Are drivers getting more aggressive last 10 years, or coked up?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 04-01-2020 10:59pm

pablo128 wrote: »

Definitely. But what is evident also, is that the aggressive driver isn't always the speed merchant or the lad trying to barge into your lane, or beeping you at the lights. There's a certain cohort who seem to think they can dictate other people's driving through blocking them or speeding up to close a gap so as not to let someone out of a turn or to change lane.

Relax!!!!

pablo128 · 04-01-2020 11:06pm

Pinch Flat wrote: »

You mean there's a certain cohort who just want to use the roads safely. I think its kind of odd that people like me are said to be dictating, whereas people speeding or driving reckless are not. It's part of the problem with the aggressive driving on the roads.

All the types of drivers you just described are aggressive drivers. As well as the twits who try to police other drivers.

firstlight · 04-01-2020 11:06pm

Having drove for a living and been on the road 10 to 15 hours a day
Done multi drop around Dublin city
My honest opinion
It's not down to what car people drive
It's down to the fact
They can't drive
Judge distance s
Sitting in middle lane day dreaming
Be alert
Understand braking space
Courtesy to other drivers
Indicate
The list goes on
Biggest one for me is not speeding up when joining a motorway
Tryna enter a motorway at 50 kph

pablo128 · 04-01-2020 11:06pm

Merrick Purple Frisbee wrote: »

Relax!!!!

???

Acosta · 04-01-2020 11:11pm

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Hmmm. Think there's a bit of false equivalence going on there. When I end up in court for travelling at the speed limit and holding someone up, I'll let you know. Been driving since 1987 with zero penalty points, no fines and not as much as a parking ticket, so not expecting this to happen anytime soon.

I'm perfectly happy if I'm driving a couple of car lengths or more behind another vehicle at the speed limit. These days it's almost a treat to get that on a long drive to be honest. If someone flying along comes up behind and I can move in a bit and let him go past, then whatever speed I am driving at I will as soon as possible. If I think the guy behind is driving too fast and being aggressive the last thing I want to do is prolong the situation. I want him gone out of my life as quickly as possible.

Or if someone behind is going a few km faster than me and not being aggressive then I will still move aside because his driving is none of my business and again It's much safer to be able to drive along by myself without relying on the competence and skill of the other driver not to smack into the back of me if I must break suddenly.

Pinch Flat · 04-01-2020 11:11pm

pablo128 wrote: »

All the types of drivers you just described are aggressive drivers. As well as the twits who try to police other drivers.

Suppose we have to agee to disagree here. Apologies if my safe driving is winding others up and I certainly don't consider it policing or driving aggressively. Just relax - plan your journey, leave loads of time and don't expect people to get out of your way to your destination. You'll arrive less stressed.

pablo128 · 04-01-2020 11:13pm

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Suppose we have to agee to disagree here. Apologies if my safe driving is winding others up and I certainly don't consider it policing or driving aggressively. Just relax - plan your journey, leave loads of time and don't expect people to get out of your way to your destination. You'll arrive less stressed.

I do all of the above. What makes you think I don't?

Pinch Flat · 04-01-2020 11:17pm

pablo128 wrote: »

I do all of the above. What makes you think I don't?

Tone of your posts.

pablo128 wrote: »

We've all encountered utter wankbags who hog the white line, policing the roads, and when you dare overtake, they speed up. Then when you complete the overtake they put the full beam on.

I wonder how many of them are posting on this thread.

pgj2015 · 04-01-2020 11:21pm

the drivers who are up your arse even though you are doing 100kph in a 100kph zone think they are great drivers but the reality is they havent a clue, the kind of ejits who end up rear ending you and because they are driving too fast and cant stop in time when required. i will never move in for them until the day i stop driving, and hope that when they do pass me that the speed camera or guards catch them, then they might finally learn.

FixdePitchmark · 04-01-2020 11:23pm

firstlight wrote: »

Having drove for a living and been on the road 10 to 15 hours a day
Done multi drop around Dublin city
My honest opinion
It's not down to what car people drive
It's down to the fact
They can't drive
Judge distance s
Sitting in middle lane day dreaming
Be alert
Understand braking space
Courtesy to other drivers
Indicate
The list goes on
Biggest one for me is not speeding up when joining a motorway
Tryna enter a motorway at 50 kph

your not that great a driver yourself on the road 10 to 15 hours ?

04-01-2020 11:26pm

pgj2015 wrote: »

the drivers who are up your arse even though you are doing 100kph in a 100kph zone think they are great drivers but the reality is they havent a clue, the kind of ejits who end up rear ending you and because they are driving too fast and cant stop in time when required. i will never move in for them until the day i stop driving, and hope that when they do pass me that the speed camera or guards catch them, then they might finally learn.

