every single last one of us does, without exception.....and for the pious brigade spluttering into their green tea..... how about:
- 31mph in a 30mph limit... or...
- failing to get into the correct lane EVERY time (driving without reasonable consideration
for other road users)
- middle lane owners club (as above)
- fiddling with the radio and not noticing a pedestrian (driving without due care)
- yapping in the car to the extent you're not concentrating properly (as above)
etc,etc
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Is going through a traffic light on red acceptable, do you think?
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"Is going through a traffic light on red acceptable, do you think?"
Totally depends on the light. The one I regularly go through serves no rational purpose whatsoever other than to give priority to the cycle lane now and again.
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Is going through a traffic light on red acceptable do you think?
Only when the light shouldn't be there or should be turned off (e.g. in a place where there are wide views of the junction and its approaches, and no or practically no traffic, like a suburban crossroads at 4a.m.).
Otherwise of course it isn't FT. But we all know that you in particular probably do it all the time.
:o}
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"But we all know that you in particular probably do it all the time."
Lud - How do we all know that ? I certainly don't !
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I'm doing my best to tease FT in a kind sort of way.
Of course it's possible he really does drive through red lights all the time and only seems to be a quite law-abiding person. If that is the case I have miscalculated and may have to apologise to him. One doesn't want to be a tattletale or whistle blower unless the offences are very grave.
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straw poll around the office:
speeding 5
using mobile 3
driving one handed 5
eating 2
lane hogging 2
excessive acceleration 1
loud annoying music 1
me? - none at all I'm a perfect driver of course... :)
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OK I admit to parking in the parent and child space (under fives only) at Tesco's this morning with an 8 year old.
Had I been Clarkson, no doubt I would have been portrayed as a baby eating monster ........ but then I don't make a living from ranting about the perceived failings of other people.
Edited by Round The Bend on 14/03/2008 at 17:19
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A guy who found a fairy-godmother as the judge on the day of the trial: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/72968...m
88 in a 30 on one occasion, and apparently caught on 65 occasions on one camera. Misled the licensing authorities re ownership. Still has a licence.
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I imagine that,
Speeding a lot, not wearing seatbelt, using phone with headphones, straightening roundabouts when safe, unloading partly over unused footpath and having a coffee with the charming receptionist, can't think of any more at the mo, but i havent driven my car today so ask again next week. Driving one handed? Is there another way?
Don't worry i'll wear my hair shirt all weekend and say umpteen penances.
Edited by gordonbennet on 14/03/2008 at 19:23
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Lit a cigarette, and disposed of the dog-end out of the window afterwards.
"Made Progress".
Parked on a double yellow.
Engaged in a vicious display of verbal road rage at the radio during the Jeremy Vine Show, and thumped the button to turn it off.
Edited by Robin Reliant on 14/03/2008 at 19:32
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Averaged over 300 miles per day this week. Have of course driven legally, courteously and otherwise without motoring sin at all times. Also ate "five a day", didn't smoke in or out of the car, took appropriate two hourly rest breaks and didn't ogle any women.
Strange growing pains in nasal regions remain inexplicable.
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Yes, the laws are made and enforced for the wrong reasons these days,
every day I stick to the old pre-new Labour speed limits, so 70mph on the Ring Road instead of 40 - 50. I undertake the bloody-minded Labour supporters who move straight over to the outside lane to form a rolling road block. I go through red delay-gates on every journey ever since they introduced the phantom phases and crimson cascades "to punish the motorist" and "made to wait and look at the tram system to engender a sense of guilt". I also drive in the bus-lane when it is outside it's hours of operation, if 99% of people think this is a crime, is it, after all, social rules are supposed to be the foundation of legal rule!
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 14/03/2008 at 21:48
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>>every single last one of us does, without exception.....and for the pious brigade spluttering into their green tea.....
Wrong. Not a single motoring offence committed today.
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Car in for a service is it?
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Same as John F.
Pavement riding is normally a red line issue for me but today I left the car at MK rather than Northampton and there's a 150 metre shortcut where cycling is not permitted. While ignoring the restriction I carefully avoided passing within 6 feet of two pedestrians.
Also exceeded 70mph on the A5 MK bypass and 60 on the section further north.
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Late this evening, coming along north of Regent's Park and past Lord's, yuck St John's Wood, worst driving of fat expensive motors in London and that's saying something, not at its best either... ended up following an immense fat black Mercedes Range Rover thing with a towbar, waddling hesitantly along at an average of 12 mph it felt like, impossible to pass of course in a place like Hamilton Terrace.
We approached a green light. The screaming carphound went slower and slower and actually had the damn - I don't have a word for it - to stop while the light was still green! Despite the thing's best effort to block the whole carriageway, it was just possible to slip by on the inside accelerating hard in second and take the left, which I wanted to do. By the time I was through the light it was red, and even I believe that what I did had a small element of risk to it (I could tell you some stories make your hair stand on end).
Call me a slob, call me a psychopath: I know I'm not. I don't even feel very ashamed, not as far as you are concerned anyway. It's a private matter.
Oh, I forgot. I've been through Shepherd's Bush today so my technical offence count may well be approaching double digits. Pretty restrained and competent by local standards though.
Of course my shameless parking on a double yellow in a narrow street was officially sanctioned. Not bad, the Royal Borough, in some ways.
Edited by Lud on 14/03/2008 at 22:45
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Got to add a couple of new ones to the lists.
Parked on a single yellow then left the engine running whilst I got out and posted a letter, took
all of ten seconds but I commited 'Quitting'.
I suggest we move this thread onto some of the rare, cruel and unusual stuff.
Taxi drivers.....no food for the horse....
Dangling legs to the offside of a horse and cart....
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Laws broken - plenty
Risks to others and self - none I can recall, but who can say for sure?
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Bless me comrades; for I have sinned too....
Exceeding a 30 limit - 7 counts.
Answering the phone whilst driving - 1 count.
Parking in a disabled bay without displaying a blue badge - 2 counts.
Driving with defective eyesight; [forgetting the glasses] - 1 count.
Driving a vehicle without a valid MOT [exp. last Oct] - 1 count.
And that was just nipping 2 miles down to the chippy and Co-op this evening. I make Jack the Ripper look like a saint sometimes.
Edited by Screwloose on 15/03/2008 at 00:38
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i went right by a keep left sign because a van had parked at the left side blocking my way....fair cop guv
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Yep, did something like that near Heathrow yesterday. Was passing a stationary (and left-signalling, at a bus stop) bus, which abruptly moved off as I was fully alongside, thus filling the gap that I'd been aiming to use between it and a small traffic island. Rather than perform a sudden stop on the wrong side of the road, I accelerated round the island, passing to the right of the keep left arrow.
Driving in the western fringes of London - as I do rather a lot now that I work in a London borough that appears to consist mainly of broken glass and discarded fag packets - is a peculiar experience. In particular, every time I go through an amber light and think I cut that one a bit close, I look in the mirror and see that the two cars behind me have come through as well.
There's a roundabout on my way home at which turning right from the left-hand lane appears to be some kind of local custom. I saw someone go right round the outside of a fully-marked police car the other day without any reaction from the officers inside. Perhaps whoever it was had received the freedom of the city of Uxbridge, who knows?
Edited by WillDeBeest on 15/03/2008 at 22:35
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