Explain this to me....

Theboinkmaster · 02-08-2007 02:29PM

Darragh29 - you're either a troll or a complete muppet.

One of your posts says:

"Was talking more about my own experience of driving and in particular, driving in the overtaking lane usually overtaking someone and having some c*nt try to flash me...."

usually overtaking someone? as stated over and over by previous posters you should only EVER be in the outside lane when overtaking - speed is irrelevant

And another one of your posts state:

"Exactly my point, nobody should be policing the driving of others by flashing at them in an intimidating manner, it's not open to them to do this. My point was that if I'm overtaking someone legally and some muppet comes up behind me from nowhere driving in excess of 140KPH and starts flashing at me to get out of their way so that they can continue to break the law, I'm not going to pull over or go anywhere, period."

You sir are an aggressive driver - you should not stay in the overtaking lane "period" you should move into the left lane once completing your overtaking. Obviously he is wrong to flash you but combatting one type of aggressive driving with another is wrong and you're an idiot.

There really is no debate to be had - of course you can flash someone in the overtaking lane if they're not overtaking. I'd say most times when i come up to someone they pull over (regardless of speed) and I've done it many times myself - if i need to flash (after giving them planty of time to move in) it'd because they are unaware of their surroundings and are very dozy.

And as other posters have already stated flashing is normal and quite polite - tailgating whilst doing it obviously is not

Theboinkmaster · 02-08-2007 02:38PM

Darragh29 wrote:

The only drivers I've ever seen who've flashed me are those that are doing 140KPH upwards. If there is suddenly a cohort of drivers here on this thread who "only flash people doing under the speed limit", then this is entierly inconsistent with what I see on the road regularly. If you flash at someone to get them to move out of your way, you are ignorant adn you are most likely speeding in excess of the limit, that's my opinion, based on my daily experience while driving. I can't speak for someone who is flashed at when they are doing 90KPH on a motorway, I can only speak for the driver who is doing way in excess of the limit and flashes EVERYONE out of his/her way, whether they are overtaking or not. I don't accept that the people on this thread who condone flashing aer not also speeding, as the only people I see who flash at other drivers to get out of their way in an overtaking lane are those that are speeding excessively.

Ah jaysus you're beyond help just bugger off

Speed is irrelevant - if you're not overtaking get the fukc out of the outside lane PERIOD

If you are overtaking then the driver behind you has no right to flash you, again speed is irrelevant. However I think of myself as quite a polite driver (and think of you as very aggressive and a compelte idiot) and so say im on the m1 overtaking a load of space-out cars at 120 and someone comes behind me doing 140, regardless of whether they flash me, ill move over to let them pass and then move back into the outside lane and continue on my way - no fuss no hassle. Yes if the car doing 140 flashed me i may think "idiot give me a chance" but id still move over as it's not worth causing a crash over

All this is very common sense

Anan1 · 02-08-2007 02:54PM

Darragh29 - Do you ever drive in the overtaking lane when the left lane is empty?

Stephen · 02-08-2007 03:12PM

Theboinkmaster wrote:

Speed is irrelevant - if you're not overtaking get the fukc out of the outside lane PERIOD

QFT.

Anan1 · 02-08-2007 03:24PM

With regard to the issue of flashing, i'd like to make another point. If I am in the overtaking lane behind a car which is not overtaking and do not flash, then do I not become partly responsible for the queue of traffic that builds up behind me?

Theboinkmaster · 02-08-2007 03:54PM

Anan1 wrote:

With regard to the issue of flashing, i'd like to make another point. If I am in the overtaking lane behind a car which is not overtaking and do not flash, then do I not become partly responsible for the queue of traffic that builds up behind me?

Yes I'd say so - you should not drive up their ass and just give them a little time to move over then if they don't flash them (just once) and if they still don't move flash them 2/3 times

Id they stay there they're either stubborn and don't know the rules of the road or else completely oblivious to their surroundings - both make them dangerous drivers.

