Road Rage

[PJD]

I have only recently entered the world of carvaning. I@m amazed by the amount of road rage I have encountered already. On the way back from a short break I pulled into some local services and parked well out the way to let my dogs out and use the facilities. A bloke came up to me and was complaining that he stuck behind me and saying that caravans should be banned etc! I don't tolerate idiots like that and advised him to go away in a subtle way of course!

[Lazy-Ferret]

We find any where in Essex is not the most pleasant drive, we have had some awful drivers there who have definitely target the caravan and cut us up. After that, it's just the odd random act of stupidity, that to be honest probably would have happend regardless of the caravan being on the back.

We find that with the T2, keeping up with the flow of traffic is not difficult, but that means we are not the front of the queue, the trouble is there are always clowns that assume we are and overtake with nowhere to go.

Only time anyone has come up to us when we have stopped at services is to come and see the ferrets that they could not believe they saw in the back when they passed..

Sent from my SM-T705 using Tapatalk

[rustic]

Just say to these people that are annoyed,

I've allowed enough time for my journey :nenau:nenau

No answer to that one.:thumb2

We never encountered any issues when we towed our 23' cruiser, overall length of trailer, over 26' and just over 2 tonne, we were more often held up by other drivers. We only have the Td too.:thumb2

What we did notice, it would fly up hills in third, but if you had to slow down, and drop into second, on the same hill you were stuck in second, and couldn't get enough speed up safely and back into third.
I guess it depends where the power band is in the vehicle, our max torque occurs around 2200 rpm.
Rustic

[terranosaurusdoug]

I'm surprised by that, I've only been away in my van half a dozen times or so but I have never experienced anything like that at all, I somtimes get an annoyed look from van drivers as I pass them on M roads :naughty but really that's it :nenau

[PJD]

I keep up with traffic fine and don't struggle up hills. Maybe I was unlucky on that occasion. I'm going away to Yorkshire next weekend so it'll be interesting to see what happens.

[terranosaurusdoug]

You'll ave no bother over ere lad :D
whereabouts you goin?

[don simon]

I have only recently entered the world of carvaning. I@m amazed by the amount of road rage I have encountered already. On the way back from a short break I pulled into some local services and parked well out the way to let my dogs out and use the facilities. A bloke came up to me and was complaining that he stuck behind me and saying that caravans should be banned etc! I don't tolerate idiots like that and advised him to go away in a subtle way of course!
And there he was, in so much of a rush that he had time to come over and tell you how much of a rush he was in... :confused:
Try being a cyclist if you want to see idiotic and illogical driving and wuckfittery.

[terranosaurusdoug]

Yup, cyclists are a real menace, had one turn into a junction on me on the wrong side of the road two weeks or so ago. Blind junction because of bushes, I stopped as i saw him coming from the left, he had to swerve down my NEARSIDE and hit my wing mirror, then gave ME the ****** sign :nenau bloody lycra louts, there are loads round here too, very aggressive when they are in a large group, my heart sinks when I come accross them while driving :(

[jims-terrano]

Dash cam front and back:thumbs

I've used these cams and they come with a spare mounting plate so you could use one for the rear window of the truck when solo and then move it into the caravan when towing.
Also when you encounter a person in that situation leave ignition on and move around front of the car and smile sweetly :naughty

Where are you going in gods own county?

[PJD]

You'll ave no bother over ere lad :D
whereabouts you goin?

Leemingbar for four nights. Me, my partner and 3 dogs! Don't get my started on cyclists! I work in the city centre and have to deal with these every day. Jumping red lights, coming up the near side of you at traffic lights after having already having to monuvre round them etc.

[terranosaurusdoug]

Thats a decent stretch up the A1, not many cyclists the main challenge will be staying awake :lol

I live just off of A1, if you need owt, help with truck etc. drop me a line :thumbs

[don simon]

Leemingbar for four nights. Me, my partner and 3 dogs! Don't get my started on cyclists! I work in the city centre and have to deal with these every day. Jumping red lights, coming up the near side of you at traffic lights after having already having to monuvre round them etc.

:D
I was nearly taken out by an artic who thought running a red was a good idea. See cars jumping reds at practically every traffic lighted junction in a far more dangerous manner than cyclists do. They are more vulnerable than cars so have a self preservation button built in. Granted there are a few stupids, but to tar us all with the same brush is not a good idea.

