Pet Hates

[Mo2013]

Some may make light of speeding but everyone knows the facts about the survival rate after being hit by a speeding car, depending on the speed and how long it takes to stop. Imagine a family whose child or other family member has been killed by someone driving too fast..... There are a lot of arrogant drivers out there who think they are brilliant drivers and nothing like that will ever happen to them, that they will never cause a terrible incident, but all it takes is that one time ......

[Kendhni]

Mo, as an ex biker I have been 'up the road' a few times .. sometimes my fault .. sometimes other peoples fault ... sometimes on the public roads ... sometimes on race tracks. I might someday give a full relating of the time I went up the road hanging on for dear life to the side car portion of racing bike approaching 80mph (the driver hadn't noticed I had been dragged off the back) ... the only thing protecting me was a pair of steel toe-cap boots and (very moist) leathers. I grew up on the North West 200 circuit and loved motor bike racing.

I actually think it would be a good idea for every driver to be forced to get a motorbike licence first before being allowed to get a car driving licence .. you learn to drive much more defensively. You are right that there is a certain arrogance and 'over' belief in ones own ability and it does annoy me at times seeing how some people drive these days ... but then I was no different when I was younger.

[oldbluefox]

The problem is it's not always the speed that kills; it can be a variety of factors, of which speed is obviously significant. Factors such as road conditions, driver experience, car design and maintenance, location etc all come to bear. Speed is always heralded as the cause of accidents because it is easy to prove. I feel that road design plays a major role and many accidents could be 'designed' out - at a cost.
We are also very lenient on pedestrians and kids on bikes. It amazes me that we need crossing wardens outside schools to see them safely across the roads but 20 minutes later the same children will be out on their bikes on busy main roads with absolutely no road skills or road sense whatsoever, or you see them crossing main roads, dodging through the moving traffic. You also witness the arrogance of some who will deliberately step in front of a moving car forcing it to swerve or stop sharply. Hit them and who gets the blame?

[tractor boy]

I take my hat off to you Sir, anyone who races bikes is a complete nutter, I did mad Sunday on the IOM and it frightened the cr** out of me, I dont know how fast I was going as I was too scared to take my eyes off the road, and this is someone who has ridden bikes from the age of 6. Mo, I agree, I think if I ever hit someone I would never drive again, I f you hit a pedstrian you are most likely in a 30/40 mph limit, so why is that just a small fine and points the same as if on a completley clear stretch of long flat motorway. the law is an ass.

[Mo2013]

The young do feel invincible and brave but can be reckless. My father loved motorbikes and later in life had a little robin reliant. He waited at a junction, looking left, right and left right again then set off. This young biker came out of nowhere. I totally blamed the lad on the bike because he must have been riding the bike at speed. My son rides a pushbike to work and a car driver nearly knocked him off it the other day. The awful thing was the driver just did not see him. Is that driver fit to be on the road? I don't think so. However, I do not like pushbikes being ridden on the footpath but it's undoubtedly safer than riding on the road because of careless drivers! I don't agree with cyclists not having lights or even a bell, sometimes they zoom up behind me when I'm walking and frighten the wits out of me. I don't like cyclists ignoring red lights either. Nowadays one has to drive defensively and try and anticipate what other drivers are going to do, instead of them driving properly with due care and attention. My brother in law loved motor bikes though he doesn't ride them anymore. He did one of the track things and has a photo to prove it, I think they're all mad. I remember one bike Dad had with a sidecar, blimey, I wouldn't get in one of those now !

[tractor boy]

OBF, also take into account the people who do the stats, If you crash into a beer lorry they will most likley put it down as an alcohol related accident. So 31 in a 30 is a speedin related accident

[Mo2013]

Don't know why people just don't stick to the speed limit.

[Dark Knight]

In towns the speed limit should be 20 mph no excuses and a hefty fine and a possible ban
out of town and on dual carrige ways and motorways the limit should be 80, same criteria

the roads are not designed for todays cars and the speed limits on motorways do not reflect the advancement in technology of cars and their ability to stop quicker and the improvements in overall car safety, the current limit was imposed when cars were much less safe and took much longer to stop

[Delboy]

Everybody should be driving with due care and attention, and at the same time trying to anticipate others drivers actions.

You can also do this at speed, providing you are doing it on roads designed for that speed.

I agree with DK cars are overall far much safer now, than they have ever been, unfortunately some drivers are not.

In general if I had to make a choice, I would feel much safer being driven by a younger, than an older person, just one reason faster reactions.

I also agree that the speed limits in towns and built up areas should be reduced, but increased on dual carriageways and motorways.

Nothing wrong with speed, providing you are doing it in the right place, personally I would rather drive on a motorway, than in a town centre.

[paultheeagle]

Speed does kill..

Hit a pedestrian at 20 mph..result.....badly hurt, bruised and maybe a pedestrian with the odd broken bone..but they survive

Hit a pedestrian at 30 mph...result...almost certain death.

Speed does kill.

You all need to slow down a bit.

[Delboy]

Speed does kill..

Hit a pedestrian at 20 mph..result.....badly hurt, bruised and maybe a pedestrian with the odd broken bone..but they survive

Hit a pedestrian at 30 mph...result...almost certain death.

Speed does kill.

You all need to slow down a bit.

You can be killed at any speed, if hit in the right place, even when reversing.

[Boris+]

Additionally it helps if people do not 'tailgate'.

Em

[Silver_Shiney]

Don't people know how to indicate at roundabouts any more?

[david63]

Don't people know how to indicate at roundabouts any more?

No

[Silver_Shiney]

Don't people know how to indicate at roundabouts any more?

No

C'mon David, keep it brief will you, we haven't got all day to read

[david63]

Just answering the question - there is really nothing more to add