Taxis

[Andrew Steer]

I'm wondering if you are aware how contradictory that entire paragraph is? The portion in red- are you a traffic officer? Since you're taking metro policing into your own hands.

I'll rephrase that...

 

I'm not going to slow down to 100 to hide in behind a truck in the left lane because someone going well over the speed limit has no patience while we all overtake the slower traffic... I move over when there is a gap to do so. Not when forced by some racing snake with a death wish and small man syndrome.

 

Am I not perfectly entitled to overtake all the slow cars in the left lane?

[Dirkitech]

I'll rephrase that...

 

I'm not going to slow down to 100 to hide in behind a truck in the left lane because someone going well over the speed limit has no patience while we all overtake the slower traffic... I move over when there is a gap to do so. Not when forced by some racing snake with a death wish and small man syndrome.

 

Am I not perfectly entitled to overtake all the slow cars in the left lane?

I'm not sure about the context you're describing, but why would it be necessary to slow down first or how are you inherently forced to do so?

edit: my eyes are missing things. I see you mentioned slowing down to get behind a truck- of course that isn't necessary. The example is very specific and situational. For the sake of my understanding, what about when there is no slower truck or vehicle?

 

You said in the first quote that you move over when you can, but not for people speeding/flashing. Although, from my understanding, the flashing isn't unlawful, but otherwise the rephrased version is different and brings my previous post to a null. Moving over when safe sounds very different to moving over when safe and I feel like it!

 

And yes, one of my previous posts said exactly that about overtaking.

[nathrix]

From News24 

 

A taxi driver has been arrested after going viral for driving on the wrong side of the road to avoid traffic in Bryanston. The driver was filmed by a biker who forced him to turn around.

 

[Dirkitech]

From News24 

 

A taxi driver has been arrested after going viral for driving on the wrong side of the road to avoid traffic in Bryanston. The driver was filmed by a biker who forced him to turn around.

 

Awesome news! Thanks for sharing Nathrix

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Well done Chukky!!!

[porqui]

Me, I like to cruise just over 130kmph in the fast lane... I move over when I can, but much of the time there are cars in the inner lane doing way slower, say 100kmph, especially on two lane sections, so I enjoy the fast lane while I can, keep a sensible but snappy speed and get where I am going in a decent and pretty safe time...

 

I move over when I can, but I don't move over for flashing schmucks going 160 who want to inherently force me to slow down to 100 so they can drive what I consider really recklessly. I'm not policing the fast lane, I'm not blocking drivers, but I'm also not inconveniencing myself for someone behaving in what I consider a dangerous manner. 

 

Not everything is black and white... if you want to wag your finger at me, go ahead - I'm not going to lose any sleep over it 

 

Just a by the way - it is not about your opinion but about the National Road Traffic Act.

Which you contravened a number of times in your post.

 

And for those who do not know yet:

There is no fast lane.

There is no slow lane.

And you are not passing a vehicle that is a 100m in front of you.

 

And you do not know why someone is speeding. 10 to 1 he is being an ass hole but it might just be an emergency. Speak from experience.

[Chris_]

https://youtu.be/grMbqofqMgI

 

edit: i'm still not sure how to make the video appear here...

[RocknRolla]

Nice one Chukky!!!

[sawystertrance]

This article puts into focus what could have happened to that biker and others:

 

https://www.news24.com/Video/SouthAfrica/News/watch-pedestrian-mowed-down-by-taxi-driving-in-the-wrong-lane-20181010

[sawystertrance]

I only kind of agree with myself and kind of agree with you.

 

However.

 

It's clear that things have to change and that the authorities are not going to be the people who make the change. Trouble is we as citizens can't really do much when faced with the tactics that taxis use. The taxi industry operates in a co-ordinated way and back each other up no matter what, and use violence to do so. Shootings at taxi ranks are an example of this. If road users met violence with violence, this could only end badly and who knows how far it could escalate.

[Andrew Steer]

Just a by the way - it is not about your opinion but about the National Road Traffic Act.

Which you contravened a number of times in your post.

 

And for those who do not know yet:

There is no fast lane.

