Why do people react when they are in the wrong?

[cb1965]

Driving up the M66 this afternoon and just north of Bury the outside lane merges into the middle lane reducing the road from 3 to 2 lanes. I was in the third lane behind a black VW van as we were passing slower traffic and when he moved over I passed him and started to move into the middle lane just before the outside lane merged.

I had just about got myself into the middle lane when a car on he inside lane pulled out to begin to overtake the car they were behind. The car was moving considerably slower than I and obviously hadn't seen me given how close I was when it pulled out in front of me so I went round it just nipping in before the chevroned area marking the end of the outside lane.

Well I got a full display of horn and lights from the car despite the fact he had pulled out on me..... why do people do that?

It just reminded me that you see it quite often where someone does something stupid and then gets irate at the poor driver they have just nearly caused an accident with.

It's very odd.

 

[John Jones Jr]

Well, you've got an SL55, I presume the other driver didn't.

 

[noy91]

The AMG does seem attract that sort of reaction in a way the DB7 never did

 

[cb1965]

Well, you've got an SL55, I presume the other driver didn't.

Yeah, might be some truth in that on this occasion.... it was a Vauxhall I think. All a bit daft though!

 

[C36fan]

The AMG does seem attract that sort of reaction in a way the DB7 never did

we called the V8 crew priceless !

 

[cb1965]

The AMG does seem attract that sort of reaction in a way the DB7 never did

When I had my Jag (XJ) it was the opposite, everyone used to let me in and nod appreciatively at the car..... I even got automatic entry to the VIP car park at Haydock Race Course just because the car looked the part .... hmmmm, sometimes I wish I still had it.

 

[219]

Why would you leave a lane change until the last possible moment , leaving little or no margin for error ?

Also , why overtake the van on the approach to the lane closure when you could have moved in behind him ?

Granted the other driver may not have seen you ( perhaps because the van had been between the two of you , or perhaps you were in his rear 3/4 blind spot ) but had you not been running out of space when changing lane you could have simply remained where you were without any conflict .

Motorway lane closures are normally signed for a considerable distance ahead , precisely to avoid such situations . Even temporary lane closures are warned of with countdown signs from 800m , and advance warning further ahead . Sadly , some people find it imperative to get past every last vehicle in other lanes and that vital last place ahead in the queue .

I'd say the two of you were at fault .

 

[noy91]

When I had my Jag (XJ) it was the opposite, everyone used to let me in and nod appreciatively at the car..... I even got automatic entry to the VIP car park at Haydock Race Course just because the car looked the part .... hmmmm, sometimes I wish I still had it.

It does seem British marques are appreciated and admired far more by the public, even if in objective terms they're driven / parked less considerately.

 

[cb1965]

Why would you leave a lane change until the last possible moment , leaving little or no margin for error ?

I didn't

Also , why overtake the van on the approach to the lane closure when you could have moved in behind him ?

Why not? It wasn't as if I was overtaking him with no lane left.

Granted the other driver may not have seen you ( perhaps because the van had been between the two of you , or perhaps you were in his rear 3/4 blind spot ) but had you not been running out of space when changing lane you could have simply remained where you were without any conflict .

He didn't see me as he wasn't looking. I wasn't running out of space I was in the second lane by the time he pulled out as I clearly stated. I had enough of the outside lane left to pull out, go round him and get back in again without going on to the chevrons indicating the end of the lane.

Motorway lane closures are normally signed for a considerable distance ahead , precisely to avoid such situations . Even temporary lane closures are warned of with countdown signs from 800m , and advance warning further ahead . Sadly , some people find it imperative to get past every last vehicle in other lanes and that vital last place ahead in the queue .

And why not use the road if it's there. If they wanted you to merge 800m earlier they would have closed he lane 800m earlier. Providing you aren't cutting anyone up when you move over what is the issue?

I'd say the two of you were at fault .

And I'd say you weren't there so are in no position to judge, but if it gives you some sort of self righteous buzz you go right ahead and think what you like!

 

[RKC-benz]

Forget why you/they drove like you did... why make generalisations about people based on their motors? In my experience it's only people with fancy cars that believe that stuff...

 

[cb1965]

Forget why you/they drove like you did... why make generalisations about people based on their motors? In my experience it's only people with fancy cars that believe that stuff...

Because sadly it is a trend. As said when I owned a Jag I got nothing but courtesy from other road users, when I owned a Subaru STI the absolute opposite was true.

Until the reply on this thread I hadn't really contemplated what camp the Merc is in and maybe it is/isn't but I wonder if the same manoeuvre had I been in my Volvo V40 daily banger would have solicited the same response... maybe, who knows?

 

[219]

I didn't

Hmmm , by your own statement "I passed him and started to move into the middle lane just before the outside lane merged."

Why not? It wasn't as if I was overtaking him with no lane left.

As above

He didn't see me as he wasn't looking. I wasn't running out of space I was in the second lane by the time he pulled out as I clearly stated. I had enough of the outside lane left to pull out, go round him and get back in again without going on to the chevrons indicating the end of the lane.

Not what you said "I had just about got myself into the middle lane when a car on he inside lane pulled out" By that admission you were still in the process of changing lane when the other driver made his move ; sounds as though you swooped in from lane 3 just as he moved from 1 to 2

And why not use the road if it's there. If they wanted you to merge 800m earlier they would have closed he lane 800m earlier. Providing you aren't cutting anyone up when you move over what is the issue?

They warn you of the lane closure 800m ahead , it is poor driving to leave your lane change to the very end . By your own account , you cut the other driver up and he became upset at you .

And I'd say you weren't there so are in no position to judge, but if it gives you some sort of self righteous buzz you go right ahead and think what you like!

I judge only based on what you wrote above .

