Idiots

[TomsFocus]

So, usually I'm too lazy to pull the memory card for minor incidents but within 2 days I've caught a few so thought I'd see what the night vision is like on the wedge cam...  Videos do contain strong language.

First this BMW...now I don't know why the lorry pulled out, it didn't gain anything.  But the BMW undertaking it really wasn't a smart move, I'm not sure if the truck got blown across by the wind or if it was trying to move back left without indicating, either way I was expecting a squashed BMW for a minute there!  And note how far he got...yes, I passed him again seconds later and never saw him after that lol.  (That evil laugh though )

Literally a couple of minutes later I see a truck pulling out on a very short sliproad from the truckstop (you cant really see the truck in the vid, I know lol), there's no-one behind me in the right hand lane so I slow a little and flash to let the cars in the left lane pull over for the truck to pull out without them having to slow right down - seems like a sensible, safe and courteous plan to me...  But no, the rearmost car pulls out and starts to overtake the others blocking them in, could've caused a collision there easily...well done!  

Then today, this damn fool, proving that speed isn't necessary to cause accidents.   Prior to the video they had already braked hard for absolutely no reason then waited behind a bus with alighting passengers (no need, no traffic coming the other way)... and left such a large unnecessary gap between themselves and the bus that the car trying to pull out behind us couldn't join our queue, blocking the others wanting to turn left from his road.  So I should've assumed it would be driven by a selfish, oblivious idiot.  Anyway, the video shows things quicker than they seemed, but firstly they let a huge gap open up between them and the bus again (sigh, the lights green, why!?), they're indicating right...then once past the lights they stop indicating, pull left and slow right down, I take that to mean they're going straight on, so I keep right...then they simultaneously indicate and pull right across in front.  I mean, honestly, should I have predicted that!?  Or should I have waited behind them until the lights changed and I'd be stuck in the middle of the junction?    I notice they soon found the throttle when I beeped as well!  

I really am trying to give people the benefit of the doubt and I accept mistakes happen but I don't see any of the above as mistakes, I just keep feeling like I'm seconds away from accidents happening every few minutes due to people not thinking through their actions.  I keep wondering if it's me, but I really don't think it is in any of the above at least.  Driving would be so much nicer without other people on the roads!  

[GaryPL]

It's not you. The quality of driving is terrible. I often feel like I could have several accidents on my 6.5 mile commute. I'm finding that the most common occurences are lane hopping/cutting up on roundabouts where people are too stupid/arrogant to know how to use them. Lane discipline generally. People pulling out on me. And people not indicating and then braking sharply to make a turn. It's even more annoying when they then start indicating mid manoeuvre!

[TomsFocus]

I had another near miss like that yesterday.  The road splits into 2 lanes for a roundabout, very little traffic about so easy to see the arrows and signs etc, I indicate and move into the right lane where it starts (about 400 yards away)...the car in front stays left until 50 yards from the roundabout where I'm level with his front door then he just wafts across right in front and sits between the 2 lanes at the roundabout giveway marks, no indication or anything, obviously didn't check the mirrors, yet again I had to brake hard to avoid a scrape.  I beeped and he suddenly noticed and waved to apologise in the mirror, as if he didn't realise there were other cars on the road.   And then he went on to cut up a car that was on the roundabout after waiting when it was empty.  

I'm starting to wonder if some people believe everything will get out of their way if they just drive slowly enough...  

 

[chrisroberson99]

I'm not saying I'm a brilliant driver, but with some examples that I've seen in my 4 months of driving (well since I passed) I don't know how some people managed to pass a test, or whether they did at all!

Can't wait for my dashcams to be fitted on the 25th! 

[jmurray01]

1 hour ago, chrisroberson99 said:

I'm not saying I'm a brilliant driver, but with some examples that I've seen in my 4 months of driving (well since I passed) I don't know how some people managed to pass a test, or whether they did at all!

Can't wait for my dashcams to be fitted on the 25th! 

My thoughts exactly.

[TomsFocus]

Well you say that...But of course some may have passed tests in other countries before moving here.  

And those in the UK that passed ~40+ years ago will have had a very different test to ours as well, far less traffic about etc.

That said, it's more about simple observation which should just be common sense for anyone imo.  I mean they wouldn't just walk out in front of people in a shop or on the pavem... oh wait, never mind.

 

[jmurray01]

11 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Well you say that...But of course some may have passed tests in other countries before moving here.  

And those in the UK that passed ~40+ years ago will have had a very different test to ours as well, far less traffic about etc.

That said, it's more about simple observation which should just be common sense for anyone imo.  I mean they wouldn't just walk out in front of people in a shop or on the pavem... oh wait, never mind.

 

Yeah...  Not a good example there Tom!

[GaryPL]

3 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Well you say that...But of course some may have passed tests in other countries before moving here.  

And those in the UK that passed ~40+ years ago will have had a very different test to ours as well, far less traffic about etc.

That said, it's more about simple observation which should just be common sense for anyone imo.  I mean they wouldn't just walk out in front of people in a shop or on the pavem... oh wait, never mind.

 

This is the biggest problem in London I would say.  Many of them drive Uber taxis now...