Awkward #11 | Doing The Right Thing

Doing, the right thing isn't always going to make your journey flow easily.
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[@grime1]

Never understood why some drivers see an obvious mess up ahead and just think “it’s my turn so I’ll just pile on” rather than simply holding back

[@PedroConejo1939]

The problem is with the 'just think' bit of that equation. They rarely do.

[@FlavourlessLife]

Confidence in high speed. It's a psychological effect where sitting still makes a lot of people more anxious about a situation. It's related to why we pace around when worried about something.

[@lidge1994]

Same reason morons pile into an already stuck rotating door that stops when you put pressur on it, stopping it again and again...they're morons! I once saw 23 people take 2 minutes to go through a door that takes 10-15 seconds.

[@middler5]

Might be feeling pressure from behind them. Should try cut that out though.

[@J1mston]

I think it's partly down to some people thinking "if I don't get into this now then I'll never get anywhere" which is sometimes the case. You don't take your turn and then someone else from a different direction either can't see until it's too late or just doesn't have the foresight of you.

[@haveyouseenchef4531]

That second clip boils my blood. I try to practice the perspective that maybe the lady in the red car was already stuck in the intersection and just had her chance to clear, but the hands up is just ridiculous. If she was stuck prior, you’d think there’s be a bit more compassion to the situation on her part. If she did run a red, it explains self importance. Props to the cammer for not getting priority entitled, proficiency to reverse as well as they did and not make the situation worse.

[@michaelsandy3353]

Road planners have a lot to answer for in each case here.

[@shaunperry2024]

They should be known as "Road Lack of Planners"

[@urbanshadow777]

That's what I was just thinking on that first one especially

[@ColinSmith2001]

How would you fix things? Your new layout will have to meet all design guidance, even if the old one doesn't, and assume a working budget of £0...... ;-)

[@JetfireQuasar]

@@ColinSmith2001 with the prevalent amount of electronic billboards going up, i dont see why they cant have cameras with a display in a red and white hatched frame showing the exit from their perspective when they are sat at lights, would solve alot of issues with that bridge in particular.

[@lonelymelon6623]

Often they're making the best of a bad situation, I think, with road alignments which far predate cars. For example the bridge, no-one in their right minds would _design_ a junction like that, it just happened to end up configured that way.

[@gordy4459]

Kudos to the white van driver in the first clip..at least they had the sense to hang back and not make things worse....And it looks like the hesitant driver in the third clip could benefit with some lessons from you Ashley!..

[@cloudmaker]

Wish I'd had the cameras a couple of weeks ago Gordy, sat at lights through 3 changes because I could not clear the junction in Nottingham then when there was enough room and lights changed a twat from the straight on lane went with me and cut in front for left lane leaving me blocking the junction, something which I had been avoiding for 3 bloody changes. 👍 BTW Recognised first clip immediately as it's Eddies depot just off M6/A500 near Newcastle under Lyme. Oh I'm such a road nerd sometimes!

[@gordy4459]

@@cloudmaker Me too!!...I'm always looking to see if it's roads I used when I was trucking!.🤣🤣...

[@kenbrown2808]

that third is a scenario where the US habit of using live people to direct traffic around roadworks would have helped. though I've seen cases where the live traffic control person had to yell at a driver to ignore the light and stop holding up progress.

[@gordy4459]

@@kenbrown2808 I'm sure when some people get onto their car they just go off into a little wibbly wobbly world of their own and become oblivious to the surroundings....

[@kenbrown2808]

@@gordy4459 we seem to have people here who are incapable of thinking for themselves. anything new puts them into a panic.

[@SkatKat]

There is a technique of "sigh and zone out" I've learnt to do whenever I'm about to be impatient because of traffic. Just let it go and submit, wait, give way, whatever needs to happen to get through the commute safely. I swear your videos clued me into more triggers that I knew I had before. I'm a cyclist, if I get frustrated, I'm the one likely to suffer. If a car driver gets frustrated... I'm also the one likely to suffer. I wish there were more plans to teach people how to take a step back in life in general.

[@Albert5522]

Well said! The toughest part of it all is consistency. Made even more difficult by the mentality, and lack of consideration a lot of drivers show. I think the reason there isn't more guidance to help people take a step back in life in general is due to that not serving the system we live in. Think about how popular coffee or caffeine is, I know I'm a regular drinker of the former, all in the attempt to be alert when tired, or the popularity of alcohol to numb or enable one to let go, because of all the hang-ups created in day to day living in the way we do.

[@PedroConejo1939]

I've often repeated the words a solicitor told me years ago: The real villain of the piece is the person who designed that road junction. Yellow boxes just create more opportunities for designed-in chaos. When used correctly, they are a good tool, but when not thought through, chaos ensues, sometimes followed by fines. As for the clip with the red and green lights, surely, those traffic lights should have been switched off and temporary lights installed instead. People who get wound up enough to start gesticulating with both hands _will_ cause problems soon after.

[@Bin-The-L-Plates]

The first clip is mine, and I’d forgotten I’d sent it on, so thanks for sharing Ashley. I’ve answered a few of the comments and I’ll chip in if it needs it. Nice that a few spotted the fabulous Citroen DS at the start.

[@ashley_neal]

Thanks for sending. It does sometimes take many months for clips to be shown, but if they're good they make it!

[@Max-lf3tx]

The first video is what scares me about the introduction of box and red light cameras. Sometimes, when driving the legal thing to do isn't always the correct and or safe option.

