Motoring Discussion > Inpatient drivers Miscellaneous
Thread Author: RattleandSmoke Replies: 64

 Inpatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
Been having a bit of a problem lately with this. Is it just me or have drivers become very impatient this week?

First example is BMW was tailgating me down Kings Road in Stretford (a few people on here will know the road well) it is a long straight road with houses on both sides for the entire duration. It is a 30 limit and there has been speed traps down there in the past. I do a straight 30 down there, sometimes may nudge to 31 but always try my best to stick to 30.

Today a BMW 1 series was tailgating me, over took me at about 40 and then as approached the lights the BMW was still there stuck in traffic, when he got to the line the lights where on red for about 10 seconds, he went straight through and so did the car behind. Now these lights are known to take a few minutes to change so drivers will always try and skip them.

Then a bit later on a supermarket deliver was beeping at me when I was doing a right turn and I was there about 1 minute, now that really annoyed me because I wasn't hesitating in the slightest I went the second the safe gap appeared and even then that gap was only border line. He then tailgate me all the way because I was doing 18-20 in a 20 despite my bump stops hitting the top top mounts at every bump.

So one driver was down right dangerous and the other aggressive. They both achieved nothing. Thankfully the last driver who tried this on my dad a couple of weeks ago (over took, went through red) got pulled by the a cop who was watching :D

Sorry just ranted a rant about he inconsiderate get out my way I am late type of driver.

I feel better for having that rant :).

I am aware of the typo in this thread, but if they carry on driving like that it is exactly what they will be, or rather some poor innocent pedestrian.

Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Tue 24 May 11 at 21:58
 Inpatient drivers - BiggerBadderDave
"So one driver was down right dangerous and the other aggressive."

Caused by the third driver - a mimser.
 Inpatient drivers - Zero
>Today a BMW 1 series was tailgating me, over took me at about 40...


Didn't know Cheddar was in Manchester this week.
 Inpatient drivers - Stuu
Grow a pair Rattle, ignore em if your doing your best, I suspect you are one of the more polite thoughtful drivers out there.
 Inpatient drivers - rtj70
A woman driver was mouthing something when I was coming off the M60 anticlockwise at the Tesco Extra junction at Stockport. I was doing 40mph in the 50mph section... because the long stream of cars in front were doing 40mph. You could tell she wanted to go faster but none of us could.
 Inpatient drivers - Runfer D'Hills
There is, an at one level, mildly amusing factor coming into play here. That of selective perceived ability and status conferred by the vehicle being driven.

For some reason most noticeable in the apparently more readily aggressive, confrontational and sociologically churlish north of England.

The upshot of this being the tendency to "bully" the drivers of "low status" and for that read perhaps low powered or non-sexy vehicles.

I remember noticing and remarking upon this on the odd occasions when I used to borrow my wife's Ka. In Edinburgh or London it seemed to be accepted as just another utilitarian vehicle eminently suited to the confines of city life but in the land of the permanently affixed shoulder chip it brings out the very basest of reactions.

The BMW driver was simply waving his bigger stick at you Rattle. This pleased him no doubt. I strongly suspect he didn't even consciously know he was doing it.
 Inpatient drivers - BobbyG
You turned right between a small "borderline" gap bu the lorry driver was still able to catch up with you down a speed bumped 20mph road?

I assume he had to also wait for a break in traffic before he turned?

No excuse for going through red lights but sometimes 30mph can feel really slow, especially if you are stuck behind a car that believes it is doing that speed.
 Inpatient drivers - MD
Stay put Ratt's and make out you have broken down. Don't lose your temper and smile sweetly at the Idiots. Works every time. One of the tricks I learnt from my Father (Old Bill).
 Inpatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
90% it doesn't bother me but I've seen so much of this in the past couple of days it seems to be getting worse. The supermarket vehicle was just a van, one of them Vauxhall transit size things.