I do because I don't want to be the one they end up rear ending.

Acosta · 04-01-2020 11:27pm

pgj2015 wrote: »

the drivers who are up your arse even though you are doing 100kph in a 100kph zone think they are great drivers but the reality is they havent a clue, the kind of ejits who end up rear ending you and because they are driving too fast and cant stop in time when required. i will never move in for them until the day i stop driving, and hope that when they do pass me that the speed camera or guards catch them, then they might finally learn.

If one of them ends up crashing into you and you end up with a bad back, you can at least say you stuck to your guns. Wouldn't it be so much safer and pleasant if they were just gone and not behind you?

Pinch Flat · 04-01-2020 11:29pm

Acosta wrote: »

If one of them ends up crashing into you and you end up with a bad back, you can at least say you stuck to your guns. Wouldn't it be so much safer and pleasant if they were just gone and not behind you?

Or , on the other hand, if they misjudged an overtake and caused a collision ahead that I'm now involved in. I'd find an aggressive driver behind me of less risk than someone carrying on further up the road.

jimwallace197 · 04-01-2020 11:32pm

Harder driving now in my experience, cyclists/scooters all over the place, garda traffic core often waiting on any opportunity to pounce. Great for the fines and revenue generation.

Add to this more pressures of modern day living, people being always available by mobile phone, using google maps/sat nav to find a location without knowing the area.

We live in a high tax country that is not far off a police state in many respects. People are highly stressed under the punitive taxes they are exposed to, nanny state they are expected to comply with.

Driving is often a form of expression of how one is living, the more stressed the driver, the worse the driving.

FixdePitchmark · 04-01-2020 11:33pm

look anyone who deliberately holds up progression on a motorway, should lose license.

Horrendous aggressive behaviour.

people in overtaking lane doing 100 to 110 , shouldn't be on road.

FixdePitchmark · 04-01-2020 11:34pm

jimwallace197 wrote: »

Harder driving now in my experience, cyclists/scooters all over the place, garda traffic core often waiting on any opportunity to pounce. Great for the fines and revenue generation.

Add to this more pressures of modern day living, people being always available by mobile phone, using google maps/sat nav to find a location without knowing the area.

We live in a high tax country that is not far off a police state in many respects. People are highly stressed under the punitive taxes they are exposed to, nanny state they are expected to comply with.

Driving is often a form of expression of how one is living, the more stressed the driver, the worse the driving.

what on earth have taxes got to do with it.

F4ML33 · 04-01-2020 11:36pm

pgj2015 wrote: »

the drivers who are up your arse even though you are doing 100kph in a 100kph zone think they are great drivers but the reality is they havent a clue, the kind of ejits who end up rear ending you and because they are driving too fast and cant stop in time when required. i will never move in for them until the day i stop driving, and hope that when they do pass me that the speed camera or guards catch them, then they might finally learn.

What if the 100kph zone is a decent stretch of road which can easily be managed at well above say 160kph? A good car will stop in plenty of time, especially if it is a high end car BMW etc. you can't make statements like that certain cars will stop faster than your car even if they are travelling much faster than you. You're better off to pull in & let the motorist go ahead with their life. Unfortunately you are a huge part of our problems on N routes.

Wibbs · 04-01-2020 11:39pm

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Been driving since 1987 with zero penalty points, no fines and not as much as a parking ticket, so not expecting this to happen anytime soon.

Ditto, though since 1985 "officially"*. Though sorry, I did get a parking ticket once, though it was quashed. I was able to prove I wasn't parked in a loading zone at the time because I was in with a mate whose CCTV was timestamped. Over eager Guard whose watch was on the blink. And I generally don't drive fast. I keep up with traffic, take it handy on motorways and pretty much always below the posted limit, but do so on the inside lane.

I got one of those data logger yokes that plugs into my particular ancient old ECU that takes and logs all sorts of readings and displays them on an android phone(ta fellow Boardsie Lostinblanch) attached to my dash and in the seven months I've had it my highest recorded speed was 119 Kph. I could hand the phone to a Guard and he'd be all "grand so". Well unless I told him it was down O'Connell street at 2am.

So I'm no speed demon. Well... on backroads with long lines of sight in high summer I can be a tad "spirited" and the ancient howl of VTEC might be heard more often. Allegedly. Your Honour. In other jurisdictions.

Still, my attitude to other road users is one of general defence. That includes letting speed demons pass me by when it's safe to do so. It's not my job to police others and my high horse only extends so far upwards, plus they'll be the ones getting the much slower ride in the hearse if things go sideways.

