Keep your side, moron!

Sabre Man

Why is it that so many drivers seem to have a problem keeping on their side of the road?

Seriously!

Around where I live many roads are twisting and some are also rather narrow. Near our house there's an S bend. The speed limit is 50. I often see cars breaking it but that's not a problem in itself here. The problem is that every time I'm out walking I see many people drive across the center line. That in my book is dangerous driving and a very bad habit.

If you're having problems keeping to the side:
a) drive slower
and/or
b) get a narrower car, like a Smart or something

This weekend we were driving on some narrow roads indeed, some even without a centre line. They were that narrow and twisting. Even there quite a few morons were driving way too fast too far over the middle of the road. Now, my car is really too wide for those roads but I drove slowly and very close to the roadside vegetation and I think that's the main reason no mirrors were broken and cars crashed.

Take it easy out there.

---

A five-year-old girl is in a serious condition in hospital after she was involved in a road crash this evening.

The crash happened on the main street in Newmarket in north Cork when two cars travelling in opposite directions collided.

Anan1

It depends on the situation though, doesn't it? I regularly cross the centre line, although clearly not when there is oncoming traffic.

BrianD3

I find that most drivers drive far too fast on narrow country road (ones below R-road standard, no white line, often barely wide enough for two cars to pass) In these situations I believe you should drive at a speed which allows you to stop in no more than HALF the distance you can see to be clear. This is even more important if you are driving a vehicle which takes up most of the road like a truck.

Stark

Anan1 wrote: »

It depends on the situation though, doesn't it? I regularly cross the centre line, although clearly not when there is oncoming traffic.

I'd be the same, although I regularly see the kinds of drivers that Sabre Man is talking about. Saw an Audi driver almost force a motorcyclist into a ditch the other week, he was so far over. Then he would have collided with me if I hadn't come to a full stop and pulled into the ditch. This was with plenty of space for two cars to pass at reasonable speed. Not sure if he was pissed or just trying to reclaim his higher road taxes.

pete4130

The River Road from Finglas to Ashington is a classic example of people driving too fast (especially large vans like Merc Sprinters etc...) and not being able to keep their side of the road or are simply too wide to be driving that fast on the road.

peasant

Another reason to drive a LHD car

Great to see the panic in the eyes of those idiots when they speed around the corner only to be confronted with my right headlight at eye level.

I just keep as left as I can and then keep going


(It's usaully only people in "big" cars or expensive SUV's that I see doing that though)

mike65

Try this for size, my sister was on the N25 at Kilmacthomas heading downhill on a 1+2 (climbing lane) section, a car overtook her and stayed in the opposing lane all the way down that section. "What the hell", he proberly thought, "sure everyone coming from Cork can use 'the slow lane'"

Mike.

wil

Sabre Man wrote: »

Why is it that so many drivers seem to have a problem keeping on their side of the road?

It is highest single cause of fatality in 2-vehicle accidents!

Simply being on the wrong side of the road.

Was drummed in to me by instructor and is in the NRA reports.
This fact governed the way I was instructed how to drive quickly, overtake and cross junctions.
Stay on the wrong side of the road for as little time as is absolutely necessary.
You rarely if ever meet UK drivers on the wrong side, no matter how windy or narrow the road. Hence they drive pretty fast on windy roads.
Guess it's drummed in to them too.

Irish drivers seem to assume they have right of way when they go to the wrong side expecting you to drive on the hard shoulder
'It's how we overtake here':eek:
"How FU is that" as my army buddy would say when driving here.
Unfortunately appropriate words.

Anan1

I think that's a bit simplistic - there are times when it's safer to drive in the middle of, or indeed on the wrong side of, the road.

Sabre Man

Anan1 wrote: »

It depends on the situation though, doesn't it? I regularly cross the centre line, although clearly not when there is oncoming traffic.

Why do you feel you need to cross the centre line regularly?

dudara

Anan1 wrote: »

I think that's a bit simplistic - there are times when it's safer to drive in the middle of, or indeed on the wrong side of, the road.

I agree with this, but only when driving on narrow twisting back of beyond roads. I grew up in the back of beyond and it's safer to drive in the middle of some roads due to the condition of the ditches and edges of the road.

However, this doesn't apply when driving on a bigger road.

RobAMerc

theres a few reasons for this..

1. People cannot judge there cars position relative to the curb, thats why if there is no white line you'll find most people in the middle of the road.

2. At night on windy roads I tend to drive down the middle of the road. Why not its safer - if there is oncoming traffic would I not have seen their lights ? I always dip on approach to bends to see if there is oncoming traffic and often cut across the bend. In my opinion its safer and puts less wear on the car.

3. I always use both sides of the road where possible on bends if (and only if) I can see across the bends and can clearly see there is no oncoming traffic, just like on some bends on the river road where I do it regularly.

will wrote:

It is highest single cause of fatality in 2-vehicle accidents!

- I thought it was speed ?
Anyway telling everyone to stay to their side because of this is far to simplistic.

Imagine - STAY LEFT, SLOW DOWN, slogans all over the place !
We'd be all stuck in a 50kph traffic jam with no one overtaking - twould be like the M50 everywhere !

Anan1

Sabre Man wrote: »

Why do you feel you need to cross the centre line regularly?

To better see and be seen.

Sabre Man

dudara wrote: »

I agree with this, but only when driving on narrow twisting back of beyond roads.

And what would happen if you met a car travelling in the opposite direction on one of those narrow twisting back of beyond roads also being over the centre line of the road?

Anan1

Anan1 wrote: »

I regularly cross the centre line, although clearly not when there is oncoming traffic.