That said the van must have really been speeding for it to get so close to me, but I had travelled about a third of a mile in that time.

To be fair the fast majority of drivers are fine, it is just the few bad ones I notice. I've done 3520 miles in my Panda now, that is all city driving and in that time I've had to use my horn once and that was with great reluctance.

I am not a mimser, I keep up with traffic flow within the law.

Stockport is not a nice town to drive in but I know it far better as a pedestrian. I was driving down St Mary's way yesterday which was a 40 but the traffic was so busy 40 was not a save speed, I was doing 35ish but the driver in front of me still wanted me to do 40, which would have caused me to tailgate the driver behind.

I find the vast majority of lorry drivers and bus drivers to be very courteous but it is usually things like they go out of their way to thank you for letting them out that sort of thing.

For some reason the worse type of drivers seems to be those in mid range high power vehicles, e.g an £20k Golf or Focus. I think there is some logic because they have 170bhp in their bonnet and 20 airbags they can get away with things.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Tue 24 May 11 at 22:20
 Inpatient drivers - Dave_
>> I am not a mimser, I keep up with traffic flow within the law

Sorry dude, but if you're sat at a right turn long enough to be hooted at by the van queueing behind you, you're a mimser :)

If it was me in that van, I'd allow one clear turning opportunity to pass you by, possibly two, but when you ignored the third one you'd get a beep from me.
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Tue 24 May 11 at 22:41
 Inpatient drivers - CGNorwich
"If it was me in that van, I'd allow one clear turning opportunity to pass you by, possibly two, but when you ignored the third one you'd get a beep from me."

So how does that help? The driver either becomes more nervous and takes even longer or worse you cause him to take a chance, pull out and cause an accident. You would also be breaking the law.
 Inpatient drivers - -
I like that typo in the title Rattie, very apt.

Tailgating seems to be getting regular again, it'll probably stay that way till the winter comes and they've run up the back of a few cars then maybe they'll settle down again.

It's a mugs game anyway, means you can't take your eyes off the car in front long enough to properly peruse the leggy totty.

 Inpatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
That could have something with it, it is has been quite dry as well lately, so the blind drivers have got used to having proper grip again etc.

I admit myself I have on occasion got too close when setting of at lights but I instantly back off as soon as I realise they are not going to do the same speed which I find comfortable.

Dave when I was making this right turn there was no safe gap, the only way I could have gone would be to force an oncoming driver to brake harshly.

I do sometimes think people see a small Panda and seem to think they can bully me because I am in a very small car.
 Inpatient drivers - Dave_
>> Dave when I was making this right turn there was no safe gap, the only way I could have gone would be
>> to force an oncoming driver to brake harshly.

I reckon the van driver thought different. He'd have known there was no point in hooting at you if there genuinely were no suitable gaps, so I reckon he was prompted by a couple of at least borderline chances passing you by. You're not on your driving test any more, you're driving in a city which calls for a bit of city-style cut-and-thrust driving. Heaven help you if you ever drive in central London, that's a bear pit in comparison.
 Inpatient drivers - Zero

>> I do sometimes think people see a small Panda and seem to think they can
>> bully me because I am in a very small car.

No, its because you are not driving it like an italian.
 Inpatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
If I had gone, I would have had to cut a driver up, if the that driver wasn't paying attention that driver would have hit me and it would have been my fault or borderline 50/50.

I think he beeped because there was a driver which turned left suddenly without indicating, he may have been expecting him to turn left due to experience, but I wasn't but if he had indicating then I may have just about have time to make my move.

I am simply not going to risk crashing for the sake of some cheap supermarket delivery van getting to a house 5 seconds sooner. Even the slightest bump could double my premiums.
 Inpatient drivers - Dave_
>> suddenly

The most commonly used word in insurance claims. Nothing on the road really happens "suddenly", you just weren't looking for it. Where are you looking Rats, when undertaking a manoeuvre like this? You should be trying to make eye contact with each oncoming driver.

