In the days when you had Grandfather rights to drive 7.5t, I used to say that everyone should pass their test in a 7.5t truck, then they wouldn't have any bother handling anything smaller. Nowadays, I'd have to downgrade it the largest vehicle you can drive on a car licence (is it 3.5t?) but the principle remains. Some people pass their test in a supermini, then go out and buy a Chelsea Tractor and have no idea how to drive or park it.
I don't drive any more due to an eyesight issue, but I used to do massive mileages commercially and privately.
I cringe at some of the stuff I see on the road in the last 13 years. From so-called professional drivers too!
The biggest changes to driving behaviour I have seen since I passed my test are:
Joining M'ways and DCs: It seems to be the give way rule has been reversed: now it seems that drivers on the slip expect drivers on the road to let them in. I was always taught that I had to adjust my speed to fit into traffic on the road, but that if I couldn't join safely, I would have to expect to come to a halt on the slip and wait for an opportunity to do so. Rules may have changed since then.
MSM: IF the indicator is used at all, it is used as if it would magically allow immediate passage wherever the driver wants to go.
Have you ever watched some drivers cross the lane markings and THEN indicate! That's worse than useless. What's their thought process? "I know, I'll indicate to show my intention to change lanes AFTER I have done the deed!"
Trying to keep the 2 second rule: You are keeping up with traffic, and trying to keep a decent gap between you and the car in front, but the car behind is impatient and overtakes you on the inside and pulls in front, meaning you have to drop back to regain the distance.
TBF, one of the worst pieces of driving I saw was not recently. I was on the M40 near Thame and there's a bit of an uphill there. There were lorries in lanes one and cars overtaking them in lane two, so I moved into lane three, behind someone who was doing around 65. There was no one else in front of this fella.
Up behind me shoots a widebody sales "exec" in his Mondeo, waving a hand about excitedly, all the while flashing his headlights. I'm not quite sure what he expected me to do. I had the chap in front, and traffic to my left. He got closer and closer. I held my nerve until I found space and pulled over into the second lane. I let him past, then pulled back into the third lane, whereupon he immediately did exactly the same to the chap who was in front of me.
After a couple of minutes of watching him drive closer and closer, the guy in front pulled over. Mr Mondeo's reaction?
To take both hands off the wheel, put them above his head and clap, as if to show me "That's how you do it!"
Selfishness/ Entitled: Stopping in the middle of the street (without parking up properly) to post letters or pick up/ drop off someone, holding everyone up behind them. Of course, sounding the horn elicits an angry response.
That leads to an interesting point. If I made a mistake on the road (not leading to a collision), and someone beeped me, I would apologise. I wouldn't roll down the window and give it the F word. So why is it that if you sound your horn at another driver they take it so personally that they start shouting, swearing and in some cases, get out and engage in physical violence? Indeed some drivers have been killed.
Anyhoo, on with the list...
Parking on zig-zags: And here the so-called professional drivers are in the line of fire again. Delivery drivers, taxi drivers....
Drivers not giving way to pedestrians: I have seen a few examples myself of drivers honking pedestrians who have begun to cross the road before the driver even turned the corner.
I had just stepped onto a pelican myself in the village when a taxi went through. The light was green for me and the beeper was going. A second later and who knows what could have happened... I confess I only looked one way and it was left not right. I always look both ways now.
Pushbikes: Vehicles not giving them enough clearance. Special mention to the people who believe that because they as drivers pay "road tax" (abolished 1937), and cyclists don't, they have a right to grind them into the tarmac...
Brands: It is well known that drivers of certain car brands are seen to be more likely to do stupid or selfish or dangerous things on the road. IME over the years, these are:
BMW
Audi
Mercedes
Range Rover
And more recently, though it pains me to say it because I have owned one,
Skoda
Maybe the cost of living crisis is hitting Audi drivers?
Talking of Range Rovers, I was once lightly rear ended by an old tatty one, in heavy rush hour traffic, so I pulled over. The RR did not, it just sat in the middle of the road, holding everyone up. I got out, and, staying on the passenger side so I wasn't in the road, asked the passenger to wind down the window so I could speak to the driver.
Reluctantly, the window was opened, but what I got was an absolute faceful of swearing from a teenage pupil of a very elite private school. She told me categorically that they did not crash into me. "I'm sorry," I said, "I think you're under the misapprehension that you have the steering wheel in front of you. Now, I think I'd better speak to the person who does."
The car was later inspected and found not to be damaged.
