Hesitant drivers - a call for a retest every 10 years!

[waynne]

These really wind me up and are a complete nightmare. They are a danger to themselves and all that they encounter. The typical profile goes something like this:-

• They will not pull out onto a main road if they can see another car coming. (The road has to be completely empty for them!)
  They will start to pull out and then stop halfway causing an obstruction or overhanging part of the main road.
  They will see you coming on the main road, wait, and then pull out in front of you. Rather than picking up speed they will dribble along at a really slow pace with a long line of cars behind them.
  At night they will slow to a crawl if there is an oncoming car. Then when the road is clear and you have an opportunity to overtake they pull out into the center of the road!
  On roundabouts they will start to pull away then stop dead and will frequently have other drivers going into the back of them. (I know the other drivers are at fault but some blame must be shared by the hesistant driver who stopped for no apparent reason!)

Joining the motorway the hesitant driver will park at the end of the slip lane because he hasn't taken an opportunity to pull out and wait for a long gap in the traffic.
I accept that we all make mistakes and will not admit to being perfect. On a daily commute you often encounter the same cars and when they consistantly do the same things you really start to wonder.

I wish that all drivers were retested every 5-10 years and this will help to keep driving standards focussed in peoples minds. We all pick up bad habits but I'm sure we would all be a little more studious if we knew that we were going to have to face a retest every few years.

This test will also get a lot of old (incapable) drivers off the road. It is a hard thing to give up your licence, but when you face a danger to yourself and all those around you it is time to concede that it is time to hang up your driving gloves and hat and take the Bus instead.

[pgarner]

Originally Posted by waynne

These really wind me up and are a complete nightmare. They are a danger to themselves and all that they encounter. The typical profile goes something like this:-

• On roundabouts they will start to pull away then stop dead and will frequently have other drivers going into the back of them. (I know the other drivers are at fault but some blame must be shared by the hesistant driver who stopped for no apparent reason!)

.

if you brake for no appaernt reason and the person behind runs into you it could easily be classed as knock for knock providing you have a witness to say that there was no reason for s/he to have stopped

also can be included if your sitting behind someone and they slam the brakes on for no real reason (mostly old people classing you as tailgating with plenty of space) it could be classed as danagours driving

i agree with the idea of retests every 10 years. but more relaxed than than your 1st one as you say we all pick up bad habits through time its when your picking up dangourous habits that you should be told to give it up



ps never seen anybody stop at the end of the slip road before does that happen a lot down with you

[Alphawolff]

People who fail to build enough speed before joining a dual-carriageway nationals/motorway (in cars that are perfectly capable of doing so) and then maintaining a steady 40-50mph are a very dangerous hazard.

Drivers who have no clue how to use roundabouts are just as dangerous imho.

Again I'm not perfect and would never try to suggest that I am. Sadly there are more and more 'drivers' incapable of reading the road ahead and maintaining correct control of their vehicle. The original driving lessons/test should be reviewed and made more appropriate for modern day driving and yes a re-test every 10 years should be compulsory. I'm a Police officer and I'm re-tested every 4 years, this has the effect of preventing bad habits forming and making me re-focus on my driving skills. A test every 10 years is not unrealistic and in fact quite leniant!

Sad fact of the matter is that if this was introduced the government would only see it as further opportunity to fleece the every-day motorist for even more money and would probably charge far too much for the re-test fees!

ho hum! (and yes I know I havent contributed to the forums very much but this is one topic I do actually feel quite strongly about!)

*rant over*

[waynne]

3 posts - and 3 rants! I see we have touched a nerve here! I just had to get this off my chest and I'm glad it's not just me.

The slip road thing I see at least once a week down here. Its usually an older car with an old driver but I have seen other types of driver do this.

Having worked in an insurance office I've never seen a knock for knock where the driver in front braked for no apparent reason. The insurers take the line that the following driver should keep a proper lookout and maintain a suitable stopping distance. Its the same with speeding drivers - speed is not viewed as negligence as far as insurance claims go from what i've seen.

[StevieDB9]

hear, hear to everything above

when i was learning i was told that i must be doing at least 50 in a 60 zone otherwise id fail. its so bloody irritating when some old fart pulls right out infront of you then proceeds at 40mph. and then when you reach a 30 zone they keep doin 40! arrgghhhhh!!!!!

and the other one that annoys me, when your on some belter bit of road with some nice fast open bends that you can see that no one else is coming but your stuck behind some old git in their merc that tip toes around the bends and when you get to a straight they acclerate so as you cant overtake them.

[pgarner]

in my case its a rant ohh yes

as a young male driver who works in a factory and drives a high insurance group car, i am classed as very high risk. i admit, like the rest of you, admit to being not perfect but when you see old idiots doing very dangerous maneuvers it really makes you wonder why they are classed as competent drivers. experience doesnt necessary mean that you are good. for example ,although i completely refuse to drink drive even 1, if i went out and had a couple of bottles or a pint chances are my reactions are probably still faster than that of an 80 year who is stone cold sober.

another example was on a notorious black spot the A75 (gretna - stranraer road) last year a elderly gentleman was stopped by the police for doing 20mph with smoke streaming out from under the bonnet. he came out with the car had started to smoke so he desided to slow right down so he could see better, bearing in mind that the 75 is a mix of single and duel carriageway which most driver will travel at 70 for most of it. thankfully he was banned for X years and told to resit an extended test.

i would like to say that it is not only the old young drivers can be just as bad. tuesday i took the wife into work driving back i got stuck in a queue of traffic behind a wag and drag (lorries with 2 trailers ). there was the wag 2 vans me and 3 cars behind coming up a hill into a 30 a young boy decided to pass the lot pulling in after passing the wagon which by this time was passing the summit of the hill which is blind with a sharp blind 90o left hand corner

2 questions

• 1. why do idiots get to pass their test ? only to get to jump into mummy and daddys car and act like idiots
  
  2. why weren't older generation tested during the war many gain a driving license without sitting a test. most do not know how to use a roundabout. i had one in the wrong lane turning right just about ran into the side of me . the only reason that he didnt was i slammed the brakes and horn on, what happened next the finger came out of his window

what is the deal in america do they not have to do resits every couple of years

think rants full over now

[waynne]

Yesterday a car waited for me and then pulled out causing me to slow up. Then someone did the same thing to them further up the road and he blasted his horn at the guy. Talk about Pot calling the Kettle black! It was a moment.

[Prince]

I agree with the re-test thing..but to be re-tested in a different way...for example taking into account the habits that drivers pick up. The problem is that tests would need to be cheaper (or free...but that won't happen).