We're not all 25 years old

turbopete

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talking white lines, I can never fathom out why on bends/blind dips etc where its patently obvious to 99% of drivers that overtaking would not be the best of manoeuvres, there are broken white lines, I know there are various rules regarding double whites but surely a single solid line or somesuch would reduce accidents considerably

they would be ignored by around 95% (in my area) of motorcyclists anyhow, as are the double white lines, so councils etc may as well save a few quid on paint and leave the ones on hills etc as dashes!;);)
 

Benzworx

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Had that this morning. I had a guy in a Passat pull out on me causing a rather sudden application of brakes. He then proceeded to tool along at 40 (in a 60) and as there was a faint whiff of fog turn on his fog lights. A quick flash of the lights and he turned off the fog light only to turn it back on again 30 seconds later (bear in mind there was so little fog I could see cars over a 1/4 mile away perfectly clearly).
After a few minutes decided the best bet was to pass which was duly accomplished with a kickdown and roar of V8, comfortably completing the overtake with no drama and plenty of room.
For my troubles this numpty flashed his lights and put high beams on for the next 10 seconds of so.
Now I'm not intolerant of others but really... fog lights are way too over used and are a danger when used incorrectly. And pulling out on a car and then not accelerating to a reasonable speed?




You should live where i live the numptys round here put there fog lights on because they have a blown headlamp bulb eeeer sorry but that is a nick !
 

LostKiwi

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You should live where i live the numptys round here put there fog lights on because they have a blown headlamp bulb eeeer sorry but that is a nick !

Get them here too.
 

Ken_R

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talking white lines, I can never fathom out why on bends/blind dips etc where its patently obvious to 99% of drivers that overtaking would not be the best of manoeuvres, there are broken white lines, I know there are various rules regarding double whites but surely a single solid line or somesuch would reduce accidents considerably

I can understand where you are coming from but, statistically, would the number of accidents on the roads to which you refer justify such?

Speaking as a motor cyclist (former) there are three conditions that you always want to avoid. Paint, manhole covers, and gravel. I have been in an overtaking position. Double (central) white lines with broken relative to my direction. Solid to opposing traffic. Which has then led into a left hand bend.

In the wet, leading into the left hand bend, the front tyre just didn't want to 'climb' the solid white line.:Oops: It ended up being 'take a bit more road and attack the paint line upright'.

As for, "patently obvious to 99% of drivers that overtaking would not be the best of manoeuvres", might I suggest that you are forming that opinion purely as a car driver. A motor cyclist, as well as being more 'nimble' also has an 'elevated' view of the conditions/surroundings.

Anecdotal tale. Driving an artic and being 'first in line' at red traffic lights. Traffic lights are on a central refuge and I can see the build up of accumalated gravel on the approach.

I'm not fully up to 'the line' (as it makes it easier to see the lights) and I can see this motor cyclist coming up the outside at about 15-20mph. Not a Performance bike. Just a 'commuter' type vehicle. In my mind, he's hoping to get to the front and get away first. I've got no problems with that. HGV drivers and Motor Cyclists co-exist in an environment where we seldom come into conflict.

He's ahead of me, but still in the gravelled area. The lights change to green and I 'lurch' the vehicle forward. A loaded artic doesn't exactly accelerate at a 'rapid rate of knots'. Although 'bobtail' most would outdo many sports cars up to about 20mph. But that is for a different discussion.

He panics. Although there is still ample space. He applies the front brake. The bike 'goes down'. He lands on his feet. I pass, smiling sweetly at a very embarrassed road user.:D
 

Frontstep

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talking white lines, I can never fathom out why on bends/blind dips etc where its patently obvious to 99% of drivers that overtaking would not be the best of manoeuvres, there are broken white lines, I know there are various rules regarding double whites but surely a single solid line or somesuch would reduce accidents considerably

Aren't most road markings and signs for idiots ?

I know where the middle of the road is and know to stop at junctions etc

I don't think oh there's a blind bend must overtake.

