Mindless motorists

**Animal** · 18th September 2006, 04:20

G'day y'all,

I'm hugely pissed off and need to rant! What the hell is it with brain-dead drivers of cages, buses, trucks and generally anything fitted with a fuel cap and more than two wheels?

Going back several decades to when I was a young kid. My parents, siblings, older kids, teachers and everyone else enthusiastically hammered the Crossing The Road routine into me and every kid my age. Every one of you would've received the same or similar instructions. Remember this? Stop, Look Right (because any traffic approaching from your right is closest to you), Look Left (to see if there's any traffic approaching along the opposite side of the road), Look Right Again (to see where the traffic you noted a second ago is now), Look Left Again (for good measure) and if there is no traffic, ESPECIALLY FROM THE RIGHT, cross the road.

A simple, fundamental system that kept us all from being flattened for years, unless we forgot (or chose to ignore) the Crossing The Road routine. We are blessed to have the famous Right Hand Rule, which applies to roundabouts and almost every other traffic situation imaginable. The routine remains... Look Right to see if there's any traffic in the lane CLOSEST TO YOU, etc. We do this innumerable times every day on our way to work, shops - whatever.

So why am I frustratedly wishing it was legal to shoot brain-dead motorists for endangering MY life through THEIR stupidity? Here's the scenario... any T-intersection in any town, with yet another brain-dead motorist approaching the T from the vertical leg with the only options open are either turning left or turning right. Assuming you or I are approaching this intersection from either the left or the right, with the intention of continuing along on our merry way. Normal situation, happens every day.

Now here's the thing to look out for. Because this is right near the top of my list of things that truly infuriate me, I very carefully (obsessively, maybe) watch to see in which direction the brain-dead arsehole looks first. Without exception, they look to the LEFT. In the process, their cage or bus or whatever is now well into the lane closest to them, and because it's a Give Way, the mindless idiot hasn't quite stopped!

Not such an issue if you're approaching from the left, but if you're on the idiot's right, you're extremely vulnerable to being wiped out. Thanks to my compulsion to observe these mindless menaces, I'm usually thinking of various contingencies and Not Getting Killed options before the arsehole looks to the right and suddenly realises that - "Oh, shit! There's traffic heading straight at me while I didn't bother to look to the right while not also bothering to stop!"

The Give Way rule is wonderful, allowing road-users to not-quite-stop at intersections. Likewise, the Right Hand Rule at roundabouts and other intersections is great. However, while the inherent laziness on the part of motorists has them ASSUMING that there is no traffic on their right - so they don't need to stop because they've looked left - we're going to continue to get caned.

Because this has become my top-of-the-shit-list pet hate, it pisses me off more and more as I watch the behaviour of dumbarse motorists, and my rage is fueled even further.

I have a few challenges for you... Firstly, pay attention to motorists in the scenario I've described above. Watch and see to which side they look first. I've no doubt that you'll see I have a very valid point here.

Secondly, when you're driving, keep this thread in mind and Look Right first. That way you'll know if I'm heading towards you, and possibly unable to avoid crashing into the side of your vehicle while you don't-quite stop. If you Look Right first, you'll see me and have time to stop - and our day won't turn to shit.

Thirdly, challenge non-biker you can. Discuss this scenario with them, emphasise our vulnerability as riders (or other road-users), and raise the awareness that the fundamental Crossing The Road routine is being ignored, and putting our lives at risk.

Okay, I'm done ranting. Who's next?

Stay safe out there!

CADanimal

**Brian d marge** · 18th September 2006, 06:33

Couldnt agree more, but then I always expect them to do that ( SOMETIMES THEY dO BLIND SIDE ME ,,WITH sheer STUPIDITY)
but I am always in a position on/in the road where it makes no odds what they do

The one traffic situation I dont like is , light rain and the traffic starts to thin out , giving the Arse%^& ENOUGH of a gap to do something stupid

In this case if you try to adopt a safe stopping position ...the car behind tries to overtake! tricky one that ..

Even the Baskets eyes lie ,,you can stare them clean in the eye ..and they will still claim they didnt see you !

At least you can blame drugs or bad parenting over there, here we dont have drugs.......

Stephen

**Ixion** · 18th September 2006, 08:02

I have also observed this, for many years. I don't know why people do it but most do. Look left, for ages, glance right while pulling out. And they do it whether they are turning left or right, so it's not a "look where you intend to go " thing.

Just part of lifes rich tapestry.

**Dadpole** · 18th September 2006, 20:00

Funny. When I was at school, it was always Left - Right - Left. From that point, you were safe to go whatever was coming.

**Drum** · 18th September 2006, 20:28

Originally Posted by Dadpole

Funny. When I was at school, it was always Left - Right - Left. From that point, you were safe to go whatever was coming.

