Oh really ? - New Fines for Motorists

[1945wickedred]

Standard of driving of some people is abismal,crossing from lane 3 to slip road on motorways cutting across the more careful drivers,should be instant termination not instant fines.No indicators,you can wait at a junction all day until someone decides to let you know they are turning left,speed limits are ignored,they are there for a purpose and don't say to be broken,I get the white van man on my tail all the time,pushing ,pushing all the time until I decide to out run him.Young drivers cause most accidents and that is a fact,they drive to fast with their heads on one side listening to their non existent exhaust note with their jungle music blaring out as well,so if my Daughters were young again they would never be allowed in a car with these morons,that's it from me.

 

[m1br]

An Opposite Reaction

I was on my way from Kent to Somerset when all this news made it across all mainstream radio programs.

The result was total and utter stupidity - more than normal.
Except, the knobs this week were the self-righteous 'road captains'.

Like a lot of other professional drivers, I was glad to hear of some new regulation.
But I was not prepared for what I witnessed time and time again on the M4/M5.

Circular driving, tailgating, abuse and dangerous cutting across by the 'road captains' with their new agenda of 'middle-lane policing'.

Honestly it was often frightening - all these clowns trying to make a point now the law is apparently on thier side.
The upshot was the most unpleasant days motoring since the Christmas rush.

I was stunned how many of these clowns had to chop the front off my car too, because I don't pull into lane one between two trucks just for five seconds.
This has never, ever, happened to me before this news broke.

Amazing knee-jerk reaction. Lets hope it calms down before something serious happens.

 

[Clkrichard]

Hogging middle lanes, jumping red lights, where does it end ?
I just wish I was such a clairvoyant driver that I could choose when and when not to obey the "rules" and which ones apply to everyone else apart from me !
I do hope you dont find out the hard way and that the blue lights you see are the police nicking you and not an ambulance clearing up your accident

 

[E55BOF]

I assumed you would stop reading after the second sentence of the second paragraph....

 

[Dieselman]

I was on my way from Kent to Somerset when all this news made it across all mainstream radio programs.

The result was total and utter stupidity - more than normal.
Except, the knobs this week were the self-righteous 'road captains'.

Like a lot of other professional drivers, I was glad to hear of some new regulation.
But I was not prepared for what I witnessed time and time again on the M4/M5.

Circular driving, tailgating, abuse and dangerous cutting across by the 'road captains' with their new agenda of 'middle-lane policing'.

Honestly it was often frightening - all these clowns trying to make a point now the law is apparently on thier side.
The upshot was the most unpleasant days motoring since the Christmas rush.

I was stunned how many of these clowns had to chop the front off my car too, because I don't pull into lane one between two trucks just for five seconds.
This has never, ever, happened to me before this news broke.

Amazing knee-jerk reaction. Lets hope it calms down before something serious happens.

Today I had one of these said fools firstly pull out from lane two to lane three in front of me to pass a car, then seemingly have an issue that I caught up with them as I slowed behind, once they were clear and back into lane two I accelerated and the Husband in the passenger seat started taking photo's of me with his mobile. First by leaning over the woman driver then through the windscreen, at which point I slowed and pulled into lane one to see what he was up to, she then accelerated over the limit and he took another picture.

It appears that motorways will now be full of vigilantes and Police stations will be full of do-gooders.

 

[Clkrichard]

I assumed you would stop reading after the second sentence of the second paragraph....

You make rather a lot of errors of judgement dont you ?

 

[E55BOF]

No, though possibly replying to your post was one. I don't think I'm going to change your mind or open your eyes, so shall we just agree to differ?

 

[E55BOF]

"Today I had one of these said fools firstly pull out from lane two to lane three in front of me to pass a car, then seemingly have an issue that I caught up with them as I slowed behind, once they were clear and back into lane two I accelerated and the Husband in the passenger seat started taking photo's of me with his mobile. First by leaning over the woman driver then through the windscreen, at which point I slowed and pulled into lane one to see what he was up to, she then accelerated over the limit and he took another picture."

Just give 'em a big cheesy grin and let them get on with it. I don't get overly excited about what others do on the roads these days; I try to interfere with no-one, and so long as they don't interfere with me I don't lose any sleep over their antics.