I have also never considered parking across peoples drives but now we need a "box" to tell you not to be so stupid.
 

EmilysDad

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ML350
.....
I have also never considered parking across peoples drives but now we need a "box" to tell you not to be so stupid.

It seems though that stupid people are out there. Last years someone did exactly that at my Dad's house, he bit his lip all evening & that night, but the following day needed to go to work (78yr old undertaker :eek:) A phone call to Plod actually saw them turn out, then call a local garage who came & lifted said car ...... it seems to have focussed the mind of someone because it's not happened since. ;)
 

yorkshire1

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Aren't most road markings and signs for idiots ?

I know where the middle of the road is and know to stop at junctions etc

I don't think oh there's a blind bend must overtake.

I have also never considered parking across peoples drives but now we need a "box" to tell you not to be so stupid.

just making a suggestion ,why have double whites at all then? in the main Im talking open roads not built up areas, plenty occasions round us you,re in a line of say 3/4 cars and some character with x-ray vision passes everyone into a blind bend,and you just cringe, our eastern european cousins are masters of the trade 5 up aswell, bit of a mess when they get it wrong

plenty of numpties about that,d say well officer it was ok there were broken lines, so I could overtake
 

Ben Longden

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Both pics you've posted show lanes 1 and 2 clear yet you're sat in lane 3. The guy in the second pic looks like hes just passed you on the inside. Maybe hes upset that you've not moved over which might be a better solution than slowing further, dabbing your brakes or pulling the AK out??

50m down the road, as can be seen clearly in the photos is a blue sign indicating to select lanes now if you want to head to the city on the freeway, or turn left for the Maroondah Highway or sharp left for Dandenong

Its at this point on the three lane road, you need to be in the correct lane for whatever direction you need to be in... you have a choice of three. If you dont change now, its another 5km for a turnaround.



FFS, why am I bothering to justify my actions to you?
Or were you driving the 4WD?
 

Looking

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talking white lines, I can never fathom out why on bends/blind dips etc where its patently obvious to 99% of drivers that overtaking would not be the best of manoeuvres, there are broken white lines, I know there are various rules regarding double whites but surely a single solid line or somesuch would reduce accidents considerably

The thing is,you do nothing without making sure its safe before you do it and bends are no different.

The broken white lines going into a bend are longer than the ones before it.Longer white lines denote theres a hazard so them that can read the road know and treat it as such leaving no need for solid lines.

If I had my way id retest all drivers on a volentry basis and go further,id grade them.Low grades and no shows would be hammered on insurance.
That would benefit in 2 ways,the crap drivers would have it in black and white,and there would be real insentive to do something about it.
Folk will spend 1000's on cars but rarely spend a few quid learning to drive them and it shows on the roads.

Many drivers nowadays struggle to drive in a straight line without using the brakes like they are doing morse code, never mind know how to properly negotiate a bend, any amount of lines isn't going to change that.

Ps
There are just 2 rules for double white lines.

Don't cross them.
Allowed to cross to pass a vehicle slower than 15 mph.
 

Ben Longden

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One thing I discovered recentrly is driver vision... not making a joke about them being blind... but, almost.

When i was taught to drive, I was taught to look at ALL of the road and the environs.. from the horizon to the roadside close to the car.

I got a lift with a friend a couple of years ago, and he was all over the road - on a straight highway.

I asked him if he was okay (Known him for years) and he said he was just looking at the bit of road 40m in front of him... he was looking for potholes.

I suggested looking up at the roadway to the roads horizon, scan the road for hazards including potholes and plan the next few moves.

He improved.


My flying instructor once told me to have my brain five minutes ahead of the aircraft.
The same applies with driving.
 

d215yq

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1987 W124 300D 280k miles
If I had my way id retest all drivers on a volentry basis and go further,id grade them.Low grades and no shows would be hammered on insurance.

