Manky Monkey Motors

Is it just me? Am I just getting old & slowing down, or are the rest of the World all driving like absolute pillocks now?
I know I'm getting older & I've probably slowed down a bit -can't see the point of charging around everywhere. Doesn't get you there any quicker -but I'm not that slow.
I've just driven down to Dorset & back & I've had morons right up my backside, trying to intimidate me out of their way, the whole journey. Not just one or two idiots, but everybody, even when I'm doing 70 in the slow lane of the M3. Where do they think I'm going to go? Throw myself onto the hard shoulder so they can get past? -& when it starts to hammer down with rain & there's spray everywhere, they actually speed up.
They'd happily kill you just to get one car length ahead.
What is wrong with people?!
It's not just today's trip. There have been a few journies recently when I've thought this is genuinely unpleasant. Starting to wonder what's it's going to be like by the time I've got my bike & my truck on the road.
Is it just me?

Nope. It's not just you.
At one time we would just go for a drive, for no particular reason, just for the sake of it but now it's no fun (bike and trike excepted). There are far too many idiots in a rush on the road.

Nope, it aint you Mr. M. to me it stems from an attitude that seems to imply that..."I'm more important than you, and my time is more important than yours! so get out of my bloody way", I have often read in recent years that 'Good Manners' are unimportant in todays society, so, is it any wonder we are, where we are..................ahh, now I feel better.... >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(..Morrag

I see it too, every day - bmw, audi and recently merc drivers mostly. Its also an issue on the rural roads around here, i believe due to modern turbo diesels - one time idiots went too quickly down hill, now the turbo kicks in, boost builds and the car flies up hill as well, the engine is just chugging along, not even being revved hard, and the car is considerably faster than the "performance" cars of the 90s. aunty Sally just doesn't know she's doing it...

Yep! Me too. What I don't understand is why the driving test gets harder to pass every year and yet every generation of new drivers is more ignorant and selfish than the one previous to it . I hate knocking the younger generation , my kids and their friends are a lovely bunch, but every day I witness appalling driving by young drivers, driving cars that they shouldn't ( in my mind ) be able to afford...
I cycle to work ( cue outrage ) and in the last five years folks have gone from patient and polite to down right hateful - and it's mostly young drivers. I blame a lot on social media where you can rant and swear and form outrageous opinions, unchecked , giving the illusion that the whole world spins round them.
I'd better calm down or the nurse will give me another of those nasty jags....... It is consoling to know I'm not alone.....
Tom

Get ready ...

I like to drive close to the speed of the road and that is how I was taught. If you are on a multi-laned road then there is more choice and if someone is going slower than me then I can overtake. If I am in the outside lane because I am going faster than the inside cars but I am doing 70 miles per hour then tough s**t to anyone behind me. Once I overtake I get back into the inner lane(s) as soon as it is safe to do so. Whatever lane I'm in, I try to leave a decent gap between myself and the car in front but more times than not someone pulls into the gap. I hate being all boxed together because I'm very much aware how easy a pile up is in those circumstances.

Obviously conditions of the roads always play a part but unless it's dicey conditions or you are in/on a vehicle limited to a certain speed, in a classic car or near a school, I am probably one of those behind you wondering why you are not going faster.

There are plenty of people around where I live who should not be driving. They can hardly see over the wheel, they take a corner like they are driving an artic and 20 mph is too fast for them. Also a lot of visitors to the New Forest think every road with trees at the side of it is 40 mph. Duh! So annoying when you are on one that is 60 mph.

Anyway, if I see you I'll wave and you can give me the finger if you want but I would rather you put your foot down while you are doing it!  :-*

JJ, I'm amazed your buggy goes that fast ? ::)
I do like to surprise the fools behind me sometimes, I guess they see the blue disabled sticker on the back window and assume I'm some doddering old codger who's going to drive along at 20mph ?
It has definitely got busier on the roads down here and I'm afraid it's not going to improve ? A few years ago my son in law ( who had just passed his test ?) bought a nice new honda civic type R..total Carlos fandango car with everything on it and fasttttt..".
"Do you want a go old man ?"     10 mins later. He was screaming..he didn't know a car could be driven around corners so fast or go sideways around roundabouts ? ;D I didn't tell him I'd been taught a few things by an ex rally driver ( female ) many years ago.. ;)

Very funny.  :P  :D

Very interesting reading everyone's comments.

