Lazy drivers

[Trigger]

I've been noticing an increase these past few years of lazy driving, that steely determination not to slow down or have to change gear and to get by at all costs.

It's not just because I'm a cyclist that I notice it, I notice it when I drive also- people not slowing down for passing parked vehicles, squeezing through gaps that aren't really there and not even slowing down to do it, entering junctions at speed limit speeds etc..

Am I mad or is this on the increase?

Are they really that lazy/selfish that slowing down, changing down two gears, waiting/passing, accelerating back up to speed is such a massive inconvenience?

[beardy]

In the Advanced Driving tuition you are taught to drive in a way that looks smooth, calm and effortless. This is done by using lots of observation and anticipation. Get your speed right before a "hazard" not heavy breaking and acceleration at it.

It can take a lot of concentration to drive in a way that retains momentum and looks effortless.

Is saving fuel a bad thing?

Passing close and fast is a bad thing but normally bought about by a combination of lack of concern and/or concentration, rather than economical driving.

Look at a set of speed bumps, who is the better driver, the one who goes through at a constant moderate speed or the one who accelerates and brakes between them?

Now failing to indicate is just plain lazy and causes a lot of inconvenience to others.

[Trigger]

In the Advanced Driving tuition you are taught to drive in a way that looks smooth, calm and effortless. This is done by using lots of observation and anticipation. Get your speed right before a "hazard" not heavy breaking and acceleration at it.

Yes, this is how I drive and I know how it looks, this is not that sort of driving.

The driving I'm talking about is extremely short sighted and only looking as far as the bonnet or back end of the car in front, every trip I take at least one car is surprised by my presence and only takes action when they're upon me, if they bother at all, most just keep their speed up and opt for the close pass, god forbid they should have to slow down and wait for a gap or pass with care.

It also seems as though around where I live nobody knows that when the obstruction is on their side of the road then they should be giving way, instead they just keep coming and expect me to take evasive action, on bike or in car.

[ian s]

Yes, that style of driving has increased. I am not sure that it is laziness, though that probably is at least part of it. The attitude for some these days seems to simply be that "I am more important than you, and I don't give a damn about you". This is typified by passing parked cars their own side of the road even when there is oncoming traffic (possibly a bicycle that can be ignored completely), passing cycles and causing oncoming traffic to take avoiding action, pulling part way out of side roads so obstructing traffic from the right, etc, etc. Is it because of a lack of policing, I am not sure that it is, though that may be part of it.

[ArMoRothair]

Certainly in London, over the years I've lived here, I've seen an increase in motorists at side roads, where the main road has priority, looking you in the eye, and it doesn't matter whether you are driving a two tonne car or "merely" riding a bicycle, and then pulling out in front of you; forcing the choice on you to either brake or have a crash.

In these cases making visual contact is actually a disadvantage because the other guy now knows you've clocked him and are likely to want to avoid a crash.

[Postboxer]

Maybe the problem is that you can replace the word 'drivers' with 'people'. Some people are just lazy/have no time for anyone else. Just little things that adding up making the place a much less pleasant place to be. Dropping litter, not taking 2 seconds to put their trolley back in line at the supermarket, or just leaving it on it's own on the path in everyone's way, there just seems to be a lack of community spirit and common courtesy.

[GrumpyGit]

Certainly in London, over the years I've lived here, I've seen an increase in motorists at side roads, where the main road has priority, looking you in the eye, and it doesn't matter whether you are driving a two tonne car or "merely" riding a bicycle, and then pulling out in front of you; forcing the choice on you to either brake or have a crash.

In these cases making visual contact is actually a disadvantage because the other guy now knows you've clocked him and are likely to want to avoid a crash.

One of the many reasons I love my 40 year old Land Rover, very few of these cretins want to play "chicken".

[Elizabeth_S]

I have to say that the lorry driver on the old A9 between the Keir roundabout and Bridge of Allan obviously did not want to slow down, instead he overtook a cyclist on a blind bend at speed, and I was the driver of a car coming the other way and I can tell you I swore (wondering whether an encounter with the pavement, fortunately empty, would lead into the brick wall beyond for me), and I really felt for the cyclist. And then again on the same stretch of road another day, another car overtaking a cyclist, and it just couldn't wait. It is a dangerous stretch of road for cyclists and the sustrans route will use the pavement, but every cyclist has the right to use the road and drivers should be more considerate.

[CREPELLO]

A particular bad habit that irks me is last second indicating or indicating as the driver is turning - probably brushing the indicator stalk as they turn the steering wheel. Ok, on the grand scale of bad driving, it's pretty low on the list, but it is next to pointless.

[Cunobelin]

During the last "fuel protest" there was a programme that showed that many drivers could have saved more money by driving properly than any fuel duet cut!

One driver, classically a BMW was shown to be able to reduce his fuel consumption by 20%

[Trigger]

A particular bad habit that irks me is last second indicating or indicating as the driver is turning - probably brushing the indicator stalk as they turn the steering wheel. Ok, on the grand scale of bad driving, it's pretty low on the list, but it is next to pointless.

It seems they don't realise who they're meant to be signalling to, a lot of the time they only think they have to signal to let oncoming traffic know, if there's nothing coming then they don't bother around here.

Many a close call from someone diving left without indicating just because there's nothing coming in the opposite direction.

[brianleach]

I don't think it has increased. It is just as bad as it has always been.

For many years I have been playing the "game" whilst touring in France of guessing the nationality of the driver approaching from behind.

As a sweeping generalisation, if the driver approaches with caution ready to stay back and then pass when the road is clear they are likely to be French, if however they approach with no apparent slowing whether or not anything is coming in the opposite direction they are more than likely to be a Brit.

I don't expect to see any difference when I am in France in June.

[Hobbs1951]

I agree with most of the sentiments on this thread, and would just like to relate this whilst I was driving recently (incidentally on my way to a ride some 25 miles away - bike in car).

Driving sensibly in my 28 year old bike hauler (a Volvo estate), I was on main road leaving a small town when I approached a side road and noticed three cyclists, the lead cyclist did not stop and rode out in front of me, I had to swerve to avoid, upon then driving past him I then became victim to a torrent of abuse (verbal and hand).

I stopped the car in a safe spot and confronted the"cyclist"; asking him if the situations were reversed - him driving, me riding - would he have driven out in front of me? He had nothing to say - actually I believe if you are one these"chancers", you're likely to have little respect for any road user - pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist...

Just a thought - and take care.

Jon.

[Cunobelin]

There is a system called the "Fleet Driver Risk Index"
It is a psychometric test for drivers that identifies traits such as impatience, risk taking etc and then educates the driver before allowing them on the road.

Arriva the bus company halved its accident rate using this system.

[mrjemm]

I agree with most of the sentiments on this thread, and would just like to relate this whilst I was driving recently (incidentally on my way to a ride some 25 miles away - bike in car).

Driving sensibly in my 28 year old bike hauler (a Volvo estate), I was on main road leaving a small town when I approached a side road and noticed three cyclists, the lead cyclist did not stop and rode out in front of me, I had to swerve to avoid, upon then driving past him I then became victim to a torrent of abuse (verbal and hand).

I stopped the car in a safe spot and confronted the"cyclist"; asking him if the situations were reversed - him driving, me riding - would he have driven out in front of me? He had nothing to say - actually I believe if you are one these"chancers", you're likely to have little respect for any road user - pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist...

Just a thought - and take care.

Jon.

Kinda like this perhaps?

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/forum/bo ... sted=0&v=y

Surprised nobody else has linked to it before. Maybe I missed the thread somewhere.