Silly Driver

Mingey

I was driving down the Clontarf Road this morning when I saw a woman pull out from the side of the road. Her car was parked facing the opposite direction of the traffic and she was pulling out to join the flow on the other side of the road meanwhile blocking the other lane. A car beeped furiously at her to get out of the way. Why do people think it's ok to do this when there is heavy traffic going in one direction.

ronnie3585

Mingey wrote: »

I was driving down the Clontarf Road this morning when I saw a woman pull out from the side of the road...

Say no more.

markpb

Mingey wrote: »

Why do people think it's ok to do this when there is heavy traffic going in one direction.

Because the Gardai drive past blindly?

Interceptor

Down the country, even in heavy traffic people will let you out and there is due consideration given. Up in Dublin everyone is ignorant and inconsiderate so people get beeped at. Its heavy traffic; no-one is going anywhere in a hurry...

'cptr

WindSock

ronnie3585 wrote: »

Say no more.

So men don't do this sort of thing either?

trad

markpb wrote: »

Because the Gardai drive past blindly?

Cheap dig.

If the Gardai stopped every errant driver and gave us all the penalty points that we all deserve most of us would be back on pushbikes.

The next time you drive have a look at the number of motorists on the mobile phone driving, or my favourite phone in one hand, fag / coffee in the other, drivers reading maps/ delivery dockets, cars running red lights etc. etc.

One of the first things you learn driving is observation. If you don't see a hazard you are partly to blame for hitting it because you weren't looking for it.
Consider every other driver on the road to be a fool and drive accordingly.

_Kaiser_

Interceptor wrote: »

Down the country, even in heavy traffic people will let you out and there is due consideration given. Up in Dublin everyone is ignorant and inconsiderate so people get beeped at. Its heavy traffic; no-one is going anywhere in a hurry...

'cptr

Have to disagree there. I find that down the country (or maybe it's just Meath and Cavan), no one will let you out/in in a town with the result being that you HAVE to force your way out like this.

In Dublin however, there's rarely the same problem. I've never had a problem when in the City Centre for example with heavy traffic and one-way systems, random road marking changes etc...

EDIT: While I'm at it. Most people down this way can't drive at the posted limit either but will dawdle along on a nice wide road with ample hard shoulder, holding up a huge line of traffic while they do 80 km/h.. when the M3 opens there'll be chaos every day as many of these idiots are exposed to motorway driving for possibly the first time!

DublinDilbert

Mingey wrote: »

Her car was parked facing the opposite direction of the traffic

This is illegal in many other countries for a number of reasons.

The primary reason is safety, as when pulling out against opposing traffic ( driver will be beside the curb) the driver will typically have no visibility of oncoming traffic.

markpb

trad wrote: »

Cheap dig. If the Gardai stopped every errant driver and gave us all the penalty points that we all deserve most of us would be back on pushbikes.

If the Gardai admonished drivers for doing stupid and potentially dangerous things like pulling into traffic when your view is (self-)obstructed, perhaps the standard of driving would be higher.

trad wrote: »

One of the first things you learn driving is observation. If you don't see a hazard you are partly to blame for hitting it because you weren't looking for it.
Consider every other driver on the road to be a fool and drive accordingly.

Totally agree.

Interceptor wrote: »

Down the country, even in heavy traffic people will let you out and there is due consideration given. Up in Dublin everyone is ignorant and inconsiderate so people get beeped at. Its heavy traffic; no-one is going anywhere in a hurry...

Stopping in moving traffic to let someone out actually makes traffic worse because everyone behind you has to stop, even long after you've moved on. Look up the phantom traffic jam effect to find out more. Perhaps people in cities are innately aware that letting people out makes for worse traffic so they make them wait for a natural gap?

Sleipnir

I've noticed this too although I don't think people started doing it until 3 or 4 years ago really.
It used to be "wait until the road is clear" but now it's "if the lane you are crossing is clear but the lane you are joining is not, pull into the lane you are crossing and force someone to wave you in to the lane you want to join.
If you hold up traffic, people in the lane you want to join will be more inclined to wave you in.

Stupid people.

WindSock

I guess people only do it out of necessity. If you are indicating from the other side of the road to join traffic, no one will give a rats arse. You have to physically nudge out to let people know you intend to join the queue. The guy driving down the other road beeping furiously sounds like a bit of a self righteous dick. Would be doing the same if the car was facing the other way waiting to turn right?

Darragh29

Mingey wrote: »

I was driving down the Clontarf Road this morning when I saw a woman pull out from the side of the road. Her car was parked facing the opposite direction of the traffic and she was pulling out to join the flow on the other side of the road meanwhile blocking the other lane. A car beeped furiously at her to get out of the way. Why do people think it's ok to do this when there is heavy traffic going in one direction.