If you don't do anything then the queue of drivers behind you could:

a - undertake, which is obviously very dangerous
b - just wait and get very frustrated and perhaps once clear drive a little more aggressively & faster than they normally would (human nature im afraid)

or if theyre relaxed like me just enjoy some tunes and get there whenever you get there

Marcus.Aurelius · 02-08-2007 03:57PM

I would hope that Darragh guy at least gets the good points raised here. He seems obsessed with policing our roads. If you are not overtaking, you move back into the driving lane. Period. QFT. END!!!!

Anan1 · 02-08-2007 04:04PM

Theboinkmaster wrote:

If you don't do anything then the queue of drivers behind you could:

a - undertake, which is obviously very dangerous
b - just wait and get very frustrated and perhaps once clear drive a little more aggressively & faster than they normally would (human nature im afraid)

or if theyre relaxed like me just enjoy some tunes and get there whenever you get there

I am of the opinion that the least dangerous option in this situation (ie flashing the lights didn't work) is to undertake, leaving plenty of room and using the horn liberally to ensure that the other car is aware of your presence.

Marcus.Aurelius · 02-08-2007 04:05PM

Anan1 wrote:

I am of the opinion that the least dangerous option in this situation (ie flashing the lights didn't work) is to undertake, leaving plenty of room and using the horn liberally to ensure that the other car is aware of your presence.

Its often the only course left open to you. It is illegal to undertake, and your moron driver beside you might not even see you, and decide to move over. Or if they're the really obnoxious skill-less fu*ckwit type, they'll try to cut you off, or accelerate as you try to pass.

Darragh29 · 02-08-2007 06:24PM

maoleary wrote:

I would hope that Darragh guy at least gets the good points raised here. He seems obsessed with policing our roads. If you are not overtaking, you move back into the driving lane. Period. QFT. END!!!!

You obviously can't read. I specifically said on posts here that I don't think people should direct other road users to do anything, in particular I was referring to people flashing lights at other drivers from behind them, acting like they own the road, more or less demanding that other people in front of them move out of their way. This is agressive driving. If I'm overtaking one driver or a line of drivers and someone comes up behind me flashing lights at me, who has appeared behind me as if from nowhere, meaning that they have sped up behind me and want me to magically dissappear so that they can continue speeding, I'm not going to pull over for two reasons:

(1) Because I can't because I'm already overtaking traffic to my left and I can't pull in on top of them.

(2) I won't be intimidated by some sap into doing whatever it is they might want me to do so that they can continue breaking the law, because to do so would require me to start breaking the speed limit.

I seriously suspect that some people posting here and mouthing off at me are the same people you see suddenly appearing from absolutely nowhere in your rear view windscreen when you are overtaking, (because they have been doing 150KPH for the last few miles and you are the first car they have run into in the overtaking lane), that start throwing their hands up at you and flashing lights and tailgating you, because as you were doing what your entitled to and overtaking another vehicle or vehicles, you had the gall to slow down one of these muppets for a few seconds.

What I'm seeing here is symptomatic of the general problem with regard to rudeness and impatience that we see in this country every day now, the "I'm in a hurry, get the fu*k out of my way" gang.

As I've said for the zillioneth time, it's not your place to police the road and decide who is where they should be and who should move over. By flashing lights at people you are acting the policeman. Who are you to tell someone else on the road what to do??? No driver has any authority or business directing or even suggesting to another driver what they should do at any time.

Darragh29 · 02-08-2007 06:32PM

Anan1 wrote:

Darragh29 - Do you ever drive in the overtaking lane when the left lane is empty?

The only time I'd find myself in an overtaking lane when the left lane is empty would be if I just came out of a toll booth on the M50 or something like that. Also, if I had just overtaken a car and saw another car ahead a few hundred metres away that I wanted to overtake, I might stay in the overtaking lane for a few seconds rather than jump in and out of lanes, if there was nobody behind me in the overtaking lane.

I have to make this point, that in the vast vast majority of occasions, the people I see flashing lights at drivers in the overtaking lane are people who are driving performance cars like BMW's and Mercs who are usually doing around 20-30KPH above the speed limit.

Dwilly · 02-08-2007 06:41PM

Darragh29 wrote:

Because I can't because I'm already overtaking traffic to my left and I can't pull in on top of them.

