Pet driving hates. What gets your goat?

[greenforme]

For me it's lorries in the middle lane on motorways, driving parallel to another. Yes I know they have deadlines, but miles and miles side by side? 😡

Another one is people who don't speed up adequately down a slip road to join the fast A road/motorway. It's a motorway, don't join it at 35 mph. Again, just so dangerous.

I drive a Land Rover and I had a neighbour tailgate me recently so close up behind me that I could only see the roof of his car! This was in a 30mph, in the very quiet road we actually live in, on a bend. I pulled over to let him pass, but to be so close is so unnecessary.

I can see that for some it doesn't somehow seem 'fair' that some users have to comply to some laws and regulations, and some don't, but a lot is to do with harm and cost/benefit. I mean, you could implement mandatory training, number plates & insurance for people using a bike. It would cost a very large amount of money, require a whole lot of manpower to implement and maintain, and be virtually impossible to enforce. And for what benefit? Yes, people riding like idiots are annoying, but they're generally more a danger to themselves. There are people injured and very occasionally killed by people on bikes, but the danger of people in cars is far far greater. It would also be a big barrier to getting people to getting more occasional users to cycle more, likely at a public health cost. And how would it work for under 18's? No country in the world has such a system, so there's probably good reasons why.

Tailgating definitely, when I'm going at the speed limit! It's so dangerous, and they don't realise it, it seems to me. I get perverse pleasure when they manage to overtake me but then a few minutes later they're actually in the lane next to me at the roundabout. What exactly did they gain by that??

Drivers who cut me up at roundabouts. This drives my normally mild mannered DH insane. He only ever swears when behind the wheel.

@Pleasebeafleabite

And rear fog lights being put on when it's not foggy especially when it's heavy downpour

I do this I’m afraid. I have a road coloured car and I’d rather make sure everyone can see me than run up my back end thanks very much

That’s illegal.

Thinking that road tax pays for roads and paying it gives you a greater right to use them is not a difference of opinion. It's clearly and demonstrably wrong.

It's not illegal to use fog lights in heavy rain. They're not just for fog, they're for poor visibility, and often, due to our rubbish roads, there is so much spray you can't see.

I think this is over-the-top pedantry. Sure, VED might be its official name, but there's nothing wrong in colloquially calling it "road tax" - it's an amount that you are obliged to pay to an agency of the government and you only pay it if you have a vehicle that you wish to take on the road

But it isn't. I have a car, and I don't pay VED on it.

However, I have another car, and I do pay VED on it.

Do you now see the issue with calling it a road tax and saying that cyclists and horse-riders should pay it?

@DadDadDad

A less polluting vehicle you pay less. A vehicle with no emissions, you pay none. I'm not sure what is so difficult about that concept for some to grasp.

The difficulty is that is not entirely correct either. If you have a SORN on a big polluter and drive it on your private land, you don't pay VED. Some small vehicles (that still pollute) pay zero VED. So level of polluting emissions does not exactly correlate to level of duty paid.

True, it's far from a clear system and has been adapted to try and take into account changes. Of course there are exceptions and "what about..." with it, but that's the broad ethos behind it. A more clear and fair system would be better though really.

Tailgating. It makes me go slower.

Cars that sit in the middle lane on motorways, forcing me to go into the outside lane to overtake them as undertaking isn't allowed.

Don't mind cyclists or horses. I give them plenty of space and wait for a safe overtaking place.

Cyclists riding 2+ abreast. That's annoying.

People who don't indicate on motorways. You paid for them, use them

@Graciebobcat

Another one is people who don't speed up adequately down a slip road to join the fast A road/motorway. It's a motorway, don't join it at 35 mph. Again, just so dangerous.

Unless that's the speed that the traffic is travelling at. You get up to the speed the traffic is moving at, however fast or slow that is.

@cologne4711

It's not illegal to use fog lights in heavy rain. They're not just for fog, they're for poor visibility, and often, due to our rubbish roads, there is so much spray you can't see.

Particularly as so many people don't turn their fucking lights on in the rain. Usually people with grey / light blue / murky-coloured cars.

@cologne4711

I think this is over-the-top pedantry. Sure, VED might be its official name, but there's nothing wrong in colloquially calling it "road tax" - it's an amount that you are obliged to pay to an agency of the government and you only pay it if you have a vehicle that you wish to take on the road

But it isn't. I have a car, and I don't pay VED on it.

However, I have another car, and I do pay VED on it.

Do you now see the issue with calling it a road tax and saying that cyclists and horse-riders should pay it?

Well, even the government call it vehicle tax, even though as you say not all vehicles pay it. www.gov.uk/calculate-vehicle-tax-rates

Motorist, cyclist (lycra wearing) , horserider and occasional caravan tower here!

I find ignorant cyclists really annoying - the ones who travel in a pack so you can't overtake them. The ones who travel 3 abreast. Any cyclist on their phone and/or wearing headphones. The ones who go through red lights or the wrong lanes at junctions/roundabouts. I confess that I have cycled on a shared pavement to avoid traffic at lights or roadworks but this is to make sure I didn't slow the traffic down once the lights turned green so being considerate to the motorist more than trying to get ahead

All cycle helmets and shoes should be in flourescent colours or white only. Those cyclist who dress head to toe in black on their black bikes just blend into the hedgerow. I try to wear brightly coloured tops (and a bright yellow helmet) as my hi vis gilet isn't always comfortable to wear on a long ride.

