"Rules of the road" do people follow them?

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RocZX

RocZX

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I want to know your thoughts on how other drivers follow "Rules of the road"?
If you ever saw people breaking law when they are driving and also if they cause an accident?


I been thinking about this for awhile because I seen people passing red lights, making unsafe lanes changes and other things. Also thought that one would cause an accident but never did till the other day, this car turned on a red light the cars behind it had to stop which had a green light then the car that had turned was approaching a crosswalk a man on a bike was crossing at the time the car tapped on his brakes but can not stop and hit the man on the bike. The man on the bike was not hurt badly but still it should have been worse.
 
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Who hasn't seen people breaking driving rules? :odd:

I've seen running reds, exceeding speed limits by over 20km/h, stuff alike... but what drives me nuts are the bad drivers, not the dangerous ones. You know, those who brake randomly on the highway, brake super super early when it's raining, drive stupidly slow when it's snowing just a bit, brake over the most minute action made by the car 20 ft in front, flash their signals forever and are too afraid to change lanes, take forever to back out of a parking spot, disregard right of ways and stop signs, take up the right turn area when they want to make a left when exiting a plaza, stopping on the inside lane at a red light and not inching forward so the car behind can make a right turn, those who are too busy socializing, those who don't step on the gas on those advanced left turn signals, etc.
 
I agree AOS, we get plenty of those in the UK, and unfortunately they mainly come from the Indian subcontinent.

I've seen so many people do so many stupid things in the past. One of the major things that is annoying me at the moment is there is a roundabout near me, where there are three lanes and three exits, so you'd think it would be fairly simple - first lane, first exit, second lane, second exit, etc... But the number of people who go into second lane to go to the third exit, and squash me up against the kerb, trying to push me off the road. FFS, there is more than enough frigging room....

Land Rover drivers and farmer's wives are by amongst the worst drivers, but second only to those that come from Pakistan and India...

BTW, this is not being racist or stereotyping, merely observations based on personal experience.
 
Last week I saw a driver brake checking a tailgater. It wasn't a small brake check, tires were smoking.
 
That's just an awful attitude to have, but having someone come right up behind you can be rude, from a driving context anyway.
 
I didn't know what went through his mind when he did that, looked like he was driving a pretty expensive BMW. I always choose to ignore tailgaters although it can be difficult sometimes
 
DG_Silva
I've seen so many people do so many stupid things in the past. One of the major things that is annoying me at the moment is there is a roundabout near me, where there are three lanes and three exits, so you'd think it would be fairly simple - first lane, first exit, second lane, second exit, etc... But the number of people who go into second lane to go to the third exit, and squash me up against the kerb, trying to push me off the road. FFS, there is more than enough frigging room....
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Similarly there's an exit on a large roundabout which is for the M1, every single time there is someone in that lane by mistake and they end up cutting across to avoid the motorway and even the other way around. I haven't seen a crash yet but I have seen the aftermath of one.

Still I pass over a roundabout a few times a week and still haven't figured out what lane I'm meant to be in, I've seen other drivers use both so my tactic is to either beat other drivers to the exit so they see my indicator or hang back and slot in at the back.
 
In all honesty, i obey the road rules 95% of the time.

When driving i try to sit just on the speed limits, not over (unless i'm in a rush, then i go about 5km/h faster or so - speedometer is about 5-9 km/h slow anyway).

I always stop at Stop signs (see SOO many people who don't, its crazy!)

I don't roll slowly though red lights when i think they are about to change (most of the time i end up taking off faster than those who do that :D)

I use my indicators correctly (and actually use them...)

Probably the only thing i don't do is follow the speed limit recommendations around corners, because most of the time they are just there for trucks/buses/top heavy vehicles. In corners that say 35 km/h i can safely do about 70 km/h or so in the GTS and 65 or so in the GTS-4 (the 4 has factory suspension, whereas the GTS has had a fair few aftermarket suspension enhancements done).

