It’s not often I feel the red mist come over me, and I like to think I’m a careful considerate driver, but I did get caught out yesterday. (Don’t get me started on queue jumpers when two lanes merge into one though!)

While driving home from work last night, one minute I was on the last roundabout in the slog out of Norwich starting to accelerate for the exit, the next thing I knew I had my foot hard on the brake to the point that the ABS cut in as a stupid tw*t had pulled onto the roundabout infront of me from the park-and-ride. How I missed making a big Discovery sized dent in his drivers door I don’t know.

So there I am, stopped in the middle of the exit of the roundabout with him (or her?) speeding off into the distance and it starts to rise within me. It’s too late to honk or flash, but I can’t let it go! So it’s foot to the floor, hard acceleration until I’m right up behind him a half mile or so up the road and we’re doing well over the 50mph speed limit. Now what do I do?

How tempting was it to gesticulate (pointless in the dark), hoot, flash, or even try and overtake so I could make some signal of my dissapproval as I passed? Or I could just sit on his bumper for a bit and wind him up.

But I took a deep breath, eased my foot off the loud pedal, and allowed a sensible safe gap to open up between ourselves while I calmed down. After all, I’d survived with no harm; it was his fault and I think I’d made my point. I could get no benefit from pushing it further and was likely to have a real shunt. Boringly sensible I know but there we are.

So I settle back into my autopilot groove, but he’s still there in front of me, and as we pull into Wroxham he’s a few feet off my bonnet again. Is he going to pull into the garage - if so should I ‘have words’? He keeps going. Doesn’t turn off to Salhouse, Coltishall, Horning, Neatishead or Smallburgh - another 5 miles on he’s still there in front of me. Does he know I’m still back here, still mildy peeved? Is he panicing?

Then we get to Stepping Stone Lane where I will turn off, and he turns off. At the end where I will turn left he turns left. He’s going to think I’m following him!

In my head I can radio interview (’PM’ is on Radio 4) where the road rage victim says ‘he just kept chasing me until we got to a quiet stretch then drove me off the road - he was a madman - I’m lucky to be alive‘. It’s lucky I’m not a violent person because I can see how it happens, and it was very tempting.

Anyway, it was a hard descision not to follow him as he turned off to Happisburgh but I think I’d had my fun.

A bit of advice to people who do silly things like pull out in front of oncoming vehicles - don’t do it to a Landrover - it’ll hurt you more than it wil hurt them!

From the BBC News website:

Villagers resigned to a weekend of no Harry Potter due to rising flood waters were cheered to receive a surprise from their local postman.

Richard Yates, of Harvington near Evesham, Worcestershire, was unable to do his normal round because of floods.

He loaded up his car [a 4x4] with pre-ordered copies of the new Harry Potter book which were in the sorting office and delivered them around the village.

A neighbour said it was a wonderful gesture in the midst of flood misery.

Firstly - the guy deserves an award - posties like that (and our local chap, Dave, I can believe would have done similar - he’s a star too!) probably don’t get enough recognition - they make a very real difference to people’s lives.

But my main point is to say that occasionally - and I may be clutching at straws here - us 4×4 drivers do manage to justify our vehicles. When circumstances get bad - flood, snow, all the other things that Mother Nature can throw at us - you’ll be wishing you knew someone with a 4×4 to get you out of trouble.

I love my Landrover Discovery. I’ve had a Landrover of some sort for around 20 years now - from an ex-military Series III Lightweight, through a ‘79 Range Rover which is in a pile of bits waiting for time, enthusiasm and budget to ‘have some fun with’, and a ‘64 Series II.

My daily commute is almost a pleasure in my 4wd armchair, and on occasions I get to pull tree roots out, tow stranded vehicles, or pull loads of hay around.

But I’m being made to feel increasingly guilty because of my excessive carbon footprint.

Now I’m quite good the rest of the time - I very rarely go on holiday so no frequent flyer miles for me. We’re very good at recycling, and try to keep our energy use under control.

Discos on the whole aren’t as bad as they’re cracked up to be - mine has a 2.5 litre turbocharged diesel engine, and on average I get around 550 miles out of a 70 litre tank full. If I had a 4.2 litre v8 supercharged Range Rover Sport (as much as I would dream of one) or a Tuareg, or those silly Porsche things.

I’m not saying the rest of my life is perfectly eco-friendly, but I don’t think it’s too bad. Aren’t I allowed a little luxury?