Conference terri::cars_uk

    Best of all avoid all saab owners, come to think of it. Avoid all
    Deccies late for work. Anyone's worst nightmare!!!!.
    
    I have witnessed a similar event. I was going to work yesterday and
    coming of the M4 at junction 12 (I live of junction 11) when a red
    calibra 16v who was situated in the middle lane doing roughy 90 mph
    came right across, cutting me up (having to put the brakes on) and went
    up the slip road in front of me. I was behind this car all the way to
    DEC Park. The time was roughy 8:55am, I knew it was a Deccie.
    
    Question: Do all company car owners drive like total manics, in their
    high powered cars ?, not alone driving at top end wherever possible !!.
    
    Golf Man

    >> Question: Do all company car owners drive like total manics, in their
    >> high powered cars ?, not alone driving at top end wherever possible !!.
    
    No we dont.
    
    Its just a shame that those that do give the rest of us a bad name.
    
    I get really annoyed by the "Its only a company car" and "all company
    car drivers are bad drivers" attitudes. Some of us take pride in our
    cars and our driving.
    
    Barrie.

    
    I'm not really sure if it's a true mentality of DEC(park) drivers. My
    theory is that somewhere west of Reading on the M4 corridor is a device
    that emits brain killing radio waves. To prove this theory I have
    travelled from the A34 to Junction 11 and observed the traffic. The
    latest escapades are:
     the M4 traffic was light and I found myself following a driver in lane
    2 at a constant speed between 75 & 80 MPH for the the distance between
    J13 and J12 (note lane 1 & 3 were vertually empty). After J12 I decided
    that it was time to exercise the carburation system and proceeded to 
    perform an overtaking manouver, accelerate,mirror check, change from
    lane 1 to lane 2, mirror check, lane to lane 3, pass vehicle return
    back to lane 1 (via lane 2). This person then proceeded to switch the
    vehicle headlights from 'dipped beam' to 'main' beam at regular
    intervals. When at the slip road this vehicle went from lane 2 to the
    slip road in 1 manouver without indication. I picked lane 3 at the
    round-a-bout and this other driver picked lane 1. I thought great I'm
    going to Basingstoke, Their going to Reading, no need to keep check on the
    rear safety zone and panicking. but no this person was going to
    Basingstoke too (this slip road IS CLEARLY marked lanes 1&2 goes left
    and lanes 3&4 go elswhere). Thank God my bike was thin enough to fit
    between the cones the encircle the round-a-bout. whence on the A33
    bypass I proved that a BMW 320i is no match for a ZZR1100, but I still
    didn't feel safe until I'd parked the bike. Yet when coming from London
    this round-a-bout is usually safer.
    
     Alan 

    Well, what can I say? Others who note in here will back me up. This
    sort of incident is not merely common-place in Brussels, but almost
    compulsory. Frankly, I wouldn't raise an eyebrow at any of the
    incidents mentioned thus far. Believe me, the driving in the UK, with
    the exception of lane discipline on motorways, is FAR superior to the
    average here. Don't moan, just count your blessings.
    
    Laurie.

re.4:

You're out of touch Laurie. Since the 1-1-93, with the opening up of trade
barriers with Europe, we've now got continental Europe driving standards.

For those who find continental driving styles amusing, please do try the
Winnersh triangle where the combination of several computer companies with
masses of company cars seems to have had a comcentrating effect.

Dave.

I've got to agree with Laurie there... no matter what barriers are lifted, theres
noting quite like a continental driver... 'fraid it's been getting to me though,
3 years and i'm starting to be affected...

The other day (Saturday) we were just driving along and, myself and a mate, had
a horrible feeling of dread. It was one of those days were you KNOW you're going
to be in an accident... you know sweaty palms, sweat trickling off your brow...
maniac drivers everywhere... luckily we made it to the pub and decided to stop 
for a little "rest"... a well deserved rest if you ask me!

    Just to quash any vicious rumours that may be going round and to save
    me answering any more questions relating to the SAAB in the slip round
    incident.  Yes, I do drive a maroon SAAB 9000.  Yes, I do work at
    DECpark.  No, it is not H reg (if only it were!).  No, it was not me. 
    No, I do not want my tyres let down.
    
