DEPT OF TRANSPORT INITIATIVE, MAY 2006.

[944turboS]

DEPT OF TRANSPORT INITIATIVE, MAY 2006.

Information Release.

Due to the nature of the quality of driving in England the Department of Transport has now devised a new scheme in order to identify poor drivers and give good drivers the opportunity to recognise them whilst driving.

For this reason as from the middle of May 2006 those drivers who are found to be driving badly which includes but is not limited to:

-overtaking in dangerous places;
-hovering within one inch of the car in front;
-stopping sharply;
-speeding in residential areas;
-pulling out without indication;
-performing U turns inappropriately in busy highstreets;
-under taking on motorways
-taking up more than one lane in multi lane roads,

These drivers will be issued with flags, white with a red cross, signifying their inability to drive properly. These flags must be clipped to a door of the car and be visible to all other drivers and pedestrians.

Those drivers who have shown particularly poor driving skills will have to display a flag on each side of the car to indicate their greater lack of skill and general lower intelligence mindset to the general public.

Please circulate this to as many other motorists as you can so that drivers and pedestrians will be aware of the meaning of these flags.

Department of Transport.

 

[carlmthompson]

[][]

Actaully, funny you should mention driving.

Sorry to pick on you Southern lot, but I realised on the drive back from Silverstone why you need so many lanes of motorway down south - cause you all* drive in s0dding the middle lane!! Very annoying when the first lane was completely empty. I even got angrily flashed by one bloke as I went past him, and then manouvered into the first lane - apparently I must have been getting in the way of his view!!


*Of course this is a sweeping generalisation, but hey, it's true!

 

[wizard]

Think I have seen some already!!!

[][][][]

 

[pae]

Spare a thought for the poor confused middle-lane drivers, now that there's a lot of 4-lane stretches around here. Which one is the MIDDLE for gawds sake!!!!

Now we'll have to expand to 5 lanes to restore balance in their confused world and to provide them with a true middle-lane, as is their human right. []

I don't come that far north, so can't say whether your generalisation holds true, but there's no doubt the middle-laners seem to be increasing. I suspect people think they're driving safer by not changing lanes, or they're terrified of moving over and not getting back out, which could cost them all of a minute or so over the length of their journey [&:].

Phil

 

[Diver944]

Right, I'm moving back to Huddersfield (where I grew up) as middle lane hogging is one of the few things that gets my goat (along with bright headlights []). I thought it was a nationwide disease, but am glad to hear there are areas of the country where this is rare

 

[Fen]

Actually you're right Carl. When I used to drive the length and breadth of England through work I noticed very prominently that in the Midlands people sit in the middle lane - top of the M5 and the M6 being chronic for it. It actually isn't so bad down in the south west, hence it used to drive me nuts when I got far enough north to notice it.

 

[944turboS]

You should try living in this area, middle lane hoggers realy do annoy the sh1t out of me. []
Here in Telford there is another, very localised I'm glad to say, problem that drivers won't move over into an empty outside lane to let you onto a dual carriage way. []

 

[Fred Hindle]

Carl,
I'm afraid the disease has spread to the North West. I have great fun, moving across two lanes to overtake a 'middle-laner' and then coming back into the left hand lane. Then you watch to see if they actually move over, very few of them do.
What I have noticed is that it is drivers of all ages and both sexes that hog the middle lane nowadays, at first it was the flat-cap brigade who couldn't remember how wide their car was so used the middle lane to ensure they didn't scrape the side of the car.[][]
I've only ever seen one being pulled over by the police, she sat in the middle lane for about three miles before the policecar pulled her.
Best one ever was coming north on the M1 soon after leaving the M25, an old dear in a Fiesta doing 65 in the fast lane, people (including myself) were undertaking her using the first lane. The face was a grimace and I bet the steering wheel had impressions of her hands she was gripping it that tight!

 

[juliany27]

Try driving on the North Circular Road in North London as I did very recently on a wet night at 10 30 p.m. on the 50 mph section to find a small saloon in the middle lane, the nearside lane unoccupied and the car has only side lights on. Then the driver changes lane to the outside lane without indicating!! Leads to interesting times when you are about to overtake...

Recommended award for driver, a new driving test, eyesight test, mental health test and 5 white flags with red crosses.

 

[pae]

ORIGINAL: 944turboS

You should try living in this area, middle lane hoggers realy do annoy the sh1t out of me. []
Here in Telford there is another, very localised I'm glad to say, problem that drivers won't move over into an empty outside lane to let you onto a dual carriage way. []

Not so localised, I think. All related to a lack of appreciation for what is going on around them leading to a lack of anticipation of events. Like the idiots who approach an empty roundabout, stop at the line, then have a look. If they started to look 50-100 yards earlier they could judge whether to slow (if at all) and (if necessary) where to filter in. Unnecessary stopping of the flow of traffic should be an offence (if it isn't already).

