Thanks von - you prevented an accident!
Discussion
I did spend, ooh, thirty seconds searching for the post, but couldn't find it.
You once said something along the lines that if you saw a cyclist coming towards you, you instantly cut speed because it was likely that oncoming vehicles, as yet unseen, would be overtaking said cyclist in a dangerous manner.
Today my copying of your example prevented both me and the opposing van driver from having a collison, and may even have saved someone's life.
So cheers!
You once said something along the lines that if you saw a cyclist coming towards you, you instantly cut speed because it was likely that oncoming vehicles, as yet unseen, would be overtaking said cyclist in a dangerous manner.
Today my copying of your example prevented both me and the opposing van driver from having a collison, and may even have saved someone's life.
So cheers!
Must be a day for it, this morning I was driving to work and saw a Scenic behind a cyclist, thought to myself, "that driver's going to overtake regardless of what's actually happening" - correct, unfortunately.
On the plus side, on the way home I ended up behind a (very slow) cyclist without a safe overtaking opportunity, but he helped me out by popping on to the pavement and back again at a dropped kerb. Thank you sir!
On the plus side, on the way home I ended up behind a (very slow) cyclist without a safe overtaking opportunity, but he helped me out by popping on to the pavement and back again at a dropped kerb. Thank you sir!
imbecile said:
You once said something along the lines that if you saw a cyclist coming towards you, you instantly cut speed because it was likely that oncoming vehicles, as yet unseen, would be overtaking said cyclist in a dangerous manner.
That is so bleeding obvious when you say it but I've not even considered that before. 
A good piece of common sense advice, which I'll try to put into practice in the future.
Edited by Mandat on Wednesday 18th July 23:44
As said obvious but usually missed.
I first learned this whilst nearly having to take to a field to avoid an oncoming overtaker.
Part of everyday now.
I also make sure I stay wide when following a cyclist if I can not pass to prevent others thinking about nipping past because I am not interested.
Happened once before and was the closest I have seen to near carnage.
I first learned this whilst nearly having to take to a field to avoid an oncoming overtaker.
Part of everyday now.
I also make sure I stay wide when following a cyclist if I can not pass to prevent others thinking about nipping past because I am not interested.
Happened once before and was the closest I have seen to near carnage.
a ride drive course for all of you!!
Its amazing that hazards that are there but you simply never see until they are mentioned, best one that came up on my course was horse crap in the road, does it look fresh? if yes look out for horses!
sounds so bloody stupid when written like that but I bet you've zoomed past a pile of horse poop without giving it a second thought before!
Its amazing that hazards that are there but you simply never see until they are mentioned, best one that came up on my course was horse crap in the road, does it look fresh? if yes look out for horses!
sounds so bloody stupid when written like that but I bet you've zoomed past a pile of horse poop without giving it a second thought before!
imbecile said:
I did spend, ooh, thirty seconds searching for the post, but couldn't find it.
You once said something along the lines that if you saw a cyclist coming towards you, you instantly cut speed because it was likely that oncoming vehicles, as yet unseen, would be overtaking said cyclist in a dangerous manner.
Today my copying of your example prevented both me and the opposing van driver from having a collison, and may even have saved someone's life.
So cheers!
But I will also bet your COAST skills saw the cyclist UND the glimmer of the van approaching at speed - without COAST for the cyclist & yourself as well You once said something along the lines that if you saw a cyclist coming towards you, you instantly cut speed because it was likely that oncoming vehicles, as yet unseen, would be overtaking said cyclist in a dangerous manner.
Today my copying of your example prevented both me and the opposing van driver from having a collison, and may even have saved someone's life.
So cheers!
If you like - it "COAST/OAP in action"
. Mind blowingly obvious in what it means. Seldom given much regard by many muppet/mumptie out there 
davido140 said:
a ride drive course for all of you!!
Its amazing that hazards that are there but you simply never see until they are mentioned, best one that came up on my course was horse crap in the road, does it look fresh? if yes look out for horses!
sounds so bloody stupid when written like that but I bet you've zoomed past a pile of horse poop without giving it a second thought before!
