Which vehicle makes your blood run cold?

Clever Pun

I'm never really sure why these thread exist, it's all naysaying generalising based on anicdotal evidence

the answer is big lorries they are so much bigger then cyclists the chances of not being seen are greater and people going down the left of them asking to die

Clever Pun

Coincidently and not really that related I've seen Addison Lee have stretched their business to buses and couriers as well (plus something else I can't remember)

I guess the bosses thought: "We've got a load of w@nker drivers what else can we do?"

il_principe

johnny2legs wrote:

+1 for any of those private hire mpv drivers. It's gotten to a point that whenever a car passes too close for comfort the first thing I look for is one of those purple stickers in the back window.

Surely there should be some sort of test for drivers to become cabbies. I know black cab drivers have to do a test and in general I find them to be quite good about leaving space when passing.

+1 million.

Fireblade96

Volvo XC90s.
Vehicle of choice of the Caversham Trophy Wife (CTW). Chosen to protect young Tarquin from any potential damage due the CTW's total inattention to anything other than herself and/or Tarquin. Too large for the CTW to park/turn, fortunately robust enough to shrug off the impacts that are thereby incurred.

il_principe

Also Greyhound coaches. They are new to the UK, I've come across them 3 times, nearly got killed once and the both the other times the driving has been f*cking awful, bullying, lack of awareness etc.

Cafewanda

SimonAH wrote:

For me it's the sound of drum n' bass or rap through a speaker system designed to put the (music) outside rather than inside the car coming up from behind me. Always indicates the mentality that wants to show off - and generally without the maturity, skills or mechanical integrity to be remotely safe when doing it.

How about reggae music instead of the drum 'n bass?. I used to drive my boyfriend's car (Ford 5 door) in the early 90s and the music system was far superior to my tinny one in my much loved red Mini. I wasn't showing off though, just enjoying riding in the sun. Funny how I can't stand people who blare their music that loud these days :oops: Am I less tolerant as I get older :shock: :oops:

Back on topic. Taxi drivers: both black taxis and Addison Lee types.

asprilla

The Easybus. The bright orange horseman of the appocolypse that winds it's way down LRR leaving a trail of destruction behind it..

mese13

Having seen a couple of cyclists under green Conway lorries within the past year, I have tarred all those dudes with the same brush, and always feel my guts churn whenever I see/hear one hurtling along - they always look kinda out of control

pastasauce

Generally .... Black cabs and their insistence on overtaking you regardless of whether they're going to have to stop 10 metres later.

lost_in_thought

Addison Lee cabs again! I think they should make their corporate branding bigger.

And then all other private hire cabs - I think it's LFGSS where they refer to the 'purple sticker of death'.

HGVs, I give them a wide berth, and generally behave extremely cautiously around them, but they're neither as quick nor as nimble as the minicab of doom, so can't really sneak up on you.

EKE_38BPM

bails87 wrote:

The biggest danger from 'normal' sized traffic is probably doddering old folk. At least WVM know what they're doing and where the edges of their vehicle are,

This.
Most of the time bad drivers know what they are doing and choose to make bad decisions (e.g. overtaking too close) but I'm much more worried by drivers who are oblivious to the outside world.

The two biggest culprits in this camp are coffin dodgers and women (especially with kids in the car, putting on make-up, on the phone, chatting to mates etc)

Old drivers just don't seem to know what is going on. I've nearly been mown down by a old bloke who just didn't make any adjustment for the roadworks going on. I was forced to leave a series of dents on his bonnet and wing to get his attention. Potentially lethal inattentiveness.
Many women just don't seem to have the act of driving the car at the top of their list of priorities whilst driving.

lost_in_thought

I think this deserves a poll...

Greg T

Clever Pun wrote:

I'm never really sure why these thread exist, it's all naysaying generalising based on anicdotal evidence

Clever Pun wrote:

I guess the bosses thought: "We've got a load of w@nker drivers what else can we do?"

Pot





Kettle



Lit's wants Poles:

cycladianpirate

lost_in_thought wrote:

I think this deserves a poll...

I didn't include a poll because I assumed that it had been done before. Category suggestions?

dhope

cycladianpirate wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

I think this deserves a poll...

I didn't include a poll because I assumed that it had been done before. Category suggestions?

I think/hope LiT was trolling

edhornby

(all sizes of) mercs... they all seem to refuse to brake or deviate from their intended course and barging people out of the way is de rigeur for them

audi's aren't all bad, some are some not

bendy buses, I'm really pro-public transport and the overwhelming majority of the bus drivers are spot on but the sheer size and the angles of sight for the driver just makes me wonder why they didn't persevere with double deckers

lost_in_thought

dhope wrote:

cycladianpirate wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

I think this deserves a poll...

