Driving standards have definitely dropped!!!
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
What is the matter with driving these days?
I don’t know if it’s the same all over the world but I’ve noticed that the standard of driving has dropped through the floor over the last few years. Cyclists aren’t much better. In fact as there are quite a number of horse owners around here I would say they have a better grasp of the Highway Code than any other road user including pedestrians.
It seems that the popular habit amongst car drivers is to wait until they are two feet away from a junction and then indicate they are turning or more than likely they don’t signal at all. The classic is to signal right and then turn left!!! It really is about time all of us drivers has a ten or fifteen year re-test to make sure we are all up to speed in the current regulations and correct some of the bad habits we have adopted over the years. Airline pilots are, I believe, tested every year to make sure they are still capable to fly so why not do the same with road users. It’s not the cars and larger vehicles that cause the majority of accidents it’s the drivers either being distracted by mobile phones or scrambling to change a CD or a tape.
In the UK most drivers drive on the left. There are exceptions:-) but when joining with a major road lane they have this distorted impression that they have right of way and can just charge into the lane of traffic passing that particular junction. Weird.
Cyclists are worse than driving cars.
As far as cyclists are concerned I don’t think they still run cycling proficiency tests anymore in schools as they did when I was there. They have absolutely no idea of road-craft. They think that the traffic lights are not intended for them or they take to the pavement to avoid stopping. At night less than ten percent in my area have any lights on or the other night I saw one cyclist holding his mobile phone in front of him to act as a front light. They seem to have lost the art of hand signals and expect all other road users to get the subliminal message and know instinctively they are turning.
I wasn’t aware that in the Highway Code that drivers have to give way to pedestrians if they are in the road, I always run them over:-) I give way to them on crossings as long as they are standing on the edge and not just launching themselves at it from a distance when you don’t have any idea they are coming. Deep joy. Avoiding the drunk one’s is another matter altogether. I wonder if the same law applies.
As they say guns and cars are not responsible for accidents it’s the drivers and users that need taking in hand and re test the drivers periodically. If I’ve got into bad habits I would be happy to be required to go through another test. I haven’t been so since I passed back in 1975. Not caused any accidents but seen loads. That’s my whinge for today and I’m feeling a lot better. Thanks for listening. Happy Driving.
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