Nasty situation - not easy to avoid?
Discussion
EazyDuz said:
But how can the cam car driver see well enough through the Skoda to see the slowing traffic in front of it? You can't see it in the video, in fact the rear window has quite a big reflection of the sky on it, so you wouldn't see and therefore anticipate the slowed traffic in front of the Skoda.
The Skoda has moved slightly to the left a while before it reacts, so the driver of the camera car should have been able to see further up the road by positioning himself slightly to the righthand side of lane 3. In fact, presuming the camera itself is attached in the centre of the car (in line with the rear-view mirror), I think they were ideally placed to see further up the roadIf they couldn't see past the Skoda then they were too close IMO. It's why I don't particularly like sitting behind tall and wide vehicles like vans or SUVs, so tend to drop back further to allow for a lack of visibility
280E said:
RYH64E said:
Durzel said:
It's not that scientific really, if you can't stop in the distance you've left between you and the car in front - you're too close.
Easy to say, impossible to achieve. The two chevron recommended gap on motorways works out to about 40m, less than half the recommended stopping distance from 70mph.
Patrick Bateman said:
Videos like that make me wary of being at a standstill on fast roads. I've seen too many liveleak videos of some poor b
d(s) at the end of a long queue getting utterly destroyed by a truck that hasn't been paying attention.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR0LRSLCN2Id(s) at the end of a long queue getting utterly destroyed by a truck that hasn't been paying attention. Edited by TooMany2cvs on Sunday 25th September 19:21
TooMany2cvs said:
Patrick Bateman said:
Videos like that make me wary of being at a standstill on fast roads. I've seen too many liveleak videos of some poor bd(s) at the end of a long queue getting utterly destroyed by a truck that hasn't been paying attention.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR0LRSLCN2Id(s) at the end of a long queue getting utterly destroyed by a truck that hasn't been paying attention. Going against the grain here, but despite not having an accident in 15 years driving, i think i would have had a very similar result to the camera car here assuming the dash cam is a good reflection of what the driver could see.
I'd have been a bit further back but i think the behaviour of the car infront (no reaction until the very last second) left the camera car with almost an impossible situation. White van man stole the escape route.
Yeah i'd have been into the back of one of those cars i reckon, just a tad slower (from being a bit further back).
Glad it's been picked up in the media.
I'd have been a bit further back but i think the behaviour of the car infront (no reaction until the very last second) left the camera car with almost an impossible situation. White van man stole the escape route.
Yeah i'd have been into the back of one of those cars i reckon, just a tad slower (from being a bit further back).
Glad it's been picked up in the media.
Mike_Mac said:
TooMany2cvs said:
Patrick Bateman said:
Videos like that make me wary of being at a standstill on fast roads. I've seen too many liveleak videos of some poor bd(s) at the end of a long queue getting utterly destroyed by a truck that hasn't been paying attention.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR0LRSLCN2Id(s) at the end of a long queue getting utterly destroyed by a truck that hasn't been paying attention. 
Leins said:
Hugo a Gogo said:
also it looked like the polo at the back of the queue did indeed have hazards on
Watched it a number of times and it just looks like brake lights to meLeins said:
Hugo a Gogo said:
also it looked like the polo at the back of the queue did indeed have hazards on
Watched it a number of times and it just looks like brake lights to meCamera guy too close to the car infront who in turn was not paying attention.
I personally don't like driving behind a car without knowing/seeing what the traffic infront is doing, I think that's generally the problem with most motorway driving, people simply don't look far ahead enough and anticate what the traffic infront of them is doing. It's not speed by itself! If I'm driving behind a high loader, I'll keep a bigger distance as I feel I'm driving 'blind,' relying on the driving of a complete stranger to telegraphto me what the traffic further ahead is doing.
It's totally impractical to leave a stopping distance gap to the car infront on a busy motorway, but if you are looking ahead and are aware of the traffic on the side/behind you, then I dont think it's even necessary to do so.
He was driving too close and clearly not looking further ahead, but nevertheless it was a good save to get his car between that gap.,
It's totally impractical to leave a stopping distance gap to the car infront on a busy motorway, but if you are looking ahead and are aware of the traffic on the side/behind you, then I dont think it's even necessary to do so.
He was driving too close and clearly not looking further ahead, but nevertheless it was a good save to get his car between that gap.,
I haven't read the whole thread so this has probably been posted up before, but the things I notice with the video;
1. The dashcammer IS travelling TOO close to the Skoda infront, however it looked only temporary as they evidently appeared to be looking to return to L2, so probably considered it close but acceptable seeing as it was for such a short amount of time.
2. The Skoda driver evidently wasn't paying much attention, if the Polo infront had managed to come to almost a complete stop but for the Skoda to still swerve like that. It also looks as if the rear n/s wheel or just the bumper perhaps on the Polo is damaged by the Skoda, appears to be a glancing hit as opposed to narrowly avoiding contact all together.
3. The white van driver really shouldn't have pulled out like that, he/she would have had a much better sight line of stationary traffic in L3 and should have at least anticipated queuing drivers in L3 moving into L2, if that were me I'd have stayed in L1 behind the lorry. Fair enough he might not have anticipated traffic in L3 swerving into L2 to avoid the back of the queue, but I would have thought it prudent to leave a lane sterile between motorway-speed traffic and stationary traffic...
4. The dashcammer I think is trying to stop as quickly as possible. Kudos points for steering between the Polo and the central reservation, instead of just panicking and ramming the Polo square on. However ultimately this ends up with two wheels on the grass, which doesn't help braking stability or stopping distance.
