This topic is always a can of worms, but I shall offer my perspective as a driver in the UK!
I make mistakes when driving, mostly physical (eg clomping a kirb on a tight corner, crunching my gears through lazy use of the clutch), but quite often today's roads make driving so much harder - the volume of traffic is mad, the width of roads is not adequate anymore, road design is dodgy, for example- pedestrian crossings positioned within inches of having left a roundabout are hazardous beyond sanity, never mind cause backing up of traffic on the roundabout.
Also, when driving in a new area you are instantly exposed to everyone else who of course knows better and couldn't possibly be patient enough to consider that you might have accidentally ended up in the wrong lane (this is why I never drive in London). That said, drivers do need to remain decisive, even if it means decisively taking a wrong turn and correcting it afterwards once you've had a chance to pull over and work out the correct way - this is safer than dawdling.
As a daily driver and motoring enthusiast, I have many thoughts!
These are the driving-related actions that infuriate me the most, I'll expand on all three below:
1) Using a phone while driving
2) Uneducated driving/driving with lack of intelligence/education
3) Aggressive drivers, which often is largely due to number 2
4) cyclists who don't make themselves visible, but equally drivers who persecute cyclists for being on the road.
1 - this is just unforgivable. I've had near misses with drivers on the phone, been blocked in traffic by drivers on the phone etc - I've witnessed people get into their car and THEN start a phone call - why not make the call before you drive off?! It is mad! Generally, I've seen a fairly even balance of males/females do this.
2 - There are a lot of 'good' (generally safe) drivers out there, who are actually quite 'bad' drivers at times without really being aware of it. The sort of driver who:
a) never uses the handbrake and instead sits in a queue with their foot on the brake pedal, dazzling the driver behind - all categories of driver do this!
b) never uses the indicator when leaving a roundabout, thus leaving anyone trying to join the roundabout in doubt as to the other driver's actions - this results in indecisive driving, which is dangerous, and also affects the efficiency of the traffic flow and unnecessary waiting times. I've mostly seen female drivers do this.
c) generally blocking the road by not looking at road markings whilst in queues, not looking ahead in the traffic to second-guess whether you need to move or wait where you are. Everyone does this.
3 - this tends to be males and overwhelmingly in the UK seems to be BMW, Audi or Vauxhall Vectra drivers 🙂, as well as van drivers and a proportion of young drivers who want to impress their mates. It's bizarre driving....they follow you inches from your bumper in a fairly steady flow of traffic with plenty of cars in front of you, hounding you to go faster even if you are already driving slightly over the speed limit, they try to overtake....quite often you'll then be following them for ages, because they've made no further progress. I make a point of flashing my lights at these drivers if I see them in front of me, or if one passes me.
The silly thing is they are making their own driving experience so much more stressful for very little reward... they are constantly having to touch the brakes because they are too close to the vehicle in front. they are thinking 'how can I get past' when there is no real benefit to getting past. Probably using more petrol by sitting in the wrong gear hoping it will help them overtake quicker.
4 - I don't like to cycle on the roads, but I don't hold anything against those who do, unless they suddenly take on this anti-car attitude at the same time - cyclists need to appreciate that it's not always easy for drivers to see them, particularly at night - they are small in comparison to everything else the car driver has to watch out for, so unless they have steady lights and reflective clothing on all four sides, it is quite conceivable that we won't see you - it doesn't mean we are just impatient and refuse to give you any right of way, it just means we haven't necessarily seen you from our current respective road positions!
Alas, the fun has been taken out of motoring. I really admire anyone who has to drive as part of making their living.
Sorry, one of my biggest pet peeves!