If you make eye contact, one of them will ease off the throttle (thus expanding the gap in front of them) and give you a nod or flash their lights - at which point you go. Simples.
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Tue 24 May 11 at 23:16
 Inpatient drivers - bathtub tom
I remember sitting at the base of a 'T' junction waiting to turn right. I missed the '***' who signalled as he went round to his left.

I got out and asked the guy behind me if there was a problem, as he was sounding his horn. I'm six foot, sixteen stone of blubber.

I slowly turned right as horn-tooter tried to slip up my LH side.

I followed the subsequent 30 MPH limit at, say, 27 MPH, whilst watching him grow steadily more puce.

Shortly afterwards, when I wanted to turn right (I may have left my signalling a little late ;>))
he had to brake hard.

I've never met him since. D'yer think he met his maker?
 Inpatient drivers - Dave_
>> when I wanted to turn right ... he had to brake hard

That's one thing I never do - one of my colleagues once did exactly that and consequently had a mountain of forms to fill in, plus a bent car to get fixed. Not worth it just to teach someone a lesson IMO.

Having driven in your neck of the woods BTT, I can see where you're coming from though ;)
 Inpatient drivers - -
>> he may have been expecting him to turn left due to experience, but I wasn't
>> but if he had indicating then I may have just about have time to make
>> my move.

Never ever trust the indicators of a driver approaching, keep an eye on the driver though, some proper drivers may well indicate manually to you that they really are going to turn letting you go.

I'm turning right at major roundabout leaving Carmarthen, HarleyM's stamping ground, i'm in loaded truck.

3 cars approaching from right spaced at say 400 yards apart the last one of which is indicating to turn left, the first two cars turn left without indicating, thanks numpties, i start to gather power to pull out as the third car turns left, oh no she's going straight over....i give up.
 Inpatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
One of the most important things my driving instructor taught me on roundabouts, don't trust other drivers signals. A lot of accidents happen on roundabouts because a driver is signalling left to exist so driver emerges but the indicating driver decides to go straight on and smashed into the back of it.

I was watching the car but not the driver, if I was watching the driver I probably would have expected him do suddenly turn left. Of course if he had signalled the driver behind would have probably left a much bigger gap, a gap big enough for me.

 Inpatient drivers - Dave_
It does all come down to experience I'm afraid Rattle. Watch what more experienced motorists do, and copy them.

It's a bit like body language but with cars - in much the same way as you can tell whether someone standing in a corridor in a nightclub is just standing there, or waiting for a gap to walk through after you've passed, so you should be able to infer from a car's movements its likely intention. As GB says though, it's not always clear cut.

Do you "present" your car appropriately on the road? There's a difference between meekly waiting for a gap with your tail between your legs, and actively positioning your car to show you're ready to go for it. Most oncoming drivers will subconsciously pick up on that, and (coupled with eye contact to confirm it) will create a gap for you. If in doubt, pick a professional driver (taxi, courier van etc)* to go in front of, as they will be better equipped to judge speed and distance sooner.

*I'm probably doing us all a disservice saying that, but we find it easier to shrug off the ditherers than the average motorist.
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Tue 24 May 11 at 23:47
 Inpatient drivers - -
Following from Dave's post, i have a pet hatred and something both i and SWM make sure we do properly.

That is if someone is good enough natured to flash you out, don't ponce about get the boot down and go, don't let them regret it and always thank them.
Times i've let alleged drivers out only to find they stall the thing or mince about taking all the time in the world, i then vow between muttered oaths never to let anyone out ever again.
And then to top it all they in their total ill mannered loutish ignorance fail to acknowledge...grrr.
 Inpatient drivers - Cliff Pope
>> It does all come down to experience I'm afraid Rattle. Watch what more experienced motorists
>> do, and copy them.
>>
>>
>>


No, real experience says never copy anybody. Carry on driving in the way that YOU feel safe.
 Inpatient drivers - WillDeBeest
No, real experience says never copy anybody. Carry on driving in the way that YOU feel safe.

