The A42 - 'The *Wild* West Midlands'

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sgregory124

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 11, 2004
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1,169
Location
Derbyshire
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E63S
Been to and from Birmingham and environs in the last 3 days, ferrying family from/to BHX and on days out.

Today I witnessed some of THE worst driving I have ever seen, on the A42 in the Kingsbury area. Lots of traffic, most of it in lane 2 due to trucks in lane 1, so lots of bottled up impatient people in big blocks of passing traffic. A fully liveried van decides he's going to undertake me and 3 other cars behind, prior to us passing a full size artic on the inside, which somehow he manages without crashing.

He's now barreling at some speed down lane 1, in front of said artic, catching a train of fast moving traffic in lane 2 and fast approaching two more trucks in lane 1.

From about a 1/2 mile back, I watch with heart firmly in mouth as he tries to muscle his way into lane 2 (unsuccessfully at first due to a plucky Vito driver), then succeeds on the second attempt, massively cutting up the Vito in lane 2 and driving he/she onto the central reservation, narrowly avoiding the barrier. Queue huge cloud of dust, stones and a metal bar kicked by the Vito rejoining lane 2.

Luckily I was far enough back to swerve into lane 1 to avoid anything nasty, I then move back into lane 2 because of a truck in lane 1. But things weren't over, some clown in a silver C200d wagon (if you're on this forum, you might want to make sure you have an up-to-date will written) who'd been tailgating me for miles decides today was also the day he would risk meeting his maker - he pulls out at the last minute and undertakes me, narrowly avoiding hitting both me and the rear of the truck as he swerved violently into lane 2.

Finally, on the way home this afternoon I was cut up by a liveried Transit pickup at a junction on the A444 in Nuneaton - who then proceeded to drive slowly alongside me down a duel carriageway (he'd seen me call him call him something less than complimentary as I passed him) before cutting up a huge line of traffic at the next island.

All in all, an eventful day for all the wrong reasons. The silver lining to the A42 incident however, was my wife calling the company who's van it was, speaking to the owner and suggesting he might want to 'have a word about the two accidents he nearly caused'. By the sounds of it, the owner had had a few calls already as once he knew what road we were on, he 'knew exactly who the driver was'......

I am beginning to think that maybe some of today's shenanigans were due to my car - probably the worst part of owning a performance car, are the people who think they are (inexplicably) 'getting one over on you' by passing/cutting you up and having a story to tell their mates etc etc

Don't think i'll ever understand it - but I know driving standards in this country and at rock bottom (and got even worse today!).
 
Been to and from Birmingham and environs in the last 3 days, ferrying family from/to BHX and on days out.

Today I witnessed some of THE worst driving I have ever seen, on the A42 in the Kingsbury area. Lots of traffic, most of it in lane 2 due to trucks in lane 1, so lots of bottled up impatient people in big blocks of passing traffic. A fully liveried van decides he's going to undertake me and 3 other cars behind, prior to us passing a full size artic on the inside, which somehow he manages without crashing.

He's now barreling at some speed down lane 1, in front of said artic, catching a train of fast moving traffic in lane 2 and fast approaching two more trucks in lane 1.

From about a 1/2 mile back, I watch with heart firmly in mouth as he tries to muscle his way into lane 2 (unsuccessfully at first due to a plucky Vito driver), then succeeds on the second attempt, massively cutting up the Vito in lane 2 and driving he/she onto the central reservation, narrowly avoiding the barrier. Queue huge cloud of dust, stones and a metal bar kicked by the Vito rejoining lane 2.

Luckily I was far enough back to swerve into lane 1 to avoid anything nasty, I then move back into lane 2 because of a truck in lane 1. But things weren't over, some clown in a silver C200d wagon (if you're on this forum, you might want to make sure you have an up-to-date will written) who'd been tailgating me for miles decides today was also the day he would risk meeting his maker - he pulls out at the last minute and undertakes me, narrowly avoiding hitting both me and the rear of the truck as he swerved violently into lane 2.

Finally, on the way home this afternoon I was cut up by a liveried Transit pickup at a junction on the A444 in Nuneaton - who then proceeded to drive slowly alongside me down a duel carriageway (he'd seen me call him call him something less than complimentary as I passed him) before cutting up a huge line of traffic at the next island.

All in all, an eventful day for all the wrong reasons. The silver lining to the A42 incident however, was my wife calling the company who's van it was, speaking to the owner and suggesting he might want to 'have a word about the two accidents he nearly caused'. By the sounds of it, the owner had had a few calls already as once he knew what road we were on, he 'knew exactly who the driver was'......

I am beginning to think that maybe some of today's shenanigans were due to my car - probably the worst part of owning a performance car, are the people who think they are (inexplicably) 'getting one over on you' by passing/cutting you up and having a story to tell their mates etc etc

Don't think i'll ever understand it - but I know driving standards in this country and at rock bottom (and got even worse today!).
Normal day on the A30 in Cornwall especially during school holidays.
 
