Grumpy Old Men

[Paddy_NL]

They don't seem to know that we are not allowed in the third lane when towing.

Have to admit it's so much fun outdragging another car from standstill while towing a caravan though

[DelBoy]

Have to admit it's so much fun outdragging another car from standstill while towing a caravan though 

Have to admit, Paddy, when dragging 1600Kgs of 'van, I don't outdrag very much, although it has been done.  I can cruise comfortably at 70-75mph, but it takes a while to get up there.

Del

[Matt Harper]

Given the gawdawful road congestion that the UK suffers - it's probably about time that overtaking on the inside was allowed (gasps of horror?) So many people 'under-take' out of sheer frustration anyway (I know I did).
Whilst the practice is not encouraged here, as long as you are aware that someone may come blasting past you on the inside, traffic does seem to keep moving better here, most of the time - or is it just that our interstates are often 12 lanes wide?

[Paddy_NL]

Have to admit, Paddy, when dragging 1600Kgs of 'van, I don't outdrag very much, although it has been done.  I can cruise comfortably at 70-75mph, but it takes a while to get up there.

Del

It's just a nice sight looking at their face in your mirror, when two lanes go into one, and they have to give way to the caravan too

[DelBoy]

Given the gawdawful road congestion that the UK suffers - it's probably about time that overtaking on the inside was allowed (gasps of horror?) So many people 'under-take' out of sheer frustration anyway (I know I did).
Whilst the practice is not encouraged here, as long as you are aware that someone may come blasting past you on the inside, traffic does seem to keep moving better here, most of the time - or is it just that our interstates are often 12 lanes wide?

It is also a 'state of mind' thing, Matt.

Used to travel a lot on business in the US, around Boston but mainly in Phx, AZ, and the 'right turn on red' takes a bit of getting used to.  It is drummed into you here that red light means STOP.  Full stop.  Having said that, I used to enjoy the driving in the US (out of town) - driving across the desert, air conditioning going, listening to KNIX, watching the road runners........a few years ago though.

Del

[vqdave]

Given the gawdawful road congestion that the UK suffers - it's probably about time that overtaking on the inside was allowed (gasps of horror?) So many people 'under-take' out of sheer frustration anyway (I know I did).
Whilst the practice is not encouraged here, as long as you are aware that someone may come blasting past you on the inside, traffic does seem to keep moving better here, most of the time - or is it just that our interstates are often 12 lanes wide?

It is also a 'state of mind' thing, Matt.

Used to travel a lot on business in the US, around Boston but mainly in Phx, AZ, and the 'right turn on red' takes a bit of getting used to.  It is drummed into you here that red light means STOP.  Full stop.  Having said that, I used to enjoy the driving in the US (out of town) - driving across the desert, air conditioning going, listening to KNIX, watching the road runners........a few years ago though.

Del

Yes that right turn on red took me a bitr of time, especially straight off an all night plane journey from Blighty to Salt Lake City in the middle of the night, not really best frame of mind, big city, new car, wrong side of teh road and going through reds is OK? Makes sense though when you get your head around it.

And yes the Bonneville Speed Week was fantastic, well worth a visit.

Sorry wrong thread, must be grumpy................

[vqdave]

Most motorways are a bloody nightmare these days, and why do people have to stick at 65mph in the middle lane? whats wrong with the inside lane??? Not wishing to be racisist, but they always seem to be driving Datsun's and the drivers are very well tanned - why, whats wrong with these people???

middle lane b****stards!!! No traffic just you and him. You doing 70 no more no less down the 'slow lane' tw**t doing less in middle lane. WHY?? When the road is trafficed, this driving turns 3 lanes into 2 lanes thus making more conjestion!!!

These idiots should get pulled and ticketed it is dangerous driving for efs sake!!

[knetter]

Given the gawdawful road congestion that the UK suffers - it's probably about time that overtaking on the inside was allowed (gasps of horror?) So many people 'under-take' out of sheer frustration anyway (I know I did).
Whilst the practice is not encouraged here, as long as you are aware that someone may come blasting past you on the inside, traffic does seem to keep moving better here, most of the time - or is it just that our interstates are often 12 lanes wide?

It is also a 'state of mind' thing, Matt.

Used to travel a lot on business in the US, around Boston but mainly in Phx, AZ, and the 'right turn on red' takes a bit of getting used to.  It is drummed into you here that red light means STOP.  Full stop.  Having said that, I used to enjoy the driving in the US (out of town) - driving across the desert, air conditioning going, listening to KNIX, watching the road runners........a few years ago though.

Del

I still from time to time turn right on red! That's what you get after living in the states for 2 years, did not get a ticket yet, it does make sense doesn't it, makes the flow of traffic a lot better. As for the midlane idiots, we don't have a lot of them overhere, since most of our roads are two lanes, at least in the south, but we do get the poofters that overtake in the left lane while only doing 60 mph and they don't move over, usually on sundays they come out.

[vqdave]

SPEEDBUMPS!!!!!!!!!!

Those great big ones made of bricks, not just lumps of tarmas but big brick ones!!