[@PedroConejo1939]

Dash cam (and saved footage) is your legal defence there.

[@KM-nr3br]

@@PedroConejo1939it’s costly to fight tickets

[@contessa.adella]

Yes, but sadly the official stance is always…we see why you had to do what you did, but we are fining you anyway.

[@R0ssMM]

​@@PedroConejo1939That is the only option, but it assumes you go through and save any potential issue you have after every drive. Otherwise there's little chance the relevant file will still be on your SD card when the FPN arrives

[@ianmason.]

@@R0ssMM Or use several SD cards big enough in total to cover 14 days typical driving, which is what I do. (2 x 128Gb in my case)

[@bmused55]

Been in similar situations like the first clip many times. All too often though, I will sit and wait, as you suggest, but traffic will flood into the junction from all directions (including from behind), regardless of the exit not being clear. I've seen myself doing the right thing and ending up waiting for 20 minutes for a space to open. All because everyone else takes advantage of you "doing the right thing". Sometimes you have to just go for it. Do your checks and go for the weave.

[@SWR_Quackula]

Beside the point of the video but that Citroen DS looks absolutely beautiful

[@ibs5080]

I noticed that too.

[@ashley_neal]

Agreed!

[@PedroConejo1939]

Made me a happy man to see one being driven. Now if only I had the money to let me serve a DS myself.

[@TomWalsh0]

Glad it’s not just me who spotted it!

[@shankly1985]

Passed my driving test today. Just wanted to say thank you Ashley your videos have helped me.

[@ashley_neal]

Great job! Keep safe!!

[@ianmason.]

It's always cheering to see these messages about people passing. Congratulations.

[@ibs5080]

One thing that can make an awkward situation less "awkward" is if the other drivers around you recognize the situation for what it us, understand why you are doing what you're doing and everyone cooperates and tries to help each other out. However, things become more awkward if other drivers don't understand the situation and / or all start to compete with each other in a "Everyone for themselves" manner.

[@dmac2573]

Exactly. How do you fix this though? Apart from getting out of your vehicle and calmly explaining (which could be taken as aggression in any case). Maybe we need some kind of two-way proximity radio built into vehicles so you can chat to other drivers around you? A new type of hazard lights which indicate ‘awkward situation ahead’?

[@ibs5080]

@@dmac2573 Or some kind of erasable white board and pen to convey the message? I'm kind of jesting here of course. And I'm not sure if it might even constitute "destracted driving"? Would it in fact be considered "texting" if you don't have a passenger to do it for you?

[@ianmason.]

@@ibs5080 How about a matrix sign like the coppers use for 'stop' and 'follow me': "After you", "No, after you old chap"?

[@ibs5080]

@@ianmason. I thought about that too. I have seen online LED signs that can be placed in the rear window to display messages such Thanks, Sorry etc. Not sure they are legal though. I'm about to make the two hour journey to pick my mum up at Heathrow and then another two hours back to Canterbury. Hopefully no awkward situations or bad traffic. I will be using it as an opportunity to practice my driving skills and imagining Ashley in the car with me...and everyone on this channel watching the dash cam footage.

[@ianmason.]

@@ibs5080 Hm, I don't envy you your trip. For you in Canterbury that's an obvious M4/M25/M20/A249/M2/A2. A dull route with no real driving just avoiding lane hoggers and tailgaters. Twenty five years ago I'd have probably picked a route through London for that trip, just to stop it from being insanely boring. Other than picking a legal colour for showing a light to the front/rear I don't think there's any issues of legality of using a matrix board. No different in principle than a bumper sticker, stick family, or similar graphical adornment.

[@margaretnicol3423]

I always tell people to 'walk the job'. It might look good on paper but get down there physically and experience it before you sign anything off.

[@joespittle1]

When I did some work with a city council in the US they I would see them in the car park making a mock version of the proposed intersection using cone. Flaws could then be noted and fixed before the actual project took place.

[@margaretnicol3423]

@@joespittle1 Very sensible.

[@ianmason.]

@@joespittle1 Works fine until someone forgets that you can look over the top of a cone but you can't look through the wall it represents the corner of.

[@ibs5080]

I sometimes worry about getting caught in a yellow box junction due to a so called "awkward situation" and get snapped by a camera. The one time it happened, fortunately there was no camera but it's made me more aware of these situations.

[@BrightonandHoveActually]

Given that you should not enter a yellow box unless you can see your exit is clear, I think the Highway Authority is remiss in putting it there since it is never going to be possible to see the exit before entering.

[@Martin-bx1et]

It's a ridiculous junction allround. The entrance to the left of the junction box leads to a very busy hub for a well known haulage company. The artics do a full 180 degree turn to get on to the same road where the jam is happening. Maybe one was trying to get out behind the learner and that's what made them feel the need to creep forward part way through the clip.

[@neddyseagoon9601]

Erm, unless turning right?

[@mattc3581]

Even if you can see your exit is clear there is no guarantee that someone else won't change lanes in front of you and block you without warning.

[@ibs5080]

Related to the first clip, in Canada & USA there's an additional but similar awkward situation that can occur at traffic lights over there. And it's all due to ability to turn right on a red light (after stopping & yielding). Bear in mind of course, it's right hand traffic over there. 1. You come to a traffic light intersection with a red light 2. You want to proceed straight ahead. 3. Whilst waiting at the red light, you can already see your exit isn't clear 4. When your light turns green, a problem can occur even if the traffic on your exit road straight ahead of you starts to move 5. At busy times there can be a constant stream of traffic coming from the road on your right that is able to make a right turn on it's red light into the same exit road you want 6. Because it's easier for that other traffic to enter the busy intersection than for you, you never get a break to be able to drive across the intersection and clear it. 7. Of course when that other traffic gets their green light, they can also turn right into the exit road you want, after yielding to pedestrians who have their Walk signal. This North American business of being able to turn right on a red light most certainly has its advantages but it can also cause various issues such as the one I've outlined.