    I drive a SAAB because of it is one of the safest cars on the road.  I
    see little point in offsetting this small safety advantage by driving
    dangerously.  In the past I have been a member of the Institute of
    Advanced Motorists and been involved in organising road safety
    competitions with the police so I would find it particularly hurtful if 
    I was unfairly associated with the poor driving practice described in 
    2018.1
    
    Richard

    I thought it was Volvos that you knew what they said about the drivers
    of.
    
    I like SAABs.  I don't like Volvos - not because they're particularly
    bad cars, but because most of them seem to be driven by Volvo
    Drivers...8*)
    
    Another Richard
    

    Re .0
        
    I really think you are out of order recounting the story in .0 in
    a public forum.
    
    Not only is it bad form but potentially breaching libel law.
    
    If you have a problem with this man why did not confront him or report
    the incident to the police, or were you trying to stir up some
    vigilante feelings.
    
    I do not drive a SAAB and my symphathies to the non H reg SAAB driver
    a few back, who felt it necessary to clear his name.
    
    Ian.

re.9:

This is not a public forum and I doubt the description of the car was accurate
enough to constitute a libel case.

As to it being "bad form", you could be right. If it embarrassed some drivers
into taking more care then I'd be all for it.

Dave.
PS My car's Burgundy & H reg.

    re .9 etc
    
    Has the UK gone libel mad?
    
    You can only bring a libel action if the statements made are untrue.
    Are you saying that the story in .0 is a series of lies?
    If something is factually correct but damaging there may be other
    actions that could be taken but not libel.
    
    Andrew

    Well said Andrew!
    
    Aside from which, just how was this person specifically identified?
    With attitudes like .9's we'll be like the land of Fruits and nuts
    before long, something I hope never happens.
    
    Laurie.

	If someone were to cut me up in the manner described I would certainly
	describe it in here.  Someone might let the fellow know.  Of course, 
	there's always the possibility that I was wrong...

	Dave

    Ok maybe libel was a bit strong and I wasn't trying to insinuate that
    .0 was telling a pack of lies. But I just felt that the incident in
    question was a bit too specific.
    
    If the original note had missed out Red and H reg. for example, then
    this conference would have 6 less replies in it.
    
    Apologies to Richard Davies as his note was most probably as spur of
    the moment as my own.
    
    Ian.

And as author of .0 let me hasten to confirm that Richard Griffith was NOT the driver, 
I know him and have already talked about this.

Why did I not confront the driver?, I didn't want to be confrontational at 8:45 in the 
morning, and anyway I'd have had to wait for him to complete his silly manouvering back 
and forth to get it into an easy parking slot!. As I said I was in the building whilst 
he was still moving.

I don't feel it bad form to mention in here, maybe he will have read it, or maybe his 
colleagues will have. Either way the 'being on report' might well stop him repeating 
the excercise.

Richard

    
    Ian,
       so I was right not to mention in .3 that the driver of the said car
    was a <......> with psychotic tendancies, fury dice who smoked while
    driving and an M3 badge on the car (maybe 'it' didn't know that the M4
    had the same reg as the M4). 
    IMHO. if it is possible to approach this type of driver/vehicle
    operator and explain to them that "having a nice car makes them
    noticable" and "their driving technique makes them look like a <useyour
    own words>" then they must surely be a "more noticable <as above>" it
    may dawn on them that by bringing attention to themselves they are not
    only being laughed at by the public, but allow our wonderful officers
    in blue a more visable target to pursue.
    
     Alan
    
    ps. if I had my way I'd vindicate these <as above> 

    I think the principle of buttonholing a driver for what one believes to
    be unacceptable behaviour carries the risk of unpredictable escalation
    of the incident.
    
    If the person is a visitor to DEC, he/she may not be in the best frame
    of mind with the company after a verbal earbashing in the carpark. We
    just don't know who we may be talking to.
    
    With this in mind, the Notesfile is probably a better place to voice
    the discontent, provided that it is factual. Lets hope our Saab driver
    was just having a bad day.
    
	TJ.

    re -1:
    
    You've got it!!!! You've found out why I am driving a popular model in 
    a base type and no options in the most popular colour from....VOLVO.
    
    1. They won't "spot" me,
    2. they won't identify me,
    3. they'll say ".....there's another of these dimbrained morons" anyway
    4. and if I ever happen to hit anything I can always say it was the car
    
    Best disguise there is. You'r dead right!
    
    Peter