[98selitb]

From the news section.

I can't honestly say I've been affected by roadrage. One of my regular passengers, on the other hand, gets passenger rage all the time! It's quite weird when I see a motorist doing something a bit silly or dangerous and it doesn't affect me at all (or if it does, I take evasive action and then there's nothing else to worry about). All I think is: "that was silly of that driver, but we're not affected so let's drive on and carry on living our lives harmlessly", but she gets really worked up about it sometimes and won't stop moaning about it for the next hour.

[Rolebama]

With regard to the passenger viewpoint, I wonder how much is down to a sensation of vulnerability. I must admit as a passenger, I not only see what affects the car I am travelling in, but notice more 'close calls' between other vehicles.

[Tony Aston]

A very useful tip for a nervous passenger is to get them to sit behind the driver. This way, the passenger sees what the driver sees and those 'close calls' do not appear to be so close. Passengers and drivers are about 2 feet aprt and see different veiwpoints of the same situation.

Tony

[98selitb]

Fair points, and good idea Tony!

[ficklejade]

Originally Posted by 98selitb

From the news section.

I can't honestly say I've been affected by roadrage. One of my regular passengers, on the other hand, gets passenger rage all the time! It's quite weird when I see a motorist doing something a bit silly or dangerous and it doesn't affect me at all (or if it does, I take evasive action and then there's nothing else to worry about). All I think is: "that was silly of that driver, but we're not affected so let's drive on and carry on living our lives harmlessly", but she gets really worked up about it sometimes and won't stop moaning about it for the next hour.

I do my best to try and philosophical (SP!:o) about it but I honestly do get mad with some drivers. Last Friday, I left 50 minutes before my ferry for a 25 minute journey - I rolled up as the ferry was starting to raise the ramp. Why, because a driver completely ignored the rules of driving and the law of obstruction on single track roads! The vehicle was reported on a mobile by my passenger after failing to respond to all polite signals to move over. This same driver, who had been driving at 20, proceeded to speed up to 40 in the one village en route with a 30 limit! The Police are dealing with the matter. The driver was not a first timer - has been here on and off for many years, btw.

[98selitb]

Yes it is a shame about these rural morons who you have to follow for dozens of miles when you could walk quicker. I know there is no minimum speed limit but I think it's plain obstructive to drive a huge speed below the safe speed. I believe there is an offence to do with "inappropriate driving" or along those lines, and you can actually be convicted of it, and I think this would include driving too slowly, but I'm not sure? I have seen on those police programmes where people have been driving at 40 on motorways and been pulled over by the police for driving dangerously slowly.

For me it is 14 miles along a windy single-carriageway road to the nearest town and if you come across someone slow, you could be behind them the whole way as there is nowhere to overtake, and it can take up to 45 minutes to get there.

Personally I drive at the maximum permitted speed wherever it is safe to do so. If it is clear that I am severely holding someone up if I am not familiar or comfortable with a road, I pull over if possible.

[ZafiraVXR]

Personally I drive at the maximum permitted speed wherever it is safe to do so. If it is clear that I am severely holding someone up if I am not familiar or comfortable with a road, I pull over if possible.[/QUOTE]

WHY ?
The maximum speed limit is not a target. People can drive at whatever speed they feel comfortable with on a particular road & not be bothered in anyway of anyone behind them & feel pressured into pulling up so they can get past.

[Rolebama]

ZafiraVXR: I will also pull over to let those who wish to drive faster get past on roads I do not know. To me it is just common courtesy. Why hold anyone up unnecessarily? However, if I were to feel that I were being pressurises, eg, sitting on my rear bumper, then I would slow down and not necessarily pull over. I have no time for bullies, especially those who use their cars to try to.

[ficklejade]

Originally Posted by ZafiraVXR

Personally I drive at the maximum permitted speed wherever it is safe to do so. If it is clear that I am severely holding someone up if I am not familiar or comfortable with a road, I pull over if possible.