[@gordy4459]

Must be why there's so so many videos on KZbin of car crashes at traffic lights from those areas you mentioned....

[@TestGearJunkie.]

I remember the first time I drove in the US, San Francisco it was. Came to a T junction with a red light, didn't know about the right turn on red thing until another car came up behind me and beeped. The 4-way uncontrolled junctions there always get me as well. If two or three drivers from different directions all arrive at the same time, who goes first..? Seems to me to be the one who's got the most guts 😂

[@kenbrown2808]

@@TestGearJunkie. official rule is if you arrive at the same time, you give way to the one on your right. there is an additional complication that if people are stacked up, opposing directions go at the same time, with the one turning across traffic turning behind the one going straight through.

[@DoragonRider75]

As a pedestrian, I can't stand right on red. In my honest opinion, it should be banned across the United States. It's way too dangerous for those outside a car. Also, cars shouldn't be allowed to move at the same time pedestrians move. Allow a chance for any pedestrians to move first, then allow the cars to move afterward.

[@DavidBlakemore]

I know the junction in that first clip. It's awful and so much worse in rush hour traffic. The yellow box is massive to accommodate turning lorries at the entrance to the Stobarts yard (the driver in the clip goes past this). I used to come from the clip driver's right and you often had no choice but to internationally wait in the yellow box, otherwise you simply wouldn't get anywhere. One time I tried doing the "right" thing and waited for the yellow box to be completely clear before I moved off. I sat there for about 10 traffic light cycles (trying my best to ignore the car horns behind me), but the box would always fill up with traffic from the other directions whenever their lights were green.

[@grahamnutt8958]

Let us all take a moment @0:09 to appreciate the classic Citroën DS(?) - then we can focus on yet more good quality analysis.

[@markwright3161]

Yes, it's a DS.

[@leeholden8658]

The yellow box on the bridge is crazy but with it being a narrow bridge I get what the planners were thinking,maybe not the best idea. Widening or a double bridge would be ideal but far too much money to even contemplate. Maybe retiming the other set of lights after the bridge would be better imo

[@screally1152]

They could turn it into a one-way system and open up the pedestrianised Warbreck avenue to the north, or just have motorists accept its one way and use the Hornby road bridge to the south.

[@PedroConejo1939]

I'm wondering if the planners intended the yellow box to apply only in one direction. Otherwise, it's unenforceable from the direction of the camera car.

[@shm5547]

Just needs a camera looking at the box area and an 'all-ways red' phase. The all red phase only moves onto the next green phase when the box is clear. Simples.

[@_Steven_S]

​@shm5547 doesn't even need a camera/computer vision. There are radar sensors that can be set up to cover the box and each of the three legs to assess congestion and vary the timing of the phases. The bigger problem shown here for this junction is the lack of consequences/deterrent for the people going through the red light.

[@nowillnoway]

You wouldn't have to widen the road bridge structurally - pedestrian crossings of some form on either side of the bridge, delete the pavement/footpath on the 'south' side, pushing pedestrians onto the separate 'north' foot bridge. Wouldn't be popular with pedestrians though. Alternative to me would be to narrow the pavement on the left side of the viewer (that sweeping bend - seems to have quite wide pavements, would only need to shave ~a meter off), which would allow you to pull both lights that side closer to the bridge, enhancing visibility and reducing confusion. Part of the blame here for me falls to the viewer - both the red and black cars from viewers left had cleared their own set of lights (albeit not the junction - arguably some fault there, but probably best they could do with the road layout and the lights set so far back, see option 2 above), and were therefore not bound by them. Rather than looking for the 'gold' car to move, they should have waited to follow on behind the black car (2 behind), which would have been when *the viewer* could see the junction was clear.

[@woutervanr]

4:11 Yes! I think I commmented that before on quite a few videos as well. Your driving skills aren't all that matters. If the road is badly designed there is only so much you can do. I see it all the time in my country. The amount of cycling in the Netherlands by people of all ages isn't becasue the country is flat, it's because the infrastructure is so well designed and connnected. Anyone can use it without needed a ton of planning and years of experience.

[@goodyeoman4534]

Blind obedience to any set of rules is never wise. There's a reason the phrase "spirit of the law" exists. But it can be hard to find the balance, especially when you're being pressured by obnoxious drivers behind.

[@selseyonetwenty4631]

.. and when you know you might receive a fine through the post for infringing the rules. Even if you don't end up getting fined, you can have a depressing couple of days checking the post.

[@johnb8956]

The last clip is a classic sign of the problems on our roads. I’ll be fair to the two cads behind - it was a difficult situation to read, but they had plenty of time to read the road ahead in the time they waited. Did they though? Of course not. They were too busy thinking the cam car was ‘wronging’ them to actually try to see why they might be holding there.

[@dmac2573]

Forget chill pills, if somebody could create and market a 'patience pill' it would solve 90% of conflict on our roads.