It's the ones who don't think about their driving who worry me; they don't think, they just drive, presumably until they reach their turn-off. Driving blind, ten yards behind a 40-ton artic at 60 mph, then pulling out into heavy traffic without using the mirrors or indicators? Tootling along in the middle lane at the same 60 mph with an empty inside lane and being overtaken on both sides? It would be nice to think the new powers will make a difference, but without a LOT more police on the roads, I fear they won't.

 

[Clkrichard]

No, though possibly replying to your post was one. I don't think I'm going to change your mind or open your eyes, so shall we just agree to differ?

I think thats probably the first thing you have said that I agree with !
I genuinely hope your unique approach to the rules of the road doesnt bring you or anyone else to harm.

 

[grumpyoldgit]

I think thats probably the first thing you have said that I agree with !
I genuinely hope your unique approach to the rules of the road doesnt bring you or anyone else to harm.

You may as well give up Clkrichard, there's none so blind as those who will not see.
The Highway code is obviously surplus to requirements.

 

[neilrr]

I was on my way from Kent to Somerset when all this news made it across all mainstream radio programs.

The result was total and utter stupidity - more than normal.
Except, the knobs this week were the self-righteous 'road captains'.

Like a lot of other professional drivers, I was glad to hear of some new regulation.
But I was not prepared for what I witnessed time and time again on the M4/M5.

Circular driving, tailgating, abuse and dangerous cutting across by the 'road captains' with their new agenda of 'middle-lane policing'.

Honestly it was often frightening - all these clowns trying to make a point now the law is apparently on thier side.
The upshot was the most unpleasant days motoring since the Christmas rush.

I was stunned how many of these clowns had to chop the front off my car too, because I don't pull into lane one between two trucks just for five seconds.
This has never, ever, happened to me before this news broke.

Amazing knee-jerk reaction. Lets hope it calms down before something serious happens.

You may not fit into this characterisation but from what I've seen of people who drive for a living (most HGV drivers excluded) they tend to be the worst offenders of the middle & fast lane hog rule, driving to rules they have established to suit their own convenience with a '**** you, I'm all right Jack' attitude to any other road user - see my earlier dig at Addison Lee whose drivers always make a beeline for the middle or fast lane & stay there regardless of empty lanes on their L. or the tailback they cause.

It's really simple. The onus is on every driver to move to the L. after overtaking, not on the overtaking driver to move to the R. to overtake cars reluctant to obey that rule.

If you are being tailgated then look to your own driving to see if you are in the wrong lane. Similarly with people cutting your nose off.

P.S. The law has always been on their side, I believe this recent change is in the enforcement of the law, not the law itself.

 

[Clkrichard]

You may as well give up Clkrichard, there's none so blind as those who will not see.
The Highway code is obviously surplus to requirements.

I agree totally. I love his hypocrisy in criticising those who "tootle along in the middle lane" when he freely admits to doing the same thing.
People like him will never see how stupid they are and I dont propose to waste time trying to convert him. Its just a pity their selfishness is not just inconvenient but is often dangerous.
I have just also abandoned a thread on the other site where a guy has been arguing that he can text and drive in total safety and the law shouldnt apply to him.
They are all out there and I just hope they avoid me and my friends and family !

 

[Fryingpan78]

[Jimmy Carr]

Fines for bad driving? Bit sexist....

[/Jimmy Carr]

 

[Clkrichard]

Something that occurred to me on this whole texting and driving thing is the use of the new Iphone kit for the A Class.
Here is some of the spec :

"Some of the functions of the "Digital DriveStyle" app:

Advanced navigation solution from Garmin® with web-based real-time traffic information, Points of Interest search and 3D map presentation.
Local search function powered by Google™ of Points of Interest with StreetView™ and destination transfer to Navigation.
AUPEO!™ Personal Radio with individual music programming.
Internet radio with national and international stations.
Access to the track titles stored in your iPhone®.
Facebook® Feeds and Twitter® Tweets from friends are read out aloud[4].
Socially interactive experience through sharing and posting, e.g. the title of the song currently playing or of the navigation destination on Facebook® and Twitter®.
Glympse™: Communicate to your friends - in real-time - your current location, your vehicle speed and estimated time of arrival.
Intuitive CarFinder with automatic storing of vehicle location on iPhone®. By means of the integrated pedestrian navigation function in the iPhone® it is possible to find one's vehicle conveniently."

So it can be used to communicate in real time - while driving ?
Its not a phone so doesnt break that law but communicating speed and arrival times on the move ..... really ?

