I went down to London this weekend. Drove down Saturday night from Manchester at about 7:30pm and had a lovely journey, with the cruise control set on about 74mph. It was a very relaxing drive, with almost no need to touch brake pedal or even accelerator, until I got to Luton for the contraflow. Then I came upon idiocy of the highest order, with people switching lanes, getting up your backside, speeding up and slowing down unnecessarily.
It was similar coming home on Sunday evening about the same time. However I also came across foreign truck drivers going well over the contraflow limit of 50mph and also driving in the outside lane for several miles. On going further north I discovered a Vectra driver with those blue tinted headlights that I cannot see in my rear view mirror and a combination of the window tint and attenuation of light from the bulbs meant that I almost swung in front of him on two occasions, simply because I didn't see him. I have never had that problem with other cars.
Today, I was following another car, not too closely, but close enough that there was not a huge amount of space to fit another car in. A BMW driver missed his junction and simply went right through the gap without indication causing all manner of screaching and squealling sounds from an Outback and several other cars near me.
Arrgh......
I've never had an accident.....but I seen thousands.................
|
|
i think alot of people think if they change lanes they wont get caught by the average speed cameras.very shortly iam told they are changing the contaflow, then youll see dangerous driving as they realise they cant come off at required exits
|
|
|
Up the M3 this morning and three lorries (only one foreign) travelling considerable distances straddling the hard shoulder/driving lane including one crossing the slip roads in the same way. Perhaps they thought they were 'nearly' on the M42 so should travel half way onto the hard shoulder? ;~)
Travelled from Fleet Services to beyond Junction 3 at no more than 15mph as a lorry had broken down up the sliproad at that junction - not ON the M3 - added nearly an hour to our journey.
Returned in the early afternoon and a large motor boat had fallen off its trailer on the Fleet services sliproad - again the whole motorway southbound almost to a stop.
Yes, I do understand that those wishing to use junction 3 would have to go on to jt 2 and perhaps come back on the other carriageway to get where they want to be, and those hoping for coffee/comfort/petrol would need to go to Winchester services - but to virtually close the three lanes seems extreme....
Silly me, I thought driving meant one coped with the unexpected without panic/overreaction...
|
Travelled from Fleet Services to beyond Junction 3 at no more than 15mph as a lorry had broken down up the sliproad at that junction
Ah, so THAT'S what it was. J4a to J3 took me 45 minutes at 8:00 this morning.
The M3 seems to have got considerably worse in the past couple of months, and I'm sure it's not my imagination. I'm also wondering why there are still lane restrictions and a 50 mph limit between 2 and 3 Southbound when I cannot remember last seeing anyone working there, and the communications upgrades that prompted them seem to have been finished ages ago. It's like they've been forgotten about. Either that, or the SPECS cameras patrolling them are coining it in, and they don't want to ruin a good thing! ;-)
I often come from J1 and the queue to get into these restrictions can add 30 minutes to my journey. I really don't see why they're there.
Cheers
DP
--
04 Grand Scenic 1.9 dCi Dynamique
00 Mondeo 1.8TD LX
Edited by DP on 12/11/2007 at 23:15
|
DP, if you do the stretch between jt2 and 1 northbound, be VARY wary of crossing from middle lane into inside lane or vice versa. There is a large track, where the lines should be, missing a layer of tarmac - my tyres got stuck for a while so badly the auto 4 wheel drive cut in! Felt a bit hairy for a minute there.
Teach me to move back into the inside lane after overtaking .....
|
|
|
|
Today I was following another car not too closely but close enough that there was not a huge amount of space to fit another car in. A BMW driver missed his junction and simply went right through the gap without indication causing all manner of screaching and squealling sounds from an Outback and several other cars near me. Arrgh......
Note to self: if I continue posting in the backroom must change my car asap from the current BMW so that I can join in this diatribe that many seem to follow.
Edited by rogue-trooper on 12/11/2007 at 21:59
|
|
Why do you think I've bought a Skoda !
|
|
so you can post sanctimoniously having, if I am correct in thinking, recently been a BMW driver :)
|
Note to rogue-trooper. I have owned and driven BMWs and can afford to own and drive them now (yes - new & expensive ones), but choose not to. I was simply advising on the make of car that more than cut me up to day. If it had been a Merc or Skoda I would have complained equally.
I suspect that BMW drivers lurcking in the Back Room have a better driving record than those that don't, so don't beat yourself up about owning a car most people would love to own but hate themselves for doing so.
Edited by Espada III {P} on 12/11/2007 at 22:55
|
Well I enjoyed all 25 years of ownership of various BMWs. I had a magic "last" drive home the other night in my old car. Life brings along its milestones, chopping it was just that a milestone. I like my new car and the difference in perception it brings. Hey I won't be wearing a tie tomorrow !
Just looked at the price for a "filler piece" to fill in the gap between back seats and the parcel shelf....er....£15.00 quid....15.00 quid !
|
What kind of car has a gap between its back seats and the parcel shelf? (Or am I missing something here?)
Are you sure you made the right decision, PU?
|
|
Yeah. The rear seats slide backwards and forwards. Its a quirk !!
|
Pardon my ignorance.
I must say I would not want to drive a BMW. I'm sure BMWs are excellent cars and the driving experience is probably great.
I just couldn't put up with the image.
|
If you didn't worry about what other people think of you then you would have a fab driving experience, trust me. :-)
I'm sure lots of people thought negatively about my last BMW, but I really don't care, it was worth it!
Blue
|
|
Funnily enough, I was driving near Luton in my BMW the other night when a bunch of other cars got in my way as I attempted to take the exit. How dare they; I mean, I even indicated afterwards.
|
|
I once drove a BMW - don't see what people see in them!
|
|
