ADUK Archive

We know what we expect, but what does the other driver expect?

Near me is a bit of only moderately twisty NSL A road that is "customarily" driven along by all and sundry at 45-50. T'other day I though I would drive along it at NSL, just for the practice, commentating merrily to myself. Coming up to a minor intersection I clock white van man coming up to the line. Hello, I says to myself, he's coming out (it's white van man body language), start to brake and lo and behold he lurches straight out without any real hesitation and starts a right turn across my bows. I brake a bit harder but not excessively (no ABS) and all is well with the world. Not even worth a toot or flash but ...

As I say, this road, although NSL is customarily driven at 45-50. A van coming up to the line, particularly if local, has the clear expectation than any oncoming traffic will be doing around 45-50 and judge accordingly. He wasn't expecting somebody to be bowling along at NSL on this stretch of road.

chriskay wrote:Well, of course, he may not have been local and anyway, he probably didn't know what the limit was on the road he was joining (of course he should have known): if he was typical White Van Man, he simply didn't care.

+ 1.

triquet, as to what speed drivers may be travelling at, I think you're correct. Many drivers expect others to do what they themselves do, and not consider that others may think differently. It's a bit like stereotyping the driver of a chavved up old banger, into the boy racer/reckless driver group, and the little old granny in the 1.0 Micra, into the potter everywhere at 25mph holding everyone up group, but as we know, it's not always the case. We should expect the unexpected.

fungus wrote:

chriskay wrote:Well, of course, he may not have been local and anyway, he probably didn't know what the limit was on the road he was joining (of course he should have known): if he was typical White Van Man, he simply didn't care.

+ 1.

triquet, as to what speed drivers may be travelling at, I think you're correct. Many drivers expect others to do what they themselves do, and not consider that others may think differently. It's a bit like stereotyping the driver of a chavved up old banger, into the boy racer/reckless driver group, and the little old granny in the 1.0 Micra, into the potter everywhere at 25mph holding everyone up group, but as we know, it's not always the case. We should expect the unexpected.

You must never assume that elderly drivers are going to potter about.

Both of my late grandfathers smashed that stereotype into smithereens.

My father's father learnt to drive in the army, and had a attitude that he was a very good driver, and that everyone else was totally useless.
One such example that remains imprinted in my mum's mind was where my grandad was driving my family down to my school and he reached the end of the A23, and instead of slowing down to a reasonable speed and preparing to stop if necessary, he just went straight across the roundabout at 40 mph. Yikes.

My mother's father, I have plenty of memories of visiting him in Nottingham, and his favourite thing to do with us in the back-seat was to drive as fast as possible over small hills and humpback bridges and give us all the 'jumping tummy' sensation. A lot of fun indeed.

triquet wrote:We know what we expect, but what does the other driver expect?

Near me is a bit of only moderately twisty NSL A road that is "customarily" driven along by all and sundry at 45-50. T'other day I though I would drive along it at NSL, just for the practice, commentating merrily to myself. Coming up to a minor intersection I clock white van man coming up to the line. Hello, I says to myself, he's coming out (it's white van man body language), start to brake and lo and behold he lurches straight out without any real hesitation and starts a right turn across my bows. I brake a bit harder but not excessively (no ABS) and all is well with the world. Not even worth a toot or flash but ...

As I say, this road, although NSL is customarily driven at 45-50. A van coming up to the line, particularly if local, has the clear expectation than any oncoming traffic will be doing around 45-50 and judge accordingly. He wasn't expecting somebody to be bowling along at NSL on this stretch of road.

Perhaps some form of warning would have been appropriate?

fungus wrote:Many drivers expect others to do what they themselves do....

That's a frightening thought!