Share your observation links
Discussion
When some one "flashes" you out of a junction.....don't trust them check for the biker/cyclist under/overtaking them.....look the other way as well...he/she might have been flashing some one else
Ponies ...(New forest tip) ears forward, head down, arse in road...it ain't going anywhere, and it's ignoring you. Ears back looking up, white rings around the eyes....it's going to take off....and fast. If foal one side of road, and mum the other in their panic they might run towards each other
Donkeys in New forest....are the mafia....they will not budge, if you sit there waiting for them to move over. You will sit there for a long time. If you get out and clap your hands at them....they are likely to ignore you. If you give it a slap on the arse....make sure you jump back double quick as they kick hard!
Cows and Sheep, and Pigs.....mad as March Hares.....try not to pull along side a cow....they like to use your wing mirror to scratch an itch
These are generally all "Herd" animals...... if there is one.....there will be another near by....hard to see at night...in the rain.
They like to use shelter from rain/sun....so bridges provide shade/shelter...could be a few under them.....likewise protection from frost. In the summer they also use the roads as a radiator where the sun heats them up, and the heat keeps them warm.
Please don't stop in stupid places to take photo's it really annoys us locals!
Girls with phone in her hand....and lets face it....when did you last see any female without one....she is concentrating on her call/facebook/text, and not on checking it's safe to cross a road ( if it's a fat bird then she is likely to be ordering another bag of chips....so I refer to my post above.....keep out of the way!)
Any BMW/MERC/Audi on a roundabout.......you have no idea where it's going as they can't afford the option of buying bulbs for the indicators....if they have purchased indicators.....then they will be misleading.....please feel free to add any other car to this list!
Ponies ...(New forest tip) ears forward, head down, arse in road...it ain't going anywhere, and it's ignoring you. Ears back looking up, white rings around the eyes....it's going to take off....and fast. If foal one side of road, and mum the other in their panic they might run towards each other
Donkeys in New forest....are the mafia....they will not budge, if you sit there waiting for them to move over. You will sit there for a long time. If you get out and clap your hands at them....they are likely to ignore you. If you give it a slap on the arse....make sure you jump back double quick as they kick hard!
Cows and Sheep, and Pigs.....mad as March Hares.....try not to pull along side a cow....they like to use your wing mirror to scratch an itch
These are generally all "Herd" animals...... if there is one.....there will be another near by....hard to see at night...in the rain.
They like to use shelter from rain/sun....so bridges provide shade/shelter...could be a few under them.....likewise protection from frost. In the summer they also use the roads as a radiator where the sun heats them up, and the heat keeps them warm.
Please don't stop in stupid places to take photo's it really annoys us locals!
Girls with phone in her hand....and lets face it....when did you last see any female without one....she is concentrating on her call/facebook/text, and not on checking it's safe to cross a road ( if it's a fat bird then she is likely to be ordering another bag of chips....so I refer to my post above.....keep out of the way!)
Any BMW/MERC/Audi on a roundabout.......you have no idea where it's going as they can't afford the option of buying bulbs for the indicators....if they have purchased indicators.....then they will be misleading.....please feel free to add any other car to this list!
watchnut said:
Any BMW/MERC/Audi on a roundabout.......you have no idea where it's going as they can't afford the option of buying bulbs for the indicators....if they have purchased indicators.....then they will be misleading.....please feel free to add any other car to this list!
I once had the pleasure of a chat with a middle aged rotund female ADI whilst attending some conference or other. She was quite vociferous in letting everyone know how she "taught" all her pupils to beware of ALL BMW drivers. In the interests of professionalism I bit my tongue and refrained from pointing out the spatial awareness abilities (or lack of) of middle aged rotund female drivers. How I regret that decision 
...and aren't Minis made by BMW
)I've been out over the last couple of weekends playing with my new cameras, developing some stuff for the new YouTube channel. It's been a long time since I posted something on youtube, so I thought I'd pick out a short clip and post it up - otherwise unedited - just to make sure it looks ok on the YouTube format, the sound is ok etc.
I wasn't really giving a full-on commentary when I filmed the below clip - just chunnering on and sharing a few thoughts, but I was quite pleased (probably a bit over-pleased, judging by my reaction!) with the observation link on the old Volvo 440 in front.
It was being enthusiastically driven, visibility was quite poor, but I saw what I thought was a very hefty single windscreen wiper sweeping across it's screen. I quickly realised that it was actually a dog wagging it's tail - have a listen to my thought process and watch to the end to see if my prediction comes true!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YChiNEG_tg
Proper, edited videos will soon be posted - this was just a bit of a test-run.
And yes, before anyone asks, I have changed my username!
I wasn't really giving a full-on commentary when I filmed the below clip - just chunnering on and sharing a few thoughts, but I was quite pleased (probably a bit over-pleased, judging by my reaction!) with the observation link on the old Volvo 440 in front.
It was being enthusiastically driven, visibility was quite poor, but I saw what I thought was a very hefty single windscreen wiper sweeping across it's screen. I quickly realised that it was actually a dog wagging it's tail - have a listen to my thought process and watch to the end to see if my prediction comes true!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YChiNEG_tg
Proper, edited videos will soon be posted - this was just a bit of a test-run.
And yes, before anyone asks, I have changed my username!
If an emergency vehicle comes past you with blues-and-twos glowing and blowing, the time traffic starts to relax and stop paying attention is just when the second emergency vehicle is about to come past.
This is particularly applicable to fire engines, which travel in pairs more often than ambulances or police cars.
This is particularly applicable to fire engines, which travel in pairs more often than ambulances or police cars.
