Road Tales - Area for discussing issues on the roads.

Yet another absolute tool of a tractor driver, I would like to pretend this is a one off but no it is totally common just sometimes you catch a break and can actually .... overtake....

Over 8.5 miles stuck behind a tractor (before I took a detour to get away from him) who was unable to even maintain 35mph in the 60 mph NSL area he was in for the whole distance.

This was where I joined him and going by the erratic driving in front of me the drivers behind him had been there some time....

By now white car was utterly off and decided to risk going down a dirt tracked road in order to get in front of him... a decision I too wish I had opted for.....

Ohh what is that I spot... is that a parking lane... the perfect place for a vehicle unable to maintain an acceptable speed to pull off into and allow the now many miles of traffic to get past......

But nope that says Mr Tractor driver I ain't pulling over for this bunch of ....

Which leads to yet more risky overtakes (the flat-back only just missed the oncoming car).

And yet another chance for him to pull over not a proper parking space but a hard surfaced runoff with plenty of space to allow the now huge tailback to subside.... but no he decided to carry on trucking.... or should that be ing... the rest of the drivers off..........

This was where I called enough and took a detour not willing to risk staying behind him for another 8 miles......

Why the will the police not start getting involved and pulling these drivers up??? Rule 169 of the highway code is quite clear:

169

Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.

so effectively he is purposely ignoring the highway code and then they wonder why there are so many accidents on this specific length of road it is people getting absolutely infuriated by poor standards af driving from the local farmers who only use the slow moving tractors to move these large loads... because they are trying to get away with not paying tax on the fuel by using the red dieseled tractors for the haul instead....

I worked on a farm in my youth and have plenty of time for the courteous Cornish farmers and their plight, but the farmers around the East of England I have no sympathy for their plight whatsoever...

:rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant:

Just a salient point on what has been mentioned many times before before in other areas but still people do it. Yesterday on my drive to work at 6am in the poor weather I witnessed the van in front of me the closest I have ever seen to a 60mph impact with a stationary broken down car on the side of the road. The van missed the car ( and owners who where standing behind it!!!!!) by only literally a few inches... all because the owner of the car had applied that nice fancy tinting to all his rear lights! Even at 50 metres the car was barely visible they where that dim and I think the only thing that warned the van driver of their presence was the infinitely brighter torch on the blokes mobile phone, certainly not the hazard lights which where to dull to even read by.......

You might think it looks good but does it look so good that you want risk someone not seeing you and impacting you at a closing speed of 60mph... that's even before talking about why the they where standing behind their car!!!

:nope: :nope:

So not quite road but hotel car park, I was disturbed in my nice little hovel of a room by a very large maybe 18 stone ethic man screaming abuse at the receptionist outside fin and blinding at full volume and getting very near my car with a fire extinguisher, I gave it a few minutes and he hasnt left and was still really close to my car so I went to see what he was doing near my car and he immediately came over to me with said extinguisher asking who owned the car to which I duly replied me agitating him further where he then proceeded to accuse me of smashing into his Car some three days ago!!

Now me being a sensible chappy asked why he was absolutely certain it was me to which he replied he seen my car three days ago and also he then tried his best (with the additional threat of a fire extinguisher) to get me over to see the exhibit A prime bit of evidence an orange paint transfer mark!!!

After listening to the evidence put against me I decided in my calmest tones to point out a few simple facts namely; I only collected my car from a very secure location some 120 miles away some 12 Hours AFTER his car had been hit! Also there was not a single scratch on my car, no clean paint that might indicate removal of rash or respray oh and the names of three witnesses who confirmed the car hadnt even been in that car park until two days after the damage!!! But still the guy couldnt add 1+1 together and get 2 so again looked at every inch of my car with me being the perfect example of calm only occasionally interjecting to warn him not to put his hand on my car or brush it with his coat or I would be getting the car fully detailed at his expense.

Even 3 cars of Kents finest and them proving via ANPR that my car hadnt passed the Dartford crossing area until at least 12 hours after the event left him confused but unwilling to accept it wasnt me and now the lass at reception has had him kicked out and banned from the hotel and police have wasted nearly 2 hours waiting to escort him away for what!?!?

