Annoying "hazards"
Discussion
After todays little trip, Worcester to Churchstoke, and back, I'm in "is it me ?" mode.
A poxy cycle race (with cars carrying flashing amber beacons at the front and rear of the race on a public highway)
Morons driving at 40 mph in nsl's, that flash their lights and get annoyed when you overtake them (having followed them for "bleedin miles" waiting for a chance)
And to top it all off, some kind of motorcycle instructor, with a learner in front of him, travelling no faster than 40 in an nsl, but no slower than 40 in 30 mph zones, positioning his bike to prevent me from overtaking them both until HE thought it was ok. (If I moved to the right to get a better view, he moved to the right to prevent me from getting a better view).
My wife thinks I need a chill pill, I think they either need taking off the road, or I need to be issued with a slower car !
Anyone else any grief today ?
I drive thousands and thousand of miles a year, and rarely get annoyed whilst driving, but the pratts were out in force today.
A poxy cycle race (with cars carrying flashing amber beacons at the front and rear of the race on a public highway)
Morons driving at 40 mph in nsl's, that flash their lights and get annoyed when you overtake them (having followed them for "bleedin miles" waiting for a chance)
And to top it all off, some kind of motorcycle instructor, with a learner in front of him, travelling no faster than 40 in an nsl, but no slower than 40 in 30 mph zones, positioning his bike to prevent me from overtaking them both until HE thought it was ok. (If I moved to the right to get a better view, he moved to the right to prevent me from getting a better view).
My wife thinks I need a chill pill, I think they either need taking off the road, or I need to be issued with a slower car !
Anyone else any grief today ?
I drive thousands and thousand of miles a year, and rarely get annoyed whilst driving, but the pratts were out in force today.
Things that annoy me on the road:
People driving at 45mph in a National Speed Limit area.
Stubburn cyclists who insist on cycling right next to eachother on a tight road having achnoloeged my presence (bet that will be quoted at some point!).
Old people - need I explain more.
Some learner drivers who dont pull over.
Bus/Lorry dirvers.
Think thats it....And calm
People who drive dead on the speed limit - no one does that for christs sake!
People driving at 45mph in a National Speed Limit area.
Stubburn cyclists who insist on cycling right next to eachother on a tight road having achnoloeged my presence (bet that will be quoted at some point!).
Old people - need I explain more.
Some learner drivers who dont pull over.
Bus/Lorry dirvers.
Think thats it....And calm
- Edit to add two more things:
People who drive dead on the speed limit - no one does that for christs sake!
I find it helps to get no more annoyed at bad or inconsiderate driving than it does to be angry at a corner that tightens suddenly, or a hedge that obscures your view of an overtake.
You drive the road as you find it, other road users and all.
If you are choosing to allow yourself to get annoyed, then the problem is inside your car, not outside it.
Zen, innit. I'm off to meditate and sit in the lotus position (bonnet up, peering at leaky engine). Ommmm.
You drive the road as you find it, other road users and all.
If you are choosing to allow yourself to get annoyed, then the problem is inside your car, not outside it.
Zen, innit. I'm off to meditate and sit in the lotus position (bonnet up, peering at leaky engine). Ommmm.
Rubin215 said:
davepoth said:
Dalto123 said:
People who drive dead on the speed limit - no one does that for christs sake!
Really? You want people to break the law so you can too? Really?
Rubin215 said:
davepoth said:
Dalto123 said:
People who drive dead on the speed limit - no one does that for christs sake!
Really? You want people to break the law so you can too? Really?
Dalto123 said:
I probably come across as some arrogant, raging, tailgating driver. Im not really, and I dont mean for people to speed madly, most people drive at about 35 in a 30 maybe just under 40 and 45 -50 in a 40 depending where it is. I say this becuase where I live and where I drive the speed limits dont represent the road well, so why should a wid open straight road have a speed limit of 40? no logical reason, houses arent nearby? so put your foot down a little. Though I admit the responses to that comment did make me laugh
How exactly do you want them to drive? 31mph? 32mph? 70mph? What's enough? Maybe they could stop, get out, have a walk around, chat to a few locals, look for schools etc, spend a while with the traffic planners and then decide whether to drive at 30 or 40? How do you expect this to work?Nigel Worc's said:
And to top it all off, some kind of motorcycle instructor, with a learner in front of him, travelling no faster than 40 in an nsl, but no slower than 40 in 30 mph zones, positioning his bike to prevent me from overtaking them both until HE thought it was ok. (If I moved to the right to get a better view, he moved to the right to prevent me from getting a better view).
At a guess that'll be a CBT instructor then, with the pupil on a 125? 40 is good going for a 125 so no surprise they didn't go faster & if the pupil doesn't slow down in the 30, what can he do except shout at them over the radio?Dalto123 said:
Things that annoy me on the road:
People driving at 45mph in a National Speed Limit area.
Stubburn cyclists who insist on cycling right next to eachother on a tight road having achnoloeged my presence (bet that will be quoted at some point!).