*T'was different times. I'll say nada...

:D

FixdePitchmark · 04-01-2020 11:40pm

F4ML33 wrote: »

What if the 100kph zone is a decent stretch of road which can easily be managed at well above say 160kph? A good car will stop in plenty of time, especially if it is a high end car BMW etc. you can't make statements like that certain cars will stop faster than your car even if they are travelling much faster than you. You're better off to pull in & let the motorist go ahead with their life. Unfortunately you are a huge part of our problems on N routes.

your dead right

only reason clown above would be rear ended is because they don't give a **** about anyone on the road , selfish.

I'm going to sit in this lane and hold 20,000 cars up from dublin to Naas

clowns

punisher5112 · 04-01-2020 11:41pm

Simple really if you're driving correctly you drive as close to the left as safe to do so.

See so many that hug the centre line and constantly go up and down as they can't stick to one speed.

Use cruise control all the time and as it's not the adaptive I'm constantly having to adjust or turn off completely.

Just stay our of others way, let them be the one that gets caught....

04-01-2020 11:47pm

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

look anyone who deliberately holds up progression on a motorway, should lose license.

Horrendous aggressive behaviour.

people in overtaking lane doing 100 to 110 , shouldn't be on road.

That's not what's being discussed though. More like national roads.

But if someone is actually overtaking at 100 on the motorway and pulls back into other lane after they're finished overtaking the slower moving vehicle then they're perfectly entitled to do so. As long as they don't pull out directly in front of you doing this slower speed. (Been there... Doing 120... Idiot pulls out in front of me doing about 90. Cue hard breaking, hazard lights etc. However didn't bother blasting them out of it with the horn as it was too late for a warning, and the horn is not for chastising.)

pgj2015 · 04-01-2020 11:48pm

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

your dead right

only reason clown above would be rear ended is because they don't give a **** about anyone on the road , selfish.

I'm going to sit in this lane and hold 20,000 cars up from dublin to Naas

clowns

sorry I thought it was me who was driving as we are taught. you wouldnt drive over the speed limit in your driving test would you? the only clowns are the ones who think they are formula one drivers then blame the guards for pulling them over and giving them penalty points.

pgj2015 · 04-01-2020 11:50pm

onearmedb4ndit wrote: »

Agree 100%.

If i want to do 180km/h in the right hand lane.. get out of my way. Breaking the law or not, It's my choice. Nobody else's job to pull out & reduce me 120km/h. Ridiculous carry-on.

thats like saying if i want to down 20 pints and drive home its my choice. you are the one being ridiculous.

Wibbs · 04-01-2020 11:52pm

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

people in overtaking lane doing 100 to 110 , shouldn't be on road.

Well to be fair unless the one they're passing is doing 60 and the outside lane is clear. I actually did just that last Thursday. TBH I think I passed them at 90.

F4ML33 wrote: »

What if the 100kph zone is a decent stretch of road which can easily be managed at well above say 160kph? A good car will stop in plenty of time, especially if it is a high end car BMW etc. you can't make statements like that certain cars will stop faster than your car even if they are travelling much faster than you. You're better off to pull in & let the motorist go ahead with their life. Unfortunately you are a huge part of our problems on N routes.

Not picking on you F, but for me this is a big problem with a few drivers out there. Yes cars have gotten so much better and so much safer in the last 30 years, but the laws of physics or human biology haven't changed. The differences in force, reaction times, potential disaster outcomes and your average driver's skillset are quite a bit different at 100 compared to 160+. If men like Fangio, Moss, Clark, Senna and Lauda can lose control, well then an ape like me has eff all chance once my talent runs out.

I think too many out there area little too cocooned by the apparent safety in modern cars. Many moons ago I read an article by one Jeremy Clarkson,where he mused in a joking fashion that maybe the answer to road safety was to install a six inch rusty spike in every steering wheel pointing at the driver. Maybe he had a clumsy point(no pun). I can say that losing control at 160 is a way bigger bowel evacuation than losing control at 60. I know, I have the tee shirt.

LaFuton · 04-01-2020 11:54pm

pretty sure roads were made for cars

monkeysnapper · 04-01-2020 11:56pm

You should cycle to work ... theres never any bother between cars and cycles.

Pinch Flat · 05-01-2020 12:00am

LaFuton wrote: »

pretty sure roads were made for cars

Sure, it was amazing foresight to lay out the original N and R roads and our towns and villages that evolved over hundreds of years with the car in mind

Wibbs · 05-01-2020 12:00am

pgj2015 wrote: »

sorry I thought it was me who was driving as we are taught.

