Car totalled - other drivers fault - why are WE out of pocket?.

[AnOther]

Beep Beep [;-)]

[mint]

PLEASE ErnieY, DON'T drive like Mr Toad.  He would be a complete disaster on our overused, overcrowded roads.

[AnOther]

I can't help it sweet17, I played the lead role in Toad of Toad Hall at school and apparently it was a seminal moment - Beep Beep [:D] [:D]

Seriously though, it was meant to say - when neccessary use your horn to make sure people know you are there.

This simple act could well have prevented the incidents described in this thread.

Incidentally, tailgating apart, I don't find French drivers particularly worse than in the UK. Different perhaps, and one of the big differences I feel is that in UK much of the bad driving is performed with deliberate aggression whereas in France I don't get any sense of this. Yes they often drive too fast, or shall we say faster than perhaps we are used to or would drive ourselves, but I have yet to witness any of the belligerent behaviour so prevalent on the roads in UK.

[suein56]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

I don't find French drivers particularly worse than in the UK. Different perhaps, and one of the big differences I feel is that in UK much of the bad driving is performed with deliberate aggression whereas in France I don't get any sense of this.Yes they often drive too fast, or shall we say faster than perhaps we are used to or would drive ourselves, but I have yet to witness any of the belligerent behaviour so prevalent on the roads in UK. [/quote]

Yep; I would agree wholeheartedly with that.

Sue

[Onion van man]

[quote user="ErnieY"]Beep Beep [;-)][/quote]

I think I pointed this out way back in this thread also. It is soo easy to make someone aware of your presence, Even if they are hard of hearing I'm sure they would hear you blasting your horn.

One thing you should never do when driving is to assume what another driver is going to do or not do. You have to remember that alot people driving past their driving test years ago and have forgotten the importance of proper observation as well as everything else they were taught. Personally I would like to see compulsory re-testing say every 5 years or so just for safety reasons. All the big companies that I drove for would stick a driving instructor in the cab with you at least twice a year just to check on your driving and if need be they would point out where they thought you should brush up.

[Eos]

Bugbear,

Irrelevant to the thread but for the sake of clarity, the right turn the tractor took was into the ditch on the other side of the road, through/over my husband's car with ne'er a junction, field entrance, layby or carpark entrance in sight!

However I do take your point about being careful about things such as those. The burden of care though should go both ways.

Eos.

 

[Hagar]

[quote user="Eos"]

 The burden of care though should go both ways.

Eos.

[/quote]

I think that's basically what we are all saying - with the notable exception of the OP who "has no respect for tractors or their drivers - and now treats them with disdain".

rgds

Hagar

[Tony F Dordogne]

I have to report that I have just overtaken a tractor being driven by one of my elderly neighbours, I indicated, hooted and passed him, he waved as did I and the manouvre was completed without injury or resort to assurance offices by either party.

[Russethouse]

[:D][:D][:D][:D]

[Onion van man]

[quote user="Tony F Dordogne"]I have to report that I have just overtaken a tractor being driven by one of my elderly neighbours, I indicated, hooted and passed him, he waved as did I and the manouvre was completed without injury or resort to assurance offices by either party.[/quote]

Nice bit of safe driving Tony ! Didn't hurt you or your pocket either did it ? [:D][;-)]

[AnOther]

Well done Tony [;-)]

[Val_2]

I well remember having it drummed into me when I learned to drive at 18 that overtaking was a proceedure to be doubly careful about,only to be taken when safe to do so and not to endanger any other road users and especially not near any side junctions on either side of the road whereby a car could pull out without warning or in this case,the vehicle in front turns off without signalling as so many lazy drivers do. The same went for signalling far too soon especially if there was another side exit before the one I needed to take and even today I do not trust anyone who is signaling from a long way off to turn before me until they actually do it.