last night i was driving back from liverpool when some numpty speeding down the motor way with his mobile phone stuck to his ear swerved as he was passing me and nearly hit the front of my car. he must have been doing about 90mph and could have caused a serious accident. luckily he missed though and off i trundled down motorway when a car on the inside lane (i was in middle lane) swerved and nearly hit the passenger side of my car! he then swerved the other way realising what he had done and ended up on the hard shoulder and nearly crashed!

I frequently have long drives on the motorway and am noticing this happening more and more (especially lorries pulling out) has anyone had any near misses on the motorway that they would like to share?

Oh yes... I used to travel to Kent every other week so had to endure the M1 and M25.

One day I was overtaking a lorry and an idiot was speeding up behind me impatient because I was overtaking too slowy I wouldn't mind but I was actually going over 80 he started flashing and as I moved over he sped off at well over 90 infact I bet he was hitting the hundred mark, I promptly gave him the finger and flashed - next thing I saw his brakes and he slowed right down and started to try to block me which ever lane I went in waving for me to pull over.

I had my son with me, a baby at the time. This man was a nutter. I pretended to be on the mobile and started to look at his reg so he thought I was on the phone to the police. He soon dropped right back and left me alone.

It shook me up though and I must admit I don't flash at idiots anymore, the story of Kenny Noye comes to mind and what he did, if you don't know about this he stabbed and killed a young man due to road rage.

You never know what kind of loon is behind the wheel. :loopy:

To be honest I see far more near misses in town than on the motorway, and when you think that I spend 30 mins getting through town and 1.5hrs on the motorway that's quite surprising.

Similar experience on route to South coast a couple of years ago to us.
BIG BIG lorry tailgaiting us on motorway. My wife driving, little son in the back.

I whipped out my video camera & pointed it through the back window at the lorry drivers face & then down to the reg plate.

It wasn't even switched on but it had the desired effect.

Either that or his parachute opened out of the back door! :hihi:

Talking about near misses is a bit of a touchy subject at the moment for me, as some of you may know we had an accident last week swerving to avoid a car that turn infront of us we hit a wall and our car is written off.

Still waiting to find out if we can claim off his insurance because we didn't hit eachother and this accident was like Cyclone said on a slow 30mph road, but in the country. :(

Yes roundabouts are worse, because anyone on a mobile loses spacial perception performance and finds it much more difficult to keep in the lanes.

I used to do between 20 and 30k business miles every year in a company car and using my motorcycling training, adopted defensive driving techniques. If there is someone having a race or driving badly or agressively, best thing to do is make them go past. They might crash, very soon and you don't want to be anywere near them.
Every day I would see cars which I had let past, one space in front of me or adjacent in the next lane when we got to some congestion or the next town I was visiting. Makes you realise that speeding and agressive driving has extremely short lived advantages.

Give bad drivers an extremely wide berth, don't get angry, just get out of the way and let them past.

Not long after my sister passed her driving test, she was travelling down the M2 in the inside lane, when a juggernaut type lorry decided to pass her in the middle lane. There was another directly behind the first who decided to do the same thing....the first pulled into the inside lane in front of my sister, and the second decided to follow but, because the numbskull hadn't checked to see if there was anything travelling in the inside lane, he forced my sister off the road, and she ran into a bush on the embankment.....She was lucky that it was a bush and not one of those concrete walls. The lorry driver kept on towards Dover, seemingly completely unaware of what had happened.

Now, when my sister sees a lorry about to overtake her, she drops her speed so that it will pull in further in front of her, she slows down to a crawl if there is more than one....but most of the time these days, it's usually she who is overtaking the lorries....lol

don't want to start an argument, but if you're on the motorway you should be overtaking lorries, not the other way around.
(Also far safer). They are limited to 56.5mph.

As muddy noted, it's not worth travelling much above the speed of the traffic, especially if the motorway is busy, you never get to your destination faster. It's only when the motorway is quiet and you won't have to brake every 20s that you can choose your own speed.

i just wanna ask you all something too,,,,
if you were in the outside lane(fast lane) and you were overtaking cars,there were cars in front of you and some maniac in a jaguar came flashing behind you to force you outta way what would you do?
there is just enough room to pull into middle lane but you have still got a few cars to overtake, do you
(A) pull into middle lane and let him harrass next car
(B) stick to your guns and move as soon as you have overtaken the cars in middle lane?

i am just asking as this caused ahuge argument between me and a friend!

My sister's incident happened before the speed restrictions on lorries was brought into force, about 1979-1980.

As I remember it, as she hadn't long passed her test, she didn't have the confidence to drive at the full speed limit, and was doing about 55-60 mph in the inside lane. Lorries were, and still are as far as I know, allowed to overtake in the middle lane, which is really annoying at 3 a.m. on the M25 because they drive adjacent to each other, so that anyone needing to overtake has to go from the inside lane to the outside lane to get round them.

Make Richard Head wait!

I have never driven an articulated truck, but have hired some of the larger ones, which you can hire on a car licence, and that is an experience you should try to find out what it's like to be driving a truck.
1) if you are driving a truck and the roads are a little wet, the spray from your wheels means that you cannot see a car overtaking you unless it's light are on full beam. Many car drivers do not realise this. Always put your lights fully on on a motorway if it is raining or damp, this might just save your life.
2) if your truck has a very heavy load on, it takes ages to get up to speed, and getting onto roundabouts is a real problem. When you see a truuck coming onto the motorway, make sure that you get into the middle lane so it doesn't have to slow down. And try to not use the left hand lane on a motorway roundabout if there are lots of trucks approaching or waiting, because they don't want to stop.
3) Up in a truck cab you can see for miles, much further than a big car. Therefore, trucks set themselves up for the best lane well early, useful to think about when you are driving a car.

so what about the trucks on a clear day when they just pull out? they seem to think that because they are bigger we will move (which we have to or become roadkill!!!!) i always have my lights on full on motorway no matter what the conditions are so there is no excuse for it when it has happened to me

Originally posted by savbaby
some maniac in a jaguar came flashing behind you to force you outta way what would you do?
there is just enough room to pull into middle lane but you have still got a few cars to overtake, do you
(A) pull into middle lane and let him harrass next car
(B) stick to your guns and move as soon as you have overtaken the cars in middle lane?

i am just asking as this caused ahuge argument between me and a friend!
I would pull over as soon as it's safe. because.
1) it could be a VIP with a plain clothes police driver.
2) it may be a mad tosser, but that kind of person is more safe for you to be in front rather than behind you.
3) the sheer rudeness of someone flashing you behind is stressfull, and it is much more satifying to ignore tham and get out of the way when you can
4) don't stick to your guns, it's not worth it. Pride comes before a serious accident. Always drive defensively.

I passed my test last month and I haven't been on the motorway yet.

Reading these stories are making me nervous of the idea!

Originally posted by muddycoffee
I would pull over as soon as it's safe. because.
1) it could be a VIP with a plain clothes police driver.
2) it may be a mad tosser, but that kind of person is more safe for you to be in front rather than behind you.
3) the sheer rudeness of someone flashing you behind is stressfull, and it is much more satifying to ignore tham and get out of the way when you can
4) don't stick to your guns, it's not worth it. Pride comes before a serious accident. Always drive defensively.


the space in the middle lane was just enough for me to get in but would probably have annoyed the driver who would have been behind me as possibly they would have to break slightly, the argument was caused by my mate screaming at me to get out of his way! i did pull into the middle lane once i had cleared the cars and this man proceeded to push his was through the traffic almost causing a few accidents on the way

Originally posted by savbaby
so what about the trucks on a clear day when they just pull out? they seem to think that because they are bigger we will move (which we have to or become roadkill!!!!) i always have my lights on full on motorway no matter what the conditions are so there is no excuse for it when it has happened to me
I am glad that you agree with me that it's a good idea to have the lights on on a motorway.
Yes trucks which just pull out are a real problem, they have no excuse. Some drivers are very tired and not very observant, others are pretty bad drivers anyway.
I have seen loads of early morning trucks which have just dosed off and wandered right across the hard shoulder, and ones who brake so late and hard that the back of the trailer has bounced up and down.
They are hazardous vehicles and you have to watch yourself. I know of one woman who was a novice driver and wrote her new mini off because an old truck had left it's indicator on and she pulled out in front.
I knew anothe guy who used to drive fully loded foden brick wagons and he said that the breaks weren't up to it and he made sure he gave them a wide birth, often turning off the road if there was one behind.
I have been behind brick wagons when a brick has shot out of behind from between the double tires like a cannon.
I have been driving across the M62 in the winter when a large van which had freezing patch of ice on top dropped it on the next lane in front of me. This would have killed someone who would have been driving a motorcycle possibly even gone through a windscreen or sunroof of a car.

Originally posted by savbaby
the space in the middle lane was just enough for me to get in but would probably have annoyed the driver who would have been behind me as possibly they would have to break slightly, the argument was caused by my mate screaming at me to get out of his way! i did pull into the middle lane once i had cleared the cars and this man proceeded to push his was through the traffic almost causing a few accidents on the way
Yes this is what I would have done as well.
Sounds like your mate's behaviour was a hazard too.

Originally posted by IanMitchell
I passed my test last month and I haven't been on the motorway yet.

Reading these stories are making me nervous of the idea!

i wouldnt be nervous of it just make sure you are aware of EVERYONE around you.. i only passed my test last june and have driven all over the country and have never (knock wood) been involved in an accident.
i have had many times i have been on the motorway when there have been no incidents.

savbaby
yes you are right but motorway driving gets easier with experience, My dad introduced me to motorway driving, and how to relax. It's about being relaxed alert and safe for long periods of time.

Ian, motorways are statistically the safest roads to drive on. A recent driver like yourself needs to get on there sooner rather than later and see that once you have a few miles under your belt and you can get on and off ok. there is very little to worry about.

Main things to remember about motorway driving is let people overtake, leave massive stopping distance (at least least 3 seconds) slow right down in fog and bad visibility. Don't hug any lane. Pull into lane 1 (formerly the slow lane) if you are not overtaking. Prepare your journey before setting off so that you know which junction to exit, and running out of fuel / having no spare tyre is now an offence.

We once encountered half of a divan bed trundling towards us whilst in the slow lane!
(Must have fallen off a truck)
About half a mile later we encountered the other half:rolleyes:
Three bycicles in the middle lane (fallen of carry rack)
A suitcase with belongings strewn all over the middle lane, loads of incidences like this, always when going on holiday to Devon.
Sorry, a bit off thread - not so much drivers but obstacles.....

Originally posted by savbaby
i just wanna ask you all something too,,,,
if you were in the outside lane(fast lane) and you were overtaking cars,there were cars in front of you and some maniac in a jaguar came flashing behind you to force you outta way what would you do?
there is just enough room to pull into middle lane but you have still got a few cars to overtake, do you
(A) pull into middle lane and let him harrass next car
(B) stick to your guns and move as soon as you have overtaken the cars in middle lane?

i am just asking as this caused ahuge argument between me and a friend!

It all depends on whether it is safe to move back over. If it is, then that is the correct thing to do. However you should not do so if it will endanger either you or another driver or inconvenience another driver.

At the end of the day, it is not your job to try and enforce the speed limit.

As I always tell my pupils when they first start learning, treat everyone else on the road as an idiot and you won't go far wrong.

I was once married to a lorry driver and his attitude was SHIFT I'M HERE I have also travelled in a lorry ( a big 38 tonner) and you can see for miles both back and front so if they want to overtake they have plenty of road sight to make safe manouvers. It only takes a second to make sure it is safe to overtake and it only takes a second to kill someone by being selfish. If someone flashes my now hubby I always tell him "you are driving this car not him behind" It is better to be safe than sorry.

Originally posted by Saxon
As I always tell my pupils when they first start learning, treat everyone else on the road as an idiot and you won't go far wrong.

That's the one thing my Dad did teach me about driving

Originally posted by Saxon


As I always tell my pupils when they first start learning, treat everyone else on the road as an idiot and you won't go far wrong.

Were you talking about driving,
Or people on the forum?

Originally posted by savbaby
i just wanna ask you all something too,,,,
if you were in the outside lane(fast lane) and you were overtaking cars,there were cars in front of you and some maniac in a jaguar came flashing behind you to force you outta way what would you do?
there is just enough room to pull into middle lane but you have still got a few cars to overtake, do you
(A) pull into middle lane and let him harrass next car
(B) stick to your guns and move as soon as you have overtaken the cars in middle lane?

i am just asking as this caused ahuge argument between me and a friend!

I certainly wouldn't pull over straight away if it was dangerous, and if i was still overtaking they could damn well wait.
I might slow down a little to ensure that I had a good braking gap infront though.
If it were a police driver with a VIP then they should damn well be using there advanced driving training instead of driving like a moron.

Muddycoffee - are you advocating that people drive along dazzling drivers coming the other way all the time? That's far more dangerous than being extra careful when passing a lorry.
MuddyCoffee
And try to not use the left hand lane on a motorway roundabout if there are lots of trucks approaching or waiting, because they don't want to stop.

You should use the correct lane and trucks should do the same.

Savbaby - I hope you gave your friend a good tongue bashing afterwards, you're driving that means you're in charge (IMO).

With regards to first driving on the motorway, choose good conditions, choose a quiet time (not monday at 8:30), and make sure you're familiar with the journey. Then just build from there.

Saxon - it's not your job to enfore the limit, but if you are already overtaking then you have every right to complete your manuever(sp) and the idiot in the jag should have slowed down not started flashing his lights. Unless he flashed because he'd just been pulled out infront off. Always a posibility.

Originally posted by Cyclone
Saxon - it's not your job to enfore the limit, but if you are already overtaking then you have every right to complete your manuever(sp) and the idiot in the jag should have slowed down not started flashing his lights.

Couldn't agree more, Cyclone. Isn't that what I said?

Originally posted by Saxon
Couldn't agree more, Cyclone. Isn't that what I said?

probably, I just like everything to be spelt out (hadn't you spotted that i'm a pedant? :P )

Originally posted by Cyclone
the idiot in the jag should have slowed down not started flashing his lights. Unless he flashed because he'd just been pulled out infront off. Always a posibility.

i can assure you i did not pull out infront of the jag,, i am still building my confidence on distances so i always make sure the lane is clear or if there is one the car is a large distance away. the lane was clear and i think the jag pulled into it not long after me i know you were not saying i did do this i just thought i would clear it up

fair enough.

Actually, something that's been bothering me for a while now.

M42 (2 lanes), lorry in left hand lane. People start moving out to overtake, I do the same. So we have a queue, maybe 5 maybe 10 cars, all basically overtaking the lorry at the speed of the slowest car (invariable about 2 mph faster than the lorry).

Up comes some rep mobile, shoots down the left hand lane right up to the lorry, right hand indicator on and pulls out. Entire queue of traffic is forced to brake.
That's bad enough. I refuse to let in a rep mobile if they happen to come up and push infront of me.

But worse, is when I've ended up behind Mr Massive Breaking distance. We're talking about lorry breaking distances or something.

So then loads of people see this gap and go and undertake. I don't like undertaking, especially like that as it's rude and potentially dangerous. So what do you do. If I stay there I can't overtake Mr Breaking Gap and more people will undertake me, Mr BG should really pull over, but doesn't seem to care that he's being undertaken. Do I just join the undertakers?

Just to be clear on the undertaking, I do do it if the motorway is very quiet and I find someone in the middle lane. I'm not pulling out into the right hand lane from the left, just to pass some idiot who can only drive in the middle lane. (A traffic cop also told me that this is perfectly legal).

i would most probably undertake him, i actually had this problem yesterday with a driver in a VW GOLF he was sitting pretty in the middle lane doing must of been about 50/60mph, i was in the slow lane and there were no other cars at all in front of us in sight, i actually undertook him as i was doing the speed limit and would have had to move over 2 lanes to overtake him, there was also a guy on way back who stayed in the fast lane even though there were no other cars on the road

Originally posted by savbaby
i would most probably undertake him, i actually had this problem yesterday with a driver in a VW GOLF he was sitting pretty in the middle lane doing must of been about 50/60mph, i was in the slow lane and there were no other cars at all in front of us in sight, i actually undertook him as i was doing the speed limit and would have had to move over 2 lanes to overtake him, there was also a guy on way back who stayed in the fast lane even though there were no other cars on the road

those I would happily undertake and glare at as I did so.

So then loads of people see this gap and go and undertake. I don't like undertaking, especially like that as it's rude and potentially dangerous.

...not to mention illegal, except in the following circumstances ~ quote from The Highway Code ~ 242: Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.

motorway driving is bliss in comparison with normal driving. tonight i travlled all the way from london to sheffield on the m1...fine....then get into sheffield and hit two cars in 15 minutes! What a prat i am. Reversing makes no sense!!!

Originally posted by savbaby
i just wanna ask you all something too,,,,
if you were in the outside lane(fast lane) and you were overtaking cars,there were cars in front of you and some maniac in a jaguar came flashing behind you to force you outta way what would you do?
there is just enough room to pull into middle lane but you have still got a few cars to overtake, do you
(A) pull into middle lane and let him harrass next car
(B) stick to your guns and move as soon as you have overtaken the cars in middle lane?

i am just asking as this caused ahuge argument between me and a friend!

C) Blow him Away!

Originally posted by Ann_x
...not to mention illegal, except in the following circumstances ~ quote from The Highway Code ~

back to driving school for you.

The highway code has sections that are legal and sections that are just 'good practice' undertaking is not illegal.

Originally posted by savbaby
I frequently have long drives on the motorway and am noticing this happening more and more (especially lorries pulling out) has anyone had any near misses on the motorway that they would like to share?

Well I agree with MuddyCoffee. Anybody who has driven any sort of heavily laden van with no oomph will understand the difficulty of acceleration, deceleration and 'swept path' of a lorry.

The problem with most women drivers (and an increasingly disturbing number of blokes too) is that they drive to the rules (or is it the rules that are at fault :huh: ). It's easy to spot a lorry which is gaining on a vehicle in front. Use your gumption and give him room to pull out. Simple really.

Common sense tells you that it is safest not to pass a lorry whilst passing an entrance slip road. He may need your lane to avoid colliding with joining traffic. I know the rules say otherwise, but if you anticipate the 'mistakes' that other drivers may make, you can ensure your own safety. You can't sue them if you're dead ;)

If I drove to the 'my lane' rules, I probably wouldn't be here. On one particular journey down the A1, I had a red escort near me for most of the way from here to Cambridgeshire. The road was heavily congested so there was little room for manouvre. At Stamford the exit to the roundabout is too sharp, and frequently catches people out.

I was expecting another vehicle to cut across his path, and left him an escape route instead of pulling alongside. It was needed. If he had been involved in a collision, I would have been involved in it too, so looking after his safety ensured my safety too.

There are numerous other tales, but I believe we should be taught to drive with consideration for other road users and anticipation of events, rather than the emphasis being on rigid rules which disregard the concept of driver error and it's consequences.

I cannot understand why anybody is allowed to drive on a motorway with no prior instruction either :loopy:
Middle lane drivers :rant: and micras travelling at 45 :shocked: :help:

But with regard to the undertaking problem - I don't let undertakers pull back out. If there's somebody with some nouse behind you when Mr Breaking Distance is in front of you, you can pull in and block the left hand lane until you reach the lorry.

Sometimes just threatening to pull in is enough to make the offender think twice ;)

I once encountered a twerp middle laninig on the 4 lane bit of the A1. It caused chaos where the A14 joined, as the joining traffic was all travelling faster.

I will have to admit rather pointedly driving up to him in the left hand lane, pulling right round (where he could see how much effort I was going to) and given a near empty road by this time, pulled in in front of him and slowed down :D He then had to pull out to pass me, but I accelerated away. He pulled right in to the left, and flashed me, so I 'thanked' him with my hazards :thumbsup:

Originally posted by Strix

The problem with most women drivers (and an increasingly disturbing number of blokes too) is that they drive to the rules (or is it the rules that are at fault :huh: ). It's easy to spot a lorry which is gaining on a vehicle in front. Use your gumption and give him room to pull out. Simple really.
:shocked: :help:

i do not always drive to the rules and i do plan ahead while i am driving, constantly looking for people pulling out. Its all very well you saying its easy to spot a lorry gaining on another vehicle in front, but this is not always the case.. Its easy to see a lorry gaining on another lorry as thay are large and stand out but what about small cars like mini's and micras? i have noticed that lorrys tend to get very close to these cars and once its gets near it noone can see it so you do not know its there and you think the lorry has a clear lane.
My comments are not about me thinking lorry drivers are bad drivers as i do not i think they just need to be a little more considerate. I have so much respect for them in the way that they can get those wagons through the smallest of gaps without damaging them.
As for being allowed on motorway withou tuition , i agree with you.. I do not think it should involve a test but i think after you pass it should be compulsary to have a small course on motorway driving.

Strix,
thanks for agreeing with my point of view.
I agree with you about the problem that because Motorway driving is not taught officially, often the antics of some drivers are annoying/selfish/dangerous. People on here who have been driving on motorways for decades, will recognise hazards and drive much more smoothly, because they will anticipate what happens all the time.
Driving around the M25 and M4 would serioulsy drive some people from this area around the twist. People drive nose -to- tail, they drive extremely competitively and the aggression is well over the top. Driving around our local motorways by comparison is like a day out in happy land.

I wouldn't neccesarily agree with you totally about female drivers, but I do know ones like you describe. The main problem I find on motorways is that they tend to have small cars which are not comfortable on the motorway, they are noisy at those speeds, so some tend to drive slower, and often try to avoid motorways altogether because They have found motorways don't suit them, and because they hardly use them they tend to have less savvy about them when they do. It is certainly not true about all women, It depends on confidence and experience.

My advice [to all about motorway driving] is to stay relaxed, don't compete and stay out of trouble. You don't get to your destination any less quickly. The rep drivers who drive like complete twonks all the time are annoying, but I don't go out of the way to get one over one of them because in five minutes there will be another one along and I find that they are better out of the way. Many people who spend the jouney annoyed, and competitive, get to their destination tired, woundup and extremely stressed.

I am glad to say that that is not me.

Originally posted by savbaby
Its easy to see a lorry gaining on another lorry as thay are large and stand out but what about small cars like mini's and micras?
And scooters in rush hour on the A14 :rant:

If there are certain vehicles (like horse drawn carriages) that aren't allowed on the motorway, there should also be a minimum speed limit :mad:

I didn't mean 'you', BTW, I meant 'people' ;)

i know this may sound pretty thick:confused: but it has been mentioned a few times about Rep drivers, what does this mean???:confused: :confused:

Originally posted by savbaby
As for being allowed on motorway withou tuition , i agree with you.. I do not think it should involve a test but i think after you pass it should be compulsary to have a small course on motorway driving.
I agree with this wholeheartedly, savbaby. This should include night driving, which I found very difficult at first when you get to long unlit stretches of motorway. But when you have done it for a couple of thousand miles you don't seem to notice that there are no lights any longer.

Originally posted by savbaby
i know this may sound pretty thick:confused: but it has been mentioned a few times about Rep drivers, what does this mean???:confused: :confused:

Rep drivers are those people with a suit jacket hung up in the back of a vauxhall vectra. They drive like thay are in a grand Prix. Rep drivers are Salespeople, or Company Representatives. They have a deserved reputation as being the worsed drivers on motorways, and certainly the most selfish.

Originally posted by Strix
And scooters in rush hour on the A14 :rant:

If there are certain vehicles (like horse drawn carriages) that aren't allowed on the motorway, there should also be a minimum speed limit :mad:

I didn't mean 'you', BTW, I meant 'people' ;)

i know you were not directing it totally at me but that has happened to me a few times, i do not mind lorrys pulling out if the fast lane is clear as you just pull into that and off you go! but when motorway is packed and you have the idiot behind you riding your bumper its quite hard as you have to be aware that if you break its gonna cause a major accident.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
It is certainly not true about all women,

I know, I'm one of them ;)
I was generalising.


Isn't it funny how you can usually anticipate who's behind the wheel of a car before you can see them?

'Oh and he's wearing a flat cap!'
'No, wedging it with your shoulder isn't 'hands-free' '
'Your make-up isn't going to save you from death, dear'
'Ignore the child and drive'
:rant: :rant: :rant: :hihi:

Originally posted by muddycoffee
Rep drivers are those people with a suit jacket hung up in the back of a vauxhall vectra. They drive like thay are in a grand Prix. Rep drivers are Salespeople, or Company Representatives. They have a deserved reputation as being the worsed drivers on motorways, and certainly the most selfish.
what like the guy in the 4x4 with the jacket hung up that came off the slip road and crosse straight over all three lanes and back again to go off at the next slip road causing everyone to swerve ir break on the M60 few months back!!??? does he sound like a rep?? i know the ones you mean now.. have encountered many of them!

Originally posted by savbaby
i know you were not directing it totally at me but that has happened to me a few times, i do not mind lorrys pulling out if the fast lane is clear as you just pull into that and off you go! but when motorway is packed and you have the idiot behind you riding your bumper its quite hard as you have to be aware that if you break its gonna cause a major accident.
I think I'd have more of an issue with the bumper hog in this situation though.

It's important to know exactly what is all around you on a motorway, so you never find yourself having to look for a space to move into. You should already know where the spaces are, so you can use them in an instant, or you can create them if need be.

It worries me when I see people not glancing at their rear view mirror as they are driving along a motorway

Sales Reps like 'Gareth Cheeseman' :) In his Ford Probe! What a dong.

i admit i do not use my mirrors as much as i should but i am getting better at it. i mean i knew the guy was there and slowed down to try to get him to back off but he did not, i do not like getting too close to other cars on motorway (i am not mrs breaking distance btw!!!) but i do leave a space. i have encountered some people who just drive really close

Originally posted by savbaby
i have encountered some people who just drive really close
Mr Strix does it far too often!

He used to commute to Leeds, and if you don't drive bumper to bumper on that stretch of M1 you wind up being undertaken (guaranteed), so it has become a (very bad) habit with him.

We both make dreadful passengers ;)
but sometimes having a co-driver who's perspective on the road is slightly different is helpful. We've both prevented each other from an accident by spotting something the driver wouldn't be able to see :thumbsup:

well, 100 miles to brum this morning and only 1 example of bad driving noted. A lexus that decided the chevroned area between lanes 1 and 2 of the slip road on the m42 was actually a 3rd lane for him, idiot.

Originally posted by Cyclone
well, 100 miles to brum this morning and only 1 example of bad driving noted. A lexus that decided the chevroned area between lanes 1 and 2 of the slip road on the m42 was actually a 3rd lane for him, idiot.

why that jumped up Toyota driver......!! :rant: lol :D

Originally posted by Strix
If there are certain vehicles (like horse drawn carriages) that aren't allowed on the motorway, there should also be a minimum speed limit

Strix,
there is a minimum speed limit on motorways it is 30MPH and has been that for decades. That's why mopeds aren't allowed on motorways.

You don't need to be the Motorway, to encounter maniac drivers, every time one gets into a driving seat, one comes up against these Idiots !!!

They should have their licences taken away for the rest of their lives and never be allowed to be in charge of a vehicle again !!!:loopy: :loopy:

Originally posted by muddycoffee
Strix,
there is a minimum speed limit on motorways it is 30MPH and has been that for decades. That's why mopeds aren't allowed on motorways.

:rolleyes: hardly adequate in this day and age. Travelling all the way down a free-flowing motorway at 30mph is nothing short of a deathwish these days. :rolleyes:

Cheers for the info though :thumbsup:

I seem to attract near misses!? So far ive had about 50 people nearly crash into me, its just stupid drivers who dont bother to signal, or look in their mirros, and then look all inocent when one beeps their horn at them. I nearly got squashed by an arctic once, then there was the time that mad tweed jacket man chased me down the motorway, and then there was this other time.....

I seem to attract near misses!? So far ive had about 50 people nearly crash into me

Hmm, people who say this worry me...

Originally posted by neeeeeeeeeek
Hmm, people who say this worry me...

I know what you mean, I've been driving now for 9 years and never had a near miss that was anything other than my own fault! :)

Pensioners worry me - I am not saying they are unable to drive, some of them are better drivers than most, but I do think that at a certain age it should be compulsary to re-take a basic driving test. Not the whole thing, just a modified one to make sure you are still able to cope on busy roads as reactions, sight and hearing all suffer with age

I would be more than willing to re-take my test as I got older as I would not want to be a danger to anyone on the road if I was not able to be a competent driver.

Originally posted by dawny1
Pensioners worry me - I am not saying they are unable to drive, some of them are better drivers than most, but I do think that at a certain age it should be compulsary to re-take a basic driving test. Not the whole thing, just a modified one to make sure you are still able to cope on busy roads as reactions, sight and hearing all suffer with age

I would be more than willing to re-take my test as I got older as I would not want to be a danger to anyone on the road if I was not able to be a competent driver.

i am sure that people over 70 have to have some sort of test to show they are still competent enough to drive

Originally posted by savbaby
i am sure that people over 70 have to have some sort of test to show they are still competent enough to drive

You may notice that you're current driving licence expires on your seventeeth birthday...

Originally posted by themonkey
You may notice that you're current driving licence expires on your seventeeth birthday...

Seventeeth? Dont you mean Seventyth?

Originally posted by savbaby
i am sure that people over 70 have to have some sort of test to show they are still competent enough to drive
My understanding is that all you need to do is to get your GP to sign a form which says you are still fit to drive. In the past I have known some quite incompetent older people who had trouble seeing much, and had no problem at all getting their Licence renewed. I know one old lady (in the early 80s) who actually started having driving lessons in her mid 70s because she couldn't understand why she had trouble driving, despite driving for 40 years. She lost all her confidence, reactions and balance. And was just too old and confused to be driving, but her GP had just passed her.

when i get to 70, my grandkids better be driving me about!! or maybe ill be strolling on a beach.....

Is it just me or does anyone else know of this occurence. I recenty drove to whitby and was flashed (with headlights I might add) quite a few time. I pulled over to check my lights and they were fine.

What's it all about?

Originally posted by bonny
Is it just me or does anyone else know of this occurence. I recenty drove to whitby and was flashed (with headlights I might add) quite a few time. I pulled over to check my lights and they were fine.

What's it all about?

from behind or from oncoming traffic?

Always from the oncoming. My friend says it has happened to her too.

Originally posted by Avalon
Seventeeth? Dont you mean Seventyth?

Errrm no I meant seventieth. And I also meant your not you're.

lol....seventieth or 70th...but you can renew it after that
;)

Originally posted by bonny
Always from the oncoming. My friend says it has happened to her too.

By any chance do you have spotlights? They are a constant source of my annoyance! :)

Originally posted by themonkey
Errrm no I meant seventieth. And I also meant your not you're.

Ok so youve got me - i cant spell either!

Originally posted by Avalon
Ok so youve got me - i cant spell either!

You seem to have spelt either correctly there! (I crack myself up sometimes)

Originally posted by themonkey
By any chance do you have spotlights? They are a constant source of my annoyance! :)

or your main beam, or maybe your headlights need adjusting.

or they could have been flashing because there were police cars or mobile speed traps up ahead.

Those are the things i'd have thought of.

No, I don't have spot lights. It must have been the speed trap motive, although I wasn't speeding.

Originally posted by bonny
Is it just me or does anyone else know of this occurence. I recenty drove to whitby and was flashed (with headlights I might add) quite a few time. I pulled over to check my lights and they were fine.

What's it all about?

It is possible that your dipped beam is not set correctly or has come off alignment, possible dazzling oncoming drivers and causing them to think you are driving on full beam. Get it checked at an MOT testing station.

Incidentally, with regard to previous posts, there is no such thing as 'fast' and 'slow' lanes on motorways, each lane is subject to the same speed limit. Lanes are refered to as lanes 1, 2 and 3.

Originally posted by cloud
Incidentally, with regard to previous posts, there is no such thing as 'fast' and 'slow' lanes on motorways, each lane is subject to the same speed limit. Lanes are refered to as lanes 1, 2 and 3.

these are the names that people call them as the 1st lane is usually slower and it works its way up...its just a term of phrase we were not saying thats what they are called

Originally posted by Cyclone
or they could have been flashing because there were police cars or mobile speed traps up ahead.
Bonny,
Yes this happens a lot, people warning of a speed trap. but be warned, it is illegal to flash your lights to warn people about a speed trap and the police prosecute people for it when they can.

Originally posted by cloud
[B

Incidentally, with regard to previous posts, there is no such thing as 'fast' and 'slow' lanes on motorways, each lane is subject to the same speed limit. Lanes are refered to as lanes 1, 2 and 3. [/B]

I would say there is the left lane, then overtaking lane 1 and overtaking lane 2. If you are not overtaking you should be in the left lane! But I think we may have discussed in this and other threads.

Muddy coffee,
I had a signature similar to yours and was told to remove it. Just to warn ya!

Ok thanks monkey,
was time for a change anyhow.

MC

Originally posted by cloud
It is possible that your dipped beam is not set correctly or has come off alignment, possible dazzling oncoming drivers and causing them to think you are driving on full beam. Get it checked at an MOT testing station.

Incidentally, with regard to previous posts, there is no such thing as 'fast' and 'slow' lanes on motorways, each lane is subject to the same speed limit. Lanes are refered to as lanes 1, 2 and 3.

Nope, it wasn't that as I had just had an MOT and they
re-aligned them for me.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
Bonny,
Yes this happens a lot, people warning of a speed trap. but be warned, it is illegal to flash your lights to warn people about a speed trap and the police prosecute people for it when they can.

I know that the above is correct but why then is it that local radio stations (eg Hallam FM) give out daily speed trap positions. Info on their present sites can be obtained from dedecated police web pages and to take it to an extreme if you like, signposts declare warning of impending cameras.
If "speed traps" are not simply cash cows then by warning a fellow motorist of their prescence are you not serving the same purpose by slowing down the rate of speed?:confused::suspect:

Idiot drivers are everywhere.

Last year I was driving home from work and an idiot drove past going about 200KM/HR. He dodged traffic and then lost control and went into a ditch, flipped over several times and pieces of the car flew everywhere. I was 3 lanes over and had to quickly move out of the way of a flying car seat. Several of us stopped on the shoulder, but we could not find the driver.

I was sure glad to get home that night!

Originally posted by claycraft
but why then is it that local radio stations (eg Hallam FM) give out daily speed trap positions. Info on their present sites can be obtained from dedecated police web pages and to take it to an extreme if you like, signposts declare warning of impending cameras.
Because the legislation which governs speed traps makes sure that the authorities have to publish where the mobile speedtraps are.
I think the main reason is so that interested parties can check that they are choosing accident black spots, rather than just fast safe roads.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
Bonny,
Yes this happens a lot, people warning of a speed trap. but be warned, it is illegal to flash your lights to warn people about a speed trap and the police prosecute people for it when they can.

you're having a larf right. How would they firstly know that you'd done it, and secondly how would they prove why.
For that matter, where exactly does it say that it's illegal to do that.
The only things I remember about full beam is that flashing shouldn't be used to give way as the meaning is ambigous.

Originally posted by Cyclone
you're having a larf right. How would they firstly know that you'd done it, and secondly how would they prove why.
For that matter, where exactly does it say that it's illegal to do that.
The only things I remember about full beam is that flashing shouldn't be used to give way as the meaning is ambigous.

I've believed the flashing of headlights to warn of speed traps to be illegal all my (driving) life. Are you saying it's just an apocryphal tale?

I'm sure I recall stories of people being fined for "obstructing police" or some similar charge, although god knows where I heard it.

Originally posted by mojoworking
I've believed the flashing of headlights to warn of speed traps to be illegal all my (driving) life. Are you saying it's just an apocryphal tale?

I'm sure I recall stories of people being fined for "obstructing police" or some similar charge, although god knows where I heard it.

it sounds a bit like an urban myth to me. I'll try google and snopes to see if they can shed any light.

All i've managed to find is a guy that was prosecuted for putting out a homemade sign warning about a mobile speed camera.

So in principle you may be right (although the case was going to appeal, I can't find a record of the result).

But in principle I doubt anyone has ever even been prosecuted for it as proving why they flashed their lights would be impossible.

Originally posted by savbaby
i just wanna ask you all something too,,,,
if you were in the outside lane(fast lane) and you were overtaking cars,there were cars in front of you and some maniac in a jaguar came flashing behind you to force you outta way what would you do?
there is just enough room to pull into middle lane but you have still got a few cars to overtake, do you
(A) pull into middle lane and let him harrass next car
(B) stick to your guns and move as soon as you have overtaken the cars in middle lane?

i am just asking as this caused ahuge argument between me and a friend!
I Suppose (A) would be the safe sensible answer - but much as I'm not proud of it I think I would be tempted to wind up the middle finger, especially if he was not going to get anywhere because of the cars in front of me. If he then flashed a police badge or something then I think I'd move.

My pet hate on the Motorway has to be people who attempt to overtake a car, then end up going exactly the same speed as the car they are trying to overtake, effectively blocking the road - they make me really mad:rant:

Originally posted by Cyclone
it sounds a bit like an urban myth to me. I'll try google and snopes to see if they can shed any light.
But in principle I doubt anyone has ever even been prosecuted for it as proving why they flashed their lights would be impossible.
I think you will find that this kind of thing goes back to the begginning of motoring, when the AA and RAC were mainly formed to allow fellow motorists to warn each other if there was a bobby in the vacinity.
I'm not a lawyer, but I would imagine that warning someone who may be speeding that there is a speed trap around the next corner is collusion to break the law.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
Because the legislation which governs speed traps makes sure that the authorities have to publish where the mobile speedtraps are.

So, back to my point regarding a member of public warning a motorist of an impending speed trap. Surely its the same thing as the radio info, web site info' signposts etc?
I remember an article printed in the Motor Cycle News regarding an elderly gent who was warning bikers of a speed trap further on up the road. He was collard and prosecuted.
Now because of his actions, if the prevention of a traffic offence would have been avoided (biker over limit or not), is it not that the gentleman was carrying out the same duty as the camera operator?.....................Slowing down traffic.......................that is if that is a speed cameras purpose, not simply a revenu generator:suspect:

Sorry if that dosn't fully make sense as I've had a few this evening:o:bigsmile:

Originally posted by claycraft
So, back to my point regarding a member of public warning a motorist of an impending speed trap. Surely its the same thing as the radio info, web site info' signposts etc?
I remember an article printed in the Motor Cycle News regarding an elderly gent who was warning bikers of a speed trap further on up the road. He was collard and prosecuted.
Now because of his actions, if the prevention of a traffic offence would have been avoided (biker over limit or not), is it not that the gentleman was carrying out the same duty as the camera operator?.....................Slowing down traffic.......................that is if that is a speed cameras purpose, not simply a revenu generator:suspec

Sorry if that dosn't fully make sense as I've had a few this evening:o:bigsmile:

it wasn't specific to biking actually, and he appealed the conviction, I don't think the appeal has either happened or made it into the news as I can't find the result. But it did seem a little perverse.