Well the test while better than it was... I don;t "feed the wheel", neither do I downshift all the gears coming up to a traffic light. Well I don't drive a 1950's London Police car*. And I don't think I've ever reversed around a corner since the test. Does the current test even mark motorway driving?

you wouldnt drive over the speed limit in your driving test would you?

Actually... Though only slightly.

*That's what the original UK driving test was based on. The 1950's London police driving test. And as night follows day, we copied them.

Dravokivich · 05-01-2020 12:03am

F4ML33 wrote: »

What if the 100kph zone is a decent stretch of road which can easily be managed at well above say 160kph? A good car will stop in plenty of time, especially if it is a high end car BMW etc. you can't make statements like that certain cars will stop faster than your car even if they are travelling much faster than you. You're better off to pull in & let the motorist go ahead with their life. Unfortunately you are a huge part of our problems on N routes.

What if the car in front of you, stops quicker than you can?

But in fairness, I've no misunderstanding of how some could stop quickly from 160. It's how violent they do so, thatd be of concern.

05-01-2020 12:05am

Wibbs wrote: »

Does the current test even mark motorway driving?

Nope. If you're lucky enough to do lessons near a duel carriageway you should be brought along that, but motorway driving we're somehow supposed to figure out for ourselves.

I read an RSA guide on 3 lane motorways before heading onto one for the first time. Probably more than many have ever done, seeing how no one seems to know how to use the middle lane at all.

Few informative ads on TV would be wonderful.

LaFuton · 05-01-2020 12:07am

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Sure, it was amazing foresight to lay out the original N and R roads and our towns and villages that evolved over hundreds of years with the car in mind

u b tru

misses horses

actual roady roads were made for dem wheely cars

Acosta · 05-01-2020 12:08am

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Or , on the other hand, if they misjudged an overtake and caused a collision ahead that I'm now involved in. I'd find an aggressive driver behind me of less risk than someone carrying on further up the road.

Not commenting on your incident as I don't know the details. If I am driving and there is the space to move in and let the guy go past then there will be no issue with him overtaking because he'll remain on his side of the road meaning there is no danger to him, me or an oncoming vehicle. If he overtakes me on a back road where I can't pull in, or if I am unaware he is coming because he is over taking multiple vehicles behind me and ahead of me when he doesn't have the space then he's a dangerous bastard that deserves to be punished.

Thinkingaboutit · 05-01-2020 12:17am

Deleted User wrote: »

There has been a marked increase in the number of Audis and BMWs sold, both new and secondhand.

At least most aficionados of self love, the angry sort, advertise themselves that way, like poisonous plants or dangerous animals, as things to be avoided.

jimwallace197 · 05-01-2020 12:19am

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

what on earth have taxes got to do with it.

Everything, people are more stressed.

It's hard to take seriously the opinion of someone who thinks people should be banned off the roads for doing 100-110km in an overtaking lane when the max speed limit is 120km.

Have a kit-kat

The chan chan man · 05-01-2020 12:20am

2 seconds at a green light?!

I’m generally sound - but this drives me nuts! When the light goes green - GO!!...or proceed with caution.... but at least move!!

05-01-2020 12:26am

How many of us are guilty of being stuck in a queue roaring "Move the fcuk! What the hell are you doing?" then realise the first car is displaying L plates, and felt like a dick?

I know I have.

pwurple · 05-01-2020 12:27am

I got a dash cam recently, as I have started to get convinced I am going to be wiped out on the roads one of these days. In the last month I have fun footage of

cars driving towards me on the wrong side of the road
Driving through red lights into my path
Jumping greens
Not moving at green, entirely missing the sequence of lights
Driving without lights at night
Tailgating people in front of me and swerving aggressively and beeping to get past them
All sorts of messy indicating... including indicating right or left and going straight on, or suddenly turning without indication
Lane positions wrong, especially on roundabouts and Exiting N roads.. in center lane on a 2 lane roundabout and cutting across to first exit for example.

I think it is probably just more people on the road, as we are at full employment. Same percentage of sloppy drivers = more when volumes are higher.

I spent years on a motorbike, and you get a better appreciation of how close you are to death on the road with that perhaps. But even motorcycles these days have some risky behaviours. Moving at speed with feet off the pegs a few mm off the road, wrong gear, wrong lights, wrong tyres, wrong road position. All fixable with training, but I don’t know are people doing it anymore.

