Mad Drivers - they drive me mad!

[WomenXtra]

Hi All,

I had a car incident 2 days ago - I was driving my own lane at 45 mph when the car infront of me hit her breaks. I had to do the same of course - and I ended having a whiplash. I also had my laptop at the back seat - so when I slammed the breaks, it slided downwards and hit my back seat. so it directly hit my lower back..

for the past 2 days I have been aching and suffering from neck pains + numbness in my toes.

why did it happen?

well! the car that decided to cut through the fast moving traffic was a private doctor's car.

I find it very frustrating that this doctor wanted to save someone's life on the expense of causing damage to other people on the way. it seems to me he didnt care who he hurt in the process.

 

[compuclean]

I hate bad drivers.

My car got hit by a bus - I wasn't in it, the car was parked at the time, and the bus driver did a bad job of maneovering. Idiot.

 

[alejandro]

i've was hit twice in the space of a year from behind and my neck is in constant pain even after three years

 

[WomenXtra]

buses these days are so careless..they even drive at very high speeds in very narrow roads... idiots!

i am looking into buying a neck support collar..so i can put it on when i have the pain..

 

[alejandro]

you need to have your neck stretched by a physio/chiro before wearing one.

one of my incidents was with a black cab...they are big machines!

 

[Cornish Steve]

Thankfully, we've had just one accident in the last 20 years. My wife was stopped at a quiet junction. The speed limit was 25mph. Out of nowhere, some guy, doing 60, slammed into the back of her. He had passed out at the wheel from being drunk (at 10am!). Our car was a complete write-off.

The day before, we'd bought a new car seat for our baby son. It turned out that it saved his life. The impact broke his car seat loose, but the strength of the new seat kept him safe. (He's now 18 and about to go to college!)

The driver was jailed for a few months and then put on probation. He was forced to pay us the insurance deductible (over two years) and wrote a very apologetic letter after that. While that's better than nothing, it didn't do anything to resolve the back and hip problems my wife has faced ever since.

 

[bikersbits]

going into the M1 the other day, this guy is reversing up the slip road....HELLLOOOO!!!

I'm actually a witness to an accident involving a very old man, who could hardly walk, got into his car, took off without looking, straight into a van.
He turned up at my house the other day, shouting that I didn't really see it properly.
The first thing he said was " young lady, do you know how long I've been driving??"
Exactly...that is the problem if you ask me...
Roberta

 

[Cratima]

In Romania we have no such things as "BAD" drivers. Since almost anyone is a bad driver, the concept of "Bad' drivers has disappeared. Everyone is doing it.

Putting joke aside, we do have very poor drivers.

 

[WomenXtra]

i really think people should be re-tested every 2-3 years. just to make sure they are following the driving rules.

those drivers who cross from lane to lane with no indicators are another hazzard on the road.. they should be banned!

 

[angelab]

If you need advice on road traffic accidents, I work for a law firm who specialise in this area and can provide you with my details if you would like advice! Just let me know.

 

I think one of the most serious problems we have in the UK is the driving test being such a joke that any idiot can pass it.

never having to drive in poor weather.

never going over 30mph.

a total disgrace considering what real driving conditions are.

Earl

 

[angelab]

Hi, just reading your entry, wondered if you got legal advice following your accident. I work for a law firm that specialises in road traffic accidents and personal injury. If you want to contact me for advice let me know and I will give you my contact details.

 

[ken_uk]

Bad drivers do my head in, there are a lot of people on the road who just should not be driving...

Most people seem to have forgotten what indicators are for, and many people think speeding is normal, and acceptable.

For you to get whiplash it sounds like you may have been driving to close to the car in front, as if you had a decent space between you and the car in front you should be able to stop safely at 45mph without getting whiplash...

ps I would get checked over by a doc, just to make sure there is no damage done...

 

[asonda]

The roads are dangerous. It's only the idiots that are making it that way. Speed limits are there for a reason and if you break them, you should be happy when you get fined for doing so, or causing serious injury.

To be honest, the driving test is pretty easy, a single Cell Paramecium would make an easy job of it these days.

I know a driving instructor who got rear-ended by a bloke who fell to sleep at the wheel due to being drunk, as he was asleep, when he ran into the back of the instructors car, he fell further down his seat and onto the accelerator pedal and pushed the instructors car further along!

Get yourself all checked out, hope everything works out in the end.

 

[phoog]

I watched the old guy nearly opposite take his engine to 8500 revs, reverse flat out up his drive, straight across the road, up next doors drive and into their nearly new merc ml.... he then drove across his lawn, (with bumper half hanging off) clipped his gate on the way out and disappeared off up the road...all with myself and 3 others standing open mouthed in my drive watching,

so, as this is a business forum, I recon someone should "do" car dash cams, that way you could video the nutter driving in front of you, upload to a dedicated site and shame them, along with providing a free online "worst driving" type tv program/website and making a few ££'s from the advertising on it,

 

[Stephen Berry]

I don't quite understand the problem - the car IN FRONT of you braked? - and if your braking caused you a problem you must have been driving too close to him. He would have had a claim against the car which swerved in front of him, had he hit him, but I don't see how you could blame him.

3 greatest causes of accidents - too close, too fast and insufficient attention.

One of the most enjoyable days driving I ever had was when the company I worked for sent all senior managers on a 'defensive driving' course. Run by the police, they said we were to drive as we normally would - and they wouldn't 'nick us' today - so we did. I recall doing my commentary saying "90mph, no danger" and thinking - 'there's a police woman sitting next to me and I've just admitted to doing 150% of the speed limit!'.

Their definition of an accident was '2 cars trying to occupy the same space at the same time' and their advice was 'rather than try to shout about who is to blame - ask 'what was I doing in that space in the first place?' - I have found that helpful (although for those shunted from the rear there is presumably not much you could have done).

