Why are people afraid of corners?

[Triumph Man]

Driving along the A350 today, behind a Renault Scenic, comfortably doing 60, no real point overtaking. Until we reach a corner. Brakelights on, quite heavy braking in fact, and we dribble around the corner. I don't think it was a case of not knowing the road, as she pulled out in front of me out of a housing estate in Shaftesbury.

So what is it? It's so irritating. I typically cruise at 60-65 along an NSL road, and don't really scrub much speed in the corners if I can help it. I'd rather use engine braking than my actual brakes where I can.

My only strategy is to blast past them where I can, so I can carry a bit more speed in the corners.

Crap rant I know, but I enjoy a smooth, swift drive, and these people just annoy me.

[MC Bodge]

Triumph Man said:

...don't really scrub much speed in the corners if I can help it. I'd rather use engine braking than my actual brakes where I can.

You are in a very small minority. It's rare that I come across another driver who does this.


Many people have a lack of confidence and do not understand(or have any interest in) the basics of vehicle dynamics.

A large number of people slow down a lot (excessively for the visibility?) or corners. It is probably preferable to them taking a bend badly and causing an accident.

It is irritating when they are in front of you though.

Edited by MC Bodge on Friday 3rd August 21:56

[aizvara]

Maybe she had a curry take-away on board. I know I try to keep the lateral forces down when I'm transporting the spicy stew.

[Liquid Tuna]

For every section of road you drive on, including corners, you're trying to weigh up your ability, what the car can do, whereabouts within or outside the law you want to be, safety margin, consideration for passengers, consideration for other road users and pedestrians etc. etc. and some people are just better at it than others.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Could be an obstruction/broken down car/moose/duck with six ducklings/all of the above round the next bend?

[whoami]

Triumph Man said:

Driving along the A350 today, behind a Renault Scenic, comfortably doing 60, no real point overtaking. Until we reach a corner. Brakelights on, quite heavy braking in fact, and we dribble around the corner. I don't think it was a case of not knowing the road, as she pulled out in front of me out of a housing estate in Shaftesbury.

So what is it? It's so irritating. I typically cruise at 60-65 along an NSL road, and don't really scrub much speed in the corners if I can help it. I'd rather use engine braking than my actual brakes where I can.

My only strategy is to blast past them where I can, so I can carry a bit more speed in the corners.

Crap rant I know, but I enjoy a smooth, swift drive, and these people just annoy me.

If it was full of passengers then it could well have been just that.

[lbc]

It's the same with roundabouts.

Many drivers slow down to a crawl or even stop, when there is nothing coming from the right.

These people that never push their car to the limit will never know what to do if the car skids, under steers,
or the rear end swings around, and therefore these 'slow' drivers are actually very dangerous.

[Silver]

A lot of people just don't know how to corner. I don't even mean balls-out fast but how to position the car and drive into a corner without slamming the brakes on in a panic halfway through and creeping through it.

It's the usual thing that people aren't taught to actually drive.

[MC Bodge]

lbc said:

It's the same with roundabouts.

Many drivers slow down to a crawl or even stop, when there is nothing coming from the right.

That's a result of not looking for approaching traffic until they've stopped at the Give Way line.

lbc said:

These people that never push their car to the limit will never know what to do if the car skids, under steers,
or the rear end swings around, and therefore these 'slow' drivers are actually very dangerous.

If we are honest, for almost all of the time they are not dangerous at all, but in the event of mechanical failure or being required to take evasive action they won't know what to do. Having said that, most people who drive fast wouldn't be much better without knowledge, practise and experience.

[Jayho]

jayhoe=lbc]

These people that never push their car to the limit will never know what to do if the car skids, under steers,
or the rear end swings around, and therefore these 'slow' drivers are actually very dangerous.
[/quote]

I'd much rather a driver drive within THEIR limits, than that of the car. I can safely say that in the two years I've owned this car I still havent pushed the limits of my car. I know that the limit of myself is far less than my car. So does that mean I'm dangerous? I've understeered before, but managed to correct it. I've lifted off and oversteered before, but still managed to correct it. I actually think someone exploring the limits and full potential of a modern car on public roads is far more dangerous than someone not knowing the limits of their car.