Spatial awareness of events should be tested. Could be easily done, in one of the simulator thingy's at first, just to see who's looking ahead and anticipating what might take place at a forthcoming junction. If they don't do it, send them away until they do.

Phew, I feel better now, thanks,

Phil

 

[944turboS]

I believe that "Hazard Awareness" is part of the test now in a simulator.

 

[colin129]

Here's one solution, drivers should require a permit to drive on Sundays. To obtain this permit they must have driven on at least one weekday in each of the preceding 26 weeks, preferably at peak time, excluding driving to and from a permanent place of primary or secondary education whilst carrying a minor passenger.

They must also be able to prove that they have maintained at least the posted speed limit throughout 90% of their journey on the first 4 Sundays on which they take advantage of their new permit.

Otherwise they can get the bloody train...alright?

 

[944turboS]

That's me stuffed then, my weekday driving is usually at 9pm & 6am travelling to & from nightshifts. The only time I have for driving to/from social events is at weekends.
Anybody want to buy an S2 Cabriolet?

 

[vitesse]

I have noticed that Corsa's generally have more crosses than most cars;so what does 4 crosses equate to?There again ,I note that certain cars get so mad with their drivers that they jettison the odd flag or 2.I suppose it's the "red cross code"

 

[Guest]

Super seems to be working well spotted even a reliant robin today with flags on both sides and rear window sticker saying hows my driving call 0800 ----- still funny to watch him wobble round corners ...

 

[colin129]

ORIGINAL: 944turboS

That's me stuffed then, my weekday driving is usually at 9pm & 6am travelling to & from nightshifts. The only time I have for driving to/from social events is at weekends.
Anybody want to buy an S2 Cabriolet?

Alright, we'll let you off then, but only 'cos you got a nice car!!

 

[John Sims]

Middle lane hogging isn't generally an issue in Essex. Everybody drives in the right hand lane because everybody would be going faster than the guy in front if he would only move over.

I tend to move to the deserted left hand land and keep station with the rear of the guy on the right. If the guy behind has any intelligence he gives me enough room to move over should I come up behind an invalid carriage or roll of tumbleweed in the left hand lane. This works for both of us as a) It stops people tanking up the left hand lane and undertaking everybody b) I have miles of braking room and the man behind has almost enough to avoid hitting the car in front of me.

 

[wizard]

ORIGINAL: John Sims

I tend to move to the deserted left hand land and keep station with the rear of the guy on the right. If the guy behind has any intelligence he gives me enough room to move over should I come up behind an invalid carriage or roll of tumbleweed in the left hand lane. This works for both of us as a) It stops people tanking up the left hand lane and undertaking everybody b) I have miles of braking room and the man behind has almost enough to avoid hitting the car in front of me.

As recommended by the Association of Advanced Drivers. Very sensible, you end up making more progress too as soon as number 10 lemming decides to brake for seemingly no reason and finally causing number 25 lemming to come to a maximum speed of 25mph you can continue gracefully by undertaking and not breaking the rules.[]

 

[Fred Hindle]

ORIGINAL: John Sims


If the guy behind has any intelligence he gives me enough room to move over should I come up behind an invalid carriage

When did you last see an 'invalid carraige'??

(Have a look at the list of my 'invalid carraiges'.)[]

 

[georgethackray]

I've had a good chuckle reading this thread. It reminds me of the breed of driver we get here in Lytham. They are members of the 'Flat Cap Brigade', but in a league of their own - the 'Lytham Trundlers'. They are a very synchronised lot. One pulls out in front of you, then trundles along at around 26mph. A speed precisely calculated to pi55 you off when you're behind them, but not possible to overtake without breaking the speed limit. The synchronisation kicks in when one turns off the road - another cuts in front to take over.

How they manage to carry this out when they can only see through the gap between steering wheel and dashboard, even when sat on their pile cushions, is beyond me.

Once past Lytham, you hit the M55 - full of middle lane hoggers till you hit the 4 lane M6 South - then they manage to spread themselves out over lanes 2 and 3 [].

Anyway on the M55 a few months ago, a car in front of me was hogging the middle lane at 65mph, so I accelerated to 75-80, went from inside to outside lane, went past her, and back into the inside lane. A few seconds later, an unmarked Police car's lights came on from a few hundred yards behind. Cursing my misfortune, I dropped to 70 hoping he'd let me off, but instead of going for me, he pulled the other car over. Nice call Mr. Policeman! []