WHY ?
The maximum speed limit is not a target. People can drive at whatever speed they feel comfortable with on a particular road & not be bothered in anyway of anyone behind them & feel pressured into pulling up so they can get past.[/QUOTE]

ZafiraVXR - I agree that the max speed limit is not a target and that people should drive within their capabilities and comfort zone on any given road. But, as others have said, it is pure common courtesy to pull over if you are holding others up who want to drive at a higher speed than you.

It is also sensible. It is not uncommon on our main A roads in the Highlands to see someone driving at a pace they feel happy with holding up a long string of vehicles; with very few overtaking opportunities, this causes frustration and frustration can lead to rash manoeuvres and accidents.

Being pressured (I assume this to be tailgating and using headlamps and horns, etc.) is pure bullying.

For information, though, should you ever travel on our single track roads in Scotland and not pull into a passing place (obviously when there's a clear view ahead) when the car behind wants to overtake you, you are committing the offence of obstruction. Flashing headlamps at the car in front who doesn't pull over within a reasonable space of time and opportunity is the usual method of alerting the driver in front. Note the word is alerting - many people driving on these roads for the first time are often understandably nervous and concentrate on what's in front of them, not behind them.

[wagolynn]

Fickeljade. Don’t you think that low speed, relative to road conditions, is when we are lulled into letting our minds wander and we start to drive on auto pilot? Driving as quickly as road conditions will allow forces us to stay alert.

[smudger]

Its on motorways that most folk get too complacent, as they drive far too close to the car in front without a thought of the speed they are actually doing!
Its amazing just how slow 70MPH feels after you have been driving on a motorway for a couple of hours.
Cheers, Smudger.

[wagolynn]

Originally Posted by smudger879n

Its on motorways that most folk get too complacent, as they drive far too close to the car in front without a thought of the speed they are actually doing!
Its amazing just how slow 70MPH feels after you have been driving on a motorway for a couple of hours.
Cheers, Smudger.

The motorways were designed for 120MPH that’s why it feels slow. At 120 they turn into a nice flowing road, of course that was a long time ago before such high traffic densities. This does raise a point about roads with built in traps e.g. lots of relatively new bypasses are long continuous curves. These tempt some drivers to overtake when it is really not on. Sharp bends that start as curves then tighten up. Sharp bends that are not easily seen until drivers get very close and so on. All that lovely whit paint in dangerous places so hard braking gets very dodgy in the wet. Flared junctions where you end up sort of looking three quarters to the rear to pull out. I know they allow a 40ft unit to turn, but why not put in a surface curb stones to mark out a simple Tee junction for small vehicles to follow leaving the flare to be used by anything that needs it. A car or bike turning left would then move over to the curb, now the vehicles ’body language’ says turning left yet the driver can see oncoming traffic. Maybe this should be a thread on its own?

[tommytwotanks]

auto pilot is that when you cant remember driving the last 0.5 mile, especially on familiar roads :eek:

[wagolynn]

Originally Posted by tommytwotanks

auto pilot is that when you cant remember driving the last 0.5 mile, especially on familiar roads :eek:

Yes it happens, it shouldn’t and it’s change of underwear time for me if it happens.

[98selitb]

Originally Posted by wagolynn

Fickeljade. Don’t you think that low speed, relative to road conditions, is when we are lulled into letting our minds wander and we start to drive on auto pilot? Driving as quickly as road conditions will allow forces us to stay alert.

Your mind can wander at any speed, fast or slow, if you are tired, bored, thinking about important/difficult issues you may have, or very familiar with the road so not concentrating properly. My mind was starting to wander a bit at 1 o'clock this morning returning home at 70mph on a dual carrigeway I'm very familiar with. I had a passenger to unscrew the bottle cap and give me snacks and I opened the window every now and then and put some upbeat music on. If you mind is wandering, a simple option is to pull over and get out for some fresh air and a drink/snack if possible.

[wagolynn]

I would argue that you were not driving, you were a passenger. Why not stop, have little walk, clear your mind then get back in and drive? You and or your passenger will be dead an awful long time 10 mins is much shorter. The point is; IF you are driving you cannot be bored.