On M8 this morning, radio report said an accident at the next junction 2 miles from where I was. I could have came off and avoided it but curiosity / rubberneck got the better of me and I stayed on, got held up for 20 mins and by the time I got there the accident was cleared away and no signs of the vehicles.
Am I the only one on here that is sad enough, and honest enough, to admit to doing something like this?
On a footnote, when I came off the motorway the police and the accident vehicles were at the bottom of the slip road, a 10 plate Vectra had its front wing ripped off by a pick-up truck!
|
i will ask a passenger if i know them and ask them to give me a gory detail rundown
but no, i try not to look in case i hit something myself
last one i saw a good crash on the motorway it had just happened in front of me a range rover had climbed on the roof of a transit and my passenger failed to get his camera phone out in time
he got some stick for that i can tell you as the pic would have been a beaut...
|
|
Nearly drove in the back of a young lady "rubber necking" a few weeks back - as we drove past the incident trafic in lane 1 and 3 accellerated away, whereas she was so busy watching that her speed dropped to 30 in lane 2 while others were doing 50+ in 1 and 70+ in 3. I and others nearly ended up in the back of her..................
|
Well, I have to say it ( no-one else will, I bet)
Shame on you BobbyG, you are the cause of most of the queue's at any accident.
Pat
|
Yes I do it. And I feel cheated if there is nothing there to justify it.
Cant help it - human nature at work.
Anyone who says they dont glimpse is lying.
|
|
The first thing you learn as a truck driver is how to rubberneck, keeping windows spotlessly clean for maximum leching potential and peripheral radar constantly alert....aaah the other rubbernecking.
|
"Can't help it - human nature at work. Anyone who says they dont glimpse is lying."
True - most of us do it. Schadenfreude is a very basic instinct. But we don't have to slow down to a crawl - or even worse, stop - when we're doing it. That's what causes the queues.
|
|
I always wonder how these things begin. I can't believe the first person on the scene stands on the brakes and slows from cruise to crawl just for a better look, so how does it develop? In 22 years of driving I've never seen a serious accident, but someone here must have, so what happens - is it the drivers who see the event who are so transfixed that they have to slow down?
|
I was a few cars back from a metal bending accident on a dual carriageway that stopped both lanes. After waiting a few minutes I got out and went from car to car asking if anyone was injured. Receiving all negative replies I instructed those involved to move their cars to the side of the road - they obeyed!
I hate to think how long I would have been there if someone hadn't taken the initiative.
|
|
There's something in what you say BT, some psychology involved when someone takes charge of any crisis - people need it. No doubt something in our genes when woolly mammoths fell over onto a few members of a hunting group.
|
Am I the only one to be amused by the little bit of irony in the often used line "The Police are appealing for any witnesses to come forward"?
So what we have on one hand is, please look and remember as much detail as possible, and on the other, don't even think about looking over here because we (the police) are dealing with it!
Difficult, we are where we are through being inquisitive.
|
|
They're not interested in post accident witnesses though, mainly people who saw stuff immediately before or during...
|
Yes, I know that, I was merely contributing to the thread and offering an opinion as to why we (people) might look on!
|
|
Sorry I just read that back - reads badly. I have a tenancy to stare/rubberneck as well, especially bike accidents.
|
>> Shame on you BobbyG, you are the cause of most of the queue's at any
>> accident.
You must get around a bit then Bobby.
Bit suspicious that you always seem to be close to the scene...something dodgy going on there...might need to pass your details on to the authorities...
|
Curiosity is part of the human spirit - it helps get you out of bed in the morning.
It would be a sad, dull world if we were not interested in an unusual event such as a road accident.
The day I can't be bothered to look is the day I become tired of life.
|
You may well feel differently if you were a lorry driver though, and RTA's were a normal daily occurrence.
More often than not, the result of an hour queueing and crawling along, turns out to be a multi vehicle shunt between a few cars, who's drivers were either driving too close or not watching the road ahead.
The cause of the actual hold up is by those who are not only curious, but lift their right foot off the fast pedal to get a better view of this otherwise, minor shunt. Presumambly some of these are the same ones who continually moan about being held up by lorries overtaking.
It even happens when a car is broken down on the hard shoulder sometimes.
Why we don't adopt the practice of erecting a screen around an accident as soon as it happens I don't know.
It would ease congestion, save fuel keep the traffic moving.
And as for those who take photo's on their camera phone.........don't get me started.
