Clueless driving (thread split from 8V)
- Thread starter cemerson
- Start date
So I obviously assumed wrong and the A3 is just another car. But at least it's not driveless, yet! The way I've seen some A3/S3s driven recently perhaps some of them would be better if they were. The term clueless rather than driveless springs to mine.
Perhaps I need to find another forum where the drivers actually enjoy the cars!
Perhaps I need to find another forum where the drivers actually enjoy the cars!
This is an interesting statement. I have a feeling that we'd disagree about what "clueless" driving is. I'd be interested in seeing your list.
Mine would start with:
- anyone on an 1 lane A road doing a reasonable amount under the speed limit when it clearly is safe to do the speed limit.... I once followed a 543bhp X5 - M doing 20mph under the speed limit for a mile or so...(!)
- people who are turning right at a roundabout where there are 2 lanes to go around and insist on moving into the right hand lane before the roundabout and then move to the left hand lane as they are going around the roundabout - there are 2 lanes all the way around!!!
- people who are turning right at a roundabout from a 2 lane road (this time there is only 1 lane to go around to the right) and who pull out into the right hand lane hundreds of yards before the turning as they are "anticipating" turning. Generally, these people fall into the category of speed limit under achievers - aka point 1 - too.
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I agree completely with your list. Unfortunately there are a lot of these clueless drivers around. Perhaps the Roadcraft book mentioned earlier in this thread should be compulsory reading for all drivers. The problem is partly that our current driving test is mostly about being able to 'drive' a car slowly around a town. Once passed that same driver can then drive alone on all sorts of roads including motorways without any further instruction on how to drive on these roads.
Others to add to the list would be:
- drivers who do not check their mirrors BEFORE they change lanes
- those who turn on their indicators after they have started to change lanes - rather than Mirror - Signal - Manoeuvre
- not moving to the left when that lane is empty - particularly on a motorway - middle lane hoggers
- driving a car in poor conditions and rain with no or only parking lights or DRLs
- using a mobile phone whilst driving including hands-free
This thread needs
Interesting - I've just found out that Dave and I agree more than I thought we would. Helps to change perceptions (mine if no one elses)
Liquidfusion-S3
I fall to peer pressure!
Oh dear, this is turning into another key vs keyless thread lol
Clueless driving thread in General Chat or, like most things on the 8V Forum there is already a place for those discussions:
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/index.php?threads/Road-abuse!.178931/
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/index.php?threads/Road-abuse!.178931/
I thought you'd say (and I'm paraphrasing here) "anything outside of what the letter of the law says".
My personal opinion is that sometimes the letter of the law is just clueless, and that breaking it - whilst not legal - is the right thing to do...
Again I agree with you. There are a lot of things that drivers do "that are outside the letter of the law", me included. I object mostly when this is to do with things on the car itself rather than the way people drive, with the possible exception of using any form of mobile phone whilst driving.
In my own case, when I'm driving, I often exceed the speed limit because a lot of speed limits are just silly and only imposed to placate local residents rather than any road safety implications. A driver doing 80-90mph and concentrating on his/her driving is a lot safer than one doing 70mph and doing all sorts of other things at the same time.
Recently I have also started doing some 'untaking' on motorways, in particular the M25 at the weekend. I frequently join the M25 at junction 21a and travel round to junction 16 for the M40 when I visit my mother in High Wycombe. When I join the two outside lanes are often full of nose to tail traffic but the inside lane is empty. I have been known to drive the whole section on the M25 in the inside lane and to be going faster than the outside lanes. This section is now four lanes so the 'middle lane hoggers' are totally confused as there is not middle of four!!
I'm quite sure there are other things I do when driving which are not strictly legal but are, in my opinion, quite safe and do not cause a problem to other road users. Over the years I've had my driving assessed by Police driving instructors, in particular when I worked for a County Council and had to go out to sites as part of my job and they have all be quite happy and complimentary. I do find the standard of driving to be so much better in Germany than in the UK, which is why I enjoy taking my A3 there for holidays.
You might already know, but there is no specific offence that legally prohibits undertaking.
It's mentioned in the HC of course, and gives examples where it's acceptable, eg, to pass someone turning right, or when you are in a lane of traffic that is moving quicker than the adjacent right hand lanes.
However, a display of overt "undertaking" where you jump out of lane 3, into lane 2 accelerating past,many then back into lane 3 will see you cautioned or booked, under another specific offence (eg careless driving) (or dangerous driving if demonstrated to have caused an accident) especially where weaving/cutting back in is witnessed.
Interestingly though, in countries where undertaking is allowed (eg:USA) - I do think that the drivers on the freeway are in general much more aware of their surroundings (without Assists ) I only mention this because I have long wondered if we were to introduce undertaking in this country, would it force drivers to look more and be more aware of what's going on around them?
There are some other traffic laws I wish we could import from the USA eg: Right Turn on Red. So sensible.
This is one of the reasons why I do have a dashcam installed. If I were pulled up for a offence that involved a value judgement, I could reasonably demonstrate safe road use, along with any other mitigating circumstances.
