Anyone else finding driving more stressful these days? Not sure if it’s perimenopause or all the pot holes

[Stuckinthemiddlewithyouuhoh]

But driving is actually starting to put me off going places

Just tonight a guy jumped in front of my car from behind a parked car at a zebra crossing - it was dark and he was bloody lucky I didn't hit him. A woman walked directly behind my car when I was reversing - of course she was all in black, it was dark and the carp park was poorly lit. People think because they can see you with your lights that you can see them dressed in black - I bloody hate night driving.

I honestly thought it was only me. I'm relieved but sad to read this thread.
It's like many drivers now think the whole thing is a computer game.

I regularly drive the Avonmouth bridge section of the M5 and the speed, aggression, lane swerving vans and 70 mph tailgating make me wonder how the bloody thing is survivable.

Wherever possible now I take the train for long journeys. The difference in terms of stress is off the scale. No more spoiling my holiday or day out dreading the return trip.

I was talking to someone the other day and her story sums up the assholery of many drivers. She sets her cruise control to 77 because she won't get a fine so long as she stays within 10% of the speed limit. Pushing the limits to the maximum all the time seems to be the new standard for driving.0

Yes! Simply the volume of traffic, so many horrendous, impatient and rude,drivers, as for the night Led beams...

Also there seems to have been a huge increase taxis which have laws of their own IME.

Pot holes, LED lights and road marking lines being almost invisible in the dark, dimly lit roads when it rains

Yes to potholes and bright lights, but even more for me is people just pulling out in front of me. People drive more selfishly now, they just go if they have the chance even though the Highway Code says you're not supposed to make someone else slow down or stop.

i think its the pot holes firstly
i used to work in a place, drove there over the winter, through narrow lanes,
now, I would be far too worried
i am 60 to be fair but i think there were never so many bad roads as there were roughly 20 years ago

Yes, definitely. Pot holes, bright lights and idiots on the road!

I also find that drivers come very close behind you at night on quiet roads. Then their headlights are really reflected in your rear view mirror. If there isn't room to overtake you might as well stay a safe distance back. I'm in a fairly small car so it's worse if a jeep or SUV behind you.

More cars, more larger cars, manners and patience seems to be lessening. Ignoring give way and direction signs eg suddenly trying to get in a left or right hand lane. Potholes, speeding drivers.

Potholes are always bad in Jan. The council then fix them in March when they have to use up budgets.

Driving at night with all the glare and non existent street lights. Add in potholes and people wearing dark clothes on country lanes.

However I'm not ready to stop driving at night. I was driving as close to the middle as possible everytime there was no oncoming traffic. Pot hole are full of water so you have idea if its a normal puddle or moon crater

Same as my ds. 4 new tyres and 2 days later hit a pothole and lost a tyre. RAC came out and said I was only just here, did he hit it on top road by any chance? Yes! Guessed so, as this is the 5th tyre I've been called out to this week due to that pot hole.

His girlfriend was visiting from overseas last month and she was appalled at our potholes.

I personally don't drive in the dark anymore as I can't see due to the blinding lights coming towards me. Great that they give me an x ray, but I then can't see a damn thing.

Peri has also worked its number on me, I hate motorways and duels- I'm fine once I'm on them, it's the joining that scare me.

I'm looking for a job and really need WFH as I can't see employers accommodating my day light only hours during the winter months

argh
i made a mistake
20 years ago i never even noticed pot holes
these are now so common.
i guess it is poorer councils - more vehicles on the roads

I'll add parking to the list.

Finding somewhere to park gets harder and harder. I find that stressful.

Shocking isn't it. Fortunately ds took out some kind of insurance when he got the new tyres so hopefully will cover the replacement but as our local tyre place can't get the new tyre in stock for a couple of days he has he has to travel all over for his job he now is trying to get to places on the train for 2/3 days. Such an inconvenience and cost.

I live in Mallorca and I think thanks to all the rain we’ve had lately, a load of potholes have appeared so it’s no better here. Also faded road markings you can’t see and cars with dazzling headlights so I don’t think it matters what country you live in, it’s the same problem.

the Spanish also do not believe in following distances and are usually about 2 inches off your bumper!!

For me it’s the awful dazzling headlights these days. Downright dangerous.

Re the low sun, a baseball cap/tennis sunvisor is really helpful

Pre covid I enjoyed driving.
I think a lot of people's attitudes and the standard of driving massively dropped.

And yes as many others have said the pot holes and bright lights don't help. Also, where councils don't bother anymore to re-edge verges and allow hedges (meant to be minimum 0.5m back from the white lines I think) makes it fun on the narrower roads I frequently use.

I think the parking thing is harder not just because of numbers of vehicles on the road but the size of them. I have a VW Polo which is bigger than the original Golf as an example of the increasing size (I do realise that this is partly due to increased safety features), then there all the 4x4s on road. Many times have I had to pass by a space because it has two enormous cars encroaching upon it, even if those enormous cars have parked as considerately as they can.

I can see why people buy 4x4s as they do have a better chance of skimming over the top of the potholes and, to a degree, raise the driver above the glare of the lights. Unfortunately the higher vehicles with bright lights are the worst offenders for dazzling those of us closer to the ground!