The daily drive

[sludgeguts]

Five from Friday's run.
I noted one which I thought was a near miss, car in front pulled onto a roundabout as another car was coming around. Car 2 honked his horn.
When I looked back at the footage, there was plenty of room & I think car 2 might even have sped up just to be awkward.

 

[kamkar]

Many ppl have no idea about how large ther car is, so they just drive on the middle of the road
I see the same here, some times traffic on a "narrow" stretch of road grind to a halt, and same place if 2 vehicles meet and ther drivers know ther vehicle there is room for a bus and a 4x4 with room to spare.

 

[sludgeguts]

Had one this morning, at the spot a few seconds before the first clip. Just as I turn the corner, the lane is divided into two, the divider disappears then is back for the bend.
This morning, I had come up the hill and round the bend. I had to stop for a line of cars waiting to pull out.
Woman in a big 4x4 (range rover) just sat there looking gormless - despite a good `12" between us & at least 6" between her and the kerb.
Sometimes I despair!
I think there should be compulsory tests for each size of car - after all, I had to take a car test, a minibus test, PCV (bus), coach and hgv.
I think this was the right way to go as well since it got me used to manouvering the vehicle, so sitting in a much larger vehicle was easier.
The car I learned in had a bonnet (hood) that must've been 6foot long, a boot that was 3foot long & a large passenger compartment. These days, most learners seem to wander round in nothing more than a smart/KA/mini/Panda/fiat 500 etc etc.
OK, I appreciate the instructors want to keep running costs down - but then these people go on to buy behemoths & cannot drive them.

 

[jokiin]

OK, I appreciate the instructors want to keep running costs down - but then these people go on to buy behemoths & cannot drive them.

if it's anything like Australia driving instructors don't teach people to drive, they teach them how to pass the test

 

[Alan Collinge]

The Audi driver at 2:41. Are people just too lazy to indicate or do they think it's unnecessary. Me and my wife do a lot of walking and as a pedestrian it's really helpful if we know if a driver is going to turn.
I think you can judge the standard of driving just from the car some people drive. Drivers of cabriolet's, people who drive with their posing lights on as per the Hyundai driver at 1:26 and drivers of small Daewoo/Chevrolet cars seem to be less aware of their surroundings.

 

[sludgeguts]

"posing lights"? Those are DRLs (daytime running lights) which make vehicles far more visible.
I agree about the indicators, there was a comment on the local grapevine a few months back where someone commented that their instructor had actually told them that there is no law requiring you to use your indicators and that you indicate out of courtesy to other road users!

 

[Alan Collinge]

Section 102 of the U.K. Highway Code

103
Signals warn and inform other road users, including pedestrians (download ‘Signals to other road users’ (PDF, 102KB)), of your intended actions. You should always

• give clear signals in plenty of time, having checked it is not misleading to signal at that time
• use them to advise other road users before changing course or direction, stopping or moving off
• cancel them after use
• make sure your signals will not confuse others. If, for instance, you want to stop after a side road, do not signal until you are passing the road. If you signal earlier it may give the impression that you intend to turn into the road. Your brake lights will warn traffic behind you that you are slowing down
• use an arm signal to emphasise or reinforce your signal if necessary. Remember that signalling does not give you priority.

 

[Alan Collinge]

How many drivers adhere to section 114, particularly the bit about deactivating brake lights when in stationary traffic. I don't think driving instructors teach the highway code anymore.

114
You MUST NOT

• use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders
• use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves to avoid dazzling other road users (see Rule 226).

In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again.
Law RVLR reg 27

 

[Alan Collinge]

And as for DRL's, the more vehicles use them the less observant other road users, including pedestrians, will become. Soon the excuse will be "I didn't see them officer because they didn't have any DRL's" I'm all in favour of using dipped headlights when visibility is poor but otherwise we don't need them. That's why I call them posing lights.

 

[Gabolinche]

In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again.

WOW! Didn't even think such a rule existed anywhere on the world... Hadn't thought about it before but after reading it, it actually makes sense...

 

[Alan Collinge]

It makes even more sense now that most vehicles are fitted with high level/high visibility brake lights. Nothing worse than being stationary behind somebody with their foot on the brake pedal for long periods. It's OK during daylight but when it's dark, and especially when it's raining too, it can be dazzling.
If the brake lights went out when the vehicle came to a stop it would be much better.

 

[sludgeguts]

I have a neat little trick for these people - the torch app on my mobile phone. If they sit there dazzling me with their brake lights, I show them my torchlight.

 

[Jazzist]

Think you would have to aim a high power laser pointer at their rear view mirror for that to be effective?

@DashCamDave hardly any automatics in the uk.

Nobody wants a CHMSL shining at them in traffic at night, screws up your night vision.

 

[sludgeguts]

And as for DRL's, the more vehicles use them the less observant other road users, including pedestrians, will become. Soon the excuse will be "I didn't see them officer because they didn't have any DRL's" I'm all in favour of using dipped headlights when visibility is poor but otherwise we don't need them. That's why I call them posing lights.

This morning, we had a lot of fog - way too many drivers had NO LIGHTS showing and many simply had their sides on (which were barely visible).
Other mornings, driving into the low winter sun, oncoming vehicles can be difficult to see - unless they have lights showing.
When you want to pull out onto a long stretch of road, it isn't always easy to see vehicles coming down the road - having some sort of light showing helps enormously.
On dull, grey, rainy days when I park up at the side of the road to collect passengers, I find my side mirrors covered in rain. When I want to pull out I have to rely on what I can see out of my side mirrors - if oncoming traffic isn't showing any lights, they are often invisible - often, the only time I see them is because they are being followed by vehicles who are showing lights.

 

[Alan Collinge]

On dull, grey, rainy days

Quoting the Highway Code again:
226
You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves (see Rule 236). Law RVLR regs 25 & 27

 

[kamkar]

hehe i have one of those HID torches, its awsome and will set things on fire if you shine it for too long and too close at somthing that can burn.

The only minus is it take some seconds to get up in gear, and i have to cycle past 2 lesser settings to get to the totally insane setting.

I have stopped cars with it, not by blinding them offcourse, but they just had to stop and see what the hell it was i was using to light up Wind turbines at a distance.

 

[extraoneya]

........snip.......In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. ..........snip......

WOW! Didn't even think such a rule existed anywhere on the world... Hadn't thought about it before but after reading it, it actually makes sense...

Probably written at the same time as a requirement for a person to walk in front of the motorcar with a red lantern ... and is totally wrong for any modern automatic car.

Gotta love u Brits....u do have unique laws...plus, u can't even speak English very well.

 

[Alan Collinge]

Never driven a manual, nor had any desire to

Dave, if you pass your test in an automatic, are you still restricted to driving auto's only or has that rule changed now?

 

[Ipol]

I think I am right in saying that in holland headlights come on automatically when you start the car....its the law .... nicolas sarkozy tried to impliment using headlights in daylight here in france.The experiment died a death because many motorists and motor cyclists opposed the experiment and refused to use their headlights in daylight hours......Ipol