 | Home > Off Topic > Let's Re-Write the Highway Code! |
 
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| AndyS Member Since: 18 Aug 2012 Location: London Posts: 595   
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The fog light rule is already in the Highway Code, most of the other complaints here are covered as well!
https://www.gov.uk/driving-adverse-weather-conditions-226-to-237 I think the problem is law enforcement which has slackened off with the introduction of speed cameras. They've taken patrol cars off the road and replaced them with static cameras so as long as you don't jump red lights (with cameras) or speed you can do whatever you want and driving below the speed limit does not mean you are a good driver.
That is already illegal, the problem is they get away with it, back to the enforcement problem. I'm a cyclist, have been for many years and some cyclists really annoy me. A rule for pack cycling should be added to the Highway Code, riding in huge packs should be against the law, groups of more than five should split into smaller groups (of no more than five) to allow free flow of traffic around them. Blocking the road with a huge pack of cyclists is hogging the road and slow moving vehicles are obliged to get out the (bloody) way, rule 169. Cyclists argue that the rule applies to tractors and milk floats so lets explicitly add them and list them in the rule. Get out the (bloody) way. Riding two abreast while there is traffic is already covered but needs to be enforced (again). |
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25th Jan 2014 4:28pm |
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| AndyS Member Since: 18 Aug 2012 Location: London Posts: 595
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Many club cyclists will have insurance provided by their club membership, I get it from membership of British Triathlon. I don't know what the actual policy covers but there is an insurance policy in place. If they're in a pack or wearing a club jersey they'll more than likely be insured to some degree. Making it compulsory to have insurance wouldn't be such a bad thing and neither would it be expensive. Insurance companies won't cover a bike for theft (actually they do but it costs a fortune, about 40% of the value of the bike for an annual premium is a ball park figure) but some third party cover wouldn't cost much. Another complaint against cyclists is that they don't pay road tax. Road tax is based on emissions of the engine so even if cyclists were required to pay road tax they'd be zero rated and wouldn't have anything to pay so that's a bad argument to raise.
The reason cyclists don't use cycle paths is because it makes them second class road users who have to give way to everything, even side roads when they'd normally have right of way to continue down the main road. Secondly, cycle paths are usually crappy, rough strips of tarmac, ill thought out and hard to navigate. I can average 20mph over 100 miles so can hold my own in the flow of traffic but then I get out the (bloody) way when I need to, know what lane I need to be in and never under-take anything ever. Cyclists get a bum deal but it's not entirely their own fault, much of it is from council committees coming up with half brained ideas. I do think some compulsory training would be a good thing for cyclists, the fact that they can take to the road with a vehicle without any official training is a concern. For example, cycle lanes are always on the left, by the curb, even when approaching multi lane traffic light systems, so a novice cyclists would stick to the cycle lane and potentially be in totally the wrong position for the turning they want. Training is desperately needed. Oh, compulsory helmets can't be a bad thing (although there is an argument against it!). |
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25th Jan 2014 5:02pm |
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| 22900013A Member Since: 23 Dec 2010 Location: Oxfordshire Posts: 3149 
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I agree with the above, the problem is not really lack of legislation (although some tweaking could always be done) but lack of enforcement.
Most people I think just don't realise what they are doing, they don't look at the dashboard (too busy playing farmville on their iphone) or even look out of the windows it would seem... Another one that winds me up is when you see folks flashing other drivers to move out of their way. Nobody has the right to force anyone else to speed up, ditto with tailgating. That said, the dawdlwers should get a clue and realise the disruption they are causing. 2011 110 USW 1973 Series III 1-Ton 1972 Series III 1-Ton Cherrypicker 1969 IIA 1-Ton 1966 IIA 88" |
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25th Jan 2014 5:57pm |
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| ken Member Since: 18 Aug 2009 Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !! Posts: 4328
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On the subject of cyclists on footpaths
The next  who runs into my bind wife will well I think you can guess the rest
Cyclists stay on the Feffing road As for knobs who cycle with their kids on the pavement and swear at my wife because she didn't move otta the way and little jonny has come off his bike tough fook off Rant over |
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25th Jan 2014 8:05pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8581
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Ken, to me that is not a rant but a heart felt concern..
