hemo wrote:Some drivers of over large SUV's come 4 x 4 seem to think they are better protected and try to bully other road uses, in fact they are a menace to society and some driving skills are very poor.
One such vehicle followed me last night (I was driving a company 3.5t sprinter) from Betchworth to 40mph sign out of Leigh village he was glued to my backdoor not able to get pass as I adhered to the 30 & 40mph speed limits. On entering the Leigh Road another vehicle travelling at 30mph was about 3 secs ahead of me so this probably angered the driver behind me more. Eventually the guy behind had enough and passed in the 30 zone rapidly and misjudged the car distance in front so decided to career past that with a rh bend looming, his actions were careless and dangerous to say the least. He narrowly missed a vehicle coming around the bend and had to swerve quickly in front of the vehicle I was behind.
The bit I can't understand is why these cretins do it without being able to clearly see the road ahead is suitable or clear to pass, if he had waited another 200 - 300 yds he would have been along a straight with clearer vision.
There's a very queer driving habit prevalent in West Wales, where the roads are mostly narrow, bendy and hilly. Tailgaiting. Virtually everyone seems to do it, apart from the one at the head of the little caravanserais of tailgaiters, that is (often me).
These tailgaiters aren't aggresive in the way the chap you describe was. When an (admittedly rare) safe passing stretch of road reveals itself ahead, they don't overtake, no matter if I give them a wave to do so, slow down a bit or whatever. It's like they want to be all close and together, as though we were sat chatting in the pub.
My own theory is that driving habits, like much other human behaviour, develops local habits wherein everyone copies everyone else. Some behaviours become highly popular or fashionable, for reasons I can't often fathom.
Anyroadup, the tailgaiter that always seems present does force one to be even more careful in anticipating what's ahead. It's almost as though you have to drive for them; or demonstrate when to brake and when to speed up.
Cugel