jakethesnake:
Ask 99% of drivers how is their driving and they will reply, good or fantastic or the best so why are standards so low?
I suppose people’s criteria for judging what is good or bad differs. Some drivers probably think because they have nimble reactions, can duck, dive, and weave, tailgate, undertake, and shave 3 minutes off a 150 mile journey, and not have an accident in 3 years, they’re good drivers. Others would think defensive driving, knowing when to lift of the accelrator as much as when to press down on it, and treating maximum speed limits as maximums, not minimums, they’re good. The latter camp is tiny, the former camp is the norm. But from those, which would YOU say make good drivers? Which would the DVSA and driving examiners consider good drivers? What IS a good driver?
In my book after years of learning(and still am) the qualities that make a good driver are, concentration, patience, anticipation, knowledge (by constant learning) and being responsible.
How many can say they are all of these? My biggest problem is staying patient sometimes!
jakethesnake: Not disagreeing that they may be more aware of what is going on around them but that does not mean it is safe to drive up the hole of the man in front which is much more prevalent there than it is in the UK
Really don’t understand what you are getting at.It does not matter what country it is in is is highly dangerous.
My point is that you criticize driving standards in the UK and then say you are glad you spend more time driving in Holland yet tailgating is much more prevalent there so hardly a place to be held up as a beacon of safe driving and the stats for show that mile for mile it is not as safe as the UK
Hang on, yes I criticise UK drivers and I am 100% right to do that as the standards are appalling and anyone that thinks otherwise needs to wake up.
I never said I spent anytime driving in Holland, In actual fact I spend very little time driving and far more time cycling and it is a joy with motorists being polite and helpful unlike the UK where I used to get run off the road by lorries and cars.
I usually stick up for HGV drivers (provided they’re in the right) but last the last week for some reason has been a bad experience for me.
I’ve seen some truly awful tailgating in 50 MPH roadworks and had two HGV’s (one artic and one rigid) pull in so close after overtaking me that they set off the collision warning device in my unit. Both times I had backed off to let them by as they were only marginally faster than me. Then there was the fella pulling the hi-cube fridge who only just got her stopped for a roundabout at the bottom of a steep hill after letting it off down said hill.
Hopefully that’s all the lorry madness over with for a while and I can go back to just wondering about car and van drivers.
All the vehicles mentioned were UK reg’d apart from hi-cube man, he was from near the UK
Going south on the m5 yesterday around 9 watched a muller lorry hazards come on twice cos he set off the collision warning on his wagon nearly wiped out a car and trailer (admittedly going under 50) must have come as quite a shock to the driver. This was on a nearly empty road no real excuse for this happening just after midday when the m4 was much busier.
Hopefully, we will find the answer soon.
I went past the crash last week with the debris all over the road exactly as it was shown on the news.
Police signs up asking for info, dashcam footage now.
I know my car speedo is inaccurate, so I set the cruise to 43 in 40’s or 54 in 50’s and stay in the outside lane, where I can, assuming the insides are full. Even so I’ll pass trucks a couple of feet behind cars who aren’t maxing it through the roadworks.
I’m not sure if it’s just bad driving by the trucks, or the pressure on them from the planners.
the maoster:
It’s just a pity that you weren’t posting on this forum a few years ago Jake. We had Albion19( something or other) who emigrated to develop top secret future driving technologies, we then had Dr Damon who eventually disappeared off to do the same thing. They also both had a recurring theme to the vast majority of their posts. It’s a pity you missed them, you’d have got on well. #justsayinglike.
whyohwhy:
Roadworks are by far the worst for tailgating.
I know my car speedo is inaccurate, so I set the cruise to 43 in 40’s or 54 in 50’s and stay in the outside lane, where I can, assuming the insides are full. Even so I’ll pass trucks a couple of feet behind cars who aren’t maxing it through the roadworks.
I’m not sure if it’s just bad driving by the trucks, or the pressure on them from the planners.
Firstly the speed regime should be relaxed through ‘roadworks’ bearing in mind that in most cases workers are seperated from traffic in live lanes even if they are actually there.