I am a bus driver in Derby. The main difference between the car driver and a bus driver is the training we receive.

That said it is then up to the individual to put that training in to practice. So good bus drivers and not so good.

Spending 45 hours a week driving the roads of Derby at an elevated height in a 40 foot vehicle does give you some good observations of other road users actions and habits.

When training to drive a bus, the emphasis is on hazard perception. The main reason for this is so a driver of a bus can predict a situation another road user will put you in much faster than they will.(if they notice at all)

The number of occasions I have been able, by my actions, to prevent another user having an accident or collision with a pedestrian I have lost count of.

The bit that amuses me is when they then call you a Richard Head for your trouble.

I really could right a book.

I'm always amazed at the aggressive driving I see - and so often for no reason - trying to make me go faster by getting up my backside just makes me go slower as it distracts me from the road ahead, but I'm quite happy to make it easy for them to overtake.  Nope, they don't want to do that!  Do they not realise what they are doing?

Or the ones that just HAVE to get past me inspite of the fact that I'm in a queue of traffic behind a slow vehicle and they're not going to get anywhere any faster?

And then there's the steaming past me on the dual carriageway and immediately swerving off left up the sliproad.

I could write a book but no-one would read it cos we all see the same thing.  I know I'm probably slower than I used to be - mainly because of those two speeding tickets in the back of my mind - but it's the WAY they do what they do!

yes,what happened to good manners,like giving way to someone in a busy street then they just drive through and don,t acknowledge you ,or give way to someone coming up bank past parked cars,mostly young drivers,is ignorance part of the test now ?

This subject was always going to open a can of worms, however, I would ask you to consider this, firstly, I am certain that there are many, most?, accidents caused by too much and inappropriate speed on the highway, as opposed to the opposite ie. someone traveling slowly! And for the many car drivers who will condemn a motorcyclist, I hate the term "biker"! for filtering, or having the affront to overtake them, how often have you ever read in the Press, ..."Motorcyclist kills car driver..." sadly we are all too aware of the reverse of that statement, so all you "trained" & would be rally drivers, etc, how about exercising your skills off road hey, and leave this old geezer to his meandering way, with a little patience, you never know you might reach there yourself one day ;D ;D.....ttfn, Morrag

Love my Audi. It's grey and everything.

I love a can of worms..and I can't stand fishing ? :D

Oops! :)

The people who wind me up the most are the ones that don't use their Indicators. I followed a man on the M3 today who was old enough to know better, didn't use his Indicators once, either pulling out to overtake or to pull back into the lane.

So, the lesson we've learnt here is stay away from blue disabled badge holders :) Jay, you do realise the speed limit's the maximum speed, not a compulsory one? :)
Yeah, it's not just youngsters is it. General driving standards just seem to have plummeted, just in the last couple of years. I worry about getting back on a bike next year when so many people insist on driving 2 feet from my rear bumper in my car. If you dropped the bike or had to suddenly slow for any reason, they'd drive straight over you before they had time to react.
On a seperate issue, my local motorway, the M3, is being turned into a "Smart" m/way -no hard shoulder. So what happens when you break down? A CCTV operator 20 miles away, switching on a warning sign on an overhead gantry isn't going to stop the speeding moron in his Audi, (shiny grey or otherwise), from ploughing into me.
Faster cars? Less "car guys"? (People used to know their car's limits & drove slower in bad weather for example -now they have no idea how a car works & don't care). It's like a video game -they get in, floor the accelerator pedal & drive just as badly, whatever the conditions.
Courtesy's seen as a sign of weakness. Just feels like driving's become very aggressive, confrontational & competitive. Maybe I am just getting old, but it's nice to know I'm not the only one who thinks it.