Horse riders who don't say thank you for slowing down are annoying - anyone can nod their head and smile or shout thank you even if their horse is being a nob. You don't have to raise a hand off the reins. Similarly those who ride two abreast and are just walking along while the traffic builds up behind them. Have the courtesy to pull over or speed up or go single file. Yes I know its safer to be two abreast but be aware of your fellow road users and move your mobile (albeit a beautiful one!) road block to the side of the road. And please don't wave motorists past - you can't judge the road for them.

There are so many things which give me a rage when driving but most of them have already been covered! Except for those stupid P plates - if you need to have one of those because you're a nervous driver then you really shouldn't have passed your test without getting a few hundred more miles under your belt.

People who see a speed camera in say a 40mph zone and drop down to 20mph.. 🙄

In this area it's learner drivers. Loads of them forever going round the estate. Makes my teeth itch when they're creeping along at 10 mph and positioned so you can't overtake (generally cars parked both sides of most roads).

so I drive, cycle and also ride a motorbike.

My pet hates?

Drivers who look but do not see - we call it a SMIDSY in the bike world. When you are cut up and then when you slam on the brakes to avoid being strawberry jam you get a sheepish wave and a mouthed "sorry mate i didnt see you"

When learning to ride my bike - i was taught a few valuable lessons. One dont get angry - it affects your judgement and focus - which will kill you on a bike. Two. you dont have to have a collision to prove you were in the right. No matter who is in the right the biker will be in the ambulance. Three - You own your safety. Take responsibility - they are likely in their own little world - so make yourself visible, ensure you make your intentions clear and assume like your life depends on it (and it does) that they dont see you. Four - its called a lifesaver check for a reason....

apart from that - cyclists who dont appreciate the above, car drivers that have no situational awareness and people that block you from filtering.

Filtering is legal and even taught and tested in the exam. Moving out of my way is polite - but moving into my way as you seem to think i am somehow cheating is downright cunty

The only reason drivers hate cyclists is because they have to slow down
No, I hate them because they’re assumed to be innocent in a collision. Every time I overtake a cyclist I risk my future, because all they have to do is veer in front of me and Boom! I’m facing a prison sentence.

Akindelle - that is a very good point. But there isnt assumed liability in law as far as i can tell

However, they may be right or wrong but they are still the ones badly hurt.

I think this is over-the-top pedantry. Sure, VED might be its official name, but there's nothing wrong in colloquially calling it "road tax" - it's an amount that you are obliged to pay to an agency of the government and you only pay it if you have a vehicle that you wish to take on the road.

you only have to pay to take a vehicle on the road if it doesn't fit the criteria for not paying. Hence bicycles - no VED. It's not difficult and persistently calling it road tax is disingenuous at best.

And for PP calling for tax, insurance and training/licences for cyclists - you know that won't prevent the MAMILs and Lycra Warriors, since it doesn't prevent idiot car drivers breaking the law either.

Pet driving hate that occurred on my way to work (bear in mind I'm in a country where we drive on the right): i have to come out of a T-junction and turn left. the road it opens out on to isn't that busy and a good 90% of the cars coming from my left are turning right (so won't be in my way) but so many of the fuckers only indicate as they are waiting to turn leaving me waiting when i could have gone. We hatess them.

If they’re the ones badly hurt then you’d think they’d be more careful! But no, they just cut in front of you with no signals, cycle on the wrong side of the road, and other stupid behaviour.

I have to admit I judge cyclists by their appearance. A cyclist dressed in Lycra with a helmet and an expensive looking bike is likely a “proper” cyclist who cycles safely. Whereas a cyclist wearing jeans or tracksuit with no helmet is a danger and likely to do something stupid.

If we had decent roads with enough room for cyclists and cars to travel safely half of our problems would end. On Waterloo bridge they have made the pavements wider so we can socially distance whilst walking. The traffic has one narrow lane each way, so cyclist can't be overtaken safely.
If we had decent infrastructure half of these cyclist vs driver arguments would be solved. Also I and my DD would cycle too!

Where I live it's the horse riders who expect all other road users to show them respect but show 0 respect to other road users. Two recent examples: a horse rider who gesticulated at a driver for not slowing down whilst illegally riding their horse on a pavement, forcing pedestrians who walk in the road. And a horse rider on a busy national speed limit A road on her phone - one hand holding her phone to her ear, the other on the reins and no situational awareness. Breathtakingly stupid and dangerous.

@passmethewineplease

People who see a speed camera in say a 40mph zone and drop down to 20mph.. 🙄

God yes. I was coming on here to say this. FFS, if your'e diving at the speed limit, you don't need to slow down for the camera.

Am in complete agreement about drivers who can't navigate mini roundabouts. We have one on either end of our road and it's endlessly annoying. Everyone comes to a complete halt and has no idea whose right of way it is. So I just blithely sail through. The other one, for reasons I don't understand, is constantly being cut through by drivers. So I can be turning right, with another car behind me and the car behind me will basically attempt to overtake me by cutting through the roundabout. It's happened a few times. I can't figure out why that one in particular makes people think they can just ignore it as a roundabout.

Having to keep pulling in for people to get past I find myself saying 'hurry up' through gritted teeth !!