[@will4may175]

It'd never work or happen but I would like there to be a requirement to ride a motorcycle for a set period before driving a car, this would make folk so much more aware in traffic, also maybe a HGV work only for the patience you have to get used to ( though some never do), folk just get their car and are seperated from the world around them thinking that their own is the only real one.

[@KarthikS30712]

That's the problem you see.... You don't need a pill to be patient. Just breathe, assess the situation and wait. You don't need doctors in order to stay healthy. You don't need the cops to maintain law and order. You don't need the church to preach humanity. But they all exist because people don't want to take responsibility for their own actions.

[@thomaselliot2257]

Reminds me when I had an awkward moment in the outskirts of Glasgow. Was not familiar with the layout, so I was going through 2 sets of lights with a straight on filter when they were green, and the right turns were at red. I stopped at a 3rd set .I didn't think it had a filter , but when the the car behind me beeped , I thought oh! ! there must be a filter and I am holding back , so in that split instant, I moved on and almost collided with a car going out of a junction on the left. Turned out the car behind beeped to someone on the street. Was expecting a letter for a fine in the post , but fortunately , never got one. 🙄

[@ibs5080]

Interesting situation you had and glad it all turned out ok. I've had a somewhat similar situation, where I mistook a left turn filter light that turned green for the left filter lane. Mistook it for green for my straight ahead lane and proceeded through the junction and almost got hit by a car coming out of the side street to my left. I even thought it was them that ran a red light when my mum told me I had! Interestingly, up to that point, I thought I'd driven very well the whole day on an outing. This incident happened right here in Canterbury on the way home. I knew there was no red light camera there but for a while I was also hoping no one had dash cam footage to submit. But I viewed my own dash cam footage and was horrified at what I'd done, consistent with what my mum had told me at the time. I saved that clip into my laptop but deleted it from the camera's memory card rather than wait for it to be overwritten. I thought about submitting the footage to Ash...but no! Hope all is well with you. I have to drive to Heathrow today to pick my mum up, as she's returning from Egypt after her brother passed away. She lands at around 9 pm but I will track her flight in case of any changes. Prior to driving her to Heathrow three weeks ago, I found a very useful YT video made by a chauffeur that showed which lanes to use on approach to T2 car park, as well as which is the best level to park for Arrivals and even the optimum area on Level 1. Anyhow, hopefully no awkward moments on the drive there and back. I've given the car a good checking over for the trip - fluid levels, lights, tyres, clean windows & mirrors etc. I'd imagine it's going to be pretty late by the time we get home.

[@_Steven_S]

I've seen someone beep a pedestrian while sat at lights. The person at the front panicked, launched forward into the artic turning right from the perpendicular road, through the railings, demolished the control box for the junction and were probably about 2-3m away from a 3-4 story drop off the other side of the overpass.

[@DanFraserUK]

Thumbs up to that white van driver holding back!

[@damienfenton3880]

Just a random comment: There was a local news story recently about a city bus driver who was fired because he was caught using his phone twice. He took the company to court for wrongful dismissal and he obviously lost. What a crazy attitude to have!!

[@Y3M37H]

The worst is when you have someone behind you beeping for you to pile on.

[@selseyonetwenty4631]

My candidate for 'most unpleasant box junction' here is the Hogarth roundabout on the A4 Chiswick outside the Fullers Brewery. Check it on satellite view - if you are in the London bound direction but want to turn right then you have to try to peer round the supports of the flyover to check how many are waiting at the lights. There's only room for about 5 cars before the box junction exit is blocked. Bearing in mind that this is a 40mph road and you are in the 'outside' lane of the A4 you have to come to a halt at or just past the *green* traffic light just before going under the flyover, and watch in the mirror as cars bear down on you assuming they will pass unhindered across the junction at 40 (the light is green after all). Lots of hooting, swearing and hand waving. It's made worse because the lights are timed to favour the main A4 - they stay green whilst the 'turn right' lights take an age to change and get the traffic moving.

[@bexxy629]

Something that seems to run through all these clips is impatience, the first clip with the BMW and pickup, the second the citreon and the final clip with the driver behind the viewer. I think road users need to learn to set off earlier, take a breath if their stressed before they set off and just learn to shrug their shoulder if they are going to be late. It is a lesson that has struck me from my motorcycling instruction, that is better to be late than dead, that impatience and stress causes us to make mistakes and make risks we would never do on a Sunday afterron on a nice drive or ride.

[@ashley_neal]

Totally agree! It's easier said than done with how hectic most It's easier said than done with how hectic most people's lifestyles are. We all feel that pressure of time occasionally.

[@jakescustoms]

Blocking light controlled junctions, is something that is very common in Puerto Rico. My city has two major junctions that are always gridlocked at rush hour. It's always fun to watch all the chaos that then unfolds because of it 😂!

[@markplenty2631]

It’s the aggression and road rage for me, some find it difficult to able to work out why the person has stopped. It didn’t take that long but some people are desperate to get to the next set of lights and wait.

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

That stunning bronze DS at 12 seconds!!!!!! 😍

[@charlotteoleary196]

The whole thing with the two lanes and the traffic lights and having to follow the lights in the lane you want to be in, rather than what you're in, also foxed me. Plus I have exactly the same colour Kia Venga and that's exactly the sort of random move I'd end up making! I got honked at temporary traffic lights because I didn't know they were broken, so I got honked when I stopped as they were red. It was a free for all for cars coming each way and basically it was a matter of whether you could bully someone coming towards you or not.