Nothing wrong with coming up your inside, it's called filtering and you probably do it in the car too. Try staying a bit more vigilant...
Interesting that you find angry man as being wrong because you slowed him down, yet you have exactly the same attitude towards cyclists.

[terranosaurusdoug]

The few spoil it for the many, same old story innit. I've seen traffic passing really close to cyclists on purpose, I don't get that, if something happened and cyclist goes under car or whatever then more than likely game over, a family or two destroyed cos someones ego was driving, not worth it!

I don't understand the choice of bikes for most though, the tyres and rims are ridiculous :lol

[PJD]

Thats a decent stretch up the A1, not many cyclists the main challenge will be staying awake :lol

I live just off of A1, if you need owt, help with truck etc. drop me a line :thumbs

Yes indeed, some decent music on and plenty of coffee! Thanks for the offer of help...nice to know.

Not going to get into a debate about cyclists. We'll be here all day! Good and bad in everything.

[terranosaurusdoug]

Yes indeed, some decent music on and plenty of coffee! Thanks for the offer of help...nice to know.

Not going to get into a debate about cyclists. We'll be here all day! Good and bad in everything.

:lol correcto :thumbs

[don simon]

The few spoil it for the many, same old story innit. I've seen traffic passing really close to cyclists on purpose, I don't get that, if something happened and cyclist goes under car or whatever then more than likely game over, a family or two destroyed cos someones ego was driving, not worth it!

I don't understand the choice of bikes for most though, the tyres and rims are ridiculous :lol

I have been the victim on many occasions of car drivers exhibiting road rage towards the cyclist. The most memorable was the scaffold truck that deliberately tried to run me off the road. It was deliberate because the passenger was laughing and giving me the bird.
Drivers think they can get away with it because there is little chance of getting caught and even if they are caught the courts hand down quite pathetic sentences.

I was told by one driver who passed me with inches to spare that he had to pass me at that particular point... Had to??? What a ridiculous thing to say.

We all have a right to be on the road, it is a shared space. If anything bikes have a right and cars don't. Cyclists don't need permission and a licence issuing from DVLA. :D
We all make the same contribution to the upkeep of the roads, so share them.
I suggest that anyone who criticises cyclists spend one day on a bike, I bet they haven't got the balls. :naughty

[rustic]

Cyclists ! You want to be a pedestrian in towns like Oxford or Cambridge.
Get a "green man" to walk at a pedestrian crossing and you will more than often be cut up by a cyclist having crossed a red light.
Most people expect it too.
Best to carry an umbrella, so they can see you crossing legally. :eek:

[don simon]

Cyclists ! You want to be a pedestrian in towns like Oxford or Cambridge.
Get a "green man" to walk at a pedestrian crossing and you will more than often be cut up by a cyclist having crossed a red light.
Most people expect it too.
Best to carry an umbrella, so they can see you crossing legally. :eek:
You're absolutely right Uncle rustic, the number of times that pedestrians step into the road without looking then blaming the cyclist is incredible. :augie

[terranosaurusdoug]

I have been the victim on many occasions of car drivers exhibiting road rage towards the cyclist. The most memorable was the scaffold truck that deliberately tried to run me off the road. It was deliberate because the passenger was laughing and giving me the bird.
Drivers think they can get away with it because there is little chance of getting caught and even if they are caught the courts hand down quite pathetic sentences.

I was told by one driver who passed me with inches to spare that he had to pass me at that particular point... Had to??? What a ridiculous thing to say.

We all have a right to be on the road, it is a shared space. If anything bikes have a right and cars don't. Cyclists don't need permission and a licence issuing from DVLA. :D
We all make the same contribution to the upkeep of the roads, so share them.
I suggest that anyone who criticises cyclists spend one day on a bike, I bet they haven't got the balls. :naughty

Yes we all have to learn to share and have a bit more respect for others in general! Cyclists having more of a right?, if you have have passed tests to make you aware of the rules of the road and how to be safe on them you deserve to be on the road, then tax, mot and insurance that are needed to legally be on the road. I would imagine most cyclists have a car licence too, but as far as I am aware if the cyclist I mentioned in an earlier post knocked my mirror off or caused me to swerve into another vehicle or worse he would have had no insurance to cover any damage or other cost, I think that is unfair.

