Stupid Drivers

AMurphy

commited wrote:

Makes me sick.
I'd like it if there was a refresher test every 10years. For everyone.

I agree in a way. However, I would change the terms and have (make) people take their refresher as an alternative to piling on points and/or double points for getting a minor ticket.
Ticket + points or go to refresher school, your choice.
I had to redo the test a few years back, prior to getting my new liscense, just the written bit. Was not that bad.

AMurphy

ambro25 wrote:

Sounds to me like you were driving just as erratically as the GTI guy, tbh. And not quite in full control of your car ("fishtail the lorry or rear-end the SUV") either.

In retrospect, you may have a point.

Capt'n Midnight

The other morning in the estate I met this one. We were both truning into the road out of the estate I was turning left , she was turning right. No indicator, no yielding right of way, cutting the corner badly. I can't confirm that she accelerated into the corner to get there ahead of me but it was me that to put on the brake. Once out of the estate she was doing well over 40mph in a 50kmph zone.

This was in a housing estate - yeah we've all done stupid things but this was just scary in an area where children play. The time that could have been saved could be measured in seconds.

AMurphy

Balfa wrote:

In the Texas drivers' handbook, at least, it recommends that 18 wheelers stay in the middle lane to make it easier for traffic to exit and enter the freeway. dunno about california, but it could be the same.

At on/off ramps, sure, but more usual to find them in the far right lane everywhere else, yes it was near an on-ramp, but he had been hanging out there for quiet a while before that entry. There was nothing illigal about him being in the middle, just unusual, that's all.

Balfa wrote:

More like change lanes or get stuck behind the SUV and beside the 18 wheeler, if you ask me :P Unless the SUV was doing like 40mph less than you, the brakes would've done a far safer job than changing lanes in this case Don't worry about it, though. I'd do the same thing myself

Something like that.... The only pedal I hit was the accelerator on seeing the approaching GTI, but being in 5th.... wasn't quiet fast enough.
the guy in the SUV should not have changed lanes like that... he had plenty room to accelerate up to some more reasonable (and faster) speed, where does he think he is, China? changing lanes without being at matching speed is a sure fire way of getting rear-ended or being on the receiving end of some abuse about here.

I remember I was in a car with some visiting Chinese some time back and was I scared?. The driver would saunter down the on-ramp at about 40, meanwhile on the road cars are whizzing by at 60 and he makes no effort to speed up. He could not understand why I wanted him to speed up and rapidly also, not over the next 20 miles.

Balfa wrote:

In addition, the Texas drivers' handbook says when two cars are trying to change to the same lane, the driver to the left gets right of way. That's just common sense

Not sure on that one about here, think it is 50/50. I know it is 50/50 if you hit into a car entering from an on-ramp, not 100% sure on the lane-to-lane change.

AMurphy

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

The other morning in the estate I met this one. We were both truning into the road out of the estate I was turning left , she was turning right. No indicator, no yielding right of way, cutting the corner badly. ......
The time that could have been saved could be measured in seconds.

Had something like that happen me a long while back. It was late at night and not many cars about anyway.
Waiting at a filtered left turn light in the van, eventually it whet green, just at the same time as a car approached from the rear, without hesitation and just as I am taking off to make the left turn, he boots it and cuts even further to the left of me and then cuts in ahead of me. So effectively what was a single turning lane had now become a double left turn lane and like you say, saved maybe 20ms at best.

Keep your periscope up.

DubTony

AMurphy wrote:

I agree in a way. However, I would change the terms and have (make) people take their refresher as an alternative to piling on points and/or double points for getting a minor ticket.
Ticket + points or go to refresher school, your choice.

This is a great idea and is being done in Britain at the moment for (I think) drivers with "lots" of points on the verge of being banned. Not sure of the details but they go to a particular driving school or get more points.

Seems to be working in the areas it's been trialed.

AMurphy

And maybe we could also send some of those C.C. morans on CATS to Road Building school, might help a lot also.

dealgan

To add my 0.02 Euro ...

My gf was learning to drive .. doing quite well ... stopped at a yellow box as traffic ahead had stopped.
Some duckhead behind saw the L plates, and the gap in traffic, and beeped and gestured for her to go forward. She rightly ignored him. 30 seconds later he squeezed by on the left and pulled into the empty yellow box, making some "hand gestures" for good measure.

very clever indeed.

Driving would be easy if it wasnt for all the other duckheads on the road !

edmund_f

has anyone here, with the range of stupid driving reported here, phoned the 'traffic watch' number.. you should, interesting experience.

DubTony

edmund_f wrote:

has anyone here, with the range of stupid driving reported here, phoned the 'traffic watch' number.. you should, interesting experience.