5. I feel really sorry for the 16 reg Megane driver, that's the first new shape Megane I've seen on the UK roads and it had to be in a dashcam motorway crash video! The look on the guys face when he gets out says it all.
6. You can visibly see between the impact and end of the video, traffic on the opposite carriageway rubber necking for absolutely chuff all reason. I once saw a fresh accident on the opposite side of the M4 at Reading when a Corsa ended up on its roof. The rear wheels where still spinning but I made a point when I went past NOT to apply the brakes.. I just left the cruise control set and happy days (for me anyway). Hate rubber neckers!
I would be lying if I said I'd never travelled that close behind another vehicle on the motorway. However I dislike doing it and usually allow an acceptable gap to open up in front as soon as possible. I think the important points to take from the video is the importance of having an awareness of what's going on, further than the car infront. You should really be aware of traffic ahead and behind as far as possible, not just staring at the back of the car infront. I often look through the rear windscreen of a vehicle infront to look for brake lights ahead, which means I've already eased off before the car directly infront has even applied the brakes themselves.
1. The dashcammer IS travelling TOO close to the Skoda infront, however it looked only temporary as they evidently appeared to be looking to return to L2, so probably considered it close but acceptable seeing as it was for such a short amount of time.
2. The Skoda driver evidently wasn't paying much attention, if the Polo infront had managed to come to almost a complete stop but for the Skoda to still swerve like that. It also looks as if the rear n/s wheel or just the bumper perhaps on the Polo is damaged by the Skoda, appears to be a glancing hit as opposed to narrowly avoiding contact all together.
3. The white van driver really shouldn't have pulled out like that, he/she would have had a much better sight line of stationary traffic in L3 and should have at least anticipated queuing drivers in L3 moving into L2, if that were me I'd have stayed in L1 behind the lorry. Fair enough he might not have anticipated traffic in L3 swerving into L2 to avoid the back of the queue, but I would have thought it prudent to leave a lane sterile between motorway-speed traffic and stationary traffic...
4. The dashcammer I think is trying to stop as quickly as possible. Kudos points for steering between the Polo and the central reservation, instead of just panicking and ramming the Polo square on. However ultimately this ends up with two wheels on the grass, which doesn't help braking stability or stopping distance.
5. I feel really sorry for the 16 reg Megane driver, that's the first new shape Megane I've seen on the UK roads and it had to be in a dashcam motorway crash video! The look on the guys face when he gets out says it all.
6. You can visibly see between the impact and end of the video, traffic on the opposite carriageway rubber necking for absolutely chuff all reason. I once saw a fresh accident on the opposite side of the M4 at Reading when a Corsa ended up on its roof. The rear wheels where still spinning but I made a point when I went past NOT to apply the brakes.. I just left the cruise control set and happy days (for me anyway). Hate rubber neckers!
I would be lying if I said I'd never travelled that close behind another vehicle on the motorway. However I dislike doing it and usually allow an acceptable gap to open up in front as soon as possible. I think the important points to take from the video is the importance of having an awareness of what's going on, further than the car infront. You should really be aware of traffic ahead and behind as far as possible, not just staring at the back of the car infront. I often look through the rear windscreen of a vehicle infront to look for brake lights ahead, which means I've already eased off before the car directly infront has even applied the brakes themselves.
Polo stationary with hazards on...I struggle to see how the driver of the car missed it without being distracted (texting?)
Compounded by there being a bike in lane 1 which I most definitely did not want to hit, , I did almost a complete 360 (no abs!) before coming to a rest in the central reservation in a cloud of tyre smoke, thankfully without hitting anything or being hit by anyone else. The skid marks on the road remained for many months after that as a reminder...thankfully the ones in my pants washed out. I didn't get his registration either, as he had some stupid unreadable italic font plates!
I definitely learned my lesson, and it is why I always leave as much of a gap as possible - well, I try to anyway, although someone invariably slots themselves in the gap - and why I most definitely always look ahead further than just the car in front now.
surveyor said:
Had very similar happen to me. Following a van so my view ahead obscured, he carried out the escape manoeuvre, leaving stationary traffic.
I had a bit of a gap and also managed to follow with an escape to an adjacent lane. I was in an Esapce and was impressed at how composed it was with such a manoeuvre.
Ditto...coming up to 20 years ago. I had a bit of a gap and also managed to follow with an escape to an adjacent lane. I was in an Esapce and was impressed at how composed it was with such a manoeuvre.
Compounded by there being a bike in lane 1 which I most definitely did not want to hit, , I did almost a complete 360 (no abs!) before coming to a rest in the central reservation in a cloud of tyre smoke, thankfully without hitting anything or being hit by anyone else. The skid marks on the road remained for many months after that as a reminder...thankfully the ones in my pants washed out. I didn't get his registration either, as he had some stupid unreadable italic font plates!
I definitely learned my lesson, and it is why I always leave as much of a gap as possible - well, I try to anyway, although someone invariably slots themselves in the gap - and why I most definitely always look ahead further than just the car in front now.
Edited by GCH on Sunday 25th September 21:17
Remember this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-0E2Nxtm6o
Always keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front so you can at least see what is going on in front.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-0E2Nxtm6o
Always keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front so you can at least see what is going on in front.
TooMany2cvs said:
Vyse said:
Jesus. Wept.AVV EM said:
TooMany2cvs said:
Vyse said:
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