Saturday vs Sunday Drivers

**Bob** · 4th July 2004, 04:08

Now I'm fairly certain the term "Sunday Driver" came from the days when most people worked Monday to Saturday, with only the one day off. So Sunday Drivers were people who only got behind the wheel on that day - and so were rusty, poor observation skills etc.

Of course, these days, a lot more people get Saturday off. So is one 'Day of Rest' worse than the other for idiot drivers?

Personally, I plump for Saturday - at least on Sunday you can make a fair stab at the skill levels being either excellent (someone who commutes or uses their vehicle all week, but out for a blast without the normal traffic levels), or totally useless (gets the car out only on a 'nice' Sunday for a drive of no more than 4 miles, changes gears as it pumps the petrol round or something).

You can normally tell really good or really bad fairly quickly, so it makes life relatively simple.

But Saturday? Impossible to know what you're up against next. Just been out for a ride and there has been everything from 'Mr no more than 20mph under the limit' (windy, but dry day) to "Mr I've indicated so I can change lane without looking" to "Mr I can leap onto the junction/roundabout before that car/bike gets any further round" out there. Some good ones in between mind, but for me, Saturday does have much wider range of ability (or lack of).

How is it for you guys? Does the whole weekend suck in terms of who is on the road? Or is one day worse than the other? Or is every day awful and why oh why won't they make these people take an Idiot Test before they're allowed out each morning...

**wari** · 4th July 2004, 07:19

OH By the beard of CUrvey Wusk ...

SUnday driver brort ona FLash BAck to my long lost childhood ...

IMagine 4 boys in the back seat of a '59 FC HOlden cruisin the streets of WAnanganui® bored sensiliss in the swelterin heat of summer in shorts on sticky vinal seats tryin to keep the ruckus to a minimumm so as not to jeapardice the evil lure of an icescream reward.

The "SUnday DRive" term brings a cense of fear and loatthing ...

THe icescreams were nice ... thanks mum , thanks dad ... :spudwave:

**Magua** · 4th July 2004, 09:19

I think sunday is the better day, hardly a car out in the morning.

**Jackrat** · 4th July 2004, 09:51

I've long noticed that even tho the traffic is lighter on the motorway on weekends the standard of driving is worse.Out my way during the week we have the same local drivers every day doing the same basic things but on weekends we get Aucklanders on tiki tour,they seem to think both sides of the road belong to them and the heads Rd is a race track.

**Motu** · 4th July 2004, 10:29

I'm a sunday driver,it's my only day off,got to wear sunglasses in the harsh glare of natural light,sometimes I get on the motorway and gradualy work my way up to 100kph,but that can take a bit of time.

I find there is more traffic - city or rural - on a saturday than during the week,sunday is a good day...and you can spot the dreamers alright.The road I work on (Carr rd ) is completly blocked on a saturday morning till early afternoon,on a week day it only sees that level on the morning and afternoon commute.

**Wenier** · 4th July 2004, 15:55

I live in blenheim now so all the drivers are generally shit on everyday of the week, dont no how they get licences but they do. Most of em dont indicate for anything so it makes roundabouts and intersections alot of fun, and they all drive somewhere in the 30-40kph area.

**wkid_one** · 4th July 2004, 15:59

You missed the worst - School Holiday Drivers!!

Wellington is a shocker during school holidays, all the mums and dads that decide to come in to town with the kids and have NO IDEA about how to drive around town - does my head in!!

**Skyryder** · 4th July 2004, 16:06

I have found the Saturday drivers pretty bad. Might just have something to do with taking the kids to sport and being late etc. Sunday is definatley more leisurely.

Skyryder

**DEATH_INC.** · 4th July 2004, 17:59

Originally Posted by wkid_one

You missed the worst - School Holiday Drivers!!

Wellington is a shocker during school holidays, all the mums and dads that decide to come in to town with the kids and have NO IDEA about how to drive around town - does my head in!!

Yep,you got that right!
The worst are(I'm ducking now)Mums picking up the kids every day!I don't know why(they must do it every day)but try driving somewhere at around 9am or 3pm......

**avgas** · 6th January 2005, 17:20

Ive found the worse to be.....
PEOPLE WHO DONT HAVE A FRIGGN LICENCE, AND THEY THINK THEY CAN DRIVE IN ANY COUNTRY FOR THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT IT. Dodgy imports
oh that some bus drivers.
Oh 4 wd owners who dont actually park on the grass

**Bonez** · 6th January 2005, 17:27

All other road users are idiots. Except for me of course

**Krayy** · 7th January 2005, 06:53

Originally Posted by Jackrat

I've long noticed that even tho the traffic is lighter on the motorway on weekends the standard of driving is worse.Out my way during the week we have the same local drivers every day doing the same basic things but on weekends we get Aucklanders on tiki tour,they seem to think both sides of the road belong to them and the heads Rd is a race track.

The "Outlaws" live out Awhitu way, so I end up going out there at least once a fortnight in the cage or on the bike, and the worst part for me is the bozos who insist at driving 80km/h from Drury to Waiuku where there is only 2 passing lanes on the whole run. No wonder the cops have a field day ot there as they catch people as the get up to passing speed to get around these idiots. Oh, and THEN when these bozos hit the motorway, they head straight for the outside lane and sit there at 90!!! WTF! Is'nt there a law against that sort of thing. Hell, if I were a cop, I'd pull their asses over and breath test them for the hell of i and explain that if you drive like a paranoid dick, you'll get pulled every time.

That being said, Sunday might be the worst as the Glenbrook Railway runs then, but the old "come around the corner to find a farmer is his tractor doing 30" trick on Saturdays sort of makes up for it.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

**inlinefour** · 17th January 2005, 03:12

Originally Posted by Bob

Now I'm fairly certain the term "Sunday Driver" came from the days when most people worked Monday to Saturday, with only the one day off. So Sunday Drivers were people who only got behind the wheel on that day - and so were rusty, poor observation skills etc.

Of course, these days, a lot more people get Saturday off. So is one 'Day of Rest' worse than the other for idiot drivers?

Personally, I plump for Saturday - at least on Sunday you can make a fair stab at the skill levels being either excellent (someone who commutes or uses their vehicle all week, but out for a blast without the normal traffic levels), or totally useless (gets the car out only on a 'nice' Sunday for a drive of no more than 4 miles, changes gears as it pumps the petrol round or something).

You can normally tell really good or really bad fairly quickly, so it makes life relatively simple.

But Saturday? Impossible to know what you're up against next. Just been out for a ride and there has been everything from 'Mr no more than 20mph under the limit' (windy, but dry day) to "Mr I've indicated so I can change lane without looking" to "Mr I can leap onto the junction/roundabout before that car/bike gets any further round" out there. Some good ones in between mind, but for me, Saturday does have much wider range of ability (or lack of).

How is it for you guys? Does the whole weekend suck in terms of who is on the road? Or is one day worse than the other? Or is every day awful and why oh why won't they make these people take an Idiot Test before they're allowed out each morning...

I think any day is an equal opportunity for a crap experience. :sly:

**pritch** · 26th February 2005, 15:13

I read somewhere that 2:00PM is statistically the worst time of day for accidents. If riding alone I try to have my Sunday ride finished by then.
This Sunday that arrangement would mean I can watch the Ruapuna races on One.

Sunday is for me the most dangerous. We don't have unlicenced foreigners much in the rural rump (I hope), but the blue rinse set are out in force sightseeing on Sundays. One 80 something and her friend had a fairly good shot at taking me out a few weeks back and I would doubt either driver or passenger was even really aware of all the drama.