Really annoys me to see so many idiots on the road, and if it was free to ring/text *555 (direct line to the Police) then i'd be doing it a LOT.
 
SkylineObsession
When driving i try to sit just on the speed limits, not over (unless i'm in a rush, then i go about 5km/h faster or so - speedometer is about 5-9 km/h slow anyway).
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That must buy you some serious time :sly:
I must admit my only sin is speeding, not that much and only when the roads are clear. Not like the crazy people I see going to work in the morning passing 4 cars with over 20 in front of them.
 
I too will admit to speeding (by a small amount), but again I will only do it when the situation is safe for me to do it. I won't speed when the roads are busy, I won't tailgate, I won't go mad overtaking people in unsafe places, I won't speed past schools. I always do my very best to follow the rules of the road, just like Skyline. I cannot see why there is any excuse for following at least the basics of the Highway Code. If you can't do that, you shouldn't be driving...
 
Oh it does, on a good day i can get to my destination at least 23 seconds quicker. :)

I still get passed by everyone else though, so they must be doing 6 km/h instead of my 5 km/h. :(

EDIT: Oh yeah, tailgating is the main thing that makes me get road rage. One time i slowed down to 50km/h on a 100km/h straight stretch of road because of the low life behind me tailgating so close i couldn't see his headlights, and then finally he decided to pass (road was clear for ages...).

Usually i lose 99% of the tailgaters (in all seriousness) in the corners and they only catch up on the next straight. I try let them past as often as possible but sometimes i reduce my speed a bit incase i have to make a quick stop - don't want my car damaged by someone who doesn't know how to drive. :mad:
 
I've seen two people text on the highway driving at 30mph while having their emergency lights on before. First person slowed the entire highway down and it had me thanking god that I had cerarnic brake pads on my disc brakes. The second person did not help traffic at all. And people wonder why there is a $250 fee for being on the phone while driving in NY.

I'd admit to speeding also, I always make sure it's okay to do so, but never more than 5mph over the speed limit. I also do get some road rage from tailgaters and believe me I've some nasty tailgaters tailgate me before.
 
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Maybe it's just the people who live here, but generally we go about 5-10km over speed limit on streets and main roads (but not residential streets) since the speed limits are actually kind of slow...
 
It's really bad in Texas. Most people swerve in their lines like they own it, never use indicators, drive about 50 on the freeway when most people go 80, cut you off, brake check, run redlights/stop signs, and don't give pedestrians the right of way. I've nearly been killed riding my bike, it's the reason I don't follow the law by riding on the sidewalk. (Stupid law anyway.) The cops around here, well let's just say they're too busy pulling over people with out of date registration stickers. Like that's going to kill someone. :rolleyes:
 
Come to Nelson, no one has no idea on how to use roundabouts, which is bad, 'cause Nelson is fall of them. And don't get me started on use of indicators.
 
Well... why not tell the truth... I suffer from a "speed disease". I always want more. I only respect speed limits if I have to, meaning radar guns and the like. I don't break any other rules however. Don't cross red lights, stop sings, or whatever. I just pretend the speed limit doesn't exist.

I am careful though, you would understand if you ever saw me drive. I always keep a safe distance from other drivers, don't cut anyone, don't weave through traffic, slow down if I see any pedestrians near the road, etc... I only step on the gas if the situation allows it, but I do it every time it does and I do push my boundaries sometimes, hence the speed disease.

Five years driving and I had more close calls than I can remember, but never crashed. I had fender-benders, but guess how... while respecting the speed limit. While driving normally I get bored, don't pay attention properly. While driving the way I like I'm always aware, always looking for what can go wrong.

Basically, on the road the worst I'll do to you is overtake, even if I'm 50km/h faster than I should. No brake checking, no cutting, no swerving, no tailgating, no nothing.
 
Some people in my area are ok-ish, but a lot of people are so impatient - they sit on my six and then blow by me at the first available opportunity - and that's when I'm doing something like speed limit + 10! And impatience just leads to general stupidity at turns, lane changes, stoplights, etc. People are just acting without thinking - it's simply not worth it...

