Britain's most annoying drivers

The other day I had to perform an emergency stop because a cyclist failed to 'give way' as he cycled from the side road into the road I was on. Now the irony is that if I had hit him, and killed him, he would have been in the wrong for failing to stop, yet I would have got the backlash from Police and the local community for 'killing' a cyclist. Too much emphasis is on the car driver, and not enough on other road users, including motor bikes, cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians. In fact, a buried government report, commissioned during Blair's leadership, actually shows that in around 90% of incidents involving a car and a pedestrian, it is due to the pedestrian not paying attention. Now, I have ridden a motor bike, a push bike, and I used to ride horses in my younger, and fitter, days, yet I still see bikers doing weird stunts in traffic, cyclists thinking the Highway Code doesn't apply to them, and horse riders riding two abreast just to chat. (In fact, two horse riders were deliberately forcing cars around them for no other reason than they could. Neither horse was of a nervous disposition. In fact, both looked plodders to me.) Then we have car drivers. Such a mixed breed of differing skills and competency. Yesterday, while travelling up the A16 towards Pinchbeck, some idiot thought it would be good to race right up behind me at what must have been close to 90mph, then hit his brakes hard. Needless to say, he decided to back off when I started to stare at him through my rear view mirror. It is one thing confronting someone when you are sat behind a wheel, but most back down if they think they may have to confront someone face to face.

When I was at Uni I used to ride a push bike everywhere. I had no regard for signs, lines or markings of any sort. I rode with my safety in mind. If I thought something was safe to do then I would do it, irrespective of the lines, signs or markings. Other road users weren't relevant either, IF I considered the move safe (as they were already in the 'safe move?' equation). I now don't ride so much, mainly due to being 20 years older and can afford a nice car. I drive to a speed I consider safe for the conditions. Sometimes that may be above the arbritary number posted and sometime below it. I don't race around and I am considerate to other peole who make genuine errors. I am not considerate to those who make deliberate 'errors'. Eg get in the right turn lane at the traffic lights and then try to barge into the straight on lane when the lights go green. Do it next to me and I will force you to stop or collide with me. (never has anyone chosen to collide with me). The things that I find most annoying are those who drive well below the safe speed for the conditions and well below the posted speed limit. This only annoys other drivers, who will try to overtake at 'any cost' - sometimes literally. Middle lane hoggers (already covered at length) and REAR FOG lights. Most people (it would seem) do not know how to use them properly. Turn them OFF when there is a car behind you (as it says in the Highway Code). I don't want my retinas melting and also the fog light masks the intensity change from sides to BRAKE lights = not good for safety as we don't watch the brake lights of the car infront continuously. Tailgaters, I also don't like them, they are a menace. My car has over 200BHP, and it can accelerate very well indeed. Do I feel the need to use it to the limit of it's performance? No. Do I like quick, safe, efficient overtaking etc? Yes. The truck overtaking each other with one doing 0.5 mph faster is just pathetic. The Germans call it the 'Elephant Race'. I was once stuck behind a truck overtaking another on the the M42. It took the driver 6 MILES to complete the manoeuvre - how thoroughly inconsiderate to others. Tractors and other slow moving vehicles should pull over periodically to allow the vehicles behind them to over take - again in the highway code.

@isobelsgrandma footpaths,pavements,sidewalks,grass verges,hard or soft shoulders..waste land indeed any part of the highway that is not on the road bit,should be deemed fit for use of aforementioned transport.. merely pointing out the underused capacity available for untaxed type transport is more than ample for this type of travel as for rule 54 ..this obviously is well out of date,vastly ignored and virtually impossible to impose fines on as no registration plates,difficult for the law to enforce with their cameras,or catch with their virtually none existant foot patrols they are more interested in the cash rich motorists who sometimes speed a bit and park for too long,so that they can swell the goverments coffers..with fines at worst,should you be apprehended by probably a community police officer (pretend copper)..then you can say.."sorry guv it won't appen again",,(pretend you are from down south) or "aye up lad as geet a bit lost"..if you are from up north.. the highway code is being broken every minute of the day by all road users i have probably sinned several times today,and will do tomorow,without even trying or knowing i incidentally.. walk,cycle,motorcycle,drive a van for work,own a high performance car and a family estate car.. we are all annoyed by rules!!!.... the goverment annoys me most,with rules like highway code rule 54!! and what about horses!!..can someone explain to me why you buy a horse and plod down the road at slower than walking pace,with a high viz jacket,stating"please pass wide and slowly"or something and usually with another horse/rider with same slogan..is it because of the impending deposit liable to be expelled from the rear exhaust? thought they were made for fields and meadows and racecourses.. know which horsepower i prefer..under a bonnet!!..about 350 or more! ps..please add horses,gipsy caravans(ok they are quaint) to original list../