To be shocked at how aggressively people drive?

[CheerfulBunny]

Just moved into a small village and our front door opens onto the street which has a narrow path both sides. There are parked cars on our side of the street meaning that vehicles have to wait if another vehicle is coming the other way. Our house is listed so single glazed so can hear road noise much more now.
I'm absolutely flabbergasted at how aggressive the driving I've observed is - mounting the pavement, accelerating madly, revving engines, blaring horns. It's completely inappropriate to drive so fast from and to the end of the road where you could meet another vehicle head on. I honestly fear for pedestrians as well. I'd really be worried if I had a cat or dog (if it accidentally got out).
AIBU to be concerned? Why is everyone so impatient and angry behind the wheel now?

I am so sorry 😢

She's gorgeous. I'm so sorry. It's a tragedy.

I passed my test two years ago but rarely drive. People are so aggressive and even more so when you're a young woman driving alone.

It's even worse at night. I've had taxi drivers (with passengers!!) honking at me because I was doing 40 in a 40 and then dangerously overtaking me and pulling past me to speed off into the distance. I've had boy racers try to race me (I end up just pulling over and letting them go). It's horrible.

Oh god the lights! So many times when driving at night now I have to slow to a crawl when someone is coming the other way because I'm completely blinded by their fucking lights!!

@CheerfulBunny What you can do in a listed building is add secondary glazing - when we were in your position we had sash windows. Had a builder make frames with big sheets of plastic that went over each sash. Helped keep the place warmer too.

I live in a turning at the top of a hill in a village. It's a sharp turn and I have to slow right down in case someone's coming out. People get so angry that they have to slow for about two seconds max. It's supposed to be 20mph too. I've also been tailgated and horn blared because I wouldn't overtake two cyclists on a narrow winding road. It really shook me up. Memorised the number plate and later phoned the police non-emergency number. They asked if there was a witness - yes, he had a child passenger. They said Nope, your word against his. No action taken.

@BalletCat They're a menace. They are just at the right height to go straight in your eyes and the automatic sensors don't quite work in time so you get the full beams. And there are so many beams! Why so many lights? Driving around like some kind of shit bulky Xmas wonderland.

I’m surprised to read this . I’ve just been on holiday there in June / July and hired a car . South east coast areas and London . I thought the Brit’s were very pleasant and thoughtful drivers compared to Melbourne. Didn’t come across road rage or tailgating once , must have been lucky . Now Melbourne, 🤬

So true. I never had any problems when I drove a big old SUV (perfect vehicle for where we live). But I replaced it with a smaller car when I needed to do more town driving. The level of aggression from some other drivers towards my little car is insane. And agree, it's nearly all men. DH gets the same treatment when driving it so it seems to be the vehicle rather than the driver that these inadequates have a problem with. But then I've also had men try to get me to race them from traffic lights when I'm on a motorbike. Some of them don't seem to be able to tell the difference between GTA and real life.

OP, I'm really sorry about your horse; I can't imagine how you must feel.

The small car v big car comparison is a fair one. We have a VW Up and a Volvo V90. The Up, great little car that it is, might as well say "TWATS! COME AT ME!" on the rear window 😖

I’ve noticed this too, was discussing with my other half whether it was an age thing and as I’ve got older I’ve just become more aware of it but it feels like driving standards have slipped.

I had to do alot of motorway driving at the weekend and the number of people who tailgated me so closely that had I braked quickly they would have smashed into me was insane. I’m not a slow driver and was doing the limits and moving over to the inside lane whenever I had overtaken as well so not holding anyone up. I also saw one car aggressively tailgating another car in the outside lane and swerving left to right to try and intimidate the driver to pull over. Sorry to say but I also noticed the majority of it was men.

I've seen people do u turns at traffic lights because they've got in the wrong lane, cutting people up on roundabouts and instead of going round again they just cut across not indicating either

Exactly what is this new trend of just DOING a maneuver no matter how inappropriate?
People cutting across 3/4 lanes of traffic because they've realised their junction is right there. I cannot tell you how many times over 25 years I've thought "oh balls!!!!" as my junction goes flying past and it always seems to be miles until the next one when I can turn round. That's just life. You make a mistake you need to deal with it. Not risk causing a pile up to get to where YOU need to be immediately.
Same at roundabouts. People approaching a big roundabout in the right lane deciding they need to turn left so just cut across all the cars. No it's tough shit. You're meant to keep going round again and yes that might mean getting stuck at every set of lights on the way round.
Recently I witnessed someone at a huge 4 lane roundabout turn down a slip road onto the A1 decide about 4 car lengths down it he didn't want to go that way and tried to do a FUCKING U TURN the wrong way up a slip road. I mean what the fuck seriously. You absolutely just cannot do that. I don't know why people think it's acceptable?? I never used to see things like this 20 years ago and I was a regular driver back then as well.

Sorry, meant @BalletCat .
@CheerfulBunny YADNBU

I think it's Covid. People have got more selfish and because the roads were so much quieter then they think they can just do what they want

I live in a small town with many narrow, hilly streets of terraced houses which, due to parked cars are effectively single lane. I find the opposite to many posters. People practically fall over themselves to give way to other cars - you get occasions where there is a Mexican stand off with cars coming in both directions trying to give way to each other. Yes, there's the occasional idiot, but that's all it is. It's the same at some mini roundabouts where a car arrives in each lane at the same time and everyone gives way to each other until someone decides to assert themselves. A friend of mine who has to drive a lot around London was quite astounded. I did point out that with our roads, no-one would ever get anywhere if we weren't courteous. It's win-win.