I'm mostly well-behaved, but my horn gets a good workout when I witness the above! :D

Also, pedestrians and cyclists who are WAY too ignorant of rules of the road. I've had to put up with cyclists who ride down the MIDDLE (!) of the road and people who cross intersections when I have and advance. Makes me go berserk! :mad:
 
RocZX
I want to know your thoughts on how other drivers fellow "Rules of the road"?
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This is China. Rules of the road don't apply here.

Missed your turn? Reverse 200m back down the motorway to it.

Is that your exit? Better cut across 3 lanes of cars from the fast lane at the last moment to make it.

Going left? Signal right.

Going right? Why signal?

Got a phone call? Stop in the middle of the road to take it.

Lost? Block a Y junction by parking up in the middle of it to read the road sign.

2 lane road way? Drive down the middle and make it 3 lanes.

Got a motorcycle? Exempt from all the rules.

I put up with this crap, and more, everyday, as a cyclist. One could imagine why my wife is terrified every time I leave on my bike.
 
shem
Missed your turn? Reverse 200m back down the motorway to it.
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This.

shem
Is that your exit? Better cut across 3 lanes of cars from the fast lane at the last moment to make it.
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This.

shem
Going left? Signal right.
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This.

shem
2 lane road way? Drive down the middle and make it 3 lanes.
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This.

shem
Got a motorcycle? Exempt from all the rules.
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And this has all happened here in Malaysia... The common ones like running over a red traffic light, not stopping for a roundabout, double park on the side of the road, changing lanes by not looking at the mirror, driving extremely slow on the right lane, motorcyclist riding on the opposite way of traffics and many more always happen here every single day.
 
I hope I never encounter a brake-checker in my life... just thinking about it makes me want to put their car in a ditch...
 
Brake-checking is nothing:

Famine
I don't post much in this thread any more because... well, I don't go outside. I've decided after today that I'm not going to bother again.

The Golf V who decided I was either racing or his tow car and he'd fallen off was bad enough. The 10 plate Micra who wanted to be in the right-hand lane for the roundabout six miles ahead was bad enough. The Celica who wanted to sit in the right hand lane at 40mph and 140mph, who I passed three times in 18 miles was bad enough. The random lane-changing gonks were bad enough. But what took the biscuit was an actual act of road rage.

With Golf V glued to my towbar I was happily moving down the right hand lane at acceptable road speed. Without warning - or indication - the Peugeot 106 Quiksilver in the left lane that we were about to overtake and the only other visible car on the road at the time decided that he hated me. At probably a deficit of 30mph, he swerved out into the right hand lane and dropped the anchors. In fact had he thrown actual anchors out he'd have slowed up slightly more gently. The Golf behind me 🤬 himself. I just changed lanes and sailed up the inside. I glanced over and the scene was a twentysomething, scrawny streak of piss in full racing recline position leaning over towards me, Blakeying his left arm furiously while cripplehooking with his right. There was some tiny female in the passenger seat who could only have been whiter had she been bleached by an albino polar bear, looking utterly petrified. He dived back in behind me and I think treated me to a full beam/foglight glare for ten seconds or so - though a combination of piss-poor Peugeot headlights and 75% tints on the rear windows of the BMW meant it looked like I was being chased by four small children with candles.

That was the last I saw of him. I have no idea what the issue was. I have no idea why he'd think his tiny French thing could in any way intimidate a BMW driver. I have no idea what he could possibly hope to achieve by bringing about a coming together of a BMW 5-series touring and a 106, save for a few scratches on my shed and the death of both him and his passenger. If I'd had more presence of mind I'd have pointed and laughed at him. He's probably still raging now, for whatever reason he chose to rage in the first place.


What in 🤬 is wrong with people?
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That was last Friday...
 
So the 106 cut in front of you, you decided to move to the next lane to overtake them, and then they came in behind and gave you a lightshow?
 
