Driving standards

[PatB]

On 06/05/2019 at 02:33, Hobby said:

On a more amusing more I have to complain about the road sense of a few of its users yesterday. On the way to the Ludlow exhibition we first came across Bambi in the middle of the road followed by Mother Duck and her brood crossing the road a few mikes further on both times they didn't look before crossing!

 

Rather a lot of years ago now I had Bambi apparently pass through the spokes of the front wheel of my motorcycle, it was so close. Livened up my day no end :D.

[62613]

On 05/05/2019 at 19:33, Hobby said:

On a more amusing more I have to complain about the road sense of a few of its users yesterday. On the way to the Ludlow exhibition we first came across Bambi in the middle of the road followed by Mother Duck and her brood crossing the road a few mikes further on both times they didn't look before crossing!

Many, many years ago, returning from a morris trip in the Forest of Dean, we'd just got onto the M50; a pheasant appeared from the left-hand side of the carriageway. halfway across, it looked left, saw what was bearing down on it, and accelerated onto the central reservation. You could almost see the beads of sweat on its forehead!

[Reorte]

Not in quite the same vein because it wasn't dicing with death but I was once driving down a narrow lane when a buzzard flew over the hedge then along the road in front of me for a hundred yards or so, I was following behind it at the same speed, before it rose back over the hedge. Quite a sight.

[kevinlms]

3 minutes ago, Reorte said:

Not in quite the same vein because it wasn't dicing with death but I was once driving down a narrow lane when a buzzard flew over the hedge then along the road in front of me for a hundred yards or so, I was following behind it at the same speed, before it rose back over the hedge. Quite a sight.

Then you get A holes like this.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-09/man-who-tried-to-run-down-emus-sentenced-to-42-days-jail/11097056

[Reorte]

13 minutes ago, kevinlms said:

Then you get A holes like this.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-09/man-who-tried-to-run-down-emus-sentenced-to-42-days-jail/11097056

 

There really are some people the world could do without.

[polybear]

I imagine it didn't do his motor much good, even if fitted with those big bull-bar thingies.  Here's hoping.

edit: Hopefully one day he'll be on the receiving end......

[TheQ]

Pheasants are an every day occurance where I live, and I've seen red deer for the last two days on the way to work, luckily I've only hit Muntjac on two occasions, on both times they jumped out and caused damage to the car but got up and ran off.. They never choose to run out in front of the landrover with it's bull bars.

[alastairq]

Wahhaaay back in the middle 1980's, I owned [and drove] a Renault 4.

I worked [yup, did work once!] as a bus driver for United Auto, in Scarborough at the time.

One February morning around 4-30-5.00, [early turn spare man]...I was driving up through Cayton Bay, climbing up to Osgodby Hill Top...when a dinosaur leapt the hedge on my left side,  jumped across the road in front of me, to leap over the hedge to my right...It was miserably cold weather, thick fog [as usual in that area]....no-one else around..and it scared the bejazzers out of me! Thoroughly shaken up, I was, for a while..needed a nice strong cup of tea when I opened the shutters on Valley Bridge depot....according to the night fitter, I was as white as a sheet.

It was quite huge, with lots of pointy things on its head......and didn't appear to run as such, more of a hop or two.....[Renault 4 headlights weren't up to much really....sort-of, name only?]

A work colleague actually lived in the isolated detached house half way up the hill from Cayton Bay..reckoned he always kept the doors & windows firmly closed in wintertime.....never went out to the coal shed after dark....in case......

I did notice, Cayton BAy rabbits didn't have fur...more like a leathery hide.....

Things are different now..the place is far too genteel and millennial in its atmosphere these days....

[polybear]

2 hours ago, alastairq said:

One February morning around 4-30-5.00, [early turn spare man]...I was driving up through Cayton Bay, climbing up to Osgodby Hill Top...when a dinosaur leapt the hedge on my left side..........

 

Dunno what you're smokin', but it can't be legal.....

[alastairq]

This was a few decades ago..I think I packed up smoking at around the same time....besides, it helps to be smoking summat when driving a Renault 4...helps pass the time?

[Catkins]

On 23/04/2019 at 14:00, Coldgunner said:

A new one, £12.50 to drive through Blackwall heading south to the Bluebell, what a bloody rip! We did miss the turning for the M25 and ended up heading straight through by mistake. TfL's web page is as clear as mud too. Eventually got it figured out, but its not fun, especially on unfamiliar roads.

 

I get they are trying to limit emissions and save the planet and all that, but £12.50 is a joke.

I don't know which way you were going, but the M25 is clearly signed from the A1(M) and M11.

[Catkins]

On 17/04/2019 at 17:14, geoffers said:

ah - the traffic flow in and around Norwich. I was going to write something but won't for fear of the moderators. I do sometimes wonder, though, whether new roads and improvements have design faults built into them so as to provide further contracts for the further "improvements".

I've driven on the "Northern Distributor Road" around Norwich, and you can see that it has been done on the cheap, with most of the junctions being flat roundabouts, and the size of the roundabouts themselves means that any articulated lorry has to either use both lanes entering, through and exiting the roundabout, or (more likely) drive over the nearside kerbs - which will result in them being damaged.

