Bad Driving thread

[PhireSide]

Posting up here again as I feel what happened yesterday deserves a special mention as it really stood out from the generally poor driving from EC folk.

Currently there are roadworks on the N2 that snakes its way through Port Elizabeth which makes tjailatyd a little bit aggravating especially between Standford road and Disa Avenue where for a section of road there is only one lane going West. I was heading home going past the Standford Road offramp and since the traffic was backed up quite a bit, the traffic flows in a knit-one-slip-one manner where a car from the offramp will pull in behind followed by one from the main road, who is again followed by one from the offramp etc. and it all works pretty well with minimal hiccups.



So this tannie in her VW New Beetle (New VW Beetle?) FXL 484 EC was behind the Ford Anglia on the offramp and the ideal flow (like 99% of the other drivers) would have been as follows:

SBV van in front of me -> Ford Anglia from offramp -> Me -> Beetle

But no, the tannie just HAD to get in front of me because her being ONE CAR BEHIND would have ruined her whole day. I verbally and with appropriate hand signals tried to gesture to her to get in behind my car but she was having none of it. She HAD TO BE BEHIND THE ANGLIA. Rather than fighting I let her in. I thought that I would rather be the better person and avoid confrontation.

Going up the hill towards Disa Ave offramp I saw the traffic in the left hand lane was going awfully slow due to a truck that was pottering up the hill, and this antie decided to swerve into the left lane doing her 130 or 140kph that she was doing. I was about 30m behind her in the right hand lane as I saw the left hand lane was going nowhere slowly. In front of me but behind the tannie was a Figo doing about 120kph.

When the Beetle saw that the traffic up ahead was coming to an abrupt halt, she slowed down to about 60 or 70kph and suddenly shot out in front of the Figo doing 120, pushing the poor Ford off the road and halfway onto the road shoulder. I was at this stage about 20m from the Figo and I had to slam on my brakes and swerve to the left hand lane past the slow moving traffic on the yellow lane to avoid hitting any cars in my braking maneuver.

I came to a halt behind her just after the offramp and used more aggrresive verbal cues and gestures hoping she would have heard me, but alas she just looked ahead as brain-dead imbeciles do

I followed her through most of William Mofett Expressway and she was ducking in and out of traffic like a woman demented, cutting in front of cars and driving very dangerously. I do hope I see her again soon in a parking lot somewhere as I would love to have a few words with her:twisted:

 

[Ancalagon]

This happened this morning at around 6:15AM.

I was merging onto William Nicol drive. For those of you who don't live in Joburg, William Nicol has a speed limit of 80. Anyway, the road that I used to merge has a sliplane that is at least a few hundred meters long. It is intended so that you can get up to speed, and then smoothly merge into traffic.

This is what I do this morning. As I take the slip lane left, I check to see which cars are coming, if any. There is one car coming, but the gap is easily large enough that I could fit in. The car is a red Golf 2 GTS, number plate CMJ329GP. I merge into William Nicol, doing about 80km/h.

But this car is having none of it, he or she decides to drive next to me, so we are now sharing one lane. They actually drive right up alongside me. I accelerate for a bit, but then so do they. I decided to back off - this is not worth it.

I slow down, let them overtake, and then flash them. They pull a zap at me, I pull a zap back. They slam on brakes and come to a dead stop. I come to a dead stop behind them. Cars are hooting at us.

I want to get out of there, so I move into the right hand lane and slowly drive off (yes I did check for oncoming cars).

Anyway that is pretty much it. I left a wide distance between us and saw some more erratic driving from them.

Whoever you are, I did not cut you off. There was room, there was a gap. When someone indicates to merge into your lane, you let them in. End of story.

If it aggrieved you so much that I had the gall to merge into YOUR lane, then hoot or flash me. But don't drive next to me - that endangers your life, the life of your passenger, my life, and the lives of innocent bystanders.

And if you really feel so hard done by, don't slam on brakes. Again, your endanger my life, your life, and your passengers life.

Yes they had a passenger with them in the car.

 

[ProfA]

Whoever you are, I did not cut you off. There was room, there was a gap. When someone indicates to merge into your lane, you let them in. End of story.