Clear enough?

Owen

Anan1 wrote: »

To better see and be seen.

And I would imagine on the smaller country roads to avoid potential hazards on both the left and the right - such as children, animals, and other drivers inadvertently pulling out of unseen exits. One of the most basic tenets of defensive driving. I do the same as you Anan1, I'll take the centre line on small straight country roads where I know there's no oncoming traffic, and then revert to my own side before I approach a corner.

Sabre Man

RobAMerc wrote: »

1. People cannot judge there cars position relative to the curb, thats why if there is no white line you'll find most people in the middle of the road.

In that case get a narrower car or a LHD car. On a narrow twisting road with hedges all around where you can't see what's around the bend such driving is downright dangerous.

RobAMerc wrote: »

2. At night on windy roads I tend to drive down the middle of the road. Why not its safer - if there is oncoming traffic would I not have seen their lights ? I always dip on approach to bends to see if there is oncoming traffic and often cut across the bend. In my opinion its safer and puts less wear on the car.

That's fair enough. I was thinking daytime driving. I guess I should have pointed it out earlier.

RobAMerc wrote: »

3. I always use both sides of the road where possible on bends if (and only if) I can see across the bends and can clearly see there is no oncoming traffic.

Yes, let's get rid of those pesky lines across the middle of the road and let people drive wherever they like. What good are they for anyway? Just a waste of good paint! Too many people seem to make cutting corners a habit. Fine, if you can see the road ahead clearly and there's no traffic. But too many people seem to do so automatically without even thinking about any dangers.

RobAMerc wrote: »

Imagine - STAY LEFT, SLOW DOWN, slogans all over the place !
We'd be all stuck in a 50kph traffic jam with no one overtaking - twould be like the M50 everywhere !

Nah, nobody would heed those "Slow down" signs anyway. Witness the reduced speed limits for roads works or roads with temporary surfaces. Would you say most people are good at slowing down?

You should adapt your speed to the road, not the speed limit.

Sabre Man

Anan1 wrote: »

To better see and be seen.

Get an SUV then.

mike65

SUV on a narrow road is a hazzard.

Mike.

Anan1

Sabre Man wrote: »

Get an SUV then.

No.

RobAMerc

Sabre Man wrote: »

Yes, let's get rid of those pesky lines across the middle of the road and let people drive wherever they like.

No - some fools wouldn't be able to get one car down the motorway without a white line to hog - so on ordinary roads it would cause chaos

Lets just train our drivers properly shall we ?

Sabre Man

mike65 wrote: »

SUV on a narrow road is a hazzard.

I would say they're less of a hazard than a similarly wide sedan. You sit higher up, so you can see better and because it's taller it's easier to see.

It's only a hazard if driven irresponsibly, ie. across the middle of the road around a bend.

Saying that, I don't drive one myself.

mike65

Saloons don't fall over going round twists bends though, the average 4x4 is a barge in such cirumstances in my experience.

Mike.

ianobrien

I wrote a car off as a result of the "Middle of the Road" drivers.

I was travelling down a country road at approx 60 to 65KPH when a car came around the corner on my side of the road, I had to swerve in the corner to avoid a head on collision and the back of the car snapped into oversteer (probably due to the back wheel getting caught in the ditch). I caught the first slide, but on the snap return, I couldn't get the steering wheel back quick enough.

Result - I hit the ditch, and half rolled (on to the roof). The fella that was in the middle of the road kept going, and was never seen again

Idleater

As a motorcyclist that often drives on back roads with no dividing line, I have no problem with driving in the centre of the road where visibility allows, and on numerous straight stretches I will continue to drive down the centre of the road when there is oncoming traffic in order to make them slow down and pull to the side of the road.

The amount of cars that simply say "aah sure its only a bike" and continue to drive at 80kmph leaving me with 1.5m of gravel and pot holes to traverse leads to the situation where every oncoming car must acknowledge the presence of a motorcycle and drive as if it were an oncoming car.

Note, there is nothing illegal about this, as the keep left rule is being observed. I am as far to the left that safely allows me to drive down the road given the circumstances.

L.

Blazer

I seem to think every idiot out my way drives in the middle of the road..every day I come a close cropper thanks to these blind bastards!!
However that one thing I think that could be causing them to drive in the middle of the road is all those idiots out walking at dawn/dusk..
Nearly ran over a few of these some nights when you could barely see them..now I'm beginning to understand why most ppl in the boglands drive in the middle of the road.

fricatus

Mathew Reilly wrote: »

However that one thing I think that could be causing them to drive in the middle of the road is all those idiots out walking at dawn/dusk..
Nearly ran over a few of these some nights when you could barely see them..now I'm beginning to understand why most ppl in the boglands drive in the middle of the road.

Why are they idiots? People have as much right to walk the roads as they do to drive them.

I suppose if your point relates to people not wearing reflective armbands, etc., then it's valid though. In my experience, pedestrians and cyclists who've never driven have no idea how dangerous it is to walk without something reflective on, or cycle without lights and reflective gear.

Blazer

fricatus wrote: »

Why are they idiots? People have as much right to walk the roads as they do to drive them.

I suppose if your point relates to people not wearing reflective armbands, etc., then it's valid though. In my experience, pedestrians and cyclists who've never driven have no idea how dangerous it is to walk without something reflective on, or cycle without lights and reflective gear.

I call them idiots not because they're walking but the time they pick to do it..
Dawn/Dusk are when most crashes occur as it's hard for the eye to see with the light/darkness combination. Most of these people wouldn't have a reflective jacket or armband on them so it's next to impossible to see them until you're right up on them.