Then how does anyone ever learn anything? My advice would be more nuanced than that: observe carefully, and watch how some drivers can be assertive without straying into aggressive behaviour. You'll see how some drivers take gaps you would have left, without inconveniencing anyone, and how others barge destructively through whether there's a gap or not and force others to compensate for them.

Each time you see either, make a mental note to be like the first type, not the second, but not a ditherer either. All it takes is time behind the wheel and a willingness to learn - and others' mistakes are cheaper to learn from than your own.
 Inpatient drivers - Ted

Ratto, you do absolutely right. Don't take a chance that a gap may be big enough and find yourself inconveniencing an oncoming driver. Don't bother about the impatient sod behind you tooting...you'll never see him again and it's he who will get the points towards the coronary.

It seems to be the duty of German cars to tailgate. Don't let them bother you, they can't harm you without wrecking their own motor.

As GB says, don't believe anyone's indicators, judge the position of the indicating car before you even think about moving...and don't respond, ever, to anyone flashing at you, how do you know it's for you ? The number of times I've been flashed to turn across someone's bows to enter our road when they haven't looked behind to see the cyclist coming up the inside ! I haven't sen him either, so that's why I haven't moved.

I was tailgated very closely and aggresively in Adswood Road, Stockport, 30mph, residential with a couple of sharp bends with a ped crossing between them The other car was half out into the middle of the road behind me looking for a chance. It came when the road straightened and he shot past at a fair lick only to pull up outside a shop 300 yds further on.
We both gave him a sarcastic round of visual applause as I pulled up next to him for a red light.....They amuse me...it's fun to slow down impercepyively when they're on your tail. ' If you want to get in my boot then lets do it at a sensible speed ! '

I don't think the front of most cars would last long impaled on the Suzuki's towing gear !

I was parked in your road this morning, getting me bread from the Barbakan...Free loaf today !

Ted
 Inpatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
Didn't know they were giving away free loafs :). I drove passed you on the other side down Nell Lane before on the way to the vets in Withington.

I've had people flash me to go when I know its not safe to go quite a few times too. I was told that you can fail a test for flashing people to go, not sure if it is a true or not.

 Inpatient drivers - swiss tony
>> I was watching the car but not the driver, if I was watching the driver
>> I probably would have expected him do suddenly turn left.

Making eye contact is VERY important.
By doing so, you can suss if the other driver has seen you or not.
When riding motorcycles if you don't read the road, and other drivers, properly, you soon get to taste hospital food (if your lucky.......)
 Inpatient drivers - Hard Cheese

>> lot of accidents happen on roundabouts because a driver is signalling left to exist
>>

That's a tough roundabout ;-)



 Inpatient drivers - Old Navy
>> That could have something with it, it is has been quite dry as well lately,
>> so the blind drivers have got used to having proper grip again etc.
>>

Don't worry Ratts, the first rain will lift the oil off the road surface and catch many of them out.
 Impatient drivers - rtj70
>> I've done 3520 miles in my Panda now

I did nearly 380 miles in the week I had my Panda hire car in Italy (606km actually)! You sure taxis wouldn't have been cheaper bearing in mind you have a lump sum to pay to actually own the car? I based myself near San Gimignano and didn't go further than 40 miles from there and most days a lot less than that.

>> Stockport is not a nice town
Yep ;-)

>> I was doing 35ish but the driver in front of me still wanted me to do 40, which
>> would have caused me to tailgate the driver behind.

How does that work then?
 Impatient drivers - Dave_
>> >> I was doing 35ish but the driver in front of me still wanted me to do 40, which
>> >> would have caused me to tailgate the driver behind.

>> How does that work then?