As for tailgating that should be enforced along the lines which are currently employed for the anti speed crusade IE cameras and unmarked police patrols.With penalties increased massively along the lines of a mandatory automatic dangerous driving charge.Also think that much of the problem is caused by too many drivers not being able to deal with speed differentials far enough ahead thereby running up too close behind slower traffic before even thinking about making a safe lane change.Let alone just ploughing into slower or stopped traffic.
whyohwhy:
Roadworks are by far the worst for tailgating.
I know my car speedo is inaccurate, so I set the cruise to 43 in 40’s or 54 in 50’s and stay in the outside lane, where I can, assuming the insides are full. Even so I’ll pass trucks a couple of feet behind cars who aren’t maxing it through the roadworks.
I’m not sure if it’s just bad driving by the trucks, or the pressure on them from the planners.
Firstly the speed regime should be relaxed through ‘roadworks’ bearing in mind that in most cases workers are seperated from traffic in live lanes even if they are actually there.
As for tailgating that should be enforced along the lines which are currently employed for the anti speed crusade IE cameras and unmarked police patrols.With penalties increased massively along the lines of a mandatory automatic dangerous driving charge.Also think that much of the problem is caused by too many drivers not being able to deal with speed differentials far enough ahead thereby running up too close behind slower traffic before even thinking about making a safe lane change.Let alone just ploughing into slower or stopped traffic.
Not sure if I agree with your first sentence however I certainly agree with the rest.Apparently tailgaters are next in the firing line for heavy fines through the post and even bans.
It cannot come soon enough as far as I am concerned.
ajt:
For every tailgating truck in roadworks there’s usually a middle lane hogger or somebody who can’t maintain a constant speed in front !
Quite possibly ajt but I don’t really get your point? Are you saying that makes it ok to tailgate? Two wrongs don’t make a right. Do they?
My point is the bigger picture, two sides to every story blah blah blah
There was a debate about tailgating on radio 2 last month and the vast majority were phoning in defending it saying if you leave a gap somebody always jumps into it.
Unfortunately it’s just our culture. Unless you can platoon vehicles through roadworks then it’s always going to happen.
These bad smashes are happening when drivers are hitting stationary traffic anyway not tailgating hooligans
ajt:
For every tailgating truck in roadworks there’s usually a middle lane hogger or somebody who can’t maintain a constant speed in front !
Quite possibly ajt but I don’t really get your point? Are you saying that makes it ok to tailgate? Two wrongs don’t make a right. Do they?
My point is the bigger picture, two sides to every story blah blah blah
There was a debate about tailgating on radio 2 last month and the vast majority were phoning in defending it saying if you leave a gap somebody always jumps into it.
Unfortunately it’s just our culture. Unless you can platoon vehicles through roadworks then it’s always going to happen.
These bad smashes are happening when drivers are hitting stationary traffic anyway not tailgating hooligans
Obviously, it takes two to tailgate. If the tailgatee has a clear road ahead, and the option to use another lane, then they have created the problem. Therefore, the onus should be on them to fix the problem.
You’re absolutely right about our culture, we have a strong sense of right and wrong generally, but we also have a hatred of bullies.
Tailgater sees moron using the wrong part of the road and won’t stand for it, tailgatee sees bully driving too close = perfect example of both being right and both also being wrong. Add in our stubborn-ness and here we are!
You’d think the EU would be glad to see the back of us! (Pun intended)
ajt:
For every tailgating truck in roadworks there’s usually a middle lane hogger or somebody who can’t maintain a constant speed in front !
Quite possibly ajt but I don’t really get your point? Are you saying that makes it ok to tailgate? Two wrongs don’t make a right. Do they?
My point is the bigger picture, two sides to every story blah blah blah
There was a debate about tailgating on radio 2 last month and the vast majority were phoning in defending it saying if you leave a gap somebody always jumps into it.
Unfortunately it’s just our culture. Unless you can platoon vehicles through roadworks then it’s always going to happen.
These bad smashes are happening when drivers are hitting stationary traffic anyway not tailgating hooligans
I wish I had heard that debate, obviously anyone defending tailgaiting is braindead, mind you seems fairly common these days.
And no, it’s NOT our culture, it might be yours but there are plenty of decent safe drivers (professionals) that NEVER tailgate.
