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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that driving has gotten worse since the pandemic?

111 replies

CyanSnake · 14/11/2024 06:14

I have commuted to work ever since I got my first job, and for the past 10 years my commute has been 45/50mins. My commute takes me through both country roads and dual carriageway/motorway.

Before the pandemic I could count the number of times I was delayed due to an accident on one hand. Even seeing minor accidents, like driving past two cars on the side of the road who’d had a bit of a bump, was very rare.

Since the pandemic, I see about 2-3 accidents a month. That’s no exaggeration. Most of these are again, “minor” but I’ve only been at my current job 8 months and been late 4 times due a more major accidents!

I’m currently 4/4 for accidents.

On Sunday I was diverted due to a major accident. On Monday, I drove past another major incident (on the other carriage way), on Tuesday morning I drove past two cars on the hard shoulder who’d had a bump, and yesterday my 45min journey home from work became 3 hours due, according to the news, multiple accidents that shut sections of two motorways. And to be honest I’m not surprised, because some of the reckless driving and serving I noticed as traffic began to become snarled made me seriously think I was about to be in a multi car pileup.

i know the people in the accident are having a much worse day than me being delayed - I’m not challenging that at all. I’m just asking if aibu to think the number of accidents has increased noticeably, if anyone else had noticed anything like this, or has on theories on why.

OP posts:
LlynTegid · 14/11/2024 12:00

Dotjones · 14/11/2024 10:59

Yes there are more accidents now. Part of the reason it feels worse than during the pandemic is that during the lockdowns roads were MUCH quieter in general. Significantly less traffic and fewer non-essential roadworks. So even if things went back to how they were before the pandemic in terms of driver quality, ability and volume, you would see a lot more carnage now than during it.

I think it is getting worse in general though. The main reason is there are too many people in the country driving more vehicles than the roads are able to comfortably support. British road policy has always been backwards, we have always designed solutions a few decades after they were needed. (We had dirt roads when we needed paved ones, we paved single carriageway roads when they needed to be dual carriageways, three lane motorways were constructed when we needed four lane ones.)

We need to limit the number of people who can drive - maybe give every citizen an annual entitlement of 5000 miles, and face a lifetime ban if they exceed it. Perhaps ban under-30s from driving altogether, so people develop a habit of using public transport into adulthood.

Either that, or properly upgrade the road infrastructure. This will take a hell of a lot of money and will take a long time, and we need to avoid the problem I mentioned above about building yesterday's fix tomorrow. Road policy needs to be ahead of the game, not reactive.

Edited

Restrict larger vehicles and SUVs would be a start. Separate driving test and medical requirements would mean many would choose a smaller car.

OneTC · 14/11/2024 12:01

It's got significantly worse in the last couple of weeks from my perspective, or I'm just having a run of dickheads

OneTC · 14/11/2024 12:01

They should only sell fiat multipla. Then we'll find out who needs a car

Lellamir · 14/11/2024 12:06

LadySad · 14/11/2024 08:40

I didn't say I was being undertaken.
I observed that frustrated drivers undertake more often. A few years ago people would go around the middle lane roadhogs on the right and pull back in. Now they undertake.

That's not how motorways are designed to work.
I wasn't frustrated, yesterday. I was simply driving along in the correct lane, at the correct speed. Why would I pull out to the outside overtaking lane, when I wasn't overtaking anyone? There was no slower moving vehicle ahead of me, in my lane.
The driver sitting in the overtaking lane, not overtaking, was in the wrong lane.
(This should read driverS, as I observed it, multiple times).
At one point, a car in the middle lane was overtaken and undertaken, at the same time. The driver was in the overtaking lane, driving more slowly than the cars on either side. S/he was not actively engaged in overtaking anyone. There was plenty of space and opportunity to pull over to the left lane. The correct lane.

Lellamir · 14/11/2024 12:17

Restrict drivers to 5,000 miles per annum?
So, carers, couriers, grocery delivery drivers and lorry and taxi drivers would have to go part time and claim benefits, then stay home on their days off, while those working from home, can go wherever they want, on theirs?
Or would those 5,000 miles be leisure miles, only?

