adrianc
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Post by adrianc on Jun 26, 2023 10:54:15 GMT
I've lived in my current house for just shy of twenty years. The nearest traffic lights to me have a (green) filter arrow. Absolutely nobody understands it. Several times an hour you will hear traffic honking at the person sat at the lights instead of proceeding as they should. The driving test standard has definitely gone down IMHO. The ones driving most obliviously tend, ime, to be those who passed many years ago - and have simply fallen into bad habits and forgotten what they should be doing.
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michaelc
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Say No To T.D.S.
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Post by michaelc on Jun 26, 2023 11:48:32 GMT
Probably not Berny. Getting a bit tired (and probably muddled too) to be honest. I know you have an extremely focused, logical mind and have expressed an interest in The Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals (!!) so I would appreciate your comments on this highway code rule that has now been quoted twice. I'm sure we all understand the intent, but it does seem to be phrased such that a legal team would struggle to enforce its meaning. Next year marks my 50th anniversary of driving and in that time I've never had a problem with the amber light warning of a red about to follow. Who else remembers the very persuasive TV adverts "Don't be an amber gambler"? That message has stuck. As has the message when I first learned to drive, that you are expected, and entrusted, to use your own judgement on the road at all times. That "own judgement" message was really hammered into us back then. We didn't have camera enforcement everywhere, so this was the sensible way, give drivers some leeway.... but make certain they know they are absolutely responsible for their actions. It felt satisfying to feel trusted as a responsible driver. Since then, the model has changed to one of routinely lowering speed limits everywhere and enforcing the rules far more rigidly using technology. The idea of using one's own judgement to drive to the road conditions has definitely taken more of a back seat as the years have passed. Consequently it feels much less satisfying as a driver today. But the roads death toll has reduced, so the loss of freedom/driver autonomy is hard to argue against. So, to me, this amber light Highway Code wording falls into the same category. It must be interpreted using one's own judgement - not read through the keen eye of a lawyer trying to find the loopholes! Bear in mind the Highway Code is written such that every road user, including non native-English speakers, needs to comprehend the rules. You would not expect it (nor welcome it!) to be legally watertight in every aspect or it would have to be twenty times the size! The bottom line is, if we "all understand the intent" of the amber signal, as you rightly say, then that's the battle won, isn't it? Job done. So just to confirm that we are all in agreement. Red means stop. Green means go. Amber means put the pedal to the metal to get through on green.
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Post by bernythedolt on Jun 26, 2023 15:49:26 GMT
The driving test standard has definitely gone down IMHO. The ones driving most obliviously tend, ime, to be those who passed many years ago - and have simply fallen into bad habits and forgotten what they should be doing. My solution is to ride a motorbike. The self-preservation angle sharpens every fibre of every sinew of every road sense you ever had... I'm convinced that being a cyclist/motorcyclist makes you a more alert and more considerate car driver.
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Post by bracknellboy on Jun 26, 2023 16:14:00 GMT
The ones driving most obliviously tend, ime, to be those who passed many years ago - and have simply fallen into bad habits and forgotten what they should be doing. My solution is to ride a motorbike. The self-preservation angle sharpens every fibre of every sinew of every road sense you ever had...
I'm convinced that being a cyclist/motorcyclist makes you a more alert and more considerate car driver. I agree, but I also have to say that the standard of riding - in terms of assertive/defensive/self-preservation riding - by a lot of adult cyclists is woefully poor. I'm not talking here about the stuff that entitled drivers moan about cyclists, I'm talking about failure to ride in a way which maximises there are own safety.
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Greenwood2
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Post by Greenwood2 on Jun 26, 2023 17:22:33 GMT
My solution is to ride a motorbike. The self-preservation angle sharpens every fibre of every sinew of every road sense you ever had...
I'm convinced that being a cyclist/motorcyclist makes you a more alert and more considerate car driver. I agree, but I also have to say that the standard of riding - in terms of assertive/defensive/self-preservation riding - by a lot of adult cyclists is woefully poor. I'm not talking here about the stuff that entitled drivers moan about cyclists, I'm talking about failure to ride in a way which maximises there are own safety. Yes sometimes the motorcyclists (and bicycle riders) seem to have suicidal tendencies these days (as a motorcyclist in younger life).
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ilmoro
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'Wondering which of the bu***rs to blame, and watching for pigs on the wing.' - Pink Floyd
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Post by ilmoro on Jun 27, 2023 15:20:29 GMT
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daveb
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Post by daveb on Jun 27, 2023 20:05:44 GMT
The Dutch batting in the super over was extraordinary!
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IFISAcava
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Post by IFISAcava on Jun 27, 2023 20:05:51 GMT
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Post by bracknellboy on Jun 27, 2023 20:06:48 GMT
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IFISAcava
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Post by IFISAcava on Jun 27, 2023 20:13:40 GMT
The Dutch batting in the super over was extraordinary! Quite! 4-6-4-6-6-4 England won the World Cup with half that (15) from a super over.
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registerme
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Post by registerme on Jun 27, 2023 21:03:09 GMT
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Post by martin44 on Jun 27, 2023 21:09:22 GMT
Well done Nigel... news presenter of the year.. AND RIGHTLY SO... His one hour slot at 7 every evening on GBNews is certainly not to be missed.... jacob next year fingers crossed.  |
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agent69
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Post by agent69 on Jun 27, 2023 21:35:42 GMT
The Dutch batting in the super over was extraordinary! Anyone who was watching the recent IPL would realise that you don't want Jason Holder anywhere near the ball in the final overs. He made Ben Stokes look positively miserly.
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adrianc
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Post by adrianc on Jun 27, 2023 21:44:04 GMT
Well done Nigel... news presenter of the year.. AND RIGHTLY SO... His one hour slot at 7 every evening on GBNews is certainly not to be missed.... jacob next year fingers crossed. The other finalists in the category were Piers Morgan, Eamonn Holmes, Susanna Reid, Stephen Dixon... at the same awards ceremony that give "interview of the year" to Piers Morgan with Cristiano Ronaldo. tric.org.uk/winners/"As voted by the public"I wonder how many of them.
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agent69
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Post by agent69 on Jun 27, 2023 22:06:48 GMT
Earlier today the BBC were reporting that The chief executive of Thames Water has stepped down after two years in the role, weeks after giving up her bonus over sewage spills. Thames Water said Sarah Bentley would leave with immediate effect, but would continue to support the firm until her replacement was found.
Possibly not the real reason she stepped down, given that Sky news are now saying that Thames Water are trying to raise £1bn from shareholders, and that the Government are currently drawing up contingency plans for the collapse of the company.
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