Have said it before but road users have to respect other road users. A visually impaired person on a pavement normally has various signs such as a guide dog, white stick or high vis clothing. So if ALL people show respect to other users,many problems just disappear. Brendan |
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25th Jan 2014 8:33pm |
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| keith Member Since: 15 Aug 2012 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 2212 
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All defenders should have a max speed of 50mph
Reference to the 500 is achievable thread |
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25th Jan 2014 9:25pm |
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| ARC99 Member Since: 19 Feb 2013 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1831 
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I agree but speed limits are just that, the maximum you can drive not the minimum or the speed at which you should drive. Don't make old people mad. We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to us off.
Richard |
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26th Jan 2014 10:59am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6298  
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Keith.....you mean 45
highway code. approach traffic island with great care, pull up to a stand still, apply handbrake wait for traffic. press imaginary 'reset' button and await gap in traffic before pulling off in 1st gear. DO NOT contemplate dropping to 2nd or 3rd gear and proceed smoothly around the island following approach to island while no traffic is present. another favourite. speed camera 10 rule - while travelling at exactly the given speed limit and upon approaching a road safety camera ensure you brake from present legal speed to at least 10mph below that given speed ie in built up areas where the speed limit may be 30mph ensure you do not pass camera at above 20mph. the rule should be considered null and void where safety cameras operate on average speed - please add 10mph to speed limit. one for the motorways. while ensuring you stick to the mid lane please overtake slower traffic in the slow lane quickly and then quickly reduce your speed to that of traffic in the slower lane. alternatively should you spot someone in the slower lane to your left indicating to pull out and overtake accelerate (consider dropping a gear to optimise blocking proceedure) to ensure their opportunity to manouvre is reduced or at least cause some frustration to the other drive who may be considering a move into YOUR lane. similar procedures should be observed when cars overtaking in the very fast lane (why anyone would want to travel quicker than you while enjoying your middle lane can not be explained) ensure your speed increases sufficiently to prevent them from easily pulling back into the middle lane. 
one more post on the 500 possible saga and then back to work  |
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26th Jan 2014 11:17am |
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| jimbob7 Member Since: 06 Jul 2013 Location: uk Posts: 2055 |
Why the rush??  Pov.spec,ftw. 2006, 110,TD5. |
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26th Jan 2014 11:52am |
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| keith Member Since: 15 Aug 2012 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 2212
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Ok so I'v just done a 40 mile ride and made an effort to sit at 50 all the way.
AAArrrgh impossible ,,,,, I'v had every stupid wee motor overtake me , 8 artics blow me off the road and spit all their crap onto my windscreen , 2 horns blow at me and even a classic RR go past ? It's 60 on an A road and 70 on duel carriageway for a reason  |
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26th Jan 2014 12:05pm |
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| ARC99 Member Since: 19 Feb 2013 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1831
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Solid white lines mean "No overtaking" not slow down to 30 M.P.H. so that you back up all the traffic behind. Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to us off.
Richard |
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26th Jan 2014 1:44pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6298
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Keith.....look out for the tesco lorries
(they're limited to 50mph - then slip stream them ) |
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26th Jan 2014 1:53pm |
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| 22900013A Member Since: 23 Dec 2010 Location: Oxfordshire Posts: 3149
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I think you missed my point, I was not commenting on people doing the speed limit, but the people who go unnecessarily slowly for no good reason. On the driving test there is such a fault as "failure to make reasonable progress" or similar, which is what I am driving it. There is no real reason to do 25 or 30 mph on a 60mph limited, flat, straight road. I have encountered this myself many times. Likewise there is no reason to do 45-50 on a motoroway, be passed by a speed limited vehicle, then match your speed to the vehicle trying to pass you, which then forces him back in behind you where you proceed to slow down yet again. If they want to do 50 on a motorway, then that's fine, but stick to it when someone is trying to pass you. I am not complaining about people who are steady on a narrow twisting road which may have a default 60 mph limit, as it would be equally stupid to try and do 60 on such a road as to do 30 on a smooth, straight one. 2011 110 USW 1973 Series III 1-Ton 1972 Series III 1-Ton Cherrypicker 1969 IIA 1-Ton 1966 IIA 88" |
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26th Jan 2014 3:05pm |
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| GUM97 Member Since: 05 Feb 2012 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3555 
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^^There is a fault on the driving test to cover that.
Section 18: Use of Speed Section 20: Progress- Appropriate Speed. Undue Hesitation. An engine to TDi for! "Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948"  |
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26th Jan 2014 3:15pm |
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