A lot of my workday is spent out of the office with clients and potential clients and today was no exception. It was a little unique in that I went from well north of the city to well south and clocked up just under three hundred kilometres for the day. That's unusual as I usually try and ensure my appointments are in the same vicinity because it's more time-efficient. It wasn't possible today though, and much of my time was spent in the car.
I don't waste time when I'm driving preferring to use it to make calls. I have a habit of putting everybody's number, company and position into my phone and there's hundreds of them there which always gives me someone to call, a touch-point, with existing or potential clients. It was no different today, although I still had time to notice road wankers.
Non zip-merging road wankers
The first of many near-miss incidents today was a zip merge issue.
Zip merging is generally when two lane merge into a single lane although there's other situations in which it should happen. Both lanes of cars keep moving forward and merge in alternating fashion into the single lane; one vehicle from the left, the next from the right, another from the left and so on. It means traffic flows smoothly and virtually uninterrupted and there's no need for heavy braking or rapid acceleration.
But here's the thing, people are fucking wankers when it comes to zip-merging.
They either hit the brakes needlessly hard to allow someone else in which causes a possible rear-end accident risk, give way to multiple vehicles stopping an entire lane, or accelerate so hard to get ahead of the next car as if that extra ten metres of road they gained is going to dramatically improve their lives. Wankers!
I almost had someone drive into the side of my vehicle today, just to try and get ahead of me and, all the while, the person behind me accelerated to try and get around me and ahead as I moved left to head off the other person. It was bonkers, and not in a good way like I am.
Spending so much time on the road, I see so many little incidents that could actually go really badly, and I have to wonder why, all of a sudden, drivers seem to have forgotten how to drive.
Distraction and impatience
I blame distraction and impatience I guess. Mobile phone driving is probably one of the most prevalent causes of vehicle accidents these days; and with people's egos well out of control that desire to skip ahead in front of someone else seems so compelling that people are willing to risk vehicle damage and possible injury to gain that small piece of road ahead. Furthermore, I think people have forgotten how to be polite, to wave someone else in, or thank someone for letting them in with a courtesy wave. Typical behaviour for society I guess; that is to say, terrible behaviour.
I managed to get through my day without dying on the roads but so many do not, and there's that many vehicle accidents around the place I'm surprised crash repairers don't make up every second business...But then manufacturers make cars to throw away these days huh?
How about you and your location? Are road users courteous and respectful of others? Are road laws adhered to or do people just do what they like? Is mobile phone driving a thing, inattentiveness? Have you had a near miss or even an accident? Maybe you're a road wanker?
Feel free to comment below and let me know.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
I took the zip image used in this post
I stopped driving back in 2016, as the traffic in Dhaka keeps on getting worse, my head just keeps on boiling up. Nowadays every dimwit has a license and a car, but they barely have any common sense, whether it be behind the starring wheel or even when walking on the side walks.
And from what I've noticed, most of the accidents we get into mostly occur because of other incompetent drivers or impatient pedestrians. Mostly people who are in a rush, on the phone, not looking left or right, and don't even know the basic rules of driving; just shifting lanes or taking a turn aggressively without even checking both sides.
That's exactly why I had to through my first car crash back in 2011, a guy taking a very aggressive U-turn, leading me into a concrete block.
Yep, it sounds like here mate, it's bloody crazy huh? It's like people have no concept of the damage they can cause to others or themselves...and don't care. It's typical in today's society though huh? I think it's best you don't drive, safer perhaps.
Crazy it is, people simply don't care.
Let's take crossing the street for example, people would rather save a minute or two and a bit of extra energy by crossing a "speedy" street and not use the footbridge instead. In a city like Dhaka that should be illegal, even if you're looking left and right, back and forth, you can never be too sure in this city; sadly, people don't care.
I'll stay away for as long as possible, I'd rather be safe than sorry. The bus and any other public transport does the job for me; on top of that, Dhaka is a small city, so you can get a lot done just by walking.
If public transport works for you then sticking with it is a good plan indeed. It's probably cheaper than owning a vehicle also.
Surely is cheaper, a much safer option as well.
