Why are there so many idiots on the road?

Hobbes

Ok I still have the L plates. Did the theory test, 10 lessons with ISM and about 2 days with the sis to go over the new car.

However out on the road I am amazed at the number of idiots/morons on the road. I am not sure if they are totally oblivious to the rules of the road of just being prats.

Some examples.

- Pulling off from a roundabout as its clear to go. The prat behind felt the need to remind me by honking his horn. Being a learner I obviously panic thinking something is wrong and stall the engine. The plonker feels the need to honk the horn in 1 second bursts until I calm enough to start the engine.

- Being overtaken while at the speed limit and/or single white line. Or my all time favorite being overtaken on a sharp right side bend at 80kph (while I was at the speed limit but slowing to take the turn).

- Driving at the right braking distance from the car in front the prat behind me whos been up my ass for the last 5 minutes shoots out and inbetween the two of us meaning I have to pull back.

- Roundabouts and people who are incapable of (a) being in the right line, (b) no indicating or using the wrong indictor or (c) changing lanes and back again. I've almost being creamed by a lorry who changed his mind at the last moment. Add to that the morons behind me who think I should be cutting in front of the guy on the roundabout.

*Drum roll*

My two favourites of the most moronic drivers ever...

1. Driving by airways in Santry at 60kph (speed limit). I see a car in the distance coming towards me on the same lane. I slow down hes still coming full speed so I honk the horn.. still coming full speed (I am stopped now) and I blow the horn for a long while. He suddenly realises hes not on a dual carriageway and almost kills himself serving into the correct lane, bare in mind he is a good distance away from me.

2. Driving home this evening, I turn left onto a road and a car is in front going at 30kph.. it scares the living crap out of me because I can see no driver in the driving seat. Even the car ahead oncoming sees it, panics and screeches to a halt. At this point the woman in the car pops up from under the seat or where ever the hell she was. She must of been down near the floor for close to a minute.

... please tell me this is not normal.

bounty_hunter

Yeah, sorry, it is normal. People are idiots.

Just couldn't resist being obnoxious for a minute there.

mad m

Its normal,blame the Celtic tiger.I was on my way home today and it was pretty much bumper to bumper either side of the road.So when i pull off to go near lights a couple of cars veer left so i have a free road ahead of me,when a motor bike rider comes onto my side of the road to skip by the cars.He is in the middle of the road coming towards me and i put up my hands to say "WTF".

He barks something into my window as he drives past....What an idiot.

Sorry to hear someone beeped you as you were negotiating the roundabout.I think once they see the L sign they think it gives them everyright to get past/avoid you.

One of the first lessons you learn on the road is not to depend on other drivers.

wheres me jumpa

every now and again i need to come on here and scream about some motorists. i can feel the need slowly but surely building up in me again. so i fully understand what your saying.

my current driving hate is people who think all ramps are pedestrian crossings.

mad m

ronoc wrote:

One of the first lessons you learn on the road is not to depend on other drivers.

Yeah id agree with that.An example would be when you come to a junction you see an oncoming car who has its indicators on to turn but goes straight past....Never take it for granted unless driver actually makes the turn.

Adam

ronoc wrote:

One of the first lessons you learn on the road is not to depend on other drivers.

The second lesson you learn is to take your L plate off the back window, so people behind you wont be biased with your usual "feckin learners" sh1te.

And if stopped routinely by guars you lost one of the plates and you'll get a new one, easy!

whiskeyman

Hobbes wrote:

... please tell me this is not normal.

Unfortunately, its all too normal, and its another factor as to why the count of people being killed on Irelands roads continues to grow and grow every week..

She-Ra

i'm not driving long (about 10months so maybe long) on my 4th or 5th timeout i was at a trafic light (red) turning right... some w"£$%r in a big manager-man car came up the ar$e of my car and blasted me the second the lights turned green... i cut out. 7 goes later i got around the corner :-( i hadnt been as upset over something in a long time..
dontcha hate people that were born with their licences already cosily tucked up their ar$es

Adam

If some does that just turn off your engine, get out of your car, walk over to their window, tell then to apologise or your going nowhere and they can go around you for all you care, if not then let you get on with driving in your own time! Don't lose the rag though, then your just gonna make a tit of yourself!

She-Ra

fade_to_grey wrote:

If some does that just turn off your engine, get out of your car, walk over to their window, tell then to apologise or your going nowhere and they can go around you for all you care, if not then let you get on with driving in your own time! Don't lose the rag though, then your just gonna make a tit of yourself!

i couldn't get out... my aunt (who's handicapped) was going nuts int he backof the car... god.. the memories.. being more confident now, i sooooo pity new drivers

fade_to_grey

fade_to_grey wrote:

If some does that just turn off your engine, get out of your car, walk over to their window, tell then to apologise or your going nowhere and they can go around you for all you care, if not then let you get on with driving in your own time! Don't lose the rag though, then your just gonna make a tit of yourself!

Ha the people that are usually beeping aren't the sort of people you would usually like a confrontation with!

kjt

lol Still got the L plates and seen this already... Not normal from what I've seen. I went and passed my test last December and so far tis plain sailing compared to what you've gone up against. What I have seen though is that people to not take into account learner and definitely do not tolerate them. I always take my time when near a learner and give them plently of space to get onto the learning and not panacing

Enjoy driving

steviec

Reminds me of when I was doing one of my first lessons, in an ISM car covered in fairy lights and all the rest to remind everyone I'm a learner. At the traffic lights near the pub in raheny, where you're stopped on a fairly steep hill, there's a big truck behind me who starts blowing the horn as soon as the lights change. Needless to say I stalled. Three times. He overtook me and I pulled away on my first attempt as soon as he was gone.