I don't think anyone is suggesting it's OK to flash at overtakers. That's just plain rude. I wouldn't be intimidated out of the way either. As a recipient of the odd flash I think it's fine to be reminded

1) that you're in the overtaking lane and the left lane is empty (for a considerable time ahead)
2) the lights are green mate, let's get going!
3) it's dark and your lights are off

It's all common sense!

Darragh29 · 02-08-2007 07:12PM

Dwilly wrote:

I don't think anyone is suggesting it's OK to flash at overtakers. That's just plain rude. I wouldn't be intimidated out of the way either. As a recipient of the odd flash I think it's fine to be reminded

1) that you're in the overtaking lane and the left lane is empty (for a considerable time ahead)
2) the lights are green mate, let's get going!
3) it's dark and your lights are off

It's all common sense!

I'm not taking issue with someone flashing lights at me because I forget to turn my lights on in the dark or I didn't see the lights turn green ffs! I'm talking about the people, and we see them every day and I think there are a few of them posting on this thread, who drive up behind you agressively when you are overtaking, start flashing at you, usually a BMW or Merc driver, throwing hands up all over the place, then when you pull into the left lane when you get a chance, start gimping at you and continue on at 150KPH into the distance...

Darragh29 · 02-08-2007 07:13PM

Dwilly wrote:

I don't think anyone is suggesting it's OK to flash at overtakers. That's just plain rude.

Well there are a few people on here who think it's normal driving behaviour, just read the thread!

layke · 02-08-2007 07:14PM

unkel wrote:

There's no point doing it on a busy M50, but I nearly always floor it either direction on the tolls of both M1 and M4 provided the road is near empty. No better place to do a 0-something (:D) safely on our roads imho

They have a speed cam southbound just past the tool bridge now. Be careful, never has film but just in case.

I'd like to say it's legal to undertake if the overtaking lane is moving slower then the lane your in. However I can't find the exact wording of the law and I don't think it's supposed be used for a fast undertake either.

Dwilly · 02-08-2007 07:14PM

Darragh29 wrote:

I'm not taking issue with someone flashing lights at me because I forget to turn my lights on in the dark or I didn't see the lights turn green ffs!

I know you weren't. I was just equating the action with the other examples I mentioned.

Darragh29 · 02-08-2007 07:23PM

layke wrote:

They have a speed cam southbound just past the tool bridge now. Be careful, never has film but just in case.

Sure people on this thread never speed!

MrPudding · 02-08-2007 07:29PM

Darragh29 wrote:

I'm not taking issue with someone flashing lights at me because I forget to turn my lights on in the dark or I didn't see the lights turn green ffs!

But surely they are directing you to take some action? No? I thought you had an issue with that.

I don't think anyone here has said they would flash someone that is actively overtaking, in fact most of the posters have said they would not. I know I certainly wouldn't. You seem to have formed an opinion that they would and that all the people on this thread with an oposing view to yours is a menace on the road and must be an agressive driver.

MrP

Darragh29 · 02-08-2007 07:38PM

MrPudding wrote:

But surely they are directing you to take some action? No? I thought you had an issue with that.

If you can't work out the difference for yourself I'm afraid I can't help you with it any further. I'm sick of repeating myself at this stage.

MrPudding wrote:

I don't think anyone here has said they would flash someone that is actively overtaking, in fact most of the posters have said they would not. I know I certainly wouldn't. You seem to have formed an opinion that they would and that all the people on this thread with an oposing view to yours is a menace on the road and must be an agressive driver.
MrP

Again, not repeating myself anymore, if you can't work out my simple opinion for yourself, too bad. I'm reading the posts here and I'm seeing impatient agressive people who drive cars and flash at other road users to get out of their way. If you think other posters here are altar boy characters who never break the speed limit and only flash lights at old ladies who have forgotten that they are in the overtaking lane, that's fine by me, I respect your opinion.

Padraig Mor · 02-08-2007 08:21PM

Darragh29: you keep saying that you've read the replies yet you don't seem to have digested what they said!

They ALL say that they would not flash someone who is actually overtaking in the overtaking lane. What they say is that they would - after waiting an appropriate time - flash someone who is sitting in the overtaking lane for no reason. Speed is irrelevant. Yet you keep repeating that the only people who flash other drivers do so when those drivers are overtaking and that all the other posters condone this attitude. Learn to read man!

