DavidRB

Well, after a fairly pleasant & uneventful journey into work I have just had my closest shave yet in an Impreza.

Picture the scene, pull up at a four-exit roundabout in the right-hand lane. The left-hand lane of the duel carriageway splits into two lanes at the last second, so I'm usually on the right at this point. The markings on this roundabout are a little different from the norm, the left-lane feeds off to the left, while the middle & right lanes go around the roundabout before both leaving the roundabout at the 2nd (straight-on) exit, you actually have to cross a dashed white line to go right. The straight-on exit has a "merge in-turn" sign on it, so it is clearly designed to take traffic from both lanes.

Anyway, a blue White Arrow Services van pulls up in the middle lane next to me. Lights go green so we both pull onto the roundabout. I'm about 500 yards from my destination at this point, so I'm taking it easy to let the turbo to cool down.

Anyway, blue van man doesn't seem to think that the white lines apply to him. In my rear-view mirror, I watch him swing from my left side to my right and I'm thinking "Oh, that was smart, arrive on the left to turn right".

I continue cruising around the roundabout, assuming the van is going right. Blue van man is now screaming past my right hand side and I suddenly get the feeling that all is not well. Looking at the angle of his wheels, it becomes blatantly obvious that he isn't going right after all, but is forcing his way in front of me, which involves cutting in front of me and leaving the roundabout into a tight 45' left hander.

He simply tries to drive through me to take the best line for his exit, leaving me to swerve left and stand on the anchors. Somehow, we don't hit and there's enough space to avoid the other cars on the roundabout.

After much cursing & swearing, I leave the roundabout and pull into the office car park, more annoyed than shaken.

In nearly a year of Impreza ownership, I've had very little trouble with other vehicles, so I guess today's incident was a little wake-up call.

Ho-hum.

Mulder

You should have got his reg and phoned the company and got him sacked.

Jerome

I know someone who was brake testing someone in his works van. The guy behind phoned the number on the back of the van, and van driver had his P45 waiting for him when he got back to base.

Jerome.

DavidRB

I did get the guy's number.

It appears that White Arrow don't operate a formal "How's my driving" campaign. It took about four 'phone calls before I was passed to the right dept. in the right office, but they were interested in my complaint and took the details, so fair play to them.

Apparently someone will "speak" to him when he gets back and they'll get in touch with me tomorrow. If it had been a cheeky "pushing in" manoeuvre, I'd have let him off with a few choice words. It was the fact that I had to take evasive action and put other drivers at risk that annoyed me. I feel a bit vindictive really, but all I'm after is an apology.

For the security conscious amongst you, they did want some contact details which I was naturally cagey about releasing, so they just have my name and my company's switchboard number. I have no plans to release my home address over this matter!

Will update you tomorrow.

Markus

We talking about these people?

DavidRB

Well, I've had my reply from White Arrow. They apologised for the incident, thanked me for bringing it to my attention and stated that the driver had been spoken to about his driving. They took it all quite seriously, so well done to White Arrow.

Back to being cut up by BMWs I guess!