Another driver behaviour thread

rok

Why do people park on a roundabout (in between exits)?
Is there anywhere less safe they could pull in or would it kill them to driver on a bit further up the road..... maybe they've made plans to meet someone on the roundabout?

Another one that bugs me is drivers that wear headphones.
Are they listening to music (maybe their radio is broken)
or using it as hands free?

ABajaninCork

Idiots who reverse out of parking spaces without even looking. Twice we were nearly hit by cars reversing out. Both times by women. And they BOTH had the cheek to give ME dirty looks when I hit the horn!!

Obviously need to read the Highway Code again as they don't know reversing traffic has no right of way...

StudentDad

rok wrote: »

Why do people park on a roundabout (in between exits)?
Is there anywhere less safe they could pull in or would it kill them to driver on a bit further up the road..... maybe they've made plans to meet someone on the roundabout?

Another one that bugs me is drivers that wear headphones.
Are they listening to music (maybe their radio is broken)
or using it as hands free?

I can't answer that beyond saying that yes I've seen this in action and come to the conclusion that some drivers just do not care and/or are oblivious to the world around them.

I don't know if it's just my imagination or lousy run of luck in the past year or so, but I've found the number of incredibly aggressive/rude drivers on the road to have increased.

SD

coylemj

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Obviously need to read the Highway Code again as they don't know reversing traffic has no right of way...

For someone from the so-called 'rebel' county, you should know that the bible of Irish motoring is called the 'Rules of the Road' - the 'Highway Code' is the equivalent across the water.

challengemaster

rok wrote: »

Why do people park on a roundabout (in between exits)?
Is there anywhere less safe they could pull in or would it kill them to driver on a bit further up the road..... maybe they've made plans to meet someone on the roundabout?

Only time I've seen this is where the car has broken down and they're awaiting tow. Realistically if your car breaks down on a roundabout, tucking it in between exits is the least obnoxious and safest option you have...

If they're just parked, they're twats.

Dozer Dave

They might have burst the welded diff on the roundabout.

visual

Years ago garda would ticket a car for illegal parking and traffic wardens if they covered that area.

That was before RSA decided speeding was the root of all evil and garda focused their efforts on speeding.

There is a heap of bad drivers who once drive below speed limit get away with crazy stuff and actually believes they are both safe and good drivers

ABajaninCork

coylemj wrote: »

For someone from the so-called 'rebel' county, you should know that the bible of Irish motoring is called the 'Rules of the Road' - the 'Highway Code' is the equivalent across the water.

I LIVE in the Rebel County. I'm not from there, and am in fact English. Where I am from, it's the Highway Code.

magentis

Erm,but the Highway Code means nothing here.
It's the Rules Of The Road.

ABajaninCork

magentis wrote: »

Erm,but the Highway Code means nothing here.
It's the Rules Of The Road.

Whatever....It's still advice on the correct manner of driving is it not?

magentis

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Whatever....It's still advice on the correct manner of driving is it not?

Well it's not the law of the land so it means very little.

ABajaninCork

magentis wrote: »

Well it's not the law of the land so it means very little.

.

Hence why I said 'advice'....

punisher5112

There are some cops driving like complete sh1t bags and came across 1 tonight.

Drove right at me in unmarked car while I in a big wide vehicle had no other place to go.

It was dark and a bend and very narrow road.

I pull up to middle of bend where you can see if anything is coming so as always I let oncoming traffic through as been nice goes a long way and makes my life easier as I said very narrow.

Done above and last car came through then I proceeded onwards when a unmarked garda car boots it through traffic lights at a bend and then hits siren and lights while booting it straight at me.

I was told that I nearly hit them and I was on wrong side of road.... Now remember I said road is narrow well this is the point of why I waited till it was clear as the vehicle is big and does take up most of the road including opposite side.

He was very disrespectful and plain rude among saying he could do me there and then.

I was actually quite shocked as he really should know better how different roads and vehicles(size) can come into it and mean there just isn't room to burst your way past.

Was quite embarrassing also worst part is i couldn't get the reg. No.

magentis

ABajaninCork wrote: »

.

Hence why I said 'advice'....

