Black Cat

In the last two weeks I have witnessed two accidents on mini roundabouts... both have been that the vehicle on the roundabout has had a car pull out in front of them.

Last week I was behind a 206 she was on the roundabout and the woman pulled straight out in front of her - yeah she hit her alright.

Last night in Chobham it was a bike - he was on the roundabout and a Range Rover pulled out in front... he came off his bike thankfully didn't sustain much injury I wanted to help but they were too busy screaming at each other about who's right of way it was.

I always thought it was give way to the right. I can count on both hands the amount of people who have pulled out on me in the last few months - it's staggering how a basic rule is being blatently ignored by these nutters.

P

BarryK

Dolts.

But it is never their fault is it. Fist waving swearing and the like, because they can't drive to the required standard.

It's a growing malaise.

TomM

Ha - Ive seen loads of these recently aswel!!

As I said in another post : The standard of driving in the UK scares me!!!

Mice_Elf

There's a standard in the UK? I thought it was just aim and hope...

I do an awful lot of miles and fortunately don't suffer from road rage in the slightest...(an euphemism which I don't like anyway...let's give it a trendy name, then we can all suffer from it..)...but the driving I see on the roads is deplorable...

Luke

Red light jumpers are the worst. They see you stuck inthe middle od a busy junction waiting to turn right. And they still jump the lights.Well I always jump forward to see their faces!!!

carl

There seems to be a trend now of using the left lane to go straight on (correct) but indicating right while doing so

Round our way there's also a bunch of roundabouts where everyone seems to get in the wrong lane. Three-lane entry, I'm in the middle going straight on. Can get a bit tricky when the person in the right hand lane is going left and the one in the left hand lane is going right

merkin

I can barely remember a time when it wasnt guerilla warfare on the roads, especially in central London

marty_t3

I've just recently moved to Yorkshire from Strathclyde. I am still trying to get to grips with the blatant disregard for "The rules of the road" i'm seeing down here.

General driving behaviour in town is pretty appauling. In the 2 mile trip i have home after work i can be assured of seeing at least 4 people run a red light. It just seems that people here seem to think that a red light means, "it's ok to go through cuz it's only been red for a few seconds"

I'm not claiming to be a good driver cuz i make the same mistakes as everyone else, but, I know that a red light means "Stop".

Roundabouts too as you mentioned. People seem to think that if the car in front pulls out onto the roundabout then it's ok for them to pull out right behind them. I've lost count of how many people have pulled out in front of me.

Before you start flaming... i'm not saying that scots are better drivers or anything, just that the rules of the road are followed more stringently on the west coast of Scotland (probably due to higher police presence and prosecution or something).

<flame proof y-fronts on, just in case>

bros2

I arrived at a roundabout last week AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME as two other cars. All entrances were thus filled at the same time, and it's a small roundabout rather than the sort that all three could have fitted on at the same time.

I genuinely don't know what the law says in this circumstance, as technically we should all have stopped, waited for the others to go, then realised we couldn't.

It's the first time I can recall this situation, in 20+ years and 300k+ miles of driving/riding, so it's probably not something that should matter hugely, but nevertheless it seems strange to have to use gesticulated hand signals/headlight flashing to make safe progress.

bros

Mice_Elf

Technically, if you flash someone (with your headlights) for them to turn across you or pull out and they are then hit by another car or whatever, YOU are liable.

Good old thing, English Law, isn't it?

red_dog104

When that 'stuck at a roundabout' situation occurs I usually wait a couple of seconds then go. Normally ok but tricky when everyone has the same idea! You aren't wrong about the standard of driving though! People who have driven for ages think they can't possibly be wrong and people who have not long passed their test feel the same!! It's not going to improve. All this pollution by cars(not helped by us scooby drivers!)is, in my opinion, sending people mad!! I make mistakes like anyone but the difference with me is that I recognise I've done it and make a mental note not to do it again! Infact, I have become a better driver since getting the Impreza, cause people assume that I'll be an a*sehole cause of the car and I suprise them by being courteous.

