Driving is great & having this new found skill & independence has been a great convenience in my life. It's nice being able to get myself from A to B without having to always rely on other people &/or public transport. It makes going out for the day a lot easier too, knowing I can just get in my car & go & not be waiting for busses etc- means I can have more spontaneous trips out if I wish! (Which I did do this Monday.)
However, along with this new sense of freedom comes a new set of annoyances & my personal pet peeves while driving are the topic of tonight's post. In no particular order, here they are:
Cyclists
Although I said "in no particular order", I will admit that cyclists are my top annoyance when I'm on the road. As a driver I find them a nuisance because they are too slow & can be a pain to overtake in certain situations (e.g- on bends & bridges). Personally, I do not think that cyclists should share a road with cars, I feel that in doing so they are a danger to themselves & motorists. A slight wobble could have them out on front of a car, which wouldn't be great for either party. Then you get the idiots who just cylce all over the place, not even sticking to the designated cycle lane- these are the worst!
I do feel that cyclists would be better suited to the pavements with pedestrians- the way I see it, their speeds are more matched in comparison to cars & bikes, however, I do see that cyclists would then become a nuisance to pedestrians. The best solution would be to have separate roads for bikes, which I believe they have in Sweden & Vancouver, ones that actually separate cyclists from actual roads, thus reducing danger & annoyance.
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| This sort of set up would make life easier for both car drivers & cyclists. |
Lorries
Lorries- the cyclists of the motorway, as I put them. I say that as, like cyclists, they are slow & annoying. Driving on the motorway can be a pain enough without having to encounter lorries, but unfortunately they seem to always be on there, being slow, causing stopping distances to be reduced & thus reducing the speed of the car driver. Even more annoying is when they're in the middle lane- it's bad enough that I feel pressured to go quite fast in that lane anyway, even worse when there's a lorry causing you to drive slower to maintain a good stopping distance!
Much like cyclists, I think lorries should have their own roads. I do know that they are unable (due to their mass) to drive faster than 50mph, but I think separate motorways/lanes would be better for them than causing a nuisance to car drivers.
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| Top annoying lorry situation right there. |
Oblivious Pedestrians
Urgh! These are a pain- plus they are notorious in one of my local towns! See, I'm a very cautious road crosser, I tend not to cross unless the road is pretty clear & even then I get across ASAP & am always checking for oncoming traffic. These oblivious types are the complete opposite- they just saunter across the road, not even bothering to check for oncoming traffic, sometimes even taking risks & crossing in stupid places! Really gets on my nerves- I don't think everyone should be as cautious as me, but we were all taught the "green cross code" as young children- would be nice if some of us could remember it in adulthood!
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| Prime example of an oblivious pedestrian. |
Impatient Beepers
These people really need to recall their beginner days as a driver & the rule of "pull out of/cross a junction when you feel it's safe to do so". Note the key word "you", which is subjective to each of us. Some people (like myself) are a bit more cautious than others; learner drivers especially. People who beep impatiently are very off-putting, pressuring other drivers into making a decision that they don't feel comfortable with. Plus, this added pressure doesn't help the driver being beeped- it can make them feel pretty angst up &/or enraged, which aren't good states to drive in! And for the record, beeping won't get anyone anywhere faster- it just shows you up for the impatient twat that you are!
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| Think before you beep folks, don't cause stress to other road users. |
Inconveniently Parked Vehicles
Admittedly, in certain areas, where parking spaces are few, this is a situation that can't be helped. That doesn't stop it being annoying & it's difficult to navigate a road where one half is taken up by parked cars! This is the case in a road near where I live, one which I encounter on pretty much every trip to & from work. Coming back is a pain as all the traffic is on the left-hand side of the road, which also blocks the turning into the road, meaning that giving way to oncoming traffic can also be an absolute pain.
Bends & bridges are also not great places to park. Turning into a road & then having to get round a parked car isn't ideal, & having to manoeuvre around cars parked downhill on a bridge is also a pain. Again, I can see why, in some cases, people do have to park inconveniently, but it isn't great for those of us actually on the road.
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| I feel sorry for anyone coming down roads like this that has to face oncoming traffic. |
People Who Don't Indicate
This one annoyed me even before I became a driver! It's simple as pie- if you're going to turn, please use your signal so that those of us behind you & anyone wishing to cross the road knows where you're going! It also lets people know that you're changing lane & not just driving like a lunatic across the motorway. Granted, it can be something we forget, but it's something that shouldn't be completed forgotten. It's common courtesy, in my book, to let other road users know where you're going.
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| This stick is there for a reason, please use it. |
And there we have it folks, my pet peeves as a driver. To my fellow drivers out there, what are your pet peeves? Do you share any opinions with myself? Feel free to leave a comment below!
Thank you for reading! :)
Note: I take no credit for images on this blog, all of them were found on Google & belong to their respectful owners.
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