Rant Just almost hit by a car not indicating

[ubern00b]

So I was walking back from the supermarket that is 10 mins walk from where I live just minutes ago, there's a 4 way roundabout I have to navigate over by foot that's (literally) a stroll through the park to get to my home, I was walking down on the left side about to cross straight over when I seen a car coming from behind, in the same direction I was walking, it was going pretty fast to say there was a roundabout junction coming up but it's late and you can see if there's any incoming traffic so a lot of people just drive straight over if it's clear, I turned to face him and think he could definitely see me and he wasn't indicating left so I proceeded to start crossing the road, he turned at the last minute, still not indicating btw as I was nearly halfway across and I literally had to jump back 3 or 4 steps to stop the dickhead from hitting me, he starts fecking beeping as if it's my fault, still not slowed down really then proceeds to carry on beeping as I was waiving my arms at the C*nt as if to say where's your feckin inicators you complete and utter asshole...

For some reason I managed to clock his numberplate even though this all happened within the blink of an eye, to imagine, that's the last thing that would be imprinted in my memory had the dick hit me and this was my ending... I feel like reporting the inconsiderate asshat though I feel as no accident actually happened the police won't give a damn about it and do nothing. Have looked it up from the number plate and it's a "Mercedes E 220 d AMG Line 9G-Tronic Plus auto" so yea, douchy car douchy driver go figure right? just really pissed off and I guess my little rant has helped a bit and might have cheered anyone else up who has took the time out to read it, shame I couldn't get any personal details from just the numberplate considering how angry it made me.

/rant

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

What is this "roundabout" you speak of?

 

[FeuerFrei]

What is this "roundabout" you speak of?

A circular swirl of traffic where everyone enters and exits to the right.

 

[ubern00b]

A circular swirl of traffic where everyone enters and exits to the right.

close, but no cigar.

So if you have a 4 way street system that criss crosses over each other there is a big round concrete block in the middle that regulates the traffic, I live in the UK we drive on the left. As you approach the roundabout you look to the right to see if it is clear then you can either turn straight left, straight over or right, you give way to the traffic on your right, stopping at the junction to let the traffic pass until it's clear or going straight over/round if it is clear to do so, at least that's the best I can describe it. We have loads, they are a pain in the ass BUT if everyone follows the rules and gives way to traffic on the right, they work fairly well...

 

[BoomerD]

If you don't like the way I drive, stay the fuck off the sidewalk.

 

[JEDIYoda]

so when someone is driving on a roundabout......are they suppose to stop for foot traffic that is trying to cross on the roundabout?? I am not sure that driver was in the wrong...….you were trying to cross when perhaps you should have tried to cross away from the roundabout...

 

[pmv]

As you say he drove over it, it sounds more like a 'mini-roundabout'. i.e. a bit of white paint in the middle of a junction with no priority, that every driver ignores completely while driving straight over the middle of it.

(Nothing wrong with _actual_ roundabouts, on the whole, but those mini ones seem pointless to me...never see motorists actually pay any attention to them).

 

[ubern00b]

If you don't like the way I drive, stay the fuck off the sidewalk.

if you're driving on the "sidewalk" you're doing it wrong, lay off the moonshine and get your sister off your dk

so when someone is driving on a roundabout......are they suppose to stop for foot traffic that is trying to cross on the roundabout?? I am not sure that driver was in the wrong...….you were trying to cross when perhaps you should have tried to cross away from the roundabout...

I crossed before he turned, he did not indicate which was his biggest failure, indicate left at a roundabout otherwise you're going straight over

As you say he drove over it, it sounds more like a 'mini-roundabout'. i.e. a bit of white paint in the middle of a junction with no priority, that every driver ignores completely while driving straight over the middle of it.

No it is a big concrete block of a roundabout, when I say drive straight over, I mean as in going straight not turning left or right, going straight through the roundabout but yes there are the "painted" ones that people just pretty much ignore and drive straight over at smaller junctions.

 

[pmv]

if you're driving on the "sidewalk" you're doing it wrong, lay off the moonshine and get your sister off your dk

I believe BoomerD was engaging in motoring-based humor.

I crossed before he turned, he did not indicate which was his biggest failure, indicate left at a roundabout otherwise you're going straight over



No it is a big concrete block of a roundabout, when I say drive straight over, I mean as in going straight not turning left or right, going straight through the roundabout but yes there are the "painted" ones that people just pretty much ignore and drive straight over at smaller junctions.

I'm confused now. So you are saying he went _round_ the roundabout, and exited the opposite side from where he entered? In which case doesn't that make it correct for him to not indicate, as he was in effect going straight on? I don't really know how indicators are supposed to be used at roundabouts, to be honest. Edit, wait, I do know - you are supposed to indicate as you go to turn off, but I only know from cycling and roundabouts can be terrifying when cycling so I always tried to avoid them.

I don't think there's a legal obligation to actually _use_ your indicators in the UK, oddly enough. And most drivers only bother to indicate after they've started the turn - sometimes they only think of it only after they've completed the turn. They then continue to indicate the turn they just made as they drive straight-on down the road they've just turned into, on the apparent belief that this makes up for not indicating prior to turning.

 

[pmv]

At least the driver who imperiously nearly hit you was on the correct side of the road, and not actually jumping red lights. Twice I've nearly been knocked down by drivers on the wrong side of the road (wrong side of a pedestrian island), bypassing a queue of traffic at the red lights they were about to run.

I dislike drivers, on the whole.
It's some strange dark magic effect that comes over people when they get behind the wheel of a motorised vehicle. They instantly become aristocrats and Lords of the manor, scattering the peasants before their carriage.