I'd go further and make every insurance policy have a minimum of 2k excess including for the third party claim. Get the idea into people's heads that if they crash they are going to end up massively out of pocket and they might make more of an effort, and if they don't atleast they will pay a greater percentage of their mistakes and so, in theory, reduce the cost of insurance for everyone else
 

Frontstep

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Many people don't think they will crash or die someone else does that.

Generally they are right, hardly a day goes by without someone passing me texting, applying make up,reading maps, eating drinking you name it and despite hammering down the road in their dustbins, engines screaming and with zero maintenance they mostly get there.

The roads aren't as littered as you would think they should be with crashed motors.
 

Philedge

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50m down the road, as can be seen clearly in the photos is a blue sign indicating to select lanes now if you want to head to the city on the freeway, or turn left for the Maroondah Highway or sharp left for Dandenong

Its at this point on the three lane road, you need to be in the correct lane for whatever direction you need to be in... you have a choice of three. If you dont change now, its another 5km for a turnaround.

FFS, why am I bothering to justify my actions to you?
Or were you driving the 4WD?

You dont have to justify your actions and nor do you need to start effin and blinding. In your post you said you wished you knew how to deal with tailgaters and I offered a possible solution. If you dont agree with it thats fine and you can seek an explanation elsewhere.

BTW the sign 50m ahead of your second picture appears to show both lanes 2+3 going the same direction so my suggestion to move to lane 2 and let the tailgater past still stands.
 

geraldrobins

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I'd go further and make every insurance policy have a minimum of 2k excess including for the third party claim. Get the idea into people's heads that if they crash they are going to end up massively out of pocket and they might make more of an effort, and if they don't atleast they will pay a greater percentage of their mistakes and so, in theory, reduce the cost of insurance for everyone else

Don't you think we are all capable of making mistakes?
Personally I don't see much bad driving but sometimes a little impatience.
On the whole most people are pretty considerate.
And based on your idea presumably you factor in the highest excess on your own insurance, to reduce the premium.
 
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d215yq

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Don't you think we are all capable of making mistakes?
Personally I don't see much bad driving but sometimes a little impatience.
On the whole most people are pretty considerate.
And based on your idea presumably you factor in the highest excess on your own insurance, to reduce the premium.

Of course, but 2k doesn't sound reasonable to pay for such a mistake. I have only ever had 3rd party policies so I would always lose my car if I had crashed. I would be happy to reduce the premium further by adding an excess to the non 3rd party bit
 
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ajlsl600

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road behaviour

road behaviour has become MUCH worse in the last decade ,white van man and drivers from outside the uk seem to be the main culprits ,many times i have had white van man come tearing by and then practicaly force his way left into the lane i am in ,in order to make the off ramp at the last moment . also truck drivers from other countries coming onto a roundabout in front of me instead of waiting until after i pass because they cant/wont wait . i am lucky to have a fairly powerful car and i rarely exceed any speed limit. clean license for 35 yr. the down side is that every arse in his boy racer wants to climb up my tail , a tiresome and dangerous habit incidently in my part of the uk keeping to motorway "legal" speeds will have one see buses pass one at a rate that makes one check the cruise has not diss-engaged .. "power is nothing without control"
 

merccl500

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I drive 60-65 often and never get flashed...maybe you're doing something else (eg lane hogging?)

I agree though a lot of people are inconsiderate on the roads though!
 

Ben Longden

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I'd go further and make every insurance policy have a minimum of 2k excess including for the third party claim. Get the idea into people's heads that if they crash they are going to end up massively out of pocket and they might make more of an effort, and if they don't atleast they will pay a greater percentage of their mistakes and so, in theory, reduce the cost of insurance for everyone else

Or triple the insurance premiums and quadruple the excess unless they provide a certificate showing they had passed a biannual driving test, and had no speeding or drink drive offences in the past two years.
 

LostKiwi

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Or triple the insurance premiums and quadruple the excess unless they provide a certificate showing they had passed a biannual driving test, and had no speeding or drink drive offences in the past two years.

All that does is make more people not bother with insurance....
 


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