To think driving standards are generally awful?

[Jknow]

I’ve been driving for 24 years, and I realise that there’s a lot more traffic on the roads now than there used to be. Which is obviously going to mean a higher total number of people who don’t have a bloody clue, but honestly it seems endemic at the moment.

Things I’ve noticed in particular lately:

Indicators appear to have become entirely optional, not just at roundabouts but also pulling over or turning into a junction.

People don’t give way when they’re supposed to. When it’s your right of way and you’re approaching a parked car on the other side of the road, or one of those traffic calming bits where the road narrows and signs show it’s your right of way, drivers coming the other way seem to be increasingly taking the view that if they can nip in there first then they do so, causing you to stop when it’s your right of way.

Undertaking. Was on a fairly busy motorway today and saw two separate cars going like stink, cutting into whichever lane they could make the most progress in and undertaking time and time again.

People who seemingly have no idea how to reverse their car. I live in the countryside and on narrow lanes frequently have to reverse back bloody miles, when the person I meet coming the other way has a place much closer they could reverse to, because they sit there looking panicked and helpless rather than just bloody well reverse back.

I used to enjoy driving. I don’t anymore.

[notsosoftanymore]

There were 27 million cars in the UK in 2000 and now there are nearly 33 million. Public transport is hugely expensive and not very convenient, Covid made people avoid a means of travel outside of private cars. So more of us are on crowded roads and there are fewer police so there is no enforcement of laws. A recipe for disaster. I agree that there are lots of impatient drivers and lower standards of driving. It's not going to change without a government who are willing to facilitate something different.

[OneTC]

Not really noticed a decline in overall standards personally. If anything I find that people are generally more law abiding than they used to be.

One thing that does annoy me is mopeds sitting very close to your driver's side back corner even when they have no intention of overtaking

[balalake]

In my opinion at least 25% of people who have driving licences are unfit to drive. Some are because of medical conditions such as poor eyesight, sad of course and not just confined to older people. Many are because of their conduct being the wheel, or driving a car they just cannot handle. Judges are far too soft on motoring crimes (call them that instead of diminishing them by calling them offences).

A step I would take is having two categories of car licence, the second being for SUVs and larger performance cars. The choice of having to take a second test and possibly still prove you are medically fit would result in a lot of people choosing smaller cars instead.

[Duckerbizzle]

The amount of people on their phones still is really shocking. I was parked up the other day and a bloke went whizzing past in a Range Rover and was fully looking downwards blatantly doing something on his phone. He wasn't looking where he was going at all, whilst also speeding. Makes me so mad! Also when at traffic lights, every time I have a look in the mirror, half of the queue behind seem to think that traffic lights mean get your phone out and check through it. I see it every single day, time and time again.

[Frogsalad]

I can't say I see most of the issues you've raised all that frequently, aside from the lack of ability to reverse. That said, I do find other peoples driving increasingly concerning because of things like tailgating, which is a daily issue on my commute (on busy dual carriageway) and people very clearly looking at their mobile phones - if you do this and you think it's discreet, it's not. It's so obvious and I think you're a fucking moron.

[XVGN]

80% of drivers believe that they are better than average.

[MintJulia]

No, I don't. The UK has some of the safest roads in Europe.

Yes, there are some examples of eye watering stupidity. The post on here at the weekend about some idiot man driving his son at 120mph. The drink & drug drivers. But generally as a country we do ok. Not well enough to get complacent, but better than most.

[MojoMoon]

So many people in leased/rented expensive cars - usually men but sometimes women - who spend a ridiculous share of their monthly income on their status symbol car and somehow believe that this financial outlay means they now have the right to drive however they want and damn everyone else. And they drive the bloody thing everywhere to show it off as much as possible even when walking would be more sensible.

The contempt that people in certain expensive cars then feel for pedestrians, cyclists and people in small cheap cars is astounding.

[ginghamstarfish]

Indeed, and I 'm in a small town. Roundabouts in particular seem to baffle many drivers, who stop when they have right of way, and clearly don't know the rules.

[megletthesecond]

Fog lights and full beams on at night.
Mobile phone use.

Drives me nuts.

[Bluevelvetsofa]

I think much of it is to do with the rise in online shopping and therefore deliveries. Large vans will find it much easier to barge their way through traffic and they do it because they have deadlines to meet. Then they stop on double yellow lines and put the hazard lights on. As though that excuses it.

Near here, there’s a huge roundabout and you struggle to get a gap in the traffic. It’s used frequently by large vehicles who simply push their way through, forcing you to take avoiding action when it’s your right of way. A nearby road has been closed off, so it’s much much worse than it was a year ago. I won’t drive into town that way now.

Indicators are optional it seems and I think some particular brands of car just aren’t fitted with them.

[girlfriend44]

Not alot of courtesy. People don't want to let anyone out and yet they need help at times.

People would rather speed up and go round you rather than.just ease down and let you out.
Awful.

