Advanced Driving Hub

Has anyone else noticed a sharp decline in the standard of driving/riding over the last few months? If so has anyone any idea why?
Almost on every trip now I witness dangerous driving. Amongst the most common are overtaking cyclists (particularly on blind bends) and pulling out from side turnings.

Ditto. Last week I had a cyclist pull out on me from
the right at a crossroads when I was turning left. Similarly with cars pulling out.
Watching drivers have no idea how to overtake cyclists or horses.
Pulling out to the center of a road junction to turn right but leaving the rear of the car obstructing the lane.
Approach speed to a roundabout too fast to give way.
Indicate and go even though its not their right of way.
These were on short trips over the last 5days.

What will it be like in another 6mths?

Yes, it was becoming obvious when lockdown started to ease.

I'm not driving at the moment, but had noticed that I had to concentrate on self-talk to work on getting back to how I feel I should be.

I have not noticed it. This morning I was definitely and deliberately cut up at a roundabout by a commercial vehicle - and to add insult to injury he turned into an entrance a few hundred yards on, so it was not as though he had any prospect of making better progress. I was driving a very small car emblazoned all over with 'Perrys Luton Courtesy Car' - I wondered whether the driver would have been more or less likely to cut me up if I was in a smarter car.

I am looking forward to a driving day tomorrow with a fellow driving enthusiast - we will have to look out for other peoples' driving standards as well as our own!

It was bad initially after lockdown eased, but it doesn't seem any worse since then. There do seem to be more cyclists around, but I haven't noticed their standards being any worse than before.

I do think the curse of “late indicating” is becoming endemic. My desire to plan is being frustrated by having to wait until others can be bothered to use their indicators. Sometimes I am just having my suspicions confirmed but at other times the signal is a revelation.

Today I believe I had one theory I had confirmed that drivers and bikers so often don't take into account traffic coming the other way and the effect that has on reducing stopping distance. I was following a car that was closing on a cyclist in front of him. B road just wide enough for two cars to pass. On the approach to a blind left hand bend I thought that the car in front had enough space just to overtake the cyclist before arriving at the limit point. The overtake was not on as it made no account of the closing speed of a car or cyclist that might be coming down the hill the other way. Sure enough the car overtook any way. Fortunately no one was coming the other way. Had there been it would have been a head on accident. Cars descend the hill at between 40-50mph and cyclist 35-40mph. Cars ascend at about 40mph.

jcochrane wrote:Today I believe I had one theory I had confirmed that drivers and bikers so often don't take into account traffic coming the other way and the effect that has on reducing stopping distance. I was following a car that was closing on a cyclist in front of him. B road just wide enough for two cars to pass. On the approach to a blind left hand bend I thought that the car in front had enough space just to overtake the cyclist before arriving at the limit point. The overtake was not on as it made no account of the closing speed of a car or cyclist that might be coming down the hill the other way. Sure enough the car overtook any way. Fortunately no one was coming the other way. Had there been it would have been a head on accident. Cars descend the hill at between 40-50mph and cyclist 35-40mph. Cars ascend at about 40mph.

And this (highlighted) is exactly what reinforces the problem. The majority of the time, drivers get away with these bad decisions. It worked that time, so next time they'll squeeze a bit more, perhaps take an overtake with 5mph less speed delta, or on a bend with slightly less vision. Each time they 'get away with it' it reinforces the false assumption that the overtake was 'on'. Until one day, when the HGV is coming the other way, they learn it wasn't on far too late.

jcochrane wrote:Has anyone else noticed a sharp decline in the standard of driving/riding over the last few months?

I've assumed lack of practice is the main reason.

Gareth wrote:

jcochrane wrote:Has anyone else noticed a sharp decline in the standard of driving/riding over the last few months?

I've assumed lack of practice is the main reason.

And being used to empty roads?

We had a VE day street party (actually individual 'picnics' in front gardens). I was, by then, so used to the lack of traffic that I walked out jn front of a cycle while taking pictures.