'Professional' drivers.

[reohn2]

In my experience:

a) professional drivers tend to pay attention to what they are doing, but are sometimes aggressive
b) "amateur" drivers tend not to be aggressive, but sometimes don't pay attention

Personally, I get more grief from (b) than from (a).

IME I can't judge which will be the next dangerous driver,so my approach is never to trust any other driver,always expect the unexpected and accept that every other driver on the road is out to kill me

That is something I do as a driver, a cyclist and a pedestrian. I find eye contact to be a pretty good indication that someone has seen you, but it doesn't always mean they are going to react as you might expect them to.

Quite!
There's no reading just how stupid people can be by looking into their eyes

[Cyril Haearn]

Often best not to make eye contact, keep them guessing
See live thread about flashing headlights, apparently that is done for all sorts of wrong purposes

That sounds like the inconsiderate driving you deplore in others.

What, refusing to communicate? That is not driving, good or bad

[Oldjohnw]

Often best not to make eye contact, keep them guessing
See live thread about flashing headlights, apparently that is done for all sorts of wrong purposes

That sounds like the inconsiderate driving you deplore in others.

What, refusing to communicate? That is not driving, good or bad

Keeping them guessing is bad driving or cycling. Clear communication whilst driving or cycling is essential.

[col2019]

every one should try driving different size vehicles,to understand what is like to drive a hgv or bus,its not the drivers fault all the time some cyclist put there life in danger by cutting on the inside of large vehicles were there are blind spots etc

[Cyril Haearn]

That sounds like the inconsiderate driving you deplore in others.

What, refusing to communicate? That is not driving, good or bad

Keeping them guessing is bad driving or cycling. Clear communication whilst driving or cycling is essential.

What does a hand with the palm out mean? Thanks? Keep away? What should one do if the vehicle in front flashes it's brake lights? Drop back? Try to overtake? Trouble is, many drivers are so stupid and misunderstand communication. Nearly everything is covered by the law, best to stick to that

[Jdsk]

every one should try driving different size vehicles,to understand what is like to drive a hgv or bus,its not the drivers fault all the time some cyclist put there life in danger by cutting on the inside of large vehicles were there are blind spots etc

Totally agree about the value of driving as many different types of vehicle as possible, and understanding the problems that other road users face.

But the blind spot issue is more complex than that:
1 The regulations on outward visibility should be improved, see what London and other cities are trying.
2 Drivers are not entitled to do dangerous things just because their vehicle is badly designed.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

What should one do if the vehicle in front flashes it's brake lights? Drop back? Try to overtake?

You had clear answers to that the last time that you asked:
https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=142675&hilit=hazard&start=15#p1556260

Jonathan

[peetee]

IMO the capability and consideration displayed by Professional drivers varies as much as it does for private vehicle drivers. I have only ever had one close call with an HGV and countless number with ‘white vans’ and buses. Having worked as a driver in a fleet operator it was apparent how different the long haul drivers were to the multi-drop drivers. On the whole they were much more laid back and less fidgety. Multi-drop tends to favour the highly-strung get-the-job-done-and-home types.

[Cyril Haearn]

Might it be worth putting stickers on ones vehicle: 'I obey traffic law'?

[Jdsk]

Who are the intended readers, and what's the desired outcome?

Jonathan

[Oldjohnw]

Just obey the law and drive considerately and sensibly in the prevailing conditions. Not too fast, not too slow, keeping proper distances and communicating intended moves properly..That advertises it all you need.

Many commercial vehicles have a phone number printed on the rear for reporting driving, good or bad. I'd be surprised if reporting bad driving makes much impact.

[Mick F]

Many commercial vehicles have a phone number printed on the rear for reporting driving, good or bad. I'd be surprised if reporting bad driving makes much impact.

Some years ago, I was driving my delivery van down the Bere Peninsula to do a drop at Bere Alston.

The road from here via Gulworthy is a 60mph limit, and I followed a van delivering to the grocery shop in the village.
I'd followed him through Gunnislake 30mph limit, over the bridge into "England" and all the way to Bere Altson.
I arrived late, because I observed the speed limits.
I read the phone number on the back as I arrived in BA just to see him stopped outside the shop. I was going further, but I stopped to read it, and then noted it down ................ pre mobile phone.

He asked me what I was doing and why.
I explained that I'd followed him and noticed how fast he was going.
He got quite stroppy about it, but I continued to write his number down.

After getting home after my shift, I phoned the number.
The lady at the other end was interested and wrote it all down and said that she'd pass it on to the company and the driver.

What happened in the fullness of time, I have no idea and no-one got back to me ........... ever.
This story goes back to 1997 and I'm still waiting!

[landsurfer]

Don't generalise! There are plenty of courteous professional drivers on the roads, and plenty of dangerous non-professionals.

Totally agree, as a high milage business driver i try to be courteous at all times to all road users.
However ....
Here in Rotherham and Yorkshire we have a double problem with "Professional" .. drivers ... namely Taxi Drivers.

Many of them are not of European decent or birth and drive as if they where still in Islamabad, Damascus or Mali .... u-turns without any regard for other road users, especially those on 2 wheels and entering roundabouts and heading right instead of left around them is endemic in the Rotherham and Sheffield areas ... leading to some very serious RTA.