Drivers and their problems

brooksby wrote:

I wonder how many people would drive to a pub for the evening?

Firstly: because Clevedon really isn't huge; and secondly: because none of them would drive home again after spending an evening in the pub, surely...?

I would. Especially if the food is good and the pub is a way out. Though I would stare sadly at the drinks I am not consuming.

That said, I wouldn't do it often and by the looks of it not in Clifton. If a pub business model is based on wet sales to consumers that drive, the model is fooked.

I do get a bit tetchy when I see discarded inner tubes.  Really?  Single tubes aren't coming from folks passing in cars or trucks... Either you carried a spare there, so taking the bust one back with you doesn't even represent a weight gain OR you've cadged one from someone else and are now littering to boot!  For those - I hope snakebite hits later!

Clearly some people do think they're in one of the Monuments and it's fine to act like a pro - but without the support to clean up after you.

It's because (parts of) society don't have any taboo about crap driving but all of society is very pro-driving.  Or has it as aspiration "gonna get a new car!" or requirement "you don't have a car?!"

And it's also because you can drive a defective car, or with no licence / insurance, or do any number of dangerous things for time and your odds of getting stopped are very low.

So by the time it happens the problems are likely multiple and (now) pretty obvious.

It seems so bizarre that the police / media still do this even when a driver is clearly in the wrong

Fear not! wtjs will not be silenced even by Lancashire Constabulary's de facto policy that MOT, insurance, VED (and probably driving licence as well, but I can't check that) etc. are now purely optional for hard-working, hard-pressed, law-abiding, salt-of-the-earth, staunch Defenders of the Right motorists like this one of three this morning, MA14 TKC

chrisonatrike wrote:

I do get a bit tetchy when I see discarded inner tubes.  Really?  Single tubes aren't coming from folks passing in cars or trucks... Either you carried a spare there, so taking the bust one back with you doesn't even represent a weight gain OR you've cadged one from someone else and are now littering to boot!  For those - I hope snakebite hits later!

Clearly some people do think they're in one of the Monuments and it's fine to act like a pro - but without the support to clean up after you.

Given I absolutely agree with you that litttering with disgarded tubes is unacceptable, my following point is a bit irrelevant.  However, there is a difference between carrying a spare and carrying a bust one - the spare will have been neatly rolled up (perhaps never unrolled) and nicely packed.  The bust tube will be more cumbersome and, for example, probably not easily fit back in a saddle bag.

But as I say, that doesn't excuse littering in any way at all.

chrisonatrike wrote:

It's because (parts of) society don't have any taboo about crap driving but all of society is very pro-driving.  Or has it as aspiration "gonna get a new car!" or requirement "you don't have a car?!"

The first of those struck me the other night at the pub. The kitchen had closed and the cook was at the bar having a beer. She was talking about buying a new "K5" (which I had to look up, turns out it's a Kia, starting about $25k US.) She was excited about replacing her six year old car, she's single and I'm pretty sure she earns somewhere between 1/5 and 1/4 what I make, and I've never bought a new car in my life! My current car is 18 years old and cost less than half that used! My car, plus my wife's car, plus all of my bicycles probably add up to about $25k.

Steve K wrote:

However, there is a difference between carrying a spare and carrying a bust one - the spare will have been neatly rolled up (perhaps never unrolled) and nicely packed.  The bust tube will be more cumbersome and, for example, probably not easily fit back in a saddle bag.

Indeed but that's begging the question isn't it?  Of course it's more effort and takes precious seconds to do something rather than just leave it lying on the floor (thereby making you lighter - win!)  As to "how on earth can I carry this very flexible and stretchy ring-shaped thing with me...?"  As noted if you'd drop it in the first place you're probably the kind to decide you couldn't possibly wrap it round yourself or your bike as that would ruin the aerodynamics...

chrisonatrike wrote:

Steve K wrote:

However, there is a difference between carrying a spare and carrying a bust one - the spare will have been neatly rolled up (perhaps never unrolled) and nicely packed.  The bust tube will be more cumbersome and, for example, probably not easily fit back in a saddle bag.

Indeed but that's begging the question isn't it?  Of course it's more effort and takes precious seconds to do something rather than just leave it lying on the floor (thereby making you lighter - win!)  As to "how on earth can I carry this very flexible and stretchy ring-shaped thing with me...?"  As noted if you'd drop it in the first place you're probably the kind to decide you couldn't possibly wrap it round yourself or your bike as that would ruin the aerodynamics...

Yeah, absolutely.  I was just reflecting on my own reaction after replacing a punctured tube; but I would never even think of just dropping it by the road side. 

You wear it figure of eight over your shoulders, proper old school.