I didn't include a poll because I assumed that it had been done before. Category suggestions?

I think/hope LiT was trolling

Actually I wasn't! I like polls... mmm data.... and poles, ofc.

I reckon:

Addison Lee/minicabs in general
White Vans
HGVs
4x4s/MPVs (not minicabs)
Buses
Performance Saloons (BMWs, Audis etc)

lost_in_thought

Greg T wrote:

Lit's wants Poles:

What's not to like?

EKE_38BPM

I hate bendy buses. I hate all buses.
Boris said he would take them off of the roads when he was seeking election and, fair play to him, they are being phased out. BUT, he had to back-track about them being more dangerous on the roads, the stats didn't back him up.

Bendies are just too long for London roads but have a larger capacity than double deckers, so when they are taken off of the roads, they will be replaced with a larger number of double deckers in order to provide the same service.

lost_in_thought

EKE, do you just hate everyone on the road that's not you?

clarkey cat

old folk - they always pull out of junctions right on front of me.
mums in 4X4s on the school run - awful people, especially around Alleyns School.
and riding behind a cement mixer is always a little unnerving.

sketchley

lost_in_thought wrote:

dhope wrote:

cycladianpirate wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

I think this deserves a poll...

I didn't include a poll because I assumed that it had been done before. Category suggestions?

I think/hope LiT was trolling

Actually I wasn't! I like polls... mmm data.... and poles, ofc.

I reckon:

Addison Lee/minicabs in general
White Vans
HGVs
4x4s/MPVs (not minicabs)
Buses
Performance Saloons (BMWs, Audis etc)

You forgot Pink Bikes

jds_1981

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I hate bendy buses. I hate all buses.
Boris said he would take them off of the roads when he was seeking election and, fair play to him, they are being phased out. BUT, he had to back-track about them being more dangerous on the roads, the stats didn't back him up.

Bendies are just too long for London roads but have a larger capacity than double deckers, so when they are taken off of the roads, they will be replaced with a larger number of double deckers in order to provide the same service.

Blooming bendy buses - at Angel they regularly come out of a side street and block both lanes until the lights change. They also seem to like sitting across pedestrian crossings while the lights are green for pedestrians.

coopster_the_1st

The second car that is overtaking me (normally BMW, Audi or Merc) after a car has waited behind me for a short period as this is the one that is likely to be making the fast, close overtake before pulling immediately in just in front of my front wheel.

Apart from that local taxi drivers. Usually the source of most of the closer overtakes...

phy2sll2

Foreign coaches going down the OKR.

sketchley

On a serious note, I was asked the same question by journalist at the Morpeth SCR thing last week. My answer was that there are idiots in or on every single from of transport so to single out one is wrong. I really don't think the proportion of idiot drivers actually changes from one type to vehical to another either. The maybe more idiot Black Cab driver in London than Idiot Skoda drivers but that only because there are more black cabs than Skodas.

bails87

People in the lowest spec, cheapest BMW or Audi possible are normally not too great. I'm thinking the 116d in particular. People who couldn't have previously afforded a BMW but now can so think they're much more important all of a sudden.

As for Merc drivers not deviating....I had a lift with erm.....my friend's boss. He drives an E class automatic. So it was just the left hand on the steering wheel, right arm leaning on the arm rest thing on the door, propping up his chin. He just drove towards people in the road, and they had to jump out of the way (blokes loading up the recyling trucks, people crossing the road just as the lights changed to green), he didn't seem to look over his shoulder, didn't indicate. Just moved one foot and one hand and drove at things.

tarquin_foxglove

For me it is anything pulling a trailer:

- You get that split second of clean air between vehicle & trailer, which I'm sure air pressure tries to move you into, and then the trailer comes thundering through.

- The person driving drives like they don't have a trailer and start to move back too soon

- The load on the trailer can be wider than the vehicle but no extra consideration is given.

jamesco

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I hate bendy buses. I hate all buses.
Boris said he would take them off of the roads when he was seeking election and, fair play to him, they are being phased out. BUT, he had to back-track about them being more dangerous on the roads, the stats didn't back him up.

So they're not more dangerous? As well as being more capacious, more efficient, quicker to get on and off and friendlier for people with mobility problems (and/or groceries). And already bought. Stupid decision to get rid of them for which other people will pay the price, IMHO. He should have to catch the 29 bus every day for the rest of his term.

EKE_38BPM

lost_in_thought wrote:

EKE, do you just hate everyone on the road that's not you?

Hate is a strong word. I'd be more comfortable with distrust and dislike.
I'm always prepared to be pleasantly surprised.