And just to keep you right. There are numerous accidents including deaths and serious injuries everyday caused by drivers tailgating and driving too close.
ajt:
For every tailgating truck in roadworks there’s usually a middle lane hogger or somebody who can’t maintain a constant speed in front !
Quite possibly ajt but I don’t really get your point? Are you saying that makes it ok to tailgate? Two wrongs don’t make a right. Do they?
My point is the bigger picture, two sides to every story blah blah blah
There was a debate about tailgating on radio 2 last month and the vast majority were phoning in defending it saying if you leave a gap somebody always jumps into it.
Unfortunately it’s just our culture. Unless you can platoon vehicles through roadworks then it’s always going to happen.
These bad smashes are happening when drivers are hitting stationary traffic anyway not tailgating hooligans
I wish I had heard that debate, obviously anyone defending tailgaiting is braindead, mind you seems fairly common these days.
And no, it’s NOT our culture, it might be yours but there are plenty of decent safe drivers (professionals) that NEVER tailgate.
And just to keep you right. There are numerous accidents including deaths and serious injuries everyday caused by drivers tailgating and driving too close.
Spot on! Yes only total prats tailgate and if you get caught driving a artic about 4 foot off someone bumper you should have your license taken off you.
I had one of turners top drivers follow me through some roadworks not long back and it was single lane 40mph , I was in my car doing 40 and he drove a inch off my arse with his headlights on full, what a moron. It’s a shame I liked my car or I would have braked checked him
elsa Lad:
Spot on! Yes only total prats tailgate and if you get caught driving a artic about 4 foot off someone bumper you should have your license taken off you.
I had one of turners top drivers follow me through some roadworks not long back and it was single lane 40mph , I was in my car doing 40 and he drove a inch off my arse with his headlights on full, what a moron. It’s a shame I liked my car or I would have braked checked him
Really■■? When did 2 wrongs make a right?
Is the action you’ve just described a very real, possible, factor in the incident this thread is about?
elsa Lad:
Spot on! Yes only total prats tailgate and if you get caught driving a artic about 4 foot off someone bumper you should have your license taken off you.
I had one of turners top drivers follow me through some roadworks not long back and it was single lane 40mph , I was in my car doing 40 and he drove a inch off my arse with his headlights on full, what a moron. It’s a shame I liked my car or I would have braked checked him
Really■■? When did 2 wrongs make a right?
Is the action you’ve just described a very real, possible, factor in the incident this thread is about?
Ditto, I was nodding my head to Elsa Lad’s post till the last sentence and then I think if you end up with 44 ton sitting on top of you, then both drivers are to blame.
elsa Lad:
Spot on! Yes only total prats tailgate and if you get caught driving a artic about 4 foot off someone bumper you should have your license taken off you.
I had one of turners top drivers follow me through some roadworks not long back and it was single lane 40mph , I was in my car doing 40 and he drove a inch off my arse with his headlights on full, what a moron. It’s a shame I liked my car or I would have braked checked him
Really■■? When did 2 wrongs make a right?
Is the action you’ve just described a very real, possible, factor in the incident this thread is about?
Ditto, I was nodding my head to Elsa Lad’s post till the last sentence and then I think if you end up with 44 ton sitting on top of you, then both drivers are to blame.
No I didn’t do it, to much of a coward, don’t like pain but my pet hate is tailgaters. I put down to small ■■■■■ syndrome
elsa Lad:
Spot on! Yes only total prats tailgate and if you get caught driving a artic about 4 foot off someone bumper you should have your license taken off you.
I had one of turners top drivers follow me through some roadworks not long back and it was single lane 40mph , I was in my car doing 40 and he drove a inch off my arse with his headlights on full, what a moron. It’s a shame I liked my car or I would have braked checked him
Really■■? When did 2 wrongs make a right?
Is the action you’ve just described a very real, possible, factor in the incident this thread is about?
I don’t think a brake check would have caused sufficient speed differential to cause the finishing difference between the two vehicles.
Possibly tailgating or some sort of lack of vision of a stationary or slow moving minibus, but no arrests reported.
but my pet hate is tailgaters. I put down to small ■■■■■ syndrome