Any time I've been tempted to call I've been in my wife's car (no car kit, no phone call). By the time I get to my destination I've forgotten the reg. What happens when you call?

edmund_f

i did phone once, not a plesant experience, i was hoping that perhaps someone here may have had a positive experience with it?. Justify all the money they spent on those signs

ambro25

AMurphy wrote:

I agree in a way. However, I would change the terms and have (make) people take their refresher as an alternative to piling on points and/or double points for getting a minor ticket.
Ticket + points or go to refresher school, your choice.

DubTony wrote:

This is a great idea and is being done in Britain at the moment for (I think) drivers with "lots" of points on the verge of being banned. Not sure of the details but they go to a particular driving school or get more points.

Seems to be working in the areas it's been trialed.

It's been used in France for years for 'drivers with "lots" of points on the verge of being banned' (read: with 2 left out of 12, the system in France 'substracting' points from the initial total) and works well indeed.

To best of my knowledge, it's sometimes also used as a 'community service' sentence in addition to the fine AND the points (when the offence is particularly bad/qualified, though not criminal, e.g. 200 kph+ instead of 130 on motorways).

I don't know how points work in IE in details, but are more substracted/added depending on how fast beyond the limit one was caught? e.g. 2 points if under 10 mph extra, 3 points if exceeding 10 but under 20, 4 points etc...?

AMurphy

dealgan wrote:

To add my 0.02 Euro ...

My gf was learning to drive .. doing quite well ... stopped at a yellow box as traffic ahead had stopped.
Some duckhead behind saw the L plates, and the gap in traffic, and beeped and gestured for her to go forward. She rightly ignored him. 30 seconds later he squeezed by on the left and pulled into the empty yellow box, ......!

That the kind of driving mayhem you would expect in most of SE Asia (save Japan).
The thinking goes somewhat like this; If I do not take up the spot, the cross traffic will and that will really delay my day... so the best options, is do unto tothers before they do unto you.

Anyway, that's the kind of thinking that would immedialtey suggest the driver be hauled off to "rehabilation school" cause by the time they accumulate 12 points they are beyond redemption.
Plus like any animal, what's the point in punishing a child in june for an offence in january.

As for Community Service... not much to be learned about driving by painting the parish hall.
==============

Common story from my wife as she drives the van. Maybe waiting at a light and there is some OAP toddling slowely across the road, and still in front of her when the light goes green. whereupon the car behind get all out of joint, starts honking, jumping up and down, etc... She says she would like to put a message board on the rear window with the massage, "you drive over them".
Fridays she says are particularly bad days for driving.

Balfa

AMurphy wrote:

waiting at a light and there is some OAP toddling slowely across the road

God, OAPs are so annoying. Lights are designed so that virtually everbody with the ability to walk has time to get across. The problem is when some ancient fool gets to a pedestrian light that's already green, and decides to continue across, despite the fact they now no longer have the full allotted time to do it. If I had an issue that made me a very slow walker, I would be considerate of other road users, and wait at a light until it turns green, not just cross cos it's green when i get to it.

It's common feckin courtesy.

commited

Balfa wrote:

Think of the waiting list if that was the case!!

Hmm - They would know the demand, thus, should be able to put the infrastructure in place.
I really really think that it'd be a good idea. It's also necessary. If people cant get things as simple as keeping their cars between the dotted white lines on the dual carriageway, how the hell can they deal with more difficult driving situations?
Also if there was a national Advanced driving course, rather than just the hibernian ignition scheme, it'd do alot for irish road safety.
I know I'd do it - anything to get the ridiculous insurance premiums down and to improve my abilities.

ambro25

AMurphy wrote:

As for Community Service... not much to be learned about driving by painting the parish hall.

No, you've taken that out of context - what I posted was that "rehab driving school" was handed out in some cases as a community sentence (well, for lack of knowing a different way of calling it...just "sentence"?), in addition to taking points & a fine.

edmund_f

i think the community service idea is a brilliant one. I would imagine anybody less than about 30 would jump at the chance, including me. A choice between getting points, increasing your insurance etc or actually helping the community for your 'reckless' driving. making people pay a few hundred euro, or lose a few of their weekends (including driving school) i would say the latter would have a much more positive effect (including driving school)

DubTony

commited wrote:

Also if there was a national Advanced driving course, rather than just the hibernian ignition scheme, it'd do alot for irish road safety.
I know I'd do it - anything to get the ridiculous insurance premiums down and to improve my abilities.

How about this?
http://www.irishadvancedmotorists.ie/

freewing

ok so its my turn with my all time favourite "nutter on the road" story .
this really happened .
about three weeks ago i was on my way towards the city centre on the N3 and i noticed the car behind me was
so close i could only see the driver
drinking a coke with one hand
using HER mobile with the other
best bit when she pulled back a bit it was a well known driving school car
priceless :cool:

Balfa

freewing wrote:

drinking a coke with one hand using HER mobile with the other

That's nothing. I always steer with my knees. Beer in one hand, smoke in the other. Mobile held to my ear with my shoulder.

franksm

Balfa wrote:

That's nothing. I always steer with my knees. Beer in one hand, smoke in the other. Mobile held to my ear with my shoulder.

