Idiots on the road

I always let others in, especially if I know there is a potential hazard up ahead that people don't know about ie parked cars.

I give them a "there you go" nod once there in front and they usually return a "thankyou" wave.

Always think about keeping the traffic flow going and really it means you'll arrive 1 sec later, who cares, your feeling happy.

[xbgs351]

Originally Posted by creampuff

Speaking of idiots on the road, I would like to thank the ****er in his Audi who sped pass me the other day,he went off the road and cracked the windscreen,I would have chased him except I was in the Fiesta!

Was it a narrow road?

[Agro_EF]

Originally Posted by pauljh74

I've had 2 incidents in the last week or so that really annoy me.
The first was when I was driving along in the right lane and a P-Plater in an older BMW is on my left and a little behind. I'm maintaining a safe gap to the car in front of me. Now I am in the right lane because I know someone parks their car on the road - the only car on that stretch - which is a stupid thing to do on an arterial road and when it gets cleaned up by a truck I'll be happy. Anyway, Beemer driver sees the parked car and speeds up. I don't want him to chop into my gap between me and the car in front, so I get closer to shut him out. My lane's not blocked and he has to give way to me. This doesn't stop Beemer driver who just continues driving and cuts into my lane with no indicators barely 2 feet in front of me. I filled his mirrors with high beams and this is the bit that annoys me the most. He starts pointing at the parked car as if to say that because he had a parked car to get around, that gave him every right to cut me off. I pulled up alongside and gestured to the indicator stalk, then pulled in behind him (if I wanted to get him I would have cut in front of him as well) as I had to turn left. I also realised that there was a limit to how much I could communicate with gestures from a moving car and was willing to continue on my way. He then used his indicator to signal a left turn and I gave him a thumb up as if to say "Yes, that's how you use your indicators." Considering he is a P-Plater, he should be more aware of the road rules as he sat his test more recently. I would have liked to have a (non-violent) discussion into why I think his driving sucks.

If I had been in his situation, I would have firstly thought, I have to change lanes and looked around for options. Then I would indicate and if a car was travelling alongside me, I would slow down and drop in behind that car if safe to do so. I wouldn't speed up and cut into a gap that doesn't exist. There are alot of people out there now that see a 2 car length gap and think they can put their car in it at 60km/h. This is why I tried to shut him out. One day a driver like that will do that sort of thing and another car in front will slam on the brakes for whatever reason and this person will slam into the back of that car and the car behind him will slam into him as there is no safety margin. It will be the lane cutter's fault and that person will have to pay for 3 car's repairs.

The second idiot I had to deal with just yesterday was on a road that goes from 2 lanes to 1 about 200m from the lights. The left lane becomes parking spaces. Now I passed this Camry while it was still 2 lanes and I was then behind another car. Again, as I know the road I chose my lane. I was completely in front for a few seconds and this guy in a Camry, upon seeing the "form 1 lane" sign decides to speed up and pass me. He's barely alongside me when he has run out of lane. At this point I hit the horn as I could see he intended to cut me off. This guy has continued driving in what is no longer a lane, and I've held my ground, looked across at him and shook my head. He eventually dropped in behind me some 200 metres after his lane ended.

I am aware that the car in front has right of way in zip merging where one lane ends and merges into another, but what I really hate is people who speed up from behind and overtake while their lane rapidly narrows and cut into gaps that barely accommodate their car. This law I'm sure did not have this type of behaviour in mind when they came up with the driver in front has right of way.

Some of you may think I should just concede and it will all be easier. My thoughts on that are if you keep giving in to people like this, they will keep on doing it. This extends alot further than driving (criminal acts etc) but that's another story.