Why??? What's the furious rush all about??? So what, she made a mistake, slow down and let her out, end of issue. When this happens me I let people out, no furious beeping or prepubescent carry on, just live and let live we might be a bit happier in life. :rolleyes:

Sleipnir

WindSock wrote: »

I guess people only do it out of necessity. If you are indicating from the other side of the road to join traffic, no one will give a rats arse. You have to physically nudge out to let people know you intend to join the queue. The guy driving down the other road beeping furiously sounds like a bit of a self righteous dick. Would be doing the same if the car was facing the other way waiting to turn right?

Oh well, if it's out of neccessity, do whatever the hell you want. :rolleyes:

Self-righteous? "You're blocking the road and you're not supposed to be!"

igglou

Sometimes it's the only way to get out on the road again. Otherwise, she could still be sitting there waiting!

Like someone else said, whats the rush for a few seconds of courtesy??

Heroditas

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

when the M3 opens there'll be chaos every day as many of these idiots are exposed to motorway driving for possibly the first time!

Possibly not. They'll all be too tight to pay the tolls so will avoid it.

WillieCocker

I am the type to beep another driver unecessarily blocking the road, but as said we lot in Dublin are an impatient and ignorant lot on the roads!!!!
We never let anyone out.

I have changed though and do realise getting home or to the shops or work isn't that important.:rolleyes:

PattheMetaller

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Have to disagree there. I find that down the country (or maybe it's just Meath and Cavan), no one will let you out/in in a town with the result being that you HAVE to force your way out like this.

In Dublin however, there's rarely the same problem. I've never had a problem when in the City Centre for example with heavy traffic and one-way systems, random road marking changes etc...

I agree with Kaiser2000. I've never had any problems in Dublin. Then again maybe they take pity on the DL plates:p

Hermy

trad wrote: »

If the Gardai stopped every errant driver and gave us all the penalty points that we all deserve most of us would be back on pushbikes.

Might solve the recession.
Get the guards to take a zero tolerance approach to all motoring offences, handing out on the spot fines for all and sundry infringements of the road traffic act.
The revenue generated would surely pay off the national debt in a couple off weeks.:o:p

trad

If the Garda adopted a zero tolerance attitude to every infringement of traffic laws this site would crash with the number of complaints about Gardai.

Take a look at your day so far today. How many traffic laws have you broke?
Crossed the odd continuous white line, ran a "late" amber light, ran across the road against a red light, did 53 km/h in a 50km/h zone.

As to cancelling the national debt by enforcing traffic laws if the average traffic cop has 50 detections per month at €80 it barely covers his salary, nevermind the cost of vehicle, supervision, processing etc. It would take a very efficient Garda to make a profit for the state.

jmck87

trad wrote: »

..As to cancelling the national debt by enforcing traffic laws if the average traffic cop has 50 detections per month at €80 it barely covers his salary, nevermind the cost of vehicle, supervision, processing etc. It would take a very efficient Garda to make a profit for the state.

:rolleyes: nevermind profit....our fines/taxes pay for the interest on national debt...

Scarlett68

Im no psychologist but everything we do in life is either 1) By accident or 2) by design. If someone does something perceived by us as stupid then how we react says more about us than anything else.

If we react with rage then all that happens is we are raising our own stress levels thereby possibly affecting our mental and physical health. And the perpetrator of the "stupid" act is largely embarrassed if it was by accident, and , feels nothing if it was by design as the mere act of doing this in the first instance shows us they are selfish, self-absorbed and indifferent to all around them. So chill and let karma sort it out:D

benj

it only takes 2 seconds to let someone out...

trad

benj wrote: »

it only takes 2 seconds to let someone out...

Accidents happen in less.....

P.C.

Scarlett68 wrote: »

Im no psychologist but everything we do in life is either 1) By accident or 2) by design. If someone does something perceived by us as stupid then how we react says more about us than anything else.

If we react with rage then all that happens is we are raising our own stress levels thereby possibly affecting our mental and physical health. And the perpetrator of the "stupid" act is largely embarrassed if it was by accident, and , feels nothing if it was by design as the mere act of doing this in the first instance shows us they are selfish, self-absorbed and indifferent to all around them. So chill and let karma sort it out:D

So, I must 'reward' someone for bad driving?

NO!

Berty

Im confused. Who is the Silly driver?

The driver who patiently waited to get back into traffic?

Or

The driver who was too impatient to let her get back into traffic?