It seems to be a combination of drug/drunk driving or simply lack of maintenance. Quite a few are "Stopped for driving with no lights" or "Stopped for driving without seatbelt" (often drugged/drunk) or "Stopped due to insecure load" or some blatant defect. So someone driving without the licence to do so, vehicular or otherwise, has got so used to it, they've forgotten to do the basics and give the police an excuse to take interest. I think that's why the AI system is so useful to the police, it spots phones and missing belts, and then you are already into a high percentage chance of other offences.

Just that!  Humans produce *vast* amounts of waste.  If even a tiny fraction of that escapes during disposal there's plenty to make it very noticable dotted around the environment.  There definitely are specific litter louts but their contribution is swamped by the overspill from that of all the careful folks.  It's the sheer amount of packing etc. we all go through.

I've lived in a couple of mid-sized blocks of flats now - the tall buildings channel the wind.  I've watched plenty of times as the rubbish / recycling disperses itself while loading, or collection points are full people leave stuff's left near there (which then migrates), or the gulls get in!

continuous stream of police stops where they do the stop because there is an issue with the car, it turns out the driver hasn't had a licence for years and normally unroadworthy, untaxed and uninsured

This is just the same post from me as usual, because it's now so common: in Lancashire, they just don't do any police stops because they haven't worked out how to switch the ANPR cameras on, don't catch anyone and refuse to do anything about it when somebody catches the villains for them- Lancashire is just a paradise for habitual road traffic offenders. This is 17 SAM (people with personalised plates are inherently suspect) an Audi Q7 Tiger Tank for ubermensch who are too busy intimidating people in smaller vehicles to bother about trivialities like MOT and insurance

Reminds me neighbour moaned that because of some local roadworks it took her 20minutes to drive to the nearest wine bar(!?)...you can walk it in 8minutes

I'm genuinely curious - when you share pics like this, did this driver do something in particular to draw your attention (they're not obviously crashing red lights at 50mph or overtaking on double white lines for example...), or do you just check the MOT and VED status of all vehicles you pass? 

Also, is it just me, or is the threading on this post (and others, like "Pictures of your bike") awry? Seems the threading can't cope after a certain number of comments.  

I do a short trip each day where I check all the vehicles I can. The Audi tank did nothing other than being an Audi, so I know the driver is bound to be guilty of something. There are so many offences in Lancashire, where traffic policing has been completely abandoned...over 5 years of happy VED-free motoring!

At least the mot is up to date.

I did laugh out loud at "so I know the driver is bound to be guilty of something".

I did laugh out loud at "so I know the driver is bound to be guilty of something"

A bearded Audi driver with tattoos is 99% likely to be guilty of offences against other road users every day

I do not believe that Santa could ever be an audi-###ker.

Current TV ad.

And why would a self driving car ever need to be massively overpowered?

And would the indicators still appear to be malfunctioning?

I saw that ad on Eurosport tonight and Im just like, seriously?, Santa is just some slightly old dude with a trimmed beard now who gets driven around in an autonomous Audi, hes not even "jolly" anymore ? talk about a Christmas cheerless ad.

but theres one on ITV4 for ITV4, Im surprised hasnt caused more grumbling about yet though.the ref who shows a red card at the cyclist getting on the train.

Do you then report those without MOT / VED? I believe ANPR only pings on registration numbers which have been entered as being of interest - not sure if reporting lack of MOT / VED gets them put on that database. Suspect not.  

Do you then report those without MOT / VED? I believe ANPR only pings on registration numbers which have been entered as being of interest

Nothing is of interest to Lancashire Constabulary!- owing to the implementation of Lancashire Indolence Mode Policing and Lancashire Idleness Associated Response. I could have repeated a photo of MV57 GXO which is seen almost every day around Garstang and which was reported over 6 months ago- he could park that at Garstang Police Station and they wouldn't stir themselves from the sofa

I thought you'd been quiet! You'd think there would be good money and kudos for the police with these easy wins. I do wonder if you should do an experiment and get some mates to submit footage to see if you are on a police block list! 

I note car behind is an older Audi, so will probably also be without MOT and the driver of the van behind will have an 80% chance of being on the phone. That would be a good haul for plod. 

I note car behind is an older Audi, so will probably also be without MOT and the driver of the van behind will have an 80% chance of being on the phone

Nope! Other Audi legit, and even Lancashire drivers aren't often on the handheld phone on this road. However, to avoid disappointment I'll present Range Rover Evoque LR67 UMH on the A6

to see if you are on a police block list! 

I am on a police block list! Lancashire Constabulary views reporters of offences as the problem, not the offenders. Hence, the runaway MOT, insurance and VED evasion in Lancashire.