I think I may have encountered the worst driver today.
He was a big fellow, squashed into the front of his ancient, equally huge Volvo (though I suppose he could equally have been sat in the back as well).
At first glance, it looked like there was this cushion jammed into the car, with two little arms sticking out onto the steering wheel.
We were on a 60mph road and he was doing 28.
Even then he was braking at the sight of the slightest bend.
Maybe he couldn't see either over his belly or through his beard.
Anyway, I got past him, reminded him courteously that it was one o'clock and drove expertly (as always) all the way back to the mansion.
Then I remembered my father, King Sidney II, and realised that, sadly, he has to win the title.
He would accelerate into bends and brake on a straight road with nothing in sight.
He would speed up to traffic lights and put his foot down at give way junctions. He would signal the wrong way with his indicators, then make it worse by sticking his arm out of the window at the same time - still pointing the wrong way.
And he wouldn't have it that he was doing anything wrong.
He would tell us this, looking round at us - while he was driving.
He would tell us he'd never had an accident.
We'd tell him it was because people built their whole days around staying off the road during our trips.
Once the word got round we were on a family outing....miracle! the roads were always clear.
The worst of it was, my mum failed her driving test, so us kids had no choice: we just had to duck down in the back seats, close our eyes and let dad take the wheel.
Needless to say, we were always happy to walk to school.
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- 2008-08-20 @ 16:42:36
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- 2008-08-20 @ 18:06:19
i know you do, and i'm still dreaming about buying a new alfa one day, thanks to you! xx
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- 2008-08-20 @ 17:49:56
I know just what you mean. My dear old Dad was similar. He never took a test, you didn't have to in those days, they just let you loose (yikes) He was blind in one eye too, and drove everywhere at 30 miles an hour. When he was teaching me to drive I remember him saying - go steady, that looks like water on the road, but it might be ice. I was incredulous. It was July...............
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- 2008-08-20 @ 18:06:50
great stuff - i wonder if they went to the same driving school ...
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- http://lois.co.uk
- 2008-08-20 @ 18:06:57
You've never met Mrs Shervington in our village then. More than once I have had to leap into the hedge as she scythes past me on the lane!
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- 2008-08-20 @ 18:08:43
and i'm sure she thinks you are the one at fault!
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- http://lois.co.uk
- 2008-08-22 @ 21:51:45
Damned pedestrians cluttering up the lanes...
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- 2008-08-20 @ 21:58:23
what condition were his alloys in?
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- 2008-08-20 @ 22:29:50
a little stained, i thought!
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- 2008-08-22 @ 00:11:10
Today I followed a driver who insisted on going at 10mph behind some cyclists. Although the road was clear he would not overtake. In the end the cyclists pulled off the road to let everyone through!
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- 2008-08-22 @ 10:40:44
i can believe it!
my claim to fame is that i overtook a car while riding my pedal bike. the driver refused to overtake a tractor, so i overtook both of them!
lucreziaborgia
Pro
I saw him too; he was over here recently. xxLuxx
P.S. I was NEVER happy to walk to school. I love cars...