It's mentioned in the HC of course, and gives examples where it's acceptable, eg, to pass someone turning right, or when you are in a lane of traffic that is moving quicker than the adjacent right hand lanes.
However, a display of overt "undertaking" where you jump out of lane 3, into lane 2 accelerating past,many then back into lane 3 will see you cautioned or booked, under another specific offence (eg careless driving) (or dangerous driving if demonstrated to have caused an accident) especially where weaving/cutting back in is witnessed.
Interestingly though, in countries where undertaking is allowed (eg:USA) - I do think that the drivers on the freeway are in general much more aware of their surroundings (without Assists
) I only mention this because I have long wondered if we were to introduce undertaking in this country, would it force drivers to look more and be more aware of what's going on around them?There are some other traffic laws I wish we could import from the USA eg: Right Turn on Red. So sensible.
This is one of the reasons why I do have a dashcam installed. If I were pulled up for a offence that involved a value judgement, I could reasonably demonstrate safe road use, along with any other mitigating circumstances.
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I under take almost every time I go on the M5, I'm sorry but when I am doing 68-70 in the slow lane and some a$$hat is sat in the middle, i'll gently cruise past and continue in the slow lane. Mind you doing that or the whole going around them via the outside lane and back to the slow lane, still doesn't make them aware of the fact that they are lane hogging like a twonk
Well that's nice to know. I never intentionally set up to upset anyone if I can help it.Hmm... I'm beginning to like you. That's just not on....
Psyman79
Sarcasm is hard on a forum ;)
I did 1500 miles in America a couple of years ago as part of a family holiday and i liked it. It was actually the first time i'd driven on the wrong side but everything just seemed so relaxed. Under taking is wonderful and once you get used to turning on a red you start to understand why they do it. The only thing i didn't quite get was that when turning on a red you may well end up driving through a green man (walk sign) on a crossing. It's quite acceptable to change lanes into very small gaps and nobody seems to mind either. Over here, you move into a gap less than 30' and you get flashed and gestured at. We really are an angry country.
Si
Si
Slight thing to be aware of, Right Turn on Red isn't valid in all states, just got to check and be aware of which (e.g.: NYC) !
Also - in some places you've got to wait for the specific arrow !
But most other places it's OK.
Also - in some places you've got to wait for the specific arrow !
But most other places it's OK.
My biggest pet hate (apart from fog lights, not indicating, tailgating, middle lane hogs, stupid drivers doing 50 on the motorway....) is people who seem totally incapable of keeping to one speed. I sit at 75 to keep fuel costs down whilst still making progress, and I've lost count of the amount of times I'll be mid overtake, only for the person I'm overtaking to suddenly pick up pace, pull ahead far enough for me to pull back in behind only to immediately slow down again, cue me almost rear ending them. I lose my proverbial on a daily basis at careless kangarooing.
Impromptu games of leapfrog with some bint in a Kia 'SUV' (jacked up car with compromised handling and absolutely zero offroad capability - Nissan Juke also falls into this category, although that also wins the award for most gopping front end ever to be designed by the asians) are also far more common than they should be - I never speed up or slow down, they'll switch between being speed demons (90+) and grannies in shoeboxes (60 max) for mile after mile.
Rant over!
Impromptu games of leapfrog with some bint in a Kia 'SUV' (jacked up car with compromised handling and absolutely zero offroad capability - Nissan Juke also falls into this category, although that also wins the award for most gopping front end ever to be designed by the asians) are also far more common than they should be - I never speed up or slow down, they'll switch between being speed demons (90+) and grannies in shoeboxes (60 max) for mile after mile.
Rant over!
Apologies for linking to the Gruinard, but
Strip away all the safety features, nanny state protections, guard rails etc. and the Accident rate falls - because drivers have to concentrate more:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2006/apr/12/communities.guardiansocietysupplement
Strip away all the safety features, nanny state protections, guard rails etc. and the Accident rate falls - because drivers have to concentrate more:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2006/apr/12/communities.guardiansocietysupplement
Technology Distractions responsible for the rise in accident rate?
http://www.confused.com/car-insuran...sletterMR20150316manual&utm_source=Newsletter
http://www.confused.com/car-insuran...sletterMR20150316manual&utm_source=Newsletter
We are on a car forum, we know about cars and are in the main enthusiasts. So would I expect any of you to rely on any of these new systems completely? No.
But there is Aunt Minnie out there that has never checked her oil or tyre pressures, doesn't know she needs to. If the garage doesn't do it, it doesn't get done. She wont understand that you can't always trust park assist and that's why her wheels are scuffed and damaged, I know this person and it scares the crap out of me that she just lets the car do it..........................
But there is Aunt Minnie out there that has never checked her oil or tyre pressures, doesn't know she needs to. If the garage doesn't do it, it doesn't get done. She wont understand that you can't always trust park assist and that's why her wheels are scuffed and damaged, I know this person and it scares the crap out of me that she just lets the car do it..........................