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Thu 22 Jul 10 at 08:40
|
...and RTA's were a normal daily occurrence....
If they were, I would not be so inclined to look.
I see hundreds of cars each week on the way to work, but the only one I've paid any attention to in the last few weeks is a new model Rolls Royce Phantom - I think - in bright white.
Quite striking.
I try to do my Roller/accident rubbernecking in a responsible manner, but there's no point in my pretending I don't do it.
|
|
Oh come on Pat - Trucks never break down, shed their loads, never tailgate or get involved in accidents then ?
|
And they certainly never take two miles to overtake each other on a dual carriageway.
That's a figment of all our imaginations.
|
Of course they do PU, what's that got to do with the OP?
I stated that the majority of RTA's are shunts by cars, but the resulting tailbacks cause rescheduling and late penalties for lorries.
I also made the point that it's not the RTA, but the rubbernecking that causes the problem.
>>take two miles to overtake each other on a dual carriageway<<
Just as that is annoying to car drivers, equally so, is rubbernecking a minor RTA BY car drivers to lorry drivers, and in doing so, causes us a lot of grief.
The tacho still ticks away while each one of you pass slowly by to see who's bumper fared worse. or whose crumple zome crumpled most, you know.
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Thu 22 Jul 10 at 09:33
|
Its simple really
Accident happens.
First driver past scene slow a little - human nature.
From this point traffic physics take over.
Second car looks an accident, sees driver in front has slowed, and they suddenly need to slow faster dabbing the brakes.
Third car sees the brake lights from car two and the accident and brakes harder.
Before you know - dead stop with wave traveling back past Motorway.
|
Here's another thought, if someone cuts you up and nearly causes an accident you will probably blast your horn at them!
When was the last time you passed an accident and blasted your horn at the crashed cars for being bad drivers and holding everyone up!!
|
pda you should have been a vicar with all your holier than thou quotes
we are men we want to look/gloat/discuss it with our mates
its a man thing
obviously with women now finding equal rights too, you will probably also find more women gloating and talking about roadside gore too
where does that leave you?
with an empty congregation i feels
:-)
|
No Bellboy, a man thing is not being able to accept an alternative viewpoint to the majority.
There's nothing holier than thou about pointing out a simple fact ( most RTA's are mutishunt car accidents).
If it doesn't sit very well with you, then learn how to deal with it.
As far as I'm concerned the only men who want to talk about roadside gore are sad ( back to the OP) and have never been involved in an accident.
Pat
PS Can I be pedantic and point out that capital letters should be used at the start of a sentence:)
Last edited by: pda on Thu 22 Jul 10 at 11:40
|
Pat, would disagree with you. That is why the police "real life" tv shows are so popular, there are lots of guys watch these to see the gore, see the chased car crashing etc.
Very popular amongst all men, including those that have been involved in an accident.
Are you trying to tell me when you pass an accident you don't have a look, a glance , to see what has caused the hold up? And if someone at your work asked you what had caused the delay you wouldn't be able to say it was a Mondeo into the side of an Astra and also give an opinion on what caused it in your eyes?
|
|
I think that the OP was about deliberately going out of your way to see a crash, not about ordinary "rubbernecking", which I think most people do, to varying degrees. I am not sure how this got into a man/woman/car/lorry quarrel.
|
...I am not sure how this got into a man/woman/car/lorry quarrel...
I do - Pat joined in.
She seems to believe nearly every thread on here is anti-lorry and anti-lorry driver.
It isn't, of course, but the more we say that, the less she will believe us.
Mmm, how about trying a bit of reverse psychology?
OK, Pat, I admit it.
I hate lorry drivers, always have and always will. As far as I am concerned, they are responsible for every ill in this country from corked wine to crop failure.
Shoot the lot, I say.
(It might work, gents, but I doubt it.)
|
Corked Wine?
Thats appaling, you wait I shall berate them all.
|
Well as the OP on this thread I was just making an observation on my trip into work the other day. Just being honest enough to say I could have taken steps to avoid but as I had no deadlines to meet, and knew the accident was only a mile or so further on, curiosity got the better of me.
I wanted to know if I was alone in this way of thinking and am glad to know that I'm not. I suppose reading through, it could be summarised almost in that its a guy thing. Dunno. My wife will come in and tell me if she has seen an accident and what her assumptions were about it.
