Re-Posting
A reasonable person’s guide to modern driving
By David Koch
Everyone should abide by driving laws but I reckon there’s a need for a guide to driving etiquette
Is it just me or are drivers becoming more agitated, more selfish and lacking any respect for other motorists? They aren’t necessarily breaking the law, they just make driving more annoying.
Gone are the days when driving was a pleasure. Today it’s a means of getting from one place to another with the least amount of aggro.
I want to bring the pleasure back in to driving and I reckon it can be done if every driver is aware of the etiquette of driving. A driving code of conduct. Not new laws, just a guideline of nice behaviour that we can all be reminded of.
This is my start to a Guide To Driving Etiquette but give me your suggestions as well:
Let other cars pass in overtaking sections
There’s nothing like a relaxing drive in the country. You’re on a single lane road in a convoy patiently motoring behind a caravan or car travelling below the speed limit.
When an overtaking lane emerges you pull out to the right but the slower car picks up speed to match and then drops back to the slower speed when the outside lane ends.
Why? Let other cars pass if they want. You’re not in the
When you miss a turn, keep going and come back
What is it with people who make a last second decision to turn right because they misjudged their approach. More often than not they block an adjoining lane and everyone has to wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic for the offender to turn and get out of the way.
Instead of just driving on and doubling back safely, it seems more and more people are prepared to inconvenience others to correct their mistake.
Wave traffic through
Turning right into a road where traffic is banked up to the left can be dangerous with plenty of blind spots. It makes it so much safer when a driver with better vision of oncoming traffic waves you across when the coast is clear.
That’s nice.
Wait for a gap when pulling out into a lane… or out of a car park
How many times have you been driving at a quiet time of the day, there are no other cars around, and someone pulls out of a side street right in front of you. You look in the mirrors and there is a massive gap behind.
It’s the same with pulling out of car parks.
If the gap is small and there’s only one car around, wait the extra couple of seconds, let them pass and then pull out.
Don’t queue jump. Get on the end like everyone else.
God I hate this one the most. The queue into the footy car park is always long and slow but that’s just part of the ritual.
Everyone relaxes and bides their time except the smart arses who race down the outside to try and force their way in towards the front of the queue.
Wait your turn like the rest of us.
Don’t hassle reverse parkers… they’re not doing anything wrong
I know it can be annoying but another car pulling up to reverse park in a street isn’t breaking the law. Yes, it can hold up traffic in a lane, but there’s not many options and we all have to just accept it.
Use Rock, Scissors, Paper to sort parking feuds
I read about this in the paper. Two cars approached the same vacant car spot at the same time. Dead heat, standoff. One of the drivers signalled a rock, scissors, paper challenge.
Challenge accepted, best of three, winner took the space and everyone happy.
Brilliant. Should be a cornerstone of driving etiquette.
Fellas - be nice to ladies
My wife and daughters constantly tell me of male drivers in the outside lane speeding ahead and cutting them off after seeing a woman driver. To them it’s as if the blokes can’t stand merging behind a female driver or going slower than them.
The girls feel like waving their little finger.
Libby reckons young drivers are the main culprits while the girls blame middle-aged blokes. Go figure.
Love you to add to the list. Go on