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M5 closed after major accident

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Zoe

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Having just read through, clearly the driver of Zoe's car motorway incident should not be on the road!
At the end of the day though they passed a driving test and that's all you have to do to get on the road. The question here is should there be further testing?
 

jon0844

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Seems the testing failed in the first place, so further testing would just be a waste of time.

The driver obviously has no common sense, and is therefore a danger to themselves and others (I do hope you refuse to get in to their car now, as if you were in the passenger seat, you seemed in more danger than the driver) and should NOT have been awarded a licence at all.

A driver like this could easily be part of a chain of events that caused this accident, which I do firmly believe was a series of small things happening at once - not necessarily any one thing in isolation for the purpose of apportioning blame easily (e.g. speed or the fireworks display).
 

richw

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At the end of the day though they passed a driving test and that's all you have to do to get on the road. The question here is should there be further testing?

I did personally, As Cornwall council provided funding for new young drivers to do the Pass Plus scheme, which included motorway driving as a module. The council did it as a trial just after I passed my test so I thought why not. A senior driving instructor took me up to the M5 for the day, did some driving around Exeter to Bristol, took me into Bristol City Centre to experience the traffic, and then came back. I can say I've never had a accident, touch wood. Would this of been the case if I hadn't under gone that advanced training, I don't know.
 

Zoe

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The driver obviously has no common sense, and is therefore a danger to themselves and others (I do hope you refuse to get in to their car now, as if you were in the passenger seat, you seemed in more danger than the driver) and should NOT have been awarded a licence at all.
I went for a local journey around town with them once after but declined to go on the motorway with them again. The driver also won't go on any long journeys without a sat-nav, even though I had a map with me, they still insisted on using the sat-nav. You can get a lot worse than this driver though, they at least would not have turned left at a level crossing if the sat-nav told them to like one driver did. So how can the driving test be improved so that these people fail? You can't test on motorways.
 

jon0844

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I firmly believe in the Pass Plus scheme, especially with the lower insurance premiums that come with it, but I can't believe that someone not doing it would drive like explained.

The scenario is just the same for a dual carriageway, where people often hog lane 2 because a few junctions along (which could be a few miles or more) they're intending to turn right. If these are the same people who think that the speed limit is a limit, not a target, and they're comfortable doing 40mph when the limit is 70mph, they nearly always force other motorists to illegally undertake.
 

Minilad

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I firmly believe in the Pass Plus scheme, especially with the lower insurance premiums that come with it, but I can't believe that someone not doing it would drive like explained.

The scenario is just the same for a dual carriageway, where people often hog lane 2 because a few junctions along (which could be a few miles or more) they're intending to turn right. If these are the same people who think that the speed limit is a limit, not a target, and they're comfortable doing 40mph when the limit is 70mph, they nearly always force other motorists to illegally undertake.

Unfortunately not always true as my step son found out recently. He was looking into doing Pass Plus so entered his details into an insurance site twice. Once with, and once without, Pass Plus. There was no difference at all in the premiums quoted
 

Zoe

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At the end of the day though, how are you going to get people to improve their concentration on long journeys? Motorways are boring.
 

ralphchadkirk

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Pass Plus is an excellent thing, and if I have time I will do it. However, my uni course contains an advanced driving element so it's not a major problem!


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richw

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At the end of the day though, how are you going to get people to improve their concentration on long journeys? Motorways are boring.

Exactly why i discussed earlier that I'll use the A303, A38 etc rather than the motorways! I can concentrate no problems on A roads, but motorways I do get very tired quick and lose concentration!
 

Minilad

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Pass Plus maybe a good tool but there is no substitute for experience in my opinion. The trouble with these courses is they may give a newly qualified driver the belief they are better than they are
 

jon0844

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At the end of the day though, how are you going to get people to improve their concentration on long journeys? Motorways are boring.

They don't have to be. Unless the motorway is totally empty, you'll find yourself having to overtake at some point - so you've got the MSM process, then going back in, and doing the same thing again later on. Far from being annoying, it's keeping you alert.

If you feel genuinely tired, pull off at the next services or the next exit and find somewhere to stop and rest.

People who stick themselves in a single lane and switch off are obviously going to be bored, as well as being more dangerous and annoying to other motorists. You can see people who have switched off by how infrequently they check their mirrors (see how some can't even spot an emergency vehicle come up behind them!).
 

Zoe

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I think that sums up the attitude of a lot of motorway drivers.
We were overtaking another vehicle at the time though, there was no good reason for the vehicle in lane 2 to suddenly decide to match our speed.
 

starrymarkb

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We were overtaking another vehicle at the time though, there was no good reason for the vehicle in lane 2 to suddenly decide to match our speed.

if they are being a **** like that I just drop back and and abort the overtake, it's just not worth it.

Mind you I wouldn't even consider overtaking after the 1/2 mile sign unless I could be absolutly sure I could be back in time to exit
 

jon0844

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How could you overtake another vehicle with someone else deciding to speed up to match your speed - they'd have hit the car you were overtaking!

Seriously, give up on this. You are trying to blame both the driver of your car, and the other motorist. Which is it to be?!
 
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The thing is that there is a certain type of driver who seems very reluctant to venture into lane 3. I presume they have had bad experiences in the past.

They drive in lane 2 but speed up and slow down depending on the speed of the vehicle in front of them, which is very annoying if they are following a lorry or van that returns to lane 1 and you are about to overtake them in lane 3.

