English drivers
This entry was posted on February 27, 2008
I was originally planning to write about how I use my ipod for web development, but after the journey I had this morning, I have more pressing matter to discuss.
English drivers suck.
Well, not all of them. We have some great English drivers! I myself (as does everyone) consider myself to be “above average”. I know I’m not the best driver in the world, but I’m a lot better than some of the idiots out there. Yes, idiots.
Idiotic things that I’ve encountered on the roads in the past week
- Being cut up at a roundabout
- Lorry pulling out in front of me at a junction
- Random pedestrians jumping out in the street
- Teenage boys on bicycles
- People not using their indicators
- People going the wrong way down a one-way street
The craziest thing, however, happened this morning. The picture over on the left demonstrates a junction in my town. I wanted to turn right into this junction. Let’s say for the sake of argument that I’m currently driving along the road (which I was). In order to turn right, I need to be in the right lane (it’s a single carriageway). I check my mirrors, indicate, and start to pull out. Then all of a sudden the car behind me decides he wants to overtake me. He’s driving some pimped-up Astra, with a custom exhaust pipe and all the other paraphernalia that suggests he’s compensating for having small tackle.
Why he couldn’t wait the few seconds it’d take for me to change lanes so he could speed up in his current lane, I have no idea. He was clearly in a rush. I hope wherever he was heading was important, given he could have easily destroyed his car and mine in the process. Had I not been looking in my mirror and checking my blind spot (a habit I picked up whilst getting my motorcycle license), I would have had an Astra buried in the side of my car. Not the best way to start the morning.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve experienced on a road recently?
26 lovely people have commented
That’s why I simply DO NOT drive. 
It’s much easier to just sit back, put J-F on, and let someone else do the work. If that someone else is a crap driver, then, I may die. But, I won’t KNOW that I am going to die, until something happens, because I am too absorbed in anything I can find to distract me. 
Anyway, I’m glad you weren’t smushed on the way to work this morning. Because then I would cry. And have to come to your funeral, and I think we’ve gone over how awkward that situation would be.
Reply: Ah, but Aisling, I *need* to drive. Public transport is rubbish around here and I can’t always rely on someone else to drive me places.
wow, you checked your mirrors? wadd’ya want, a cookie?
Reply: A cookie would be nice. I’d settle for no more near-death experiences though. If you can have a word with your fellow male drivers, it’d be much appreciated.
I’ve been driving now for 21 years and in all that time I’ve never seen anything that quite rivals this one.
I was approaching a roundabout very close to Stansted airport last Saturday evening, and as I was slowing to look to my right to see what was coming round the roundabout, a car came off the roundabout, (having gone around it in the wrong direction) and almost hit me in a head-on collision on my side of the road**.
** Divided from the side of the road he should have been on by the usual paved triangle to my right.
Grrrr! Must have been an overseas visitor, straight off a RyanAir flight, not used to driving on the left or to negotiating roundabouts.
Reply: Wow. That’s really scary! Remind me to stay away from London.
I haven’t had a car since I passed my test, but I still can never believe how many times I see someone pull out onto a roundabout in front of my BF and make him have to slow down…
As a frequent pedestrian, my biggest pet hate is cars at T-junctions not indicating. If you can’t see them indicating in your direction, you have to assume they are indicating in the other. The amount of times I’ve got half way across a road to find a car heading toward me is innumerable! My favourite trick then is to stop crossing, stand in the road and make flashy signals with my hands!!!!
Reply: According to the highway code, if you make it half way without dying, you actually get right of way!
Rich L was a bit rude.. 
Reply: He probably drives an Astra…
I drive a Ford Mondeo Ghia actually so :p
Reply: Does the “Ghia” part make it go faster?
starting to spam your comments here …
the “Ghia” part means it has a larger engine, but also that it is an estate, so its actually slower…
Reply: Don’t patronise me. I know what the “Ghia” stands for. If you’re worried about spamming, you could always use my contact form.
I don’t even have my license ~_~ My town is small enough that you can basically get anywhere by bus. And for the few times a ride would be really necessary? I can usually sweet talk my boyfriend into it ^^
But in Victoria in general, drivers are ok.. pretty calm etc. Except!! We rarely ever get snow here… so on the once in a blue moon occasion where it does! People go crazy and there’s accidents on every corner.
Reply: I wish public transport was better in my town. Unfortunately, it’s awful.
The shit I’ve seen people pull in order to ‘get past the learner’ is incredible. It’s only slightly less than fatal when people pull the crap they do since usually I’m travelling the speed limit which more than oft happens to be a medium to high speed.
I’ve had to do an emergency stop twice in order to avoid a collision - once was because an old man cut in front of me on a roundabout, another time a woman pulled out in front of me whilst I was doing 40mph.
Never mind the amount of people that cut me up, pull out in front of me, tailgate me, undertake me, speed headlong into me to get past parked cars before I get there and even have just enjoy having a general go at me.
Funnily enough the only people who have nearly killed me or done inexplicable acts of motoring stupidity have been women or old. Just further reinforces my belief that women don’t have spatial awareness and that old people should be retested.
