Archive for April, 2007

WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS?!

The council has absolutely ruined the roads in and around Aylesbury. “How?” I hear you ponder, “surely they have not done what I think they have!”

Well, they have. The fact is, everywhere you drive around Aylesbury, you will most likely see both of the following signs.

I have no argument with the this first one - it’s there for a good reason. And, most of the time I respect the laws that this sign says I must, on pain of a fine and being kicked halfway to my license being revoked. These first signs are placed where they are for a very good reason: the area in which the limit applies is a residential one, where people are likely to be walking about, and it keeps them safe; or perhaps there is a junction ahead which is either complex or you will be likely to stop, and staying at a low speed such as 30mph will keep you overally safe.

The second of these signs is a different kettle of fish altogether. This one is one that has recently come into play anywhere that there was previously a 40 or 50mph speed limit. This sign spells the end for sensible speed limits in this country. If what I have read in the news is true, then our towns will slowly become subject to this.

While I appreciate that the government is attempting to save lives by making us drive more slowly, it is not the people who are driving at the speed limit who are having the accidents. It is the people who are driving at speeds in excess of the speed limits imposed on our roads who lose control of their cars, or can’t stop in time when somebody pulls out (or even walks out) in front of their car.

Why do they think that forcing everybody to drive at 30 is going to stop these people? Now I don’t claim to be someone who sticks to the speed limit all the time - in fact I’m a pretty terrible driver with regard to speeding - but the fact is, since these new signs have sprung up around Aylesbury, if anything, I’ve been driving faster than before. I don’t even know why! This troubles me greatly.

To finish my whinge, I would like to complain about the stretch of road between the end of the Aston Clinton bypass and the Bedgrove roundabout, which until now, was a glorious national speed limit stretch of road. It is a 1500 yard long single carriageway, which is generously wide and used to be perfect for a 60 mph drive, but now they have imposed a 40 mph limit on this road. I am saddened.

It’s been a while since I had a really good rant, so I thought it was high time that I changed all of that. Since my last written post, I’ve passed my driving test, acquiring just 3 minor errors along the way (one of which I blame on the stupid shape of Andy’s road). The way things have changed since I peeled off my L plates is quite noticable - people no longer treat me like shit on the roads.

As sad as I am to say it, learner drivers are given such a hard time, and in my opinion, it is this that stops a lot of provisionally licensed drivers from gaining the confidence they need to pass their driving test. Not intending to sound cocky, but since I first drove a car I’ve felt comfortable behind the wheel, and very sure of what was going on; but for a lot of people this just isn’t the case. So when people are tailgating you because you’re driving at the speed limit, and pulling out in front of you just because they can, it can have serious effects on your confidence in your own abilities, and your driving suffers as a result.

To some extent, it’s this sort of behaviour that I use as a (poor) explanation as to why I drive like an absolute twat now. Although I tend to give people the space they deserve, and avoid any cheeky maneuvres, especially when I have passengers, I do drive far too quickly, and frankly I really shouldn’t be allowed to have a driving license. However, having seen the way that a large proportion of the British population drives, I start to wonder if (relatively) I’m all that dangerous.

While driving back from Caley’s this morning, I pulled out from Oakfield Road onto the double mini-roundabout by the Esso garage on Tring Road in Aylesbury, turning left to head towards Tring. Somebody was turning right so I pulled out into the left-hand lane, heading towards the second roundabout. As I was pulling out, another driver (without stopping) shot across the roundabout from the right-hand lane, and attempted to merge left into the left-hand lane where I currently was. So, as you do, I slammed my brakes on so that he didn’t hit me. He then proceeded to flip me off - charming, eh?

The thing that really annoys me was that I did nothing wrong. He:

1. did not stop at the edge of the roundabout before crossing it.
2. approached in the wrong lane to go straight ahead.
3. tried to drive into a space where there already was a car.

Sorry to rant about it, but the number of times that I’ve been cut up on that roundabout (as have other people) is really starting to take the piss. And while I may not be the safest of drivers, it worries me that there are people out there worse than me.

Clicky here to view a map of where I’m talking about (MS Virtual Earth)