 

[Deleted member 65149]

If you are being tailgated then look to your own driving to see if you are in the wrong lane. Similarly with people cutting your nose off.

Occasionally true, but I'd suggest that mainly not so. I know, for instance, that I'm not the only person to have often been tailgated when on a single lane road at or just above the speed limit. At the other end of the scale (or side of the road) many a time I've been in the outside lane at around 80mph overtaking a long line of nose-to-tail vehicles so nowhere to pull in, only to have someone trying to save fuel by climbing into my boot!

Similarly I've often had my nose cut off by drivers returning too soon to the inside lane where I've been. (And worse still so many of these drivers then realise they're going too fast so they slow down and impede my progress or necessitate me moving out a lane to overtake whilst maintain my cruising speed. )

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Many years ago I was at the skid pan at the Police Driving School in Hendon when news came through about a driver on the M4 very early that morning being killed when he lost control of his car after being shocked by two supercars passing him on each side at high speed. When the police instructor particularly criticised the driver of the car that had undertaken him, I suggested that the middle lane driver was also at fault for staying there on an empty road. He said not, because by doing so he was affording the best chance of coming to a safe halt in the event of a blowout. Unfortunately there wasn't time to discuss why the killed driver wasn't paying more attention to what was happening behind him.

 

[flango]

Many years ago I was at the skid pan at the Police Driving School in Hendon when news came through about a driver on the M4 very early that morning being killed when he lost control of his car after being shocked by two supercars passing him on each side at high speed. When the police instructor particularly criticised the driver of the car that had undertaken him, I suggested that the middle lane driver was also at fault for staying there on an empty road. He said not, because by doing so he was affording the best chance of coming to a safe halt in the event of a blowout. Unfortunately there wasn't time to discuss why the killed driver wasn't paying more attention to what was happening behind him.

Actually you are quite correct and I remember this as I did most of my early training at Hendon, There was a school of thought in the old days that on an empty motorway your best chance of survival in the event of a blow out was if you were travelling in the middle lane and to some extent I can actually see the logic in this. However thinking changed as motorways became more congested and advanced driving instructors were told to discontinue this theory and teach lane discipline.

How ever I must admit If I'm on a late night run at high speed depending what is to the left or right of me (ravines, gullys, high wall) I might stay in the middle if my speed is high (and I mean high 120 mph+)

I actually have no problem with undertaking it works well in the USA trouble is the UK lane discipline is so poor it would lead to more accidents

This takes me back to where I always end up more training and gradulated licenses no motorway use or high powered cars until you can prove you can handle them safely and while we are about it lets toughen up the driving test I could train a monkey to pass that test. ADI's train people to pass the test not how to drive and this is where the problem starts.

 

[peter49]

I don't have any hesitation at all in using Lane 1 when traffic is relatively light.
When Lane 1 is heavy with below 70m/h drivers, I will continue in Lane 2 rather than repeatedly enter and leave Lane 1 in order to overtake and maintain my speed. Same applies when I need to use Lane 3.

 

[Dieselman]

I don't get overly excited about what others do on the roads these days; I try to interfere with no-one, and so long as they don't interfere with me I don't lose any sleep over their antics.

It's the ones who don't think about their driving who worry me; they don't think, they just drive, presumably until they reach their turn-off. Driving blind, ten yards behind a 40-ton artic at 60 mph, then pulling out into heavy traffic without using the mirrors or indicators? Tootling along in the middle lane at the same 60 mph with an empty inside lane and being overtaken on both sides? It would be nice to think the new powers will make a difference, but without a LOT more police on the roads, I fear they won't.

Sounds like the Woman that was driving.

What bothers me is that the man (presumably, Husband) appears to have decided he is the motorway Police and will probably go an create a stink to said establishment.

 

[E55BOF]

"I love his hypocrisy in criticising those who "tootle along in the middle lane" when he freely admits to doing the same thing.
People like him will never see how stupid they are and I dont propose to waste time trying to convert him. Its just a pity their selfishness is not just inconvenient but is often dangerous."

Ah, abuse; the last weapon of the inarticulate....

The difference, sunshine, is that I know what is going on around me pretty much at all times, and if you had actually read what is in my posts (all right, including just a little coat-trailing...), rather than what you perceive to be there, you would have realised that the whole object of the exercise is to hinder no-one's progress, including my own. The difference between an open mind and an open mouth, perhaps?

Enjoy your Holy Writ.