[don simon]

Yes we all have to learn to share and have a bit more respect for others in general! Cyclists having more of a right?, if you have have passed tests to make you aware of the rules of the road and how to be safe on them you deserve to be on the road, then tax, mot and insurance that are needed to legally be on the road. I would imagine most cyclists have a car licence too, but as far as I am aware if the cyclist I mentioned in an earlier post knocked my mirror off or caused me to swerve into another vehicle or worse he would have had no insurance to cover any damage or other cost, I think that is unfair.
Much as with dashcams, I'm 50:50 on this. The theory I have is that the roads should be safer if no one had insurance and we all had to pay out of our own pockets. It's not that simple though. As the roads are getting more and more crowded I can see that insurance for cyclist is a good idea, I also believe that driving standards and respect for other road users needs to improve massively. I drive 1,500- 2,000 miles per month up and down the north west and the general standard is worse than in Spain.
The second point on insurance is that if cyclist require insurance then it has to be obligatory for pedestrians too.

The comment about rights was slightly tongue in cheek, but being able to hop on a bike without so much as a test hints at it being a right.

We live in a culture where the car is king. This is what has to change. The car is not king and drivers less so.
I drove a Peugeot on Spanish plates and I was often given driving lessons by other drivers.
I drove a little Peugeot 208 and would often be bullied.
I drove a Focus and the bullying reduced.
I drive a Terrano and the bullying stopped.

It's not just bikes that get a hard time. Our attitude to cars, to driving and to other human beings in general is shocking.

Sorry for the rant, but there are a couple of topics that are close to my heart and I feel strongly about.


As you were. :D

[terranosaurusdoug]

:lol nowt wrong with a bit of passion :D

I agree, prevention is better than a cure, road safety education for all, inc pedestrians = prevention
Insurance policy = cure, IF nobody is killed or seriously injured.

Where I live we have a good mix of roads, large vehicles on small roads, horses, cyclists walkers, the occasional stray pony, children. I do not care if I am in the right or wrong, I do not want to be part of somebody losing their life, so I leave space, I am courteous and I don't let my ego or temper get the better of me, most people are the same and no problem. But every now and again pedestrian makes a last minute dash, a horse comes out of a field right into the road just expecting me to slam on or a cyclist will swerve round a pot hole or sunken man hole cover as I am passing them just cos he doesn't want to brake or go over it, poo happens but it ain't worth a life.

[don simon]

And it's a people issue and not a mode of transport issue. These idiot cyclists will be pillocks when walking, bellends when driving and be the same tosspots who jump queues at the supermarket and stop at the top of escalators.
Esa es la vida... :(

[terranosaurusdoug]

And it's a people issue and not a mode of transport issue. These idiot cyclists will be pillocks when walking, bellends when driving and be the same tosspots who jump queues at the supermarket and stop at the top of escalators.
Esa es la vida... :(

I'm off to oz, not many people there :lol and a belting off road scene :D

[don simon]

I'm off to oz, not many people there :lol and a belting off road scene :DEnjoy & watch out for the roos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpul5fSf6qQ
Even the bloody animals have got it in for cyclists!!! :doh

[terranosaurusdoug]

Enjoy & watch out for the roos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpul5fSf6qQ
Even the bloody animals have got it in for cyclists!!! :doh

:lol a laugh or cry moment right there.

[perelaar]

Just did >3400km all over Europe: Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy. In a "normal" car, without caravan.

And I have to say, I saw a quite some idiot caravan drivers... Imagine, a stretch of German highway without speed limit. We drove at a reasonable speed, about 150km/h. But you know on such a highway people can and will drive at much higher speeds - then why o why do caravan drivers insist on overtaking uphill the moment they see a car approaching?
Happened time and again, with trucks as well. Not to say that most people pulling a caravan did not have an appropriate car to pull it with, and only managed about 80km/h. Half of our speed, and less than a 3rd of the speed of some other cars....

Happy to say though, none of them were from the UK ;)

That being said, the country in which we encountered the least courtesy on the road was NOT Italy as expected, but Austria. Both from bikers and from drivers.

