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Dangerous Driving!


Joonya

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I think everyone should have to re-sit their test every 5 years. I think we all pick up bad habits when driving.

That's the very suggestion being made in a topic in a motorcycle magazine I'm currently reading. The article focuses on all the distractions that are available to all road users today, not just car drivers. Things like Sat Navs, Music systems and, yes, even DVD players and mobile phones. All these things take the attention of driver off the road so he/she can fiddle with, in many cases, needless gadgets. Unfortunately no government would introduce any such tests as it would cost them votes and besides that it would cost them too much money to organise and implement.

The general standard of driving in the UK is awful. You only have watch by the roadside for a few minutes and observe all the antics. Many are on the phone, there undertaking, tailgating, folk being forced to brake hard and a general lack of respect for other road users and pedestrians.

I would also wager that there are millions of 'qualified' drivers out there who haven't even got a copy of the latest version of the Highway Code. The HC is the road users rule book and isn't just there for you whilst you learn to drive and it certainly shouldn't be thrown away once you pass your test.

There are millions of idiots out there, so, when you are driving your vehicle or riding your motorbike you must treat everyone as a potential idiot / killer and look after yourself. If you are being tailgated or you can see nutters in your rear view mirror, pull over or slow down and let them past. Its better to have the nutter in front of you where you can see him/her than watching your rear all the time.

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How do you find women-free roads?

Jam packed with testosterone and a crash fest. Doesn't help either that a lot of Saudis also drive in full arab gear (Thobe and Ghutra). Try sitting in the car with a scarf draped over the top of your head and think about your peripheral vision and the likelihood of glimpsing something in the wing mirrors, which is irrelevant to them, because you are behind them. All that is important is overtaking the car in front.

The Aramco compounds, which are enormous and multinational are a separate entity, with their own security force and women are allowed to drive within the compound. (The one near me is about the size of Inverness.) Problem with Arab women driving on that compound is if the wear a full abaya (head to toe) they look at everything through a black veil which cannot be helpful for part time drivers.

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Think about it -

Less drivers + no bad drivers (ie - 95% of women) = crashless society.

And that would also knock old women drivers out too (the worst of them all).

Haha!! I don't think women are bad drivers, I just think you assume that it is a women in the car. For example, the amount of times my husband says whilst driving ' that stupid woman' and it's a man that is driving, then he denies it!

I also think that old drivers in general are a pain, not just old women drivers!

I'll side with you MrsICTFC - my wife is an excellent driver but don't tell her I said that!

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Only last week that a lorry overtook me when i was about to turn right. Luckily i had looked in the mirrir and seen him coming. Fecking Baille Brothers.

and also cars that seems both lanes of the roundabout means straight ahead. Had to do an emergency stop on the roundabout haha.

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What annoys me most are those drivers who crawl along at some ridiculously low speed and never pull into a lay by to let others past. Unlike the nutters who briefly irritate and are then away, these folk can hold a whole queue of folk up for miles on end and delay people from getting to their final destination by several minutes. When you are working or have an appointment this can fair raise the stress levels. It also means you use the engine less fuel efficiently and therefore costs us. Finally, as this topic is on dangerous driving, it is indirectly dangerous. Inevitably someone is going to try to overtake several cars when they see the person immediately behind is not taking opportunities and this can lead to dangerous situations either because of oncoming traffic or because someone else goes to overtake and does not look to see if they are being overtaken themselves.

If people wish to drive slowly to enjoy the scenery or because they are not very confident drivers then I don't have a problem with that. There are several elderly folk I know who are less confident than they used to be but for whom the car is a lifeline. However, whilst I don't object to them driving at a speed which they are comfortable with, they should be required to observe a bit of courtesy to fellow road users. Pulling into a layby every few miles will not delay their journey but would make a big difference for the rest of us.

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and also cars that seems both lanes of the roundabout means straight ahead. Had to do an emergency stop on the roundabout haha.

You do get roundabouts that allow both lanes to go straight ahead.

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The Inshes roundabout winds me up! Can anyone actually tell me when I come from the Hospital exit and want to go between Matalan and the Police station what lane do I use?

I'd say R.H lane Mrs ICTFC....

These lanes are very badly drawn on that roundabout. Entering from Tesco, and exiting on to Old Perth Rd, can be an absolute nightmare.... you need eyes in the back of your head for that manoevre.

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The Inshes roundabout winds me up! Can anyone actually tell me when I come from the Hospital exit and want to go between Matalan and the Police station what lane do I use?

I'd say R.H lane Mrs ICTFC....

These lanes are very badly drawn on that roundabout. Entering from Tesco, and exiting on to Old Perth Rd, can be an absolute nightmare.... you need eyes in the back of your head for that manoevre.

Yeah that roundabout is a nightmare!

What also p!sses me off is the amount of people that will park in the drop off/pick up only layby and then go in for their shopping at supermarkets.

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The Inshes roundabout winds me up! Can anyone actually tell me when I come from the Hospital exit and want to go between Matalan and the Police station what lane do I use?

I'd say R.H lane Mrs ICTFC....

These lanes are very badly drawn on that roundabout. Entering from Tesco, and exiting on to Old Perth Rd, can be an absolute nightmare.... you need eyes in the back of your head for that manoevre.

Left lane for that one although many drivers use the right! There are advance signs before the roundabout to show what lane to use, have a close look next time.

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The Inshes roundabout winds me up! Can anyone actually tell me when I come from the Hospital exit and want to go between Matalan and the Police station what lane do I use?

I'd say R.H lane Mrs ICTFC....

These lanes are very badly drawn on that roundabout. Entering from Tesco, and exiting on to Old Perth Rd, can be an absolute nightmare.... you need eyes in the back of your head for that manoevre.

