One of my many self imposed 'rules' is that if a driver does one thing that's 'not quite right', be prepared for more in a similar vein.
Taking an alternative route home, in order to avoid what looked like ANOTHER hold-up on the A14, I encountered this 'dawdler' in the right lane of the B1113, so it wasn't THAT much of a surprise when, despite there being no traffic in the left lane of the A14 for them to have to 'fit in with', they joined the A14 at less than 40mph! 🙄
Be careful out there :)
(and possibly a little more patient than me ;) )
In itself, another non-event but at the same time, an example of why hardly a day goes by without an 'incident' on what should be
East Anglia's safest roads, its network of dual carriageways.
Fundamental to joining a dual carriageway or motorway from a slip road is matching the speed of traffic already in the left lane, and that usually involves getting up to at least 60mph. This SHOULD be easy for modern cars but it can be more challenging for larger, slower vehicles.
I really sympathised with the driver of this lorry, who SHOULDN'T have had to brake on the slip road because the diver of the white Audi A1 ahead of them seemed incapable of 'getting on with it'.
I wasn't the least bit surprised when, despite it being surrounded by a solid white line, they encroached on the hatched area to try to get themselves a little extra space and held back until I was confident they weren't about to overtake the dawdling Audi before I 'made progress' (which of course they did, once I'd passed).
Be careful out there :) .
I'm beginning to wonder if I missed the memo where circular No Entry signs became 'advisory'.
Be legal out there :)
A case of selective blindness 🫣.
No Right Turn and No Entry mean exactly that - not drive a few yards further and pretend that just because you've not driven through one No Entry sign it'll be OK to 'sneak' through the second one because it's at an angle where you couldn't see it 🤔.
Be legal out there :)
Another non-event because I don't trust anyone to stay in their 'lane'.
Local knowledge at this roundabout combination is that if you want turn right at the second roundabout, life is easier if you're in the right lane at the first.
The Audi driver only saw fit to signal right AFTER they'd 'wandered' towards the roundabout's 'island'; leaving less than a car's width for anyone already in the right lane.*
Moving from left to right on a roundabout is rarely a good idea but at least the Focus estate driver did so where there was sufficient space.
Be carful out there :) .
*The dash cam's wide angle lens makes this appear further away than it actually was.
Any of you who've been following my posts for any time at all will know I'm an advocate of NOT using multi-lane roundabouts as overtaking opportunities and putting myself alongside other road users who may unexpectedly swerve into 'my' lane.
Having said that, I still AIM to make progress, and save my overtaking opportunities until AFTER I've exited the roundabout, when everyone SHOULD have sorted themselves out.
This driver lacked the confidence (or ability) to do much more than 45 mph on this stretch of dual carriageway ....... in the overtaking lane 😡. I must confess, I WAS tempted to 'undertake' but although I was 99% sure what they were doing and why, had they 'woken up' and moved out of the way of the car that was following them, things could have got 'messy' 🥺
Be careful (and patient) out there :)
The criteria for most of my posts are based on "would you do it on your driving test or in view of a marked Police car?" and hazard awareness, rather than near misses and other dramas.
It's been a while since I've experienced an issues 'worthy of note' on East Anglia's roads. Here's the first of two from my old stomping ground of Bury St Edmunds.
The proportion of 'my' clips involving motorcyclists is remarkably low - experienced riders are into self preservation :) . However, the vast majority involve riders with L plates on scooters and 125s, which leads me to wonder whether or not Compulsory Basic Training is fit for purpose 🤔.
This rider 'jumped the queue' by using the 'right only' lane to follow the road ahead (some motorcyclists may call that "filtering"), and seconds later overtook the lead motorised vehicle within the zig-zags at a pedestrian crossing.
These inexperienced and vulnerable road users seem to have less idea of what they're supposed to be doing than I had when I did my cycling proficiency, aged 9 🙄.
Be careful out there :)
If you're looking for drama, just scroll on by.
No one likes sitting in a queue at a busy roundabout, but that doesn't justify using the wrong (clearly marked) lane to 'get ahead'.
The white van's lack of signal made me suspect they WEREN'T intending to turn right and past experience has taught me not everyone goes left from the left lane here either, and I had no desire to make my car the filling in a sandwich.
Had I moved off at a similar pace to the van and remained alongside them, I might have lost more than a few seconds🤔.
At least they signalled ;)
Be careful out there :)
Well, I s'pose the wrong signal is better than no signal 🙄.
At least they gave me plenty of notice to expect them to slow down - just a good job I didn't treat their left signal as a potential overtaking opportunity 🤔.
Be careful out there :)
I haven't 'got it in' for cyclists but such vulnerable road users have to take at least SOME responsibility for their own safety - like stopping when they're facing a red light at a crossing.
My reaction to red and amber is to check both door mirrors for road users on two wheels passing either side, by which time I'm facing a green light and it SHOULD be safe to go.
I think it's reasonable to expect that when you're facing a green light, traffic crossing your route has been facing a red light since your light has been red and amber.
After his near miss, all this cyclist did was smile sheepishly.
Be careful out there :) .
How big and how many road signs do there have to be to get the message across?
Now I'll admit I'm one of first to grumble about unnecessary Road AHEAD Closed signs and if I have the time, I will continue past them because more often than not the road ISN'T actually closed.
However, with No Right Turn and No Entry signs, there is no doubt.
I suspect the driver who made this 'boo-boo' was on 'autopilot', because this road closure (which has been imposed as a result of people ignoring the official diversion signs for a bridge replacement that has taken FAR too long - allegedly, not helped by the contactor using the wrong materials to effect its replacement and having to start all over again 😡) has ONLY been in place since Monday.
At least they did stop and start to turn around once they'd realised the error of their ways - just a shame the signs weren't big and clear enough to discourage them from turning right in the first place 🤔.
Be careful out there :)
They used to be indecisive, now they're not so sure ;)
If you're looking for an exciting clip, scroll on by because this is another example of why I back off and make a point of avoiding putting myself alongside anyone else on roundabouts.
Something told me the driver of this Peugeot driver was going to be 'all over the place'. After positioning themselves correctly for their intended destination, they wandered across to the left lane, and then had a 'light bulb moment' that turning right from the left lane isn't such a good idea (at least they signalled this time).
Be careful out there :)
