I am beginning to hate the A13 eastbound during the day. The lorries seem to be running the cars of the road and cutting up everyone. I had to ask one who almost sideswiped me on the Beacontree roundabout how many cyclists he had killed that week, the cheeky sod wanted me to hang about whilst he parked up to get out and punch someone.
Hereās my own observation, itās not meant to be inflammatory or be offensive (always a good start to a forum punch-up).
I have found consistently over the years that the standard of driving is significantly lower in places like East Ham/Manor Park Green Lanes in Haringay, places with high levels of immigrants. I mean the things like U-turns and changing lanes without looking properly. Iām yet to see this with the new Europeans in the East London, but their numbers may be too low so too early days.
The local communities in these 2 cases are obvious and the groups that display the tendencies most are usually middle-aged (35-40yrs) plus and appear stronger culturally to their country of origin (less integrated into the traditions of UK living).
Everywhere seems to be turning to sh1t now days, but the East London/Essex area seems to be changing amongst the fastest. I respectfully suggest that there is a cultural link in mentality - one of āimportanceā. Fly tipping and dumping of rubbish is a good example in East London/Essex. Its important to the individual to get rid of that old bed so theyāll dump it in the next street because our neighbours and the environment are not important. Theyāll carry it round there in broad day because we havenāt thought about the consequences of been seen, just like not thinking about the consequences of doing a U-Turn without looking properly!
There, my tuppence-worth. Just in case there are those thinking there is racism in my observations/comments, please note that my mother was Scottish, my father, I believe, is/was South American (black) and the mother of my children is Indian and have worked amongst Jews for 36yrs. Oh, I was brought (dragged) up in a Christian environment by English (white) people. So no point going there really :-p
@SneakyMC - Do you mean Manor House, Green Lanes? I used to live there until 1990. It was a terrific area, with a very strong Greek/Turkish Cypriot population of 60% at the time. I moved to Edmonton, and within two years, most of my Greek/Turkish Cypriot friends moved to Palmers Green, which is locally now known as āPalmers Greekā, verifiable on wikipedia 
I think most areas are a lot more dangerous for bikers now. I was discussing this within the last two weeks with various friends. I was was a DR in the Big Smoke from 1983 to 1988. I think I was safer back then, aged 17 to 22, as a naive rider than I would be today with 33 years road experience and IAM Advanced qualified on bikes and cars. I think the standard of driving in this country has regressed, and thereās a lot more of it. However, in France, car drivers are fantastic towards motorcyclists. Itās almost as if their primary purpose is to look for motorcyclists, in order to give way to them. I think this is because in France, they can ride mopeds from about 13 or 14 years of years of age, therefore most households have got/had one moped rider in at one time or another, so all family members are looking out for their son, daughter nephew, niece, uncle, aunty, ma, pa, or grand parents. I know most of you have heard me say this before, and I shalnāt apologise for saying it again, that everyone in this country, in their teens to 30ās or later, should have to spend at least 60 to 100 hours on a moped or motorcycle as a pre-requisite to taking car driving lessons.
Aceman:
Yes from manor house to turnpike lane tube was particularly perilous. I used to commute along there in the mid 90ās. Yes lovely people. Just the diving standards were noticeably poor.