Tailgating drivers everywhere

[mag2305]

I'm sure this isn't really something new and I might be totally wrong but since the pandemic, I feel like there's always cars sitting really close behind and often kind of agrressive, like swerving out slightly to created pressure I guess or some overtake. Has driving become more aggressive? Is it because people are frustrated? Is it just this area (busy area in Essex)?
Maybe it's just me noticing it more. I'm not a slow or fast driver, just stick to the speed limit. I've got a toddler and one of those baby in board stickers which might piss people off and make them tailgate even more, I don't know. I was always quite a confident driver as I used to drive in Central London regularly which can be interesting, lol! So I was never easily intimidated by other drivers. But the tailgating and overtaking is every day round here and I'm more nervous now on the road which I never felt before. Maybe it's also being a mum now too, just feeling more protective. Don't know.
Anyone else feel this?

Alot of car drivers are impatient entitled twats

It is everywhere.

People sat on your bumper when there is nowhere you could possibly go if you tried. I had a car blowing its horn when in front of me was a lorry turning right which blocked the road. He then went in the left turning lane at the next lights and cut across to the right turning traffic.

Cars pull out without a care, people meander across the road paying more attention to their phones than the traffic, and kids think it's a great game to cycle straight out in front of traffic and start doing wheelies.

God yes. What I hate the most I think is, where I live there are alot of traffic lights close to eachother. Now as a result, at peak times many cars wishing to join the.main.road only really get to if you let them out. So that's what alot of drivers end up doing as well you aren't getting very far anyway. And I really really hate it when you have a car if van up your arse so it's not safe really to slow down or stop to let a car out. But then they do. So you are the one who looks like the dickead.

Also hate it when they honk.at you ajd get up your arse when the.lights are green even when the box junctions mean there's no where where go because the other lights are red and the gaps are full.

I think people are just really angry and more impatient now.

YANBU I'm in Essex by the sea it's awful here I think people have forgotten how to drive or no longer give a shit!!

I have seen a lot of crashes recently (drive regularly) - way more than usual.

In the last week I was nearly in two accidents - the first near misses in over 2 years. One I was lucky as I was the car in front of the poor soul who got their rear bumper smashed into at the traffic lights. The other was INSANE and a SUV driver actually decided to go the wrong way around a roundabout and tried to drive head on into us with acceleration as we were exiting. Luckily we could enter the pavement but it was inches to a rear drivers side impact and potential spin/ram off the road.

I’m in the US and it’s gotten very much worse here too. Weaving and dodging and sometimes I feel like I’m about to die. People are narcissistic assholes.

Also I roll my eyes at baby on board signs.

@Rainbowx I'm near Southend if that's where you are too so you know what I mean. This area's always been a bottle neck, lots of angry white van drivers, etc but this road aggression has got so much worse.

@LemonSwan how scary!! Some drivers are so selfish.

I really do think things have been worse since the pandemic. And not just younger drivers, all ages from what I've seen.

I think it’s a combination of people not being prepared to wait for things now we live in a culture of instant gratification (high speed internet, same day delivery etc.) and I think some people genuinely cannot distinguish between car driving in computer games and reality.

@Ihavehadenoughalready really? Why's that?

Oh and high speed cars being far more common on the roads that is to PCP/leasing replacing hire purchase. People seem to have a mentality that if they drive a car that’s capable of going fast then they are entitled to go fast and everyone else should get out of their way!

@AuntieZoflo definitely! I do wonder if people see my VW Up or my husband's Honda Jazz with our baby on board signs and think, 'get out of my way you unworthy peasants' lol!

Yes @mag2305 I'm in Southend it's ridiculous and soo busy !!

Also I roll my eyes at baby on board signs.

Yep, me too. Congratulations, you can breed!

Had the pleasure of following someone doing 35 in a 60 earlier. Needless to say they were dispatched postehaste.

I hate the M11
tailgaters who try & push you to go over 70 or move over for them people who just pull out at the last minute without bothering to look or , heaven forfend, signal. & the weavers who over take than swing over & undertake than break in front of you, at the last minute & launch over to another lane to turn.
& lets not start on the truck drivers who seem to like holding hands by going up hill side by side - presumably trying to overtake & succeeding in completely blocking the road. Or also deciding to just launch over to the next lane by squeezing in front like they were trying to squeeze into a parking space & not bothering to signal -I mean signalling is optional!
I don't even drive
& no dh is not hogging middle lane but calmly using the overtaking lane - & looking & signalling when required
We do this journey regularly - you can tell I really enjoy it - not!

I know quite a few people that get irate at honda jazz drivers! They often drive so very badly. Not so sure about the VWs..

Thank you for letting me get that off my chest -therapeutic!

Baby on board signs are just trying to make arsehole drivers think a bit more about potential consequences of their arseholery.

@Opticabbage I do wonder if that's possibly because the majority of Honda Jazz drivers are 70+, at 33, my husband feels very cool in his Jazz, lol!

@mumwon. Hope it felt good to off load That's how I felt doing this thread.

@mumwon Lol at the truck drivers holding hands 😂 It's a pet hate of mine and im going to picture them doing this now whenever I see it!

@Opticabbage

I know quite a few people that get irate at honda jazz drivers! They often drive so very badly. Not so sure about the VWs..

No they don't, but the car has a reputation for being driven by grannies, and clearly grannies can't drive (even if in their 50s). So everyone pulls out in front of them. The only routinely bad drivers are Audi drivers. I don't know if the car attracts the bad drivers or the bad drivers go for Audis.

As for unworthy peasants, a lot of people definitely think they have more right to be on the road because they have an expensive car.

I saw a car today that I thought was being towed by the car in front. Nope, he was just tailgating and then nearly caused a head-on crash by overtaking when there was no room. I feel sorry for the oncoming driver, they must have had a huge shock.