[terranosaurusdoug]

Non thinkers who don't know how to read a road. Won't catch me slouching with the van on the back, I have to let off pedal on motorways etc, speed creep :D

[perelaar]

But then again you tow the caravan with a decent car :)

[terranosaurusdoug]

But then again you tow the caravan with a decent car :)

Very true, my van is max weight of 1400kg maybe less, and my tezzy can pull 2800kg, so only working at half capacity too :eek: :lol

Unlike the auto versions, blocky :naughty

[Banshee]

Very true, my van is max weight of 1400kg maybe less, and my tezzy can pull 2800kg, so only working at half capacity too :eek: :lol

Unlike the auto versions, blocky :naughty

Don't start him, you know how upset he gets :lol :lol

[Blocky10]

Very true, my van is max weight of 1400kg maybe less, and my tezzy can pull 2800kg, so only working at half capacity too :eek: :lol

Unlike the auto versions, blocky :naughty

I too could have a tiny caravan :rolleyes: but I love my 2tn palace :lol

[terranosaurusdoug]

I too could have a tiny caravan :rolleyes: but I love my 2tn palace :lol

It's not the size that matters :lol

[Blocky10]

It's not the size that matters :lol

Effin is when your mother n law is holidaying with you :banghead

[Banshee]

Effin is when your mother n law is holidaying with you :banghead

JESUS!!!!!!!!!!! What are you up to on holiday with the mother in law :lol

[Blocky10]

JESUS!!!!!!!!!!! What are you up to on holiday with the mother in law :lol

Not my choice pal that's for sure. :hmh
I usually resort to other measures too numb the pain :beer::headphones::splif:

[terranosaurusdoug]

You must have the patience of a saint Ian, I don't what to say, I would be serving time by now :eek:

[PJD]

You must have the patience of a saint Ian, I don't what to say, I would be serving time by now :eek:
Mine in laws live with us...that's enough to test anyone's patience!!

[terranosaurusdoug]

Mine in laws live with us...that's enough to test anyone's patience!!

:eek: I like my time alone bud, i bet you struggle for that, i would go batty :doh

[Blocky10]

Mine in laws live with us...that's enough to test anyone's patience!!

I feel better now :augie

[rustic]

Re road rage, we have onboard cameras, and I must admit it has curbed my reaction to it.
What ever you do and say is recorded, :eek: so if I see something happen...:augie

Like "Look at this silly old chap, undertakes the traffic in lane 3 and pulls across and causes cars in lane 3 to brake hard, A bit of an idiot I would say, what what !"
"Car was a *** and reg No. ******* "

It makes you feel better, as you have the recorded footage, we don't do anything with it though, but I'm sure I would surrender it to the police, if said vehicle was involved in an incident.
Current trend we see is cars pulling open top trailers in lane 3 of 3 lane motorway at speeds in excess of 80 mph:doh
Also, lane 3 is often congested nose to tail with commercial vans and flat bed transit type vehicles doing in excess of 80 mph hardly a van length between them.
Also heading south on M40 in the early morning. eg 5:00 am are loads of sheds on the rear of transit flat beds lol.
We just trundle along in lane 1 with the safety of the hard shoulder should we need it, to get out of the way.
No fun travelling anywhere, too many people in a rush.
Quite funny to watch these idiots, they join the motorway and seem to do a pitstop start, ie floor it, get to the outside lane, brake hard, stay a few metres off the car in front, constantly braking, you observe this for many minutes as you trundle along in lane 1 they are making very little progress, over the same journey, they might save 10 minutes over you, if they make it at all.
They have probably used 50% more fuel than you, and get through sets of brake pads and tyres every 20k miles or less.

When will they ever learn? When will they ev---ver learn?

I feel a song coming on, I bet you were humming this too lol.
Uncle Rustic (yep can't sleep again, it's one of the side effects of my medication lol)

[perelaar]

I take one of the most congested highways in Belgium to work everyday, 4 lanes.
Very quickly realised the left lane is not the place to be when the jam starts ;)

[don simon]

Do those crazy Belgians still race up to you in the outside lane of the motorway and then sit inches off your tail in order to encourage you to move over?

[perelaar]

Some of them surely do. But as I've noticed, not when you are driving a muddy T2 with a towbar ;).

Also legislation changed, police crack down on traffic misbehaviour a lot more.

[don simon]

Some of them surely do. But as I've noticed, not when you are driving a muddy T2 with a towbar ;).

Also legislation changed, police crack down on traffic misbehaviour a lot more.
That's good, they were by far the worst drivers I came across. I lived and traveled daily on the A1 Spain, followed by the French who were almost as bad. The Brits were amusing in a not getting that flashing the headlamps mean I'm coming through and not "after you!" kind of way... :lol

[perelaar]

Even though I'm Belgian myself, I have to admit you are correct. There's talk now of improving the driving courses one has to take before the drivers license exam, let's hope that slowly solves the issue.

Two things stand out in this country: the enormous amount of people playing with their cellphone while driving, and the amount of accidents caused by aged drivers (who never had to do an exam... and there is no system to check someone is still capable of driving...).

