Driving Fail September | I'm an Idiot Magnet 

4:23 "I was ignoring the SatNav on purpose" - now that's no way to maintain a relationship. You need to both sit down and talk this out before you let things go any further. I know she's all "Turn Left Here" and "Take the Third Exit from the Roundabout" but at the end of the day you've got to live together.

11:13 Shoutout to that lorry driver giving the learner the time they needed and I think he even went right and forward a bit more to block the fiesta hahaha!

I just don't get it, I can't remember the last time I actually got held up by a driving school car, I've certainly never felt like I need to break the law to overtake one.

I love the music choice mate 😅 could definitely imagine your singing alone 🤣

EVEN BEFORE I STARTED DRIVING LESSONS in 1988, I was told to treat everybody else as an idiot Never a truer word spoken, and all drivers probably think their "idiot magnets"

I always give space and curtesy to learner drivers as it’s really nerve racking when learning to drive. I learned in a 7.5 ton lorry and will never forget the experience.

Ashley You talk about catching a lot of red light jumpers Have you got any for sale- my chest size is 2xl

Such a good point about giving learners plenty of room. When I was learning I often would brake when there was no need to but just because I was nervous. So driving right up their bum is totally silly as you never know when they might decide to brake and the instructor can't control that.

I must admit about a month ago I almost hit a driving school car on the approach to a roundabout, I was too busy looking right, my tunnel vision kicked in and wasn’t expecting them to stop. Totally my fault and just as well no contact was made. Love your channel and forever learning. I remember my instructor saying “this is where the learning begins” I was arrogant at the time but years later know what he meant.

I have just passed my test, and I live in Huyton. These videos haven't half made me drive safer and be aware of how others drive especially seeing areas I know on these videos. Appreciate these videos, Ashley!

As long as the emergency vehicle has plenty of room to get through and on with their journey, no need to stop whatsoever unless absolutely necessary

14:23 gets a pop up for the WAP music video 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

5:10 Couldn’t agree more. As an emergency driver, please DON’T just stop without considering where and why. The number of people who stop right before an island is staggering, meaning that I have to slow to a crawl to steer around you, wasting valuable seconds. Notice us early (use the mirrors!), take time to think, then react (if it’s needed). EDIT - Emergency vehicles can legally go offside at an island, but it’s one of the most dangerous things you can do, so avoid at all costs! Islands are there to protect, and typically people don’t look for traffic coming the wrong way!

On-screen graphics are great. Also, that point about the instructor not being able to PREVENT braking is a good one. Teaching my kids, there were a few times when I yanked on the handbrake, but there was one frightening incident when my son stopped suddenly at a green light (red arrow) and I never felt more helpless, wincing and waiting to be real-ended.

In response to the Emergency Vehicle clip; on a two lane road (as shown) I'd agree that the vehicle in front of you could have continued as there is plenty of room for the police car to use lane two. However, on a single lane road it's much, much more helpful to us if the vehicles giving way do come to a complete stop rather than becoming a moving obstacle at 5mph! We look for a 'positive reaction' from the vehicles in front of us (brake lights, indicators, or actually moving to the left) - it's much more hazardous if we have to proceed past someone who hasn't given us a positive indication, as we're cautious to if they've actually seen us or not (it's amazing how many drivers are totally oblivious to us).

I wish that, instead of giving points for driving offences, drivers are sent to you for a week of re-training.

11:13 - I put my vote for the Fiesta being the arse of the month. Showed themselves up massively. Glad that the HGV driver had blocked the Fiesta, because I would half be sure that learner wouldn't expect the Fiesta barging past. Only the lorry patiently waiting. On a funny note it's always a classic to see that the Fiesta driver trying to take a 'shortcut' (whilst doing a really poor job at it) and ends up the last to their destination. Lost at their own game!