If you know wokingham, Priest Avenue is a great example. No matter how slow i go over them in my Mini, it scrapes the front, and my car isn't stoopid low. God knows how you cope if you had a Lotus/Porsche/Ferrari low type thing and they put them in your road.

My inlaws have them on their street (Priest Avenue) and they have gone through 2 cats on the mum in laws pug 206 in as many yaers as the bumps make it loose!!!

AARRRGGGGHHH SPEED BUMPS!!!!!!!!!!

[smokie]

Yup, know it well (and avoid it). They used to have the same ones in Rances Lane. Then they removed them and installed "pinch points" in the road.

I don't understand why some roads qualify for so much attention where others which deserve something get none.

Nothing to do with where local councillors live is it?

btw an interesting (but probably false) fact I read is that where locals successfully petition for speed cameras, the most often caught people are....locals

[Snoring Rhino]

There's no easy answer to slowing Rat runs down, the Pinch Points in Rances lane are the opposite progression from speed humps that they had on the Birchetts Green road between the A4 and the Henley Road roundabout, they installed humps after a number of head on crashes (some with serious injuries) at pinch points caused by idiots racing to demand their right of way and speeding through them. But people were going too fast past a Junior School so something had to be done, it's the same in Emmbrook, the impatience of Rat runners past the 2 schools is unbelievable (even at School opening time) - even though its been made a 20mph zone(Women are the worst). The Pillow humps we have on Toutley road seem to be a good comprimise, they do slow people down but are not excessively intrusive and better than the original humps right across the road (I once saw a refuse truck completely airborne over one - much to the amusement of the numbskull crew - not intelligent enough to consider the consequences of a bad landing). So Where as I hate them as much as anybody for knackering my exhaust, suspension and tracking, I wish there was a better alternative?

[termietermite]

Cranbrook High Street (Kent) anybody?
There used to be a load of these horrors in Craven Arms High Street too, until the locals complained about the noise of all the lorries leaping over them in the early hours of the morning.  Now they are just large flat red squares - people power rules!

[Andy Zarse]

middle lane b****stards!!! No traffic just you and him. You doing 70 no more no less down the 'slow lane' tw**t doing less in middle lane. WHY?? When the road is trafficed, this driving turns 3 lanes into 2 lanes thus making more conjestion!!!

These idiots should get pulled and ticketed it is dangerous driving for efs sake!!

Setting aside the skin-colour/Daily Mail type arguements, I agree Dave. Middle lane hoggers are bastards. They insist on driving in the "Medium" lane, not too fast and not too slow. Bastards! Well, I'm afraid I've been known on occasions to swerve in front of them, missing their front bumper by about a bee's dick as I pull back into the inside lane. Learn to f**k*ng pull over! We drive on the left in this country and that means on motorways too, and that means YOU.

[Black Granny]

middle lane b****stards!!! No traffic just you and him. You doing 70 no more no less down the 'slow lane' tw**t doing less in middle lane. WHY?? When the road is trafficed, this driving turns 3 lanes into 2 lanes thus making more conjestion!!!

These idiots should get pulled and ticketed it is dangerous driving for efs sake!!

Setting aside the skin-colour/Daily Mail type arguements, I agree Dave. Middle lane hoggers are bastards. They insist on driving in the "Medium" lane, not too fast and not too slow. Bastards! Well, I'm afraid I've been known on occasions to swerve in front of them, missing their front bumper by about a bee's dick as I pull back into the inside lane. Learn to f**cking pull over! We drive on the left in this country and that means on motorways too, and that means YOU.

Hang on a minute, when it was annouced some time back that the governement were going to use the signs on motorways to remind people to drive on the left and use the inside lane, a lot of the forum members, including Mr Z started whinging on about the "Nanny State".
I don't like CLOD's (Centre Lane Owner Drivers) either and sometimes do the same as Mr Z describes (Especially when on the Bike).

Can't have it both ways and whinge about the Nanny State when somebody tries to do something about a problem.

I do think we are a bit of a nanny state though especially with some labelling and "so called" health and safety" issues.

There I've had my 6 pence worth on this one.

[vqdave]

I like this thread 

Next rant - School Run Mums!!!!

Bastards the lot of them. I live on Seaford Road, right between 2 little schools. Full of little ones, juniors & infants i think. Now i grew up in Southampton, a city, biggish, baddish, well compared to Wokingham anyways. I always walked to and from school. Not too far, probably 20 mins each way but enough for little legs. Then i went to big school in Winnersh and cycled. Thats right all teh way through school i made my own way there, with mums help when very small. Why then, does no one walk these days?

Every morning and afternoon my street fills up with 4x4,s and Espace type things to pick up 1 little one. They all have roof boxes as well but that is another rant. I have never seen such concentration of road rage and arguements, all from mums with kids in the car. Traffic warden gets sworn at, horns blaring (yeah thanks just got my 16 month to sleep) shouting, screeching tyres etc etc. We are a terraced street so parkings a premium anyway and then these tw@'s turn up. They park across my driveway, they have refused to move to let me in and out before and i have to get out and threaten to get them to move!! And what makes it worse, fairly small town this with small catchment areas, i see these same cars parked not 2 streets away at their home. Today its a lovely day, and they drive!!! WALK FOR EFFS SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

and relax