LadySad · 14/11/2024 12:40

Lellamir · 14/11/2024 12:06

That's not how motorways are designed to work.
I wasn't frustrated, yesterday. I was simply driving along in the correct lane, at the correct speed. Why would I pull out to the outside overtaking lane, when I wasn't overtaking anyone? There was no slower moving vehicle ahead of me, in my lane.
The driver sitting in the overtaking lane, not overtaking, was in the wrong lane.
(This should read driverS, as I observed it, multiple times).
At one point, a car in the middle lane was overtaken and undertaken, at the same time. The driver was in the overtaking lane, driving more slowly than the cars on either side. S/he was not actively engaged in overtaking anyone. There was plenty of space and opportunity to pull over to the left lane. The correct lane.

No, you are wrong AND right.

If you are travelling faster than cars in the lane to the right you should overtake them (unless it's in queuing traffic). You should not pass cars on the inside, even if that car is a twatty middle lane roadhog. It is very dangerous to pass on the left. This is a classic "two wrong don't make a right" scenario.

To think that driving has gotten worse since the pandemic?
Andtheworldwentwhite · 14/11/2024 12:54

I stopped at a traffic light the other day. It was for road works on a smallish road. It was red when I stopped. The man behind me went round me and carried on and caused a mess the other end when people started moving forward.
I counted how long he would have to have waited at the traffic light. A min and a half. That’s it. He couldn’t wait a min and a half. Baffling.

Lellamir · 14/11/2024 13:00

That says to 'undertake' slowly.
Why should I slam my brakes on, and drive at 40, in a 70 zone, which is obviously dangerous. How is overtaking in the inside dangerous?
The middle lane hogger is blocking the middle lane, causing drivers in the left hand lane to have to slam on their brakes, AND causing the outside overtaking lane to have extra cars pulling in and out of it.
I don't get how drivers have got to the point where they're driving on motorways, without understanding how they work!

LadySad · 14/11/2024 13:06

Lellamir · 14/11/2024 13:00

That says to 'undertake' slowly.
Why should I slam my brakes on, and drive at 40, in a 70 zone, which is obviously dangerous. How is overtaking in the inside dangerous?
The middle lane hogger is blocking the middle lane, causing drivers in the left hand lane to have to slam on their brakes, AND causing the outside overtaking lane to have extra cars pulling in and out of it.
I don't get how drivers have got to the point where they're driving on motorways, without understanding how they work!

You are the epitome of irony.

LadySad · 14/11/2024 13:12

The highway code btw.
I mean feel free to think you are perfectly reasonable but be prepared for a reckless driving charge.

To think that driving has gotten worse since the pandemic?
GreenTeaLikesMe · 14/11/2024 13:15

As others have mentioned, there has been a population increase (probably more than the official figures suggest) and there may be a lot of unlicensed drivers on the roads - Birmingham is apparently particularly bad for this.

I am not the first person to suggest this, but the UK should think about systems where drivers’ licenses have to be beeped every time you try to put petrol in a car or charge with electric power. Same with car parks and other car-related infrastructure. It would not absolutely stop all unlicensed drivers (unlicensed drivers who were really determined to drive anyway could get partners or friends to fill up their car and drive cautiously around certain areas where they don’t need to pay for parking or go through tolls) but it would make it a lot more difficult and off putting, and people would get caught a lot sooner. Maybe link the license chip identity to chips in blue badges too, given the fact that these are getting “borrowed” by non-disabled.

Jayne35 · 14/11/2024 13:15

I think it's just got worse increasingly each year. When I passed my test in the early 90s I could get across the town I live in within 10 mins, same trip now takes 30 mins (even in the middle of the night due to additional junctions and lights). Also there are so many more drivers on the roads.

Most days I experience an impatient driver either on way to or from work. I live in a one way street and that is often ignored, I was almost hit by one such driver while pulling out of my drive and he was screaming and swearing at me for nearly hitting him, I just pointed at the no entry sign and ignored him.

Also had cars go round me when stopping at a red light more than once, as traffic lights apparently don't mean stop, it must be optional now, along with no right turn signs, which are also ignored daily on my route!

Anguauberwaldironfoundersson · 14/11/2024 13:33

I drive on the motorway every day and sometimes I wonder if it is me because I feel like the common denominator.

