107 replies to this topic

[Big Sam]

Sorry if its been said before, i didnt read it all.

 

But road users in general dont respect each other, regardless of vehicle.

[HarrysMini]

I think you definitely get treated differently depending on the car you are driving. I probably said it earlier, but when in the big Disco, there are no problems at all with people cutting up, pulling out in front of you at roundabouts etc. People give you space and give way to you, it almost gives you a feeling of superiority on the roads. 

 

However when in my small Fiat or other small, low powered looking car, you are constantly being tailgated, cut up etc. I think wherever possible, you need to stand your ground and it just might make one person think that they can't get away with it. The number of times people have (unsuccessfully) tried to overtake me on roundabouts is astonishing. Typically, it seems to be 30s to early 60s aged people that are the worst. I wouldn't say any particular car make/model is a problem, as they can be in anything from a £200 banger to an M5.

[Miniminx71]

megamini_jb, on 17 Sept 2014 - 11:39 AM, said:

VW owners are Audi wannabes lol

I have to disagree. I've had Golfs all my driving life and have never even contemplated an Audi. Way too over-rated. 

[The Matt]

 

The question is; was it because you were in your Mini, or would he have just been the same inconsiderate idiot towards any other car?

 

I have had experiences while in a queue of other cars turning at mini roundabouts were someone has to stop and give way. For whoevers stopped to give way, giving way for the one or two normal cars in front, only to then see the mini or get impatient at having to wait and then just pull out regardless.

 

 

It's weird, I'm probably just blinkered by the fact that I've never experienced it.  If anything I've only ever experienced the exact opposite and always seem to get loads of respect when in the Mini.  When I was in the 205 GTI, I used to get a lot more interest from fellow drivers than I ever did in the Mini too.  

The only thing I ever really experienced in the Mini was an old geezer and his bird in a 911 sat next to me at the traffic lights, literally pointing and laughing at my grotty little car.  But I showed him to never judge a book by its cover.  That situation was EXACTLY what I built the car for!

Just because I've not experienced it doesn't mean it doesn't happen, though.  I think it was Carl Sagan that said "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence".  I obviously don't drive a Mini often enough

[skinnyminny]

I find a 50:50 mix when in the mini between people being absolute imbeciles as mentioned by others already and people waving, smiling and giving me the old thumbs up.

 

However I do find the small 'cheap' car and the big 'expensive' car thing to be true.

 

Driving my old micra, old clapped out vw polo or my current rover 25 I get treated like absolute **** by drivers. Pulling out on me, refusing to allow me to merge, tailgating etc. etc. what feels like constantly.

 

If I'm in my parents Audi A4, my boyfriends golf TDi or his (1991) jaguar xjs it's the complete opposite! People maintaining a safe distance, merging in turn actually happening, people giving way - ridiculous difference.

 

My boyfriend used to claim it must be my driving but having driven with me in the rover and then me driving his golf he couldn't believe the difference. Especially as to the average road user they both look like hatchbacks around 10 years old. And I was probably driving slower in the golf!

 

There is a complete lack of respect for other road users in general now though and I do sometimes think a mandatory retake of the driving test every 5 years should be necessary. I have friends who I won't get in the car with because they are completely oblivious to the road, the signs and anyone unlucky enough to be driving near them. Terrifying.

[mab01uk]

Can't believe how many drivers don't bother to wave or flash their lights to say thank you when wait to let them come through a gap or come past parked cars......it costs nothing to say thank you, I guess they are the same people who don't say thank you if you hold a door open for them.......or just barge there way through.

[skinnyminny]

Can't believe how many drivers don't bother to wave or flash their lights to say thank you when wait to let them come through a gap or come past parked cars......it costs nothing to say thank you, I guess they are the same people who don't say thank you if you hold a door open for them.......or just barge there way through.

 

This is so true (out of likes for the day thanks to this thread!)

[megamini_jb]

Yeah I agree. I don't mean to sound racist (I'm gonna now aint I ) but hardly any Asians around here say thanks when you wait to let them come

Edited by megamini_jb, 20 September 2014 - 08:42 PM.

[megamini_jb]

Can't believe how many drivers don't bother to wave or flash their lights to say thank you when wait to let them come through a gap or come past parked cars......it costs nothing to say thank you, I guess they are the same people who don't say thank you if you hold a door open for them.......or just barge there way through.

 
This is so true (out of likes for the day thanks to this thread!)

