A Motoring Tale.

[securespark]

I was travelling between towns, and came to a roundabout. I was in the outside lane in which I was able to travel straight ahead. A Volvo was in the inside lane, where it was also allowable to travel straight ahead.

I made it across the junction first. The Volvo driver was behind me and sounded his horn. I wasn't sure why.

8 miles further, I came to an intersection with traffic lights. Again, I was in the outside lane, able to go straight ahead. A VW was in the inside lane, also able to go straight ahead.

Again, I made it across the junction first. Now the VW was behind me. The Volvo driver, who was behind me in the outside lane, was now behind the VW, because he did not make it across the intersection before the VW did. The Volvo driver was flashing his lights.

As I got closer to my destination, I found it strange that both cars were following my every move.

When I arrived, both cars stopped and their drivers followed me. They were very angry.

I asked them why. Had I driven dangerously?, I asked.

No, they replied.

They were angry purely because I had beaten them across the junction.




Has the world gone mad?

 

[bernardgreen]

Has the world gone mad?

No only Volvo drivers and VW drivers wish they were a Volvo driver.

What push bike were you riding......

 

[Steve]

Barking. Absolutely barking.

I try never to be in the RH lane at a junction, simply because of the situation you describe above, Simon, especially at roundabouts on dual carriageways, where you never know if the guy to the left will try to straight-line the R'bout because he hasn't seen you.

I'm quite a submissive driver anyway, I let faster cars pass before i move out to overtake. Over-careful i guess!

One of my mates was driving me home the other night, we had been for a few drinks in town, he hadn't touched a drop. Every gear change, he over-revved. I asked him why, he said it was a fault with the car. I told him, he'll have even more of a problem when the clutch gives up. And his driving style, Jesus wept, lets just say I was glad when i got out, even after 2 pints and 4 bottles to numb my senses. He only left the RH lane to turn left. Crossed a roundabout, causing traffic to the right to slow down. Unbelievable.

Now, Simon, if you had been driving like this, I would understand people following you to give you a piece of your mind!!!

What exactly did they say???

 

[Daz66]

Secure what are you driving??

 

[Trazor]

Secure what are you driving??

He was driving............................Everyone ..

 

[securespark]

Transit Connect (limited) with 1.8 Endura (not TDCi).

 

[2scoops0406]

You seem to attract trouble driving. Can't remember the last time I was beeped or flashed, several years ago I'd guess.

 

[securespark]

Yes, I agree. But not because I drive badly, though some here might dispute that.

What I'm saying is you should be able to get ahead of others (provided it is done without danger) without risking a backlash.


Crafty

They said exactly what I wrote. They agreed I had not put anyone in danger, but were angry they had been overtaken. They didn't say this, but it probably doesn't help I was in a commercial vehicle.

 

[BoxBasher]

Try overtaking in a JCB or a John Deere, that really gets peoples backs up...

 

[Softus]

They were angry purely because I had beaten them across the junction.

Has the world gone mad?

Not really - I get the same thing occasionally, and I drive a Volvo.

 

[securespark]

So you're saying you overtake & you get trouble, too?

 

[Softus]

So you're saying you overtake & you get trouble, too?

In a word, yes.

However, like you, I don't call being in the right hand of two parallel lanes and making proper progress through a junction of roundabout "overtaking".

 

[securespark]

No. I'm glad someone agrees with me!

I am taught that you "make progress" when it is safe to do so. So I don't follow the crowd - everyone seems to queue behind each other in the l/h lane then get peed off when someone else spots an opportunity no-one else has taken.

 

[Daz66]

This seems to be a repetitive posting, people view on driving.

I regularly travel the undulating M11 (about 5 time a year) and am amazed at all of the idiots who cue up in the outside lane (the overtaking lane) waiting to get past a lorry in the outside lane which is crawling up the hill overtaking another lorry/van.

This usually leaves the inside lane (the travelling lane) free for roughly 1-2 miles...... I often wonder what people say about me driving along the empty lane until I reach a vehicle I need to overtake, and then, you've guessed it, I move into the overtaking lane and overtake the vehicle....................Safely.

People who have little or no understanding of the rules of the road are usually the ones who shout the loudest when things don't go their way

 

[securespark]

How do you do that safely, then?

Presumably there is a fat queue of cars in the third lane waiting to overtake.

So you overtake on the inside, reach a vehicle blocking your way in the second lane, then what, exactly?