Just a typical bed wanker. You know. The usual. Going on with the road thing, man, you would hate it here. There's a book for the regulations of traffic and motor vehicles, but people while their ssses with that. I don't drive for that reason. People go like crazy and do whatever they please.
If you are wondering why they don't get tickets, it's simple. There's no one to give them. Traffic officer's were pulled out of the streets years ago. There are some national guard posts around towns, but they are not in charge of these regulations.
It is bonkers. Not in the good way like you.
There's always an accident. There's always someone dead. And life goes on. Not for them, thankfully.
You paint a bleak picture to be honest, but, then again, through hive, I've come to understand that your region is a bit messed up all round, so I'm not all that surprised. I feel lucky to live here and not there I guess, I don't think I'd like it there at all.
Yeah, many things do not work and traffic is another one. Let me tell you something truly annoying. People on motorcycles think they own the roads.
Hey, I'm a motorcyclist...although it's probably quite different here I guess. On roads with no enforced rules I think everyone's a danger man. 😳
They are a danger to themselves and others. I bet you know the regulations for driving a motorcycle. People don't give a single fuck about it.
Yeah, I know how to ride properly and the road rules are mostly the same as for cars, although motorcyclists can lane split here at traffic lights, which cars obviously cannot.
I see. I know here they ought to drive on the right side like other vehicles. But peolme care not about it. That lane split thing is an interesting fact.
I used to mockingly call careful drivers "law abiding citizens" until I totaled two cars, with my children in them. After this I slowed the eff down, especially in parking lots, which I now call "death traps." I also stopped talking on the phone because conversations, even hands off, are very distracting for me. Now I drive slowly (which conserves a LOT of gas), look around, and appreciate the little beautiful things around me.
A gripe: where I lived before this, there seemed to be an understanding that cars turning left from a main road onto a side road should allow any vehicles at the stop sign on the side road to proceed before making the left turn (I hope that makes sense). Essentially, we were expected to yield our right of way! I think this is very dangerous, and I would not do it. Or, if I were the car at the stop sign, I would sit there as long as it took until the right-of-way-yielding dunce turning left from the main road finally made his or her turn. There are instances when it makes sense to allow traffic out, as in heavy traffic, but not as a rule on empty roads.
I am a pretty smooth driver also, meaning I save fuel too. It's just easier to drive that way, less stressful I guess right? I agree with the phone conversation thing too, it's distracting even when hands free, but I do it for work so I can fit everything into my day. If it's a particularly in-depth call I'll pull over.
There's some bonkers road laws out there, but far more bonkers drivers who like to make up their own. I understand what you describe and yep, bonkers.
I got stressed by just reading this. Glad I was not in your place. LOL. 300 km of driving, it would just mean that I will be dead to the world as soon as my back hits the bed.
Road maniacs are present everywhere. Apart from what you described, I'd add one that's too common here in the UAE -- the "insta-honkers" -- those who, despite being the 4th or 5th car from the light, instantly honk as soon as the light turns green. Like seriously, dude, it's not like they can zoom past the cars in front of them. So annoying. Or maybe they instantly presume that the one in front of the queue got lost in his thoughts while skimming through his phone. LOL.
Lol, yeah instahonkers happen here too. I think the rise of the instahonker is due to the mobile phone driver issue, people looking at their phone not the traffic light that just turned green. People have lives I guess, and shouldn't have to sit around waiting for someone to see if they got a link on Facebook whilst at a green light huh?
Oh man, these road wankers around here make me think what kind of tv-shows are currently airing on television, because since when did we move in that direction? The need to feel more important than someone else is rather disturbing, and the people who use traffic in that kind of way should just be fined.
I mean, I'm perfectly ok with people who accidentally forget about how fast you can go, but if you're doing stuff on purpose, just gtfo the road and take some therapy.
However... I easily find myself to be having a road rage outburst when driving and encountering these kinds of dipshits. There are so many.
There's a big difference between accidents and intentional actions. A person speeding in a car and driving erratically is avoidable I guess is what I'm saying. I suppose some people have that it won't happen to me mentality, but we know it can and at some point will. People gamble with their own, and other people's, lives.
Yep, I fully agree with you.