I've had drivers fly down slip roads who have had to slam on their brakes because they've misjudged the speed of the road and are trying to merge where my car physically is - nowhere for me to go as it's rush hour but also no reason for them to latch on to the arse of the car in front that's merging correctly.

I have had drivers aggressively speed up into gaps in the inside lane when I am trying to merge from a slip road. Once I was merging from a slip road and a car in the middle lane also decided they wanted to be in the inside lane at the same point. On the weekend I was overtaking in the outside lane at about 70mph and a little ford fiesta trundled out at a much slower speed for zero reason so I had to brake harshly. Same stretch of road and I was pulling back into the middle lane when someone who was undertaking nearly went into me as they also moved into the middle lane.

People driving up my arse at 70mph, in the dark and poor weather. I try and leave a reasonable gap to the car in front cos "stopping distances" but then they just get irate and try and drive even closer because I've left a gap.

Yesterday morning a huge wagon went through a red light and would have nearly taken me out had I been slightly more quicker off the mark.

Maybe it is me...

Lellamir · 14/11/2024 13:50

LadySad · 14/11/2024 13:06

You are the epitome of irony.

I'm the 'epitome of irony,' because I know how motorways are designed to work? Or, because I understand and acknowledge the dangerous, knock on effects, of drivers who don't?
How is that, in any way, ironic?

Lellamir · 14/11/2024 13:55

My point is that, if you are being overtaken on your left, then you are in the wrong lane. You are causing problems for other drivers, in all 3 lanes.
And that slamming on my brakes, when there's an HGV behind, which can't stop or decelerate quickly, is more dangerous than slowly passing the driver, who is in the wrong lane, in the manner outlined in the link you posted.

Lellamir · 14/11/2024 13:58

There's a difference between moving into a lane to the left, for the purpose of 'undertaking, and simply driving along in the inside lane, at the correct speed, with nothing in front of you.

Anguauberwaldironfoundersson · 14/11/2024 14:10

Andtheworldwentwhite · 14/11/2024 12:54

I stopped at a traffic light the other day. It was for road works on a smallish road. It was red when I stopped. The man behind me went round me and carried on and caused a mess the other end when people started moving forward.
I counted how long he would have to have waited at the traffic light. A min and a half. That’s it. He couldn’t wait a min and a half. Baffling.

Oh god. Yes, this. I was in a single lane carriageway that split into 2 at the traffic lights. The traffic lights started to turn to red as I approached, I had plenty of time to stop. I was going 30mph on a 30mph road. The tool in the van behind me decided that the lights didn't count for him, swerved around me and nearly hit the traffic coming across the junction. He'd have had to wait for less than a minute. I don't get it.

LadySad · 14/11/2024 15:42

Lellamir · 14/11/2024 13:55

My point is that, if you are being overtaken on your left, then you are in the wrong lane. You are causing problems for other drivers, in all 3 lanes.
And that slamming on my brakes, when there's an HGV behind, which can't stop or decelerate quickly, is more dangerous than slowly passing the driver, who is in the wrong lane, in the manner outlined in the link you posted.

Because you don't seem to acknowledge that on UK motorways you should NOT pass traffic on the left because that is not allowed except in queuing traffic, and yet you keep on about other lanes being overtaking lanes, and people not knowing how to drive on motorways. You are right about the latter, but because other people drive badly does not stop it being highly dangerous and frowned upon and not allowed in the highway code to pass on the left, EVEN IF there is an idiot in the lane to your right who shouldn't be there. You can be charged with reckless driving if you get caught.

Your earlier posts didn't acknowledge the "if you absolutely have to, slow down a lot to pass on the left" from Parker's guide. You said you weren't frustrated but were driving happily along in an open left lane and passing a number of others who were wrongly driving more slowly than you to your right. This in itself is poor driving. Just because everyone else is driving badly in the middle lane when they shouldn't be there doesn't make it right to go hurtling past in the left hand lane. It is dangerous driving.

LadySad · 14/11/2024 15:56

Here is what the police has to say about it.
It isn't me being difficult; it's genuinely not allowed in the UK.

To think that driving has gotten worse since the pandemic?
Auburngal · 14/11/2024 16:53

Drove behind a car swerving about. I stayed behind until I needed to turn right at traffic lights so needed to go in right lane. The driver in the swerving car pulled up going straight ahead. He had a large nitrous oxide canister between legs and inhaling contents of balloon- he was doing hippy crack.

