Driving Standards

[BigTom]

Whilst we're talking motorway lanes, why is it that on the new smart motorways, when they open the hard shoulder as a traffic lane to add a 4th lane, and there's big signs saying to use the hard shoulder, is hardly anyone in there?

They've been around a while and i think it's signed really clearly but even lorry drivers (who i feel should be hearing about the way smart motorways work through work even if they've none near them) barely use it.

 

[bimble]

Once you start driving on the motorways, even at legal speeds, you will understand why there are three lanes.

I've been on them, but only left and middle lane so far. Maybe next time will watch closely and understand the mystery of the right hand lane.

 

[not-bono-ever]

Drove down into mid kent yesterday - does everyone outside London have a fucking newish audi on HP and are they legally obliged to sit right on top sit of arse of my shitty car on country roads these days ?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

The speed limit is 60 but lorries are restricted to 56 by EU law...

This time next year the UK will be 4mph faster

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Drove down into mid kent yesterday - does everyone outside London have a fucking newish audi on HP and are they legally obliged to sit right on top sit of arse of my shitty car on country roads these days ?

Mine's not on HP, if that helps

 

[not-bono-ever]

Its the first time that Audis have fucked me offn to this degree TBH-utterly dangerous behaviour by all of them. I didn't brake test them as I didn't get the feeling they were on the case enough to avoid an accident. Awful awful people. I bet they have an Audi community leader who periodically appeals for calm when some audi driver gets a rightly deserved kicking or they are responsible for a huge accident to add to their list of cuntery actions. Awful.

/ furious

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Was driving down this road yesterday afternoon:



I was waiting behind what would be the red car shown here, but square in the lane rather off to the left like a parked car. The wait for a gap to pass was quite a long one, but I'm a patient driver. A number of cars built up behind me, them some bloke in a Dacia decides to overtake me and go for it, in spite of the fact that an white Audi was about where that van was. So Dacia screeches to a halt, but can't move in behind the red car, nor can he go back as the car behind him had now inched up behind me. So we're all stuck. That was fun.

 

[not-bono-ever]

Dacia striking back against the Audi menace

 

[bimble]

It's a scientifically proven fact that people in expensive cars are worse more selfish and aggressive drivers.( I really like these sort of studies)
eg
Higher social class predicts increased unethical behavior

 

[planetgeli]

^

They’ve missed an ‘n’ out on the labelling of the y axes on those graphs.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Whilst we're talking motorway lanes, why is it that on the new smart motorways, when they open the hard shoulder as a traffic lane to add a 4th lane, and there's big signs saying to use the hard shoulder, is hardly anyone in there?

They've been around a while and i think it's signed really clearly but even lorry drivers (who i feel should be hearing about the way smart motorways work through work even if they've none near them) barely use it.

The hard shoulder is always full of debris, like bolts, etc, which will easily put a hole in a tyre. That's why smart people don't drive on the hard shoulder.

 

[BigTom]

The hard shoulder is always full of debris, like bolts, etc, which will easily put a hole in a tyre. That's why smart people don't drive on the hard shoulder.

If this was an issue, it would have shown up in the smart motorway trials / usage.

 

[existentialist]

The hard shoulder is always full of debris, like bolts, etc, which will easily put a hole in a tyre. That's why smart people don't drive on the hard shoulder.

Yebbut, that isn't an inherent property of hard shoulders, so much as them being lanes that people break down in and don't get swept clear by passing traffic embedding the detritus in their own tyres. If other people were to use them, it would make the lane clearer and more suitable for us to be able to

 

[Saul Goodman]

If this was an issue, it would have shown up in the smart motorway trials / usage.

Except, as you said yourself, hardly anyone uses them when they are open for use.

Yebbut, that isn't an inherent property of hard shoulders, so much as them being lanes that people break down in and don't get swept clear by passing traffic embedding the detritus in their own tyres. If other people were to use them, it would make the lane clearer and more suitable for us to be able to

Indeed, but I'd rather not be the one using my tyres to remove bits of AA leftovers from the lane. I'll let someone else do that

 

[BigTom]

Except, as you said yourself, hardly anyone uses them when they are open for use.