Once again I want to thank you for these videos. Instead of choosing the craziest clips to get the most views, you're bringing awareness by discussing the drivers'/riders' faults in a calm way. I especially agree with your point about never just "following the leader". I was involved in an accident a few weeks ago where two cars made an illegal left turn across the segregated cycle lane I was using, and I ended up crashing into the side of the second car. The driver told me she "thought it was allowed because the first car did it". Thankfully my injuries were minor and I recovered in a few days.

I don't get the L plate thing. Whenever I see one I try to start driving my best because I don't want to embarrass myself in front of an instructor. Not that I'm not always driving my best ;)

Thanks for being cycle friendly, you'd always get a thumbs up from me!

That XPO lorry driver is a legend. Blocked the lane so the car couldn't get thru and cause trouble for the learner. You love to see it

Ashley I'm never here this early for your videos - but I wanted to say thank you for the content you make. Videos like yours have made me a more aware, sensible and reasonable driver.

I need to rethink my ‘learner impatience’. 😂 seriously though, I have seen this a lot over the years. I do know that patience and road rage have risen exponentially over the last decade, if not the last 5 years mostly. The amount of swearing and gesturing that occurs now is the worst I’ve ever come across. The worst areas I see it are definitely the ‘merge in turn’ scenarios and a very high percentage of ppl do not fully understand how to proceed in these areas which causes aggro at the merge. (I have now changed my attitude to this as well thanks to all the ppl here on this channel and your videos).

This has been one of the funniest videos you have uploaded! Had a good chuckle when WAP popped up in the corner of the screen. hahaha

Honestly I love your videos. They show a lot of interesting situations that everyone can learn from, not just learners. In regards to people pulling out in front of learner vehicles, you're spot on. How dangerous it is is ridiculous. And I had it myself, 8 months ago when I was learning to drive a Class 2. As you'll know, since you've taken the lessons , it's not an empty lorry, it often has a load like water on the back, to simulate a delivery of something. The number of people willing to pull out in front of a lorry, especially one with an L plate on it, with no more than 20 feet, in some cases, was incredible. And, I don't know about your experience in a Learner Wagon, but mine didn't have dual controls, because I'm obviously already a driver, so in theory, | wouldn't need someone else there to control the vehicle.

I’m gonna need that audio of you singing wap please 😂

It is 50 years this year since I past my Motorcycle Test (you could ride @ 16 then) and 50 years next year for Car Test. I have seen especially in the last decade a steady decline in driving standards. Although retired I regularly drive 12 miles to help out at my Daughter’s Business and notice that more & more drivers in a hurry and willing to put other people’s lives in danger just to get somewhere a few seconds earlier. Overtake in and at the wrong time, going through red lights, fighting in a merge in turn, etc, etc. and arriving only a car ahead.

I must admit that when I first got my driving license (Denmark) at 18, I was a complete w*nker the first 2-3 years myself. Despite the facts like you're in the UK and stuff works different than in Denmark, I've watched your videos through the last couple of years and your words have me constantly re-thinking any sort of situation twice and therefore often speaking to myself, saying stuff like "Is it really worth that 1 overtake mate?" or even "how would I feel if someone pulled this move on me" and I calmly take a chill so we all can go on safe. Respect on your videos Ashley. Best Regards

6:32 - as a cyclist, this really annoys me - why do so many cars think the ASL is for them and not bikes, even though there's a big picture of a bike and a solid white line around it?!? Happens all over Liverpool.

This footage is absolutely unbelievable. Your demeanour with your pupils is awesome.

HGV Behind you at around 16 minutes in was pretty good at leaving plenty of room and not intimidating your learner.

The blue van situation at the beginning of the video had the right away as your lane was blocked by a parked car

13:50 thanks for saying this, it is the bane of professional drivers everywhere, the prevailing attitude among vulnerable road users that their actions are somehow more minor as they are, for the most part, only risking their own lives, as you say, particularly for someone who drives for a living, often as their sole source of income, hitting & potentially killing someone with their vehicle can ruin them mentally, and with the recurring campaign to somehow make vulnerable road users less legally accountable, can even jeopardise their livelyhoods.