Ye, exactly this kind of behavior pisses me off. There is nothing wrong with being a little bit slow, or fast, as long as you have an overview and know/see what you're doing is safe. But if you're driving recklessly, and causing other people unnecessary stress, that ticks me off. We have plenty of those here.
It would be good to have a little button that we can press that pops up a sign at the top of our cars with an arrow that can be pointed at the offending person...the text could read: You are a road wanker.
Oops, replied to myself by mistake.
Where is the DHF proposal? I will vote
Seems like a good idea huh?
I know what you mean, there are a LOT of road wankers out there. Just this morning I saw someone tailgating another person to get through a downed traffic light which would make the intersection a 3 way stop but she was in a fancy car and obviously thought that the rules simply don't apply to her.
This is why I want an armoured vehicle like the bat mobile so I can fuck those idiots up. I have no respect or time for people who are negligent on the road.
Yep, road wankers all over the place, here, there and everywhere. (That was such a nice rhyme huh?)
You need a Bushmaster. I need one too; don't think I'm joking...although, I'd not say no to an Abrams M1A2 either, for special occasions.
Yikes !
Since I am not in a huge city, most times locally it has not been horrible, but even we have our idiots that are impatient or just ignorant drivers, not having a care as to what their actions might cause others to be forced to do.
It has always been bad around the on ramp or off ramp to the super highway that runs through here especially in the "before 8 am" and "after 5 pm" traffic... horrible! Since covid it seems though, there are more cars flying around our small city, weaving in and out, running up behind you and then going around at places that are not legal to do so and then flying off. It's like they are daring the law to pull them. There is no good that can come of it. Unfortunately, collectively, our societies seem to be flying down the slipper slope as fast as they possibly can.
So sad to see it all happening.
Society is filled with them. So many of them. So, so many.
I agree with you on the slippery slope thing for sure. It's bonkers how quickly things are going backwards, and in what ways. It's a lot of little things all combined I guess...and I don't see it slowing anything soon, just increasing. Sad indeed.
Here, where I am from, you'll meet crazy drivers everywhere and every time. It is practically a norm to find road wankers every time you are on the road.
In Lagos, we have the worst types of traffic jams and the worst types of drivers. And the weirdest thing is that one may also need to have some level of craziness to actually survive on the roads. If one isn't "smart", you'd go through some unnecessary shit every now and then on the road.
The worst types of drivers are the commercial vehicle ones, usually the bus (danfo) drivers. They are practically insane every time. They often do not care about damage to their vehicle, so steering off of them is usually the sensible option. But then, the most annoying thing is that letting them have their way usually seems like the wrong choice to make. This is because they are often senseless when driving. So you end up having a maniac right in front of you, misbehaving.
I learned to drive years ago ( I think 6 years ago), and I thought it very absurd to use "driving" senses. Or should I say I picked them up from my parents and other people around me? In situations where we would have zip-merging roads (they are called bottle-necks here) ahead, you see everybody, I mean everybody, driving like it's the road to heaven. One would need to play this "pretend-scare" game to actually have one's way, when in actuality, you do not intend to hit anybody.
Sometime ago, I was driving and approaching the zip-merging road late at night. This time, it's four lanes merging into two, and I was on the slow lane. I gently approached it, as I should have, and then suddenly, some idiot van with an idiot driver came speeding from my right. There was no way his vehicle could fit in, so he had no choice but to slam into my vehicle and go right ahead of me, speeding.
I do not know how Lagos became like this, but it sure isn't changing anytime soon. One basically has to have four eyes on the road when driving.
This is basically what happened yesterday but the guy behind me thought he'd take advantage of the fact I moved over slightly. Three into one doesn't go.
This is the case all over the world I think. I've been to a lot of places around the world and have seen some of the craziest driving.
These Road Wankers drive me mental on those zip merging situations. They are almost as bad as the suicidal cyclists.. don't get me started..
Oh yeah, bloody cyclists.
We have groups of those riding around here with no regard to road safety. They wear all that Lycra stuff with sponsors on them as if they're riding in the Tour de France and arrange themselves all over the road...then wonder why people hate them.
I call them road toads.
They're road wankers for sure...as are idiots who don't know how to zip merge.
People are more stressed out these days, and they are VAXXXed.