In my case, on the road past the Friends Meeting House near Seer Green (Bucks) the pile of said poo was still steaming! Round the corner - the guilty arse attached to a huge horse..Its amazing that hazards that are there but you simply never see until they are mentioned, best one that came up on my course was horse crap in the road, does it look fresh? if yes look out for horses!
sounds so bloody stupid when written like that but I bet you've zoomed past a pile of horse poop without giving it a second thought before!
Mandat said:
imbecile said:
You once said something along the lines that if you saw a cyclist coming towards you, you instantly cut speed because it was likely that oncoming vehicles, as yet unseen, would be overtaking said cyclist in a dangerous manner.
That is so bleeding obvious when you say it but I've not even considered that before. imbecile said:
I did spend, ooh, thirty seconds searching for the post, but couldn't find it.
You once said something along the lines that if you saw a cyclist coming towards you, you instantly cut speed because it was likely that oncoming vehicles, as yet unseen, would be overtaking said cyclist in a dangerous manner.
Today my copying of your example prevented both me and the opposing van driver from having a collison, and may even have saved someone's life.
So cheers!
Seems like common sense to meYou once said something along the lines that if you saw a cyclist coming towards you, you instantly cut speed because it was likely that oncoming vehicles, as yet unseen, would be overtaking said cyclist in a dangerous manner.
Today my copying of your example prevented both me and the opposing van driver from having a collison, and may even have saved someone's life.
So cheers!
davido140 said:
a ride drive course for all of you!!
Its amazing that hazards that are there but you simply never see until they are mentioned, best one that came up on my course was horse crap in the road, does it look fresh? if yes look out for horses!
sounds so bloody stupid when written like that but I bet you've zoomed past a pile of horse poop without giving it a second thought before!
Blood hell -do you atop, get off and pop your finger in it to test?Its amazing that hazards that are there but you simply never see until they are mentioned, best one that came up on my course was horse crap in the road, does it look fresh? if yes look out for horses!
sounds so bloody stupid when written like that but I bet you've zoomed past a pile of horse poop without giving it a second thought before!
Maybe a sticky, or a Wiki entry, so that a list of really simple, yet blindingly obvious driving tips could be posted up, and added to regularly.
One that I picked up from a thread on here years ago, was not having your steering on right lock whilst waiting to turn right.
It was the sorry story of the whole family that were wiped out, all killed. The various contributary causes were discussed and accepted, blind curve, exccessive speed, poor road engineering etc. But regardless of all of this, if Dad hadn't had any steering lock on whilst he waited to turn right, they would more than probably easily have survived the rear end shunt, rather than getting pushed into a head on with a truck.
Shall we start a list?
One that I picked up from a thread on here years ago, was not having your steering on right lock whilst waiting to turn right.
It was the sorry story of the whole family that were wiped out, all killed. The various contributary causes were discussed and accepted, blind curve, exccessive speed, poor road engineering etc. But regardless of all of this, if Dad hadn't had any steering lock on whilst he waited to turn right, they would more than probably easily have survived the rear end shunt, rather than getting pushed into a head on with a truck.
Shall we start a list?
That's the main difference between my driving now and when I was newly qualified (back in the mists of time). I react to hazards on instinct a lot more. The horse crap in the road is a good example, but also reflections in the "wrong" place, or hedges moving the wrong way, all that indicate something ahead is going to happen. I don't actively think "there's a car coming like hell around this next bend!" but I react to it because something has cued me that there is a car hurtling around the bend. It's the same with judging other drivers reactions. You get a 6th sense, you know when the numpty at the roundabout is going to pull out, you can see it in their demeanor, in the way their vehicle is positioned. You know when someone is going for a second lap of the roundabout rather than taking the last exit.
Of course road safety isn't about encouraging these skills it's about numbers on a stick
Nice idea about making a Wiki. There are some very experienced drivers on here aand a lot of training years. Dibble (I think) wrote a nice thread about car control. It was a mixture of training tempered with personal experience.
