Just how bad are drivers, in general?

[Dogtrousers]

I'm not so sure retesting would necessarily be beneficial. Yes, it would force people to learn rules that they have forgotten or never knew. And it might put a few people off the road for a while when they fail. But would it actually change how people drive once they've passed their resit? I rather doubt it. I'm assuming a majority will re-pass and only a few hopeless cases would be removed altogether.

I'd expect that nearly everyone would just resume driving as they did before.

Not to mention an increase in driving with no licence offences.

People who seek out additional training or who get it as part of their job might be expected to improve. Those who have it forced on them, less so.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I noticed this over the last couple of years, the amount of “Red Jumpers” is really scary, you can’t assume if the lights are green that it’s safe to go.

I've mentioned this in here before because I found it kind of funny ...

I was approaching some traffic lights on my bike, they turned red and ahead of me a couple of amber-gamblers went through and one or maybe two went through on red. I stopped. I was then subjected to a barrage of beeping from the van behind. I could just imagine the furious driver: Bloody cyclists, stopping at red lights!

The reason I stopped wasn't just because the lights were red. I was about to make a right turn across the South Circular and I don't want the slightest doubt that it's safe when I do that.

 

[sheddy]

Negotiating Zebra Crossings.
May have to obtain a walking stick. I don't need one, but could be used to wave at cars to get their owners attention ?

 

[presta]

Rule H3 about not cutting across the path of cyclists explicitly applies to "a facility" (do you mean a cycle lane or track?) at any junction or even direction change: "You should not cut across cyclists, horse riders or horse drawn vehicles going ahead when you are turning into or out of a junction or changing direction or lane, just as you would not turn across the path of another motor vehicle.

The problem with motorists, and I've argued with scores of them on Twitter, is that they think that if their rear bumper is even 6" in front of your front wheel they can stamp on the brakes, and if you don't do the same then you're illegally undertaking. They're impervious to the bit in the Highway Code about not starting a manoeuvre unless there's room to complete it without forcing another road user to take evasive action, and any other rule, because you've 'broken the law' in the first place by undertaking.

 

[Alex321]

The problem with motorists, and I've argued with scores of them on Twitter, is that they think that if their rear bumper is even 6" in front of your front wheel they can stamp on the brakes, and if you don't do the same then you're illegally undertaking. They're impervious to the bit in the Highway Code about not starting a manoeuvre unless there's room to complete it without forcing another road user to take evasive action, and any other rule, because you've 'broken the law' in the first place by undertaking.

Which isn't even actually illegal.

It is a "should not" in the Highway code, not a "must not".

 

[Andy in Germany]

I noticed this over the last couple of years, the amount of “Red Jumpers” is really scary, you can’t assume if the lights are green that it’s safe to go.

I've noticed that when this happens, people don't bother with the lights as much and instead press the button then cross where there's a gap in traffic.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

I was approaching some traffic lights on my bike, they turned red and ahead of me a couple of amber-gamblers went through and one or maybe two went through on red. I stopped. I was then subjected to a barrage of beeping from the van behind. I could just imagine the furious driver: Bloody cyclists, stopping at red lights!

I had this a couple of months ago, just before I got the helmet camera sadly.

Except the van driver didn't stop and almost went through me - it was a particularly scary episode as I'd moved into primary position on approach to the lights - whilst tailing the amber gambling vehicle in front.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

Just reported a driver who..

• overtook
• on a bend
• into low sun
• came into conflict with an oncoming police vehicle actively responding (sirens, blues)

Had they waited twenty seconds, the road straightened out and the sun was masked by housing. Pimped red Audi A5 with a private plate.
The driver of the oncoming police vehicle sounded their horn so obviously didn't appreciate having their path blocked by the Audi driver.


On the return trip, not far from that location, a driver overtook and then attempted to turn left. Into a street blocked by two police vehicles and another car. So they wound up sitting proud in the highway with nowhere to go, blocking my path. I could see the flashing lights up ahead before the driver overtook - so no forward planning/anticipation.


And on this morning's dog walk, usual slew of queuing phone drivers. Counted at least a dozen that could clearly be seen to be handling phones. Also noted, as it was cool and damp this morning, lots of passenger windows and mirrors still covered in condensation and in the worst case a van with a fully misted up windscreen.🤦‍♂️


Business as usual then.

 

[Badger_Boom]

Negotiating Zebra Crossings.
May have to obtain a walking stick. I don't need one, but could be used to wave at cars to get their owners attention ?

The only piece of work by Ricky Gervais that's ever made me laugh (or believe that he's not just laughing up his sleeve at everyone) is a scene from his series Afterlife about zebra crossing jumpers.

Spoiler: Contains robust language

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrOUkBEP1ks

 

[Profpointy]

The problem with motorists, and I've argued with scores of them on Twitter, is that they think that if their rear bumper is even 6" in front of your front wheel they can stamp on the brakes, and if you don't do the same then you're illegally undertaking. They're impervious to the bit in the Highway Code about not starting a manoeuvre unless there's room to complete it without forcing another road user to take evasive action, and any other rule, because you've 'broken the law' in the first place by undertaking.

I very very nearly smacked into the back of a Range Rover who'd just overtaken then jammed on the brakes. It was raining and brakes were poor in the wet back then so I ended up stopping beside her. She'd had to stop due to an oncoming vehicle - room for me but not two way traffic.

 

[presta]

I very very nearly smacked into the back of a Range Rover who'd just overtaken then jammed on the brakes. It was raining and brakes were poor in the wet back then so I ended up stopping beside her. She'd had to stop due to an oncoming vehicle - room for me but not two way traffic.

Coming off the western escarpment of the Chilterns toward Watlington I was doing 30++mph when white van man overtook, then no sooner had he got in front than he stamped on the brakes and left me with nowhere to go other than swerve onto the other side of the road. It was lucky that there was nobody coming up the hill towards me, but not so lucky that the van the suddenly swerved to the right across the road in front of me so that he was aligned to reverse into a gateway on the left. The gap between the front of the van and the hedge on the far side was about the same as the width across my panniers, but as I shot through it the driver just looked bewildered as if he couldn't see why I was yelling at him.

 

[Bristolian]

What you’ve described is an average speed of no more than 7.5mph. I think your 12 mph is somewhat optimistic.

12mph was the "official" average speed 20 years ago.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

12mph was the "official" average speed 20 years ago.

Definitely be well below that by now then 😁

 

[mjr]

Definitely be well below that by now then 😁

but they've spent all that tax money solving traffic!

 

[cyberknight]

Negotiating Zebra Crossings.
May have to obtain a walking stick. I don't need one, but could be used to wave at cars to get their owners attention ?

On the flip side pedestrians that walk up to zebra crossing as if they are not going to cross then turn suddenly and walk out without looking, had one yesterday that I anticipated and I was freewheeling up to the crossing but they literally turned at the last instant and walked out