That is really interesting. I had a load of abuse shouted at me by a passenger side ambulance medic once because I slowed right down but didn't actually stop. The road was a long straight road with only me and the ambulance on it. The road was 3 lanes wide and I was tight in on the left doing around 5 MPH (60 MPH road). She shouted at me as passing saying I "should stop" and calling me a name!!

From when i was an instructor 2003-2010 i did some training for a grocery delivery company who employed quite a few Eastern Europeans. One session the driver just stopped because he heard an emergency vehicle siren...no emergency vehicle in sight. Apparently, in his home country (cant remember which one) you MUST stop. It did generate a conversation over how to aid the progress of an emergency vehicle

I live in Walsall (England) and now red light jumping is so bad that they will keep driving across the junction if you do not start moving when your light is green, I often have to carefully move around jumpers as I cross the lights.

Thanks, Ashley. I've been a professional driver for over 30 years and see things like this every day. The attitude of a lot of drivers is appallingly selfish, 30somethings in German cars seem to be the worst.

For work, I drive a LWB transit down a lot of narrow country lanes, often single track with / without passing places. Because it’s in the countryside there’s a lot of people walking dogs, cyclists and agricultural vehicles. Just requires a bit of forward planning, knowing where any passing places might be etc if you encounter a tractor, so you can maintain traffic flow as best as possible. If there’s any pedestrians or cyclists, I always slow down and pass them as wide as possible. If they’re coming towards me, the same applies, and I’ll often stop to let them pass. 99% of them appreciate it, and although I’m on a timetable, the few seconds to a minute ‘wasted’ letting them pass safely is significantly shorter than waiting for police and ambulance to arrive, to deal with whatever incident has just occurred. Earlier, it took me 3 attempts to travel down a single track road. Couldn’t see around a narrow corner, slowed, there was oncoming traffic and I was just past a passing place, so reversed back and let them through. Set off again and the same happened, so reverse back and let them through too. Third time lucky! With regards to stopping for emergency vehicles, it depends on the situation. Sometimes it’s safer to stop, other times, signalling and slowing a little is the best option. In this instance, with the van keeping their position in lane 2 and slowing, the vehicles in lane 1 should have maintained some of their pace to make the manoeuvre easier overall, although we do have the benefit of hindsight. Sometimes, the emergency drivers don’t make the best available choices, especially when you move out of their way, they then decide to occupy the lane that you just moved into, then undertake you on a roundabout from the wrong lane (as the ‘overtaking’ lane was free)

Driving school cars , trucks , buses etc are all magnets as you will see every day of the week driving around any town or city .

Funny looking bicycle turning right at 6:26.

THREE CLOWNS - the white van for stopping in right lane and not moving to left lane and rolling on, the car in front for stopping at all, and you for telling the learner they do not need to stop (IF YOU MEANT her to overtake there and then) Your overtaking would annoy the car and may block the right lane - added to the complication for the emergency service vehicle by the van already causing a chicane for it - if the car changed its mind and drove on with you alongside, then just adding to the blockage at whatever was ahead (traffic lights?)

Ashley I think you will find that, just as some drivers have no appreciation or consideration for the situation of a learner driver, those same drivers have an equal lack of consideration for a truck driver. Expect to relive many of these same scenarios in your new endeavour.

Hey Ashley, I wish we had driving instructors like you here in Australia. I am originally from the UK and have driven all over the world over the years. I can truthfully say the the standard of driving and the unsavoury aggression here accompanied by intense exaggeration make Australia (in my opinion) the worst drivers in the world. I preferred driving in Naples and India than here. My son has just passed his test and even he was surprised how dangerously he was taught as I have always shown him how to drive correctly and politely and never exaggerate an already dangerous situation. Keep up the good work - I'm an avid fan.