[Manekinek0]

I think cars are seen as more replaceable now. I can't remember anyone having a new car every few years back when I was a child.

After reading threads on here I do think that many people don't understand the basics.

The "it's a limit not a target" brigade, you would fail a driving test if you didnt get up to speed and it was safe to do so.

If there are parked cars on the opposite side of the road you don't automatically have right of way. If a car on the opposite side is already committed to overtaking you have to give way.

Letting people merge isn't an option. Use both lanes and merge like a zipper. Don't be a dick just because you decided to be a martyr and sit in a queue whilst backing the road further up.

And there is no reason to get angry so easily. People get in the wrong lane, they mess up, we all make mistakes.

[LadySpratt]

I nearly got hit by a coach on a zebra crossing. He had already stopped for a pedestrian on the other (his) side of the road. He got going just as she had reached the middle of the crossing. But he hadn’t registered that I was also at the middle of the crossing when he started to move forward. We were looking straight into the whites of each others‘ eyes as he started moving forward and he just gave me a ‘so what?’ look and shrugged his shoulders. The other van that had stopped started shouting at the coach driver. Thank goodness someone was paying attention. I shudder to think if he hadn’t hit the break pedal, even if he was starting to get going, those things are heavy!

Otherwise agree that a later driving test to check competencies haven’t slipped would be a good idea. Or even motorway driving tests - that might force the middle lane hoggers to actually learn how to drive on a motorway.

[ChocolateCakeYum]

YANBU

I moved to the north west a few years ago and the town I live is full of boy racers, inconsiderate assholes and people who drive like they bribed someone to pass their test.

My car is full of cameras now because of it. And also because we have one of the highest proportion of crash for cash scams in the country.

Cant think why my town continues to have one of the lowest driving pass rates. /s

[MrsMoastyToasty]

It's the number of people who don't know how to use a box junction. The number of drivers that enter the yellow crosses with no way to exit is baffling.
Also the drivers who can't use motorway interchanges correctly. I regularly use the M5/M4 interchange at Almondsbury. There are drivers who cut across 3 or 4 lanes because they finally realise that they are going to end up in Gloucestershire rather than Devon. The approaches are signposted from miles away.

[AmberGer]

I have noticed with the increase of delivery drivers for food or parcels, they drive like they're on a grand theft auto mission. The faster they can drop, the faster they can pick up another job. More jobs equal more money.
With so many of them now around, standards have fallen off a cliff.

[AriettyHomily]

The standards of driving around where I am in SE London is shocking.

My theory is that there is a huge increase in people driving without licences because they couldn't get tested in lockdown.

[SunshineLollipopsAndRainbows]

I was once told to drive as if every other driver is an idiot - unfortunately a hell of a lot are!! I’m a calm person but get me behind the wheel…. Most people would benefit from a refresher course for sure.

[teaandtoastwithmarmite]

I had this guy in a massive Audi suv the other day. There's just been a horrible car crash outside my work the other day due to speeding so I was being extra cautious and this guy was driving up my back end at 40 in a 40. He kept trying to drive round me. It was very intimidating

[teaandtoastwithmarmite]

@AriettyHomily

The standards of driving around where I am in SE London is shocking.

My theory is that there is a huge increase in people driving without licences because they couldn't get tested in lockdown.

I used to live in SE London and now live in Birmingham and Birmingham is much worse

[LadyApplejack]

Similar to the middle-lane hogging, I realize some drivers just adore the right-hand lane, and no matter how much room is to their left they doggedly stay in as a default while driving well below the speed limit and dictating that everyone else do the same. That's infuriating.

[Namechangehereandnow]

I agree, driving standards are terrible, and have been for some years now. I think it’s because everyone is in a rush for everything these days, society is generally not as tolerant as it used to be, people are becoming more selfish and just don’t think of others anymore 🤷‍♀️

[HunterHearstHelmsley]

@ginghamstarfish

Indeed, and I 'm in a small town. Roundabouts in particular seem to baffle many drivers, who stop when they have right of way, and clearly don't know the rules.

I'm one of these people at the moment. I am working very hard to stop doing it though! Only last week I was turning right at a roundabout, man in a van coming from my right sped across, slammed into me, sent my car spinning and drove off. The first day I drove again, I tried to avoid all roundabouts! I've had people coming out with me as I've become stressed that people won't stop and I'd rather everyone be out the way! Obviously that's not going to happen.

Yesterday I was fine with the roundabouts so hopefully I'm over it now!

[HighlandPony]

@DomesticShortHair

This is my world. I live rurally and call them the 40 milers- national speed limit, open straight road, good visibility, no hazards. 40 mph. Come to a village with no footpaths and 30 mph speed limit- 40 mph.

Same. I live in the highlands. One of my pals works for a care company that quarters wages so deducts 15 mins from your wage if you clock in 1min late and she’s about to pack in coz working isn’t worth it with the shut drivers holding her up