Share your observation links
Discussion
I thought I'd start a thread where we could share and compare observation links.
The most commonly quoted observation link is spotting the bins out on a road and anticipating that the bin men are somewhere further down the road emptying the bins.
Another relates to vehicles pulling out of a junction in front of you. "Where one emerges, another may follow". In other words, its not the vehicle which pulls out thats the problem - you've already seen and dealt with that one - its the next vehicle which is out of sight and might pull out which is the real problem. I find this is particularly true with children on bicycles. Kids on bikes generally travel in packs and if one pulls out in front of you its a good bet another one, or several, will follow suit.
If you're following a tradesman's van and its displaying a local telephone number, there's a good chance it will turn off or pull over within a short distance.
Following a moving bus, if you spot people waiting at the next stop, or if you see someone standing up on the bus, it's almost definitely going to stop very shortly.
Passed by a police car or ambulance with emergency lights on the motorway? Be ready for the traffic to grind to a halt due to the accident ahead.
Mk1 Citroen Picasso ahead? Likely to be very badly driven.
You get the idea. Lets see your observation links!
The most commonly quoted observation link is spotting the bins out on a road and anticipating that the bin men are somewhere further down the road emptying the bins.
Another relates to vehicles pulling out of a junction in front of you. "Where one emerges, another may follow". In other words, its not the vehicle which pulls out thats the problem - you've already seen and dealt with that one - its the next vehicle which is out of sight and might pull out which is the real problem. I find this is particularly true with children on bicycles. Kids on bikes generally travel in packs and if one pulls out in front of you its a good bet another one, or several, will follow suit.
If you're following a tradesman's van and its displaying a local telephone number, there's a good chance it will turn off or pull over within a short distance.
Following a moving bus, if you spot people waiting at the next stop, or if you see someone standing up on the bus, it's almost definitely going to stop very shortly.
Passed by a police car or ambulance with emergency lights on the motorway? Be ready for the traffic to grind to a halt due to the accident ahead.
Mk1 Citroen Picasso ahead? Likely to be very badly driven.
You get the idea. Lets see your observation links!
Not many drivers seem to be aware that the lack of a centre line is an indicator of a narrow road (less than 5.5m last time I checked) and will plough on regardless past the point the centre line finished and then expect the other driver (usually in a larger vehicle) to magically manoeuvre around them.
Therefore my related observation link is; see a Nissan Micra coming the other way, prepare to loose your offside mirror
Therefore my related observation link is; see a Nissan Micra coming the other way, prepare to loose your offside mirror
Domestic rubbish bins out in the morning, one of Her Majesties Dump trucks likely to be parked round the next corner.
Pedestrians with small child on country lane, SUV parked half on the verge within 1/2 mile.
Roadkill anywhere near Stokenchurch, massive great Red Kite about to swoop down onto the road.
Car waiting to pull out of housing estate in the evening rush, he's just used his patent rat run to save 3 seconds so he'll put out in front of you rather than lose time.
Pedestrians with small child on country lane, SUV parked half on the verge within 1/2 mile.
Roadkill anywhere near Stokenchurch, massive great Red Kite about to swoop down onto the road.
Car waiting to pull out of housing estate in the evening rush, he's just used his patent rat run to save 3 seconds so he'll put out in front of you rather than lose time.
Dirty tracks leading into and out of an entrance means you'll see tractors or other agricultural vehicles somewhere up ahead.
Headlights on vehicles coming towards you on a bright day means the weather is about to deteriorate up ahead.
If you've had to scrape ice off your windscreen in the morning, there's a very good chance there will be ice on the road surface (I wish a few more people would clock this fairly obvious one).
Beware of hats. Any type of hat. Honestly - if a driver is wearing a trilby or a baseball cap, or even if there is a hat on the rear parcel shelf - beware.
By the way, does anyone actually carry parcels on their parcel shelf? Or just boxes of tissues?
