Car driving standards

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

I've had my UK licence since 1992 (never had a single point on my licence in over 30 years of driving), and yesterday I passed my Florida driving test. It's a 2-part test with a theory and practical element. I did my practical back in October and aced it in about 15 minutes. Finally managed to get my practical booked for yesterday. The whole practical test, including filling out the paperwork took about 35 minutes, and 20 minutes of that was DMV paperwork.

Basically, you get in the car (your own car) and the examiner does a quick safety check (seatbelt, tires, indicators, lights and brake lights), and then you set of on the route. The local route is essentially a loop on urban streets (a housing estate) on 15mph roads, punctuated by stops signs. A series of left/right turns and then drive along a straight road until told to pull over, reverse in a straight line for 50ft, drive forward again until told to stop (emergency stop) which I reached about 10mph before stopping, then a turn in the road, and back to the test center. You then have to stop at a cone and then park in a designated bay which is about 1.5x a standard UK supermarket parking bay and that's it done.

When the examiner asked me about the UK test, he was shocked that UK learners can and regularly do get up to 60mph on their test. He said there is no way that learners over here would be trusted to do 60mph on their test.

No wonder there are so many accidents over here.

 

[City Hobgoblin]

How many drivers out there are coked up or worse? Probably applies to both sides of the pond.

 

[East Level 2]

How many drivers out there are coked up or worse? Probably applies to both sides of the pond.

Don't know about coke, but I'm sure I read that drivers over the drink limit are not routinely banned in the States.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

How many drivers out there are coked up or worse? Probably applies to both sides of the pond.

Not sure about coke, but certainly weed over here, and drink driving is fairly common. I never heard the phrase '5 and drive' until first visited the US.

 

[Centurions]

This thread is as good as any I guess. We've just changed to a Peugeot 208 (an Arnold Clark pre-registered deal) and I'm looking to have a dashcam fitted. Due to the lack of fitters here (Fife) I'm looking at Halfords for the Nextbase 522GW Front & Rear Dash Cam Bundle fitted. Any feedback or other recommendations?

 

[remember arthur mann]

This thread is as good as any I guess. We've just changed to a Peugeot 208 (an Arnold Clark pre-registered deal) and I'm looking to have a dashcam fitted. Due to the lack of fitters here (Fife) I'm looking at Halfords for the Nextbase 522GW Front & Rear Dash Cam Bundle fitted. Any feedback or other recommendations?

Get a 30 quid one and fit it yourself.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

This thread is as good as any I guess. We've just changed to a Peugeot 208 (an Arnold Clark pre-registered deal) and I'm looking to have a dashcam fitted. Due to the lack of fitters here (Fife) I'm looking at Halfords for the Nextbase 522GW Front & Rear Dash Cam Bundle fitted. Any feedback or other recommendations?

Speak to your insurers and see if fitting that particular dashcam qualifies you for a discounted premium.

 

[Centurions]

Get a 30 quid one and fit it yourself.

I'm hesitant in digging into the linings myself TBH as I want it at the top of the windscreen with wiring tucked away and permanently wired.

 

[Centurions]

Speak to your insurers and see if fitting that particular dashcam qualifies you for a discounted premium.

No, the AA don't appear to offer discounts for having a dashcam although I'm mid sixties with maximum NCB so the insurance costs are relatively low anyway.

 

[BlueMoonday]

I hate driving at weekends and Bank Holidays, it's full of morons who don't normally drive.

Some absolute Top Hat merged into my lane and took me out. Good job the lane to my right was free so I could avoid the c*nt. Some people shouldn't drive.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

I hate driving at weekends and Bank Holidays, it's full of morons who don't normally drive.

Some absolute Top Hat merged into my lane and took me out. Good job the lane to my right was free so I could avoid the c*nt. Some people shouldn't drive.

I’m convinced loads of people drink drive on bank holidays and Christmas. The number of absolute whoppers on the road is really noticeable.

 

[ganganvince]

This thread is as good as any I guess. We've just changed to a Peugeot 208 (an Arnold Clark pre-registered deal) and I'm looking to have a dashcam fitted. Due to the lack of fitters here (Fife) I'm looking at Halfords for the Nextbase 522GW Front & Rear Dash Cam Bundle fitted. Any feedback or other recommendations?

Fitted nextbase in all 3 of our cars you never know when you might need it. Really easy to do yourself with a hard wire kit also some insurance policies give a discount with nextbase.

 

[bluetonium]

I hate driving at weekends and Bank Holidays, it's full of morons who don't normally drive.

Some absolute Top Hat merged into my lane and took me out. Good job the lane to my right was free so I could avoid the c*nt. Some people shouldn't drive.

This happened to me a couple of weeks back. Uber driver didn't look and almost slammed into my daughter in the rear passenger side as he decided to move across two lanes into a third. No indicator, naturally, and I had to swerve to avoid and he still only stopped trying to merge when I beeped the horn.

