Polite Driving

We almost got wiped out on the M1 last Sunday. Someone appeared from nowhere ( we always look out for such drivers so he must have pulled onto the motorway at one hell of a speed). There was a lorry in the inner lane, we were in the next one. He drove through the small gap between our car and the lorry and then pulled straight across to the fourth lane. How he didn’t clip anyone with the manoeuvre is a miracle. We saw plenty of bad driving on the journey but that was the worst and probably the worst we’ve ever seen.

Mamie, I’ve not come across “parking on roads with wobbly lines for a free for all up the middle”. There are none in this area. Sounds confusing. And novel.

I have new neighbours that park their car on an A road part on the pavement blocking a cycle path on a blind corner. It isn’t illegal but I’m the only one of my neighbours that is annoyed by it; they seem to think I’m being unreasonable by being angry. It also makes it difficult pulling onto the road and is near to a bus stop. No one has ever parked on the road before.

I will continue to drive as I always have, always courteous to other drivers and acknowledge them. There's some mad drivers on our roads though that would test the patience of a saint. I let them hurtle past and usually catch up with them further on. Some try to push you to another lane even if doing a good speed.
Maybee, have you mentioned it to your new neighbours saying how difficult it is to see round their car. I would have thought that was a traffic offence.

When they first moved in I knocked on their door to warn them that no one has ever parked on the road but they weren’t in. I then mentioned it to their next door neighbour ( who is always chatting with them) but he didn’t think it was a problem. I then ended up having an argument with them about something else ( the only time I’ve ever had an argument with any of my neighbours in fifty years) so I can’t say anything now. It isn’t just their car. Their friends park on the road, too, and also the grass verge at the end of the road. My bad knee means that I rarely walk down the road anyway now but I feel awkward even walking past their house . My son and DIL are both cyclists so it annoys me when people park on cycle tracks. There have been some terrible accidents where they park; even decades later I can still remember the awful sound of someone being cut out of their car on the very spot where they park.