NotoriousREV

Sorry Mice, that is NOT true. If someone flashes you out of a junction and you proceed and then hit someone, it is entirely your fault (this happened to an ex of mine)

hail-hail

Bros2, this happens all the time where I live. Recently these mini roundabouts have appeared everywhere. If this 3 car situation does occur I generally go, as someone taking a positive step sorts everyone else out. i.e. once one car goes everyone knows thier place and right of way.
You can generally look at the other drivers, see that none of them have a clue an will sit there forever until someone else make the move.

Mice_Elf

Maybe they've changed the law then, Notorious....it was certainly true when I worked at the police...

But fair enough.

NotoriousREV

From the Highay Code:

"If another driver flashes his headlights never assume that it is a signal to go. Use your own judgement and proceed carefully."



Sorry I'm in a bored, pedantic mood. I might even be tempted to do some work

Mice_Elf

Notorious - yes I know - that was used in a couple of court cases where the driver of the vehicle who was flashed sued the driver of the car that flashed successfully.

Apparently they dragged up some precedent whereby the flashed driver didn't have the opportunity to think or somesuch. Regardless, the driver who flashed was prosecuted.

Still, ne'er mind.

TomM

Isnt that how alot of insurance fraud is done??

People drive down the road looking for a nice big expensive Range ROver waiting to pull out, they flash them to allow them to go, the Range Rover goes and the driver who flashed crashed right into them denying any knowledge of flashing his lights!!!

Then they claim thousands for imaginary whiplash and back pain. No wonder our insurance is so expensive!!!

Mice_Elf

Probably... certainly wouldn't surprise me.

I *was* at the police a fair bit ago, though, so the highway code more than likely has changed now... Probably lays the blame on the part of the driver with the fastest car...

merkin

Mice,

Chasing a car that has to be wound up with a crank handle to prosecute them doesnt count

[Edited by merkin - 10/16/2002 3:13:08 PM]

NotoriousREV

Mice,

Am I right in thinking that was a civil case and not a criminal case, i.e. the police didn't prosecute the flasher?

I think I'm going to retrain as a lawyer, bugger this IT lark

Shark

How many people remember 'do not enter the roundabout unless your exit is clear' ?

David

TomM

Shark - I can safely say Ive never heard that before!!!

NotoriousREV

<lying through my teeth>yeah, I knew that</lying through my teeth>

AdrianFRST

Anyone experienced road rage from other users because they drive properly?

I've had people behind me annoyed because I've stopped at amber lights and not crossed chevrons on sliproads.

Speaking of which, if anyone is familiar with the sliproad from the M60 onto the A34 at Cheadle, Cheshire they'll know how it filters from 4 lanes into one with car-width chevrons on the right hand side. Countless people drive over the chevrons to beat the queue and it was most amusing the other evening to see a Police Volvo appear out of nowhere, cut in front of one of the offenders and give him a right b*llocking.

scoob_babe

oh yes!
I even saw a mercedes pull out and overtake when the vehicle in front was already stopped at a red traffic light!!!

NotoriousREV

'do not enter the roundabout unless your exit is clear'

Actually, a quick check of the Highway Code does not mention this at all! I think we've been had!

Good luck trying to follow this rule at Hyde Park Corner.

Shark

Perhaps I should clarify - I mean on a mini roundabout. I've seen it so many times where people want to go the other way (and are signaling) and someone pull accross in front of them and stops.

Can't remember if I saw it in the highway code.

David

marty_t3

'Do not enter a roundabout until your exit is clear' Yeah... my driving instructor told me that about 13 years ago and it stuck in my head since.

I don't condone any sort of road rage but i must admit to giving in to it once. The only time i've ever got out of a car to confront someone was when the guy sitting behind me in traffic started hitting his horn for me to move forward. I was stopped at the yellow chevrons (the ones you don't cross unless your exit is clear!!).

I stepped out of the car and walked over and tapped on the guys window. He rolled it down about an inch and i calmly told him to "GO AND READ YOUR ******* HIGHWAY CODE".

I then hastily got im my car and drove of quickly before he had a chance to beat the s**t out of me (some of those pensioners really can throw a mean punch you know).

uncle buck

Someone was whining on here about bike riders driving with thier headlights on full beam. Now you know why - ar$eholes in 4x4s[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]