Whats the point in taking advice from laws from a foreign country when The Rules Of The Road is readily available and has a basis in law?

Sh1tbag OToole

magentis wrote: »

Erm,but the Highway Code means nothing here.
It's the Rules Of The Road.

ah FFS. Ould pedantic sh1te like that would drive anyone mad

magentis

Sh1tbag OToole wrote: »

ah FFS. Ould pedantic sh1te like that would drive anyone mad

Nothing pedantic about it sh1tbag.

We are in Ireland are we not?

punisher5112

Most rules are based on UK model as we copy a lot of what they do over the water.

Points on you licence for example.

magentis

magentis wrote: »

Nothing pedantic about it sh1tbag.

We are in Ireland are we not?

When half a thread is spent debating the name of the rule book because someone used a turn of phrase, it's not only pedantic, but also annoying and off-putting.


With regards to the thread, not quite the same as parking like an idiot, but in the past three-four months (I'd guess) i've come across more people running out of petrol/diesel on the road, and needing to leave the car in an awkward position, while they, or a passenger, rambled off to the nearest petrol station.

Are people that stuck, financially? Or are they just a bit clueless?

obplayer

magentis wrote: »

Nothing pedantic about it sh1tbag.

We are in Ireland are we not?

Indeed, and why are court proceedings carried out in English! This matters! Oh, off topic. Sorry

moleyv

I was thinking about the earphones one the other day, I really don't understand it.

if it was as hands free they would only have one earphone in, but they always seem to have two

Jude13

I wear headphones in the car sometimes as the car Im curretnly driving to work is pre-historic and has no aux cable. Its easiest way to listen to podcasts on the way to work.

ironclaw

moleyv wrote: »

I was thinking about the earphones one the other day, I really don't understand it.

if it was as hands free they would only have one earphone in, but they always seem to have two

Only way I can explain that one, in the case of the Apple headsets anyway, is they won't sit right with only one bud in as the weight of the dangling one can prove a nuisance. Especially the newer 'earpod' design which are frankly awful to wear.

I had a rental or two and have to wear the headset, honestly, I can't understand how anyone could do it full time. It was an utter hinderance moving my head, and given the length of the cabling, you'd have to have the phone very near you, even on your lap.

visual

Most smart phone are operated by not so smart people.

Their car audio system either can't or isn't set up to stream music from phone. They may or may not have bluetooth for phone calls.

Simple solution is plug in headphones so they can listen to music and take calls. They seem to ignore the problem of being in there own personal bubble. But the garda shouldn't and do them all for driving without due care and attention.

andycahill

Holy f##k. Just this morning i saw a woman tying her hair back while driving. Taking both hands off the wheel...what an idiot.

ironclaw

visual wrote: »

But the garda shouldn't and do them all for driving without due care and attention.

Its illegal in some parts of Spain I believe, and rightly so.

arthur daly

It's not actually the drivers fault it's the joke of driving testers passing people who haven't a clue specifically relating to young female drivers who show a hit of leg to the randy old gits and pass..
I personally know two females in their 20s who can't reverse or turn in tight spots but both passed first time plus the fact their rules of the road are pretty limited..

Not to mention the fact a driving test dosent includ motorway driving

Lawless2k12

On a roundabout I pass regularly there is always cars parked on it every day. It's a "carpool meeting place". It's the roundabout just before the roundabout that leads onto the M8 at Cahir. (When I say parked on it I dont mean the middle of the roundabout, Just between exits)

Another annoyance is people driving up one way streets :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0QgIdRSIWw

r3nu4l

Lawless2k12 wrote: »

On a roundabout I pass regularly there is always cars parked on it every day. It's a "carpool meeting place". It's the roundabout just before the roundabout that leads onto the M8 at Cahir. (When I say parked on it I dont mean the middle of the roundabout, Just between exits

So THAT'S why those cars are always parked there! I've been wondering about that for months!