Mmm, not really. The road is two lanes each way with a central "median", making it a "national speed limit" road (it has the maximum speed limits for most vehicles). The left lane is the driving lane, the right is the overtaking lane on each side - that is, you should drive in the left lane and only move to the right to overtake slower traffic. You should not drive in the right lane, nor overtake (undertake) using the left.

I was "making good progress" along with the Golf who'd decided to glue himself to me and we were in the right hand lane to overtake to the 106. The 106 just swerved in front of us - he was probably doing no more than 55mph in the driving lane as it was, while we were driving within ACPO guidelines of the national speed limit for that road (that is within the 70mph limit and the +10% +2mph error margin) - and stamped on the brakes. I just moved into the left lane and undertook - which is nominally illegal, but as an emergency situation (such as a sudden hazard in that lane) it's acceptable - and when I'd gone past he dived back in behind me and gave me what I think he thinks were full beams.

The Golf, of course, panicked, though it didn't stop him reglueing himself to the back of me a mile later.
 
I must admit I am a bit naughty on the anti-tailgating front. I don't so much brake-test people as show them how much worse things could be if I was driving along with Patricia Routledge in the passenger seat.

Why, Mr Skoda minicab! Thanks awfully for encouraging me check my speedometer to see that I was doing an indicated 34mph in this 30 zone. I'll see if 29 suits you better. Kind regards, me.

This doesn't apply to national speed limit roads, of course. I don't particularly want to die in a car the size of a lunchbox.
 
I don't care about tailgaters. I'm driving a BMW. Moreover it's a beat to 🤬 5-series Touring with a big, sturdy towbar on it - and 75% tint on the rear screen, so I can't even see them doing it. I'll be driving away. They'll be wondering how that much coolant fitted into one cooling system and waiting for the nice man in the yellow van.
 
I'm living in the Paris area...it'd be suicide to play by the rules, nobody would expect that on the road.
 
Mmm, you also have the crumble zone of a terrific sized boot and a row of thing that the UN would actually define as seats between you and whichever VW Group diesel has decided to get intimate. All I have is a plush Kermit the Frog.

Though I do have a similar tint level on the rear windows, incidentally - a feature which an off-brand self storage unit salesman once described to me as 'banging'. Can't say it eases the tailgating pain, mind.
 
I can fit a Peugeot 106 behind the front seats :D

Personally, I love tailgaters. They don't bother me in the slightest and they give me direct control of their car - if I speed up, they speed up; if I slow down, they slow down. I get to drive two cars at once, which is pretty neat. It's like towing a caravan, only without the extra weight and the social stigma of being a massive bell end.
 
shem
It's to be expected that we both have to put up with idiotic road manors.
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Oh dear, I hope you drive around them!

Lately I've found myself driving with a mind toward efficiency. A fairly equal combination of time vs. fuel efficiency. I won't say what driving rules get broken in that process, but there may be some which I'm sure other logically minded drivers would call annoying and wasteful, at best.

The only problem with my strategy is...nobody else does it.

Plan the flight and fly the plan, as they say, but always have a plan B. Every now and then something comes up that you need to adjust for, whether it be a traffic holdup, or a new destination, or you missed your turn, or whatever. In these situations you need to take prompt, decisive action in order to correct the problem. The majority of the driving public possesses absolutely no problem solving ability whatsoever. It's embarrassing how stupid all the people around me are. They can't judge speed, they can't judge distance, they're too worried about being nice, they forget where they're going, they're not mindful of the needs of other drivers around them, they can't forecast the situation ahead, and pray to God they don't need to make a split second decision because it's just not gonna happen. They're more likely to stop in the middle of the highway to think about it rather than actually do something.

Now that I'm flying planes, driving is becoming nothing more than a chore. Driving for any other purpose than racing is tiresome, frustrating, and uncomfortable. It could be better, but the people I'm working with out there are simply incapable of operating at my level.
 
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