Maybe its a discussion that should have been kept for down the pub on a Friday night but this forum is my weekday pub chat!!
|
|
I think rubbernecking at road incidents is related to the people who travel to see floods, fires, and other disasters and generally get in the emergency services way. Or put themselves in danger through ignorance of the situation.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 22 Jul 10 at 15:49
|
|
No its not, its nowhere near the same.
|
|
They are all rubberneckers.
|
True rubbernecking is stopping and forming a crowd.
Glancing out of the corner of your eye for traces of blood and brains on the road when passing a recent crash, which no one could resist, isn't rubbernecking.
It always makes me nervous though because I know everyone else is doing it too, so extra caution is needed on the driving front.
|
" No its not, its nowhere near the same"
Papa India Trident plane crash Staines-"Sensation-seeking occupants of cars formed heavy traffic jams soon after, and were described by Minister of Aerospace Michael Heseltine on BBC Television that evening as "Ghouls, unfortunate ghouls".
|
|
I remember that quote clearly, must be getting old. My old man was involved in the investigation. Pilot had a heart attack (I may be remembering wrong)
|
Cause was thought to be premature retraction of leading edge 'droops' and subsequent irrecoverable deep stall. Captain's heart attack was contributory factor in an era when captain was still god and his commands obeyed without question.
A few years later a Piper Navajo was lost shortly after departing Leeds Bradford on a regular shuttle for ICI staff to Gloucester/Cheltenham. Another case of pilot incapacitation. We passed the scene, just off the A65 near Horsforth, about two hours later. Lots of observers staring into the fog which obscured any possible view of the crash site.
|
>> I remember that quote clearly, must be getting old. My old man was involved in
>> the investigation. Pilot had a heart attack (I may be remembering wrong)
"thnk
I was at BEA engineering when it went down. They think the pilot was not well, but recorded data indicates pilot error and, and morover the pilot and captain was, at best, not a team player.
It didnt help the Trident, with the high engines easily stalled by the wings in high angles of attack, was a bit of a stall risk.
And stall it did, ending up on Staines moor in not much more than thrice its own length.
Came down like a pancake.
|
OK IIH, why don't you just grow a backbone and say what you really mean?
'Go away Pat, and leave this almost all male domain to us, because we know best'
I was under the impression I was entitled to join in,am I wrong in thinking that?
Is my view to be suppressed if it doesn't agree with the majority?
At the very least, I can argue my point politely and without getting personal and abusive, unlike some.
You were not wrong to post it BobbyG, it's a very good discussion point.
Pat
|
Pat, no-one is suppressing your point of view. You are the one making things personal.
Plus we are a little tired of being lectured about how tough it is for lorry drivers. I know you dont want to hear this but at the end of the day, most people really couldnt care less how how tough it is for lorries drivers. They have no conception of or any care about poor lorry drivers running out of tacho time due to accidents.
And as for how many pile ups are car involved only, listen to the news today. You know the causes of most hold ups today (aprt from localised flooding) - Lorries losing loads.
|
...At the very least, I can argue my point politely and without getting personal and abusive, unlike some...
Pat,
You've had no abuse on here that I can see.
But you do seem to drag every thread into 'none of you like women or lorry drivers' territory.
As regards your right to post, you know fine well it has nothing to do with me, and nor should it have.
My view on that subject has always been the more posters the merrier.
And I really couldn't give a stuff what age/gender/colour/IQ or political persuasion anybody is.
I even think someone who thinks everyone is against lorry drivers should be made welcome. :)
|
Where did the anti lorry driver or even the anti female bit come from?
I justified my hate of rubberneckers with some facts, that's all.
Both you and Z would do far better to do what everyone else has done and forget the fact that I'm female, or a lorry driver, and remember I'm a person in my own right.
Simply because I differed from the majority, it was deemed to be because I'm female, and I can only deduce from that you would much prefer this to be an all male domain.
Pat
|
>> Both you and Z would do far better to do what everyone else has done
>> and forget the fact that I'm female, or a lorry driver, and remember I'm a
>> person in my own right.
WE CANT - YOU KEEP REMINDING US
In fact you never let us forget it.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 22 Jul 10 at 16:30
|
|
thats not a personal insult BTW, merely an observation ;P
|
Well, you'll be pleased to hear it won't happen again.
Pat
|
|
Oh dear, youve taken umbrage now.
|
|
just spit me coffee...................
|
In the old place I recall that (excluding Pat) we had a couple of contributors from the haulage industry whose attitude didn't exactly help spread the love among their fellow road users. A memorable example was one chap who was threatening to sue for defamation anyone who rang the "How's my driving?" number on his trailer and reported him.
But just because they wound a few people up doesn't mean we're all agin' lorries. Wouldn't have much stock in your local Waitescburysons without them for a start.
As with every aspect of human existence, it's the numpties* who either ruin things or make them more difficult than they need be for the majority.
*which includes rubberneckers, weekend warriors on brand new R1s, lorries doing 14-mile overtakes (still the longest I've seen - A34 southbound from Chieveley), tailgaters, middle-lane jockeys, multitaskers, passive-aggressive mimsers, brake-testers, "my indicator is a shield of steel that protects me from all harm" merchants etc etc etc etc.
Peace, y'all.
|
I don't, for one minute, think you're all against lorries, it just appears that way.
If I put forward a measured view and it seems to lead to a post of mammoth proportions which eventually has a reference to 'female' in a patronising way or refers to me picking up the wrong end of a stick!
If we all tried to see things from anothers point of view before we jumped on them the mworld may be a better place.
I only post on a subject I'm confident in ( a relic from the BR) but I read almost all the posts and learn a lot. I don't dive in and criticise about something I know nothing.
One example is the thread by mapmaker asking about insurance for cycles.
I've always condemned cycles for not paying anything towards the cost of being on the road, but I certainly never knew it was possible to get insurance for them until today.
It just get's hard to stay here when people like IIH & Zero make it so blatently ( that met the swear filter in it's original form) clear they're bored with my few posts.
Pat
|
Pat, no one's anti-trucker or really seriously male chauvinist come to that. It's just their way. They can't resist teasing you any more than I can resist teasing Sheikh Rattleandroll. No one means any harm by it.
Not sure you're right about bikes. They are a hazard and sometimes a nuisance to drivers but they don't wear the roads out as lorries and cars do. They have been used as an excuse for narrowing a lot of roads in London but I think there's often a case for reserving the edge of the pavement for them. Cycle lanes in London at present vary from the purely symbolic to the unnecessarily space-guzzling. They need rationalising and that will take someone with brains and a free hand. I won't hold my breath. Like drugs and climate change, traffic in towns is irresistible to ignorant noisy busybodies.
|
Teasing I can take AC, I've had some experience in that department.
It's when I fight back and tease them man to man, and they can't take it things get nasty!
Cycles have always been a biugbear for me. I'm not against them but I wish they contributed in a small way to the use of the roads ( £10 per year?) and a check to make sure the rider is proficient would be a good thing just as a 'one off'.
Pat
|
>> a reference to 'female' in a patronising way
Erm, "don't worry your pretty little head about it".
HTH.
It's nearly beer time.
|
>> One example is the thread by mapmaker asking about insurance for cycles.
>> I've always condemned cycles for not paying anything towards the cost of being on the
>> road, but I certainly never knew it was possible to get insurance for them until
>> today.
Pat,
I know this thread has got out of hand but I cannot let that pass.
What makes you think cyclists pay nothing towards being on the road? The 'road fund licence' is no such thing & roads are paid for out of general taxation. So apart from the MVL on my two cars I'm paying through everything from income tax to the duty on my glass of red!! Practically all the roads I ride on are local ones maintained by the council out of Council Tax.
Any attempt to licence/tax bikes would fall down on the practicalities of collection cost exceeding revenue, kids bikes, bikes in sheds etc etc.
And most of us are insured as well either through 3rd part liability on household insurance or membership of outfits such as the CTC. Proficiency and red light jumpers are more of a problem though the biggest killer in London is the HGV, particularly construction related stuff - cement mixers, rubble skip carriers etc.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Thu 22 Jul 10 at 20:47
|
|
Final sentence above should refer to the biggest killer of cyclists
|
>> Proficiency and red light jumpers are
>> more of a problem
Do you mean cyclists jumping red lights and then getting hit?
I seem to recall reading an article that said that female cyclists had a higher mortality rate in London than male cyclists and there was speculation that it could be because male cyclists are, on average, more assertive. It suggested that they take a more central location on the road and sit in front of other vehicles at the lights (making themselves more visible in both situation) and also that they are more likely to jump red lights (which means they avoid the biggest killer, which is turning across them, especially large vehicles).
Not sure if it is right, but it made sense at the time.
EDIT: Just found this reference to it...
tinyurl.com/363l2w5
Last edited by: SteelSpark on Thu 22 Jul 10 at 21:26
|
|
I meant the disregard for the law which can present as an excuse for a wider set of anti cyclist views. But the point about less assertive female cyclists and HGV's makes sense to me as well.
|
>> Very popular amongst all men, including those that have been involved in an accident.