"We didn't realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun." Winnie the pooh

I'm from Denmark and I gotta say. I've never seen so many confusing intersections in a 15 minute video before. I'm not trying to excuse the people who drive irresponsibly. I'm just saying that if I ever took a drive in Britain I would probably end up in one of your videos :b

The white van red light jumper is just plain typical of that junction. It's part of my daily commute and I see that exact thing nearly every day. When I don't see that, it's someone flashing their lights at me and telling me to move from behind while sat in traffic to turn right... it's a magnet for idiots.

7:08 - love how the taxi driver never looks at you or puts a hand up to apologise/thank you. Absolute richardhead.

At 6.13, the lane on the left is open to use and the van is using it, there are no indications that the lane is closed and instead of all of the cars queueing in the outer lane and making a longer queue, if they use the inner lane then there would be fewer cars in the outer lane and then filter in when the cones are approached.

As usual, great stuff, just a pity that there are so many idiots out there giving you ammunition. One of my best / worst experiences was whilst giving plenty of space between myself and a learner car in front, basically I had been tail gated for a couple of miles in this scenario whereupon said tailgater overtook me aggressively and proceeded to tail gate the learner. KNOBHEAD.

The van who overook on nearside, cheeky but plenty of space and didn't make you change your speed or direction.

Good old Walton vale never lets you down for bad drivers.

“You don’t have to stop”... if I were that car, I would have just kept going slow and steady until the emergency vehicle passed. There’s two lanes so vehicles should tuck into the left lane and leave the right lane for the emergency vehicle to travel in. The junction is still a little distance ahead and there’s enough clear road ahead before the junction in the left lane for traffic to continue

When I am following a Learner driver I always give them space and time, because WE all have been there when we was learning to drive.

I've never got this. We all had to learn once. I remember my dad teaching me, and I stalled at a junction. The bloke behind started f-ing and blinding, and I panicked, and stalled again. My dad calmly said "jump out lad, I'll drive." As we swapped places, my dad walked up to his window and shouted "THANKS VERY F@#$#@ MUCH, YOU C%#$!" It's one of the only times I've heard him raise his voice. He was fuming. It always stuck in my head, and I give learners as much room as they need. Good bloke, my dad.👍

I was driving on a 20mph road yesterday with large speed bumps across. A taxi overtook doing at least 30mph and then he turned left about 50 yards farther on ! No patience at all.

7:13 Question - what should the driver of the grey van have done do you think? I realise it was a private hire but if you are in a queue and somebody wants to enter the flow from the right, crossing the lane going against you how should you go about giving way? My thought is that the van was a little too far forward to do so. Ideally he would need to stop just before drawing level with the "KEEP CLEAR" area for traffic going the other way. Even though it does not apply to him it will give room for the emerging vehicle to get across and out of the other lane. This would only really be applicable if you were queuing and happened to be there, though. You should not hold up traffic behind you waiting for a gap the other way for them to get out - your point in an earlier clip about keeping traffic flowing applies. On the other hand, if the private hire driver is intent on gambling, the shop on that corner should be able to assist :)

13:17 Scooter rider is also on L plates meaning he is not allowed to carry a pillion.

I’ve seen idiots stop by an island completely blocking passage until oncoming traffic gives way to blues & twos. I honestly believe this should be included in the test & driver training.

Funny thing is Learners will actually be some of the safest drivers as they will not be speeding and have the supervision of an instructor right next to them.

I drive on blue lights for the ambulance service and frequently come across folks who are unsure of what to do. When I'm in my personal car I don't automatically pull over or stop just because an emergency vehicle needs to pass. I read the road, if the opposite lane is clear for them to pass, just adjusting my speed is enough. Stopping near to islands is frustrating but magnetic cars are the worst! One pulls over so the car coming the other way waits until they are close then decides to stop, right beside the other stationary car and blocks everyone! I say to people if in doubt continue safely within the speed limit and when the road clears or a layby comes up, indicate and pull over normally. We are taught to hang back and expect mistakes. Better to get there safely than not at all.

