To think it’s unkind to hoot at someone stuck on a box junction?

[AsIfByMagic123]

I am an utter cretin, I know, and never should have entered the box junction without being certain I could clear it, as per the Highway Code. I’ve done the theory test and know this full well. Quite how I ended up in that situation I’m not exactly sure. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately (waiting for biopsy results in particular, plus my father had surgery yesterday) but that’s no excuse. I genuinely thought I could clear it but was mistaken and ended up stuck in front of a red light.

People, understandably, were absolutely furious. But by the time it had happened, there wasn’t realistically anything I could do. Driving through the red light would not only have been illegal but could have caused an accident.

I really wish people would have some compassion and realise it was a genuine mistake made by someone under stress. We all slip up from time to time. None of us are perfect.

Yet maybe some of those I inconvenienced were on their way to hospital appointments or to be at the bedside of dying loved ones. Go on, flame me even more and make feel bad! I feel like I deserve it today. I’m a total arse, aren’t I?

Really? I love hooting and always have, it really vents frustration to just lean on your horn. I wish I had one in the house - dishwasher hasn’t been emptied: hoot. Bathroom has been left a swamp again: hoot. Run out of loo roll: hoooooot

Rule 112 of Highway Code…

Why would it be on Euston Road? How many box junctions do you think there are in the country??

If you've got too much on your mind to concentrate on the road ahead, then you shouldn't be driving.

Lol. Londoners...some of them really have forgotten that other places exist.

Everyone makes mistakes. I can't imagine there are many people who haven't made this one at least once and suffered the shame of being stuck on a box junction. However, you are unreasonable to try and shame the people who hooted you. They were rude but you were the one in the wrong. Being stressed is no excuse. I hope your day gets better though. Chalk this one up to experience and try to have a nice evening.

Yep parking on a box junction makes you an arse. Although I've accidentally done it in the past. Which makes me an arse too. I am very careful to judge the distance and not do it these days. Partly because it's really inconsiderate, and partly because I don't want to get fined.

OP. You are not a cretin or an ass. We all have made mistakes and those people late for doctors appointments wouldn’t of been. You were probably there for mere seconds. Op. You are human, I’m saving my flaming for someone who truly deserves. It’s not you.

We all make mistakes, but as pps have said, best not to drive when under extreme stress.

While you did do something annoying to other drivers I think it's rude and counter-productive for them to hoot their horns. What does this achieve, except to make the mistake-maker even more stressed. I judge people who honk pointlessly - unless it's to alert someone to danger.

It's a bit 'Third World', I think, to go around honking crazily.

@CulturePigeon Judgemental much?…the third world comment…I can’t even 😂hoooot to you madam

some people turn into cunts when they drive in the same way that some people turn into cunts when they use the internet.

strip them of the protective veneer of a car to sit in, or anonymity to hide behind, and they suddenly rediscover their fucking manners.

if someone is clearly aware of the issue but either can’t currently do anything to correct it, or are actively trying to resolve it, then leaning on your horn makes you the cunt.

HTH.

God we've all made mistakes. Well most of us. Not a nice experience.

Take heed from it OP and be thankful it was nothing more serious.

I wouldn't honk at someone stuck in a box junction though 🤷‍♀️ Why? what's the point? It's not going to change anything.

Sometimes you get beeped at when you’ve made an honest mistake.

Sometimes you get beeped at when you’ve not made an honest mistake and you’re just driving like a dick.

Sometimes you get beeped at when you haven’t made a mistake at all and the other person is just an arsehole.

Put it behind you, no point dwelling on it.

I feel your pain.

There’s a roundabout near me that recently had lights added, because it was difficult to get onto the roundabout (and the stupid design meant you had to guess whether ongoing traffic was coming off or going round).

But there’s only a small gap between the box and the next lot of lights, and for some reason to do with the lights on the other lanes, the duration of the lights after the box varies - there’s a point in the process where it’s green for a long time, and then a point when it’s green for a short time. If you get the wrong one and you don’t know about this, you can easily get caught in the box and get honked at. I’m wary now, since I know about it, but people get caught all the time.

Beeping your horn is rude but calling someone a cunt because they have a different opinion to you is fine?

If you were fully passed the stop line when the light went red, you wouldn’t be charged with running a red. The offence is any part of your vehicle crossing the white stop line when the light is red, not passing the light itself.

Obviously you could potentially commit another offence such as dangerous driving if eg pedestrians are crossing or moving forwards is dangerous for another reason- depends where you were, road layout etc. But driving past the actual light is not an offence in itself.

If you can't drive safely at the moment it's probably best not to drive. Don't beat yourself up about it though, just do something about it and gey a taxi or something.

This.

As if the "hooters" have never driven like a div at all, ever.

If I ever do something daft when driving, I just look at the people I'm impeding and mouth "I'm really sorry" and hope they understand. If they wanna honk at me, they can be my guest.

A similar thing happened to me today but on a roundabout that gets busy and has a 'keep clear section'. It was clear for me to go and as I was driving, someone cut in so I ended up blocking it. Loads of beeping from annoyed car who then managed to squeeze through the space there was, stop their car next to mine, roll down their window and call me a stupid bitch.

Ooh hello Mardybumm! I feel like we're wearing the same dress!

The reverse of this is I've had drivers beeping at me to move into the box junction! No way mate I'm not getting a £60 fine!

Had someone try to force me into a bus lane so that he could overtake an obstacle on his side of the carriageway.

Loads of people crossing the lights in the wrong lane then forcing their way into mine.

It happens op. I followed an enormous campervan through a green light that then suddenly turned left (without indicating) and found myself stuck in a box junction. The thing was so bloody massive I couldn't see round it to check if the exit was clear. I then panicked and shuffled backwards and forwards for what seemed like forever trying to get out of the way.

There's a difference between 'your exit is clear' and 'the path to your exit is clear'.

See here www.passmefast.co.uk/resources/driving-advice/yellow-box-junction-rules and various other places for a good explanation.

OwwwMuuuum · Yesterday 16:44
@CulturePigeon Judgemental much?…the third world comment…I can’t even 😂hoooot to you madam

Just factual. I've spent time in many countries where drivers use their horns all the time - it's the constant background noise to everyday life!

Merely a fact - a different approach to driving than in developed countries, I would say.

You are unreasonable for using hoot instead of toot :)

I wouldn't toot as, if you're anywhere near London, you'd be likely to get a big fine, and I'd be gutted for you.