Lights changed to red and I wound down the window as we're at the lights, me in the right hand turn lane and him half in the lane trying to push in despite the events, and asked " not going to bother looking then?"

He just laughed and said "no!" so I informed him that both he and his dangerous driving were caught on dashcam and so to enjoy his fine and points. Smile disappeared instantly. Just make sure you drive perfectly for 2 minutes either side of pressing the record button, otherwise the police may do you too.

As I pulled away I noticed he was still in the wrong lane, he didn't want turn right at all and went straight ahead.

 

[maxwellblue]

Fitted nextbase in all 3 of our cars you never know when you might need it. Really easy to do yourself with a hard wire kit also some insurance policies give a discount with nextbase.

A dashcam is a must nowadays and I'm sure will be std equipment in cars in the future.
I fitted a nextbase mount onto all 3 of my cars and just move the cameras to whichever car I am using.

As you say a straightforward fit.

 

[Snape]

A dashcam is a must nowadays and I'm sure will be std equipment in cars in the future.
I fitted a nextbase mount onto all 3 of my cars and just move the cameras to whichever car I am using.

As you say a straightforward fit.

Just a couple of weeks ago, in Bury, I was driving home after dropping my daughter off at school when some guy pulled straight out in front of me without even indicating, his lane was jammed and mine was clear, so I guess he thought he’d chance it. I didn’t beep or flash my lights, just shook my head in disbelief. He must have seen me, shaking my head because next thing I know he slams on his brakes and actually gets out of the car, even though i could see he had kids in the back! He was just shouting, “Have you got a problem? Have you got a problem?” and then I pointed to my dash-cam. He got straight back in his car. There are some proper nutters out there!

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

I’m convinced loads of people drink drive on bank holidays and Christmas. The number of absolute whoppers on the road is really noticeable.

They do it anyway

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

A dashcam is a must nowadays and I'm sure will be std equipment in cars in the future.
I fitted a nextbase mount onto all 3 of my cars and just move the cameras to whichever car I am using.

As you say a straightforward fit.

I got one this time a few years ago after a lass who works for me went to Cornwall for Easter. Some silly old **** pulled out of a junction straight into her. They stopped, all apologies, accepted his fault and blah blah. Exchange of details and on to the insurance. By Wednesday he had changed his tune totally and said she had been indicating left, slowed to turn, then changed her mind and carried on. I doubt it makes much difference to the claim in reality, Ive never had to do it thankfully, but the reversal of events and the lies would do my fucking head in. I drive defensively these days, they are out there everywhere and cant drive sensibly. A £30 dashcam from Amazon is a beauty and a no brainer. Im sure dickheads see them stuck to your windscreen and it does make them switch on for the minutes or miles you are in traffic with them

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Fitted nextbase in all 3 of our cars you never know when you might need it. Really easy to do yourself with a hard wire kit also some insurance policies give a discount with nextbase.

I keep thinking about a dash cam, think I’ll get one now.

 

[BlueMoonday]

Just a couple of weeks ago, in Bury, I was driving home after dropping my daughter off at school when some guy pulled straight out in front of me without even indicating, his lane was jammed and mine was clear, so I guess he thought he’d chance it. I didn’t beep or flash my lights, just shook my head in disbelief. He must have seen me, shaking my head because next thing I know he slams on his brakes and actually gets out of the car, even though i could see he had kids in the back! He was just shouting, “Have you got a problem? Have you got a problem?” and then I pointed to my dash-cam. He got straight back in his car. There are some proper nutters out there!

This is why a dashcam is a must. The twat has anger issues and shouldn't be driving. I had some chav do something similar, i wish I had a dadhcam at the time so I could have reported her. It's not grassing either, these angry dickheads are a danger to people.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Just a couple of weeks ago, in Bury, I was driving home after dropping my daughter off at school when some guy pulled straight out in front of me without even indicating, his lane was jammed and mine was clear, so I guess he thought he’d chance it. I didn’t beep or flash my lights, just shook my head in disbelief. He must have seen me, shaking my head because next thing I know he slams on his brakes and actually gets out of the car, even though i could see he had kids in the back! He was just shouting, “Have you got a problem? Have you got a problem?” and then I pointed to my dash-cam. He got straight back in his car. There are some proper nutters out there!

I had an interaction after leaving ikea a few weeks ago.

Caught some dickhead in a Ford ranger slam on his brakes behind me to avoid driving into the back of me at traffic lights. He then pulled into the next lane and was weaving all over. I looked across and could see his was on his phone, with his kid in the passenger seat.

Got onto the m60 and same thing, he was all over the road and nearly caused a crash several times. He nearly drove into me again, so I beeped my horn and he then drove alongside me and started going apeshit.

Utterly fucking mental case dickhead, especially with a little kid in the car. If it wasn’t about 10am I’d swear he was pissed out of his head.