A Near Accident.

[AlanHo]

I was driving south on the A42 in a heavy stream of traffic this morning. I was in the right hand lane which was proceeding at speeds varying between 50 to 60 mph, slowly overtaking continuous and closely spaced lorries and other vehicles traffic in the left lane. Driving conditions were awful – very heavy rain, standing water on the road surface and much spray from the traffic.

Due to the poor driving conditions I was maintaining a constant gap of about 50 yards behind the car in front of me.

At some point I became aware of a car tailgating me – so close that I was unable to see the front of the car – just its windscreen in my rear view mirror. My passenger also noticed it from the reflection in the left door mirror and commented on how close the car was – she could not see the front of the car either – just the rear half.

The car continued to tailgate me for two or three minutes. Eventually the car moved over to the left lane into a short gap in the traffic, undertook me and suddenly swerved into the right lane thus forcing me to swerve beyond the rumble strip and almost hit the central barrier in my attempt to avoid a collision. I missed the side and rear of the car by literally inches. The car then accelerated away and vanished in the spray – but I caught up with it a minute later stuck behind a lorry overtaking a slower vehicle – which enabled me to take the car registration details and see that the offending driver was ........ not a young tearaway.......but a middle aged woman. As soon as the lorry moved over she gunned it and vanished down the road at high speed despite the dangers of aquaplaning and poor visibility.

Her driving was atrocious – especially so in view of the awful driving conditions.

I called into the local police station on the way home to see if it was worth making a report. The duty copper on the desk listened to the story and asked if I had an independent witness. Of course I did – I had a passenger in the car who witnessed it. Not good enough mate – it will be your word(s) against the other driver’s. In any event – no accident occurred and we would therefore not take any action. We are too busy on processing actual accidents and other crimes than chase a driver for a simple mistake which did not result in harm.

I insisted however in submitting a report on the grounds that this woman is an accident waiting to happen and she should at least be warned about it. The copper took a deep frustrated breath and gave me a form to fill in - which I did - but without any confidence that anything will actually happen.

Don't it just want to make you spit..................................

[doug]

I now have a phobia about being knocked over by reversing cars. It all started about 3 years ago when Er in doors - our car actually - reversed into me at a great rate of knots, knocking me flying . I managed to roll out of her way. Just in time as she went on to demolish our neighbour's garage and almost into her kitchen. She then knocked the gear lever into drive - an automatic - and came back out at me. Realising she was having a go I just managed to draw my legs up to my chest when she finally stopped by stalling the engine. This resulted in me being transported to the body shop where they re-assembled my right arm and elbow. Seven pieces - I have a copy of the X-ray showing the pieces and the 2 inch No. 8 screws, used in the repair. Members here may remember the incident.

Now I'm a bit nervous about reversing vehicles. About a month ago I was out for a stroll when I had to cross a road at a major cross road. I waited for the pedestrian crossing lights to change in my favour when they duly changed and the traffic halted. One car over shot and stopped right across the walkway. I waited to see what the driver was going to but he just sat there so I went to cross behind him. Guess, yes he suddenly slammed into reverse and I suddenly realised that I'm a little more nimble than is usual for an elderly gent of my advanced years. So I left on out of his way. Stopped to give vent to a few choice phrases from the Queen's English when the lights changed and he roared of leaving a bit jelly-like.

Now I'm a bit nervous about reversing vehicles. Last week I parked in the car park of our local supermarket. As I walked along the parked vehicles including this big van he suddenly started reversing and pushed me out of the way. I staggered back to have words with him but he kept his window closed and giving me a friendly view of a single digit drov off.

Now I'm a bit nervous about reversing vehicles......................

[Scarecrow Man]

I often find myself purposely slowing down, or taking corners extra slow when someone is that close to me. Nothing irks me more than that.

A wise man once told me: It's better to be 5 minutes late in this life, than 5 minutes early in the next.

[andsome]

Tail haters are one of the biggest menaces on the roads today. I never hog the outside lane, except when doing what Alan was doing, slowly overtaking a long moving line of slower traffic. I have had exactly the same experience on more than one occasion. If a gap occurs in the left hand lane which is just about wide enough to admit a car with a yard to spare front and rear, they start flashing for you to move over and fill that dangerous gap. The police MUST witness this sort of occurrence regularly, why on earth is nothing done about it.

[Irene]

This is also my pet hate!!

As a 'mature' female driver, I frequently experience this kind of incident. Particularly since I recently replaced my car with a 'sportier' model.

I always leave several car lengths between me and the car in front - especially on motorways. Other drivers see this as an invitation to prise themselves into my safety space, causing me to have to brake, just as you did Alan. I think I have said on other threads in the past, that an effective method I use, is to put on the high-intensity (fog) tail lights. The driver behind thinks I am braking, so drops back.

These stupid dangerous drivers always want to 'take me on', but I refuse to rise to their bate and drive at only the maximum speed limit which the conditions and road permits.

[rong]

is to put on the high-intensity (fog) tail lights

I think that is illegal, If you just touch the brakes they will flash.

[expertec]

I think that is illegal

As is driving right up someone's arse... if switching on the rear fogs gets rid of them, I'd say it's fair game... I have used this trick on many occasions (and the touch on the brakes too), I pride myself on being a careful and considerate driver, but if people f*** with me I give as good as I get... (if I can do so without endangering anyone).

Like most other drivers I'm sure, I've had this same experience that Alan describes... but it seems to happen to me every time I use the A42... maybe it's just something about that road...

[AlanHo]

I think that is illegal

As is driving right up someone's arse... if switching on the rear fogs gets rid of them, I'd say it's fair game... I have used this trick on many occasions (and the touch on the brakes too), I pride myself on being a careful and considerate driver, but if people f*** with me I give as good as I get... (if I can do so without endangering anyone).

Like most other drivers I'm sure, I've had this same experience that Alan describes... but it seems to happen to me every time I use the A42... maybe it's just something about that road...

I wonder if it is because drivers have been bombing up or down the M1 (where there are 3 lanes) before joining the A42 where there are only two lanes and they get frustrated that there is no "fast" lane so to speak.

[rong]

You get it on motorways as well, you can be doing speeds slightly ;) over the speed limit in a Cue of traffic, in the overtaking lane and they still drive up your rear and undertake, so it makes no difference.