Of course road safety isn't about encouraging these skills it's about numbers on a stick
Nice idea about making a Wiki. There are some very experienced drivers on here aand a lot of training years. Dibble (I think) wrote a nice thread about car control. It was a mixture of training tempered with personal experience.
Edited by MilnerR on Thursday 19th July 09:07
tigger1 said:
davido140 said:
a ride drive course for all of you!!
Its amazing that hazards that are there but you simply never see until they are mentioned, best one that came up on my course was horse crap in the road, does it look fresh? if yes look out for horses!
sounds so bloody stupid when written like that but I bet you've zoomed past a pile of horse poop without giving it a second thought before!
Blood hell -do you atop, get off and pop your finger in it to test?Its amazing that hazards that are there but you simply never see until they are mentioned, best one that came up on my course was horse crap in the road, does it look fresh? if yes look out for horses!
sounds so bloody stupid when written like that but I bet you've zoomed past a pile of horse poop without giving it a second thought before!
yup, or always carry a thermometer so you can tell how warm it is without having to pop your pinky in there.Edited by davido140 on Thursday 19th July 09:10
Edited by davido140 on Thursday 19th July 09:10
What about the 7th sense you develop shortly after becoming aware of your 6th sense, whereby you just know some pillock is going to do something stupid so you position your vehicle to prevent him doing it.
For example approching a narrowing section of road with a couple of parked cars on the opposite side, someone approaches and you know there is not quite enough room for both of you, but despite you having right of way you sense he is going to go for it. So you pull over to the centreline to dissuade him
For example approching a narrowing section of road with a couple of parked cars on the opposite side, someone approaches and you know there is not quite enough room for both of you, but despite you having right of way you sense he is going to go for it. So you pull over to the centreline to dissuade him
It has been one of the rules of my "Alternative Highway code" for several years now:
"Rule 1: Overtake cyclists, do not slow down behind them. Oncoming drivers will make way for you."
(The AHC is something I've been piecing together for some years now - I know that many drivers on the road must have read a different HC to the one I use, and it is very hard to find in the book shops, so I've been trying to discern its rules based on driver behaviour. That was the first rule that made itself blindingly apparent. Especially when I discovered that it even applies on hump-back bridges.)
"Rule 1: Overtake cyclists, do not slow down behind them. Oncoming drivers will make way for you."
(The AHC is something I've been piecing together for some years now - I know that many drivers on the road must have read a different HC to the one I use, and it is very hard to find in the book shops, so I've been trying to discern its rules based on driver behaviour. That was the first rule that made itself blindingly apparent. Especially when I discovered that it even applies on hump-back bridges.)
Major Bloodnok said:
(The AHC is something I've been piecing together for some years now - I know that many drivers on the road must have read a different HC to the one I use,
Oh yes, you add traffic merging on to a motorway has right of way despite what the OHC (original highway code) book says frazer guest said:
davido140 said:
a ride drive course for all of you!!
Its amazing that hazards that are there but you simply never see until they are mentioned, best one that came up on my course was horse crap in the road, does it look fresh? if yes look out for horses!
sounds so bloody stupid when written like that but I bet you've zoomed past a pile of horse poop without giving it a second thought before!
Heres another country lane type thing.Its amazing that hazards that are there but you simply never see until they are mentioned, best one that came up on my course was horse crap in the road, does it look fresh? if yes look out for horses!
sounds so bloody stupid when written like that but I bet you've zoomed past a pile of horse poop without giving it a second thought before!
Hedgerows look freshly cut, expect a tractor or a team of men up ahead cutting them.
Winter time driving on roads with overhanging trees? Expect ice still to be there in the shade of the trees were the sun hasnt caught it.
Apache said:
Major Bloodnok said:
(The AHC is something I've been piecing together for some years now - I know that many drivers on the road must have read a different HC to the one I use,
Oh yes, you add traffic merging on to a motorway has right of way despite what the OHC (original highway code) book says Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff