Has the Highway Code changed?

[cambournepete]

having used the bus today I thought many car drivers were very unhelpful in not letting the bus pull out, even when the cars were turning off the road the bus was turning onto. If car drivers show more respect and helpfulness to buses maybe the buses would be quicker and more car drivers would take the bus and there would be fewer cars on the road...

Just an alternative viewpoint

 

[Rich]

I drive a volvo 940 estate, I have not had an accident in 36 years of driving, the secret is anticipation of those in front and behind you, when I passed my test back in 1971 my dad told me "treat every other driver as if they were a lunatic" I think that was good advice, it has stood me in good stead and as far as volvo drivers go, they are as good or as bad as any other make of car drivers.

Regards,

Rich.

 

[joiner_sim]

I passed my test december 2005. and have been driving now for 3 years.

When i first passed, age 18, I was an silly person young driver, speeding everywhere getting everywhere as quickly as possible! And then one night, I went out CRUISING with a few mates, more like racing! And I must have ran threw so many red lights, and broke so mny speed limits, I got home, and I felt ill, due to the fact I'd spent a year learning to drive and lots of money getting there and getting the car.

Since then, I have drove everywhere much more sensibly. If its a 30mph, I drive at 30mph, if its a 70mph, I drive at 70mph. If I see a "lunatic" who can't wait to get somewhere, I just let them pass. I've found that driving to the speed limits gives you more time to think about what is coming up ahead of you, and makes the drive much smoother, controlled and above all safer!

>93mph in a 1995 punto 1.1 engine, is a scary thought looking back now. No airbags, pipper all!

I now have a 56 reg ford fiesta which gets treated more respectfully and is safer to drive overall.

 

[Rod]

A new thing for taxi drivers in our area is to only have one headlight working,i see the same taxi`s still not fixed for several weeks .Obviously not much maintenance done.

 

[Lord Nibbo]

I drive a volvo 940 estate, and as far as volvo drivers go, they are as good or as bad as any other make of car drivers.

Regards,

Rich.

But car drivers only come in two makes, female or male. Ooops! sorry make that three, Female Male & Volvo drivers. :lol:

 

[Digit]

Forget them all Mi Lord, try tractors! The big 'uns can mangle even a Volvo!

Roy.

 

[devonwoody]

Have you ever been behind the refuse collector when he is picking up the bins?

They wont budge even for the Queen.

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Forget them all Mi Lord, try tractors! The big 'uns can mangle even a Volvo!

Roy.

Don't you dare knock tractor drivers, I used to drive one :wink:

One of my favorite Jethro quotes "I can't read or write, but I can drive a tractor" :lol:

 

[Digit]

Well hopefully Mi Lord you didn't engage in the local sport of 'Jambing', apparently the record to beat is 69 vehicles stuck behind you! :lol:

Roy.

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Well hopefully Mi Lord you didn't engage in the local sport of 'Jambing', apparently the record to beat is 69 vehicles stuck behind you! :lol:

Roy.

I could have beat that easily, if they had let me on to the M5 :lol:

and where do they get 69 from? I followed a tractor this morning doing 40mph :lol:

Now to really stir things, London drivers are the worst drivers in the country, they spend that long in first gear they don't know a car has more than one gear, you can spot them down here in Cornwall in summer usually doing 20mph in a 60 zone usually looking at GPS's and with our narrow lanes they'll sit stopped 3 foot away from the edge of the road while you squeeze past them, and god help then should they need to reverse any distance. :lol:

 

[Digit]

I'll stick my neck out MiLord and suggest that you don't know this area too well. Some of our roads are barely wide enough for a tractor, never mid about over taking one, and many of our local drivers have never reached forty miles per hour.
I have genuinely seen walking pace!
Drivers will stop alongside each other to trade gossip, pedestrians will stand in the middle of Cardigan high street for the same purpose.

Roy.

 

[devonwoody]

I dunno that stretch between the Seven Bridge and Swansea, I could never keep up with those Welsh cars. And try and get on a roundabout in Wales is very dicey.
They also have a habit of moving the signposts and using a funny lingo.

 

[jpt]

Well hopefully Mi Lord you didn't engage in the local sport of 'Jambing', apparently the record to beat is 69 vehicles stuck behind you! :lol:

Roy.

I could have beat that easily, if they had let me on to the M5 :lol:

and where do they get 69 from? I followed a tractor this morning doing 40mph :lol:

Now to really stir things, London drivers are the worst drivers in the country, they spend that long in first gear they don't know a car has more than one gear, you can spot them down here in Cornwall in summer usually doing 20mph in a 60 zone usually looking at GPS's and with our narrow lanes they'll sit stopped 3 foot away from the edge of the road while you squeeze past them, and god help then should they need to reverse any distance. :lol:

There not London drivers their Peterborough ones. :evil:

They also join a dual carrigeway from a slip road without slowing or looking as they have right of way. I was once witness to an acident after someone did this and ramed a car on the dual carrigeway. The worst bit was he stood there and argued with 2 traffic policemen, the reason for the argument he said he had right of way as he was joining from the sliproad and incisted the policemen were wrong when they said he hadn't.

And dont get me started on how they use roundabouts or turn right. :evil:

john

 

[Digit]

They don't only keep moving them John they keep changing the spelling as well!

Roy.

 

[Jake]

Not as bad as those funny little country bumpkins up for a day in the big city looking like startled rabbits in their muddy cars - got stuck behind one the other day - he actually hit the brake rather than the accelerator when the lights went orange :shock: and then after that he slowed down to let someone out of a sideroad :roll: I had to cut him right up to get me to the next red light a bit quicker.

 

[devonwoody]

Well at least the young ladies seem to drive a lot faster these days. :wink:

 

[Ironballs]

I ride my bike a lot as well as driving about 25,000 miles a year so I see all sorts and from a couple of viewpoints. Rich is right, you should always expect the other driver to do something stupid, there's one part of my daily commute where the entire population must believe in reincarnation, it's hell.

Indeed I was cycling through there the other day when my car was being MOT'd and being ultra-cautious. There's one bit where the road curves off to the right and a spur carries straight on, always a dangerous bit and as I approached I was looking over my shoulder most of the time. Thought I'd made it across when some old fool clipped my back end and took me off. There was a frank exchange of views and I think even though there were 2 witnesses in my favour I still think he thought he was in the right, no damage done thankfully - good job as I was riding the bike I built myself!

Bus drivers. The highway code does state that you have to let them out after 3 flashes of the indicator and many people don't so I can see their frustration. However, there are some who, like the folks on the motorway who indicate once and then think it's okay to pull out 3 microns in front of your bumper will pull out regardless.

I was sat at a very slow T junction once where you had to edge into queuing traffic and the guy in front moved (slowly) into a gap that had appeared, this left him half on half off the main road and he stopped. Bus driver at the other side of the gap took offence to him pulling out and instead of braking in time to leave a gap he actually came off the brakes so that he could park himself right next to the guys window and intimidate him. Unfortunately for the bus driver his bravado was not matched by his talent and he hit the car instead. Bus driver was all ready for a set to and show this guy why he was wrong, right up until 3 of us lined up and offered ourselves as witnesses in the car drivers favour. The only time I have ever enjoyed filling in an insurance form, though perhaps I shouldn't have put horns and a devil tail on the bus driver in the picture

 

[devonwoody]

part quote from above

Bus drivers. The highway code does state that you have to let them out after 3 flashes of the indicator and many people don't so I can see their frustration. However, there are some who, like the folks on the motorway who indicate once and then think it's okay to pull out 3 microns in front of your bumper will pull out regardless.

Thats a new one on me?

highway code web page

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... ghway_Code

 

[devonwoody]

just looked at mobile phones as I was scanning through,

It appears you must not have them switched on?

Even thou you might not intend to use anyway, ??????????

 

[Lord Nibbo]

I had to cut him right up to get me to the next red light a bit quicker.

You mean to say you did more than 15 mph then, I bet that got the heart pumping :lol: :wink: :lol: