Roads getting worse !!!!

[old rooster]

Driving up the M1 this morning just North of J16A when the traffic starts to slow to a crawl, the advisory speed restriction lights show 40 then 30, queue ahead blah blah blah. We get a couple of miles further up the road to find two Asian tossers in the outside lane changing the rear nearside wheel on a battered up old white van. Everyone manages to avoid this and once past we get merrily on our way, no danger to the other road users I suppose because they aren't breaking the speed limit. Turn off onto the M6 and start getting the queues ahead signs just before the M6 toll road. None of us take any notice of them now asa they are on most of the time to "encourage" traffic onto the toll road but once well onto the old M6 the radio gives out a warning of delays due to yet another accident. Sure enough we end up crawling along again until we pass the debris in Birmingham and then sail on until the massive section of roadworks where no roadworks ever appear to actually take place. Finally get to my destination in Stafford about an hour late.

 

Set off home after conducting my business there to find yet more delays on the M6 just South of Birmingham. Traffic totally stopped and no sign of any movement for the forseeable future. Turned off the engine and relaxed. Eventually the traffic started creeping along in that typical stop start fashion, a guy in a big Audi comes past with one hand holding his mobile phone, the other for some inexplicable reason wrapped around the back of his head, ***** !!!! Couple of miles of stop start furher up the M6 and we come to one of those awful new "mini's" on the hard shoulder tangled up with some sort of MPV. Once past the scene we are immediately up to normal speed. The tail back on the Northbound carriageway caused by rubber neckers stretched back about 4 miles with traffic in the middle of it stationary.

 

Why the hell do we see so many accidents on a dead straight road ! When will there be a clamp down and fines for causing delays to other road users ? When will Police start to enforce the mobile phone laws ?

 

I'm just glad that I work from home and don't have to travel on our ******** road system too often these days.

[il cacciatore]

I'm just glad that I dont need to use the M6 anymore.

[Lord Geordie]

Reason for accidents are idiots who insist on driving at 95mph dodging in and out of the cars to get home 3 mins earlier than the rest

 

Also these people who INSIST on hogging the (overtaking lane) once you get past a car PULL IN as it's name indicates it's for overtaking ONLY not as a personal fast lane

 

People who tailgate

 

some phone users

 

some people are simply changing a CD when they crash

 

one i read about took the keys from the Ignition to open the glove box and when he leaned over to open the glove box the steering went left and the steering lock went on

 

Basically accidents are caused GENERALLY by poor judgement and poor driving skills.

 

Unfortunatley a LOT are caused by an idiot who gets away with it while those behind suffer for his mistake

 

LG

[SNAKEBITE]

some phone users

 

Only a COMPLETE **** would consider using a mobile when driving

 

Hands free can be enough of a distraction but faffing around with a phone is complete madness.

 

Oh and I speak from experience, I have been one of those ******

[chewyjack.22]

I agree it's time they enforced their laws

[Pedro]

At least it's not just the M25 or M11

In France the peages work a treat and are only two lanes wide. Everyone seems to have lane discipline, (apart from the Dutch, sorry Konings), and everything runs smooth as clockwork.

It's not too expensive either

 

P.

[Catamong]

Pedro is dead right, I travel a lot in France and most of the time, things run OK.

 

We have a big problem over here, there are a vast number of un-insured drivers who know that the chances of getting pulled are so remote, it's worth taking the risk. If they're caught, they know damn well that they will never be deported, and can continue to demand their weekly Giro cheques.

 

The Old Bill would much rather target the overwhelming majority of law abiding UK born conviction free citizens through mobile camera vans sited in locations where it's quite safe to marginally exceed the speed limit than clamp down on the hordes of un-insured drivers who are creating mayhem on our roads.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti Police, I have connections with both the MP and the BTP, I just feel that their priorities are all wrong..!!

 

Cat.

[Yorkshire Pudding]

some phone users

 

Only a COMPLETE **** would consider using a mobile when driving

 

Hands free can be enough of a distraction but faffing around with a phone is complete madness.

 

Oh and I speak from experience, I have been one of those ******

 

 

Snakey baby

 

If you can't drive whilest talking on the phone , you should'nt be driving . For $ sake you only having a conversation with somebody .

 

all the best yis yp :o

[old rooster]

some phone users

 

Only a COMPLETE **** would consider using a mobile when driving

 

Hands free can be enough of a distraction but faffing around with a phone is complete madness.

 

Oh and I speak from experience, I have been one of those ******

 

 

Snakey baby

 

If you can't drive whilest talking on the phone , you should'nt be driving . For $ sake you only having a conversation with somebody .

 

all the best yis yp :o

 

Total bollix I'm afraid YP, it's nothing like talking to someone sitting in the car with you mate. Think about it: they can't react to situations that occur while you are driving as they can't see what is going on. People have totally different types of conversation on the phone than when face to face, often getting far more aggresive.

 

I saw another **** head yesterday in one of those big porker 4X4 things on the phone turning off the M6 onto the M5, phone in one hand the other gesticulating as if the person on the other end could see. Total ***** and absolutely no control over the car, should be dragged out and shot in the back of the head IMHO but then I've always taken a liberal viewpoint on such things ;-)))

[SNAKEBITE]

Looks like we sing from the same Hymn sheet Old Rooster

[NickHead]

It's not the speeding people who "cause" the accidents, it's the older slower drivers stopping the younger ,faster drivers from going at the speed the limit of the road is set at.

 

There is nowt worse than following an old coffin dodger in a morris minor on a 60 MPH road doing 45.

 

They cause all the traffic behind to get frustrated therefore making them overtake at dangerous times.

 

Never mind a top speed limit, there should be a minimum speed limit as well.

 

The Germans have no limits on their Autobahns and there are less accidents than here, however, I assume when there is an accident, it is a right mess. There we go, live life on the edge and your bound to fall off.

 

I say when people retire, revoke their licences and right to drive. I read the papers and see that the majority of accidents in there are CAUSED by or involve old people.

 

As for eating,drinking,smoking,using the telephone or wearing seatbelts is a matter of preference and should be up to the driver to make sure he/she is safe. I have used my mobile, whilst driving, previously before the ban and never been in a dangerous situation.

[Cranfield]

Living in an extremely rural enviroment, most of our local roads are unclassified (except where they go through a village, then its 30mph).

Although the roads are very narrow, winding and have deep ditches either side, with no crash barriers, fences etc., technically you could drive 60 mph along these lanes.

Some "younger faster drivers" try to, there is usually one a week in the ditch somewhere.

 

Its about time some people realised that the posted speed limit is the maximum speed, not the minimum speed.

 

Minimum speed limits are fine on dual carriageways upwards and might help ease congestion.

Middle lane hoggers are probably the main cause of traffic slow down.

[Teal]

With three weeks until my driving test, I have to agree with some of the comments posted here. There are some really bad drivers out there!!

[Browning GTS]

There is nowt worse than following an old coffin dodger in a morris minor on a 60 MPH road doing 45.

 

They cause all the traffic behind to get frustrated therefore making them overtake at dangerous times.

 

Never mind a top speed limit, there should be a minimum speed limit as well.

 

 

A bit like me in my old 90 then

[Lord Geordie]

It's not the speeding people who "cause" the accidents, it's the older slower drivers stopping the younger ,faster drivers from going at the speed the limit of the road is set at.

 

There is nowt worse than following an old coffin dodger in a morris minor on a 60 MPH road doing 45.

 

They cause all the traffic behind to get frustrated therefore making them overtake at dangerous times.

 

Never mind a top speed limit, there should be a minimum speed limit as well.

 

The Germans have no limits on their Autobahns and there are less accidents than here, however, I assume when there is an accident, it is a right mess. There we go, live life on the edge and your bound to fall off.

 

I say when people retire, revoke their licences and right to drive. I read the papers and see that the majority of accidents in there are CAUSED by or involve old people.

 

As for eating,drinking,smoking,using the telephone or wearing seatbelts is a matter of preference and should be up to the driver to make sure he/she is safe. I have used my mobile, whilst driving, previously before the ban and never been in a dangerous situation.

 

 

If you get easily frustrated then you shouldn't get into the car mate as road rage is one of the MAJOR causes of confrontation on british roads.