My road joins a busy A road. There are times when I would never be able to pull out if someone didn't stop for me. And invariably someone does within a couple of minutes.

The winding country roads are a bit different, there is more impatient driving, as these are rat runs to avoid the main route. However, that's their problem. If I'm driving at the speed limit (or slower if weather conditions dictate) and I know I'm about to hit a blind bend or something - as far as I'm concerned they can sit on my bumper all they like! I've been driving these roads for decades and know what is safe.

I do agree that it is different depending on what car you drive. In my SUV I don't get as much daft driving around me than I do when I'm in my Mum's little car.

Nope, driving standards (and basically everything else in the UK) was getting worse long before covid. I'm sure covid plays a part, but it's certainly not the main factor at all.

And yet people moan about the 20 mph limit where I live even though it is saving lives/preventing injuries.

https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/press-media/living-streets-cymru-applauds-the-success-of-20mph-speed-limits-one-year-on/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%2020mph%20speed%20limit%20is,affected%20by%20a%20preventable%20death.

I drove all the time during covid, the roads were lovely.

Once everything started opening up the roads became hell almost like people forgot how to drive. Covid has made people more selfish and rude in general not just on the roads though.

@BalletCat
I'm so sorry for your loss, what a devastating experience.

People I find are so blasé about driving outside of the law. It's not a problem until someone is hurt basically. There needs to be more strict punishments, it's the most dangerous thing most people do on a daily basis and so many people believe they are above the law and that they know better than the speed limits etc.
My mum was telling a story about someone speeding in a residential area and killed a child and she said he should have had the common sense to not speed in a residential area... when I said that they shouldn't have been speeding regardless of where they were driving she said that it's fine to speed on the motorway... !?
I hear people talk like this all the time and I think it just breeds this culture where everyone thinks its okay to speed as they would never get into an accident and road laws are just guidelines.

Desperately need to get ALL police challenging poor and dangerous driving. For some reason, it now seems to be only traffic police who show any interest at all. Other police just ignore even dangerous driving like going through red traffic lights etc. I suspect they're no longer trained in traffic offences like they used to be - dumbing down etc.

I was driving from Glasgow to Manchester last week. One lorry was overtaking another one, a bit slower than a car but definitely fast enough to overtake. The car behind the overtaking lorry decided to straddle both lanes and coninually flash his lights as the lorry driver was obviously not going fast enough for his liking. The overtaking lorry got annoyed and slowed down which angered the driver futher. It was really scary to watch. This was the same day a major accident happened and 3 adults and 2 kids died on the M6.

I work on an Industrial estate, the road outside is used as a ractrack on the weekend, you can clearly see the tyre marks and litter from the "meets" a car veered off the road and through the fence of our neighbour. We have logged the meets with the police multiple times and nothing has been done.

So many drivers are so impatient - dangerous and aggressive to cyclists as well

People always get really impatient when i slow down coming up to a roundabout. Like they expect it them always to be clear and just fly out.
Had someone honking their horn at me when i did an emergency stop at one. (Some idiot was driving the wrong way round the roundabout)

But no idiot behind me decided i had stopped for no reason at all.

I drive a ridiculous car, usually driven by grannies and as 'training car' for newly qualified drivers. The behaviour I (and DP, when driving it) encounter in it is absolutely insane. People see it and immediately a sort of knee jerk reaction of 'must overtake at all cost' occurs. We have seen people nearly cause accidents to overtake us asap. None of that when driving the family car.

I wish that driving offences against smaller cars would carry extra weight to discourage dangerous overtakes, tailgating, etc.

@BalletCat I'm so sorry, your poor horse, she was a darling. I hope you can find some peace. I saw my dog get hit my a car (stupid accident, kids left door open, confluence of bad decision making by lots of different people) and fortunately he did survive but I kept seeing it for months after, I can't imagine how you must be feeling. Take care of yourself.

I totally agree with so many people on this thread. So many people drive like utter cunts. I drive a tiny 20 year old corsa and people are constantly up my arse, honking, swerving round me etc in their massive chelsea tractors. I'm a pretty calm driver and usually just slow down if anyone harasses me but it's very intimidating. I'm also a cyclist and the number of drivers who think the fact that they're running late means it's ok to show complete disregard for my life is pretty depressing.

I own horses and have no choice but to lead them along the road between their field & stables and to ride on the roads to get to bridleways & off road riding.

People have got a lot worse. Cars are wider & stronger & people feel completely protected inside them. Also everyone relies on Sat nav which direct more traffic through rural roads and smaller roads. (People using maps would naturally pick the obvious route along main roads). There are also a lot more cars on the road & alot more parked cars making the roads narrower.

I now always wear a front & rear facing helmet camera. This has been the only effective way to deter people from dangerous overtaking. Incidents of close & fast passing can be reported to the police via 'operation snap' & drivers can be given a warning letter or even points & fine.

If anyone isn't aware of passing or overtaking horses - the highway code states pass with at least 2m distance & at max 10mph. This also applies if you are passing the horse from in front.