Reply: I agree with that last part. Some women are rubbish drivers. Whilst I don’t think I’m rubbish, I don’t have a problem admitting that I can’t park that well. Eep.
You’re a female. You cannot possibly comment on good or bad driving.
Reply: True. But I don’t need to be a good driver to know that the Astra driver was being an idiot.
“custom exhaust” aka Cat Launcher in these parts! Had a similar experience with a Golf V6 who felt that he should and could use every lane available to jump the traffic lights…arse***.
Reply: Cat launcher? That’s a new name I haven’t heard before…
I had this incident where I was driving along the motorway, next to a lorry. Then, with an extremely late signal, the lorry decides to overtake me in a space which wouldn’t have even fitted a Smart car. How he did not see me, is a miracle, after all I was right next to him! Thank goodness for brakes.
Another incident was on the motorway (again). I was on the left lane, driving along when this black car zooms into the lane I’m in, without indication, I broke hard to avoid collision. Turns out he needed to go onto the hard shoulder…
Other than those I’ve also had the drivers pulling out when I’m about to exit a roundabout, no indication, people driving zig-zag…etc.
I might try out the trains as a mean of going to university.
Reply: Wow, Annie, that sounds really scary!
“Teenage boys on bicycles”
Sounds good to me 
But then again, I don’t drive!
Reply: Kaylee, you’re more than welcome to our teenage boys.
Oh that was a close call.
Recently? Nothing, ever since I was nearly run over in 7th grade, I’ve been extra careful. My fault for not crossing where I should have (the car touched me, so that I fell down right in the middle of a rather busy street -.- )
Reply: You got hit by a car?! Oh my gosh. That’s horrible! I’m glad you’re okay.
I’ve figured out what the problem is with English drivers!!
You guys are driving on THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!
Flip it around, and you’ll be fine. *pats*
Reply: Actually, we drive on the proper side of the road. It’s you crazy canadians who drive on the wrong side of the road.
I am just about to acquire my drivers license… but since I live in Sweden you won’t encounter me on the roads. I believe that French drivers are much worse than English, except for the fact that you drive on the wrong side of the road and they don’t.
Me and my dad were out driving the other day, and one of the things you mentioned we saw THREE times. Driving the wrong way down a one way street.
Idiots, much??
FORD = Fix Or Repair Daily
Even worse than Astras :p
Reply: Hey! I used to have a Ford. Mable One never went wrong.
I encountered a strange driver today. Again, it was on the motorway. This time I was driving behind a guy who took both hands off the wheel and started brushing his hair (yes, with a brush), not only that but he was also looking at himself in the main mirror. Admittedly, we were on going about 15mph but still…crazy.
That reminds me of all the stupid drivers who don’t slow down even when it’s the pedestrians’ turn to cross the road. Grr…
Reply: That is really scary when they don’t do that.
LOL. It’s funny you guys bash Ford, since it’s the second most popular automobile brand in Australia (after Holden). XD Oh and I personally dislike Fords, they tend to have really loud engines. XD
People who drive to fast annoy me. But what was worse, yesterday, a lot of people thought it was cool to drive 20-30k under the speed limit on the freeway. Ugh… In all of the lanes!!
Reply: I saw a Holden on TV once! It looked awesome. We don’t really have Holdens over here though… We should import some.
American drivers are NO less better at it, hehe! People here seem to have a serious problem with tailgating super close up on your ass. SO ANNOYING. Especially if you are in the right lane and the left lane is clear! F-ing PASS me already!!!! *breathes* XD
I thought tailgating was bad in America but it’s nothing compared to the UK.
Driving a metre away from someone’s bumper at 55 mph = bad.
Driving a metre away from someone’s bumper at 80 mph = worse.
My father-in-law is notorious for this, and when he finally rear-ended someone because he was too close, he said it was the other guy’s fault. For… what? Using his brakes?
That’s my biggest pet hate about British driving! Oh, and cars who wait until the absolute last possible moment to stop at zebra crossings, to the point that pedestrians start to wince and pray that they don’t get hit. I’m that pedestrian btw (can you tell I don’t drive in this country?).
The UK is positively harmonious compared to Malta.
If it’s a really hot day, they drive in the shade - whichever side of the road that may be.
Double and triple parking is the norm, with queues backing up because no-one can get through.
Mirrors are not used (when they break off, as they do, they’re rarely replaced), and in fact moving one’s head to the side to see what’s at either side is very rare.
Drivers come up to roundabouts in the left lane, with left indicator on, and turn right (going right round in the left lane).
Not content with calling someone on their mobile, many drivers actually send SMS messages while pelting along at a great rate.
Every time I return to the UK for a holiday (in a strange rental car, mind you) I’m always amazed by how *nice* everyone is on the road!
I almost forgot - the other day I saw someone overtaking someone else, who was overtaking someone else…
Mirrors were lost that day, I can tell you.
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Jem said:
Bloody Astra drivers!
(I’m saying this because Karl drives an astra ;))
Reply: Yeah, all Astra drivers should be banned from the roads. Death to Astras!