Some quality wazzoks here... As for the pair on the scooter. Around where I live we get this quite common, field bikes wheeling through the village, riding on the pavement, up and down foot paths, seen many people almost mowed down by them on a zebra crossings. The families involved are also the ones who don't mind helping themselves to the contents of peoples shed's and garages in the middle of the night. I suspect most areas are the same. To show that kind of brazen disregard for the traffic laws, do you really think they give a shit about any of the other laws. Most likely the scooter guy is a drug dealer, giving one of his mates a lift to the cash machine so he can pay. I would not feel guilty about them getting hurt. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. I of course wouldn't go out of my way to hurt them, nor would I 'neglect' to see them on purpose such that anything would happen. but I would not shed a tear the day they meet someone who would.

Drivers who accelerate when they approach a pedestrian crossing in an effort to beat the red light are, without a shadow of doubt, morally bankrupt. It is such a common occurrence in urban areas. At best it is extremely intimidating (particularly to senior citizens and people with hearing, sight or mobility difficulties) and, at worst, it is patently homicidal.

4:46, light changes to amber before car enters shadow of overpass, goes red 2 seconds later as car exits shadow, 1 second later car crosses stop line, having had a good 10 plus the length of the overpass to stop.

Cars like this are the reason that at a light controlled crossing across one side of a duel carriageway I will look both ways and if a car is at the point where I couldn’t make it safely across I will wait till they slow to a safe speed for me to cross.

3:15 a blurt indeed. A restrained insult but it sums things up perfectly.

A cycle lane which is large enough to fit a bus in? Bad job by the council. Small wonder people make the mistake of thinking it's a driving lane. Those are often bus, taxi, and cycle lanes.

I'm learning atm (test in a couple months) and every time I see someone rock up to a junction I instinctively take my foot off the gas and cover the brake in case they pull out on me. Two people have, and I've had to brake for them. Defensive driving is key.

I laughed for a solid minute when the certain track came up on my screen :D

0:30 Why should the blue van hold back, the obstruction is on your side of the road, surely he has right of way?

With the way that scooter was being ridden, it wouldn't surprise me if it was stolen.

I will never understand why morons take personal offence to being behind a learner driver. As though they themselves were never learning, although with some of these its seems they might not have been learners at any point lol 😆

I was always taught at traffic lights the left hand lane ( if both are straight on) should set off first, having said that the left hand lane in your example wasn't a valid lane, as it was for cycles .

13:09 There is also an L plate I saw on that which means the driver or rider, is not allowed to carry a passenger. L plate restrictions on motorcycles include no carrying a passenger on the back, and not allowed to use motorways.

Took a car accident call once. The person told me the accident where he rear ended a car in front of him wasn’t his fault because the learner driver just stalled his car! I failed my first test because of another driver. I was almost through with my test with 2 points. Got to a roundabout and stopped to let the car to my right go. They sat there I waited for about a minute with no other cars on the roundabout. I knew hesitation can cause you to get points so started off. The car to my right then started going, he had to put on his brakes causing an automatic fail for me! It was several months before I could take the test again.

That last one with the car in the right lane. I'm a street cleaner on foot. And can honestly say if I'm crossing a road it doesn't matter what lane and what direction a driver indicating. I automatically assume they could be going anywhere. On May patch most streets are one way but I still need to look both ways before crossing

Those are the same sort of drivers who feel they must pass trucks, buses, & even 4WDs, even when they're doing the speed-limit!

Viewing this just now, saw my student digs…. 256 Stanley Road!!! Thanks for the informative videos, and the nostalgia 😂

just thought i would add my latest idiot, driving through a small village at 30 then the speed limit goes up to 50 i was doing about 40/45 coming to my turning left which then goes back down to 40, about 50 yards before the turn a guy overtakes me on a bend and then turns left into my road, but accelerates to way over 60 to prove a point ! i bet he got home 10 seconds early

It was crucial to stop dead when he heard the siren, just in case it was one of those new double-width police cars that need a lane and a half to overtake normal-sized cars.