As for the laptop - part of that course taught us to always assume the worst - even a mapbook left on the passenger seat was a potential cause of injury were we to end up spinning. I drive a Merc estate - and it has netting separating the rear compartment from the driving compartment. It means that in any crash, what is in the back stays in the back and I stay in the front without all my gear spilling onto my head / lap / neck. I think that should be standard issue on all non-saloon vehicles.

I'd recommend 'defensive driving' to anyone - although it was so long ago I now have no idea how to find such a course.

 

[Rhyl Lightworks]

3 greatest causes of accidents - too close, too fast and insufficient attention.

I'd recommend 'defensive driving' to anyone - although it was so long ago I now have no idea how to find such a course.

Agree entirely. Round here the most annoying drivers are taxi drivers, who seem to think they own the road, and stop anywhere to pick up or let down fares, not caring if they are blocking the road, when they could often park properly. On fast roads, most drivers drive too close, causing rear end shunts. On the M56 there are chevrons, and the recommended distance between cars is 2 chevrons. This is largely ignored.
Barrie

 

[vvaannmmaann]

The company car.

Thats not me btw!

 

[Grassman]

You should try riding a motorbike, everyone gets in my way.

 

[RayB]

3 greatest causes of accidents - too close, too fast and insufficient attention.

I was wondering who would mention this first - and I totally agree.

To the OP - if you went up the back of somebody or injured yourself through hard braking you were too close - so it was your fault

 

[rjhgt]

Do I detect another biker!!

I have to agree, so the car in front hit their brakes suddenly ??

If you were travelling at a safe distance surely you could have dealt with it in a more safely manner?

No excuse in my opinion, but I ride bikes for a living, and in my experience bikers do make better car drivers

 

To true a bike teaches you about road conditions, a modern car is so insulated from the road that most drivers don't have a clue what happens in an emergency.

How many times do you hear " The car went out of control " particularly with 4x 4 owing to there basic instability.

Every driver should be made to ride a bike for 6 months to learn survival tatics ,and appreciation of speed / different road surfaces .

as I have said before the driving test is for 5 year olds.

Earl

 

[Stephen Berry]

How many times do you hear " The car went out of control " particularly with 4x 4 owing to there basic instability.

I don't think you appreciate the nuances of 4 x 4 ownership ..... here's an extract from a certain Serengeti book - about competitive advantages in the motor industry (this extract is about the Range Rover) - and how to get to work if a mountain suddenly forms in Chelsea one night .....

" ........Does it have strong differential to other vehicles in the market? Absolutely – in terms of product features, product performance (mostly perceived rather than actual, but it is comforting to know that you could still get to the office if global tectonic movements generated a mountain in Chelsea one evening), and most certainly in terms of imputed image. A Range Rover stands for status, success, even opulence......"

 

" ........Does it have strong differential to other vehicles in the market? Absolutely – in terms of product features, product performance (mostly perceived rather than actual, but it is comforting to know that you could still get to the office if global tectonic movements generated a mountain in Chelsea one evening), and most certainly in terms of imputed image. A Range Rover stands for status, success, even opulence......"

being a simple soul Stephen,does that not translate to "bullsh*t that can go anywhere"

Earl

 

[ken_uk]

Does it have strong differential to other vehicles in the market? Absolutely – in terms of product features, product performance (mostly perceived rather than actual, but it is comforting to know that you could still get to the office if global tectonic movements generated a mountain in Chelsea one evening), and most certainly in terms of imputed image. A Range Rover stands for status, success, even opulence......

Translates to me as

1 The performance is mostly in the mind, ie made up, imagined, not real.
2 They are for people who like to show off with a nice car, look at me I have a nicer, bigger more powerful car than you so I must be succesful, have status and loads of money.


Its not like most people need a 4x4, for popping to the local supermarket, or dropping the kids of to school....

 

[Stephen Berry]

Earl & Ken - I think you are both right.
I am told that the Range Rover is an amazing vehicle - but the streets of Chelsea only allow it to yield poser-power rather than its real technical qualities.

BUT - in business strategy terms - it has carved out such a great niche, everyone has tried to follow ( 4x4's) yet it still rules the niche. I have to admire it no matter how appauling it is that I have to dodge them whilst walking my children to school.

 

having driven loads of land rovers and range rovers they are a great vehicle for doing what they are supposed to do,

but that certainly does not include being driven on the road.

One of the lads at the ski shop has a modified one which he uses for trudging up and down muddy mountains.

3rd pic down http://www.studdsey.fsnet.co.uk/buster.htm

wish he would wash it before he comes to work.

Earl

 

[PS Business Solutions]

Hi, just reading your entry, wondered if you got legal advice following your accident. I work for a law firm that specialises in road traffic accidents and personal injury. If you want to contact me for advice let me know and I will give you my contact details.

Yet another old thread resurrected so angelab can self promote!!!!!

 

[RayB]

Yet another old thread resurrected so angelab can self promote!!!!!

Darn I missed that!

I have noticed a spate of very old threads being bug up by a range of newbies this last few days - much more than normal?

 

[Annabelle]

Mad drivers are probably one of the reasons of most road accidents. Another are drunk and very young unexperienced drivers.
Quite weird that it happened with a doctor's car.:|

Remember that you can always make an accident claim uk.
I hope you are recovering now

 

[Annabelle]

Oh, that was almost a year ago - you'd probably got better now

 

[stugster]

Fire yerself into a small F1 clone car, and toot around a wet track with rear wheel drive at 80 miles an hour, 10cm off the road.

That'll show you how real driving is!

 

[stugster]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Doy_7sOoM

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Doy_7sOoM

Blimey you don't want a misfire there.