..

I am beginning to think that maybe some of today's shenanigans were due to my car - probably the worst part of owning a performance car, are the people who think they are (inexplicably) 'getting one over on you' by passing/cutting you up and having a story to tell their mates etc etc
Bingo. It never ceases to amaze me how many drivers feel they have something to prove once they see an AMG/RS/M badge on the back of your car.
 
Besides the fact that the driver is a tosser, I suspect the thing is, if you're in a nice car you're more likely to give way to him.

When I was in Berlin in the early eighties, I had a big American estate with a couple of dings in the sides, and I didn't clean it very often. Even Turkish taxi drivers gave way...
 
Besides the fact that the driver is a tosser, I suspect the thing is, if you're in a nice car you're more likely to give way to him.

When I was in Berlin in the early eighties, I had a big American estate with a couple of dings in the sides, and I didn't clean it very often. Even Turkish taxi drivers gave way...


You are not wrong. For the last 28 years I've have owned a succession of rust bucket pikey mobile transits and never had an issue with tossers cutting me up. But 2 years ago when our kindly government were giving out free money I treated myself to my first ever brand new van. Since then the git bags have been out in force :)
 
It sounds bad up there,today I was surprised,I joined the A120 near to Harwich and the vehicle in front of me was a Tesco truck on the two way A road,now those trucks actually drive at 40 mph on that road with the speed limit of 60mph,within about two miles there were at least 20 vehicles behind me and the truck,but there is a long straight with plenty of time to overtake given there is no traffic coming,and so it was no traffic so at the very earliest moment I accelerated past the truck expecting at least 3 maybe four cars to follow,but no they all stayed behind the lorry,so we had some very chilled out drivers in deepest Essex today
 
It feels a bit Gestapoish but reporting the bad 'uns with dashcam footage feels like the only way we might improve the safety on our roads. Most stupid driving goes unchallenged.
 
It feels a bit Gestapoish but reporting the bad 'uns with dashcam footage feels like the only way we might improve the safety on our roads. Most stupid driving goes unchallenged.
Trust me, my wife was in two minds about calling the company, but i'm pretty sure if left to his own devices, the van driver would probably have ended up killing someone yesterday.
 
Driving standards in the West Midlands are not good at all... I often travel between Liverpool and Southampton and I feel there is a marked deterioration midway in the journey. It seems that the elevated section of the M5 and the A roads around Dudley are particular examples of bad driving.
 
Driving standards in the West Midlands are not good at all... I often travel between Liverpool and Southampton and I feel there is a marked deterioration midway in the journey. It seems that the elevated section of the M5 and the A roads around Dudley are particular examples of bad driving.
I have never noticed it being any worse than anywhere else in the UK, but I grew up on the mean streets of the West Midlands. I’m bad to the bone, including the quality or my driving it seems. 😁
 
The silver lining to the A42 incident however, was my wife calling the company who's van it was, speaking to the owner and suggesting he might want to 'have a word about the two accidents he nearly caused'. By the sounds of it, the owner had had a few calls already as once he knew what road we were on, he 'knew exactly who the driver was'......
Brilliant:thumb:, pity you could not be a fly on the wall when he returns to the depot
 
I have never noticed it being any worse than anywhere else in the UK, but I grew up on the mean streets of the West Midlands. I’m bad to the bone, including the quality or my driving it seems. 😁
Me too apparently. I live in Dudley and don’t see any difference in the driving standards here than anywhere else.
 
I guess I must be Mr Meldrew well if I do 50 there's is always another idiot on the bumper, then when they can't get around the O/Side it takes a chance undertaking, then catches them at the traffic lights, guess it`s me but it seems young ladies are the worst roundabout are their favourite choice it doesn't matter if I'm on the nearside or offside I'm fair game. gonna happen one day bang.
 
I guess I must be Mr Meldrew well if I do 50 there's is always another idiot on the bumper, then when they can't get around the O/Side it takes a chance undertaking, then catches them at the traffic lights, guess it`s me but it seems young ladies are the worst roundabout are their favourite choice it doesn't matter if I'm on the nearside or offside I'm fair game. gonna happen one day bang.
I find female drivers are very fond of tailgating also, very tempting to brake test people like that - although I did that many years ago and had said driver run into the back of me....
 
I dont brake test but I do actively slow down. A couple of mph under the speed limit is enough.
 
I dont brake test but I do actively slow down. A couple of mph under the speed limit is enough.
True, I also find suddenly letting off (without braking) has the desired effect, although that's probably also considered brake testing (albeit very underhand).
 
I genuinely don't get why drivers act like complete tools with their employer emblazoned around them!
Because they have no respect for others and have spent years probably getting away with such poor driving although they probably think they are excellent drivers.
 

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