Random motoring rant

[caz963]

What the hell is it with drivers and mini-roundabouts? They work the same as normal-sized roundabouts - they're just smaller!

In the 14 mile round trip to and from Tesco's this morning, I encountered no less than three idiots who clearly have no idea how to use them.

The first one not only drove over the top of the mini-roundabout when turning right at it, they cut the corner so severely, that they almost ended up hitting me as I was sitting waiting at the give-way lines. Another one just didn't bother checking whether there was any traffic coming from his right and drove straight across, completely oblivious of the fact that I had right of way and was already moving, and the third gave way to me, as he should have done, but obviously had no idea of what sort of speed I was doing (it was a tight turn so I was probably doing under 20mph) and shot out almost before I'd passed him, narrowly missing me.

(The other favourite idiocy is where someone who should have right of way just sits there waiting for something to happen - so rather than sit there all day, you have to move off before they do).

These are the times when I'm convinced that decent drivers must have some sort of a sixth sense. Incidents like this happen to me - and I'm sure to many people - every day, and I know that if it wasn't for the fact that at least I've got my wits about me, I'd have been involved in loads accidents by now,

Now, I'll readily admit I'm not someone who takes a great deal of notice of speed limits sometimes, and I don't always give the smoothest of rides to my passangers. I have no problem with the proposal to increase the speed limit on motorways. But ALL the problems I experienced today happened because people were driving too fast. Mini-roundabouts are just that - mini! And often, they're in truly stupid places; there's one I navigate regularly at a junction where the road actually narrows around the roundabout, so there's not much room for manouevre and to turn right, you almost have to be on a right-hand lock. But it's perfectly simple to do if you're doing the right speed.

Grrrrr...

Comments

[hooloovoo_42]

98% of questions that start with "why" or "what the hell" can be answered with the simple phrase "because people are stupid".

[cheesygirl.livejournal.com]

I sometimes wonder if I and my little Honda Civic are invisible, the number of times people pull out in front of me or try to merge into the space in my lane that my vehicle is already occupying. Don't get me started on the tailgaters and those who don't know how to use their turn signals. They are the daily bane of my existence.

I'm always super careful in parking lots because so many people speed there! My tiny car is usually parked between enormous trucks or SUVs (god, I hate driving in the US!) and so I'm blind when I start backing out of a spot. I have to inch out to keep from some idiot ripping off my back fender because they're in such a freaking hurry. You've got cars coming in and out of spaces, people walking to and from their cars, and you decide to go 40 mph anyway? Effing morons.

[sensiblecat.livejournal.com]

Are you anywhere near Colchester? I hear it's notorious for its strange mini-roundabouts, the main reason I've always left it to my DH to pick up my son from uni.

[caz963.livejournal.com]

Colchester is the nearest large town, so I go there reasonably often. Those double roundabouts aren't the easiest of things to navigate, but like the sort of roundabouts I'm moaning about, they're fine if you're doing an appropriate speed and are paying attention. I'm far from the best of drivers, and I tend to drive fast, but I can't begin to count the numbers of accidents I've managed to avoid simply because a little voice at the back of my mind warns me that someone else is going to do something stupid.

[topaz-eyes.livejournal.com]

Oh, I sympathize. TBH I'm always a little nervous with roundabouts because there aren't many where I live. There are 2 at the local college so I do use them occasionally.

Driving too fast is the #1 problem IMHO. Especially when the streets are icy (like today) and drivers insist on doing 50 kph when really one should drive at 30. Of course, they're in their huge 4-wheel drive trucks or SUVs so they think they rule the road.

[develish1]

there's one of those smack in the middle of our little town, and even though I don't drive the damn thing scares me. it's at the junction which connects the towns main road, to the access road to a our only supermarket , so the traffic there is pretty constant.

In order to actually get to that supermarket myself, I have to cross a zebra on my side of the mini roundabout, then cross the road to the actual store, which is one of those crossings with the little pedestrian island in the middle.

I swear, I take my life in my hands every time I shop, as half the time there's no indication which way any of the traffic approaching is even going to turn, let alone whether they'll give way as they should.