General Chat

Persie How sad for the driver but also for the Mother too, it must have been so hard for her to accept her daughter was responsible for her own death. I have seen more people than I can count using their mobile phones whilst driving, maneuvering round corners, sitting in heavy motorway traffic. They clearly are not be in control of their vehicle.

On the morning I shouted at the women, I had been watching a report on Breakfast TV where a woman was talking about her Mothers death caused by a woman driving whilst using her mobile phone, it was absolutely heartbreaking and as stayed in my mind.

It has been illegal to use a hand held mobile phone while driving since December 2003, and at first I understand that most people seemed to comply with the law, but sadly it is not the case now, and I see this happening on a daily basis, and the drivers will openly verbally abuse you if you dare to comment, and the law seems to take a blind eye, as as been said they go for the "easier" targets. Perhaps more diligence by the police and heavier fines one

I actually once saw a woman putting on her make up whilst sitting in slow moving traffic using her rear-view mirror..............

Have never heard of 'undertaking'' before.Can someone explain this (in simple words.Lol) to me please?
You see drivers using a mobile/smoking all the time over here..it makes my blood boil...

The police regularly target one or other of the areas of Gloucestershire and have caught quite a few on the phone and not wearing seat belts.

I think smolking at the wheel is dangerous too, smoke can literally get in your eyes, hot ash can fall and make you jump. And, as for people who light up when driving, both hands off the wheel. How are they in control?

Another hazard is uncontrollable dogs roaming around in the car.

Oh and, as I tell my OH, fiddling with your radio, CD player and sat Nav is distracting too.

Paula...We have only had the ban for about a year now.. up until then there were so many accidents where people had been texting whilst driving..

I have even seen people with a bowl of cornflakes or whatever in their lap having their breakfast.

There was a woman killed by a bus..she stepped out in front of it talking on her cellphone. I watched the coroner's court. Her mother wanted the bus driver to be made culpable but he did not have a chance to stop. Her mother also said her daughter would not have been on the phone but phones have this funny way of corroborating time etc and yes she was on the phone.

I felt quite sorry for the Samoan bus driver.. his English was not the best and he was deeply upset by it all.

Persie

I think most of us who drive John are aware that you can undertake when in traffic jams and our lane is moving faster than others. It is in fact, sometimes dangerous to change lanes in these circumstances, or are you one of those clever people who hope to buck the system by lane hopping in traffic jams, always hoping that the grass is greener or rather that the other lane is moving faster, when actually if you stay in your lane usually you will all get through at more or less the same time.

Don't be amazed Paula, there are never any police about to catch them,
in our area they are to busy parked up trying to catch learner moped
riders doing 31 mph in a 30 mile limit.


F.

Persephone, Texting or using a cellphone to chat is not permitted whilst driving in the UK, and if caught there will be a fine but I am amazed that so many motorists are still using them.

wound up with indignation am I? I don't think so - I have been driving since 1969 and never even had a parking ticket - I abide by the rules of the road - and I am very aware of the times when someone can undertake safely and without contravening any rules or regulations

In NZ you can pass on any lane of the motorway. Usually the outside lane is the fastest but sometimes during peak hours it stands still and the middle one will move quicker, then the left as that is the exit side but then it also has the on ramps.

Our on ramps during peak time let in two cars at a time and then they blend in like a zip. All on ramps have green/red lights.

Texting or using a cellphone to chat on is not permitted whilst driving and there will be a fine.

The harbour bridge has a flexible middle barrier which gets moved during the day.... in the morning there are five lanes into the city and three out and in the evening there are five lanes out and three in. It's a great contraption. Ours isn't on youtube but this one is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2SHgWRVD5g

Persie

Sussex police have operation crackdown a dedicated number 01243 64 22 22 (and a website) to report anti social driving phone use etc. I expect other regions have similar schemes.
You just need to remember when driving to use a hands free phone to ring them!

Mayfield. ;-)

All I know, AnninGlos, is I get hooted at occasionally (by an elderly person usually) because my lane on the inside goes faster and he or she is unhappy about that but they will not move across safely as Highway Code dictates.

They think they are in the right, whereas they are the ones not following Highway Code. Very few people (me included, I admit) really study the Highway Code.

And if AnnC had studied that relevant portion of Highway Code that I copied instead of simply copying it back to me and being all wound up with indignation, she might have seen why there are very many times we can undertake safely and legally.

thank you Ann :-)

Splitting hairs John. You know what Ann meant.

Sticking to the middle or outer lane(2 lanes) is fine if there are 3 lanes, or heavy traffic on the inside one. How ever, if the nearside lane is clear, then the slower driver should move over!

I shouted at a young women who was texting as she was driving along side of me. The gesture and language she shouted back at me left me with my mouth agape. I think texting whilst driving should also be included in the increase in fines.

So what bit of that c and p'd piece do you not follow, AnnC? Are you going to the A470 now to watch people undertaking and report them for careless or dangerous driving.

You will have a busy day. You might even catch me in a few minutes :-) :-) I tend to drive in inside lane and frequently find my lane is overtaking those to my right. Often the quickest and safest lane when road is congested. Just have to be aware some silly so and sos can change lane without signal or warning (which is very careless).

One reason people do stay in the middle lane is people driving very slowly in the LH lane, on a busy motorway it’s difficult and dangerous to keep moving into the centre lane to overtake.
The worst motorway is the M25 where instead of being used by people travelling long distances at a fairly constant speed it’s used as a local bypass by residents who join it for a few miles to get to school, local supermarket etc.
Quite understandable and the only practical thing to do but it means the LH lane has an almost constant stream of vehicles slowing to leave and trying to join, constantly balking those who try to stay in the “slow” lane.
After a while of finding at each junction you are moving to the middle lane to avoid joining traffic, you just give up and stay there! Not a problem in my view as long as conditions permitting you are at, or near the legal limit.

Mayfield.

Whilts undertaking is permitted, anyone undertaking just to 'overtake' a car which is travelling at the speed limit, if spotted by the police will be stopped and either cautioned or given a ticket.

Happens all the time in London. I drive (at 4.30 am) at around 35-40 mph and am always being either tailgated by another driver, when the large vehicle in front stops me from going any faster. Or I am undertaken by the same eejit.

At this time of the morning you tend to see the same cars daily, and I am always amused by those going either to or from work with their SatNavs on, fogotten where you work or live overnight!!!!!

:-D :-D @ PP

One thing not many realise is that the Highway Code was designed as a code, not as legislation. It was originally designed as a set of manners for people to move forward steadily and enjoy their driving experience.

Whether you had your whip in your left hand or right hand only became an issue following an accident. If one driver had not followed the code and the other had, that may be used in evidence.

Not any sort of legal expert but that is my understanding of the purpose of our Highway Code

United Kingdom - The Highway Code discourages undertaking on motorways with some exceptions (rule 268): "Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake". Undertaking is permitted in congested conditions when frequent lane changing is not recommended.[4] On other roads, the Code advises drivers "should only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right" (rule 163).[5] Rule 163 uses advisory wording and "will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted", but may be used in evidence to establishing liability in any court proceedings.[6] On all roads, undertaking is permitted if the vehicles in the lane to the right are queueing and slow moving. Undertaking in an aggressive or reckless manner could be considered Careless Driving or more seriously Dangerous Driving, both of which are legally enforceable offences.