[@ibs5080]

That's a really good topic to cover Ash and I can think of many other awkward situations. All sorts of awkward situations can occur if you ever drive in a big city when it's busy, especially of course in London. Which is why I avoid driving there. Instead, I park on the outskirts and take the tube the rest of the way. Of course, I realise the clips in this video were in other locations and that awkward situations can occur anywhere, no matter how much you try to anticipate.

[@namara22]

This first one is just off the Hanford roundabout at J15 of the M6 in Stoke! The traffic light system is shocking, everyone gets caught out because no one is ever prepared to wait behind the line and let the traffic clear first. I have been beeped at many times from the people behind because I haven’t pulled forward, but I hate blocking the road!!

[@CplBurdenR]

I thought I recognised it. Its a sod and I avoid it as much as possible precisely because of this!

[@namara22]

@@CplBurdenRtotally agree! I just go round the long way to avoid it at all costs! It’s an absolute nightmare!

[@MrJinxmaster1]

I live at the edge of the world so unless I go into town most "junctions" are just where lanes serving 3-6 farms connect to the only main road for miles around. These videos help keep me on the ball for when I have to travel into civilisation.

[@alanhindmarch4483]

Some junctions and road layouts aren’t designed very well, but the main reason for the problems on our roads is inpatients. Lots of people live in a world of last minute, so are in a hurry and think they don’t have time to spare.

[@BakedPotatoFiend]

Just the other day I got honked at for not going when there lights went green as I wasn't able to clear the junction which has a yellow box. Had to wait for the lights to cycle but no more cars joined the line in front so importantly for the impatient person behind neither the place in the queue nor any time was lost lmao

[@nigelleyland166]

In the first clip, it could be possible that traffic behind the learner were blocking the access road just behind to the left, maybe they or the instructor noticed a motor attempting to enter or exit.

[@Bin-The-L-Plates]

It was my clip, and traffic behind stayed behind the box junction…….. Apart from the Mini who stayed behind the stop line at the lights then just got fed up with waiting.

[@JohnnyPaton]

That was a 70s Citroen DS in the first clip

[@FFVoyager]

2:26 Not sure the camera was doing the 'right thing'. The red car wasn't moving for a reason, why should the camera car imagine they can go?

[@jonrellim]

In that last situation they should allow people that turn right in the second junction to also use the right lane from before the first junction. Probably improves the flow as well.

[@jeremypnet]

Should also repaint the lines of the box junction.

[@huwlewis9059]

Had a situation once - a single track bridge, light controlled , can’t see the end of the bridge from either end as it goes around a corner. St the lights and can see traffic backed up on the bridge. Lights change to green, no point in going toward, but aggressive beeping and then an overtake from behind to sit on the bridge. Carried on waiting, most people behind got the message, then, of course, the backed up cars from the other direction came over the bridge, obviously thought ‘We’ve been held up enough so we’ll ignore the red.’. Took 15 minutes to resolve itself!

[@thoughtful_criticiser]

Changes to the junction lights at Orrell Park Station are well overdue. Extending the box junction to the stop lines on both Orrell Lane and Moss Lane may help, especially with a box junction enforcement camera along with red light cameras. It would reduce incidents of jumping the lights.

[@steveg8817]

I used to live in North Devon and there are limited but known passing places with a protocol on who gives way. One day a delivery van refused to back up into the layby so the local driver just stopped and got out her knitting!! The driver got the picture!!

[@margaretnicol3423]

I had a little laugh a few days ago when the guy on The London Dash Cam said something like I'm not Ashley Neal but I do what I can. 😀

[@ibs5080]

Haa, I watch that channel too but haven't encountered that clip yet. The taxi driver with the Michael Caine accent who says "Always an Audi". Not a lot of people know that. 😀

[@margaretnicol3423]

@@ibs5080 That's the one. I'm not subscribed to him but his videos pop up every so often. It could have been one that was two weeks old or 4 months old.

[@mattybrass]

I'm always watching you videos ash. I passed my test 7 years ago but still find you entertaining none the less! That first clip by the way is near where i work funnily enough, by the A500/M6 in stoke. That junction is absolutely terrible and has been busy every time ive ever gone through it!

[@ThePicturesGuy]

That red car not moving was also an indication he should've waited. Doesn't make it a mistake on his side, but it could've shown it was not safe to go.

[@Wingthor]

The last clip is in Edinburgh, it's been like that for years and years and is absolutely awful planning. That being said, the locals really should know better than to get irate from someone doing the correct thing. They have also messed up the opposite end of that road by putting in a solid line bicycle lane which no one obeys anyway so I guess doesn't really make a difference, but they never changed the sequence of the lights so traffic wanting to turn left have to wait for right turning traffic to move before they can, legally, proceed.

[@BobMc87]

Yes, I've had issues in that area, especially when there is an event on at the Exchange!

[@smilerbob]

I have been in similar situations to the second clip, both from the cammers position and also the red car in front. If I am in the position of the red car and I can see someone coming the other direction I will look to my right and give an affirmative STOP hand signal (I know, I am not authorised to control traffic) which 9 times out of 10 is acknowledged and appreciated

[@shaunperry2024]

The first clip is at a junction around where I live and I steer clear of the entire area like the plague. The junction is like that at most busy times of the day and has been for many years. You would have thought that our local council would have stepped in to help, but like most councils, its probably a bit too much to ask

[@Bin-The-L-Plates]

It was my clip, and it’s actually on Newcastle test routes from all directions apart from Eccleshall. Turning right from ahead (Trentham) on test is obviously nasty.