Liked it for you

[robminibcy]

I experienced my first bit of what may have been mini rage on Friday! Coming down some rather nice lanes on the way home from work I was followed by a corsa, all the way down he/she was fair way behind me and I was already ahem,... Enjoying the roads slightly above the limit. as we went across a resovoir the roads turns and goes up hill and despite being flat out I dropped to just above 50! At the top of the hill I start to pick up speed again as we go down the other side at which point the corsa decided to overtake with a van appearing in the distance, luckily just in time the corsa remembered it was a corsa and not a Subaru and dropped back in begin thus protecting my dignity! At the bottom of the hill the roads get really twisty and so that was the last i saw of the corsa

[grck1]

dosent matter what you drive, there a lot of numptys on the roads these days, got cut up today by a vw polo - decided it wanted go round the roundabout even though it was in the outside lane, i was driving a Mitsubishi pajero as it ploughed across my bows so size dosent get you respect. also audi / bmw / Mercedes drivers are no worse than any other - just more of them about and have been cut up in a merc by a motorbike who forgot the cardinal rule ie over the shoulder look.  

 

in a mini you feel more vunverable as its tiny so you notice more.

driving standards do seem to be worse - i wonder is this due to the amount of safety and driver aids newer cars have so letting drivers get away with poor driving because the car will save the day?

i mean - take away the airbag and replace it with a spike and im sure people would start paying more attention to what they were doing?

[surfblue63]

The one that gets to me is when going straight over a roundabout and people insist on being in the right hand lane and try to cut you up when they are taking the same exit straight as you.

Left lane to go left/straight or Right lane to go right unless there are road signs stating otherwise.

Its mainly merc taxi drivers that are at it the most!

 

 

This is wrong

 

Here is the correct procedure

 

 

　

When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

 select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout

 you should not normally need to signal on approach

 stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout

 signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.

 

 

And this is an example of why a lot of people have no idea of what they are doing when driving, they do not actually know what is written in the highway code.

 

I think everyone should be retested every 5 years. That way people will not get into bad habits, they will be kept up to date with any new rules that have come into effect since passing their test. It will also mean that people who can not keep up to the required standard will have to learn it again.

 

Most professions that require some form of competence these days require retraining of some sort, so why not driving.

 

And as for certain types of car being driven badly, I find that there are discourteous drivers in all types of vehicle, be it bicycle, motorbike, car, van, lorry or bus. There are also courteous drivers and riders in all camps.  I also find that there are good and bad drivers in all age groups and in both genders and I find that bad driving attracts bad drivers. If I am in a hurry I find there are more bad drivers, if I am in less of a hurry I find that there are more courteous drivers.  

 

By the way, I drive a BMW.

Edited by surfblue63, 21 September 2014 - 12:06 AM.

[HarrysMini]

 

The one that gets to me is when going straight over a roundabout and people insist on being in the right hand lane and try to cut you up when they are taking the same exit straight as you.

Left lane to go left/straight or Right lane to go right unless there are road signs stating otherwise.

Its mainly merc taxi drivers that are at it the most!

 

 

This is wrong

 

Here is the correct procedure

 

 

　

When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

 select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout

 you should not normally need to signal on approach

 stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout

 signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.

I've been taught the same way Elliott mentions. I hope it is right as I have my test in a few days.

[skinnyminny]

Yep I'm the same as Elliott - passed my test in 2010. Don't panic Harry & best of luck with the test.

I felt like the extract surf blue quotes seems to back up what we were taught rather than contradict it?

'Select the correct lane' ie left lane for left/straight and right lane for right, unless straight is onto a dual lane road in which case left lane for left/straight and right lane for straight/right

'Stay in this lane until you need to alter course'
So stay in the right hand lane until you pass the centre exit and then move across to have access to the right hand exit - not stay in the inside lane and then bully your way into the outside one when you need the centre exit (or even when you're turning left because I've had that happen to me!)

'Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want'
So indicate after the left hand exit for straight on or after the straight exit for right.

And although not mentioned in that section I was also taught that if you do end up in the right hand lane to go left you shouldn't push in but instead go around the roundabout again following the procedure above. If you end up in the left lane to go right then either indicate right and merge safely if there is the opportunity to do so (ie if there is no one else in the right lane you will cause to alter their course) but otherwise you must take the left hand or straight exit and find a safe location to make a turn in the round before re-entering the roundabout from that exit.

Clearly there is a need for retesting if drivers are reading the Highway Code and concluding a different system to the above - surf blue how were you taught?

[skinnyminny]

*turn in the road. Damn you apple autocorrect.