Monday 15th August 2011

Top Motoring Twits, Er Tips: #2 Tunnels

In the dark about driving underground? Take off your sunglasses, says the IAM...

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Be afraid... Be very afraid...

Remember that press release from the IAM just last week? They're at it again - this time with a bit of timely advice about driving in tunnels. Is it just us, or does somebody over there need a reality check?

Oh, and before any of our 'advanced drivers' get huffy, the entire team at PistonHeads HQ is positively in favour of improving driver standards. Honest!

Here is the release 'verbatim':

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Driver training specialist IAM Drive & Survive is offering weekly motoring tips to drivers from its head of training, Simon Elstow.

The Hindhead tunnel, Britain’s longest under-land tunnel, opened on the A3 at the end of July, heralding the start of vastly improved journeys on the main route between London and Portsmouth.  But tunnels can present problems for drivers. For example, vehicle fires in Europe’s Mont Blanc and Gotthard tunnels have claimed 50 lives between them. Many died because they wrongly believed they should wait in their vehicles for help, rather than getting out of the tunnel immediately.

Accidents in tunnels, no matter how short the tunnel is, present unique problems and knowing what to do is very important. The IAM's advice on driving in tunnels is:

Before entering a tunnel:

• Check your fuel gauge, don't risk running out of fuel.
• Turn on the traffic information channel. Some larger European road tunnels have their own radio as well as electronic signs.
• Take off your sunglasses.

In the tunnel:

• Turn on dipped headlights.
• Don't exceed the speed limit and leave extra room between yourself and the car in front. 
• Keep an eye out for the location of emergency pedestrian exits just in case you may need one.
• In two-way tunnels, keep well to the nearside kerb.
• Do not change lanes unless instructed to.

If you break down:

• Switch on your hazard lights immediately.
• Try to coast to a breakdown lay-by.
• If none are available, stop as close to the nearside kerb as possible.
• Turn off the engine but leave the key in the ignition so the vehicle can be moved.
• Evacuate the vehicle making sure everyone is in a safe place - on the pedestrian walkway if there is one.
• Put on a reflective jacket, if you have one, and walk carefully to the nearest emergency phone and inform the operator. 

In the event of a fire:

• Only try and extinguish the fire is if someone is in danger.
• In all other cases leave as quickly as you can, don’t wait to be told what to do."

[EcosseBMW]

LOL nothing more to add...except stick to the speed limit! Who ever sticks to the limit in a tunnel!? Especially with a straight 6 up front and howl behind! lol

[spiritof'76]

Or to put it more succinctly......... 'Use Common Sense'

[orbitall]

They forgot to add, Open windows, drop a couple of cogs, increase revs and enjoy the sound of your V8...

[stuttgartmetal]

Be in a 911
Make sure its after 0:30 hrs ,but before 05:30hrs
Open the roof, and all windows.
Heaven.

[M666 EVO]

orbitall said:

They forgot to add, Open windows, drop a couple of cogs, increase revs and enjoy the sound of your V8...

Exactly. Blast the V8 through, do a U turn and go back the other way. Go home, get the 2.0 Turbo out, do the same and listen to the Turbo whistle. Drive home with big grin on face!

[tinyh98]

spiritof'76 said:

Or to put it more succinctly......... 'Use Common Sense'

Seconded

[Grovsie26]

spiritof'76 said:

Or to put it more succinctly......... 'Use Common Sense'

Trouble is with that, it's not very common.

[Isimmo]

I know this is slightly off topic but...



Why do they put an enormous picture of a Tunnel right next to an Enormous Tunnel? If you can't see the tunnel, there's no hope in seeing a sign...

[MagicalTrevor]

As an IAM member... I can't defend this one...

[miln0039]

I saw this on the AA website too!

[Zod]

stuttgartmetal said:

Be in a 911
Make sure its after 0:30 hrs ,but before 05:30hrs
Open the roof, and all windows.
Heaven.

It's even better in a car that sounds good.

[thewheelman]

Rules of driving through a tunnel....
1, Listen to "days like these" by Matt Monro
2, Drive a Lamborghini Miura
3, Wear sunglasses & driving gloves
4, Blip throttle on entering tunnel
5, Avoid the mafia parked digger at the other end

[A Scotsman]

They've forgotten the two most important rule of all. Open your window and hoot as much as you can. :-)

[roachcoach]

Fuel gauge is the best one for me.

[drewcole81]

If a driver can't work all of that out by themselves then they shouldn't be on the road..

[Oxhead]

Take of sunglasses is a personal favourite!

[Mars]

Tunnels. They're what these were invented for:

[CraigyMc]

I'm in favour of better driving standards. This piece just proves that the IAM have little or nothing to do with that.

This is the motoring equivalent of being told how to use a belt buckle on an aeroplane... if you're too stupid not to know the most basic thing, the chances are you're too stupid to take instruction of any kind, anyway.

C

[STiG911]

Unfortunately, as has been noted already, Common Sense is in very short supply. People seem to be too more focused on jabbering into their mobile while not using their seatbelts, sitting 2 inches off the car in front at 80mph. Dweebs.

On another note, the line 'leave a gap' should have following added: 'so you can slow down, drop to 2nd then floor it so you can hear your Sports Exhaust'

[iphonedyou]

No tunnels in Northern Ireland

Well, none longer than a few metres, really.

At least I won't die from forgetting to take off my sunglasses and straying too close to the centreline.