Choosing a subject which is the biggest can of worms is not
a great one to start with, as I could be here forever more doing this, but hey,
what the hell.
According to the Office of National Statistics there were 35
million vehicles licensed for used on the road in Great Britain. Let’s just say
they pay on average £100 for their car tax, that is approx £3,500,000,000
raised just from that tax and I still have a bloody pot hole at the end of my
road.
We still have to pay duty on fuel, plus insurance tax and
some other god earthly tax which hits motorist, so why are our roads in such a
poor state? Where does that money go?
As for insurance, that’s another huge rip-off if I have ever
seen one. You all know the story, your renewal comes round, the quote given is
way above what you paid 12 months ago, so you phone them up telling them you
are not paying it, they do a search and say: “oh yes, we can do £XXX”. Why the
hell didn’t they do that in the first place?
My quote was about £100 more than last year, done a quick
search, found I could do it for less, told the Insurance Company I am not
paying it, what a surprise, they came back with another offer which was about
the same for what I found online.
I had to change my address with the same said Insurance
Company some 18 months ago, and they wanted to charge me £25 for the privilege.
Nope, not doing it, I said I would take the risk and change companies when my
insurance is up for renewal. Absolute rip off.
Is it any wonder there is a lot of angry motorists out
there? Just to get your car on the road, it has to MoT’d, insured, taxed and
add fuel. And all I want to do is to go to work and back, just a 20 mile round
trip. Ok, I know I chose to live where I am, and perhaps I would do away with a
car if I was in town living, but it seems so much for just a blooming car.
All this and I haven’t even touched on driving. Hands up who
thinks you are a good driver...... nearly all of you, me included. But there
are some real tossers’ out there.
We could go on and on about other people’s driving, as we
all think we are in the right when it comes to being sat behind the wheel. But
there are a few things which annoy me:
Ignorance – Something
which really gets to me. You all know the scenario, down a country lane, meet a
4x4, they can’t find reverse, don’t worry I’ll reverse back half a mile, they
drove by and they don’t even acknowledge you, not even eye contact.
Thankfully lorry drivers, tractor drivers, bus drivers (what
are they doing down a country lane), all gives you the thumbs up, good for
them.
Going back to ignorance, there are some arseholes that look
down on you like you are a piece of shit. A certain person, who lives in the
Stowey area, who is about 5’ tall and who shall remain nameless, but I do hope
you know who I mean, is a complete dick when it comes to driving his 4x4.
One day, I encountered his 4x4 in Stowey, it was in the
middle of the road, engine still running while he was in the paper shop getting
god knows what from the shop (I don’t really care). I Stopped in front of his
4x4 (a black Range Rover with the registration number 1 TWAT).
When he came out he said to me: “you’ll have to move I’m in
a hurry”.
My response was, between expletives, was no. By then a queue
of traffic had built up behind me and behind him. I don’t think he knew what
was happening. So after about half an hour, a few people finger wagging, saying
“if you parked properly” and words like that, Stowey was somewhat gridlocked,
and I think he was still in a hurry (ha bloody ha).
Eventually we all managed to do a bit of reversing, make
some room and he went on his jolly way, looking down on us from his 4x4 like we
are a piece of shit. Tosser.
Non-signalling around
a roundabout– Now I am not a mind reader, but please give me and other road
users a signal so we know where you are going. Sorry if I pull out in front of
you, but hey I thought you was going straight on, not going right.
Overtaking – I do
hate being tailgated. There is always someone who wants to overtake you, so what
do they do, they sit on your rear bumper waiting for their opportunity to
pounce. Then they see their opportunity, go past you only then to get behind
someone else and tailgate them.
Then what happens, you come to the next town and pull up
beside them at the first set of traffic lights. Oh how I love giving them a
glance and a wry smile.
I do hate being tailgated (think I said that before), and
given the opportunity I would let a car pass me in safe place. I would rather
have them out of my way ahead of me, as they are more off putting behind me,
especially when it’s dark and their lights are in my mirrors.
I see a lot of this when I travel on the A39 between Nether
Stowey and Bridgwater, or even between Stowey and Minehead. There are only a
handful of safe places to overtake on that road, and yet we still see it day in
day out, cars weaving in and out trying to overtake or even doing so when it’s
dangerous. And alas we pull up beside them at the next junction or get behind
them when they get stuck behind another car.
I was travelling back from Bridgwater one day, this car
suddenly appeared from nowhere behind me, he overtook me, only to get stuck
behind a small posse of about four cars. He was itching to get pass them. When
they got to the Stowey bypass, he seized his opportunity, passed one, was going
to pass the next only to be thwarted by a lorry coming in the other
direction. He managed to squeeze back in
between two cars, narrowly avoiding a head on collision.
Now for those who know the Stowey bypass, there is now
traffic lights at the Stogursey end of the village. This driver seized the
moment. The lights were on red, he pulled into the right hand lane, which is
for filter traffic to turn right, the lights for straight on turned green, and
you guess it he pulled away overtaking the cars somewhat idiotically and
dangerously. Oh, there is never a police car when you need them!
Another favourite for idiots overtaking is between Stowey
and Taunton. For crying out loud, it’s a country lane not a racing track. I
have been overtaken on that road many a time in places which you wouldn’t
believe and have seen some very near misses. Have also been witness to an
accident as someone was overtaking on a bend, only to see another car coming in
the opposite direction, now that was nasty.
You may have a bigger, newer, more powerful car than me, but
please don’t put my life or anyone else’s at risk. You may know the road, but
do you know what is around the corner. Besides, you are probably breaking the
speed limit anyway; it is there for a reason.
Someone asked me recently this scenario: If you’ve been
driving along, someone overtakes you dangerously, putting you at risk. A mile
later, you then find the car and driver in an accident, would you stop and be
concerned, would you stop and give him an earful or would you drive on?
Road rage / angry
drivers – I wouldn’t say they annoy me, but they do make me laugh. However,
having heard and read about someone being badly beaten over a car parking space
in a supermarket, it is a serious matter.
I just wonder why people get angry when they drive, it seems
they get behind the wheel and the red mist comes down. Look, if something
happens, instead of going on one and potentially getting arrested and being
thrown in a cell, take a deep breath, accept it and move on.
I have seen people jump out of their car and run over to
another motorist because that motorist lane hopped. Crikey mate, no one was
hurt, did your car get damaged and who looks an idiot, yes you do. Plus you are
now holding up the traffic because you want your own little spat with someone,
why?
Just get on with it, no one is hurt, you will get idiots out
there who think they know better and they will soon get their comeuppance (I
hope).
White van man – Sorry,
your reputation goes before you. How can you be on your mobile, drink your
coffee, eat your bacon butty and drive at the same time?
You are probably the cause of all the above; ignorance,
non-signalling, overtaking and road rage.
Street signs – There
are just too many of them. Perhaps it’s because of this Political Correctness
society we live in today.
Have a look when you drive down some roads. Countless 6’
poles with a tiny sign on it, then about 10 yards later another 6’ pole with
another sign on it and it goes on and on and on!
Too many sign, too many sign poles, to bloody confusing. It
just clutters up the highway. Does anyone really know what all the signs mean?
Thought not.
As I said, I am not the world’s best driver, I never claim
to be. All I want to do is get to work and back.
Next time - Christmas!