An example, in French, but the video at the bottom is clear enough: 75y old driver not realising he is driving against traffic on the highway (http://www.lameuse.be/1614575/article/2016-07-03/la-video-de-l-effroyable-accident-sur-l-e42-a-saint-georges-dans-lequel-un-condu). 3 people killed.

[rustic]

Well we use the M42 and M40 again this morning, we left the house at 5am, the AA app was showing road works on the M42, and even diversions and blockages.
Normally the roadworks have to be completed by 6:00 am, but normally they are clear by the time we get through around 5:30 am, but the "big fat controller" as per "Thomas the Tank Engine" lol at the M42 decides to leave all the lane restriction signs left switched on, on the motorway, speed restrictions, forward indication that the motorway is closed further up...
If you panicked, you could leave the motorway at the first exit to try another route, whilst all the time the route was clear.:doh

This is not a one off, it happens virtually every time there is any work taking place overnight on that section, at 5:30 am ish, which is most times we travel.
Drivers totally ignore any speed restrictions, or any other road sign of impending doom, crying wolf, is going to cause an accident at some point.:eek:

[Banshee]

Re road rage, we have onboard cameras, and I must admit it has curbed my reaction to it.
What ever you do and say is recorded, :eek: so if I see something happen...:augie

Like "Look at this silly old chap, undertakes the traffic in lane 3 and pulls across and causes cars in lane 3 to brake hard, A bit of an idiot I would say, what what !"
"Car was a *** and reg No. ******* "



This is why I always have my dash cam on mute!!! :thumbs

[don simon]

Even though I'm Belgian myself, I have to admit you are correct. There's talk now of improving the driving courses one has to take before the drivers license exam, let's hope that slowly solves the issue.

Two things stand out in this country: the enormous amount of people playing with their cellphone while driving, and the amount of accidents caused by aged drivers (who never had to do an exam... and there is no system to check someone is still capable of driving...).

An example, in French, but the video at the bottom is clear enough: 75y old driver not realising he is driving against traffic on the highway (http://www.lameuse.be/1614575/article/2016-07-03/la-video-de-l-effroyable-accident-sur-l-e42-a-saint-georges-dans-lequel-un-condu). 3 people killed.
Free driving licences with Rice Krispies is something we're seeing less of in the UK as the drivers who had them are aging rapidly. That accident is just awful (as all of them are).
Unless it's changed there is no legal test or penalty if you don't wear the glasses that you're supposed to wear when driving in order to see things like the road, other cars, trees and people, etc.
This is where seeing the car as an innate right is simply wrong.
Be safe out there.

[terranosaurusdoug]

Free driving licences with Rice Krispies is something we're seeing less of in the UK as the drivers who had them are aging rapidly. That accident is just awful (as all of them are).
Unless it's changed there is no legal test or penalty if you don't wear the glasses that you're supposed to wear when driving in order to see things like the road, other cars, trees and people, etc.
This is where seeing the car as an innate right is simply wrong.
Be safe out there.

May be worth looking into, I wear contact lenses and I've always been told I have to have a pair of my prescription glasses in my car just incase, could be money making scheme by opticians though :lol

[Blocky10]

May be worth looking into, I wear contact lenses and I've always been told I have to have a pair of my prescription glasses in my car just incase, could be money making scheme by opticians though :lol

I've class 2 hgv and I wear glasses. My licence shows this with the code 01 against all entitlements. This means I have to wear them and also carry a second pair incase. Now I'm 45, cough cough, I have to have a medical every 5 years to keep hgv licence valid, which includes sight test. I've worn glasses since 94 and if it wasn't for deciding to get hgv it wouldn't be compulsory to have my eyesight tested! :nenau

[don simon]

May be worth looking into, I wear contact lenses and I've always been told I have to have a pair of my prescription glasses in my car just incase, could be money making scheme by opticians though :lol
There was a prog on the tellybox a good few years ago where the police set up some eye tests for drivers. It was quite alarming how many were supposed to have been wearing glasses but didn't and the police could do nothing.
I don't know whether this is still true or not.
I wear reading glasses.
Does this include reading signs? :confused: :p

[PJD]

:eek: I like my time alone bud, i bet you struggle for that, i would go batty :doh
They live in a separate part of the house in their own self contained bit luckily but it can get a bit annoying at times! I do have to remind them it's my name on the mortgage now and again :lol