Tried hard to keep out of this utterly ridiculous thread, but please - "all men" is simply not true. Even if I'm the only exception that disproves that assertion.
I'm with Pat. I find the whole thing reprehensible frankly.
|
you will be telling me next you approve of roadside memorials
and i will do capit-o-ls if it suits me not you
|
>> As far as I'm concerned the only men who want to talk about roadside gore
>> are sad ( back to the OP) and have never been involved in an accident.
>>
>> Pat
Pat, I have been involved in a serious injury inducing road accident. I am quite happy to talk about roadside gore and do rubberneck (tho I dont slow to do it)
Its a man thing - your really dont understand.
|
Don't patronise me Zero.
Rubbernecking as far as I'm concerned IS slowing down to have a look.
I can honestly say that lorry drivers hate the practice ( despite GB's comments).
Mostly it doesn't get talked about too much, and if it's a serious one, we're all too well aware that it's someone's brother/father/son, who won't be going home that night and could well have been us.
I think this attitude applies to anyone who spends most of their working day driving, whatever the vehicle.
It's not gender specific either.
Pat
|
There is definitely a propensity for men to be interested in this kind of thing, I can't speak for women, but I would say that it is less so.
There is still part of our brain that is a little boy, who thinks that the idea of death, chaos and destruction, is absolutely stupendous. The fascination wanes over the years, but never seems to go away completely.
On the issue of delays, I'm not saying that it is right to hold people up, but there seems to be a lot less tolerance for it when driving.
As a pedestrian in London, I am constantly held up, by people dawdling in front of me, suddenly stopping to answer there phones, standing talking in the middle of the pavement and maybe the occasional rubber necking too. Nobody ever seems to rant about people taking their merry time on the pavement, but once it is on the road there seems to be absolutely no tolerance for any behaviour that might slow people down.
Just an observation.
|
maybe most wagon drivers in your opinion pda dont rubberneck because they are far too busy on their mobile phones/laptops/sat navs/boiling the kettle/having a wee/cant see out for all the rubbish like number plates with their names on/flags/stickers/flashing lights/etc etc
|
|
I would guess Pat that many of the rubberneckers on here are the ones who moan when a motorway is closed and they are severely delayed. And I always thought it was the inconvenience of such investigations. Now we know the truth. It's because they are diverted away from the carnage they were hoping to view.
|
Pat,
You can't tell me if a Truck is lying on its side with its load seeping across the cariageway that the majority of truck drivers will stare steadfastly ahead not even a sneaking a glance at the shiny wreck......even on the grounds of professional interest alone, surely they allow themselves a sideways glance ?
|
Bellboy, I won't dignify your remarks with a reply.
Cpt Flack, I totally agree with you.
PU, what I can tell you is that if you go into any transport cafe after a serious accident ( car/lorry or motorbike) the conversation will be minimal.
Something like..........
Did you see that accident at J18?
Certainly did.
Not looking good, was it?
And that will be it, so that pretty much says it all.
I don't have a problem with a sideways glance, but that isn't rubbernecking in my book, and you know that. More often than not we're far too busy trying to predict just how far the car in front of us will slow down. before they see the road is clear in front of them. It would only cause more problems if we drove into the back of them, wouldn't it?
Pat
|
I've no reason to doubt you Pat but why is the "car" always the villain in these examples ? Motorcycling up to 15k a year I could tell you countless horror stories about all classes of vehicles including other bikes...
|
When did you ever see a motorbike hold up the traffic to have a look at an accident, or a lorry, for that matter?
You may not want to hear this, and it's already proven that it's rattled a few cages this morning, BUT the majority of accident ARE multi car shunts.
A typical occasion is after a good rain when the weather has been dry, and no-one seems to be able to stop.
These accidents cause endless hold ups, insurance claims and use our resources, but all that's needed is a little bit of forward thinking to avoid them.
Since a lot of car drivers seem to be unable to do that, the rest of them then see fit to have to hold everyone else up to 'have a good look'.
I wouldn't have a problem if they learned something from what they see, but they don't.
And to all of you getting angry ( and abusive!), this is a discussion forum where we're all entitled to a point of view, all I'm doing is putting mine forward from the seat I've sat in for the last 30 years.
Bobby G asked the question, and to his credit, hasn't objected to my opinion.