[@jimg492]

Excellent vid as always. That junction with the 3 way lights is ridiculous, hats off to the driver for negotiation 👍

[@bestintheworld568]

The all too common occasion on our roads where doing the correct thing ends up being the wrong thing because every other daft sod is making things 100x worse.

[@Canleaf08]

Reminds me about one instance on a very busy junction (Jean Talon?) in Montreal, Quebec. There is a strict no turn on red rule on Montreal island. I wanted to turn right, and I am number 2 in a Smart4two behind another car. The light turns green and a lot of pedestrians cross the junction parallel to my street, so I have to wait. Number one catches a narrow gap whilst it was green to turn. When it is my turn, the light turned red and ped traffic did not stop. I can’t safely turn right, but people get less. On the left to me, a bus comes. Then I knew that I need to turn. After a few seconds, I had a gap wide enough to turn! But the Smart was a Smart, I almost do pedal to the metal to get away. That was within like so 20 of seconds.

[@1987LOZ1987]

Yellow boxes don't always work as they should. Where I live, there's a frustrating one at a set of traffic lights. The left lane is qued up for miles, whereas the right lane is empty (due to going a different route). Imaptient drivers who don't want to sit in 20 mins of traffic will skip miles of traffic by using the right lane at 40mph and then jump into the left lane at the yellow box. They can do this because left lane users have to wait for a space to start to appear after the yellow box. Sometimes, the impatient will cut in and block the yellow box. Other times, as a space appears and you start to pull away, they'll cut in at 40mph and slip into the space you've had to wait for. More frustratingly, you then get left stuck in the yellow box (despite correctly waiting your turn in 20 mins of traffic). I've had traffic beep and shout at me despite doing everything correctly and ironically the driver in front caused the problem.

[@royale4318]

The last clip, starting from 3:53, is a junction I know only too well, and is just one of many hare-brained, wilfully obstructive, road layouts created by Edinburgh City Council on their major bus routes. The other end of this same road is a joy to behold with a redundant filter sequence that cannot be used, because in order to do so one would have to breach a solid white line. Immediately prior to this is a bus stop which itself cannot be served without crossing a solid line. If I had the time and the skill I could create an entire channel on this city alone. Edinburgh's traffic management policy seems to be predicated on the idea that the way to encourage people onto public transport is to have buses enveloped in general traffic congestion, while making the half-hearted, cheap approach to providing cycling infrastructure by taking tins of paint and annexing road space at already gridlocked, inadequately managed junctions. Incidentally , there is at least one junction in Edinburgh City Centre that sees traffic turning right, with a cycle lane to the left, immediately finding the continuation of that cycle lane on its right as it enters the lane to exit the one way system.

[@123MondayTuesday]

good old awkward scenarios where the other person thinks you've done wrong.

[@smilerbob]

Over 40 years of my life other people have thought that of me 🤣

[@_.Madness._]

@@smilerbob And they were right. 😉

[@smilerbob]

@@_.Madness._ 🤣🤣

[@JamesCollins80]

That last one is at Chesser on the west side of Edinburgh. It's a horrible bit of road - the connection between the 2 main south west roads out of Edinburgh and the location of a huge supermarket and entertainment complex. There's way to much traffic and the council have closed other access and stuck cycle lanes in the middle of it which has taken it from 2 lanes down to 1.

[@leejohnson3209]

Was that an old Citroen DS crossing the junction in the first clip? Amazing cars.

[@brantnuttall]

3:47 that's me! lol (not literally). With maybe a "for heavens' sake, go!" afterwards

[@ben_9134]

I found myself in a similar situation as the last clip while visiting Glasgow a couple of weeks ago. The manner of driving is much more aggressive than I'm used to and I found that trying to follow the rules actually put me in danger. It took about two days for me to adjust to the driving culture, I effectively had to learn how to 'drive worse to stay safe.'

[@huwlewis9059]

Well done for adapting in two days.

[@susiejones3634]

This is some really good info, here. Every time I visit family in Stafford, I know that as soon as I get past the Police station, I'm going to see idiot driving. Red light jumpers everywhere! Drivers who block traffic because they want to get in front. And so much more. And it's every time. Once a month for 10 years. 😞

[@kirstinburdon5862]

Very familiar with the junction in the last clip. It can be a lot worse than that when the traffic coming out of Asda from the right brings everything to a halt by blocking the 2 righthand turning lanes across the junction. The whole of Chesser Avenue(yes pot hole city of Edinburgh) has issues with correct lanes at junctions.

[@ianmason.]

The junction at 1:43. One way of dealing with that scenario from the direction we're coming from is to initially aim for just behind the boot of the queueing red car so that you've just got room for a hard right that will bring you straight again just before the yellow box, giving you maximum visibility through the yellow box before you enter it. Not possible on this occasion because the red car was there occupying the space that you'd be turning into. If it had been me I'd have probably have held back until I had the space the red car was occupying to go into, no doubt to a chorus of horns from behind. That's a crappy junction layout and they ought to either spend a small fortune widening the bridge, or ban long vehicles so they can tighten the junction up and move the stop lines forward to where traffic has a better view before passing the stop line, or ban right turns from Moss Lane (the direction we're coming from). If that was local to me I'd probably avoid using routes that made me make that right turn if I could. Sometimes the best driving is to not drive somewhere you know will cause problems - for me it's any bit of the A118 between where it crosses the A117 and and the A406 at Ilford, congested and chaotic to the point that it always take 10-20 minutes to go 3/4 of a mile.

