact that the country is a mess and everyones working harder, paying out more and earning less? Is it a symptom of that?

With blokes, I think manners are seen as weak these days, and cutting people up and pushing into queues makes you an alpha male...

[Pete]

All of the above, I live on a 20 limit road and often see cars doing x4 that speed. Lack of traffic police is also a problem as cameras do all the work these days out seems. no indicators on roundabouts bugs me aswell

[r3k1355]

Regular driving assessments is what is needed imo. Not a pass/fail. Just an assessment and training.

Every ten years IMO, or ten years for the theory and 15 for the practical.
I recon well over 50% of people with a licence will fail a second test, the actual figure would probably be quite scary.

That 106 crash/onboard footage at Pugfest just shows me how bad peoples car control is.

Where's that video??

[Poodle]

In the pugfest pictures and videos thread.

Tbh I dont think obligatory retests would make a difference outside of weekends, as Liam has pointed out - somewhere along the line being a lady garden became a status symbol.

[Toms306]

Tests are pointless anyway tbh...you do specific things just to pass them and forget it all afterwards. I wouldn't pass a test with a hidden camera for example...but for 30 minutes I'm sure most of us could go back to 'driving school' style.

I think Piggy's got the right idea of extra training/assessment at certain intevals though. Not as a pass or fail as that makes people panic, but just as an assessment to show your weak points.

As for pushing in making you an Alpha male? I don't think so, just makes them a complete arse tbh!

[Pete]

Another one I come across often, usually at J24 of the M62 when its busy. Waiting patiently in a fair size queue in the left hand lane for the exit slip, you always see people try cut in right at the end, sometimes coming to a complete stop in an active lane forcing HGV's to avoid rear ending them. lady gardens trick that part of me want them to get hit.

[r3k1355]

I know the junction you're on about, it's a nightmare.

They really need to do something about that one.

[toseland]

Dont get me started on roundabouts....

Had some chav come past me in a ford fiesta like a twat on the A470 about 3 weeks ago whilst texting on his phone.. ran straight into the back of the car in front that had slowed because a lorry had pulled out abotu 1/3 of a mile ahead of him.. didnt see a thing


i was sure to let the police know he was on his phone shortly before the accident



It does make me wonder about rights of way tho.. again onto this roundabout there is a small section of the A470 that has an elongated slip road (onramp from one roundabout, which stays as its own lane to the left, to go towards the second roundabout) which runs parallel to the 2 lanes on the A470.. now people coming onto the A470 move to the "middle lane" whilst people who want to use the M4 move to the left most "filter lane" and the cars coming onto the A470 wanting the M4 stay in the inside lane..


in a case of someone wanting to move out, to the middle lane, and someone moving from the outside lane to the "middle lane" who has the right of way?

[puglove]

I've seen a black BMW undertake 6 cars at 100-110mph on a 70mph dual carriageway past a school..

School on a dual carriageway?!

Ummm yeah this ^^^ ????

[THE_Liam]

I've seen a black BMW undertake 6 cars at 100-110mph on a 70mph dual carriageway past a school..

School on a dual carriageway?!

Ummm yeah this ^^^ ????

Its a 70mph dual carriageway coming up to a roundabout with a huge high school on it. It turns to 40 after the roundabout but as you'd imagine twats come roaring off the DC at 70-80 past the school....

25 minute drive home from work took an hour today because some stupid bint in an XC90 decided to headbutt the barrier on a straight road...