Sleepandchocolate2202 · 14/11/2024 22:14

I personally think that automatic cars are contributing to the rapid decline in driving quality and increase in accidents. Driving autos is so easy I don’t think people are fully paying attention to the car, speed and what’s around them in the same was you do when engaging in a manual car

UmbrellaEllaEllaElla · 14/11/2024 22:16

I think a part of the puzzle is that some people learn overseas where the driving standards are lower (China and India for example). I dont mean that offensively, just a fact.

Then you have people looking at phones, vaping, being competitive on the road.

Youre in a vehicle that could kill a person. I dont understand why some people take it so lightly.

SerafinasGoose · 14/11/2024 23:38

LostittoBostik · 14/11/2024 08:12

YABU for using the word "gotten" unless you're American

💤

HospitalitySux · 15/11/2024 00:14

We've had a lot of temporary traffic lights in our area in the last couple of years, compared with previous years anyway, regeneration of a small town combined with failures from water, gas & electric all needing roads dug up.
I went through 4 sets on my 8 mile trip to work today, and 4 sets back, and that's without the static ones. Fairly rural area without a lot of, if any, alternative routes.

They were failing regularly, and are stuck on red both ends. A couple of them are easy to judge because you can see the oncoming queue and at night usually the reflection of the red light the other end and after about 5 minutes of both ends waiting, someone eventually goes one end and then the other end goes when that queue has gone. The others are not so easy as you can't see the other end, and it causes problems.

We've had police at them directing traffic more than once, and I think they must have had words because it seems to have stopped happening now, even though we've got even more 😳 but there's then someone who waits 30 seconds, or not at all, beeps at the front car and then just goes, only to meet the oncoming traffic that's quite rightly come through a green light their end., because they've assumed they're broken and not waited to make sure. I can see how people would use it (or try to) as an excuse for jumping a red light, because they really were quite bad for a time around here.

Legally you shouldn't go through a red light at all, but how long are you meant to sit there for? (Genuine question!) I'd have sat there all night for one set because there wasn't an alternative route and despite me reporting it, they were still knackered the next morning, with no police presence (or any presence) to control traffic. Though it was one you could see the other side of.

Of course you wait and make sure that they're definitely not working properly and then proceed with extreme caution, but I do wonder who'd be at fault in that situation if an accident occurred because if the lights are broken, you've both gone through a red light haven't you?

I do agree in general though, an Audi up my arse in a 40 today, I was doing 40, came to a roundabout, was clear, me and car in outside lane pull off together into our respective lanes, Audi decides he's in the wrong lane being behind me, the inside lane, and there's no room for him to pull into the outside lane, so he just speeds up the middle, last I saw he cut someone up as the road narrowed after the roundabout exit.

I mean he had no intention of waiting behind the cars moving to the outside lane to pull onto the roundabout and I was the only car moving to the inside lane, so he pulled out behind me and then pushed his way between me and the cars in the other lane. Luckily the road is wide and so after squeezing between me and the car next to me and forcing us both over right to the kerb, he effectively stayed on the white line, overtook and then cut someone up on the exit.

I see impatient or dangerous driving every day, and I live rurally so not as much traffic as cities, not so long ago was someone going the wrong way around a roundabout - I mean how?!

But I think generally people have got more self focused, less bothered about their impact on other people and behaviour has become aggressive when something doesn't go their way, there's very little in the way of 'correction' or consequences for any of it.

sharpclawedkitten · 15/11/2024 11:19

Auburngal · 14/11/2024 10:49

Then get food couriers on mopeds, 95% of them with an L plate. Think needs to be a law to make people only do business work on mopeds and motorbikes ONCE they have passed their test.

These moped couriers have zero road sense, driving down one way streets down the wrong way, ignoring no left/right turn signs, crossing on pedestrian crossings.

Yes I was thinking about that this morning in the context of the Lime bikes in London. Maybe people should only be able to hire them if they've done their bikeability.

I do think the likes of Deliveroo and Uber should ensure that their cycling couriers have done bikeability before they are allowed to do any work for them.

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