Is he facing the wrong way? www.themistermen.co.uk/mr_men/mr_topsy_turvy.html
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Wed 25 May 11 at 00:00
 Impatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
Meant the driver in front :).

 Impatient drivers - Dave_
>> Meant the driver in front :)

Ah well, it wouldn't have caused you to tailgate anybody.

Didn't your instructor tell you, you cannot tell another road user what to do, nor can any other road user tell you what to do? That's the one piece of advice I give to anyone about to take their theory test, as it answers about half the questions.

Just drive at a safe distance from the car in front, within the limit, and s** the car behind. If they want to raise their blood pressure then let them. Do not feel obliged to go any faster than you feel comfortable with just because the car in your mirrors looks like it wants you to. It's not much of an excuse if you have an accident is it?
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Wed 25 May 11 at 00:07
 Impatient drivers - rtj70
I am realising that my instructor was brilliant - despite trying on occasion to get me to reverse around corners in the Red Light district of Whalley Range when there were prostitutes touting for business!!

I still see cars pull out and make me slow down and realise if I did that on a test I'd fail.
 Impatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
That is the worst thing about the driving test, cause another drive to slow down in that situation and it is a fail, but you can also fail for hesitating. If anything in my test I was probably a little more risk taking and less hesitant than normal and some how managed to pass with four minors, ironic really.

I also passed at Whalley Range (now closed) but the red light district had long moved onto Fairfield Street by the time I was having lessons.

 Impatient drivers - rtj70
>> also passed at Whalley Range (now closed)

I wonder how many over the years failed there immediately because of the unmarked cross road?
 Impatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
One of them now has a give way marking. I always said to my instructor I am sure the unmarked roads where there as a conspiracy to make people fail their test. However my instructor took me down the mini round about on Buckingham Road (a major fail point at the time) and the infamous unmarked cross roads and warned me again before my test.

Did the trick :).
 Impatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
Lots of posts in different places, not kept up everything. My car was on 3300 just two weeks ago so I seem to be averaging 100 miles a week now. Not that far off the average for this time of car.

Now my dads been working me having a car and being able to drive has been a total god send. I really don't know how I ever mentioned without it.
 Inpatient drivers - Notdoctorchris
I drive a Panda as well, Rattle and have to explain to you that you were not being tailgated.
The simple fact is that Pandas are so short and truncated at the rear that the car behind always seems frighteningly near to you.
It is simply a optical illusion that you will soon learn to ignore.
 Inpatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
I am aware of that, because I can get a better idea of how close they are from the side mirrors, but in this case they were still far too close. I often think other cars are too close because of the illusion from the rear view mirror but the side mirrors soon tell me otherwise.

Not sure how old your Panda is, but from 2010 onwards they had much bigger side mirrors which give a very very good view.

I do know exactly what you mean.
 Inpatient drivers - rtj70
But be aware of it as the HGV/tanker that tailgated me near Milan Malpensa Airport in 2006 got a bit too close :-)

tinypic.com/r/2uivf4g/7
Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 25 May 11 at 00:04
 Inpatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
pfd that does look quite horrific, very glad to see the crumple zones on that Fiesta have acted exactly how they should have done.

I see the friendly Irish version of the word is now on the filter.
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 25 May 11 at 01:21
 Inpatient drivers - rtj70
Cars do not have rear crumple zones as such - I think. But the car did well. It was an HGV that caused the damage. I have little memory (none almost for sure) of before the accident and then I was in the ambulance. But I've said all this before on here on HJ before.

Lets just say we were lucky. And I still have pictures of my brain/head somewhere. CT Scan.

Rear passengers if there were any (there weren't) would be dead though. Roof that caved in on driver side (and ripped my head open) was lethal in the rear.

You can see why my camcorder in the boot made a noise when playing/recording after that ;-) The Canon A95 still works.
 Inpatient drivers - Armel Coussine
I'm an impatient driver Sheikha. But you wouldn't notice anything untoward if I was driving behind you at 27 mph, unless you were a very sharp-eyed lip reader in several languages.

