Speeding and general dangerous driving in and around Brixton
- Thread starter teuchter
- Start date
sparkybird
ask the bird...
Driving just over the 20 mph (sorry) in Brixton water lane. Twat driving right up behind me decides to overtake.
I pull up by the side of him at the lights. Ask him if he realises he was speeding
Yes he replies, but I was overtaking.
Me, I saw that, but it's a 20 mph zone
He says, yes but if I was doing 20 I wouldn't have been able to over take you, would I?
How the hell does someone with this few braincells manage to get a driving license??
I pull up by the side of him at the lights. Ask him if he realises he was speeding
Yes he replies, but I was overtaking.
Me, I saw that, but it's a 20 mph zone
He says, yes but if I was doing 20 I wouldn't have been able to over take you, would I?
How the hell does someone with this few braincells manage to get a driving license??
teuchter
je suis teuchter
Very pleased to see London Assembly report recommending further attempts to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists, especially in outer London.
Notably, they seem to be in favour of increasing 20mph limits on TfL roads. Good.
Notably, they seem to be in favour of increasing 20mph limits on TfL roads. Good.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
Two things from the weekend.
1. Driving in a zipcar along coldharbour lane, between brixton and Loughborough junction, around midnight on saturday. I was going at 20. Two cars overtook at considerable speed, the second one swerving in front of us to avoid something coming the other way. That people feel they can do this on an urban street shows how little enforcement there is.
2. Crunching sound outside. Looked out the window and yup, yet another crash at the junction nearby. These almost always seem to happen because someone is going too fast to stop when someone is pulling into or out of the junction. There are various bollards which often have to be re-concreted into the ground after one of these incidents. Each time I see those bollards knocked over I think that that could have been a pedestrian.
1. Driving in a zipcar along coldharbour lane, between brixton and Loughborough junction, around midnight on saturday. I was going at 20. Two cars overtook at considerable speed, the second one swerving in front of us to avoid something coming the other way. That people feel they can do this on an urban street shows how little enforcement there is.
2. Crunching sound outside. Looked out the window and yup, yet another crash at the junction nearby. These almost always seem to happen because someone is going too fast to stop when someone is pulling into or out of the junction. There are various bollards which often have to be re-concreted into the ground after one of these incidents. Each time I see those bollards knocked over I think that that could have been a pedestrian.
bimble
floofy
From my windows I get to see a lot of the deliveries that go into the scrap metal yard on Gordon grove, the scrunched up written off cars being laid to rest, day in day out. Meanwhile my eternal driving lessons are ongoing and I think it's fair to say I get overtaken at some point every single lesson when going at the speed limit of 20mph, unless the road is full of speed bumps, which seem to work.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
From my windows I see the ones that aren't quite written off - being brought to the various mechanics to get fixed up.
At least crap driving keeps some people in business.
Twattor
Well-Known Member
There seem to be a lot of drivers travelling south on Brixton road who are avoiding the no right turn into Acre Lane by performing a u-turn across the traffic just past the junction then turning left rather than going round St Matthews. I hadn't noticed it before but now i often see cars perpendicular to the traffic flow blocking carriageways and the Coldharbour filter. Is this a new thing or has it always happened?
Lambeth should be able to make a few quid in fines if they had a couple of ANPR cameras at that junction.
Lambeth should be able to make a few quid in fines if they had a couple of ANPR cameras at that junction.
bimble
floofy
^ Yep, that happened just as i was sat there on my last driving lesson, car behind did a U-turn to join the traffic going the other way completely blocking the road to save themselves driving round. (No idea if it's a new thing or not).
This constant awareness that people might at any moment do something unexpectedly bonkers makes learning that much more difficult, if i can't trust that people will behave rationally how am i supposed to just look where I'm going instead of looking in every direction for random loons.
This constant awareness that people might at any moment do something unexpectedly bonkers makes learning that much more difficult, if i can't trust that people will behave rationally how am i supposed to just look where I'm going instead of looking in every direction for random loons.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
I learnt to drive in the relatively sedate streets of Inverness. For some time I was fairly terrified at the prospect of driving in London. However, I realised that in some ways it's easier, because hardly anyone in south London is doing what they are supposed to. So your mistakes hardly stick out. My approach is just to not go too fast, and learn to ignore anyone beeping at you because 90% of the time it's just impatience. If you find yourself having to change lane at the last minute because you got into the wrong one initially, push your way in in slow motion and in a state of zen. Put Smooth FM on the radio. People can wait; everyone else is pulling dodgy maneuvers too. I realise none of this is helpful advice for driving lessons.^ Yep, that happened just as i was sat there on my last driving lesson, car behind did a U-turn to join the traffic going the other way completely blocking the road to save themselves driving round. (No idea if it's a new thing or not).
This constant awareness that people might at any moment do something unexpectedly bonkers makes learning that much more difficult, if i can't trust that people will behave rationally how am i supposed to just look where I'm going instead of looking in every direction for random loons.
trabuquera
Modesty Bag
bimble
floofy
This would be unhelpful, unless you wish me to join the ranks of rage-fuelled violently anti-social brixton drivers. If you can't beat em join em i suppose.
Spymaster
Plastic Paddy
Wanna bet? Pretty much everywhere in Eastern Europe makes Brixton seem like a cake-walk.
Saul Goodman
It's all good, man
Have you ever been to another part of the country?
London drivers are beyond bad.
craigxcraig
Prefers 'cxc'
Ms T
Honey-coloured ramparts
Nanker Phelge
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
I think it's just different types of bad driving.
As a passenger though, I tend to feel safer when being driven around London than I do the rest of the country.
There's a lot more scope for speed and collisions at speed elsewhere.
In London you are more likely to get a bump than a full on smash up if something goes wrong.
I think pedestrians get it tougher in London, but I also think pedestrians take more risks in London, and cyclists.
As a passenger though, I tend to feel safer when being driven around London than I do the rest of the country.
There's a lot more scope for speed and collisions at speed elsewhere.
In London you are more likely to get a bump than a full on smash up if something goes wrong.
I think pedestrians get it tougher in London, but I also think pedestrians take more risks in London, and cyclists.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
As I live on Coldharbour lane, on that stretch, I see cars doing quite a speed on CHL on regular basis late at night. And in morning.
I saw the bollards on Loughborough road just past the bridge have been knocked over or pulled out. Not the first time.
So do I. I find the standards of driving in Birmingham much lower than those in London.
nick
Pleomorphic Adenomas R us
Regional variations in driving etiquette even within London.
In Brixton environs everyone goes for the gap in a motorised form of chicken . No one thanks anyone else etc.
When up in Rayners Lane area, people are obsessive about taking turns to pass when the roads are narrowed by parked cars , and always thank each other.
Both systems seem to work as long as everyone is playing by the same rules
In Brixton environs everyone goes for the gap in a motorised form of chicken . No one thanks anyone else etc.
When up in Rayners Lane area, people are obsessive about taking turns to pass when the roads are narrowed by parked cars , and always thank each other.
Both systems seem to work as long as everyone is playing by the same rules
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Since you posted this I've been looking to see this and your right it's common now. Technically it's maybe not contravening the traffic rules. Trouble is once a few drivers do this more do. The way drivers see it is that it's there way of having a go at the "man". Striking a blow for freedom. I know as had drivers tell me proudly of where they do it in other areas. It's the mentality that see any curb on drivers "rights" as big brother intervention on one's daily life.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
On dangerous driving. I often use Villa road in evenings to get home. I'm surprised that it is a rat run. I'm not clear why.
Villa road is quite narrow. But it's busy in evenings. Had car honking at me for not going quickly enough/ not pulling off from corner quick enough for him.
Anyone know why it's a rat run?
It annoys me to have cars honking at me on side residential roads. As though I was in main road.
Villa road is quite narrow. But it's busy in evenings. Had car honking at me for not going quickly enough/ not pulling off from corner quick enough for him.
Anyone know why it's a rat run?
It annoys me to have cars honking at me on side residential roads. As though I was in main road.
Ms T
Honey-coloured ramparts
It’s a way of avoiding the bottleneck that is Brixton in the evenings.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
I think so.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
I was looking at the GLA report teuchter posted up about (#183). Mayor's "Healthy Streets" comes up in it.
I didn't know about that.
Healthy Streets for London
The report on outer London is seeing how TFL could prioritise the Mayor's Healthy Streets policy. Which is to have a culture change in the way that TFL works. To prioritise pedestrians, public transport and cycling before cars.
The report recommends that TFL collects data on before and after road junction improvements to see if they further Mayor's strategy. I would think Loughborough junction would be one where this should be done.
There are more details here on TFL and Healthy Streets. I haven't had look at all of it yet
Healthy Streets
I didn't know about that.
Healthy Streets for London
The report on outer London is seeing how TFL could prioritise the Mayor's Healthy Streets policy. Which is to have a culture change in the way that TFL works. To prioritise pedestrians, public transport and cycling before cars.
The report recommends that TFL collects data on before and after road junction improvements to see if they further Mayor's strategy. I would think Loughborough junction would be one where this should be done.
There are more details here on TFL and Healthy Streets. I haven't had look at all of it yet
Healthy Streets
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
That would explain it. I see cars coming both ways on Villa road in evening. Causing traffic jam on that road. I don't know if it happens in day so much.
This is a residential road with on other side a park with play area for children. I think there should be no left turn from Brixton road into that street.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
What's interesting about that report is that it's largely the mayor's office telling TfL to get its act together somewhat as far as pedestrians and cyclists are concerned. It's quite bold in a number of aspects. NB also that in the appendix there's a bit where the conservatives on the GLA say they don't agree with the report.
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