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AIBU

To think some drivers are totally selfish

(73 Posts)
25Avalon Wed 22-Jan-25 14:37:28

She maybe didn’t even notice you as she was busy concentrating on the traffic so perhaps not deliberately selfish. Nonetheless there are selfish drivers around but occasionally you do meet courteous ones and doesn’t it make you feel good.

Babs03 Wed 22-Jan-25 14:35:58

The worst thing is when drivers ignore zebra crossings, many pedestrians assume they can cross quite safely, and legally they should be able to, but I have had occasions where drivers have carried on driving when I have started crossing, children might not think twice before running across such a crossing.
Whether drivers are in their own bubble or not if they cannot drive safely they shouldn’t be on the road.

Wheniwasyourage Wed 22-Jan-25 14:32:29

Actually, I said "he" but we find that the most inconsiderate drivers, round here at least, seem to be young women, and the bigger the car, the less the consideration for others. Anyone else found the same?

Wheniwasyourage Wed 22-Jan-25 14:30:57

It really annoys me when I'm waiting to cross and a driver doesn't bother to indicate and then turns off at a corner. If he had indicated, I could have crossed my bit of the road. Just because I'm on foot and on a pavement doesn't mean that I'm not a road user! Of course there are some towns, eg Aberdeen, where it seems to be against the local by-laws to use indicators at all...

Tenko Wed 22-Jan-25 14:26:47

I think some drivers are in their bubble and don’t notice what’s around them .
I walk my dog to heathland and have to cross a busy road and very few people stop to let me across . I’m sometimes there for ages . Another one of my walks is near a school and drivers don’t stop for the kids either . The school is trying to get a lollipop person .

Philippa111 Wed 22-Jan-25 14:19:17

I think people in cars are in their own little world which is mostly anonymous and some feel they can then behave in ways that would be unacceptable in their actual daily life world, where their behaviours would be seen.

Babs03 Wed 22-Jan-25 14:02:32

I couldn’t walk behind the car at the exit because was a small wall the car was too near to for me to take the push chair through. And it took more than just a few minutes for the car to go, was a busy main road in London. I do credit myself with being a patient human being who tries to see other people’s situation. But in this situation I was an older woman struggling with a very cranky baby that needed his nap and the woman was sitting in her car and couldn’t get away any sooner if she had pulled back.

AreWeThereYet Wed 22-Jan-25 14:02:22

I think many people are so self-absorbed in their little bubble that they don't actually even notice anyone else or what is going on around them, whether they are walking or driving.

MrA would have got run over this morning by someone trying to enter a 'No Entry' road - fortunately he had his wits about him. He pointed at the 'No Entry' sign and the driver just gave him a filthy look and pulled back out.

V3ra Wed 22-Jan-25 10:11:22

Walking the children to school every day, I find the opposite.
I tell them to stop, look and wait at the kerb.
Invariably cars will stop to let us cross. Very nice, but it doesn't help with road safety drill and I'm afraid the children tend to assume and expect all cars will do the same 🤔

mum2three Wed 22-Jan-25 09:48:33

Many drivers just don't notice pedestrians. On the other hand, I am pleasantly surprised at how many people stop to allow an old lady to cross the road. I always smile and wave and say thank you.

Rosie51 Wed 22-Jan-25 09:44:27

Astitchintime I hadn't refreshed the page and you've already made the point about crossing behind.

Rosie51 Wed 22-Jan-25 09:43:10

As there was nobody behind her could you have walked behind her? Faced with that situation at a road junction that's what I do, I've never expected a car to pull back to allow me to cross. Yes many drivers are selfish, but then so are many people, even as pedestrians. I've sat patiently at a zebra crossing while a stream of pedestrians exiting the station cross. Just as I think it might be my turn to go, another one runs to catch up and cross. That's life and my time is no more or less valuable than theirs.

Astitchintime Wed 22-Jan-25 09:28:51

In that situation I would be tempted to cross the exit BEHIND the car - then if the driver spotted a gap in the traffic they could continue. I have always been of the opinion that pedestrians make better drivers too.

Margiknot Wed 22-Jan-25 09:19:27

Selfish often dangerous driving! Poor lane discipline at roundabouts drives DH mad! Cars deliberately using the left lane to approach then turning right across the lanes- or cutting across to avoid the curve- It’s so dangerous.

NotSpaghetti Wed 22-Jan-25 09:07:50

If they are already there surely you can wait a minute or two. You can't really say it's selfish not to reverse.
You don't know their circumstances (any more than they know yours).

J52 Wed 22-Jan-25 09:03:32

I agree, some drivers have no patience. The driver in the OP could have easily pulled back and waited. Lack of patience and courtesy often put others in a dangerous situation. How many times are we overtaken dangerously only to catch up with the car at the next set of lights or junction.

Nannylovesshopping Wed 22-Jan-25 08:29:09

M0nica

But there have always been selfish drivers on the road. That is nothing new.

But still extremely damn annoying!

M0nica Wed 22-Jan-25 07:34:58

But there have always been selfish drivers on the road. That is nothing new.

Babs03 Tue 21-Jan-25 21:59:19

Retroladywriting

I think some people, irrespective of whether they are drivers or not, are extremely selfish.

I believe it. But have noticed that for some reason when in a car people seem completely oblivious to the needs of anyone else in a way they wouldn’t when outside of a car. I mean the driver in question, if a pedestrian, probably wouldn’t stand right in front of me barring my way like that.
Is just a whole other level of selfishness.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Tue 21-Jan-25 21:56:46

I mean those little bubble ones where 3 drivers are waiting to drive round.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Tue 21-Jan-25 21:55:27

And some don’t even understand the basics of the Highway Code. The number of times at a roundabout Himself has been heard to mutter “for gods sake I’m waiting for you - you’ve got the bluddy right of way here’.

Retroladywriting Tue 21-Jan-25 21:52:19

I think some people, irrespective of whether they are drivers or not, are extremely selfish.

Babs03 Tue 21-Jan-25 21:37:30

Have been babysitting my grandson in London and was taking him out in the pushchair, in order to reach a local park I have to pass a petrol station, and I needed to cross the exit for said station. A woman driving her car could quite clearly see me waiting with the pushchair for her to exit, however she couldn’t exit immediately due to having to wait for a break in the traffic, if she had pulled back - there was nobody behind her - just a short way, I could have crossed the exit instead of having to stand until she could pull out. This has happened to me countless times. My DH will always pull back to let a waiting pedestrian cross if waiting for a break in the traffic.
I just think some drivers are extremely selfish.