There's some terrible drivers on the road, more than once I've had to slam on the brakes as a person in front changes lanes on top of me without indicating. And I've had the unfortunate experience of being in a car with my Grandad recently, I never realised what a bad driver he was before I'd learnt how to drive myself. He's one of the many on the road who just bought his license back in the day.

She-Ra

steviec wrote:

Reminds me of when I was doing one of my first lessons, in an ISM car covered in fairy lights and all the rest to remind everyone I'm a learner. At the traffic lights near the pub in raheny, where you're stopped on a fairly steep hill, there's a big truck behind me who starts blowing the horn as soon as the lights change. Needless to say I stalled. Three times. He overtook me and I pulled away on my first attempt as soon as he was gone.

There's some terrible drivers on the road, more than once I've had to slam on the brakes as a person in front changes lanes on top of me without indicating. And I've had the unfortunate experience of being in a car with my Grandad recently, I never realised what a bad driver he was before I'd learnt how to drive myself. He's one of the many on the road who just bought his license back in the day.

i don't want to disrespect your granda or anything but old people should have to do some kind of practicaltest... they have totally no observation from my experience

steviec

She-Ra wrote:

i don't want to disrespect your granda or anything but old people should have to do some kind of practicaltest... they have totally no observation from my experience

I agree with you totally. It's annoying that their insurance is next to nothing compared to learners who are generally much more careful and safer

She-Ra

yeah insurance is a nightmare,though its not so bad for me as it is a bloke.. my friend is a year or so older than me and he has to pay 4 grand!!!!

Sparky

Yea i know im a L driver and it really is a sign to say Im a noob to the roads, give me a hard time, like for instance im at the lights waiting for it to turn green so that i can turn right then when its green i slowly move up to be able to turn, so some driver who i thought was being courtious lets me turn, but being new i let out the clutch to fast and it stalled (i was actually calm, because i was told to take the attitude of **** them they can wait) so then the driver behind me blows the horn at me and then the driver who tried to let me go comes up and shouts at me, "you should'nt be on the road if you dont know your car dickhead".
So i shout what do you think the L plates stand for idiot, and with that the instructor laughs at me.

Other instances i found is some drivers where there is a bus lane beside you while you are stopped at traffic lights tend to cut in front of you so that i suppose they wont be slow. surely this is breaking the rules of the road.

Sparky

She-Ra wrote:

yeah insurance is a nightmare,though its not so bad for me as it is a bloke.. my friend is a year or so older than me and he has to pay 4 grand!!!!

€2640 for me on a 1.4 206.

She-Ra

i dont know what the rules for bus lanes are but some people make their own rules regardless

steveland?

I just can't wait until the end of the summer when I've finally saved up enough for my car and go to buy the thing and discover I need to work another summer for the fuppin insurance...

StupidLikeAFox

no offence, but am i the only one thinking thats life, not everyone is a perfect driver, very very few are, and ya'll just have to get used to it?

She-Ra

ColHol wrote:

no offence, but am i the only one thinking thats life, not everyone is a perfect driver, very very few are, and ya'll just have to get used to it?

lotsa people know that...its just the few who think they are Perfect driver that gets up my nose coz they're normally the ones causing the hassle

steveland?

ColHol wrote:

no offence, but am i the only one thinking thats life, not everyone is a perfect driver, very very few are, and ya'll just have to get used to it?

It is life but I assume Hobbes just had a very bad day on the road and is new to it so is wondering if that's normal...

Which, unfortunately, it is...

She-Ra

Sparky_S wrote:

€2640 for me on a 1.4 206.

even thats expensive! i thought mine was bad.. 1100 on a Yaris, same for my Clio

kjt

Yea insurance blows €1800 on a 1.4 almera

Thinking of just ditching it and cycling around all next year... But I love driving down the country for the wkends

steveland?

She-Ra wrote:

even thats expensive! i thought mine was bad.. 1100 on a Yaris, same for my Clio

It's much cheaper for girls unfortunately (I'm going to assume you are one... either that or you have an "ironic" name... or are confused easily) so us guys are likely to pay through the arse for insurance...

I've had my provisional for about a year and a half and I've only done a few lessons (3 or 4) cos I cba learning and not being able to afford insurance until I'm 25

Being a 19 year old male with a provisional licence is a baaaad bad combination...

Can't get insured on either of the parents cars either cos my mam's is new enough and would be far too expensive and my dad's is a merc so no chance of insurance on that...

Stupid Ireland...

She-Ra

i love driving down the country... although my breaks failed just outside Wexford once... that was a bit scary

Hobbes

steveland? wrote:

It is life but I assume Hobbes just had a very bad day on the road and is new to it so is wondering if that's normal...

Which, unfortunately, it is...

Try More like every day

I'm not a know it all
there is clearly people who have no clue on the road.

Sparky

She-Ra wrote:

even thats expensive! i thought mine was bad.. 1100 on a Yaris, same for my Clio

Yeah its expensive alright, but thats the best deal i got, thats on AXA, hibernian wanted €3005 of me.

I had a bike for 2 years and the insurance on it was between €1600 and €1400.

TBH, i think younger drivers are more safer on roads, due to the high insurance, where as the older drivers 40 upwards get mad cheap insurance and break more rules and in many cases are just careless drivers.
so its nothing to them if they have a twang here or there, where as with us if we have one were branded bad by the insurance companies.
I am looking forward to the day the insurance market is opened, like the banks and the telephone companies.

In my opinion.

steveland?

Eve e wrote:

Wasn’t there some lunatic test amnesty years ago, that let L-Drivers loose on the road?

Heh... apparantly the cops don't give a sh*t if you're a L-driver and are driving around (so long as ya have yer licence with ya and all) on a provisional... only time it'll make a difference is insurance costs and if you crash your insurance won't cover it or something along those lines...