Marcus.Aurelius · 02-08-2007 08:59PM

Darragh29 wrote:

If you can't work out the difference for yourself I'm afraid I can't help you with it any further. I'm sick of repeating myself at this stage.

Again, not repeating myself anymore, if you can't work out my simple opinion for yourself, too bad. I'm reading the posts here and I'm seeing impatient agressive people who drive cars and flash at other road users to get out of their way. If you think other posters here are altar boy characters who never break the speed limit and only flash lights at old ladies who have forgotten that they are in the overtaking lane, that's fine by me, I respect your opinion.

GET....OVER....YOURSELF

You'll get flashed to move over when you are using the overtaking lane without overtaking or when you are not at the speed limit when overtaking. Live with it, we all need reminders. You are not the morality police. Pull the fu*k over if you are not overtaking. That's all we said. Doesn't it make sense??

GTC · 02-08-2007 09:07PM

If I see anyone using the overtaking lane blocking traffic when the inside lane is free, they get pulled with a warning or charged with failure to yield (2 pts) or even driving without due care and attention (2pts).

If they're really nasty, it will be driving dangerously, with a mandatory court appearance with 5 points on conviction. We get HGVs for using the overtaking lane at any time, 1 point with fixed notice, so we are watching these roads quite carefully.

Please be careful and do not force drivers to obey your rules. The Garda Siochána police the roads, not you. On the motorway, you must yield and move into the driving lane when it is clear and you are not overtaking another vehicle for a considerable distance.

If you fail in this simply duty and courtesy, you can be well sure that you will be caught sooner or later.

MrPudding · 02-08-2007 09:38PM

Darragh29 wrote:

If you can't work out the difference for yourself I'm afraid I can't help you with it any further. I'm sick of repeating myself at this stage.

As is everyone else that is trying to explain to you that they do not flash people that are overtaking, yet, you seem to ingore that point. Never let the facts get in the way of a good rant, eh?

Darragh29 wrote:

Again, not repeating myself anymore,

Excellent.

Darragh29 wrote:

if you can't work out my simple opinion for yourself, too bad.

Simple in the sense of mildly retarded? Yes, I got that.

Darragh29 wrote:

I'm reading the posts here and I'm seeing impatient agressive people who drive cars and flash at other road users to get out of their way.

Again, how does one flash lights aggressively? Like I mentioned before, my lights simply go off and on. It is not an aggressive act to alert someone to your presence. As I have said before, if I was in the act of overtaking I would be irritated, but if I was in the lane for whatever reason and I really shouldn't have been, I would take no issue from receiving a flash.

Darragh29 wrote:

If you think other posters here are altar boy characters who never break the speed limit and only flash lights at old ladies who have forgotten that they are in the overtaking lane, that's fine by me, I respect your opinion.

I know I personally have not said I never break the speed limit, I also can't recall any of the other posters in this thread denying they break the limit. That said, as has been repeatedly pointed out to you, the speed is irrelevent. It is not your place to police the actions of other road users. Should you have an issue with the behaviour, including speed, of an other road user, report them to the authorities. Alternatively, if you really want to do it yourself get off your arse and join up. Until then, get off your high horse and leave other road users alone to go about their business.

MrP

daedalus2097 · 02-08-2007 10:14PM

layke wrote:

I'd like to say it's legal to undertake if the overtaking lane is moving slower then the lane your in. However I can't find the exact wording of the law and I don't think it's supposed be used for a fast undertake either.

Basically it's one of those vague rules that you could try to justify to a Garda or judge but probably wouldn't have a chance. The rule is along the lines of only being allowed undertake if your line of traffic is moving faster than a line of traffic in the outside lane. Now, an isolated car, or even 2 cars in the outside lane doesn't really constitute a line of traffic, so you'd probably get done for it. The rule is really there for heavy traffic where both lanes are full and there's really no scope for overtaking anyway...