They will suddenly accelerate from around 55 to 75 or even 80 mph in lane 2 leaving you 'stranded' in lane 3 often with a line of cars behind wondering what is going on.

This country is full of drivers with very weird driving habits.
 

Zoe

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How could you overtake another vehicle with someone else deciding to speed up to match your speed - they'd have hit the car you were overtaking!

Seriously, give up on this. You are trying to blame both the driver of your car, and the other motorist. Which is it to be?!
No, when I said "another" I was referring to the fact that it was a vehicle other than our own, there was not a third vehicle involved in this incident. What I am saying is that there isn't a good reason for a vehicle that you are overtaking to suddenly match your speed.
 
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Kernowfem

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Unfortunately you sometimes get people like that, and it happens.
When it does, you should just move back in behind them.

Sadly the problems start if you get two pig headed drivers of the same mind. One objects to you over taking and speeds up. The over taking driver thinks "Im not having that" and he/she too speeds up, resulting in some sort of speed duel.

Some drivers will learn the hard way, some wont get a second chance to learn their lesson....
 

GearJammer

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Sadly the problems start if you get two pig headed drivers of the same mind. One objects to you over taking and speeds up. The over taking driver thinks "Im not having that" and he/she too speeds up, resulting in some sort of speed duel.

Some drivers will learn the hard way, some wont get a second chance to learn their lesson....

I quite often find car drivers driving in zombie mode and when i pull out and overtake them they wake up, some TRY to accelerate and undertake me but when they do i just put the left hand indicator on and start moving left, they have three choices, 1, get run off the road, 2, eat 30 odd wheel nuts or 3, back off...... they ALWAYS choose option 3 :D

Funnily enough they then usually overtake me (on the correct off side) and disapear into the distance!
 

Oswyntail

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I quite often find car drivers driving in zombie mode and when i pull out and overtake them they wake up, some TRY to accelerate and undertake me but when they do i just put the left hand indicator on and start moving left, they have three choices, 1, get run off the road, 2, eat 30 odd wheel nuts or 3, back off...... they ALWAYS choose option 3 :D

Funnily enough they then usually overtake me (on the correct off side) and disapear into the distance!
No wonder we all love truck drivers. What a crass post.
 
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I have no problem with the vast majority of HGV drivers, they seem to behave quite respectably IMO. I really dont mind if they take 2 miles to overtake each other, and slow other drivers down a bit because slowing down is what a lot of car drivers actually need.

If you are the sort of driver that gets stressed every time someone else delays your progress by a few seconds then my only advice is to use public transport, as you are obviously not a safe driver in that mental state; however much concentration you consider you are putting into it.
 

ralphchadkirk

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I quite often find car drivers driving in zombie mode and when i pull out and overtake them they wake up, some TRY to accelerate and undertake me but when they do i just put the left hand indicator on and start moving left, they have three choices, 1, get run off the road, 2, eat 30 odd wheel nuts or 3, back off...... they ALWAYS choose option 3 :D

Funnily enough they then usually overtake me (on the correct off side) and disapear into the distance!

I wonder where some people get the impression that some HGV drivers are just inconsiderate.


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Kernowfem

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I quite often find car drivers driving in zombie mode and when i pull out and overtake them they wake up, some TRY to accelerate and undertake me but when they do i just put the left hand indicator on and start moving left, they have three choices, 1, get run off the road, 2, eat 30 odd wheel nuts or 3, back off...... they ALWAYS choose option 3 :D

Funnily enough they then usually overtake me (on the correct off side) and disapear into the distance!

You know, i couldn't do your job. You must see some terrible things, including moronic drivers. I happen to like truckers, one helped me at the scene of my accident...we remain friends to this day.

I can appreciate your patience gets tested, but what if something was to go wrong while moving over left and the car ends up under your wheels? Thats a pretty big vehicle you have there and its capable of doing a great deal more damage than a normal car. Is one pillock under taking worth risking your lively-hood for??
 

GearJammer

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You know, i couldn't do your job. You must see some terrible things, including moronic drivers. I happen to like truckers, one helped me at the scene of my accident...we remain friends to this day.

I can appreciate your patience gets tested, but what if something was to go wrong while moving over left and the car ends up under your wheels? Thats a pretty big vehicle you have there and its capable of doing a great deal more damage than a normal car. Is one pillock under taking worth risking your lively-hood for??

Ah i see a lot of stupid stuff Kernow, sometimes i ignore it, sometimes i mutter things to myself, occasionally i might loose my temper, theres no fear of things going under my wheels tho, altho this is a company truck it is basically 'my truck' and i take a great deal of pride in it (its my home and office after all) ive spent £400 of my own money on bits for it, chrome wheel trims etc and ive no desire to see it get damaged, I don't ACTUALLY run people off the road, i just make them THINK im gonna run them off the road, i know how far i can go, i spend a LOT of time on the road, i know whats right, whats wrong, and what i can and can't get away with.

Trouble is people don't treat truckers with any respect (the recent accident on the M5 and peoples comments about truckers proves that) nor do they understand whats involved in driving one of these things, i treat other road users with the same respect they show me, and i think most other truckers hold a similar view.
 

ralphchadkirk

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I struggle to see how people can treat truckers with respect when they gleefully admit to driving in bullying manner and making drivers think they are going to be run off the road, purely because someone else isn't as good a driver as they are.


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