Clif High calls them VAXXXidents.
Accidents caused by blood clotting and loss of cognitive abilities due to the VAXXX
Accidents are seriously up after the VAXXX.
Deaths are seriously up after the VAXXX. (once in a 400 year event via insurance analysts)
But, i have a friend who's driving has seriously deteriorated.
Not sure if it is the new, faster, car. Or being more spacy. Or what....
But she would have smashed into two people if i hadn't said something yesterday.
Then she gets irate that i said something. Like, how dare i criticize her driving.
I hadn't heard about this until now. You mean the covid-19 vaccination has slowed people's cognitive function and that's causing road incidents? This begs the question, what otter aspects of life has been affected by this situation.
I think it would be interesting to see the data on this, the research.
The data is being buried in medical circles.
That is why, going around it and getting information from insurance people and morticians.
We are suspecting that a combination of blood clots and Immunity deficiency or even worse, the body attacking itself is lowering people's cognitive abilities.
What is undeniable is the number of stupid accidents, where people just seem to have forgotten how to drive. Insurance adjuster said that accidents are up some stupid percentage. (can't remember, and can't find him, sorry)
Ah ok, well I guess I've got more important things to do than chase down information from insurance companies.
Agreed, and what is also undeniable is the number of stupid people.
The stats up here are in the same ballpark every year. 50k+ highway deaths. 75-80% caused by the smaller vehicle when death or serious injury is involved.
Fake Corporate Big Pharma owned news media always shows the carnage of the horrible larger "Prime Movers." Never citing the known average statistics.
I have many photos and vids collected over the years of these Wankers you
speakpost of.So Many Wankers & Dumb Drivers...
Truckers (we call them truckies) and those who spend a lot of time on the road always have many stories to tell. People talk about guns as unsafe, but then rarely mention the fucken carnage on our roads due to drink-driving, inattentiveness and excessive speed or stupidity.
People are nutbags, and not an an excellent way like you and I.
LoL... You do NOT wanna know what came into mind when I read your title: Road Wankers??? As I live and breathe...
Anyway, regardless of location, there will always inevitably be those bloody wankers who will choose to ignore the laws and regulations that are MEANT to safe on the road, and decide to just do whatever the fuck they want!
I almost got run over by this large man and his large car on the SIDEWALK just yesterday.
A good thing you read the post then, and avoided commenting incorrectly.
Lol, run over on the sidewalk...Seems totally legit for the times we live in. The idiot was probably looking at his Facebook to see if his post about his morning coffee had any likes. Wanker.
Yh.. that would've been awkward.
LoL, me thinks the that particular synopsis you gave comes fr personal experience:)
And fr... It was absolutely nuts!
I don't know what you mean.
LoL... Well that was a lot of typo😅
Just forget it, it was stupid .
Very good strategy in maximizing time when what you have to do is within a particular place.
Indeed; time is a valuable commodity and shouldn't be wasted.
Yes sir
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Courteous and respectful my arse! (Pardon my language, it's just mind boggling and annoying). Mr G, if you lived here, "wankers" is a nice name to call our road users, too nice a term really.
People stop in the middle of the road to take calls and I'm not exaggerating. Happened just 2weeks ago. And the thing with these people is that they feel too big to obey traffic rules. It's the big fools with the big cars that have high stakes in government that parade the State like they own the place and are above the law. Sometimes I want to blame the traffic workers but then I don't, not 100%, because this nation is so corrupt that they're too scared to do their jobs for fear of losing it. Between the egoists and the average commercial driver, I dunno which group should be exiled. The latter group actually drive in the opposite lane for reasons as simple as beating traffic or avoiding a pothole or two. Oh we have it so bad here, I've not even told the half of it.
Your questions, insert yes or no for me where the answer would mean a bad thing. Except the last one. I'm no road wanker. I'd like to think I'm careful on the road. Not an idiot, nor a maniac.
Wankers is a derogatory word used in the extensively in the UK and Australia and some otter places and not just for bad drivers.
It sounds like I'd certainly not like to go to your area as the drivers sound like...wankers.
Oh! I must've read too fast and was so eager to report how bad it is here to you that I missed that bit of info. Like you can do something about it, hehe.