The demise of basic driving skils

[Pilgrim/uk]

Is it just me or is the driving ability in the UK just going from bad to none existent.
Total lack of lane control especially on roundabouts .
Lack of use of indicators especially on roundabout and lane changing .
None existent mirror signal manoeuvre (replaced with signal manoeuvre regardless of what is in the other lane)
Driving in your boot even tho there is dozens of cars in your lane in front of you
Driving in an outside lane at a slow constant speed even tho the inside lane is empty for miles on end
Driving nearly all the way round a roundabout in the left lane causing chaos
The list could go on and on I thought the test had been designed to improve skills as they changed it but they might as well give it out in crisp packets the way the majority of people drive

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[maddog1982]

Could not agree more. The driving standards where I live are truly shocking. 40 everywhere through a 30 and into a 60. Just 40 dead on. The road conditions could be absolutely perfect and it makes no difference either.

 

[Deleted member 35644]

The driving habits "other" countries has leaked into the UK...and the U.S. It's like anarchy on the roads around here. Complete disregard for lane markings, pulling out in front of people and then puttering along as if they have nowhere to be, uneducated on the general rules of intersections, driving around lost with no sense of direction, slamming on the brakes and cutting across 3 lanes of traffic to make a turn. All this translates to higher insurance premiums for us all. The U.S. is going to have to adopt a version of Germany's licensing procedures if this situation is to ever get any better.

 

[marks]

It's because everybody is so reliant on computers and cars are stuffed with unnecessary tech like lane assist, auto braking etc etc. The downside of technology is it makes people more stupid.
"Driving in an outside lane at a slow constant speed even tho the inside lane is empty for miles on end" - that really annoys me

One of the reasons I bought a Mustang is for it to be old school but it seems even the Mustang is going the way of gimmicky tech so the marketing team can sell to the gullible.

 

[GW65]

I think a lot of it is down to a lack of awareness, both of what's going on around them and also the impact their driving has on other road users. Many (most?) people think that they can drive because they passed their test and don't understand/care that all they learned was the basic mechanical process of controlling a car and a few basic rules...not the other 80% plus that's about observation, awareness, risk assessment, etc. Sadly, most of them just don't care. I don't think it's technology-related, and ironically it'll probably only improve when self-driving cars come along as they'll absolutely follow the rules!

 

[StangTime]

It's a global epidemic. Stupidity, laziness, and an inability to resist touching ones cell phone are running rampant.
Some people can't walk and chew gum at the same time, yet they get in a car and think they can text and drive simultaneously.

Mandatory driving training is the only thing that can help.
My parents sent me to Drivers Ed. Probably the best thing they ever enrolled me in.

 

[Kristian87]

Funny this thread should pop up, must have been in the past week I was getting real frustrated with people who seem to think the fact they indicated makes it ok to squeeze in to that small gap and cause everyone behind them to break. (Long stretch of 50mph on the M4). It's like "i'm coming in this lane whether you like it or not buddy boi, but i'm in the right because my indicator light flashed twice"

 

[Manders Mustang]

People treating give ways as "go without looking" is my current bane!

 

[W111BOB]

"Driving in an outside lane at a slow constant speed even tho the inside lane is empty for miles on end" - that really annoys me

MarkS ... we agree on something at least!

 

[Supersolo]

@Pilgrim/uk

Not just you.
I see that too.
Not using indicators, roundabout or elsewhere is deliberate. It keeps you in your place, guessing where the other car may head.
Mirrors are used for looking at oneself, apparently!
Tailgating, why doesn't that crap ever get old?
Oh, had that the other day, when I nearly speared into an idiot taking exit 3, in the left lane! It's becoming increasingly common, ime.
In my experience, these days, there are more people driving on U.K. roads, who haven't taken a U.K. driving test....

 

[Splash]

Could not agree more. The driving standards where I live are truly shocking. 40 everywhere through a 30 and into a 60. Just 40 dead on. The road conditions could be absolutely perfect and it makes no difference either.

This is what I call "Omni speed driving". No matter what the limit its 37, or Omni speed Plus" which is 45. Drives me mental. I don't expect anyone to speed, just do the speed limit.

I agree with this whole thread.

I saw a guy a couple of days ago in a Golf R attempt to over take a line of 6 cars in one go .... On a bend. He near caused a major pile up when a car appeared in the oncoming lane and he had to tuck, in causing 3 cars to brake so he could get back in intime.

 

[Count Drunkula]

I reckon you shouldn't be allowed to drive a car until you've spent at least 12 months on a motorcycle. Learn basic rules of the road and observation skills or die. Harsh but fair...

 

[jord79]

Any other situation that gives you the privilege of a position where you are responsible for others’ safety and, indeed, lives usually requires regular training and up to date certification - especially where the environment is constantly changing. Having regular driving tests might be a bit extreme, but asking drivers to attend regular training sessions perhaps even just for a couple of hours say every 3 years might just make certain rules such as lane discipline and how to join/leave a motorway properly sink in with those who didn’t take it in the first time they did the test. Sure, there’ll still be a large number of drivers who choose to ignore and break the rules, but there are those out there who just never learned them in the first place or have just forgotten. Those could be helped and we would all benefit.

 

[Tin O' Spam]

Have to say I agree with you. Things don't seem quite as bad further north from m experience, but down in the south east, everybody is always in a permanent rush. Nobody will give way to anybody, then the cars start the game of "my indicator is on so I'm entitled to come in". I can't even get out of my driveway most days if there's a small queue up the road, even if I'm setting off in the other direction. Calm down people, you're not losing your spot!I've seen my neighbours sit there for a good five minutes or so, eventually taking to slowly moving out into the road until someone lets them out. They've reported people taking to the pavement on the wrong side of the road to avoid letting someone out of their drive!

 

[Pilgrim/uk]

yep the im indicating therefore I have the right to squeeze in to that gap is getting so common and you watch people drive in the inside lane slowly catching a lorry and drive right up behind it then just indicate and pull round the lorry with ought even looking even tho they have had several minutes to blend into the other lane ,if I had a quid for every time I saw that It would pay for all the fuell I use in the mustang lol

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