Old people - need I explain more.
Some learner drivers who dont pull over.
Bus/Lorry dirvers.
Think thats it....And calm
People who drive dead on the speed limit - no one does that for christs sake!
I will often use the brakes to slow down on approach to 30mph areas. I may just take my foot off the gas, or if more is needed I'll use the brakes. Depending on what is following I may show the brake lights to make sure the following driver/rider is aware of my deceleration. Not sure if that is what you meant by 'riding the brakes' People driving at 45mph in a National Speed Limit area.
Stubburn cyclists who insist on cycling right next to eachother on a tight road having achnoloeged my presence (bet that will be quoted at some point!).
Old people - need I explain more.
Some learner drivers who dont pull over.
Bus/Lorry dirvers.
Think thats it....And calm
- Edit to add two more things:
People who drive dead on the speed limit - no one does that for christs sake!
As an ADI, I don't get the privilege of 12 points before loosing my licence. No, 6 points and I will have lost my means of earning a living. So tough on little pipsqueaks who feel getting to their mates house quicker is more important than my liveliehood, I will be driving within the limits. Strangley, I very rarely get tailgated on NSLs.
When I did teach learners, they pulled over when I said so and not when said little pipsqueak thought said journey to mates house was more important
Oh, and I've also been a lorry and bus driver.
(btw a lorry driver doing 45 on a s/c nsl would be speeding) defblade said:
Hooli said:
40 is good going for a 125 so no surprise they didn't go faster
You're thinking of 50cc scooters maybe. A 125 is perfectly capable of doing 60mph all day long (although not a lot more - top end usually 70-75) and will still get there quicker than most cars do.
t on it is, my old one struggled to do 60 & a mate's new Vanvan struggles to top 50.I missed this before
7db said:
Zen, innit. I'm off to meditate and sit in the lotus position (bonnet up, peering at leaky engine). Ommmm.
Well worth a 
Spitfire2 said:
I'm with you on the cycle race.
Encountered one myself today - why these pricks think they should be allowed to career round bends on "wrong" side just cos they are racing beats me.
So would I be at fault if one or more of the cyclists on the wrong side just happened to meet the front of my car, I would of course have tried to evade said cyclists however it failed due to some shocking understeer? Surely they would be at fault due to being on the wrong side. Will be useful to know then I can fit bullbars Encountered one myself today - why these pricks think they should be allowed to career round bends on "wrong" side just cos they are racing beats me.
BertBert said:
The intro to my old copy of Roadcraft seems good for this thread. I think it's a massive fail for an "advanced" driver to get up tight and worked up with what's going on on the road. I recognize it in me! So for me AD means average driver!
Bert
I think that's a little unfair if that's aimed at the OP. I think all those 'annoyances' would make me question 'is it me?' in the same way (except the cyclists, which is plain inconsiderate on their part).Bert
I would question why the instructor has reacted in that way to a safe overtake. I'm sure the OP has given extra room for the learner rider and taken their experience into consideration (I know I would). It wouldn't stop me making a safe overtake, in an appropriate place and this would lead me to question why the instructor has 'blocked' an overtake, which in itself is a bit naughty in terms of the highway code?
People flashing when overtaking has been raised by me and discussed to death before but I still feel I have to evaluate and critique my overtake and great detail if somebody flashes their lights at me. 'Have I done something wrong?' 'did I startle them?' 'Why did it happen?'
I think it's good that you question yourself. It didn't sound, from the OP, that he was getting angry or aggressive (in which case I agree with your 'Roadcraft fail' comment) purely questioning himself... Which I deem to be an advanced skill, not an average skill.
Hooli said:
At a guess that'll be a CBT instructor then, with the pupil on a 125? 40 is good going for a 125 so no surprise they didn't go faster & if the pupil doesn't slow down in the 30, what can he do except shout at them over the radio?
The Honda CB125T I had many years ago would do 70 mph all day long ( and a little more if truth be admitted ) ; I'd imagine that 25+ years of progress would mean that at least 80-90 mph would be a reasonable expectation for a 125 these days , if not more ........Must admit I was surprised at the comment about 125s only doing 40mph - what's the point then? 
This page http://125hq.com/Aprilia-RS125.html seems to suggest 100mph is possible without any modifications.
Presumably, however, the instructor would have had a more powerful bike than the learner, and could therefore overtake him and pull him over for a discussion of the appropriate speed in the built-up areas. You'd hope so, anyway.
I guess any one of the annoyances on its own would have been shrugged off, together they made for a camel with a broken back. Tomorrow can only be better.
This page http://125hq.com/Aprilia-RS125.html seems to suggest 100mph is possible without any modifications.Presumably, however, the instructor would have had a more powerful bike than the learner, and could therefore overtake him and pull him over for a discussion of the appropriate speed in the built-up areas. You'd hope so, anyway.
I guess any one of the annoyances on its own would have been shrugged off, together they made for a camel with a broken back. Tomorrow can only be better.
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