I used to walk to work every day but since the weekend I have been living in Bristol and driving to Bath every day. I actually quite enjoy it, because I love driving and it gives me a chance to see some of the wonders of the modern roads...

In the space of THREE days, I've:

Been hassled by a bloke in a 2CV, of all things! I was quite impressed he had the balls to throw the thing round a roundabout at the speed he did. He probably thought he had more torque than me...

Got beeped by a tit in a Megane for being in the CORRECT lane. At a roundabout with two lanes to go straight on, I'm in the left lane, he's in the right, halfway across the roundabout with us side by side, he decides he wants to be in my lane, almost sideswipes me, then beeps his horn and flashes his lights at ME, as if I've done something wrong! I wanted to pull over, drag him from the car and haul his ass back to where the road markings CLEARLY show you can go straight on in the left hand lane, and then proceed to smash his head repeatedly into the tarmac, shouting: "Can you see the arrow? Can you? CAN YOU?!" I didn't, of course, that would have been a farcical over-reaction.

Been tailgated on regular occasions.

Watched people of all ages in all makes and conditions of car show appalling lane discipline and indication/awareness.

Been generally snarled in the traffic jams caused by: a) the closure of one simple road in Bristol and b) the usual flow of school run mums, a flow which will abate without a doubt next week due to half term?

Dontcher just LUUUURVE commuting?!

Actually, I really do, I love sitting in my car offering comment on other road users. Gives me the superiority complex I so clearly crave...

 

Hey Matt ... I would willingly swap you your journey for mine on the train into London every day!!

 

Lane discipline is my major annoyance now ..

"See that arrow, it says turn right. DON'T try and go straight on into my lane and car door!"

 

it is a bit of an eye opener

I've found different standards at different times recently

I went to Newmarket setting off at 0500. Same start time, different day, went to Rye

Between 0500 and 0630 nice quiet roads with mostly professional drivers - no problems at al

but from 0630 it all deteriorated - typically the sort of driving you describe

my pet hate is poor lane discipline - those people that will not move over for you - I can only assume because they get some perverse pleasure in holding you up. odd when I'm not in an ostentatious car

or some flawed justification that because there is a car on the inside lane - half a mile ahead - that it would be inappropriate for them to move over

you know it's obstruction and bloody-mindedness not ignorance of your presence, because they go crazy if (when) you undertake

tailgaters don't trouble me more than once - I have a surprising number of animals that run out in front of me, or debris I need to brake to avoid. I have no compunction about risking being rear-ended and I think that message registers quickly enough

there's no pattern in the cars driven by these muppets - repmobiles, chavved Preludes and maniac Transit drivers have all been witnessed recently

all seem willing to ignore road markings to get/stay in front - probably the one thing I won't do

Moms just seem incompetent, whereas female reps are just plain aggressive. Old men (older than me ho ho) are similarly incompetent, but occasionally you get a really nasty pow who will try anything to inconvenience you

I'm just glad I have the machinery to deal with it. I would absolutely hate being unable to steer, accelerate or brake the problem away

 

I've found one of the biggest reductions of stress in my day has been changing my commute; no longer do I have to tackle the M25 in the morning/evening (not regularly anyway), and my office is now going to be a 9 mile drive involving no motorway (albeit some heavyish traffic). No doubt stress levels will rise as the new company start working me properly and getting me to go and see customers, but most definitely removing th M25 in the morning has helped massively.

 

Heh, I hear you Kay, I do like commuting away from London.

Lane changing seems to be something that 60% of the population are incapable of doing correctly. Tell me, can these people REALLY have forgotten that most basic premise of motoring

 

I'll keep the train, thanks. Despite its drawbacks, I get to have a lovely sleep on the way home each evening.

I had to take my car to the bodyshop yesterday morning - utter carnage, queues at every roundabout, stop/start all the way. Took 20 minutes to go 3 miles, and this is in Hertfordshire, not London.

It seemed longer on the way back, due to being in a Fiat Punto where you have to sit with your legs at right-angles to your body due to the pedal offset Backache within 5 minutes.

 

they never forget their exit though

200 yds from it they'll barge their way into the inside lane to get off

it's just obstructiveness, little different to the antics of the neanderthals who shamble around supermarkets and generally inconveniencing everyone

I saw it yesterday, when I was behind a sign written white van for about 3 miles

the signwriting told me where he was heading off, but he still took the exit predicted like someone who didn't know where he was

in the process, holding up the maximum number of people for as long as possible, and forcing people in the 'right' lane to brake and bunch to let him off

 

Yes, you're quite right

 

Aaah - the ring road - I know it well

The A4174 is different to *any* road in the country because if you're making a right turn at a roundabout in say, 10 miles time, you really ought to be in the right hand lane in preparation.

It's not to do with being in your way, Matt, it's just they're scared they won't get back into that lane in time unless they stay there from the word go.