[@alloria]

There's a good point. What would have happened if that yellow box had a camera? Might they have received a fine?

[@RichardBrooklyn]

I would expect they would get out of the fine if the dashcam footage was shown in court.

[@rufusgreenleaf2466]

A lot of people make mistakes, then out of embarrassment they blame other people from stopping them escaping the fault. Like someone stopping in traffic blocking a junction then blaming the car in front for not moving so they can clear.

[@honeybadger3902]

Oh I had an awkward one just a couple days ago at a one lane bridge controlled by 2 sets of lights. I was the second car back behind a transit van and could see the lights were green, for a while too, if I had a courtesy beep button I'd press it, but I just had that old regular mini foghorn. Then about a second after I pressed it along comes a cyclist in the opposite direction. Couldn't clear the bridge quick enough but the van had spotted him so held back, and there's me, just making the whole thing awkward.

[@jezwilde2376]

Those are some sticky situations! Most down to abysmal road planners and then selfish drivers. Saved a clip recently where I held at a 'Keep Clear' and the guy behind was gesticulating and tooting. We were at red lights that'd easily clear once green, and did! Unnecessary if not bizarre. His impatience - not my problem.

[@CristiNeagu]

3:10 This is a pet peeve of mine: improper use of filter lights. If you have one light with filter arrows, then *_ALL_* lights should have filter arrows. That makes it very clear which light is for which movement.

[@sk1nzsk1nz34]

Try keeping legal at a yellow box when your 15 metres long. It's impossible.

[@middler5]

Rightly or wrongly the last one id have just used the right turning lane to push up behind the next one. Keeps traffic moving. Presuming im happy that i can see it's not going to be an issue.

[@QuentinStephens]

In your first clip how about noting how badly worn the yellow box is? At 0:04 it seems to end at the first red light on the right, with that yellow line curving to the left being a standard yellow line. Thus the ordinary driver will see that they can clear what appears to be the yellow box. Only when you get to 0:26 can you see the yellow box is still active - and then only if you look closely at the yellow line. I hope whichever authority is responsible for this fixes it PDQ.

[@Bin-The-L-Plates]

@@icouldbewrongicouldberightCorrect, it’s a Stobart depot, and the lorry’s have worn the markings off.

[@lwo7736]

The "go, go, go" clip, i totally understand the cammers frustration. All the lights were green but they were still stationary. I guess they saw the right filter arrow and thought "am I barred from going straight on?" But its like, read the road! How have you not come across a thousand similar layouts and processed in your head what the road works meant for traffic flow. Bit of a numpty moment there

[@jacobharrod69]

I passed a few months ago and I see stuff like this all the time!

[@markgambrill]

I often have a situation similar to the last clip with people waving at me to get going. on the odd occasion that they push past 9/10 I see them waiting in the line of traffic that I was letting go. Ashley has said it many times, but why are people in such a rush to join a queue? I enjoy driving fast, and have a car that is capable of it, but most of the time I leave big gaps and wait for others. Doesn't actually take any longer to get to your destination.

[@Flaumsta]

The first clip is a nightmare, especially during rush hour. People push their way in and block the road. It feeds a lot of traffic for the M6.

[@Jonc25]

All sorted in the end.

[@LLewis-vu9qf]

These types of situations really make me dread the push for driverless cars that developers apparently believe will be so great. This is especially true when you add bikes, adult trikes, mobility scooters, electric/manual wheelchairs, Amish horse & buggies, etc. to the roads. 😱

[@mattc3581]

Yeah going to be interesting. Computers are brilliant at things right up to the point where something happens that they aren't programmed to cope with, and then almost anything could happen. Humans, for all their faults, can normally come up with at least a vaguely sensible solution to an unexpected problem.

[@antonypalmer5804]

I think that the road planners should try to drive down these roads at different times of the day, or it could be tested using a computer simulation. There is a similar yellow box junction at Bridge Foot in Warrington where you can't see if the other end is clear and it is often gridlocked in rush hour.

[@smilerbob]

I came across an old video on one of my backup drives with the opposite to the third clip, I’ll send it over to you to have a facepalm moment Ashley There were two lanes, left for left only and right for straight on and right and the traffic lights have a left filter. There were roadworks that closed the left lane so quite often we would need to wait for the full green sequence to turn left if someone was waiting to go straight or turn right. On this occasion it appears that the driver in front either didn’t get the memo or just decided to follow the van in front and went straight on through a red while traffic was flowing. An easy mistake but could’ve been costly

[@Ben31337l]

2:22 I wouldn't have gone at this point, it's unclear whether the red car is waiting in a line, but they're not moving and they're blocking the junction. it was unwise of them to cut in front.

[@daughterofthestars08]

That first set of drivers definitely shouldn't have gone ahead. The learner's way was clear when they started into the intersection, but the way of those cars was not. They should have held back until there was enough space for them in the lane they wanted to go into - even if it meant waiting through another round of lights.

[@chrisatye]

Rather loving that old Citroen crossing at 0:11! Proper classic car, that.

[@MrHappyraver]

The last clip is chesser area in Edinburgh. That junction is a nightmare for such things. But then again edinburgh council planners have messed up most of the city these days 😠

[@AlanMacdonald-on6nd]

Love the classic Citreon in the first clip

[@KXXULADavidOC]

You see so many problem happen due to people seeing a mess ahead and rather then waiting just going into that mess anyway because its their turn to go making things so much worse, nice to see the white van hold back. That road layout in the last clip is just awful, hard to believe someone came up with that and thought it was a good layout.

