[Arglwydd Golau]

Originally Posted by Bungle73

Pedestrians aren't required to read the Highway Code. In fact I bet most people who don't drive have never read it.

Fair point - years since I looked at it, but I suppose that it is a guide to good/best practice?

[Ivo]

Is learning the Highway Code (or at least the basics of it) part of driving tests? If not, why not?

I know much of the Code isn't legally enforced, such as letting buses pull out or stopping at zebra crossings (as opposed to using bus lanes and not stopping on zebra crossings when a pedestrian is already on the crossing, both of which are I believe illegal), but one cannot deny its value in making the difference between safe/sensible drivers and everyone else?

[GB]

The learning of the highway code is required as without it you won't pass the theory test and you would have a hard time passing the practical. The problem is you are only asked 35 random questions and there is no requirement to continue reading it after you have passed.

[Gaztynan]

This should have been done a long time ago. As an lgv driver, i see many "near misses" daily. Trucks doing 40mph and cars doing 60mph doesn't work!

[LE Greys]

To go back to the speed limit issue, it makes a lot of sense in some ways, but is it enforceable without seeing cameras spring up all over the place? Can they monitor everywhere effectively? I don't drive (which is probably a good thing considering if there were no speed limits I'd regularly travel at over 100mph) but I've been a passenger with enough rural drivers to know that a lot of them think that the RAC Rally is all day, every day. Fenland drivers are very noteable for this, and considering the state of the roads there, they must keep suspension manufacturers very happy. I'm sure this limit will be treated with as much disdain as the 60 limit is by many rural drivers.

[Lampshade]

Originally Posted by GB

The learning of the highway code is required as without it you won't pass the theory test and you would have a hard time passing the practical. The problem is you are only asked 35 random questions and there is no requirement to continue reading it after you have passed.

Not really required, just use common sense. My dad bought me a highway code when I was 6, I passed my theory last year, 15 years was plenty of 'revision' time

[GearJammer]

Originally Posted by Gaztynan

This should have been done a long time ago. As an lgv driver, i see many "near misses" daily. Trucks doing 40mph and cars doing 60mph doesn't work!

It won't work whatever the speed limit, i came out of Spalding today on the new A16 towards Peterborough hit the limiter at 56mph (thats 16mph over the speed limit for an HGV) and cars were STILL trying to pull out in the face of oncoming traffic to overtake.... and some still made me look like i was going backwards.

What is needed as someone said is a little bit of patience.

[David]

Getting back to cyclists (yes, another change of subject ), but ....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18920294 - That's why you should not jump a red light.

[90019]

I nearly hit a cyclist with a bus on thursday evening.

It was at this junction. I was turning right, waiting on the lights to change. When they did change, I checked my mirrors before moving off, and I did notice a bike but he was in the middle of the left hand lane, so I thought nothing of it and carried on. When I checked the n/s mirror halfway round, there was no sign of him in it - and there shouldn't be if he's gone straight ahead.
When I looked back across as I was nearly level with the traffic island, there he was, about 2" away from the bumper.
If I hadn't braked and steered away, I would've knocked him off and possibly killed him.

What got me about the whole thing is that he seemed to be completely oblivious to what had happened, and just carried on (and cycled through the red light at the next junction).
It's not an isolated incident, either. That sort of thing at junctions is worryingly common, though not usuallly quite as bad.

It seems somewhat telling that all the buses are now starting to have signs put on the back of them (like this) telling cyclists not to pass on the left, and there are still plenty who completely ignore them.

[chris89]

Originally Posted by 90019

I nearly hit a cyclist with a bus on thursday evening.

It was at this junction. I was turning right, waiting on the lights to change. When they did change, I checked my mirrors before moving off, and I did notice a bike but he was in the middle of the left hand lane, so I thought nothing of it and carried on. When I checked the n/s mirror halfway round, there was no sign of him in it - and there shouldn't be if he's gone straight ahead.
When I looked back across as I was nearly level with the traffic island, there he was, about 2" away from the bumper.
If I hadn't braked and steered away, I would've knocked him off and possibly killed him.