Andrew00 · 05-01-2020 12:32am

Sure the last day at a busy junction in Galway there was a fella watching the Liverpool game on his phone at the front of the traffic lights

SCUM OF THE EARTH holding everyone else up

Andrew00 · 05-01-2020 12:34am

Also this thing of young lads videoing themselves on Snapchat driving with the music turned up and they on the wrong side of the road approaching you

They think they're hard or something

Pretzill · 05-01-2020 12:34am

I have a Cam front and back...I don't know if it's impatience, drugs or just simple gob****ery but those c{nts that drive up yer bum when you are driving close to the speed limit and then they go to overtake on a continuous white line/a bend/ etc. If conditions allow I will always move in to let faster drivers by but those ****ers they seem to crave putting people under pressure for a few seconds gain. A dash Cam is necessary now.

pwurple · 05-01-2020 12:36am

I drive a 5 year old car, automatic, and I have no idea why on earth people are putting the car in “park” or N at traffic lights. You are not parked. Neutral in an automatic is when you need to push it! No other reason to use that in normal driving. Sounds like a hangover from old gearbox driving, rather than knowing how to drive the newer models.

Any electric car has enough torque to be away from the lights in a split second. If you’re still there after a few seconds, you’re simply not paying attention, or you are driving something older. I give allowances for the auld fellas in fossil fuel cars who are chugging through combustion sequences, but give a gentle beep to dawdling phone readers.

iamtony · 05-01-2020 12:42am

Didn't read this whole thread, only page one and I say almost every rude and impatient driver i come across is driving an older car.
My conclusion is they are either young and haven't had a few crashes to put them in their place with insurance etc. Or they are older and disgruntled with how life has turned out for them that they are 50 driving a 08 car or whatever.
Disclaimer, I'm into cars and would gladly drive an older car but they aren't the type that would, they dont maintain them or anything.

Dravokivich · 05-01-2020 12:59am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Nope. If you're lucky enough to do lessons near a duel carriageway you should be brought along that, but motorway driving we're somehow supposed to figure out for ourselves.

I read an RSA guide on 3 lane motorways before heading onto one for the first time. Probably more than many have ever done, seeing how no one seems to know how to use the middle lane at all.

Few informative ads on TV would be wonderful.

Motorway driving isnt complicated. Stop making it sound like it is. It's just a dual carriage way with free flow intersections that dont disrupt traffic on the main highway.

05-01-2020 1:01am

Dravokivich wrote: »

Motorway driving isnt complicated. Stop making it sound like it is. It's just a dual carriage way with free flow intersections that dont disrupt traffic on the main highway.

Maybe you can write the ads.

greencap · 05-01-2020 1:10am

Everything else in life has become instant so we've started to expect traffic to be the same.

Engage with the digital all day then encounter the human so we freak out.

Instant send, instant select, instant order, instant pay, instant news, instant food. Phone in your pocket for instant organisation, instant response.
No delays. Now.

Then you end up behind some doddery yoke.

Canyon86 · 05-01-2020 1:14am

anewme wrote: »

Do they need to be connected.? I dont want to start wiring it into the dashboard.

I’d highly recommend a dash cam and they don’t need to be hardwired

Mine goes in to the cigarette slot, very handy bit of kit, Halfords have a decent selection of cams

05-01-2020 1:21am

There are certain behaviours with aggressive driving that I don't understand. I was overtaking at 120 on the M11 recently at night, when a van came up behind me very, very fast - as in wasn't near me when I pulled out, but caught up too quickly. I get that they were going well over 120 and wanted to continue doing that speed, but I was actually overtaking and not just hogging the lane. They drove right up behind me and stuck on the full beams. I was mid overtake so getting out of the lane wasn't even an option. But who actually thinks "this car is in my way, I know what will make this situation much better and safer for everyone? BLIND THEM! Yeah! That will totally teach them to drive the way I want them to!"

I finished overtaking then indicated left to pull back into the left lane, and only then they dipped their lights. Was completely helpful to force me into completing the manouvre I obviously intended, I did it so much more efficiently and timely when half blinded. Thanks.

Do these people not like getting home alive?

Dravokivich · 05-01-2020 1:24am

They only see what's in front of them, as something in their way. By the sounds of things, It's likely they weren't in a rush to get where they were going, but away from where they've been.

05-01-2020 1:29am

Dravokivich wrote: »

They only see what's in front of them, as something in their way. By the sounds of things, It's likely they weren't in a rush to get where they were going, but away from where they've been.

I get ya, and I get what they're thinking too, just trying to force traffic out if their way, but surely they would have the futuresight to think that maybe a blinded driver doing 120 on a two lane motorway might not be safe even for them? I think that's asking for too much thought though.

Dravokivich · 05-01-2020 1:31am

They dont give sh!t. All they are thinking is, you're in their way. They dont care at all.

Are drivers getting more aggressive last 10 years, or coked up?

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