 

So what he does 50 in a 60 zone HE payed to use the roads too

 

Take a deep breath. You choose to do the overtaking and if YOU choose a dangerous spot to overtake then YOU cause the accident not the old man doing 50 you are so intent on overtaking :o

 

If you choose a SAFE place with plenty room to overtake then thats fine and no need to give obscene hand signals to the elderly drivers on overtaking either

 

You sound like the kind who would blaze past a Funeral procession cause your 2 mins late for work

 

Oh and BTW I tend to do 55mph on the MOTORWAY as it keeps my fuel bills as low as possible any faster and my car DRINKS fuel.

 

If someone wants to play silly S.O.B's and try intimidating ME then thats their problem but i DON'T speed up for them and whats more if abuse if hurled my way i bite my lip and ignore it it's NOT worth losing my Licence for

 

And YES i AM the type who stick BANG on the limit in 40mph and 20mph etc zones and if that annoys people well thats TOUGH

 

LG

[Browning GTS]

The trouble is when you take a test you do not get near a motorway, then the next day you can drive on one. I think these days with so much driveing on M`ways, it should be included in the test. Also anyone who has more than two blame worthy accidents in say 3 years should have to retake a driveing test.

[old rooster]

It's not the speeding people who "cause" the accidents, it's the older slower drivers stopping the younger ,faster drivers from going at the speed the limit of the road is set at.

 

There is nowt worse than following an old coffin dodger in a morris minor on a 60 MPH road doing 45.

 

They cause all the traffic behind to get frustrated therefore making them overtake at dangerous times.

 

Never mind a top speed limit, there should be a minimum speed limit as well.

 

The Germans have no limits on their Autobahns and there are less accidents than here, however, I assume when there is an accident, it is a right mess. There we go, live life on the edge and your bound to fall off.

 

I say when people retire, revoke their licences and right to drive. I read the papers and see that the majority of accidents in there are CAUSED by or involve old people.

 

As for eating,drinking,smoking,using the telephone or wearing seatbelts is a matter of preference and should be up to the driver to make sure he/she is safe. I have used my mobile, whilst driving, previously before the ban and never been in a dangerous situation.

 

 

If you get easily frustrated then you shouldn't get into the car mate as road rage is one of the MAJOR causes of confrontation on british roads.

 

So what he does 50 in a 60 zone HE payed to use the roads too

 

Take a deep breath. You choose to do the overtaking and if YOU choose a dangerous spot to overtake then YOU cause the accident not the old man doing 50 you are so intent on overtaking :o

 

If you choose a SAFE place with plenty room to overtake then thats fine and no need to give obscene hand signals to the elderly drivers on overtaking either

 

You sound like the kind who would blaze past a Funeral procession cause your 2 mins late for work

 

Oh and BTW I tend to do 55mph on the MOTORWAY as it keeps my fuel bills as low as possible any faster and my car DRINKS fuel.

 

If someone wants to play silly S.O.B's and try intimidating ME then thats their problem but i DON'T speed up for them and whats more if abuse if hurled my way i bite my lip and ignore it it's NOT worth losing my Licence for

 

And YES i AM the type who stick BANG on the limit in 40mph and 20mph etc zones and if that annoys people well thats TOUGH

 

LG

 

That's all fair enough but I think the whole crux of the speed issue comes down to whether it is appropriate at the time. I ride my bikes on the continent and comfortably cruise all day, 2 up with luggage at 100mph. I've ridden on the Autobahns at 140mph two up with luggage and never felt compromised, my girlfriend never murmurs and loves every minute of the trip. This doesn't make me into a suicidal maniac or an antisocial indiviudual. One of the major failings people seem to have when driving is the inability to judge speed and distance to know when it is safe to overtake and "make progress"

 

If you want to survive out there as a motorcyclist you really need your wits about you and good anticipation skills. If there were less in car distractions for people to play with they would drive far less erratically and have more time to look in their mirrors and generally concentrate on driving properly.

 

Nothing wrong with driving under 70mph on the motorway, nothing wrong driving 100mph on the motorway when it's safe to do so and doesn't endanger other road users.

 

Modern cars are in some ways too sophisticated, it's like driving your armchair down the road and some people become sloppy and slovenly drivers as a result, power steering makes it possible to steer with one finger, until you hit a brick or other debris on the road.

 

We need to get away from this "speed is the enemy" bit, it's all down to whether it's appropriate innit.

[Lord Geordie]

The trouble is when you take a test you do not get near a motorway, then the next day you can drive on one. I think these days with so much driveing on M`ways, it should be included in the test. Also anyone who has more than two blame worthy accidents in say 3 years should have to retake a driveing test.

 

I know on a MOTORBIKE this is the case there is a so many strikes and out and speeding ONCE is one of them.

 

If caught speeding in the alloted time will end you up needing to resit your test

 

As said cars should be the same and no doubt they now are.

 

When i sat MY test there WAS an option that i took for a weeks training on Motorways. If i remember rightly it only cost about £70 and was worth the money IMHO

 

Everyone bangs on about the Motorway is a 70mph zone and everyone should do that speed.

 

WELL there are circumstances that dictate otherwise like Heavy rain when i see inexperienced drivers still doing 70 to 75 (some still over the ton) in the outside lane and totally blind as the spray is so bad even your wipers on FULL can't cope yet STILL they rip off at the speed of Stupidity

 

Also on a 60mph single carriageway when going to severe corners you see the young and the sports car driving plonkers taking corners at full spped going WIDE into the other lane. What would happen if there was a Motorcyclist in the other lane or another car?

 

Just because it says 60mph or 70mph it does NOT mean it is neccesarily safe to do so

 

Read the Road

 

Take into account the Weather and road conditions

 

Take into consideration Possible hazards

 

Think to yourself (just how severe is this bend?)

 

Be concious and build up a picture of the road ahead if possible

 

Common sense and responsible driving MAY take a little longer to get you to your destination but it WILL get you there safely :o

 

LG

[NickHead]

I thought that would stir up a hornets nest. I won't go on about the tractors and caravans then.

 

To be truthful, I am a careful driver, never CAUSED an accident but I have been pulled out on by an "older" person. Before anybody say anything I was only doing about 20 mph, he just came out at me on a blind junction.

 

I used to be a fast driver when I used to have an Ford Onion 16i but now I have a 7 seater and it handles like a wet sponge 'cos I tried it and it just wouldn't go round bends at 70 MPH. I tried this so I can get the feel of what it is capable of, and it is not a lot so I take it carefully now.

 

I don't suffer from road rage as such, it is just frustrating when you have to risk life and limb overtaking slower drivers. Fair enough if they are at the speed limit then no problems, I now stick to the limit, or just below it depending on circumstances, and I get the odd occasional pillock behind tailgating, then zooming off only to get a flash from the imposing cameras that I knew where there.

 

Looks like I got a few hackles up there, if I did I apologise, but to have a conversation we must get everybodies views, apart from the anti's of course.

[Davej]

I used to be a fast driver when I used to have an Ford Onion 16i

 

 

Not that fast a driver sorry could'nt resist that one :o

[Lord Geordie]

I thought that would stir up a hornets nest. I won't go on about the tractors and caravans then.

 

To be truthful, I am a careful driver, never CAUSED an accident but I have been pulled out on by an "older" person. Before anybody say anything I was only doing about 20 mph, he just came out at me on a blind junction.

 

I used to be a fast driver when I used to have an Ford Onion 16i but now I have a 7 seater and it handles like a wet sponge 'cos I tried it and it just wouldn't go round bends at 70 MPH. I tried this so I can get the feel of what it is capable of, and it is not a lot so I take it carefully now.

 

I don't suffer from road rage as such, it is just frustrating when you have to risk life and limb overtaking slower drivers. Fair enough if they are at the speed limit then no problems, I now stick to the limit, or just below it depending on circumstances, and I get the odd occasional pillock behind tailgating, then zooming off only to get a flash from the imposing cameras that I knew where there.

 

Looks like I got a few hackles up there, if I did I apologise, but to have a conversation we must get everybodies views, apart from the anti's of course.

 

Orion

 

V6 mondeo ST24 is about the most powerful I have owned and was enough for me i am now onto an old 1996 Cavalier 1.8 and it's MORE than enough. It tows well and pulls like a train.

 

I have driven a Rolls Royce for my Bro in laws wedding car company (yeuch :o

 

Also vintage princess column change i beleive were 6 litre.