Vikings · 02-08-2007 10:15PM

Darragh29 wrote:

As I've said for the zillioneth time, it's not your place to police the road and decide who is where they should be and who should move over. By flashing lights at people you are acting the policeman. Who are you to tell someone else on the road what to do??? No driver has any authority or business directing or even suggesting to another driver what they should do at any time.

I find this little piece the funniest, you've said a zillion times that it's not anyones place to police the road... except for you of course, right? Because that is what you are doing.

If someone wants to speed, let them. It's not up to you to stop them from speeding, what you do is more dangerous than what they do! Travelling 140kmh on some of the best roads in the country is not going to kill anyone, forcing someone to take unnecessary risks to over/undertake you has a greater chance than that, and if someone wants to overtake you then they will regardless of how you drive or how you think they should be driving.

colm_mcm · 02-08-2007 10:27PM

flashing lights is simply informing the car in front that you want to get their attantion. it shouldn't be seen as aggressive.

Biro · 02-08-2007 11:03PM

Darragh29 wrote:

What I'm saying couldn't be clearer. Don't come on here slating people who are driving at the speed limit in the overtaking lane when you just want them to get out of your way so that you can then go and break the speed limit yourself. If you are breaking the speed limit, you are the biggest risk of causing an accdent or fatality where you are at that time.

Look, we've all experienced this at some stage or another, you're overtaking a vehicle or line of vehicles and out of nowhere this absolute assh*le appears behind you who has been doing 150KPH upwards in the overtaking lane for the last few miles until he met you there and now wants to continue doing 150KPH when you are sticking to the speed limit but still overtaking a line of cars, he's up your arse and flashing lights at you but you only have three options: (1) slow down to let the cars beside you pass you by and pull in behind them, (2) speed up and break the speed limit and he will still be flashing you and up your arse until you are going as fast as he wants to be going, or else (3) continue along at the speed limit and just suffer him.

Some of the people on this thread sound like this driver, with their "get out of my fu*kin' way" mentality. I suggest that if you are one of these drivers, you should have your licence taken off you because you are a serious risk to other road users. I've never flashed another driver in this situation in my life, I think it's the height of ignorance. Even if they are doing 80KPH on a motorway in an overtaking lane, it's not my job to police or indeed direct someone in this situation.

I didn't come on here slating anyone, I came on here and tried to clarify what you were saying. Where in the last post did I slate?
However, because of your arrogant response, I'll slate now.
The right hand lane is for overtaking. The speed limit enforcement is for the cops, not you. And why are you so cocky as to think that your speedo is correct and bang on accurate? What if you're looking all high and mighty at your speedo at 100kmph, while you're more likely doing 95kmph, and the person behind you wants (and by your admission is entitled to) do 100? Your blind arrogance is preventing that.
Also, if someone is breaking the limit, say they're doing 110kmph... you think they're a killer and any second going to have a nasty accident and kill people? What a stupid thing to say! That's the most laughable thing I've ever read. You'd have no problem then if I obeyed the limit at all times? like driving at 80kmph down a twisty road in dense fog and ice on the roads?
Grow a brain.

Stark · 02-08-2007 11:17PM

Of course what Darragh29 also fails to realise (when he's breaking the law while trying to stop people from breaking a different law) is that on quiet motorways, gardaí on their way to a call will often not bother with their sirens in order to avoid unnecessarily panicking people. I've heard of plenty of times where someone was stubbornly hogging the overtaking lane, only for the car trying to get past them from behind to switch on the sirens, pull them over and charge them with obstruction.

Drax · 03-08-2007 12:05AM

I have purposely fitted extra lights onto my motorbike and hooked them up to the passing switch because I am sick to the teeth of right-lane hoggers. I have absolutely no problem flashing these lights at people if I come up behind and they are too thick to realise I am there. They work wonders! I have a lot of patience for people who are overtaking but its the guys who sit in the right lane with nothing ahead of them that p*ss me off! Although with a bike it is possible to overtake on the right, even if they are in the right hand lane

littlejukka · 03-08-2007 12:27AM

Drax wrote:

... purposely fitted extra lights onto my motorbike and hooked them up to the passing switch......

....overtake on the right, even if they are in the right hand lane ...........

for everyone's sake, please start taking the bus

Explain this to me....

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