Had you done that during an advanced test you would fail .

 

[cb1965]

Hmmm , by your own statement "I passed him and started to move into the middle lane just before the outside lane merged."

Sorry, your'e right, what I should have said was "just before the outside lane merged where the word 'just' is relative to the length of the outside lane meaning in this case approximately 400m maybe a little more, but if it helps with the pedantry of any exchange with someone like Pontoneer I can go back and accurately measure it tomorrow".

As above

Indeed

Not what you said "I had just about got myself into the middle lane when a car on he inside lane pulled out" By that admission you were still in the process of changing lane when the other driver made his move ; sounds as though you swooped in from lane 3 just as he moved from 1 to 2

Sounds to you like I 'swooped' in from lane 3. "I had just about got myself into the middle lane" means I was..... in the middle lane ....when he made his move.

They warn you of the lane closure 800m ahead , it is poor driving to leave your lane change to the very end . By your own account , you cut the other driver up and he became upset at you .

Yes what I should have done was run in the back of him rather than go round him. I'm such an idiot

I judge only based on my interpretation of what you wrote above

Edited for accuracy

Had you done that during an advanced test you would fail .

Oh dear, how sad, never mind! You weren't driving a Vauxhall on the M66 this afternoon were you?

 

[henley]

The Vauxhall driver may have inadvertently placed you in the BMW/Audi type driving category.

 

[cb1965]

The Vauxhall driver may have inadvertently placed you in the BMW/Audi type driving category.

Well as he is clearly blind it would be an easy mistake for him to make

 

[219]

Sorry, your'e right, what I should have said was "just before the outside lane merged where the word 'just' is relative to the length of the outside lane meaning in this case approximately 400m maybe a little more, but if it helps with the pedantry of any exchange with someone like Pontoneer I can go back and accurately measure it tomorrow".



Indeed



Sounds to you like I 'swooped' in from lane 3. "I had just about got myself into the middle lane" means I was..... in the middle lane ....when he made his move.



Yes what I should have done was run in the back of him rather than go round him. I'm such an idiot



Edited for accuracy



Oh dear, how sad, never mind! You weren't driving a Vauxhall on the M66 this afternoon were you?

Now you're flanneling : what you wrote wasn't what you really meant to write ? My interpretations of what you wrote was spot on . A lawyer would have a field day with you in court . First you wrote one version of events , now you are trying to change it .

Now 'just about in lane' means 'actually in lane' ??

'Just before' the end of the lane now means 400m from the end of the lane ?

Even 400m from a lane closure is cutting it fine on a busy road ; signage goes much further back in order to allow people to safely change lanes well before the pinch point and to have a margin for error in hand , whether it be their error or someone else's .

Unfortunately , and all too often , people come on forums and post an account of an event , expecting 'tea and sympathy' from all and sundry , and they get upset when others see shortcomings in their own driving .

I'm glad you were able to take evasive action and that no one was hurt nor was there any material damage ; every day many others are not so fortunate .

 

[cb1965]

Now you're flanneling : what you wrote wasn't what you really meant to write ? My interpretations of what you wrote was spot on . A lawyer would have a field day with you in court . First you wrote one version of events , now you are trying to change it .

Now 'just about in lane' means 'actually in lane' ??

'Just before' the end of the lane now means 400m from the end of the lane ?

Your interpretations are spot on? LOL! I was there, you weren't yet you know better? You are confusing your personal conjecture with fact. OK then. I think that logic is what a lawyer would have a field day with

Even 400m from a lane closure is cutting it fine on a busy road ; signage goes much further back in order to allow people to safely change lanes well before the pinch point and to have a margin for error in hand , whether it be their error or someone else's .

All in your opinion ... that I don't agree with one little bit because it's ill informed nonsense in my opinion just so as you know

Unfortunately , and all too often , people come on forums and post an account of an event , expecting 'tea and sympathy' from all and sundry , and they get upset when others see shortcomings in their own driving .

Now you are really making me laugh. I am not remotely upset and I am quite happy to admit my driving can be far from perfect, but in this instance I did nothing wrong.

However, when you with your jumped up sense of your own self worth think you can come on to a thread and write your interpretation of an event you were not party to and then lay it down like your word is law you are going to get an argument from me all day long just as you would if you were stood in front of me only then I would be a heck of a lot less polite than I am being here.

So sorry I am not rolling over to your 'massively superior knowledge' of this event, but if that's what you're after you have just picked on the wrong person.

I'm glad you were able to take evasive action and that no one was hurt nor was there any material damage ; every day many others are not so fortunate .

That's about the only remotely sensible thinking you have posted on this thread.

Now you have your opinion and I have mine, we can go back and forth forever as far as I am concerned, but it's already getting very boring for everyone else so we could instead leave it there... it's up to you!

 

[LTD]

Your interpretations are spot on? LOL! I was there, you weren't yet you know better?

Not one of us were there apart from you yet your own admission in this thread suggests that you were driving without due care and attention and without consideration for other road users - this was before the actions of the other driver.

You are part of an accident waiting to happen.

 

[cb1965]

Not one of us were there apart from you yet your own admission in this thread suggests that you were driving without due care and attention and without consideration for other road users - this was before the actions of the other driver.

You are part of an accident waiting to happen.

Seriously where have I admitted that?

Oh and if I am an accident waiting to happen how come I have driven over 1.5 million miles in my life and never had a claim against me! It's a long wait I guess

 

[cb1965]

As a slight aside are the replies on this thread the AMG thing they all warned me about when I joined this forum?

At the end of the day my post is just musing on why a number of people who do something daft then have an attack of the road rages. I don't get it. I don't do road rage, it just seems so pointless. I guess that it's for people with diesels and boring or old cars from what I see.