 

[ubern00b]

I believe BoomerD was engaging in motoring-based humor.




I'm confused now. So you are saying he went _round_ the roundabout, and exited the opposite side from where he entered? In which case doesn't that make it correct for him to not indicate, as he was in effect going straight on? I don't really know how indicators are supposed to be used at roundabouts, to be honest.

I don't think there's a legal obligation to actually _use_ your indicators in the UK, oddly enough. And most drivers only bother to indicate after they've started the turn - sometimes they only think of it only after they've completed the turn. They then continue to indicate the turn they just made as they drive straight-on down the road they've just turned into, on the apparent belief that this makes up for not indicating prior to turning.

As was I engaging in humour with him, sorry, seems the British sense of humour still leaves our american brethren confused... (< that smilie was for you so you know I'm bantering )

theres 2 streets that intersect so you have a north, east, south, west orientation. I was walking to the north with my back to the traffic from the south, the same way as he was also travelling in the same direction (behind me) I got to the roundabout (let's call it an intersection) and I looked behind me, I saw him, he wasn't signalling to go left (which is where I was crossing) so he should have been carrying on going north.... I proceeded to start to cross the road, he didn't indicate at any point before during or after he also turned left (west) proceeded to beep his horn at me like I was encroaching on his right to be a dickhead whilst in his car cause he owns the road

 

[pmv]

As was I engaging in humour with him, sorry, seems the British sense of humour still leaves our american brethren confused... (< that smilie was for you so you know I'm bantering )

theres 2 streets that intersect so you have a north, east, south, west orientation. I was walking to the north with my back to the traffic from the south, the same way as he was also travelling in the same direction (behind me) I got to the roundabout (let's call it an intersection) and I looked behind me, I saw him, he wasn't signalling to go left (which is where I was crossing) so he should have been carrying on going north.... I proceeded to start to cross the road, he didn't indicate at any point before during or after he also turned left (west) proceeded to beep his horn at me like I was encroaching on his right to be a dickhead whilst in his car cause he owns the road

Had it not been a roundabout, it would have been the completely commonplace event of a driver completely ignoring the bit in the highway code (I used to remember the exact number of the clause*) that says they should cede priority to pedestrians already crossing a road the driver turns into.

With a roundabout I'm not actually sure how it works and if that rule still applies, so don't know how much to rage at this chap. I am fairly sure that there's actually not a legal requirement to indicate (though it should be). I suppose if he'd hit you his not indicating could have damned him in court...if you were still around to mention it.

* I'd mutter it under my breath every time yet another driver ignored it

 

[deadlyapp]

can one of you crazy brits provide a picture of what this madness looks like

 

[FeuerFrei]

close, but no cigar.

So if you have a 4 way street system that criss crosses over each other there is a big round concrete block in the middle that regulates the traffic, I live in the UK we drive on the left. As you approach the roundabout you look to the right to see if it is clear then you can either turn straight left, straight over or right, you give way to the traffic on your right, stopping at the junction to let the traffic pass until it's clear or going straight over/round if it is clear to do so, at least that's the best I can describe it. We have loads, they are a pain in the ass BUT if everyone follows the rules and gives way to traffic on the right, they work fairly well...

Aha, UK. I knew something didn't compute when you said you were walking down the left side and saw a car approaching from behind.

can one of you crazy brits provide a picture of what this madness looks like

Can't picture it either. Sounds like you can cut straight thru those things.

 

[Captante]

There are quite a few roundabout's in the Boston-metro area... of course they swirl traffic about in the opposite direction but otherwise same thing.

It's amazing how many drivers just have no idea whatsoever how handle one. I've seem people literally freeze up and just sit there!


Edit: Just noticed what you meant sorry comprehension-fail ... never actually driven one of those but seen them a few times on Top Gear!

 

[highland145]

seems the British sense of humour

No such thing.

 

[Ichinisan]

he wasn't indicating left

If you're in a country where people drive on the right (are you?), round-about traffic moves counter-clockwise and all exits are to the right. Nobody would ever signal "LEFT" at a round-about unless they're in a country where you drive on the left and round-about traffic travels clockwise.

 

[Ichinisan]

... I live in the UK we drive on the left. ...

It will be less confusing if you add this info to the OP.

 

[Ichinisan]

so when someone is driving on a roundabout......are they suppose to stop for foot traffic that is trying to cross on the roundabout?? I am not sure that driver was in the wrong...….you were trying to cross when perhaps you should have tried to cross away from the roundabout...

Yeah. I would yield to the cars regardless. I would stop and make eye contact and give obvious indications that I do not intend to disrupt traffic.

 

[soulcougher73]

What is this "roundabout" you speak of?

The worst thing man has invested for traffic...ever. I cant stand them lol

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

The worst thing man has invested for traffic...ever. I cant stand them lol

Yeah, but to be fair - they would call ours stupid. Instead of 3 out of 4 ways stopping for 1 side to go, they would argue all sides get to continuously go.

I see their point.

 

[highland145]

Yeah, but to be fair - they would call ours stupid. Instead of 3 out of 4 ways stopping for 1 side to go, they would argue all sides get to continuously go.

I see their point.

The problem I see here is that many don't understand how to use them. Stopping isn't required if the lane is free but I see people stop all of the time.

 

[IronWing]

This thread is worthless without MS Paint.

 

[highland145]

 

[BoomerD]

We have one roundabout here at the main intersection in town. Not a single stoplight. The locals pretty much all seem to know how to use it...but it tends to befuddle the usual swarm of tourists...