And finally I knew my first response would get the keyboards going. I have my moments but usually, as I mentioned above, I put thought into my driving. I try not to impede other drivers and I try to generally keep traffic moving with a smile and a wave.

It is nice though to read and post on a thread where people have strong feelings about a subject.  :)

How long ago was the speed limit set ?? ....drum brakes all round etc etc ...the automotive world has made great leaps forward ....why is the speed limit still in the dark ages ....if you want to stick with the old rules why have we disposed of the person walking in front of your car with a red flag

Let's have the limit moved upto 85mph in keeping with modern tech ..

I don't think JJs buggy can do 85 ?

I'm still driving on drum brakes, crossply tyres, wobbly steering box ... :)

 :D :D so do I sometimes .but my more modern car has a lot more improvements ....the only time it has drum brakes is when I'm carrying them in the back lol

Why is every body in such a rush....to get where?...... ???

to get back of course ? ::)

If your not in a rush ...why have a car ....use public transport ? 

As said I want to get home ASAP

Public transport ?? Here in my village we have ONE bus a day (but not on weekends ) gets here at 8am and back at 4pm ( school kids )

In a rush to get to the back of the next queue!   

I get irritated when drivers seem to take forever to pull away from traffic lights or at a junction.  Once the light is green, GO!  They should have already put it in gear and have a hand on the handbrake, that's what the amber is for.

And when they pull out in front of me and then go as slow as possible for ages so I catch them up and have to brake.

And the one that Mike and I were moaning about yesterday - when they park in the street and open their door as you approach!

I have a funny story about people opening their doors as you get to them. Many years ago I was driving an Articulated Lorry along Totteridge lane in North London,which is just a ordinary suburban road when the driver two cars in front pulled over to the kerb outside a Newsagents shop. The car in front of me put his foot down and sped up, I took a little longer to get up to speed, just as I drew level with the back of the car the driver threw open her door wide. There was little I could do,I smashed into it ripping it off the vehicle,I stopped about 25 feet later with the door under the front of the truck. I got out and walked round the front picked up the afore mentioned door and proceeded back to the car with the item in Arms. The driver a woman in her fortys was sat frozen behind the wheel. I leant the door against the wing and said " I think his must belong to you". A young lady who was trying to help burst out laughing at this,she managed to clap her hand over her mouth turn round and walk to the back of the car and stand  facing away but I could see her shoulders moving up and down as she was laughing. I can chuckle about this now but I didn't find it at all funny at the time because if she had done what a lot of people do, open the door whilst getting out at same time her leg could have been over the sill and I could have taken that and the door at the same time. But luckily it ended with no one being hurt.

I have a funny story (not ) my first day out on the knowledge ,riding along on my moped going south from Tavistock place..a taxi driver ( past his prime ) opened his door as I went past,I tried to swerve but had a car overtaking me, so my knee clipped the taxi door and I was being dragged along the bonnet of a nice little MGB who braked sharp which sent me tumbling forward onto the road,right outside a big hotel..my buddy who was in front hadn't noticed my dilemma and carried on ..he returned a few mins later to find a big crowd of people standing round some poor chap on the floor (me) who was being strangled by some council worker who was tugging with all his might to pull off my crash helmet which was still strapped onto my head ? :-[

you don't need to indicate to return to previous lane.

Just so I understand this then...You only need a car if you are in a ...rush! mmmm, I see...I think ??? ??? ??? ??? ???

Not so much aggressive driving as there wouldn't be many vehicles about at that time, especially in Wales but Stinkey's story made me think of it.