There's still been enough traffic for a statistical difference to show up, especially now with the M6 (and some other places I think). M42 trials didn't show any problems.

 

[Saul Goodman]

There's still been enough traffic for a statistical difference to show up, especially now with the M6 (and some other places I think). M42 trials didn't show any problems.

Cool... off you go, then. But I've seen what gets left on hard shoulders and what it can do to tyres, so I won't be using them unless I have no other choice.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

People don't like them cos they fear smashing in to a broken down car that the traffic controllers have not yet noticed. The other thing is that people know they'll have to move out of that lane soon once it gets closed off again, so they don't bother going there in the first place, a bit like on the M25 where the inside lane ends at every junction, it hardly gets used.

 

[gentlegreen]

I told two drivers to put down their phones this morning - even at crawling pace they couldn't drive straight so were easy to spot.
I may have to revisit my idea of pulling out a comedy inflateable ... this morning the concept gained a magnetic base so it could be stuck on the roof for all to see ...

 

[joustmaster]

I've driven the full length of the M1 a lot of times. And I'm always amazed the drop in lane discipline the further south I am.

The only thing I can think (other than southerners are shit drivers) is that the density of junctions on all roads in the south is higher and therefore people tend to keep out of the left hand land as it is often used as a splitting off lane or to make room for joining.

 

[not-bono-ever]

it always spooks me when I get further north - always expecting the worst from other drivers but find that people actually LET YOU IN and WAVE BACK when you indicate to do so.

 

[mauvais]

I probably have similar experiences on major routes, but driving standards in central Manchester/Salford are significantly worse than anywhere else I've lived. Loads of people jumping red lights, all sorts.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Part of the problem in the south-east is the pace of life, and most people always being in a rush.

Having lived in the SE, the West Country & the Republic of Ireland, the different in the pace of life is remarkable and reflected in how people drive.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

On the few forays I've made to the wild north it does seem that there are also fewer cars on the M1 the further up you go. Between London and Leicester it's pretty busy, so folk tend to stay in lane rather than moving over and having a hard time moving back out again a few minutes later.

 

[Teaboy]

I've driven the full length of the M1 a lot of times. And I'm always amazed the drop in lane discipline the further south I am.

The only thing I can think (other than southerners are shit drivers) is that the density of junctions on all roads in the south is higher and therefore people tend to keep out of the left hand land as it is often used as a splitting off lane or to make room for joining.

I've never noticed a geographical divide. What I have noticed is day of the week divide. When the weekend drivers hit the motorway you virtually have the inside lane to yourself, its great if you don't mind undertaking of course.

 

[Saul Goodman]

I've driven the full length of the M1 a lot of times. And I'm always amazed the drop in lane discipline the further south I am.

The only thing I can think (other than southerners are shit drivers) is that the density of junctions on all roads in the south is higher and therefore people tend to keep out of the left hand land as it is often used as a splitting off lane or to make room for joining.

Try not to overthink it. You were spot on right there.
London has the highest driving test fail rate in the country... 'cos they're shit

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

London has the highest driving test fail rate in the country...

bimble fucked our stats up

 

[bimble]

Try not to overthink it. You were spot on right there.
London has the highest driving test fail rate in the country... 'cos they're shit

This is incorrect. It’s actually because we’re really good at driving so they make the London tests harder and the examiners grumpier to level things out a bit.

 

[Teaboy]

Try not to overthink it. You were spot on right there.
London has the highest driving test fail rate in the country... 'cos they're shit

I passed my test in Stoke-on-Trent and it was a piece of piss. The London roads are a nightmare compared for many reasons but it must be awful for learners trying to pass in London.

 

[DotCommunist]

more people per square mile than everywhere else in england= more driving tests= higher fail rate

they probably sell the most takeways per weekend than anywhere else in the country as well, but its a numbers thing surely

 

[Saul Goodman]

more people per square mile than everywhere else in england= more driving tests= higher fail rate

they probably sell the most takeways per weekend than anywhere else in the country as well, but its a numbers thing surely

It's a percentage thing, not a numbers thing.