I drove down to Colchester to pick my son up from Uni yesterday. On the way, I saw an ambulance approaching in the opposite direction with its blue lights flashing following a Range Rover that appeared to be making no attempt to pull over and let the ambulance by. As the Range Rover passed me I saw why; the driver was on the phone.  Now I usually have an opinion on most things but I was absolutely speechless at this one!

 

Even the usual stupid drivers failed to bother me after that one!

 

 

Five year driving ban and crush their cars would get my vote.  But then I'm a fence-sitting moderate.

 

Cretins 

 

Gaz

Edited 27 May, 20188 yr by V6TDI

"How stupid are people?"

 

I've yet to find the depths of that questions. Every time I think I'm there someone stupider comes along.

I had a similar situation on the A9 southbound yesterday. Car completely failed to move over for a police vehicle, and ended up on a tarmacked bit of the central reservation (it was a longish dual carriageway section north of Perth) with the police car having to swerve and undertake.

I caught it on dashcam.

 

To answer your question, there is no limit to stupidity, wether its not paying attention, doing things you really shouldnt, or not doing things you really should.

It’s not illegal to have an intense discussion with a passenger whilst driving ....looking at each other...arm waving, you see it all the time.  Plenty of ways to be distracted but has anyone been pulled over for having an animated discussion?.

 

1 hour ago, Ryeman said:

It’s not illegal to have an intense discussion with a passenger whilst driving ....looking at each other...arm waving, you see it all the time.  Plenty of ways to be distracted but has anyone been pulled over for having an animated discussion?.

That's not strictly correct, well not in the UK. 

Whether you are, tuning the radio, setting the sat nav, arguing with your passenger etc you could charged with careless or inconsiderate driving. You must be in full control of the vehicle at all times.

Quote

Rule 148

Safe driving and riding needs concentration. Avoid distractions when driving or riding such as

• loud music (this may mask other sounds)
• trying to read maps
• starting or adjusting any music or radio
• arguing with your passengers or other road users
• eating and drinking
• smoking

 

38 minutes ago, moley said:

That's not strictly correct, well not in the UK. 

Whether you are, tuning the radio, setting the sat nav, arguing with your passenger etc you could charged with careless or inconsiderate driving. You must be in full control of the vehicle at all times.

 

It’s illegal to use fog lights when there is no severely reduced visibility either but how many have actually been nicked for that I wonder.   In practice it seems to be a matter of current campaign.

2 hours ago, Ryeman said:

It’s illegal to use fog lights when there is no severely reduced visibility either but how many have actually been nicked for that I wonder.

... and how many people incorrectly call their front fog lights "spot lights" and use them all the time?

 

Driving standards are bound to be getting worse as there are so few traffic police to enforce the law.

8 hours ago, SWBoy said:

.Driving standards are bound to be getting worse as there are so few traffic police to enforce the law.

 

There is no one thing people are doing more or less that I can put my finger on. I think if anything drivers are just more selfish and less aware of their surroundings.

 

No one thinks about the best way to keep traffic moving etc they just care about getting through that gap even if they'll snarl up the road for everyone else.

Too busy ****ing around with fancy ICE systems or whatever.

What really irritates me is the amount of people driving around in new/nearly cars, suvs etc all of which have bluetooth as standard out of the factory, but the phone is stuck to their ear doing all the driving with one hand. Even my techno-phobic father in laws ancient nokia button phone has bt, and its synced for auto-connect on his 2017 mazda3, so why can deirdre in her 2018 cashcow or Dermot in his flash 2016 X5 not f'ing use theirs?

11 hours ago, mac11irl said:

What really irritates me is the amount of people driving around in new/nearly cars, suvs etc all of which have bluetooth as standard out of the factory, but the phone is stuck to their ear doing all the driving with one hand. Even my techno-phobic father in laws ancient nokia button phone has bt, and its synced for auto-connect on his 2017 mazda3, so why can deirdre in her 2018 cashcow or Dermot in his flash 2016 X5 not f'ing use theirs?

 

too lazy unless someone will do it for them

Never ever ever underestimate the stupidity of mankind, or Americans 

Edited 29 May, 20188 yr by penguin17

21 hours ago, mac11irl said:

What really irritates me is the amount of people driving around in new/nearly cars, suvs etc all of which have bluetooth as standard out of the factory, but the phone is stuck to their ear doing all the driving with one hand. Even my techno-phobic father in laws ancient nokia button phone has bt, and its synced for auto-connect on his 2017 mazda3, so why can deirdre in her 2018 cashcow or Dermot in his flash 2016 X5 not f'ing use theirs?

Likewise the amount of new cars that are being used without the stop/start in operation whilst in stationary traffic. 

On 27/05/2018 at 20:35, V6TDI said:

Five year driving ban and crush their cars would get my vote. 

 

No vote.

 

Five year ban, take their car away and give it to a new driver who cannot yet afford their own (or sell it cheaply, if your government must have an income), and the offender's fine is the cost for one year's insurance for the new driver.

 

On 29/05/2018 at 21:35, threadbear said:

Likewise the amount of new cars that are being used without the stop/start in operation whilst in stationary traffic. 

 

My Octavia VRS Diesel (2018) doesnt switch off currently as the air con is on constantly to stop the Scottish driver melting into a pool...

Pity about those tw4-ts driving in what the BBC Scotland weather people call a haar but which is actually fog can not find the on switch for sidelights and dipped beam, and those that do but put on a rear fog light have no idea about switching it off when the fog clears or other vehicles are clearly behind them in stopped traffic.

Now this might be a controversial opinion but.....

 

One of the simplest rules of driving is on the motorway, keep left unless overtaking. And yet - if you drive any distance on any motorway you'll see that over 50% of drivers can't even comprehend this simple rule.

 

The scary part is when you consider that >90% of drivers are eligible to vote (ignoring of course people from outside the uk and new drivers aged under 18) then it really does cause concern. I sincerely hope that they apply more consideration to their voting than they do their driving. However, I doubt this somehow....

 

This is an indicator of how stupid people are - and in large numbers.

?

Have you seen how many Motorways miles in Scotland are 2 lanes?

Keeping left is not an option as both lanes are used to get on up a motorway.

 

Sadly the HGV's can not even proceed in an orderly manner in  the inside lane for those cars / drivers at 50 mph in the inside lane, so they need to pull right to overtake with the vehicle hitting the limiter, they have places to be, people to see and a job to get on with.

Time is money, and deliveries need made.

Edited 1 June, 20188 yr by Offski

There are an awful lot of people these days causing problems by driving far too slowly on NSL roads.

 

 

WTF is it with the 23 mile Average Speed camera area we know well, and the new one heading north, then the west coast ones with car drivers 10 miles below the NSL in the average speed stretches in the outside lane on perfect clear dry days, no vehicles in the inside lane.

 

I did 900 miles in the past 36 hours on the routes, it is really pure crazy from Stirling to Perth.

Edited 1 June, 20188 yr by Offski

2 hours ago, Aspman said:

There are an awful lot of people these days causing problems by driving far too slowly on NSL roads.

 

Most don't bother me, with the exception of the A259 'Marsh' Road, between Barnhorn (Bexhill) and Pevensey.  It's a big, wide road.  Many years ago it used to be three lanes (Suicide lane in the middle).  There's a long, sweeping bend, westbound, which you could easily cruise round at 100+mph were it legal, then it straightens out.  You can bet your bottom dollar that once you hit the straight, you'll be doing 40mph, then, halfway across, after Middle Bridge, it'll up to 50mph, just before beginning to slow for the Pevensey roundabout.  Completely irrational, but it drives me nuts.  Every time.

 

What day is The Purge this year?

 

Gaz

3 hours ago, Offski said:

WTF is it with the 23 mile Average Speed camera area we know well, and the new one heading north, then the west coast ones with car drivers 10 miles below the NSL in the average speed stretches in the outside lane on perfect clear dry days, no vehicles in the inside lane.

 

I did 900 miles in the past 36 hours on the routes, it is really pure crazy from Stirling to Perth.

 

This.

 

Forfar through to Perth as well.

 

Middle aged or even young men usually just dawdling at 50 in a 70 gumming up the road (dual carriageways).

Even if they move left they are so slow that buses and lorries are having to overtake them and they snarl up the other lane.

19 hours ago, gman1967 said:

 

My Octavia VRS Diesel (2018) doesnt switch off currently as the air con is on constantly to stop the Scottish driver melting into a pool...

I have to say mine doesnt that as well.......but I was thinking of earlier instances in the year. 

Seen in Wrexham this morning... Black Audi A3 driver totally unaware of rear wheel puncture. It was running on the rim

On 5/27/2018 at 20:35, V6TDI said:

Five year driving ban and crush their cars would get my vote.  But then I'm a fence-sitting moderate.

 

Cretins 

 

Gaz

 

On 5/31/2018 at 10:46, Ttaskmaster said:

 

No vote.

 

Five year ban, take their car away and give it to a new driver who cannot yet afford their own (or sell it cheaply, if your government must have an income), and the offender's fine is the cost for one year's insurance for the new driver.

 

Or crush their car, with them still in it!