I think too that were I to drive your car over the same route, no one would tailgate or bully me (mind you I don't know your area well if at all... but there are lots of mimsers in the provinces I notice).

You need to lollop along at traffic speed or a whisker over. A speedometer 35 is fine.
 Inpatient drivers - Pat
I do sometimes think people see a small Panda and seem to think they can
>> bully me because I am in a very small car.

You need to get yourself a satnav Rattle and use it on every journey, even to buy a loaf of bread.
Stop looking at the car speedo and start driving to the speed shown on the satnav.

When your doing what you think is 'sticking to 30MPH', I bet your car speedo reads 28/29 ish just to make sure.
If you looked at a satnav speed you would be doing no more than 24/25MPH and is the reason for the impatience of other drivers.

If you think about your tailgating car types, most of them have sat nav fitted as standard.

Surely the fact that when you actually passed your test you didn't hesitate as much and drove a bit faster tells you something?

Most of us are the opposite of that and it puts an even bigger gap between Rattle and other drivers.

Pat
 Inpatient drivers - Dog
I was driving behind a mobile crane yesterday, on a road with many bends and corners,
I had a line of impatient drivers behind me but - although I could have *chanced it*, I waited until I was absolutely sure that I could over-take safely without putting my life at risk (or anybody else's)

Better to be late in this world - than early in the next!
 Inpatient drivers - Iffy
...Better to be late in this world - than early in the next!...

Or as a police force's driving manual states: 'Drive to arrive.'

 Inpatient drivers - Alanovich
unless you were a very sharp-eyed lip reader in several
>> languages.

This I've got to see. I think I'll spend this coming bank holiday mimsing around Sussex looking for Cruisers to baulk. ;-)
 Inpatient drivers - boolean
The DVLA site states that a speed limit is the 'absolute maximum'. Try to ignore the idiots who want to hassle you and bully you into going faster. You're in control of the car, not them.
 Inpatient drivers - Old Navy
I think the problem is that you did not drive for two years after passing your test to protect your licence. This means that you did not have, and have not gained the experience and confidence as a driver that you should have by now. With time you will learn to go with the flow of traffic and what is safe even if not strictly legal.
 Inpatient drivers - Injection Doc
Rattle, there is an art that comes with experince !
When you get a tail gater, if your lucky and its a long straight road with islands in the middle every now and again then gently drift towards the island and as you get to the island make sure your tyres almost squeak against the kerb ! normally what happens is that the tailgater just inches out around you and at that point hits the kerbed island in the middle of the road full on !!!!!!! normally followed by clouds of dust and steam and major major damage !!!
Works a treat! had lots of sucess and it brings a massive smile to think they were not that clever at tailgateing !!
I was taught this trick when i was on national express and it works even better because they cant see past you !. There was a particular road I used to drive down that you could get a result nearly everytime we went down it ! the numptys used to follow like sheep ! and we would of already been doing 60+ pre speed limiter days.
If only I had a rear facing camera in those days could of had a good earner in " youve been framed " See rattle bit of thinking and experince , dont get goaded get even!
 Inpatient drivers - -
That's really naughty IDoc, but excellent.

I like to see them hitting the pot holes that i straddle, especially the lads with elastic band tyres, but i'm obviously missing a good trick here, will practice to perfection, many thanks.:-)

More seriously though, i'm sure i'm not the only one who's had to overexaggerate a move or make allowances for some fool jammed tight up your back to prevent serious accident.
When for example someone's parked at the side and been fixing a puncture and you just know given the way things are developing that numpty behind is likely to hit them.
 Inpatient drivers - Cliff Pope
>> That's really naughty IDoc, but excellent.
>>
>>
>>

Seconded
 Inpatient drivers - Zero
I can see now why you get involved in so many incidents, that you needed to employ mobile video cameras, all is explained.
 Inpatient drivers - Injection Doc
That's really naughty IDoc, but excellent.

