Hello,
I need a bit of advice please
I was on my usual route to work a few days ago & came to a set of lights where there are 2 lanes to go straight on I was in the left lane. Once you get over the junction it is just one wide lane with no road markings.
Obviously I do this every day so am used to merging in turn, which there is plenty of time to do as the road doesnt narrow again for about 200 yards & the traffic is fairly light at that time at 7.30. I realise there are 2 lanes there for a reason & I would never stop anyone from merging, even though people forcing their way at the last minute can be incredibly annoying. Anyway, on this occasion once I was over the junction & all the traffic in the right lane had already merged, I was going along quite happily keeping up with the traffic, when a car, the driver of which had obviously seen his opportunity with the empty right hand lane, accelerates enough to start driving completely parallel with me (our wing mirrors were 3inches away from each other), but then just stays there. Im used to people tearing up the right hand lane & pulling in front, so usually I just come off the accelerator to create a gap for them.
I registered this particular car was there, but didnt pay much attention, assuming he would do the same and pull ahead to the gap that I would then make bigger. I looked over after a few seconds when I realised he didnt seem to be doing anything except driving alongside me, only to see the passenger screaming at me mutely from his closed window. I was a bit confused to be honest, as there was still plenty of time for them to pull up to the gap between me & the car in front, so I made a gesture for them to get ahead & shouting back for them to get a bloody move on then. I came off the accelerator slightly as well, assuming that they would then just get ahead, but after they get half a cars length ahead, he starts braking quite sharply. In hindsight, I dont know if this was because he thought I wasnt going to let him in or he was deliberately trying to cause an accident, but at the time I had no idea what he was doing maybe turning into one of the business entrances on the opposite side of the road as so I somehow ended up in front of him as the road was still just wide enough for 2 cars, terrifyingly close though it was.
We end up next to each other at the next set of lights, where the passenger who was the mouthpiece of the two, starts shouting at me about the highway code. I asked him if he was trying to overtake me, why was he driving next to me instead of actually accelerating & his response was we had to wait for the gap get big enough didnt we?? At this point because the adrenalin was still going, the conversation deteriorated into the trading of insults & many swear words, which Im not proud of. I wouldnt mind if this was a proper 2 sided bun- fight over merging, but I honestly couldnt have cared less that he wanted to get ahead of me & its not like I was even remotely tailgating the car in front.
The upshot is, this incident has left me much more shaken than I wouldve expected. Ive had had my fair share of beeping horns & rude gestures, but now I find myself very wary waiting for the next two aggressive morons in a works car trying to run me off the road. Im a pretty confident driver on familiar routes, but this has completely knocked my confidence & am starting to feel some of the familiar dread returning from when I still had my P plates every time I get in the car.
I was wondering if anyone had any advice on getting confidence back quickly after this sort of thing? Or is it just a case of carrying on & waiting for normal service to resume? Thanks.
I need a bit of advice please
I was on my usual route to work a few days ago & came to a set of lights where there are 2 lanes to go straight on I was in the left lane. Once you get over the junction it is just one wide lane with no road markings.
Obviously I do this every day so am used to merging in turn, which there is plenty of time to do as the road doesnt narrow again for about 200 yards & the traffic is fairly light at that time at 7.30. I realise there are 2 lanes there for a reason & I would never stop anyone from merging, even though people forcing their way at the last minute can be incredibly annoying. Anyway, on this occasion once I was over the junction & all the traffic in the right lane had already merged, I was going along quite happily keeping up with the traffic, when a car, the driver of which had obviously seen his opportunity with the empty right hand lane, accelerates enough to start driving completely parallel with me (our wing mirrors were 3inches away from each other), but then just stays there. Im used to people tearing up the right hand lane & pulling in front, so usually I just come off the accelerator to create a gap for them.
I registered this particular car was there, but didnt pay much attention, assuming he would do the same and pull ahead to the gap that I would then make bigger. I looked over after a few seconds when I realised he didnt seem to be doing anything except driving alongside me, only to see the passenger screaming at me mutely from his closed window. I was a bit confused to be honest, as there was still plenty of time for them to pull up to the gap between me & the car in front, so I made a gesture for them to get ahead & shouting back for them to get a bloody move on then. I came off the accelerator slightly as well, assuming that they would then just get ahead, but after they get half a cars length ahead, he starts braking quite sharply. In hindsight, I dont know if this was because he thought I wasnt going to let him in or he was deliberately trying to cause an accident, but at the time I had no idea what he was doing maybe turning into one of the business entrances on the opposite side of the road as so I somehow ended up in front of him as the road was still just wide enough for 2 cars, terrifyingly close though it was.
We end up next to each other at the next set of lights, where the passenger who was the mouthpiece of the two, starts shouting at me about the highway code. I asked him if he was trying to overtake me, why was he driving next to me instead of actually accelerating & his response was we had to wait for the gap get big enough didnt we?? At this point because the adrenalin was still going, the conversation deteriorated into the trading of insults & many swear words, which Im not proud of. I wouldnt mind if this was a proper 2 sided bun- fight over merging, but I honestly couldnt have cared less that he wanted to get ahead of me & its not like I was even remotely tailgating the car in front.
The upshot is, this incident has left me much more shaken than I wouldve expected. Ive had had my fair share of beeping horns & rude gestures, but now I find myself very wary waiting for the next two aggressive morons in a works car trying to run me off the road. Im a pretty confident driver on familiar routes, but this has completely knocked my confidence & am starting to feel some of the familiar dread returning from when I still had my P plates every time I get in the car.
I was wondering if anyone had any advice on getting confidence back quickly after this sort of thing? Or is it just a case of carrying on & waiting for normal service to resume? Thanks.