Thank goodness for half term – we finally got a week off from the Chelsea tractors, appalling parking and even worse driving skills.

The way children are wrapped up in cotton wool these days there is no way most kids could possibly be expected to ride a bike to school, catch the bus or, heaven forbid, walk.

So, the alternative is to ferry them directly from home to the school gate, completely ignoring the traffic chaos created and, ironically, putting the little darlings at greater risk.

Vehicles have grown considerably over the last couple of decades and, on average, car sizes have increased by 63%.

Safety inside these monster vehicles has been improved massively and while they are being transported their valuable little packages are less at risk than ever before.

However, the high windows on these huge 4x4s means visibility is reduced and pedestrians at a lower level are potentially placed in greater danger.

But, to my mind, what really makes these vehicles particularly lethal is the fact their drivers are not actually capable of controlling them.

'There seems to a competitive element at work and as one doting mum upgrades to a larger vehicle the others follow suit...'

In the week before half term one woman, having delivered little Johnny, was tearing back down the lane towards me.

I wasn’t able to reverse as there were five or six vehicles behind me, one with a trailer. But, she had so little control over her own vehicle she wasn’t even able to reverse as required to let the traffic pass.

To be fair, when I spoke to her she was apologetic, but I still had to get into her car and back it up for her.

Everyone was delayed, but on this occasion common sense prevailed and no harm was done. Previously, though, I’ve actually had to take evasive action and steer my own car onto the verge in order to avoid a collision.

In some cases, judging by the arrogant expression on their face as they hurtle towards you, they have no intention of giving an inch, in the full expectation you will take evasive action.

What makes the situation worse is there seems to a competitive element at work and as one doting mum upgrades to a larger vehicle the others follow suit and the ‘mine’s bigger than yours’ clan make the situation worse.

General Montgomery described London taxis, and the way they are driven, as: “A fine light-armoured fighting vehicle” and judging by the driving tactics of the current 4x4 brigade they have the same opinion of their chosen form of urban transport.

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