Ash singing to WAP, love it! Another great video mate, thanks.

As you say, many drivers misbehave to get past a learner. However, you can double that type of action when it is to get past a service bus, or even worse, when it is a bus with L plates.

Well said about the scooter, completely agree with what you said. Many people nowadays are too selfish. I see many bikes like that around Liverpool, 9/10 times they're stolen.

That road and junction at 1:50 is shocking. I blame the designer more than anyone!

That blue fiesta at 10:29 had plenty of space to overtake and get back into the left lane without disruption to your pupil

Driving fails wouldn't be as fun without Taxi Drivers 😂😂

I don't know if anyone else says this, but when people HAVE to overtake and be in front of you whether it be on a motorway or regular street I call it "Must get ahead syndrome" it's dangerous.

People stopping when they hear a siren is one of my pet hates.

@Ashley Neal in my opinion I think with the first clip, the van driver would have done the same to any vehicle not just learners. He looked like the sort of driver who thinks he has priority.

5:25 one of my biggest bug bears when on blue lights, it happens WAY too often and shows just how bad people are at planning. The white Van made two mistakes which made life way more difficult for the Police car than it should have been. He should have heard the sirens and conceded before pulling out and should then have gone into the left lane straight away and pulled into the right after the Police car pulled past. Unfortunately people see blue and brake.. I see it all the time and while many people are good at letting us through, many times they get it wrong. One of the big lessons I learnt was to telegraph where I want to go as early as possible, however even that often doesn't work, as in this clip.

The blue Fiesta is just having a party. I see myself out, was a pleasure.

I swear in my years of driving - 2013 to now - the roads have gotten worse. There's simply no punishment for these idiots...

The problem with red light jumpers is they do it so often they think they are invincible. I ALWAYS check when I get a green that no one is jumping the lights. These people are so dangerous that I think the only answer is prison time.

my thoughts on the van around the 6minute mark, i will say thats an undertake. traffic was flowing above 20mph (by the looks of it) which is too fast and adding more risk. if traffic was building up and going slow it would be a merge in turn. i use 20mph as a guide because of a motorbike case i read about in a law section of MCN (motorcycle news). in the case a motorbike was filtering, an incident happened but the judge ruled in the motorbikes favour as they were doing under 20mph when filtering. and although there is no speed limit for filtering, it mentions filtering in slow moving traffic, that case sort of defines slow moving traffic is traffic going less than 20mph (is the way i see it).

Like the last clip not only turn left from the first set of lights but also turned left from the right hand lane at the next junction. And the little puff of black smoke from the exhaust to go as well

Right before the 6 minute mark, the police car needs to be fast towards his destination. Speed difference often is a risk factor. Going too slow or even stop therefor adds danger in many situations as time to anticipate things ahead of you when it's slow or stopped, is diminished hugely... Imagine cruising on the highway at 75mph and a traffic jam is ahead of you, standing still. This also applies, to a lesser degree at lower speeds.

I've been in the emergency vehicle situation on a few occasions where the car in front has decided to stop leaving cars behind nowhere to go and blocking the emergency services vehicles. What is so hard to understand about giving way to them - not stopping and blocking their path. Over the years I've been driving, recently it has become a nightmare with too many idiots on the road. As a final comment, I am also fed up with drivers who make a mistake and then blame you for their own error!

5:24, stopping there at that slow speed made sense imo, it allowed the (much faster) police car to pass, carrying on that slow gets in the way of the police car. Strange.

5:20 - this always annoys me. So much more important to keep the flow of traffic going rather than block the road for emergency vehicles.

02:00 that juntion is now a joke after theyve added the new cycle lane

So, good on you for the relaxed demeanor. Had this been an Australia dash cam, the language would've blistered a sailor's ears.