My own pet hate is drivers who think that the central reservation on a motorway somehow stops their full beam headlights from blinding the driver going in the opposite direction.

whiskeyman

I was on an advanced driving course over the weekend and found it very interesting.
The tutor was a former pursuit instructor for the UK Police force, as well as having spent most of his career in the Fire Service.
He would often set his pupils the task to drive across the city 'without stopping' - in other words getting them to review the driving situation so well, that they could anticipate red lights / obstacles so they could slow down beforehand and keep driving, then they'd be green when they'd hit them.

I tried driving in this manner on the way home, and had my fair share of incidences!

1) Coming up to a red light with 3 cars ahead, I start to slow down. There was a fair gap between me and car in front, but what's the point in speeding up to close it?
Car behind me is fixated on me slowing down, and proceeds to overtake... must have no idea of whats ahead... and they just about swerve into space ahead of me before either hitting the car infront or being forced onto other side of road.
Driving then shakes head at me for bad driving...

There were many other cases where drivers were flashing me to 'move up quicker' to the car in front, even though they were at a red light.
Just to clarify, I wasn't dangerously crawling along at these points, but merely off the gas and braking just slightly.

stefanovich

whiskeyman wrote: »

I was on an advanced driving course over the weekend and found it very interesting.

Any more detail on this?

ironclaw

@whiskeyman, funny you mention that, I always do that. I feel you really learn how to read a road and traffic. Proceeding at the usual pace but anticipation. I can easily make it from Cabra to Wicklow with brakes only at the start and end. Its a stupid and meaningless accomplishment but I do feel it helps.

Another good one is the M50 / M11 at rush hour until Bray South. Harder than it sounds.

whiskeyman

ironclaw wrote: »

. Its a stupid and meaningless accomplishment but I do feel it helps.

It really does make you observe a lot more, and also controls the traffic behind you... well, that's is supposed to be the case, but in practice too many drivers can't put up with it!
It also helps with fuel consumption, as you're not coming to stops / starting as often.


stefanovich - it was arranged through work and was a company from the UK who ran it.
Can't remember the name now, but it seemed more focused on company training.

visual

Advance driving is a joke if it encourage you to be a rolling road block causing accidents

ironclaw

visual wrote: »

Advance driving is a joke if it encourage you to be a rolling road block causing accidents

As opposed to being inches from the person in front and slamming on the brakes every 10 seconds as is the case on the M50 every single morning? Its not about a rolling road block, its about keeping a gap and anticipating traffic. One of the major forms of traffic stoppage is when a car enters the braking distance of another, an inexperienced driver brakes and because everyone else is so close, they start to brake, causing a ripple. Eventually, perhaps even 100 cars back, that 100th car has to stop. If you have two people in the middle with a large enough gap between them, the 'tension' of the spring effect is absorbed meaning everyone behind that 'break' doesn't have to stop and as a block they keep rolling. A lane stop / starting will have a lower average speed than a lane that is slowly moving but never stopping. Its simple.

Leaving a gap would solve a massive amount of the traffic issues we have in this country, the M11/N11 being a prime example.

creedp

ironclaw wrote: »

As opposed to being inches from the person in front and slamming on the brakes every 10 seconds as is the case on the M50 every single morning? Its not about a rolling road block, its about keeping a gap and anticipating traffic. One of the major forms of traffic stoppage is when a car enters the braking distance of another, an inexperienced driver brakes and because everyone else is so close, they start to brake, causing a ripple. Eventually, perhaps even 100 cars back, that 100th car has to stop. If you have two people in the middle with a large enough gap between them, the 'tension' of the spring effect is absorbed meaning everyone behind that 'break' doesn't have to stop and as a block they keep rolling. A lane stop / starting will have a lower average speed than a lane that is slowly moving but never stopping. Its simple.

Leaving a gap would solve a massive amount of the traffic issues we have in this country, the M11/N11 being a prime example.

Like a lot of things in life though unless there is a critical mass of people prepared to drive in that optimum manner there's little point you an an individual practicing it. Yesterday evening on M1 I was staying back a reasonable 2 car distance from the car in front of me doing 100 kph when a passat driver swerved in from the lh lane causing me to brake sharply and almost causing a pile up behind me ... was I driving in a relatively safe/efficient manner on the M1 yesterday? You could argue that my 'safe' driving nearly caused an accident!!

