camper V car

[GMJ]

Anyone in Lyme Regis in their motorhome yesterday?

Yesterday coming out of Lyme Regis by bus, an Autotrail motorhome entered the area where they didn't have priority and when the double decker was coming through. It led to a standoff until the MH reversed. The MH should not have gone for it either, given that the bus was already half way though. When the 2 vehicles drew level it was fair to say that the bus driver made a polite, albeit forceful observation on the MH driver's lack of signage awareness!

 

[Norfolk NewBoy]

We were somewhere near Wareham, going down a road with a 3.5 or 7.5T restriction (I can't remember which but at 3.5T I was perfectly legal). The road was narrow with passing places when a BMW came from the opposite direction. I could have easily reversed to a passing place just 50m behind me BUT he insisted on reversing (possibly 0.5miles), avoiding potential passing places: how kind.

Then he wound his window down, gave me a load of abuse and told me that I shouldn't be driving down there, and drove off.

I got a similar response from a tweed-wearing "older" lady not long after leaving Castle Drogo, following the NT signs showing which way to depart. She informed me that I shouldn't be on such a narrow road and I was making her late for her WI meeting, because she had needed to reverse 5 metres.

Gordon

 

[SquirrellCook]

We were somewhere near Wareham, going down a road with a 3.5 or 7.5T restriction (I can't remember which but at 3.5T I was perfectly legal). The road was narrow with passing places when a BMW came from the opposite direction. I could have easily reversed to a passing place just 50m behind me BUT he insisted on reversing (possibly 0.5miles), avoiding potential passing places: how kind.

Then he wound his window down, gave me a load of abuse and told me that I shouldn't be driving down there, and drove off.

I got a similar response from a tweed-wearing "older" lady not long after leaving Castle Drogo, following the NT signs showing which way to depart. She informed me that I shouldn't be on such a narrow road and I was making her late for her WI meeting, because she had needed to reverse 5 metres.

Gordon

All of this points to the fact that the driving test should and should have had at least 100 metres of reversing in it!

 

[myvanwy]

Thats the first part of the Italian military test.

 

[SquirrellCook]

Thats the first part of the Italian military test.

An unbelievable amount died in the Italian war before they surrendered. Then later German troops stood behind them with loaded guns to encourage them to fight to the death.

 

[Debroos]

Similar happened to me in Millbrook, Cornwall (Google Maps link) last year. Silly woman could clearly see my van had already entered the narrows but 'went for it' and entered the narrows anyway. There were two lorries and half a dozen cars behind me at the time, so I couldn't back up. She refused to back up for anybody or anything -- so I pointed out that I could last a week before running out of any essentials. In the meantime, about another dozen vehicles latched onto the back of the queues in either direction. She threatened to call the police. I said, "Good idea; though I don't know how they're going to get here since you've caused an obstruction!" In the meantime, the other cars waiting in her direction had backed up to clear the narrows expecting her to do the same. Eventually, someone persuade the two lorries behind me to back up a few feet so I could back out of the narrows -- she got as far as alongside my van but couldn't get any further and had to wait, I suspect, for some time until there was room for her to continue as she wasn't visible at the point where she would have had priority. She'd have been so much quicker if she'd just been more observant and not entered the narrows when there was already an oncoming vehicle blocking her exit! These days, I go the long way around via Whitsand Bay rather than risk a repeat ...

Similar happened to me in Millbrook, Cornwall (Google Maps link) last year. Silly woman could clearly see my van had already entered the narrows but 'went for it' and entered the narrows anyway. There were two lorries and half a dozen cars behind me at the time, so I couldn't back up. She refused to back up for anybody or anything -- so I pointed out that I could last a week before running out of any essentials. In the meantime, about another dozen vehicles latched onto the back of the queues in either direction. She threatened to call the police. I said, "Good idea; though I don't know how they're going to get here since you've caused an obstruction!" In the meantime, the other cars waiting in her direction had backed up to clear the narrows expecting her to do the same. Eventually, someone persuade the two lorries behind me to back up a few feet so I could back out of the narrows -- she got as far as alongside my van but couldn't get any further and had to wait, I suspect, for some time until there was room for her to continue as she wasn't visible at the point where she would have had priority. She'd have been so much quicker if she'd just been more observant and not entered the narrows when there was already an oncoming vehicle blocking her exit! These days, I go the long way around via Whitsand Bay rather than risk a repeat ...

Happens all the time there in the narrows. The people living there have to direct traffic all the time. On a few occasions I have got out of the car to direct everyone. Not big vehicles necessarily, often just Chelsea tractors and folk who have never reversed.
It was hell when the coaches to Edgcumbe Park used to go that way. Drives everyone mad, especially when trying to get to work!
It's the arrogance of some folk that really gets to me....second home owners?

 

[trevskoda]

If that’s Kinegoe Bay, there’s no chance of reversing up that hill

It is and you are correct, I was within ten feet from the turn into the car park when I met the two middle age dolled up numpties with a brain the half size of a walnut.

 

[mark61]

It is and you are correct, I was within ten feet from the turn into the car park when I met the two middle age dolled up numpties with a brain the half size of a walnut.

If you can drive up it, why can't you reverse up it?

 

[trevskoda]

If you can drive up it, why can't you reverse up it?