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Thu 22 Jul 10 at 13:34
|
|
Never Pat - I rode down the A14 a couple of weeks ago, progress was impeded by guess what - overtaking lorries for mile after mile, blithely ignoring the voluntary no overtaking signage and consequently holding up other road users, causing frustration. As I said bad driving isn't confined to just one class of vehicle.
|
Of course it isn't, but neither is you example anything to do with the OP, is it?
I can counter accusations of bad driving by cars and you can do the same about lorries, but it's a bit of a juvenile way to have a discussion about rubbernecking, isn't it?
We can also keep our fingers crossed and hope that someone takes the bait and launches a post about lorries overtaking too :)
I've got your number PU:)
Pat
|
|
You haven't got my number at all- all I'm pointing out is that bad driving isn't restricted to one class of vehicles. It's not an anti-truck rant - I accept that it's an imperfect world out there even in the hallowed sacred world of truck driving.
|
>>hallowed sacred world of truck driving.<<
The sarcasm doesn't become you, lighten up a bit PU, and ditch the stress.
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Thu 22 Jul 10 at 14:08
|
I only give back what comes my way:)
Pat
|
>> ...including other bikes...
Agreed. We in Sussex seem particularly prone to this sort of thing this year - seem to be running at a casualty rate of around 3 bikers a week at the moment.
|
>> Don't patronise me Zero.
Because you dont understand its not patronising.
You just dont understand. Just accept it.
|
i left hj for a year because i stood the wagon drivers corner but it seems to me pdA you are obviously perfect so theres no point in you discussing rubbernecking with you
where are all these so called transport cafes anyway,im a regular user of the A1 /A19 up to cleveland and all the good ones have gone,not to mention most truckers eat their panninis in their trucks rather than drinking a pint pot of tea with me as we discuss the carnage down the road as we do
|
|
Berisford - I think they're looking for witnesses to the event itself not what happens afterwards! tell me you weren't serious.....
|
|
I've come back to post for the delectation of you gore-festers. Had to check out a body in a flat yesterday. All doors and windows closed, heating on. Yes, heating on. (Coz it hasn't been warm has it?) Body been there for about 3 weeks. So that's me taking a deep breath some way away from the door, dashing in without breathing, quick look round an area and dash back. Repeat until satisfied. When I say satisfied, I don't mean in terms of enjoyment! Cue the undertakers: ''You might have to give us a hand with this'. yep, I'll be applauding alright, but that's it fellas....
|
you failed to mention the flies
lots of flies
and did they do a gut buster?
|
This one was past the gut buster stage - there's more detail that I'll have to spare. My colleague was wondering how far flies travel and how long they live. What chance they've been on my sandwich etc.. I've got enough gore stories to write a book - as I'm sure you and many others have but it's the black humour that tickles me and I'll miss it when I go.
My wife asked me how I sleep at night following a suicide by shotgun that went unnoticed for about 5 days. 'Sort of curl up next to you and think smutty thoughts' was the reply. She looked at me like I scare her!!
|
Looking at a fresh fender bender IS NOT the same as looker at a stale bloater in a flat.
Oh no sir, not by a long long way.
|
Jeez, I have just caught up with this.
The fact is that some lorry drivers / car drivers / cyclists / motorcyclists / men / women are asre holes and some lorry drivers / car drivers / cyclists / motorcyclists / men / women are jolly nice folk, it is not a lorry driver v car drivers v cyclists v motorcyclists v men v women issue.
Rubbernecking is human nature, if something has happened on or by a road then people will slow down, in part because they are wary and in part because their attention is drawn. Yes some groups might take a closer interest in some events than others:
On average car enthusiasts would look more closely at a Veyron with a flat tyre.
On average lorry drivers would look more closely at a brand new Scania with its entrails exposed.
On average motorcyclists would look more closely at a BMW 1000RR being pulled out of a hedge
On average women would look more closely if David Beckham had his head under a bonnet.
On average men would look more closely at a page 3 girl with her tits half out on the hard shoulder.
...
|
Rubbernecking seems to be more of a problem in the US. People there have no problem in slowing down to walking pace (or slower) to gawp at an accident on the other carriageway.
On one occasion near Pittsburgh I was in the outside lane crawling past a multi-car pileup in the other direction. The SUV in front of me came to a virtual stop and I saw the woman driver pull out a camera (might have been her phone) and photograph the scene. My use of the horn elicted a polite wave before she put the camera down and drove off. I sometimes really envy the laid back nature of Americans.
|
Rubberneck? - Bellboy