I'm not a person who shuts everyone out when driving - another occasion a couple of days later with a truck approaching the parked car, and he was in front and hadn't even begun changing lanes or indicating - I waved him across. If people approach certain driving tasks the right way, I'll accommodate those people. People that do it in a way that says "Screw you and everyone else" don't tend to get much co-operation from me. I don't like people cutting in front of me - hey I'm running late for work too, yet I don't go about cutting people off. I know where I need to be on my daily commute and prepare which lane I'm in early and stay put.
You can tell which drivers are lost and need to change lanes from the lane hoppers who do it to get that extra 2 cars ahead in peak hour traffic. Some of them just indicate long enough for the indicator to flash once and then cut in front of you and then wonder why you are annoyed at them.

I have seen it many times each day in my daily driving its called ROAD RAGE, as if some wanted to cut in on me i allow them to as most good drivers do but to fight it only leaves it to another person that can or could die on our roads as is it worth it ? If i was you i would go in a ask for a refund on your license as road rage drivers should never be allowed on the road.

[Nickxb]

I ussually let people in, if you drive smart then you will always have room to brake before an accident. if you has slowed down and let him in then you can still drive a safe distance away from him after. People need to show more patience on the roads.

[flukey77]

Originally Posted by FPV8U

I just let people in, especially driving in city traffic, not worth the hassle.

Yeh basically.

While I do hear where you are coming from paul, its probably just best to let them in. Thats what I do because I really dont want to risk myself or my car for the sake of proving a point.

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by BlackLS

I give them a "there you go" nod once there in front and they usually return a "thankyou" wave.

This is the way is should be everytime!

[lotto]

We have all been caught in the wrong lane at some stage,I know I have!And I apprecaitte it greatly when someone lets me in,without honking or putting high beams on!So i do the same as a rule most times,nearly all I just let the driver in,and sometimes i even get a wave of thanks ,which is both polite and lets you know that they know they might of made a slight misjudgment and that you have understood and let them rectify it .

[Unco]

pauljh74, i see just as many (if not more) ford/holden drivers do this type of thing all the time, the fact that you're singling out camry drivers is reflective of an issue you probably need to deal with.

as for holding your ground, only last week, this sheila nearly put my LTD into a wall at 90km/h when she decided to change to my lane while i was still in it. yeah, i could have just stayed in my lane holding my ground and watch her destroy her plastic liberty into the side of my P6, but i can do without the scratches, so i just moved out into the emergency lane while trying to slow down and avoid her car hitting mine.

that got me angry, for a few seconds, and luckily it doesn't happen all the time. there are rude and inconsiderate people on our roads every single day. i can assure you, YOU are NOT going to save the world. if you want to punish people for their driving mistakes, either join the police force or become a driving instructor. you are only putting yourself and others in danger by acting the way you do.

as someone already mentioned, your life will be a lot easier if you stop caring about the idiots on the road. slow down for idiots, be the bigger man and you'll live longer and happier.

[Tuddy200]

Your all sadly missing his point. Read the damn post carefully, and you will notice that its Road Rage or Idiot Driving from the other person, you don't speed up to change lanes if someone is beside you, you slow down.

He was behind, broke the law by speeding, broke the law by cutting in, with no indicators, broke the law tailgating, all so he didn't have to slow down and get one car in front.

Paul doesn't have to slow down, he isn't breaking the law, he isn't speeding, he was in the correct lane, most importantly he was in front. Paul had every right to keep going as he was, and had every right to give the drive a blast full when the other driver unsafely cut him off. You'd all do the same to me, if I cut you off! - and you all know it! *Rolls Eyes*

Sadly, alot of you like the no speed campaigns, don't do this, hoon behaviiour, yet here you all seem to think the other guy was in the right when CLEARLY not! If the other driver had of been in front by an inch i'm sure paul would have let him in, but the FACT is he wasn't. Double Standards from our road users like alot in this topic is what gets us killed.

[Unco]

G.J.Tuddy i think you'll find that most people get the point, if you read all of the replies. i know it was the other people's fault in the first place, but contributing to a dangerous situation by closing the gap, flashing your lights and resorting to sign language 'to try and teach people a lesson' is not going to change bad driving on our roads. leave it to the cops or become one.