There is no slow lane.

And you are not passing a vehicle that is a 100m in front of you.

 

And you do not know why someone is speeding. 10 to 1 he is being an ass hole but it might just be an emergency. Speak from experience.

The suggested safe following distance is 2-3 seconds which is at 120kmph is 70-100meters - so yes I am overtaking someone 100 meters in front of me. Or are you one of those clever okes who swerves into the overtaking lane at the last second every time. Me, I've always found that space is your friend... keep a wide berth wherever possible and be on your way.

 

If someone has an emergency (1 in 100 000 speeders that might be the case) - he should have his hazards on, and then I will of course move over as soon as is humanly possible.

 

Have you ever driven the N3 back to Joburg on a Sunday? It's two lanes chock-a-block much of the way and there is very little to no space left or right to move around - you're either in the left lane going 80-100 with the trucks or in the right lane going 120+

 

It's all lovely harping on about textbook regulations, but the practicalities are unfortunately not there. 

 

Our little biker hero playing traffic cop the other day to the taxi... what was he doing pretending to be metro cop and stopping that poor taxi on the wrong side of the road... I hope he also got a fine for impersonating an officer 

[Andrew Steer]

I kind of agree with you but we have to be better people to be in a better country. Also read, an off duty policeman shot 2 hijackers. One dead. He could have also just said I am off duty no thanks. But good prevailed both times. If we sit back and do nothing we will have nothing to fight for. 

 

Chukky from bikehub - "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

[sawystertrance]

True but before she assisted, lots of others drove past and by then it could have kicked off .

 

Anyway, I was talking more in general rather than just this incident. 

 

Not that I don't share your frustration and sense of purpose.

[ByronH]

When you drive up behind me in a normal way in the fast lane, I can change lanes pretty quickly once it is safe to do so, and I normally give a 'one indicator light flash' to show I acknowledge the driver, and I will move over as soon as it is safe.

 

However, something really strange happens to my car when I get flashed from behind, or tailgated, or bumrushed... its like my car goes into freeze mode... Its really weird... the steering wheel will simply not move than a few degrees at a time, meaning that it takes me between 40 and 50 seconds generally to move from one lane to the next.

 

I must say... I really feel sorry for the superhuman rushing up behind me... and I often say to myself...damn, if only they hadn't flashed or bumrushed... they would have got to their destination 40 seconds earlier... 

[Dirkitech]

When you drive up behind me in a normal way in the fast lane, I can change lanes pretty quickly once it is safe to do so, and I normally give a 'one indicator light flash' to show I acknowledge the driver, and I will move over as soon as it is safe.

 

However, something really strange happens to my car when I get flashed from behind, or tailgated, or bumrushed... its like my car goes into freeze mode... Its really weird... the steering wheel will simply not move than a few degrees at a time, meaning that it takes me between 40 and 50 seconds generally to move from one lane to the next.

 

I must say... I really feel sorry for the superhuman rushing up behind me... and I often say to myself...damn, if only they hadn't flashed or bumrushed... they would have got to their destination 40 seconds earlier... 

I've seen that before. I was working on my car one weekend and doing some maintenance for the coming week, but nothing would prepare me for what I diagnosed my car with later that week- apparently it suffers from a pettiness condition and I am lead to believe I'm the carrier. There is no known cure, only occasional treatments for symptoms, but that's it. Fortunately unfortunately it will carry on with me to the next car.

I share your frustration

[mecheng89]

What I find to be concerning at this current moment on our roads is that it's not only taxis that blatantly disobey the rules of the road. Red lights get ignored, people use cellphones while driving in bumper to bumper traffic, broken head and/or tail lights, missing door mirrors, ruined windscreens. And the worst of them all, drunk driving and easy bribes. 

 

We as a car-driving population have just lost it. We don't care, plain and simple. Those that do are in the minority, and they should be the shining example to how it should be done. 

 

But I hate taxi drivers with an unbridled passion. Nothing else on the road sends me into a rage as much as they do, even more than cyclists that cycle more than two abreast       .

 

The key weakness here is law enforcement. What we have is of a unacceptably low standard.