[Jayho]

jayhoe=lbc]

These people that never push their car to the limit will never know what to do if the car skids, under steers,
or the rear end swings around, and therefore these 'slow' drivers are actually very dangerous.
[/quote]

I'd much rather a driver drive within THEIR limits, than that of the car. I can safely say that in the two years I've owned this car I still havent pushed the limits of my car. I know that the limit of myself is far less than my car. So does that mean I'm dangerous? I've understeered before, but managed to correct it. I've lifted off and oversteered before, but still managed to correct it. I actually think someone exploring the limits and full potential of a modern car on public roads is far more dangerous than someone not knowing the limits of their car.

[jjones]

worse are the drivers who have a fear of on-coming traffic and brake/comfort brake every time a car comes the other way. mouth breathers.

[davepoth]

I've watched people do it from in the car. Generally they treat the controls as a switch - putting all of the lock on straight away, and then switching straight back to the straight ahead, slamming on brakes and then letting off, that sort of thing. It makes the car rock around a lot on the springs and is unpleasant, so I can understand why they drive slowly.

It brings to mind this story about Fangio from a couple of days ago.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=117...

He was ragging the crap out of that Mercedes but the passengers didn't notice because he was doing it so smoothly and progressively.

[frosted]

lbc said:

It's the same with roundabouts.

Many drivers slow down to a crawl or even stop, when there is nothing coming from the right.

These people that never push their car to the limit will never know what to do if the car skids, under steers,
or the rear end swings around, and therefore these 'slow' drivers are actually very dangerous.

Not true, those drivers never go fast enough to crash, that's why they roads are gridlocked when there's a bit if snow or rain or too much sun or leaves

[lbc]

frosted said:

lbc said:

It's the same with roundabouts.

Many drivers slow down to a crawl or even stop, when there is nothing coming from the right.

These people that never push their car to the limit will never know what to do if the car skids, under steers,
or the rear end swings around, and therefore these 'slow' drivers are actually very dangerous.

Not true, those drivers never go fast enough to crash, that's why they roads are gridlocked when there's a bit if snow or rain or too much sun or leaves

These drivers are like the ones on Youtube that apply full brakes on ice and then bail out the doors when they realise that brakes are not going to help them.

[frosted]

lbc said:

It's the same with roundabouts.

Many drivers slow down to a crawl or even stop, when there is nothing coming from the right.

These people that never push their car to the limit will never know what to do if the car skids, under steers,
or the rear end swings around, and therefore these 'slow' drivers are actually very dangerous.

Not true, those drivers never go fast enough to crash, that's why they roads are gridlocked when there's a bit if snow or rain or too much sun or leaves

[EDLT]

Triumph Man said:

Driving along the A350 today, behind a Renault Scenic, comfortably doing 60, no real point overtaking. Until we reach a corner. Brakelights on, quite heavy braking in fact, and we dribble around the corner. I don't think it was a case of not knowing the road, as she pulled out in front of me out of a housing estate in Shaftesbury.

So what is it? It's so irritating. I typically cruise at 60-65 along an NSL road, and don't really scrub much speed in the corners if I can help it. I'd rather use engine braking than my actual brakes where I can.

My only strategy is to blast past them where I can, so I can carry a bit more speed in the corners.

Crap rant I know, but I enjoy a smooth, swift drive, and these people just annoy me.

I was stuck behind an MX5 doing something similar today, except she never got more than 45mph out of the thing.

[Riley Blue]

The human race is a mixed ability group in all things, including driving.

N.B. This answer may apply to more than one PH topic.

[Steve H]

Many drivers never think about driving, their learned reaction to everything is to brake so when they see a corner, a rabbit, a car coming the other way, a hot girl walking along the pavement, they brake rather than having to consider better alternatives; after enough years of doing this they can't stop even if they try.

The ones that amaze me are those that randomly brake when driving down a perfectly straight section of road

[Jasandjules]

Pah, around here they drive at 42mph on the straights then brake down to 20 for corners.... Frankly I don't think you should be on the road if that's how you drive.