LOL, no. If there is space and they can merge into the lane safely without causing other cars to have to brake (not seriously impeding the flow of traffic), then its fine. Simply indicating doesn't mean it your RIGHT to merge.

 

[Ancalagon]

LOL, no. If there is space and they can merge into the lane safely without causing other cars to have to brake (not seriously impeding the flow of traffic), then its fine. Simply indicating doesn't mean it your RIGHT to merge.

If there is space, yes. That is implied. There was space, and I indicated. There was ample space.

 

[ProfA]

If there is space, yes. That is implied. There was space, and I indicated. There was ample space.

Sorry. I missed the implied part. But you do get these muppets who simply indicate and start moving into your lane, despite serious lack of space thus forcing you to slow down to make space.

 

[Ancalagon]

Sorry. I missed the implied part. But you do get these muppets who simply indicate and start moving into your lane, despite serious lack of space thus forcing you to slow down to make space.

I don't do that, I'd describe myself as an assertive driver. I indicate and move if there is space. I don't just cut in.

The person this morning must have really taken offense to me merging into his lane, I don't know why. I've done that lane merge hundreds of time without issue and never had a problem. I get up to speed quickly so that I don't slow anyone down.

 

[isie]

I don't do that, I'd describe myself as an assertive driver. I indicate and move if there is space. I don't just cut in.

The person this morning must have really taken offense to me merging into his lane, I don't know why. I've done that lane merge hundreds of time without issue and never had a problem. I get up to speed quickly so that I don't slow anyone down.

I notices some people feel they don't have to let anyone in when a lane mergers, - its fair to allow 1 car from the left in then car from right then car left and so on. But i have had an experience where guys would refuse to let people in and they either force in or let the idiot pass and get in behind them.

 

[ProfA]

I notices some people feel they don't have to let anyone in when a lane mergers, - its fair to allow 1 car from the left in then car from right then car left and so on. But i have had an experience where guys would refuse to let people in and they either force in or let the idiot pass and get in behind them.

So they HAVE to let you in right?

 

[Ancalagon]

I notices some people feel they don't have to let anyone in when a lane mergers, - its fair to allow 1 car from the left in then car from right then car left and so on. But i have had an experience where guys would refuse to let people in and they either force in or let the idiot pass and get in behind them.

I always let one car merge in. I never block people from merging. Sometimes, if the right hand lane is available, I'll move to that so that I don't have to slow down.

But yeah, I do see some people really do not like letting people lane merge, like the idiot from this morning.

I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman - I just remember seeing a mass of curly black hair.

 

[Emjay]

I am on the road for around 2.5 hours a day. I do the trek from Fourways to Midrand, and there is really so much bad driving, it's not worth to mention specifics.

On a daily basis:

• Taxis and ordinary road users driving in the yellow lane (up Witkoppen, just after the William Nicol offramp). This happens all the time, despite Metro being there issuing fines every second day;
• Taxis and 4x4s using the right side of the road (there is no road) as an extra lane;
• Taxis and really stupid drivers driving up the left turning lane and cutting into the intersection to carry on straight. Bear in mind that the road actually narrows because of a pavement. This means you have to let in drivers from the left or get cut off;
• Drivers cutting in at 4 way intersections. I know it can get a bit hard at times for some people, but two cars turning right across the intersection is not correct. This is at an intersection with traffic backed up in all 4 directions.
• At a traffic circle, you always yield to the person coming from your right. Traffic circles seem to be free for all.
• Cars intentionally sitting in the middle of an intersection. I will wait behind the line until there is enough space for my car. If I move just before the robot turns orange, I see not one but two cars squeeze in behind me. It's quite sad that we can't treat eat other with common decency.
• Trying to get a gap in slow moving traffic. Wow, people are so selfish. I am not changing lanes on a whim, it's because I really need to turn in the next block/km or so.
• Speeding. Wow, people drive so fast. I drive a nice sporty car, I push the speed limit sometimes. I'll do 70km in a 60km zone and people still overtake me and make me look slow, depending on the road, traffic and the relative speeds around me. Are they aware they can be arrested doing 100km in a 60km zone?
• I have had to come to a complete stop twice now because of oncoming traffic in my lane in swift moving traffic. Some people have no speed vs distance perception. I am always the one in the wrong it seems.
• The amount of people on their phones is very scary either messaging, checking mail or social media. I have a rule of never picking up my phone unless I absolutely have to. Not even in traffic. I do have a Bluetooth system with voice activation in my car. Even requesting the system to dial numbers is distracting and I find my driving can become bad when I am on a call i.e. I tend to drive slowly.