[Tuddy200]

Originally Posted by Unco

G.J.Tuddy i think you'll find that most people get the point, if you read all of the replies. i know it was the other people's fault in the first place, but contributing to a dangerous situation by closing the gap, flashing your lights and resorting to sign language 'to try and teach people a lesson' is not going to change bad driving on our roads. leave it to the cops or become one.

If anything Paul helped by closing the gap, therefore the other driver didnt have as far to fall back, therefore if the driver had the right sense about him, reliese that, but I guess you don't have to be smart to hold a license this day and age!

Flashing of lights and Sign Language was an acceptable thing (to me, i'd expect it if i cut someone off), and didn't cause the guy to speed up just to get in front.

Was it seriously that hard for the other guy to slow down? The other driver was obviously trying to cause an accident. The other driver obviusoly thought he owned the roads then, if he can speed, cut people off etc.

[Bill_R]

Letting them in would be the sensible thing to do but emotions can tend to take control. You can tend to think "they shouldn't be doing that". Well, maybe they shouldn't but they do and you don't have control over that.
I had a P Plater do a similar thing to me yesterday - pulled out right in front of me with no blinker and he didn't even look. Plenty of room for him behind me. I gave him a "honk" and he gave me a finger. I can understand your frustration but you need to accept there are idiots on the road. If you see them doing something totally over the top and dangerous the best you can do is to report them. It really makes me wonder who teaches these idiots to drive.

[Tuddy200]

Yes. Sensible thing would have for him to slow down alittle bit and move behind Paul. Would it not? As you say, you gave him a honk, not as much as what Paul did, but does that also make you an idiot as someone else claimed in this topic?

Why is it always the good drivers, that obey the rules and drive safely that get screwed over?

Anyway, I'm leaving this topic alone now, I can see i'm only going to cause a huge argument.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by G.J.Tuddy

If anything Paul helped by closing the gap, therefore the other driver didnt have as far to fall back, therefore if the driver had the right sense about him, reliese that, but I guess you don't have to be smart to hold a license this day and age!

Flashing of lights and Sign Language was an acceptable thing (to me, i'd expect it if i cut someone off), and didn't cause the guy to speed up just to get in front.

Was it seriously that hard for the other guy to slow down? The other driver was obviously trying to cause an accident. The other driver obviusoly thought he owned the roads then, if he can speed, cut people off etc.

"I don't want him to chop into my gap between me and the car in front, so I get closer to shut him out."

GJ Truddy if you don't think this kind of behaviour causes a dangerous situation you should also give up driving....

[littlered]

Yesterday while I was walking out of McDonalds Wanneroo this black VT ? Commodore turned into Wanneroo Road with a little too much acceleration and fish tailed a couple of times and then lost control... did a 180 and slammed into a power pole.


Me and a couple of other people went over and started giving him **** for trying to show off and be a big man. It got even better when a couple of cops in an unmarked car rolled up. Yellow stickered his car and charged him with dangerous driving.

Funniest **** I have seen in a while

[Flouro_Joe]

Originally Posted by littlered

Yesterday while I was walking out of McDonalds Wanneroo this black VT ? Commodore turned into Wanneroo Road with a little too much acceleration and fish tailed a couple of times and then lost control... did a 180 and slammed into a power pole.


Me and a couple of other people went over and started giving him **** for trying to show off and be a big man. It got even better when a couple of cops in an unmarked car rolled up. Yellow stickered his car and charged him with dangerous driving.

Funniest **** I have seen in a while

It's even funnier that you actually go to McDonalds

[SB076]

Good way to drive is think that everyone that is on the road with you knows you personally or is related to you (ie dont just see it as a Camry driver or Beemer driver, think they are your sister, or girlfriend or mate) You would be far more forgiving in those instances. There are plenty of bad drivers out there who do stupid things - but we all make mistakes (some worse than others) Traffic is getting worse and worse so unfortunately we are going to run in to more and more challenged drivers. Just my 2 c

[JC]

Originally Posted by SB076

Good way to drive is think that everyone that is on the road with you knows you personally or is related to you (ie dont just see it as a Camry driver or Beemer driver, think they are your sister, or girlfriend or mate) You would be far more forgiving in those instances. There are plenty of bad drivers out there who do stupid things - but we all make mistakes (some worse than others) Traffic is getting worse and worse so unfortunately we are going to run in to more and more challenged drivers. Just my 2 c

Yep, or take one level further and pretend they're all cops - then you'd let him in!