I like to see them hitting the pot holes that i straddle, especially the lads with elastic band tyres, but i'm obviously missing a good trick here, will practice to perfection, many thanks "

Works really well with a tinted out rear window. has to be a very subtle gentle drift towards the centre of the road ! teaches the numptys a lesson for sitting 1ft of the rear !
 Inpatient drivers - SteelSpark
>> That's really naughty IDoc, but excellent.

Are you talking to yourself now? :)

EDIT: Oh, I see, you just didn't quote it.
Last edited by: SteelSpark on Wed 25 May 11 at 12:06
 Inpatient drivers - SteelSpark
I was almost on the receiving end of this the other day.

I wasn't really intentionally tailgating, in the sense that I wasn't trying to put pressure on the guy in front. Rather I was just driving a bit too close, albeit that our speeds were pretty low.

It was a very narrow street, with cars either side and small traffic islands in the middle. I was following a white van, and we were maybe only doing 15 mph.

The van reached an island that I didn't know was there and swerved around it. Given that we were travelling slowly, I had ample time to do the same, but I realised that if I had not been concentrating fully on the road, it was a situation that could have ended badly.
 Inpatient drivers - Mapmaker
There's no doubt there's a pecking order on the road.

The only time I've been at the *top* of it was in a 20 year old Polo. I guess most people thought it wasn't insured so gave it a wide berth (particularly when it had no rear window...)
 Inpatient drivers - madf
I was tailgated last year on a slow road in Licolnshire on my way to see BIL. The muppet passed me on a corner at 60mph - ignoring the " Dangerous Road for 2 Miles " Sign.

He never managed the full 2 miles: hit a corner and went into a wooden fence and spun... looked unhurt but car would be a write off as panel damage all round...Civic Type R iirc..
 Inpatient drivers - Bromptonaut
I was going to post on this subject a week or two ago.

Going through our village the road drops away, curving to the left before turning sharply right into a canyon between traditional ironstone houses. On the left side of the sloping section is a row of Victorian cottages. No driveways so there’s a permanent chicane created by the occupant’s cars. The effect of the curve and hill is that while you can see round or over the parked cars from 25yds back your view reduces almost to nil as you enter the chicane. If there’s a delivery or the bin cart’s around no visibility at all and it’s creep/peep time.

Most villagers understand this so if somebody’s in the chicane traffic coming up the hill waits, even if there's a small space. But the other week I’d committed to creep/peep round the bin cart only to find there were two (landfill & recycling). Three cars coming other way just plough on and mount curb to pass. The first I’d judge was a distracted Mum still focussed on pre school tantrum. The second though was a white BMW; he thinks he has a right of way and he’s taking it!! Comes through aggressively- mouthing off as he too straddles onto the footpath. The third was just in the beamers wake!!
 Inpatient drivers - Dave_
>> Comes through aggressively- mouthing off as he too straddles onto the footpath

I had that in a backstreet somewhere over Halesowen way - a road where old buildings and wide footpaths reduce the carriageway to a single vehicle width for about 40 yards. I stopped to let on oncoming HGV through first, when an open-topped Mercedes squeezed past from behind me, half on the pavement with the driver shouting obscenities at me.

He wasn't even very good at reversing back behind me when he met the HGV, he had to pull forwards to straighten up two or three times :)
 Inpatient drivers - Fursty Ferret
You're not called Ian, are you Rattle? Because if you are, I got one of your leaflets in my letterbox today. :-)
 Inpatient drivers - rtj70
Small world :-) Well Manchester's not that big is it.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 25 May 11 at 21:38
 Inpatient drivers - RattleandSmoke
Would have been me, had an hour spare in Didsbury this afternoon so did delivered some just off Beaver Road.

Always a waste of time but at least it feels like I am doing some work and I get some exercise.
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