TherapyBoy

2 car lengths is about 10 metres or so. 2 seconds distance @100kph is just over 50 metres. Is it 2 seconds you mean?

creedp

TherapyBoy wrote: »

2 car lengths is about 10 metres or so. 2 seconds distance @100kph is just over 50 metres. Is it 2 seconds you mean?

No I mean 2 car lengths or as you say 10m! While it may not seem a lot its more than enough space to invite lads to swerve into on the MI/M50. If you leave any more than that you will have a queue of cars undertaking you and filling that inviting gap!

TherapyBoy

I'm guessing reaction times etc here but if you had to react to something happening in front of you;
Your brain realising there is a hazard ahead = 1/4 second
Deciding what to do & hitting the brake pedal = 1/4 second
1/2 second @100kph is over 12 metres travelled before you react.

You can't control what other motorists will do, take what control you can & leave a gap you can be safe in. If you leave a minimum of 2 seconds between you & the car in front and you have 60 cars cutting into that gap in a journey, all it costs you is 60 seconds.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

creedp

TherapyBoy wrote: »

I'm guessing reaction times etc here but if you had to react to something happening in front of you;
Your brain realising there is a hazard ahead = 1/4 second
Deciding what to do & hitting the brake pedal = 1/4 second
1/2 second @100kph is over 12 metres travelled before you react.

You can't control what other motorists will do, take what control you can & leave a gap you can be safe in. If you leave a minimum of 2 seconds between you & the car in front and you have 60 cars cutting into that gap in a journey, all it costs you is 60 seconds.

And in doing so encourage continuous undertaking into choc-a-block left lanes while continuously braking to maintin a safe distance from the car ahead .. not sure which is more dangerous

TherapyBoy

If they can undertake you are in the wrong lane.

creedp

TherapyBoy wrote: »

If they can undertake you are in the wrong lane.

How when I'm up the *ss of the car (paraphrasing your view of my earlier posts) in front of me on the RHL and that car is holding me up? The only way they can undertake is if I follow your strategy of maintaining a significant gap between the car in front of me.

However, I agree that a lot of these discussions end up in you're in the wrong lane if someone is able to undertake you

visual

ironclaw wrote: »

As opposed to being inches from the person in front and slamming on the brakes every 10 seconds as is the case on the M50 every single morning? Its not about a rolling road block, its about keeping a gap and anticipating traffic. One of the major forms of traffic stoppage is when a car enters the braking distance of another, an inexperienced driver brakes and because everyone else is so close, they start to brake, causing a ripple. Eventually, perhaps even 100 cars back, that 100th car has to stop. If you have two people in the middle with a large enough gap between them, the 'tension' of the spring effect is absorbed meaning everyone behind that 'break' doesn't have to stop and as a block they keep rolling. A lane stop / starting will have a lower average speed than a lane that is slowly moving but never stopping. Its simple.

Leaving a gap would solve a massive amount of the traffic issues we have in this country, the M11/N11 being a prime example.

If everyone drove trying to anticipate traffic lights and other cars so they don't have to brake just imagine what rush hour would be like. It will not be the ideal solution you imagine.

The reason for traffic stop starting on motorways is because of the difference in speed between vehicles. Could just as easy say if everyone drove fast it solve traffic problem and merged at correct speed used lanes correctly then leave the motorway at motorway speed.

ironclaw

visual wrote: »

Could just as easy say if everyone drove fast it solve traffic problem and merged at correct speed used lanes correctly then leave the motorway at motorway speed.

Most studies stay that enforcing a minimum gap between cars, not allowing lane changes near junctions and lower speed limits at rush hour improve flow. And its true if you look at it. Most people get it into their head that its a motorway, so they have to 'go fast' But end up too close, braking, ripple etc. Opposed to a road where traffic is flowing steadily at say 60km/h with large gaps for merging, the average speed is higher.

I agree with you though, its purely academic and never going to happen, but even if people starting leaving a gap and started thinking a shade, it would improve things greatly.

On thread though, anyone noticed the new thing of crossing hatches areas? In particular at junctions on the M50 either as an attempt to leave faster or cut in at the last moment? Tallaght North Bound being a prime example.