[RoShambolt]

This morning on the way to Bisley on the M3 I saw something that left me speechless.

A guy in a silver Clio was in the middle lane, stopped, with the bonnet up looking at the engine, a girl left in his passenger seat. All while lorries and cars passed them either side at motorway speeds. WTF is wrong with people.

[TouringPleb]

Almost as bad.. in thick freezing fog on the A1 people in cars with no lights on or just daylight running lights. Several grey SUV type cars passed me and within a few metres I couldn't see them.

Then there's the idiots who think if they put their fog lights on it gives them some kind of safety force field so they can then drive at 90 mph.

All bloody idiots.

[Wills2]

I hope you called the police as that's a major accident just waiting to happen.

[RoShambolt]

Originally Posted by Wills2

I hope you called the police as that's a major accident just waiting to happen.

I was passing on the opposite lane, I think the people who had been swerving him would have been hot on that.

[RoShambolt]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

Almost as bad.. in thick freezing fog on the A1 people in cars with no lights on or just daylight running lights. Several grey SUV type cars passed me and within a few metres I couldn't see them.

Then there's the idiots who think if they put their fog lights on it gives them some kind of safety force field so they can then drive at 90 mph.

All bloody idiots.

Not really sure what goes through people's minds. It may have well been that guys bonnet if he stayed there.

[mikeoz]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

Almost as bad.. in thick freezing fog on the A1 people in cars with no lights on or just daylight running lights. Several grey SUV type cars passed me and within a few metres I couldn't see them.

Then there's the idiots who think if they put their fog lights on it gives them some kind of safety force field so they can then drive at 90 mph.

All bloody idiots.

It was weird today Huntingdon area was shone in bright sunlight 5 mins north it was thick fog as you say 50mph flashing on overhead signs and like you say people just carry on at 80 in to the mist...

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by mikeoz

It was weird today Huntingdon area was shone in bright sunlight 5 mins north it was thick fog as you say 50mph flashing on overhead signs and like you say people just carry on at 80 in to the mist...

For 10 years I drove the A1 early in the morning and in the evening rush hour from Wetherby to Stevenage every week sometimes twice a week, the driving often beggared belief, the winter months are the worst as many people do not change their driving to account for the conditions to the point whereby you actually think they must have a death wish.

[mikeoz]

Originally Posted by Wills2

For 10 years I drove the A1 early in the morning and in the evening rush hour from Wetherby to Stevenage every week sometimes twice a week, the driving often beggared belief, the winter months are the worst as many people do not change their driving to account for the conditions to the point whereby you actually think they must have a death wish.

Dont envy you for that drive...

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by Wills2

For 10 years I drove the A1 early in the morning and in the evening rush hour from Wetherby to Stevenage every week sometimes twice a week, the driving often beggared belief, the winter months are the worst as many people do not change their driving to account for the conditions to the point whereby you actually think they must have a death wish.

I've been on the four lane section between the A14 and Peterborough driving in torrential rain. I was doing 50ish which I felt was a safe speed.

In the outside lane 6 cars and 4x4s went past, nose to tail, absolutely no reactionary gap between them, at about 85-90mph. Absolutely fucking idiots.

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

I've been on the four lane section between the A14 and Peterborough driving in torrential rain. I was doing 50ish which I felt was a safe speed.

In the outside lane 6 cars and 4x4s went past, nose to tail, absolutely no reactionary gap between them, at about 85-90mph. Absolutely fucking idiots.

Indeed, on clear, dry day leaving a good 2-3 second gap 85mph (indicated) is for me an OK speed on that section but nose to tail in the pissing rain it's mental.

Experience taught me when it's gets to silly hour on the A1 you just get in the left hand lane 50-60mph as eventually the traffic and conditions ease up and you can make some sensible progress later on.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by Wills2

Indeed, on clear, dry day leaving a good 2-3 second gap 85mph (indicated) is for me an OK speed on that section but nose to tail in the pissing rain it's mental.

Experience taught me when it's gets to silly hour on the A1 you just get in the left hand lane 50-60mph as eventually the traffic and conditions ease up and you can make some sensible progress later on.

85? I'm shocked and appalled!

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

85? I'm shocked and appalled!

My speedo over reads massively officer

[RobUK]

Practice makes perfect?

With most people, the more you do something the better you get at it. Not so with driving a car it seems. Every day I see people risking their own lives and others and I don't think they're even aware they're doing it.

Don't pilots have to have yearly assessments? Maybe introduce it for motorists - after all, cars are lethal weapons.

[225]

I just couldn't beleive the people driving this morning with frost covered windows still! a small hole cleared in the drivers side and none of the side windows cleared!. Oh and no lights in the freezing fog for good measure.

[TiredGeek]

I blame modern cars which are sooooooo much safer than when I started to drive in the 80's.
Back in those days it was Darwinian, twonks drove badly, twonks crashed, twonks died. Darwin effect.
Nowadays they survive and carry on driving like twonks.
If the air bag had a spike on it I'm sure that things would improve in a couple of years

[xenon]

I was crossing a foot bridge over the M6 at about 8am Saturday in freezing fog. The whole SB carriageway was stopped as there was a significant accident at J3. Looking at the NB carriageway these drivers had just passed a significant accident in freezing fog yet many still had no lights on. Then, a BMW X5 from CPMG drove past, at speed, no lights. With examples like that it's no wonder the motorways are full of twats.

[crazybones]

Bisley M3. Isn’t that the stretch of “Smart” motorway with no hard shoulder? If so, the refuge areas are over a mile apart so the poor guy probably had nowhere to go!

[Kal101]

Several examples or Darwinism at its finest.

I do believe as a species we have lost our sense of fear/ self preservation.

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by crazybones

Bisley M3. Isn’t that the stretch of “Smart” motorway with no hard shoulder? If so, the refuge areas are over a mile apart so the poor guy probably had nowhere to go!

You still pull over to the left and the smart motorway peeps will close that lane. Usually a stranded car though pulls up in start stop traffic and then can't get going again 😬

[crazybones]

Originally Posted by JustChris

You still pull over to the left and the smart motorway peeps will close that lane. Usually a stranded car though pulls up in start stop traffic and then can't get going again 😬

Ideally, yes of course you would. However, that section of motorway is extremely congested at certain times, so crossing lanes with potentially no power would not be easy. Unfortunately, people are not courteous these days and often wont give way.

[RoShambolt]

Originally Posted by crazybones

Bisley M3. Isn't that the stretch of "Smart" motorway with no hard shoulder? If so, the refuge areas are over a mile apart so the poor guy probably had nowhere to go!

Yes it is, but that being said even if you couldn't move over to the left lane you wouldn't get out and pop the bonnet up!

[crazybones]

Originally Posted by RoShambolt

Yes it's is, but that being said even if you couldn't move over to the left lane you wouldn't get out and pop the bonnet up!

Totally agree. Without wishing to divert the thread, I believe that "Smart" motorways are one of the most ill conceived schemes we've seen.