[kevinlms]

Pretty horrible case of parking on Youtube.

At least no one will be game to steal it, in case they get the blame!

 

 

[Andrew s]

15 hours ago, Catkins said:

I've driven on the "Northern Distributor Road" around Norwich, and you can see that it has been done on the cheap, with most of the junctions being flat roundabouts, and the size of the roundabouts themselves means that any articulated lorry has to either use both lanes entering, through and exiting the roundabout, or (more likely) drive over the nearside kerbs - which will result in them being damaged.

I did that road a couple of weeks ago driving an Artic, going from the A47 to A1151 for Wroxham. Had to straddle the two left lanes so my trailer didn't 'ride' the kerb.

[kevinlms]

Mobility scooter on the freeway anyone?

 

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/elderly-man-drives-scooter-down-100km-h-freeway-20190511-p51mcp.html

[TheQ]

Shoulda gone to....

[Joseph_Pestell]

Came across a BMW yesterday with all its indicators working, i.e. hazard warning lights.

 

Driver seemed to think that this would give adequate protection as he reversed along the hard shoulder of the M25 having missed his turn off to the M23. Just hope that he got caught on camera.

[Joseph_Pestell]

On 11/05/2019 at 09:43, kevinlms said:

Pretty horrible case of parking on Youtube.

At least no one will be game to steal it, in case they get the blame!

 

 

 

Standard practice in Paris.

[Reorte]

2 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

Came across a BMW yesterday with all its indicators working, i.e. hazard warning lights.

 

Driver seemed to think that this would give adequate protection as he reversed along the hard shoulder of the M25 having missed his turn off to the M23. Just hope that he got caught on camera.

 

Yes, because as we all know hazard lights are for parking on double yellow lines, not reversing down the motorway.

[Joseph_Pestell]

34 minutes ago, Reorte said:

 

Yes, because as we all know hazard lights are for parking on double yellow lines, not reversing down the motorway.

 

Round here, no need for hazard lights to park on a double yellow. Blue disabled badge every time.

[PhilJ W]

24 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

Round here, no need for hazard lights to park on a double yellow. Blue disabled badge every time.

Their own or grandma's? A recent check here found that almost 70% were being used by people who were not entitled to them. One of which was for someone who died 12 years ago.

[ejstubbs]

On 10/05/2019 at 00:23, newbryford said:

I wonder if the powers-that-be will follow up other video/phone evidence of Joe Public doing the same?

 

A number of police forces in England and Wales already accept dashcam footage as the basis for complaints against other road users by members of the public e.g Cheshire Constabulary.  And NextBase are running a centralised National Dashcam Safety Portal.

 

The situation in Scotland is, we are told, complicated by the different rules of evidence up here - something to do with corroboration, I understand.  However, I did recently hear of a driver being charged with careless driving* in Edinburgh on the basis of video evidence from a cyclist's helmet camera.  I'm told that the law is in the process of being reviewed and it looks like the police are becoming prepared to act as if it has already been changed.

 

* The cyclist in question was proceeding along a narrow road which had cars parked on the opposite side i.e. to their right.  The offending driver pulled out to pass the parked cars and drove straight towards the oncoming cyclist, forcing them towards the kerb and missing them by a few centimetres at best.

[alastairq]

My local Police set up today, one of their regular check points nearby..in association with DVSA. [Or, vice versa?}

The layby concerned was rammed with vehicles  being checked for roadworthiness, secure loads, etc...reports of several individuals seen to be handcuffed. Vehicles seized [mainly for no insurance]....or drivers not having licences.

ANPR identifies suspect vehicles from a long way away......

I suppose there will be complaints regarding wastes of Police time, etc....but I for one, welcome these proactive measures.

The Local Trafpol twitter feed is full of vehicles seized...even the odd one or two foreign[plated cars which shouldn't be seen about....getting seized as well.

Last time I enquired, the percentage rate for 'unroadworthy' vehicles in this area was something like 85%. Nearly all vehicles registered [or made?] this century.

I admit to being cheeky with regards to these DVSA roadside checkpoints....by nipping home, digging out one of my old motors [which are not required to have an MoT]....and popping down for a free roadworthiness check ...never having any issues hilited.

 I suppose I'm making a point against those who spread alarm & despondency over the 40 year,  MOT exemption  issue.

It isn't the 40-plus year old banger on the road we need to concern ourselves with...it's the nearly new motor that causes the issue of unroadworthy vehicles.

 

Incidentally, my local Force is busy recruiting a lot more Officers....so we can expect to see more high profile Policing in future....more Trafpol parked up, observing...

About time too.

[laurenceb]

Is a non-compliant number plate (wrong typeface / spacing etc ) an MOT failure reason? just wondering

[Reorte]

17 minutes ago, laurenceb said:

Is a non-compliant number plate (wrong typeface / spacing etc ) an MOT failure reason? just wondering

 

I think so, https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates and the links to more details on that would suggest so.