Maybe orange isnt the best colour after all, it attracts all the crazies ... and more to the point has left me doing a night vigil in case he comes back to do what he told the receptionist he was going to do and wreck my car!!!

Sleep tight all cus I wont be

So this morning on way to work minding my own business going round a roundabout when I encountered a Tesla Model X performance with ludicrous mode (that's according the the reg checker though it also is equally as applicable to the driver...) that obviously wasn't being driven by the car.....

First both going round the roundabout in our lanes minding our own businesses...



Then as we get further round he starts veering though well within his lines maybe he wants to be in my lane even though his lane also has the same A road markings as mine....



Then it becomes a bit clearer he DOES want to be in my lane and obviously these electric cars are not quite as silent as the makers claims as no amount of 3 pot or horns can distract this driver from his chosen collision course....



Note also by now I have now ****ed my offside front alloy in a bit to avoid him and was almost touching the crash barrier in order to avoid....



Him and his trailer! I can see absolutely no excuse for his driving I was at the start almost level with him therefore he can't even blame the trailer for blocking his view, The road also goes on to a dual carriageway for a further 4/500 yards therefore even if he wants to take the first left at the next roundabout he can simply merge in in turn on the duel.....

Absolutely fuming and now not 100% sure which direction to go with this, oh and BTW He also failed to stop after this incident even though I flashed and beeped him multiple times...

1 report to Police (why I haven't put up his Reg plate) for dangerous driving
2 Report to my insurance risking them possibly trying to say ??? 50/50 as they like to do or even letting me away with non-fault but still hitting me with higher costs next year as i've still been in an accident
3 Claim off the wheel insurance I have... though I don't think then the driver in question's insurance would be informed therefore leaving this driver to do this again....



Suggestions from others that have been put in this position?

As a side, just as I was approaching home this morning after the gym, doing the speed limit... A van kept getting closer and closer behind me. He then proceeded to sit right on my backside, could just about see his reg in rear view if I leant up enough in my seat.

I then indicated that I was turning off and began to brake as the turn off is just over 90° back on yourself.

He fails to slow and gets even closer... And then I see him in his impatience move over for an overtake... As he does this, a car comes around the bend ahead. At this point he is right beside me and decides it's a good idea to try and move back into the correct lane!

Thankfully I was turning off at this very moment, otherwise he would have swiped all down the side of my car.

I was so tempted to not go home and have some words... But I talked myself out of it as I really couldn't be bothered with any confrontation.

Wonder if I will see him again...

Been a while. Not that there hasn't been any issues on the roads, just they're so common these days I don't really post about them.

However, yesterday I had to control my rage and protect the utter bell piece who annoyed me somewhat.

So, scene: 3 Lane appraoch roundabout, left for first exit, middle for straight on, third exit or back around...standard and all marked on the road and signs.

I am in middle lane, one car in front of me. Clear roundabout, so we proceed to enter. Car approaches in right lane just behind as we do. Said car then just drifts over into my lane, no indication or anything, immediately after entering the roundabout.

I had to swerve into the left hand lane (checked mirrors prior to entering so knew it was clear), honked my horn to let them know of their mistake.

They then proceed to brake and put their hands up as if to say "What's the problem?" not "Sorry".

I gesture to just move on (genuinely, a wave forward, not sarcastic). They then slam on and come to almost a complete stop in this roundabout, which people like to come around at some pace.

So I accelerate around them and take my exit.

They proceed to follow me, sarcastically clapping, thumbs up and all that jazz...as if I was the one in the wrong.

Me: Correct lane, checking surroundings before pulling away etc.

Them: Wrong lane, drift over whilst their rear quarter is alongside my front quarter, no indication, stop in a live lane...

As he was following me I was extremely tempted to get out and have some words with him to put him back in his box...I was pumped from the gym too, so I think just getting out might have battered him down a notch or two in itself (not being big headed, just he was a skinny middle aged/elder gent).

Thought better of it and just carried on as before, driving perfectly normally and correctly.