[@wWvwvV]

What are yellow sections? They are completely unknown in Germany. I guess these are areas on the road where you have to make sure you don't come to a standstill to avoid congestion and deadlocks. I wonder what are the differences between UK and DE traffic, we don't have them here? 🤔 The last example perhaps gave a hint. Three roads with traffic lights leading to a one-lane bridge. The Netherlands would have installed a more intelligent traffic light system, with more sensors, that is able to determine when it is safe to go over that bridge.

[@ianmason.]

Yeah, essentially correct. You are not supposed to enter the yellow hatched area unless you can see your exit is free and you're not allowed to stop on the yellow hatching _unless_ you are turning right and have to wait for oncoming facing traffic to clear. The whole assemblage is usually referred to as a "Yellow box junction". Some junctions have automatic camera enforcement of the yellow box rules and you'll get a fine in the post if you break them. They are really just a forceful reminder of the rules for not entering and obstructing junctions unless you can clear them - compliance with that rule is generally poor, and in practice compliance is generally no better with a yellow box there.

[@kenbrown2808]

I think on the clip with the narrow bridge, the lights did change before the victim could get through. it looked like it was red as they were backing up. I would color this as the people who programmed the lights doing it with the expectation everything would always go right.

[@_Steven_S]

Keep an eye on the RHS signal. It's green the whole time it is in view while the cammer is going forward. At the same time it goes out of view you can see movement through the railings. If the programming is that bad to have 2 legs on green then those people need to find another line of work.

[@kenbrown2808]

@@_Steven_S I couldn't clearly see the signal at any time after it was occluded by the sign. and if it was like some of our poorly programmed lights, it would have gone red about 5 seconds after the driver started moving forward from the stop line.

[@jakescustoms]

On that last one, it would've been funny if the cammer had proceeded and just blocked the impatient clots on the other side of it.

[@jakescustoms]

Still stcking with the last clip, I wonder if the road planners took a leaf out of some U.S. road layouts where some left turn lanes are able to go ahead to the next lights.

[@mattc3581]

I had a box junction issue the other day, the box junction covered two lanes, the lane turning left and the lane going straight on or right. I was trying to go straight on and it was completely clear as I moved onto the junction, but the car slightly ahead of me in the turn left lane then decided he wanted to head for the services on the right and switched lanes in front of me, then due to traffic heading right stopped at the exit of the box junction blocking the straight on exit and leaving me stopped completely inside the box junction until he moved off again :( Literally nothing I could have done differently, but I can imagine if you just have a camera or police car see that final position it looks like I'm in the wrong!

[@WingNuts2010]

That set of traffic lights in the first clip looks like they are in need of some remedial re-timing.

[@Shylo2017]

That 5 series driver...🤦‍♂️

[@petersmitham8273]

Nice old Citroen DS in front of the white van in the first clip…❤

[@Rockhopper1]

If in doubt dont go out, which is a phrase used on my advanced course, which makes me think does Ashley know of any rhymes and phrases that he has heard or use whilst driving, for example, where there is a steeple there is people, or ring of light expect right (lamps at roundabouts), for fun would Ashley put up a top ten of driving phrases that help drivers?

[@_______-]

Had an awkward moment myself recently, approaching a single red traffic light to my right and a stop line which crossed my lane. Turning left off the Chester High Road to the B5136. Either a missing traffic light or an incorrectly painted stop line. Once the lights went green they showed as straight on arrows only. Felt like a bit of a twit for stopping. Council confirmed that the stop line was incorrect. You can see it on Google Maps.

[@CristiNeagu]

I wouldn't say that yellow box is entirely useless. It discourages people following cars ahead if they see there's a queue building up on the bridge. Like how that red car was waiting outside the box, instead of following the car in front.

[@smilerbob]

That last clip, I thought it was the case of an afterthought cycle lane but had to check. It appears the road layout was changed back in 2018 to add the cycle lane and parking area before the junction and I have said it before on this channel…afterthought cycle lanes do not work That junction just looks awful, the cycle lane moving from the middle to the left at the point a side road merges, one space only for vehcles going straight and then an immediate right (in fact the Google Map picture from 2017 shows a vehicle in the wrong lane through the junction) Why they couldn’t have the cycle lane up to the lights and then move left through the junction or move the left turn for the cycle lane back one car length so it isn’t on the side road (safety reasons before anyone thinks I am trying to take away cycle infrastructure) and in all cases at the very least have the right lane as right and straight on.

[@frogsplorer]

I recognise Hutchison Terrace, Edinburgh. Been stuck in congestion there before. Very frustrating

[@Wingthor]

I used to work at that Asda and my favourite memory of that junction is waiting at the lights coming out of Asda (2010 with the bad snow) and watching a car try to take the corner into Asda too fast and end up in the left hand lane beside me.

[@ryanmueller8410]

For the last clip, I think the correct decision would have been to stay on the right lane, and continue straight ahead, stopping behind the silver VW, behind the pedestrian crossing, meaning that half of the car would be positioned in the yellow box. This is of course far from ideal, but it allows for flow of traffic going straight ahead. If the little space into which I suggest the driver moves was also occupied, then the driver should hold back on the right lane, consequently blocking traffic turning right, but prioritizing flow going straight ahead. I think this makes more sense, although not much about the road planning does, however the driver in this clip still handled this situation well.

[@jamesalger9561]

Beautiful DS at the begining.