[littlered]

Originally Posted by Flouro_Joe

It's even funnier that you actually go to McDonalds

Bacon and Egg McMuffins are good ! :togo:

[SB076]

Originally Posted by JC

Yep, or take one level further and pretend they're all cops - then you'd let him in!

Yeah funny story that - and no I didnt let them in and yes I did get pulled over

1) It was an unmarked car
2) One of those deals where it went from two lanes to one - so i let the person beside me in front - thinking there is my charitiable donation for the day, when a black unmarked SS comes flying along and trys to push in (they where well behind me) Ended up having a friendly discussion with the police officer ;) No tickets no warnings though so all good

[MeLLy]

you could of created a situation where your car would of been the one more damaged, you both did the wrong thing, they should of dropped in behind you and you shouldnt of sped up to cut them off and give them no chance, i've been in similar situations where i'm ahead of a car in a merging lane and they have sped up but ran out of lane and im still ahead of them, but they are still side by side with me until they realise its them that has to give way.If you had of explained your story to a copper he would of shaken his head at you. P platers are not the enemy and most are good drivers when they want to be, you just have to give them a chance.

[MeLLy]

Its also simple if you wish to rav on about other ppls bad driving while you are also cleary in the wrong for doing the same as he, to get ahead then report him to the police or to www.ratetheplate.com.au...
People do cut you off when theres no room, people do drive dangerously! & make stupid choices, they pull out in front of you when they clearly see you coming and just assume you will stop for them, like trucks for instance or people trying to jump across a unblocked lane and sit there until someone lets them in the backed up lane.
The easiest way to let some steam off is to report it, they get a letter and get on a watch list at the same time.Everyday someone cuts me off, i see the most incredible things on the way to work, people who are to insecure of their driving to make a lane change or to change lanes to overtake a truck who's backend is hanging out of a right turning lane despite them having a whole traffic light change of time to move.Its an everyday occurance and of course you coming on these forums and stating you purposly cut someone off because they angered you, could of been a potentially dangerous situation for both of you. You should of known no one was going to be sympathetic towards you. While you seem to be mature minded in other ways clearly in this case you were not.
I've had 3 cars of p platers stop me and my friends on a 3 laned highway before and block me in get out and jump on my bonnet,i've had trucks pull out in front of me while im driving down an 80 road,I've had a kid on a bike think its funny to almost ride out in front of me and watch me panic and break to save his life and sit there and laugh because he scared the crap out of me & a commy driver run a red in front of me and i was a second away from hitting him....Its an everyday occurance the attitude out there is everyone for themselves.Fact of life idiots are everywhere they are a few brain cells short of common sense, you should always be prepared for stupid crap to happen.You should of just let the p plater in and reported him later if it really ****ed you off.
Simple as That.

[sexr6tasy]

Top post melly

[AC]

Originally Posted by pauljh74

I've had 2 incidents in the last week or so that really annoy me...

I feel your pain paul.

I've had a few things happen in recent months myself.

Although, Im stuck in the prediciment that my car attracts D-Heads.
Being that i do drive a big LOUD yellow old BEAST, I get to see these things more than a few times a year.

On a Thursday(i think), Was parked in a carpark a 4WD showed my rear quarter its bullbar.
Damaging from the back of the rear door nearly to the bumper.
Funny how the 4WD wasnt there when i returned 10mins later....

The next monday morning a clown in a commy door thought he'd be a show off in the wet and fish tailed beside me and knocked me again in the same spot at the previous hit and spun me off into a front yard.
This person was on the same level as the last and failed to stop.

More recently...

Not long after those two accidents, I pulled up to a set of lights and a guy in one of those Turbo Deisel Toyota Troopy's thought he'd also show how tuff he thought he was by reving and spooling up his turbo.
Unfortuntly he slipped up and dropped the clutch on boost and propelled his troopy into the VY Calais in front of him.... LOL. Just as unfortunate was the fact that he scared the bajeezus out of his two kids in with him.

I garandamntee theres no shortage of idiots

Its just a matter of being aware and trying to keep your nose clean.
Sometimes you just cant avoid it. :yeees:

[JUZXR8]

Originally Posted by pauljh74

I've had 2 incidents in the last week or so that really annoy me.
The first was when I was driving along in the right lane and a P-Plater in an older BMW is on my left and a little behind. I'm maintaining a safe gap to the car in front of me. Now I am in the right lane because I know someone parks their car on the road - the only car on that stretch - which is a stupid thing to do on an arterial road and when it gets cleaned up by a truck I'll be happy. Anyway, Beemer driver sees the parked car and speeds up. I don't want him to chop into my gap between me and the car in front, so I get closer to shut him out. My lane's not blocked and he has to give way to me. This doesn't stop Beemer driver who just continues driving and cuts into my lane with no indicators barely 2 feet in front of me. I filled his mirrors with high beams and this is the bit that annoys me the most. He starts pointing at the parked car as if to say that because he had a parked car to get around, that gave him every right to cut me off. I pulled up alongside and gestured to the indicator stalk, then pulled in behind him (if I wanted to get him I would have cut in front of him as well) as I had to turn left. I also realised that there was a limit to how much I could communicate with gestures from a moving car and was willing to continue on my way. He then used his indicator to signal a left turn and I gave him a thumb up as if to say "Yes, that's how you use your indicators." Considering he is a P-Plater, he should be more aware of the road rules as he sat his test more recently. I would have liked to have a (non-violent) discussion into why I think his driving sucks.

If I had been in his situation, I would have firstly thought, I have to change lanes and looked around for options. Then I would indicate and if a car was travelling alongside me, I would slow down and drop in behind that car if safe to do so. I wouldn't speed up and cut into a gap that doesn't exist. There are alot of people out there now that see a 2 car length gap and think they can put their car in it at 60km/h. This is why I tried to shut him out. One day a driver like that will do that sort of thing and another car in front will slam on the brakes for whatever reason and this person will slam into the back of that car and the car behind him will slam into him as there is no safety margin. It will be the lane cutter's fault and that person will have to pay for 3 car's repairs.

The second idiot I had to deal with just yesterday was on a road that goes from 2 lanes to 1 about 200m from the lights. The left lane becomes parking spaces. Now I passed this Camry while it was still 2 lanes and I was then behind another car. Again, as I know the road I chose my lane. I was completely in front for a few seconds and this guy in a Camry, upon seeing the "form 1 lane" sign decides to speed up and pass me. He's barely alongside me when he has run out of lane. At this point I hit the horn as I could see he intended to cut me off. This guy has continued driving in what is no longer a lane, and I've held my ground, looked across at him and shook my head. He eventually dropped in behind me some 200 metres after his lane ended.

I am aware that the car in front has right of way in zip merging where one lane ends and merges into another, but what I really hate is people who speed up from behind and overtake while their lane rapidly narrows and cut into gaps that barely accommodate their car. This law I'm sure did not have this type of behaviour in mind when they came up with the driver in front has right of way.

Some of you may think I should just concede and it will all be easier. My thoughts on that are if you keep giving in to people like this, they will keep on doing it. This extends alot further than driving (criminal acts etc) but that's another story.