First because there were about 3/4 cars on my tail, and its almost impossiable to drive up and down never mind reverse up, she had 10 feet to back up and i would of had quarter mile, with a shear drop on one side, and i have right of way being so far down it.
If you are ever over here I shall give you a bash at it LOL.

 

[mark61]

First because there were about 3/4 cars on my tail, and its almost impossiable to drive up and down never mind reverse up, she had 10 feet to back up and i would of had quarter mile, with a shear drop on one side, and i have right of way being so far down it.
If you are ever over here I shall give you a bash at it LOL.

I'm up for that. Barring traffic in the way, I'll reverse up it with your truck on a trailer Just don't tell VOSA

 

[trevskoda]

I'm up for that. Barring traffic in the way, I'll reverse up it with your truck on a trailer Just don't tell VOSA

No vosa down south LOL.
Its a good qt place and easy to get to from Magilligan point ferry.

 

[Drover]

All of this points to the fact that the driving test should and should have had at least 100 metres of reversing in it!

10 years ago that's all a Czech driving test was....after first driving forward the 100mtrs. All in for €100 if you knew the right people.

 

[GeoffL]

10 years ago that's all a Czech driving test was....after first driving forward the 100mtrs. All in for €100 if you knew the right people.

It's amazing how simple driving tests can be when it suits the "powers that be"...
I was assigned to a Royal Marines unit in the 1980s and my boss decided I'd go over to Norway for a month to help another unit carry out repairs to their winter accommodation in return for them giving me one of their guys for a week and a half to help me carry out repairs to my own unit's accommodation. I said to the other unit's IC ('boss') that I didn't have an MoD licence and so would need their guy to be a driver (you needed an MoD licence to drive MoD vehicles even if you had an appropriate civilian licence). So, their IC had me start a lightweight Land Rover, drive it to the end of the 'parade ground' (about 50 yards square) and reverse it back. "You're now the proud holder of an MoD licence" he said -- and gave me a completed form to that effect. A couple of days later, and without any knowledge of the difference between Norwegian and UK driving rules, I set out with a trailer on the back to drive the 200 km round trip. When I got back to blighty, I checked with my own unit's transport section, who confirmed that my "50 yard each way" licence was valid -- much to the disgust of the two drivers in my section who'd gone through hell and back to get their licences!

 

[trevskoda]

Same heading for Germany, 15 min written test and round the parade ground in a fox.

 

[1 Cup]

Just remember to turn your f#cking lights to side lights at night / after dark ! so you don't glare us helpfull idiots reversers ! especially when raining ..... thank you.
Bad drivers dont only drive on drydays . They evan go out at night when raining....

Rant over. Lol

 

[trevskoda]

You always know the idiots, there the ones who screw the steering wheel around when stopped or trying to get in/out of a parking space, ball joints track rod ends and steering racks must come cheep these days, rule no one when learning to drive, never turn the wheel until the car is in motion, and dont keep your foot resting on the clutch when driving.

 

[Drover]

You always know the idiots, there the ones who screw the steering wheel around when stopped or trying to get in/out of a parking space, ball joints track rod ends and steering racks must come cheep these days, rule no one when learning to drive, never turn the wheel until the car is in motion, and dont keep your foot resting on the clutch when driving.

Proper "old skool"
I would love to see these newbies reverse a old fully loaded aki artic with no power steering.... what a pig to drive

 

[SimonM]

I was 11 or 12 and on my uncle’s farm for the summer and my older cousin decided to end up in hospital the night before and ended up unable to do the morning’s milking.
So it was just me and uncle and 40 odd cows doing it. I loved it, all of it, even when the cows splattered down my back etc. Then we’d clean down the shed, washing out all the accumulated poo ready for the evening.
No problem, it’s what I’d been doing with my cousin for the previous week or two.
Then we would put all the milk into churns and wheel them out to the tractor and trailer to drive up to the end of the lane ready for collection. Just like every other day.

Until this one. Uncle said to me ‘‘drive the tractor to the end of the lane and wait for the collection lorry” wtf! Although I didn’t know what that meant at such a young age.

OK, I’d driven the tractor before but never with a trailer and a dozen churns full of milk. By the time I’d chugged up to the end of the lane the lorry was there waiting for me, so no rolling the churns off the trailer onto the concrete stand, oh no, he was expecting me to reverse the trailer back up to the lorry! I’ve never reversed a trailer before.

Amazingly some how I managed it without hitting anything. Then this huge driver reached down to the churns and just lifted them out one-handed as if they were empty.

To this day I have never hand any concerns reversing a trailer, or caravan (ugh spit!) or even my race bike trailer hooked up to the motorhome. It was all just natural and obvious from day one.

Reversing, proper reversing, around a corner should be a required skill - perhaps it is for these peeps these days acquiring their trailer licence. Is it a requirement to be able to fully reverse with today’s car licence tests?

 

[Bigshug]

Is it a requirement to be able to fully reverse with today’s car licence tests?

No it isn’t they removed the reverse around a left corner and replaced it with a draw over on the wrong side of the road, then reverse back in a straight line for a few feet!! Please don’t ask why, because no one can make any sense of it.

 

[SimonM]

Dumbing it down for our dumber new generation? I’m surprised texting while driving isn’t tested