Left lane for that one although many drivers use the right! There are advance signs before the roundabout to show what lane to use, have a close look next time.

If we are talking entering from Raigmore direction on Old Perth Rd and exiting along St Walter Scott Drive in between Tesco and the police station then I would have to agree with Johnboy on this, you are turning right so you would be in the right hand lane. Left lane is for turning left or straight on. I am going to look at this sign you mention tomorrow and will apologise if you are right but I can't see it being as you say.

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See if you look at the exits the one on the left next to the bingo only goes left. The one in the middle of the road appears to only head to Culloden which then means the one on the right leaves you with 3 exits, one to sir walter scott drive, one to Drakies and one back to old perth road. However, if you use that lane it means you go from the middle of the roundabout and then back to the outside in a matter of seconds, it means that you cross over two lanes!

I wish I had a overview picture of that roundabout that I could take to the council and tell them to work that place out!

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Best way to approach Inshes, or any other roundabout, is when you get to the head of the queue, (lane choice not important) rev your car up to about 6000rpm, then when you see a gap, drop the clutch and head for your exit road.

This method works very well with a turbo-charged 2.5 Mondeo.... I take road safety very seriously... in factI call it survival!

:lol:

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General rule for any roundabout is left lane to turn left or straight ahead. Right lane to go more than half way round. Exceptions to this are where two or three lanes lead into the roundabout. There should be signage and road markings that direct you into the right lane. Those markings may be white lines or they may be studs in the road. The majority of problems on roundabouts are caused by people not knowing where they are going, people trying to gain an inch or people who just cant steer round one. Easier to cut straight across and hope for the best.

I drive a lot in towns and cities and it never ceases to amaze me the number of people who are sign blind. They just dont look at them. Trucks that attempt low bridges cos the driver never seen the signs. Accidents on level crossings cos the driver never seen the signs. Accidents at pedestrian crossings cos the driver never seen the signs. I've even seen a vehicle mow through a line of cones in a contrafllow cos the driver never seen the two mile of signs warning about it.

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It helps if you take a couple of drams to calm yer nerves first.

By the way, don't try this at home children.

About 5 years ago the govt, RAC and Motor Insurance governing body, Chamber of Auto Insurers, conducted a study of vehicle accidents. Working with some car manufacturers they secretly fitted several thousand cars with microphones to see what people said immediately prior to having an accident.

Of course it was almost always "Oh f*ck!" or "Oh, sh"t no!"

Funnily enough in the Highlands 24% of the accidents were preceded with a variation on "Here, hold this bottle of Jack Daniels and watch this...!"

But I digress...

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When Latvia got money they all seemed to buy Machines( motor cars) and the accident rate is horrendous, they dont bother about lanes, just cut you up!

After a day at work driving home 8 kms sober, I get stopped at least once on a small journey, head comes into the window, drink, he asks?? *eck me Iv'e been flying for 9 hours all I want to do is get home, he checks my airport pass and realization.. Pilota... go please.

Mrs L has had bad experiences on the main airport road, both times after work, she was backended by taxis, ( the same firm) The owner of the phoned and suggested that after her flight she could phone and she could get driven home free, cutting his losses

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I understand that part CaleyD it is actully when you are on the roundabout because when you go onto it you the lanes pull you off in diff directions and I thought the general rule was that you don't cross over unless there is the broken squares? Because although you see broken squares on that part further round there isn't any.

Edited by MrsICTFC
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When oh when oh when are young drivers going to learn that cars cannot go round corners fast. I hear in the news today that two young lives have been lost in Inverness as a result of lack of appreciation for what a car can and can't do. This accident happened on Island Bank Road where, reportedly, the vehicle failed to negotiate a tight bend and slammed into a lampost killing one male and one female teenager.

All you youngsters out there learn that there is a limit to how fast a vehicle will go round a bend. Too many have lost life in the last year or two in the north of Scotland by not understanding that one fact.

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You can change lanes anywhere, including roundabouts, so long as you don't cross a solid line and so long as it is safe to do so.

With that roundabout the additional lanes that "appear" actual form from the roundabout so moving to the right to get the correct lane is perfectly safe and correct. There's no other way for them to do it.

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When oh when oh when are young drivers going to learn that cars cannot go round corners fast. I hear in the news today that two young lives have been lost in Inverness as a result of lack of appreciation for what a car can and can't do. This accident happened on Island Bank Road where, reportedly, the vehicle failed to negotiate a tight bend and slammed into a lampost killing one male and one female teenager.

All you youngsters out there learn that there is a limit to how fast a vehicle will go round a bend. Too many have lost life in the last year or two in the north of Scotland by not understanding that one fact.

How tragic x

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The Inshes roundabout winds me up! Can anyone actually tell me when I come from the Hospital exit and want to go between Matalan and the Police station what lane do I use?

I'd say R.H lane Mrs ICTFC....

These lanes are very badly drawn on that roundabout. Entering from Tesco, and exiting on to Old Perth Rd, can be an absolute nightmare.... you need eyes in the back of your head for that manoevre.

Left lane for that one although many drivers use the right! There are advance signs before the roundabout to show what lane to use, have a close look next time.

If we are talking entering from Raigmore direction on Old Perth Rd and exiting along St Walter Scott Drive in between Tesco and the police station then I would have to agree with Johnboy on this, you are turning right so you would be in the right hand lane. Left lane is for turning left or straight on. I am going to look at this sign you mention tomorrow and will apologise if you are right but I can't see it being as you say.

Thats right from Raigmore hospital to Sir Walter Scott Drive, the left lane is from Tesco to Old Perth Road, but do have a look for the signs they are there although small!

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