 

3 litre vauxhaull carlton

 

Largest engine was a 12 litre but that was the bus i used to drive

 

Fastest vehicles were motorbikes which i still have a passion for but again not worth speeding as i have a son who depends on me

 

LG

[kirky640]

Driving up the M1 this morning just North of J16A when the traffic starts to slow to a crawl, the advisory speed restriction lights show 40 then 30, queue ahead blah blah blah. We get a couple of miles further up the road to find two Asian tossers in the outside lane changing the rear nearside wheel on a battered up old white van. Everyone manages to avoid this and once past we get merrily on our way, no danger to the other road users I suppose because they aren't breaking the speed limit. Turn off onto the M6 and start getting the queues ahead signs just before the M6 toll road. None of us take any notice of them now asa they are on most of the time to "encourage" traffic onto the toll road but once well onto the old M6 the radio gives out a warning of delays due to yet another accident. Sure enough we end up crawling along again until we pass the debris in Birmingham and then sail on until the massive section of roadworks where no roadworks ever appear to actually take place. Finally get to my destination in Stafford about an hour late.

 

Set off home after conducting my business there to find yet more delays on the M6 just South of Birmingham. Traffic totally stopped and no sign of any movement for the forseeable future. Turned off the engine and relaxed. Eventually the traffic started creeping along in that typical stop start fashion, a guy in a big Audi comes past with one hand holding his mobile phone, the other for some inexplicable reason wrapped around the back of his head, ***** !!!! Couple of miles of stop start furher up the M6 and we come to one of those awful new "mini's" on the hard shoulder tangled up with some sort of MPV. Once past the scene we are immediately up to normal speed. The tail back on the Northbound carriageway caused by rubber neckers stretched back about 4 miles with traffic in the middle of it stationary.

 

Why the hell do we see so many accidents on a dead straight road ! When will there be a clamp down and fines for causing delays to other road users ? When will Police start to enforce the mobile phone laws ?

 

I'm just glad that I work from home and don't have to travel on our ******** road system too often these days.

ah yes thats why i love living in scotland thanks for reminding me how lucky i am

[SNAKEBITE]

I thought that would stir up a hornets nest. I won't go on about the tractors and caravans then.

 

To be truthful, I am a careful driver, never CAUSED an accident but I have been pulled out on by an "older" person. Before anybody say anything I was only doing about 20 mph, he just came out at me on a blind junction.

 

I used to be a fast driver when I used to have an Ford Onion 16i but now I have a 7 seater and it handles like a wet sponge 'cos I tried it and it just wouldn't go round bends at 70 MPH. I tried this so I can get the feel of what it is capable of, and it is not a lot so I take it carefully now.

 

I don't suffer from road rage as such, it is just frustrating when you have to risk life and limb overtaking slower drivers. Fair enough if they are at the speed limit then no problems, I now stick to the limit, or just below it depending on circumstances, and I get the odd occasional pillock behind tailgating, then zooming off only to get a flash from the imposing cameras that I knew where there.

 

Looks like I got a few hackles up there, if I did I apologise, but to have a conversation we must get everybodies views, apart from the anti's of course.

 

I read your first post and to be honest I was ready to tear a strip off you. I read this post and detected a fair bit of back pedaling.

 

I f you want to cause an accident then off you go, as long as you are the only one affected

 

Oh and by the way driving on a 30 mile round trip I was approached at speed by 2 motorcycles who overtook a car and were headed straight for me on my side of the road. They relied on me slowing down so they wouldn't die. Half of me me wanted to stay at the same speed and show them a lesson, but I didn't and braked sharply so they could cut in. The second incident was a Golf overtaking a line of traffic with me at the front doing 60 in a 60 limit, If I hadn't braked sharply I would have sent him in the front of an oncoming camper van! If it had been a brick wall I might have thought twice, the roads are better off without scum like that. The trouble is they always take innocent victims with them.

[old rooster]

Oh and by the way driving on a 30 mile round trip I was approached at speed by 2 motorcycles who overtook a car and were headed straight for me on my side of the road. They relied on me slowing down so they wouldn't die. Half of me me wanted to stay at the same speed and show them a lesson, but I didn't and braked sharply so they could cut in. The second incident was a Golf overtaking a line of traffic with me at the front doing 60 in a 60 limit, If I hadn't braked sharply I would have sent him in the front of an oncoming camper van! If it had been a brick wall I might have thought twice, the roads are better off without scum like that. The trouble is they always take innocent victims with them.

 

I rest my case, ALL classic examples of inability to judge speed and distance. Try circumnavigating the peripherique at rush hour without using your brain. Rose and Crown rules there, devil take the hindmost and no prisoners. You have to think and get on with making good progress.