I am sure I have done some pretty stupid things as well. I think we all need to be a little more patient and the drive to work won't be so bad.

These two incident takes the cake though:

About two weeks ago, after work, I was sitting at a robot and this lady in a new dark blue polo pulled into the turning lane on my right. So I see her turn around and pick up something from her back seat. I almost died when she picked up her baby and put the infant info her arm and partly across her lap. She proceeded to drive across the intersection when the turning light went green. I swear my jaw was almost on my lap and she saw. I didn't get a photo as I was too slow and the robot was about to turn green for me.

Also, not only bad driving, but bad parenting as well. I guess could be either depending on your view. Saw a lady in a white BMW veer off a road, get out, open the back door and start hitting her child that was strapped into the back.

 

[Sepeng]

Also, not only bad driving, but bad parenting as well. I guess could be either depending on your view. Saw a lady in a white BMW veer off a road, get out, open the back door and start hitting her child that was strapped into the back.

I'd argue that's good driving and good parenting!
Better than the typical take-your-eyes-off-the-road-and-give-your-kid-a-good-whack technique.

 

[creeper]

This still irritates the hell out of me. Brand new red Porsche. No number plates yet. And guess what. The driver is talking on cellphone. Seriously. Buy an expensive car and don't even install or use Bluetooth.

 

[The_Librarian]

@ancalagon - I prefer to call that "small tottie syndrome" when the other driver absolutely have to be in front of you, and you dare not land in front of his/her car under any circumstances....

This kind of person will overtake on the left (yellow lane) or the right just to get in front of you, or else they'll try to crawl uo your exhaust.

 

[The_Librarian]

This still irritates the hell out of me. Brand new red Porsche. No number plates yet. And guess what. The driver is talking on cellphone. Seriously. Buy an expensive car and don't even install or use Bluetooth.

Or they answer the phone then slow down as if it is safer that way. Irritating to be stuck behind such a poofter when you cannot overtake due to oncoming traffic and said poofter is driving well below the speed limit....

 

[Ancalagon]

@ancalagon - I prefer to call that "small tottie syndrome" when the other driver absolutely have to be in front of you, and you dare not land in front of his/her car under any circumstances....

This kind of person will overtake on the left (yellow lane) or the right just to get in front of you, or else they'll try to crawl uo your exhaust.

I've just never seen someone get so aggro about it. Like, be willing to stop his car.

Imagine if I was an angry lunatic with a gun?

 

[The_Librarian]

Or brake checking in the fast lane (krugersdorp highway just after the split with the N1. During rush hour.

:wtf:

Vote for me, guys. I'll push a law through that will force all kinds of aggro people to lose their biggencars and get forced to drive a detuned Hyundai i10 for the rest of their lives

 

[Ancalagon]

Or brake checking in the fast lane (krugersdorp highway just after the split with the N1. During rush hour.

:wtf:

Tell us the story! What happened, who, why, what did you do afterwards?

 

[The_Librarian]

Tell us the story! What happened, who, why, what did you do afterwards?

Was pottering ahead in the left lane, minding my own business when suddenly! the cars in the right-hand lane slowed down

some idiot in a black prado was doing a brake check and slowed down to 20km/h because he did not like the driver behind him. Not sure what happened there, but said black Prado then picked up speed and drove off at speed towards Krugersdorp.

Bloody stupid and irresponsible, could have caused a major traffic accident.....

 

[supersunbird]

I don't brake check... I clean my windows...

 

[PaddyTM]

Bit surprised this hasn't been posted (or I've missed it):

http://www.news24.com/Live/SouthAfr...s-driver-causes-havoc-on-durban-road-20160209