Reg Local said:
I've been out over the last couple of weekends playing with my new cameras, developing some stuff for the new YouTube channel. It's been a long time since I posted something on youtube, so I thought I'd pick out a short clip and post it up - otherwise unedited - just to make sure it looks ok on the YouTube format, the sound is ok etc.
I wasn't really giving a full-on commentary when I filmed the below clip - just chunnering on and sharing a few thoughts, but I was quite pleased (probably a bit over-pleased, judging by my reaction!) with the observation link on the old Volvo 440 in front.
It was being enthusiastically driven, visibility was quite poor, but I saw what I thought was a very hefty single windscreen wiper sweeping across it's screen. I quickly realised that it was actually a dog wagging it's tail - have a listen to my thought process and watch to the end to see if my prediction comes true!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YChiNEG_tg
Proper, edited videos will soon be posted - this was just a bit of a test-run.
And yes, before anyone asks, I have changed my username!
Nice clear picture from your camera, what does that sticker on the top left of your windscreen say?I wasn't really giving a full-on commentary when I filmed the below clip - just chunnering on and sharing a few thoughts, but I was quite pleased (probably a bit over-pleased, judging by my reaction!) with the observation link on the old Volvo 440 in front.
It was being enthusiastically driven, visibility was quite poor, but I saw what I thought was a very hefty single windscreen wiper sweeping across it's screen. I quickly realised that it was actually a dog wagging it's tail - have a listen to my thought process and watch to the end to see if my prediction comes true!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YChiNEG_tg
Proper, edited videos will soon be posted - this was just a bit of a test-run.
And yes, before anyone asks, I have changed my username!
FiF said:
Bit of a pity about the camera shake, quite distracting tbh.
Hmm, it's a bit shaky, but I didn't think it was too bad. Its mounted on a bicycle handlebar mount which is clamped to the passenger seat head-rest support.I've got some other mountings - I'll have a play around with them.
I've read this thread with interest. Lots of good stuff here, I'll chime in with a couple of my own.
Cyclists
- Look at their road position. If they're doggedly holding station in the nearside tyre-track, usually they'll be maintaining a high cadence too. Expect them to move to the centre of the lane on approach to a pinch point to block overtakes, or to ride wide around parked cars.
- If the cyclist throws 2 or 3 looks back over their shoulder in quick succession, expect them to turn right. Similarly, if they've got a mirror, you might not spot that, but they'll likely glance down and to the right 2 or 3 times in quick succession.
- Look at the quality of the road on the nearside ahead of the cyclist. Expect them to dodge puddles, potholes and metalwork. The wetter it is, the wider they will pass around metalwork for fear of crashing.
- No lights / weak blinkenlight pointed in any direction other than straight backwards. Expect them to do something idiotic and potentially fatal the second you commit to overtaking them.
- Any cyclist wobbling along wearing a hoodie with the hood up. Expect them to lurch between the pavement and the road at random and treat traffic lights and road markings as suggestions.
- How windy is it? If trees can't stay up straight, except a lot of random lateral movement and potentially sudden slowing down for no reason from the cyclist. (This also applies to lorries!)
Traffic lights
- Drivers who edge forwards over the stop line during the red phase. Expect them to take off late, then accelerate too hard to compensate for being such a moron.
- If there is a dual right turn / straight on lane 2 expect someone to maneuver-signal-mirror into lane 1, especially if it's a poverty spec Prius/Galaxy being used as a minicab.
General
- If a driver can't get their vehicle to stop at the stop line of a side road, expect them to display the same level of incompetence with regards to their decision on when is a good opportunity to pull out.
Cyclists
- Look at their road position. If they're doggedly holding station in the nearside tyre-track, usually they'll be maintaining a high cadence too. Expect them to move to the centre of the lane on approach to a pinch point to block overtakes, or to ride wide around parked cars.
- If the cyclist throws 2 or 3 looks back over their shoulder in quick succession, expect them to turn right. Similarly, if they've got a mirror, you might not spot that, but they'll likely glance down and to the right 2 or 3 times in quick succession.
- Look at the quality of the road on the nearside ahead of the cyclist. Expect them to dodge puddles, potholes and metalwork. The wetter it is, the wider they will pass around metalwork for fear of crashing.
- No lights / weak blinkenlight pointed in any direction other than straight backwards. Expect them to do something idiotic and potentially fatal the second you commit to overtaking them.
- Any cyclist wobbling along wearing a hoodie with the hood up. Expect them to lurch between the pavement and the road at random and treat traffic lights and road markings as suggestions.
- How windy is it? If trees can't stay up straight, except a lot of random lateral movement and potentially sudden slowing down for no reason from the cyclist. (This also applies to lorries!)
Traffic lights
- Drivers who edge forwards over the stop line during the red phase. Expect them to take off late, then accelerate too hard to compensate for being such a moron.
- If there is a dual right turn / straight on lane 2 expect someone to maneuver-signal-mirror into lane 1, especially if it's a poverty spec Prius/Galaxy being used as a minicab.
General
- If a driver can't get their vehicle to stop at the stop line of a side road, expect them to display the same level of incompetence with regards to their decision on when is a good opportunity to pull out.
Pedestrians with hoods when raining. They look left and right but only see the inside of their hood.
Pedestrians waiting to cross, they lean forward just before they run.
And on the subject of hats...
My Dad was a driving examiner for many years and he always said, if someone comes up on test with their cap on backwards then they'd already failed.
Pedestrians waiting to cross, they lean forward just before they run.
And on the subject of hats...
My Dad was a driving examiner for many years and he always said, if someone comes up on test with their cap on backwards then they'd already failed.
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