What got me about the whole thing is that he seemed to be completely oblivious to what had happened, and just carried on (and cycled through the red light at the next junction).
It's not an isolated incident, either. That sort of thing at junctions is worryingly common, though not usuallly quite as bad.

It seems somewhat telling that all the buses are now starting to have signs put on the back of them (like this) telling cyclists not to pass on the left, and there are still plenty who completely ignore them.

Have seen that many times when on a bus or in a car behind one, always some form of Cyclists, Motorcyclist or Car Driver will try to go up the inside of a turning Bus, Coach or Lorry.

Sadly they think if they can cut a few seconds they will be fine.

Chris

[Rhydgaled]

Originally Posted by SS4

It's dangerous to the planet

Well said, although strictly speaking it is dangerous to life on the planet. The rock itself should be fine, but I think the most economical speed for driving a car at is 60mph. Permitting faster speeds than that, unless something is done to encourage a good mentality that drivers should treat the limit with*, is just going to increase greenhouse gas emmisions. Hence, I would say the standard speed limit** should be 60mph, with lower limits in built-up areas (as already is the case) and on single-track or esspecially twisty roads, for saftey reasons.

* If, rather than trying to drive at the limit, or in some cases as fast as they think they can get away with (80mph on a 70mph stretch for example), they took the limit as a hard-and-fast limit they MUST NEVER, EVER exceed then they might average 60-ish with a 70mph limit.
** For motorways, dual carriageways and wide, straightish, single carriageways.

[Stephen55a1960]

Originally Posted by chris89

Have seen that many times when on a bus or in a car behind one, always some form of Cyclists, Motorcyclist or Car Driver will try to go up the inside of a turning Bus, Coach or Lorry.

Sadly they think if they can cut a few seconds they will be fine.

Chris

Similarly, with roundabouts, my driving instructor had a thing about lorries,coaches and buses. His mantra was never go round a roundabout at the same speed as a bus. They have a longer wheelbase and are larger than you. Hang back and give them room to manoeuvre.

[LE Greys]

Originally Posted by Stephen55a1960

Similarly, with roundabouts, my driving instructor had a thing about lorries,coaches and buses. His mantra was never go round a roundabout at the same speed as a bus. They have a longer wheelbase and are larger than you. Hang back and give them room to manoeuvre.

You think that's bad. I heard a (maybe slightly doubtful) story about someone who moored a yacht on the inside of a bend near Cantley. They were woken up at high tide (about six in the morning) by the sound of their mast crashing down onto the cabin. A coaster was being towed up-river and the tow-rope naturally formed the straightest line between tug and coaster, right through the yacht's mast, and snapped it like a twig. I'm not sure how they explained it to the people they'd hired the yacht from.

Some people just don't listen to good advice.

[Stephen55a1960]

Originally Posted by LE Greys

You think that's bad. I heard a (maybe slightly doubtful) story about someone who moored a yacht on the inside of a bend near Cantley. They were woken up at high tide (about six in the morning) by the sound of their mast crashing down onto the cabin. A coaster was being towed up-river and the tow-rope naturally formed the straightest line between tug and coaster, right through the yacht's mast, and snapped it like a twig. I'm not sure how they explained it to the people they'd hired the yacht from.

Some people just don't listen to good advice.

Never thought it was bad advice. With the benefit of 22 years driving experience behind me, I think he was right.

[LE Greys]

Originally Posted by Stephen55a1960

Never thought it was bad advice. With the benefit of 22 years driving experience behind me, I think he was right.

That's the trouble with the internet, tone of voice doesn't come accross. Yes, he was absolutely right, I was just injecting a touch of hyperbole. What I really meant was, 'here is a situation that's even worse'. It was also miles off-topic, so apologies for that.