Headlights on vehicles coming towards you on a bright day means the weather is about to deteriorate up ahead.
If you've had to scrape ice off your windscreen in the morning, there's a very good chance there will be ice on the road surface (I wish a few more people would clock this fairly obvious one).
Beware of hats. Any type of hat. Honestly - if a driver is wearing a trilby or a baseball cap, or even if there is a hat on the rear parcel shelf - beware.
By the way, does anyone actually carry parcels on their parcel shelf? Or just boxes of tissues?
Daytime - cars with dipped lights on coming towards you - rain ahead.
Dry road, but trees overhanging ahead: may be damp
Use shop windows in narrow town streets to see round the bend or parked cars
Car behaving erratically - fall back as they probably haven't seen you as they are looking for something else.
Steve
Dry road, but trees overhanging ahead: may be damp
Use shop windows in narrow town streets to see round the bend or parked cars
Car behaving erratically - fall back as they probably haven't seen you as they are looking for something else.
Steve
Continuing the animal theme, pheasants on the roadside are totally unpredictable. Don’t assume that if they are on the offside verge they will stay there. At the last moment they often make a dash across the road right in front of you and remember that pheasant damage can result in new headlights and front grilles!
A few weeks ago pheasant poults were released for shooting (like shooting fish in a barrel). They have known little more than a small pen and a guy that comes along to feed them every day. They are stupid, have no sense of danger and will not run for cover as you approach them. They will stand in the road, bemused by the traffic and commit hari-kari, beware.
A few weeks ago pheasant poults were released for shooting (like shooting fish in a barrel). They have known little more than a small pen and a guy that comes along to feed them every day. They are stupid, have no sense of danger and will not run for cover as you approach them. They will stand in the road, bemused by the traffic and commit hari-kari, beware.
daz6215 said:
Worn paint on corners may reveal others cut the corner! Weight, width and/or length restrictions may allude to a more challenging road!
But weight restrictions can also mean a damn good rat-run / short cut that 'they' don't want lorryists to use!Edited by daz6215 on Tuesday 9th December 22:19
Fog lights - driver either doesn't know, or doesn't care. Bad either way.
Emergency vehicle coming from one direction - watch out for more from other directions (from a time when I let an ambulance past me, heard another siren, couldn't see anyhting in my rear view, then got surprised by a fire engine going through the red across the front of me...)
Cylist coming around bend towards you - car behind trying to overtake despite zero forward visibility.
Two peds waiting to cross - one will run across just in front of you.
Person tailgating slow/large vehicle will be stuck there forever as they can't see the overtaking opportunities.
Vehicles randomly changing speeds are looking for a turn or parking spot. Either way, when they see it, they will dive without notice or obs.
Cars with "Trade Centre Wales" (other local massively over-priced car supermarkets may be available) stickers are only driven by people who have zero interest in driving... beware.
Listen to the voice that says "they're going to do something silly..."!
Emergency vehicle coming from one direction - watch out for more from other directions (from a time when I let an ambulance past me, heard another siren, couldn't see anyhting in my rear view, then got surprised by a fire engine going through the red across the front of me...)
Cylist coming around bend towards you - car behind trying to overtake despite zero forward visibility.
Two peds waiting to cross - one will run across just in front of you.
Person tailgating slow/large vehicle will be stuck there forever as they can't see the overtaking opportunities.
Vehicles randomly changing speeds are looking for a turn or parking spot. Either way, when they see it, they will dive without notice or obs.
Cars with "Trade Centre Wales" (other local massively over-priced car supermarkets may be available) stickers are only driven by people who have zero interest in driving... beware.
Listen to the voice that says "they're going to do something silly..."!
Cliftonite said:
daz6215 said:
Worn paint on corners may reveal others cut the corner! Weight, width and/or length restrictions may allude to a more challenging road!
But weight restrictions can also mean a damn good rat-run / short cut that 'they' don't want lorryists to use!Edited by daz6215 on Tuesday 9th December 22:19
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