My granddad used to go places on his motorbike (don't ask me what sort) with my Grandma as pillion. We are talking about their courting days so about the late 1920s. This once, he lost my Gran off the back and never even noticed until he got where they were going. I'm only here because she still went on to marry him. It must have been love. Mind you he was a right ba&$#rd so perhaps the universe was trying to give her a hint.  :-\

Only with the progression of time has the need to increase time management become important .....hence the change in the pace of life .....if we didn't progress we would still be living in caves and killing dam big reptiles for lunch ....guess what ....we would be walking n running too lol lol lol

Language JJ..tut tut.. :D my mum did something similar ..on the bike with my Dad,stopped at traffic lights..on their way to hammersmith palais ..she stood up to adjust her coat,lights changed,he roared off..left her standing in the road..he was a Scallywag too.. ::)

Why it may not be mandatory to signal, if you get some Pleb of a road user trying to squeeze into a nonexistent gap at a Motorway off ramp because they have nearly missed his/her junction, its nice to get some sort of clue where they are going. I sure you wouldn't be saying " well they don't need to indicate to pull back in". Call me old fashioned if you like,but letting other road users know what you are going to do is just common courtesy.

Ah, now I understand, it is a case of some people's time is more important than others!...or does it just seem that way to them?.................."time management" :( :( :(, yeah, right!

I don't mind if some people THINK their time is more important than mine. As long as they don't do anything stupid to take my time away.
I'm not quite ready to meet my maker yet.

Sorry. I expected the software to £€=/%$: it.  :-[

Ha, ha, ha!! Seriously?
I'm the software :)

I often wonder whether, if a driver had someone in their car they were trying to get to hospital but it was so urgent they didn't have time to wait for an ambulance, would the rest of us move out of their way if they just kept on the horn, or would we think they were just ignorant b%&^€rds and ignore them?  :-\

Police say to always leave time for your journey but even allowing time for traffic queues we don't always get it right. I am usually an hour or so early for hospital appointments but what if I had really been held up. I would try to go as legally and as safely as I could to get there but other drivers wouldn't know that I was against the clock.

There is no easy answer really especially as most of our roads are single carriageway plus a lot of drivers seem to think 60mph is the maximum speed on dual carriageways. Generally, motorways could be faster but car distances and using the lanes properly need to be reinforced. At least drivers who want to go slower have the inner lanes to do so. However, on these revamped hard shoulderless motorways I think faster speeds would be a mistake.

Are you winding me up? I thought the text was parsed for bleepable words and they were then replaced with $&%$^. Usually the webmaster adds the words they are not happy with and the software does the rest like the spelling change function does. So on this site a few words but a religious site, hundreds.  :D

Yeah, & I have to wind the site up every day with a big key in the back of my computer. Honest.

And writes the "software"...with a quill!.. ;D

 :D I mentioned to a young lad at work the other day that when I was at school my English teacher insisted we had to use fountain pens, rather than those horrible, new fangled ball point pens. He'd never heard of fountain pens, with ink cartridges, & thought I was joking.

Ink cartridges, wot's those, my Parker fountain pen, well my brothers really, stolen from him by me! had an "airbag" which required depressing and filling from an ink bottle, huh, bloody youngsters....wot do you know, cartridges, you had it easy, now in my day......................... ;D ;D ;D ;D

Some of us are really showing our age.  :D  Those side levers were really fiddly. More used to end up on me and the desk rather than in the pen!  ::)

I remember airbag pens ! :D and JJ..one time I had a young lady in my cab..very pregnant.."driver my waters have just broke?" :-[ so off we rushed..me tooting and flashing ( my lights ) on the way I managed to get a motorcycle cop to escort me ..bloody brilliant..him racing ahead sirens wailing..stopping traffic for me..

 :) Yup, I had a lever type pen. The school supplied cartridge type ones. They were blue plastic with a long tapering body that unscrewed from the nib to put the cartridge in. I ruined many a shirt with leaking pens. Our wooden school desks still had a hole in one corner with a little white ceramic pot in, to put ink in. Yeah, I'm old :(

Old, old...now slate and chalk, that's old... :o :o

 :D

Andy that pen looks modern to me ?  Try using a quill  ::)

Aggressive driving! now there was a prime example at yesterdays Singapore F1 GP, wonder if anyone gets penalty points for that debacle!! :D :D :D :D :D..Morrag

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