I'm not a person who shuts everyone out when driving - another occasion a couple of days later with a truck approaching the parked car, and he was in front and hadn't even begun changing lanes or indicating - I waved him across. If people approach certain driving tasks the right way, I'll accommodate those people. People that do it in a way that says "Screw you and everyone else" don't tend to get much co-operation from me. I don't like people cutting in front of me - hey I'm running late for work too, yet I don't go about cutting people off. I know where I need to be on my daily commute and prepare which lane I'm in early and stay put.
You can tell which drivers are lost and need to change lanes from the lane hoppers who do it to get that extra 2 cars ahead in peak hour traffic. Some of them just indicate long enough for the indicator to flash once and then cut in front of you and then wonder why you are annoyed at them.

so let me get this right, with the first incident, you clearly anticipated what was going to happen, but yet instead of using logic and slowing down a fraction and allowing the p-plater to merge into your lane to go around the parked car, you instead sped up behind the car infront of you and almost caused an accident?...your a real winner mate! good job there!

[frd_crzer]

Before i recieved a call saying that one of my family members was in a car acciedent. apparently the other car went thrugh a red light and she got T-boned on the drivers side. what is with driovers and red lights SERIOUSLY

[Dezza]

Hope she is OK. There are plenty of idiot drivers out there

[charles_wif_xf]

Go find out if she is OK, quicksmart. I hope she is alright.

[pauljh74]

Originally Posted by G.J.Tuddy

Your all sadly missing his point. Read the damn post carefully, and you will notice that its Road Rage or Idiot Driving from the other person, you don't speed up to change lanes if someone is beside you, you slow down.

He was behind, broke the law by speeding, broke the law by cutting in, with no indicators, broke the law tailgating, all so he didn't have to slow down and get one car in front.

Paul doesn't have to slow down, he isn't breaking the law, he isn't speeding, he was in the correct lane, most importantly he was in front. Paul had every right to keep going as he was, and had every right to give the drive a blast full when the other driver unsafely cut him off. You'd all do the same to me, if I cut you off! - and you all know it! *Rolls Eyes*

Sadly, alot of you like the no speed campaigns, don't do this, hoon behaviour, yet here you all seem to think the other guy was in the right when CLEARLY not! If the other driver had of been in front by an inch i'm sure paul would have let him in, but the FACT is he wasn't. Double Standards from our road users like alot in this topic is what gets us killed.

One of the few that see the light!

To everyone else. I'm didn't cut anyone off in the first instance. While I did move closer to the car in front, I was still at what I would consider at a minimum safe distance for urban driving. If you left 2 seconds gap in peak hour traffic, you'd find 10 cars filling that gap just as quick. At no time did I make obscene gestures to the other driver, I gave him one thumb up when he worked out how to use his indicator further down the road. If I used my horn instead of the high beams - would that make you happier? I don't need to get a refund on my licence as while I was annoyed by the other driver's behaviour, all I wished to do was make it clear his methods were not appreciated. I also would have liked some form of apology from the other driver, but got none.

I would consider my approach balanced. I'm not threatening other road users, nor am I going to just bend over and take what some drivers dish out. Defending my position on the road isn't dangerous - that only happened when the other guy FORCED his way in front with no consideration to other drivers in the vicinity. I'm accomodating to the people who do the right thing - or even to people that just get it a bit wrong, but are well intentioned. In both these instances, the other drivers didn't make mistakes, they were just a-holes.

Traffic flow - people who barge their way in have a bigger effect on traffic flow than anyone else. They force others to brake to accommodate their "screw everyone else as long as I'm alright" driving style. There was no hazard from the parked car - it was still another 50 metres away. I'm quite willing to share the road, but not with people who want to take all of it. I wouldn't call what this guy was doing was merging.

You're telling me to show patience to another driver that shows everyone else none? If people show no courtesy to other drivers, they get none back. I never push these incidents to the point where a collision may occur. Ultimately, I will let them in rather than bend my car.

A co-worker put it this way. If you are in a queue at a supermarket and someone with a full trolley pushes in front of you, do you just let it go or do you say something? No-one likes to be unfairly treated, but some of you think I am required to just let these people do what they like.

Goodnight - If I follow some suggestions, I'll have to get up earlier to allow extra time to let all the idiot drivers cut me off.

[Unco]

in a queue at a supermarket, the moron pushing in doesn't have a 1.8 ton weapon.