Safe Speed Forums

I think I'm driving the world's only stealth Astra.

Driving home tonight, 5:15pm. I came to the Brampton end of the Wombwell bypass (coming from Barnsley) and start to cross the roundabout. There's a queue of cars in both lanes of the entry to my left, the front two decide I can stop for them.
In the car closest to me the driver is looking me in the face as he sails straight across in front of my nose. I slam on the anchors and 'use the horn as a rebuke'.

2 miles later I arrive at the Marquis hotel junction to turn left, there's a queue of traffic waiting to turn right. I'm in the deceleration lane as crash test dummy no. 2 floors it from the queue straight across me. This one passes within 10 feet. I'm already braking, but this becomes another emergency stop.

1 mile later, Warren Vale roundabout, Swinton. I avoid the temptation as traffic queues to get out and tell the nice chap what I think of his ancestry. He turns left. I go straight on, and here we go again. From my left a queue is moving across, wannabee Stirling Moss Junior thinks his Escort will fit within 20 feet of my nose too. More emergency braking, another honk on the overheated hooter.

3 in 15 minutes. I am astounded by the lunacy of these people. When I arrived home I had to check if my headlamps were working -or if someone had painted 'grim reaper' on the bonnet.

All these idiots stared me in the face and decided 'F. You!'

sometimes feel this way too.

Some days there always seems to be someone pulling out in front of me going around roundabouts. Often when I'm turning right they pull out just before I get to the exit before mine and when they're alerted to my presence with the horn they get "shirty" back. Grrr. I know I shouldn't let it get to me but some people seem to want to be in an accident sometimes.

I'm equally annoyed though by the people who must think they're invisible so can overtake you on the motorway and then pull in front of you leaving barely a car length between you and them. And then they slow, having just gone past you, to your speed. Now I can't see where I'm going and I'll have to overtake you, or drop back only to have the same thing happen a minute later.

It is possible you are giving the wrong signals to other road users and they are misinterpreting your intentions. Or they are taking advantage of a slight hesitancy on your part. Or you are leaving more space than most drivers and peopel are taking advantage.


You have two ways of tacling this. You can make sure they don't have the space to come out or you can accept that it is going to happen and be prepared so it does not turn into an emergency stop.


Lucky nobody was following too close behind you. More anticipation would allow you to slow in a more controlled manner giving everyone else more time to react. Using the horn as a rebuke is pointless, it only get's your blood pressure up.



Again I can only think you are leaving a bigger gap than most drivers (not saying you are wrong) and this is being taken advantage of. Perhaps you could have taken contol of this situation, realised you could provide an opportunity for "crash test dummy no. 2", backed off a little more and invited him across. Saved your blood pressure, saved him some time. It's win-win.



It's a repeat of the first incident. Same applies.



Yes, and they will continue to do so until you take control of the space around you. You can do this in a variety of ways, the thing to remember is you win when things go the way you intended. Letting someone in when they might have forced their way is a win.