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Original poster

To think that drivers have become incredibly impatient post Covid?

98 replies

Sausagenbacon · 30/11/2022 18:30

3 times today I've had the car behind me sounding their horn. Obviously the driver doesn't think I should have been sticking to the 20 mile and hour speed limit. The 3rd time was when I waited for someone to come onto a roundabout before me - they had priority. But no, the person behind had to sound their horn, so that they could join the traffic queue immediately afterwards.
I hardly ever heard people sounding their horns before covid, now people do it all the time.
What's wrong with them (or you, if you're one of them)?

OP posts:
apapuchi · 30/11/2022 21:45

I've definitely noticed this! Horns if you don't zoom off at the speed of light when the traffic light changes is one I encounter loads lately and I'm not slow getting going 🙄

Vallmo47 · 30/11/2022 21:49

It’s not just in traffic OP. I used to love talking to strangers but I’m very hesitant nowadays because people just seem so angry in general. Yes I know we have very good reasons but it’s not my fault personally what is going on in the world and I’m actually trying to lighten the mood temporarily and for me being kind/friendly hurts no one.

Polecat07 · 30/11/2022 22:02

Yeah thanks, OP is obviously feeling a little defensive - I don't go about honking at everyone or targeting presumably nervous drivers - they might have just been completely oblivious or incompetent- I sounded my horn because slamming on their brakes in a 60 for a gentle bend (while tootling along at 30) is highly dangerous and someone will go into the back of them one day soon.

JetBlackSteed · 30/11/2022 22:03

I have noticed two things recently on the roads.

  1. Some drivers don't seem to know or understand their vehicle needs to be far enough forward to the line at traffic lights to trigger the lights to change.
  2. It seems like some drivers are astonished that the red light turns green. It's only at that point that they put the car in gear and start to move. What happened to amber means get ready?
Backthetruckup · 30/11/2022 22:03

Yes, so so aggressive these days. I'd like a car designed by Q with a button that shoots stuff out the back and a massive sign saying 'back the fuck off!'. I'm dyslexic so have difficulty focusing, poor spacial perception and sense of direction, need more time to process road signs and multitasking etc. I don't drive at night, mainly due to these issues. These people should leave a few minutes earlier if they're in such a hurry. As a wise man once said, better to be 10 minutes late in this life than 50 years too early in the next.

Proudofitbabe · 30/11/2022 22:07

JetBlackSteed · 30/11/2022 22:03

I have noticed two things recently on the roads.

  1. Some drivers don't seem to know or understand their vehicle needs to be far enough forward to the line at traffic lights to trigger the lights to change.
  2. It seems like some drivers are astonished that the red light turns green. It's only at that point that they put the car in gear and start to move. What happened to amber means get ready?

Oh noooo you're going to be jumped on now as amber officially means "continue to wait". You sound like my kind of driver though, much rather be behind you at the lights!

Merryoldgoat · 30/11/2022 22:13

I’m sick of shit drivers making roads dangerous. I encounter the following daily:

Lack of using indicators
Stopping suddenly for no apparent reason
Driving at 30 in the middle lane on the A3
Using the wrong lane on a big clearly marked roundabout
Turning left so slowly it’s like they’re in their first lesson

I drive at the correct speed, indicate, check my route and pull over if I need to check my location. I use proper lane discipline and don’t take risks.

Every day I drive to work and see the same dangerous shit.

Theunamedcat · 30/11/2022 22:14

Yeah if someone is driving 30 on a 60 I assume they have no clue what speed limit it is on the road you can always overtake whats the point in sounding your horn?

There are some places I drive around that don't have visible speed signs its ambiguous and they have speed cameras on them im not risking my license fuck off go risk yours

The one where your doing the speed limit and people start beeping pisses me right off if its thirty its thirty im doing thirty that's it

The worst one I saw on my way back from Wales sudden downpour literally like someone emptied an ocean on my car the wipers couldn't cope so obviously I slowed down dude sped past me loads of rude gestures and beeps ten minutes down the road they are in the ditch he was ranting on the phone we carefully drove past so we didn't splash them

I would rather get home late in one piece than not at all

Ch3wylemon · 30/11/2022 22:15

I have to admit I loved driving (keyworker doing domiciliary visits) during lockdown. No dawdlers, no idiots up my arse and no traffic jams.

Has got worse all year and driving home last night when too many aggressive men were trying to get home for the football was crap.

SoupDragon · 30/11/2022 22:18

I can't say that I've noticed any difference to driving since covid at all.

Proudofitbabe · 30/11/2022 22:25

*Yeah if someone is driving 30 on a 60 I assume they have no clue what speed limit it is on the road you can always overtake whats the point in sounding your horn?

There are some places I drive around that don't have visible speed signs its ambiguous and they have speed cameras on them im not risking my license fuck off go risk yours*

A NSL road has signs, so if the driver had no clue of the limit then it just confirms they're an oblivious arse who shouldn't be driving. PP horned as they kept slamming the brakes on hard, it's unnecessary and dangerous. Why are so many posters more outraged at one use of the horn instead of the SHITE driving?

FrangipaniBlue · 30/11/2022 22:34

I've noticed that the standard of people's driving definitely seems to have gotten worse over the last 2 years and everyone seems to be in a hurry!

I visit my local sports centre 2 or 3 times a week and WITHOUT FAIL at least once someone will try to drive around me while I'm reversing into a parking bay. JUST WAIT!!! It takes me 60 bloody seconds.

Someone drove into my car on a supermarket car park at the weekend. It wasn't even due to tight spacing, I genuine don't know how she misjudged it so badly.

UsingChangeofName · 30/11/2022 22:36

I really don't think this is something you can blame on Covid.

I've not noticed any difference.

I too am a little surprised that you have had people beep their horn at you 3x in one day - it does suggest you've either been incredibly unlucky or there might be another side to this story.

Sparklingbrook · 30/11/2022 22:37

Presumably the person getting honked at is not psychic and doesn't know why, So it's all quite pointless, but it makes the driver honking feel proud they are providing a public service or something.

RedRosesPinkLilies · 30/11/2022 22:42

Driving in our city was bad and impatient- but recently it has got even worse. There’s a lot of driving through red lights - miracle that there’s not more accidents

I don’t blame Covid, I think some people these days are very self centred.

I also think separating the theory driving test from the practical is a mistake - people think the theory of the Highway Code doesn’t matter any more.
Ive probably forgotten lots of my Highway Code - but I know fine not to go through a red light.

Some people may be driving slowly to give themselves time to react to the unpredictable idiotic driving we see these days.

ILoveeCakes · 30/11/2022 22:50

"3 times today I've had the car behind me sounding their horn."

When several people tell you you are in the wrong, who do you expect us to side with, especially as we only have your account?

If you keep getting beeped at, maybe ask someone to give you an honest assessment of things.

Numbat2022 · 30/11/2022 23:05

Ch3wylemon · 30/11/2022 22:15

I have to admit I loved driving (keyworker doing domiciliary visits) during lockdown. No dawdlers, no idiots up my arse and no traffic jams.

Has got worse all year and driving home last night when too many aggressive men were trying to get home for the football was crap.

Ooooh god, that must be what it was! The bloody football! I got beeped by a white van when I was doing 60 on a 60 just before kick-off yesterday. I was worried my lights were out or something, but all seemed fine when I got home. Lots of traffic on the other side of the road so nowhere for them to overtake. Idiots.

heretohelp22 · 30/11/2022 23:21

I try not to get frustrated at other drivers as it can ruin my mood but it's hard. For me it's the cheeky people that fly past traffic in the empty lane and try cut in last minute! Why do they think they're better that us peasants that are queuing?

ValK · 30/11/2022 23:37

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

PrtScn · 01/12/2022 00:26

I think covid is partly to blame. Before covid the traffic was tolerable here, especially in the winter (tourist destination). Since covid the traffic has increased dramatically - a combination of more people visiting and more people moving here due to the increase in people's ability to work from home.
Also people seem to be a lot more angry these days. Not necessarily because of covid, but due to a variety of factors - Brexit, austerity, recession, housing crisis (I was priced out of the village I grew up in, and don't think I could afford to buy a house where I live now either) etc. This makes for a lot of angry aggressive driving IMHO.

dieselKiller · 01/12/2022 04:27

I’d check my car’s rear brake lights were working if I got honked 3 times in 1 day.

rippleraspberry · 01/12/2022 04:42

I don't really remember ever having a peaceful experience on the road with patient drivers tbh.

However YANBU to be frustrated by it. Just keep your cool, ignore them and do your thing.

rippleraspberry · 01/12/2022 04:44

heretohelp22 · 30/11/2022 23:21

I try not to get frustrated at other drivers as it can ruin my mood but it's hard. For me it's the cheeky people that fly past traffic in the empty lane and try cut in last minute! Why do they think they're better that us peasants that are queuing?

Zip merging is the right thing to do, you shouldn't be queueing if there is an empty lane you can use. See RAC link:

www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/driving-advice/zip-merging/

Purplelion · 01/12/2022 06:18

heretohelp22 · 30/11/2022 23:21

I try not to get frustrated at other drivers as it can ruin my mood but it's hard. For me it's the cheeky people that fly past traffic in the empty lane and try cut in last minute! Why do they think they're better that us peasants that are queuing?

They don’t think they’re better than you, they’re using the road correctly and preventing more traffic building up.

camelfinger · 01/12/2022 06:25

I don’t think it’s worsened since covid, but have always thought that people are much nicer in real life than they are when they’re driving. Driving seems to be very single minded, hence the not bothering to indicate, getting obsessed with trying to get slightly ahead even when the roads are packed. And people can just fuck off with the beeping, it definitely used to be very rare to hear a car horn.