Mate, Surely it was look right, then left, then right again!
Unless you went to school in the UK?

**sunhuntin** · 18th September 2006, 20:43

had an old bat down waikanae who was turning at the lights nearly take out mum and me. we were going straight through, and the cow thought she had right of way just cos she had a green [so did we!] we didnt miss her by much...silly old bitch. i know mum left a decent set of skid marks, cos the back wheels felt like they locked up.

anyone local who can have a look for me? LOL. this was last saturday [so not the one just gone, the one before]

she was an older woman....mums nearly in her 60s, and this woman was older, so theorhetically [sp?] she should know the rules, or not have her license.

**Dadpole** · 19th September 2006, 15:44

Originally Posted by Drum

Mate, Surely it was look right, then left, then right again!
Unless you went to school in the UK?

Last time I checked, we drove on the same side

**heyjoe** · 21st September 2006, 14:57

I see the scenario that CADanimal describes on the street where I live quite often. Exactly the same. The car driver is at the leg of the T-intersection with indicators on to make a right turn and I am approaching from his/her right. I am going straight through.

My defensive driving course knowledge of 20 yrs ago and lessons learned riding a motorcycle is on alert waiting for the potential idiot to creep out after looking left then making a token glance (a turning of the head) as they sleepily roll out right into the intersection. I see their front right wheel turning, I seen their whole face and their eyes but they just don't f**king see though do they? The escape route is already mapped out in my head but it is not perfect. Emergency brake? Go wide right? Go left? A lot depends on whether they take evasive action if they see what they have done or not.

It's the intersection and always with people who are just not concentrating on looking carefully. They are just going through the motions but it is just like CADanimal says. Did an alien ship hover over the earth years ago and implanted this stupidy into car drivers minds with a secret invisible laser beam?

There is a similar pet hate of mine too. The same scenario where you can tell that they (idiot in the car) have seen you and they are looking straight at you and they pull out anyway. It almost seems like they are saying "me in car - you on bike - I have right of way because of this - you are not important"

Yes the subject easily raises emotion!

**Macktheknife** · 21st September 2006, 17:17

Originally Posted by HeyJoe2

It almost seems like they are saying "me in car - you on bike - I have right of way because of this - you are not important"

Yes the subject easily raises emotion!

There is a strong argument that many drivers use the 'threat assessment' model for giving way. If the vehicle approaching me is big enough to do any major damage, give way; If not, carry on. On one of my bikes I have installed an airhorn, this is sufficient to make people have a small heart attack and stop doing stupid shit in front of me.... usually.

**MikeyG** · 21st September 2006, 17:46

Don't know which way I look first but it doesn't really matter because if I cannot see both directions are clear before entering the intersection I stop, even if it is only a give way.

Saw two accidents on the motorway last night. Both were at a left turn onto an off ramp where the car in front gave way to right turning trafic and the second car ploughed into their ass. It's tailgating that really pisses me off.

**blacksheep** · 21st September 2006, 17:59

Originally Posted by Drum

Mate, Surely it was look right, then left, then right again!
Unless you went to school in the UK?

are you sure YOU went to school,as apparently they(uk) drive on the same side as us

**heyjoe** · 21st September 2006, 23:31

Originally Posted by Macktheknife

There is a strong argument that many drivers use the 'threat assessment' model for giving way. If the vehicle approaching me is big enough to do any major damage, give way; If not, carry on. On one of my bikes I have installed an airhorn, this is sufficient to make people have a small heart attack and stop doing stupid shit in front of me.... usually.

Hey I might have to get myself an airhorn if it can help keep me from potential prangs. The horn on the bike is pretty tinny so does anybody out there have any recomendations for airhorns suitable for bikes and where to get them?

**Hillbilly** · 22nd September 2006, 00:51

Then there's the lane changing Cagers. Was on the middle lane heading down a three lane road today when withour warning, a cager in a 4x4 cuts across from the outside because he realized that he wanted to turn right at the lights! Didn't even look. I'm paranoid about these sorts of idiots and observe the "three second rule" religiously. What pisses me off is "it's never their fault".

**Macktheknife** · 22nd September 2006, 10:23

Originally Posted by HeyJoe2

Hey I might have to get myself an airhorn if it can help keep me from potential prangs. The horn on the bike is pretty tinny so does anybody out there have any recomendations for airhorns suitable for bikes and where to get them?

Try any auto store and look for all-in-one mini airhorn, Repco, Supercheap, Wootons all have had them at different times.
You could also try the electric airhorn, but they tend to demand a lot of your electrical system.
There was also a guy on Trademe who sells this kind of thing.

As has been said before, if you treat every cager like they are actively trying to kill you, and ride accordingly, then you should be ok..... usually