That's totally unacceptable, Balfa, shame on you ! Unless you're in the bus lane driving at speed limit + 10% with your hazards on, then it's okay

commited

DubTony wrote:

How about this?
http://www.irishadvancedmotorists.ie/

I asked about this before and was told that it would not reduce insurance premiums

AMurphy

edmund_f wrote:

i think the community service idea is a brilliant one. I would imagine anybody less than about 30 would jump at the chance, including me. A choice between getting points, increasing your insurance etc or actually helping the community for your 'reckless' driving. making people pay a few hundred euro, or lose a few of their weekends (including driving school) i would say the latter would have a much more positive effect (including driving school)

Generally along those lines and for those reasons. However, I would direct it towards improving driving skills, attitude, etc, rather than simple punishment and non-related "community services".
There is plenty punishment and it is obviously not working.

edmund_f

somethig like 'do the time or fork out the EU300 for the advanced driving test'?

in resonce to commited.. the last time i checked hibernian did give a discount, treated it like a better version of the ignition course

ambro25

commited wrote:

I asked about this before and was told that it would not reduce insurance premiums

So, are you saying people would only do it IF it reduces their premiums? Not simply to voluntarily improve their driving skills, for their own benefit?

Oh... Stupid me! Of course, they'd have to be self-aware about their own poor driving standards first

I did a week's course about evasive/defensive driving tactics whilst serving my National Service, but never got an insurance discount because of it. The few times I mentioned it, comments by the tele-robot-call-people of the FR/UK/DE insurers were to the effect that I'd be considered more of a dangerous driver :eek: (than I already am, hahaha ).

the jew

Balfa wrote:

That's nothing. I always steer with my knees. Beer in one hand, smoke in the other. Mobile held to my ear with my shoulder.

i aim for kids when i see them playin on the street.

Balfa

the jew wrote:

i aim for kids when i see them playin on the street.

I aim for them in their gardens! Can't miss an opportunity

Don't be surprised if my car comes in through your bedroom window tonight at 2am!

Actually, that's not all that funny. Since this is the stupid drivers thread, i'll include stupid owners. Someone here in Dallas let his 14 year old cousin drive his car (he and two other mates were in the car as well), and they drove it through the plate glass front of a daycare center, and over 6 sleeping children during "nap time". Of course the feckers in the car jumped out and legged it from the scene. Didn't even try and help the kids that were still stuck underneath.

Amazingly, the worst result of this was that a couple of the kids had minor burns.

AMurphy

ambro25 wrote:

So, are you saying people would only do it IF it reduces their premiums? Not simply to voluntarily improve their driving skills, for their own benefit?

........... The few times I mentioned it, comments by the tele-robot-call-people of the FR/UK/DE insurers were to the effect that I'd be considered more of a dangerous driver :eek: (than I already am, hahaha ).

I think that would be the expected response, ie "what's in it for me", right?
Very few would give a second thought on the decision, Night out vs Weekend learinging to drive.
Might as well suggest, learning to play an instrument or volunteering at the local Old Folks home, same degree of interest I'd sustect.

The other item is very similar to the idea that you must be more dangerous if you have to use a seatbelt. therefore cars with seatbelts should cost more to insure, same for ABS, Stability systems, efi, etc.

commited

ambro25 wrote:

So, are you saying people would only do it IF it reduces their premiums? Not simply to voluntarily improve their driving skills, for their own benefit?

Oh... Stupid me! Of course, they'd have to be self-aware about their own poor driving standards first

Of course not. Generally people will be far more willing to pay up for something like that if they get something back.
It's not well advertised either.

shabbyroad

Chalk wrote:

ahh come on,
<<<SNIP>>>.... me on the bike.
you know how it is on busy roundabouts, you squeeze on when you can and all that....<<<SNIP>>

no offense intended Chalk but that's the bit that scares the sh1te out of me every day. Many bikers and car drivers have no idea how much danger they put themselves in when they "squeeze on when they can and all that..."

I spend my commute home on the M50 watching out for bikers who travel along the broken line between the two lanes. I'm sure they have no idea how much danger they're putting themselves in - they're undertaking drivers who are already overtaking. I really worry that someday I'm not going to see one of them and I'll kill someone. When I'm overtaking at 100 kmph and a bike comes along my left hand side and undertakes me I really wonder if these people have a death wish.

2 months ago one of these bikers on the southbound M50 was ahead of me and he undertook someone in the overtaking lane. This person signalled and started to move back into the LHS lane. They weren't expecting someone to be undertaking them. The biker ended up cutting back into the LHS lane and right into the trailer of an artic. How he made it is beyond me.