Woosah.

I had two similar instances driving to Ford Fair last Sunday, approaching a roundabout in middle lane and car in left lane suddenly starts to pull over in my lane, I have to brake and pip horn, driver moves back over and as I overtake the car she just carries on eating her McDonalds.

On way home M1 was quite busy, all four lanes going +/- national speed limit, suddenly car in lane 2 pulls straight over into my lane as I’m overtaking him, I have to slam brakes on and swerve over a third of the way into lane four, at first the old guy held his hands up to apologize then starts shouting abuse which starts me off.

First time in years I’ve locked my brakes up at that sort of speed and I was very lucky they were room in lane four, it all happened so quick, the missus has had a bad shoulder for years and she jolted her neck and shoulder as I broke and swerved, she’s literally been in tears a couple of times this week due to pain and had to visit the doctors all because of that **** on the M1.

So to conclude the incident I mentioned above back in July 21, I decided I could not let the guy get away with it as he might have done this 10 times a day seven days a week relying on people not doing anything for fear of their insurance saying 50/50 or worse and their premiums raising. So long story short got in touch with insurance and sent in the footage which they agreed showed him as 100% responsible. I then had huge issues with the insurance legal team who only wished to be involved IF I had suffered some injury that they could sue him for 1/2 million for. It took 3 months before they would even entertain taking it further and rather hypocritically strongly disagreed with my suggestion that next time I would purposely let the vehicle hit me rather than take avoiding action as their willingness to assist was to say the least woeful.

But after 16 months (The wheels of justice turn reeeeeeealy slowly!) I finally concluded this incident with a cheque from his insurance company as they eventually (after the threat of going to court which I was more than willing to do) admitted full responsibility.

It was never about the money for me it was all about making idiots responsible for their actions and hopefully making them think twice next time as I am certain the cheque I received will have paled into insignificance by the cheque his insurance will be paying out in legal fees from a 16 month case!

Driving standards are beyond appalling these days, the amount of people that are unaware of what's going on around them, they either don't know how to indicate or just choose not to, they run lights, they drift into others' lanes, the list is honestly endless! It also appears the smaller the car the less respect you get on the road.

People seem to think you'll give in and move out of their way just because you're in a smaller vehicle, these people are incorrect. The funny thing is, is that it always seems to be people in larger, expensive, executive-style vehicles. They do not seem to realise that due to my small vehicle, my car is technically inexpensive, especially in comparison to theirs, therefore I'm more than willing to 'stand my ground'.

So many offenders are on the road at the moment it was an honest struggle to recall just one thing. However, perhaps the latest in what is now a comedy of errors on our roads; when I was on my way out the other day, a small motorbike (I'm guessing 125cc) almost drive into my offside door.

I was pulling out of my small private road, where I pretty much have to make a hairpin turn to my right to head down the hill. At the end of my road there are a set of crossroads with traffic lights. Right at the point where I exit there is a large "KEEP CLEAR" box on the road just before the lights. Now, people often stop on it (because that's how unaware people really are), and whether I'm on my way in or out of the road some dung-puncher will invariably be sat across it (or at least partially across it), then have the audacity to give ME the sh***y look when I exit or enter, but I digress.

I pull to the end in front of the "KEEP CLEAR" signing and the woman approaching the (red) light from my right, eventually stops just beforehand so that I can exit. I have a good look up and down the hill to check that my exit is clear, it is. I carry on checking as I pull forward when suddenly this 125 comes hurtling up the offside of her car and almost smashes directly into my drivers door. Needless to say, though shocked I was unsurprised by the event, I suspect clean underwear was required all around.

I think we both counted ourselves lucky that day, though I suspect both the woman in the car and the motorcycle rider probably blamed me anyway, just for exiting my road.
Sadly I've come to terms with the fact that whenever I leave the comfort of my own home and get into my car these days, I will (without doubt), be taking my life in my hands. Much like just going out in public anywhere right now, it seems everyone is just beyond the realms of ignorance and simply do not care about their fellow man/woman/saucepan. It beggars belief.......