Discussion
MC Bodge said:
Agreed. The people I know who are good drivers in their 30s, 40s onwards are the people who drove fast, sought out gravel and snow to drive on, and, OK, maybe crashed a bit in their youth, but wanted to learn about what a car could (and couldn't do) and then learn more about good driving. They also seem to have ridden motorbikes.
They have some understanding of the mechanics of driving and don't panic when it all becomes a bit loose.
I know it isn't road driving, but if you go to a social karting event (typically low powered karts), you quickly see who does and who doesn't have a clue about the mechanics of driving.
Relevance to tailgating?They have some understanding of the mechanics of driving and don't panic when it all becomes a bit loose.
I know it isn't road driving, but if you go to a social karting event (typically low powered karts), you quickly see who does and who doesn't have a clue about the mechanics of driving.
911hope said:
MC Bodge said:
Agreed. The people I know who are good drivers in their 30s, 40s onwards are the people who drove fast, sought out gravel and snow to drive on, and, OK, maybe crashed a bit in their youth, but wanted to learn about what a car could (and couldn't do) and then learn more about good driving. They also seem to have ridden motorbikes.
They have some understanding of the mechanics of driving and don't panic when it all becomes a bit loose.
I know it isn't road driving, but if you go to a social karting event (typically low powered karts), you quickly see who does and who doesn't have a clue about the mechanics of driving.
Relevance to tailgating?They have some understanding of the mechanics of driving and don't panic when it all becomes a bit loose.
I know it isn't road driving, but if you go to a social karting event (typically low powered karts), you quickly see who does and who doesn't have a clue about the mechanics of driving.
TomyAFX said:
There really is something to be said for t
tting around over hump bridges, blind bends gravel car parks.
The feel and understanding for what ones vehicle is capable (or not) of is priceless.
I suppose I should really have donned my beige slacks and lit my pipe before entering here. Sorry. tting around over hump bridges, The feel and understanding for what ones vehicle is capable (or not) of is priceless.
TomyAFX said:
The feel and understanding for what ones vehicle is capable (or not) of is priceless.
Are you sure? In Sweden when they introduced compulsory limit handling training the accident rate got worse and they stopped it (I believe). Apparently confidence increases more than ability.We don't want drivers to approach the limits of what their cars are capable of. What we want them to do is to choose to try to be safe, to be a bit cautious, to try to keep out of trouble, and always to concentrate.
Edited by waremark on Wednesday 7th December 09:39
waremark said:
TomyAFX said:
The feel and understanding for what ones vehicle is capable (or not) of is priceless.
Are you sure? In Sweden when they introduced compulsory limit handling training the accident rate got worse and they stopped it (I believe). Apparently confidence increases more than ability.We don't want drivers to approach the limits of what their cars are capable of. What we want them to do is to choose to try to be safe, to be a bit cautious, to try to keep out of trouble, and always to concentrate.
Edited by waremark on Wednesday 7th December 09:39
Approaching the handling limits on public roads is dangerous.
EmailAddress said:
Surely the point is in regard to tailgating though. Of which, understanding the limitations of one's vehicle is necessary to be able to judge stopping distance effectively.
It's a bit off topic to weave in a narrative of the dangers that an over ability (beyond an average) to comprehend automotive dynamics may or may not play in road safety assessment and behaviour.
Racing drivers have very high insurance premiums.It's a bit off topic to weave in a narrative of the dangers that an over ability (beyond an average) to comprehend automotive dynamics may or may not play in road safety assessment and behaviour.
waremark said:
Completely agree. Though it is possible to have both good attitude and good skills!
Good attitude is what keeps you out of situations that require good skills. It would be interesting to compare racing drivers accident rates with jockeys, both travel a lot, both competitive by nature with high risk tolerance.911hope said:
Totally agree.
Approaching the handling limits on public roads is dangerous.
But.... I'd prefer to be a driver who knows what a car does at/beyond the limit (or a passenger of one) than one who doesn't.Approaching the handling limits on public roads is dangerous.
I went to a skid car session. It was good fun. Most of the people taking part didn't have the faintest idea about how to cope with a loss of grip at the front or rear.
I'm sure that few have ever done a hard stop from motorway speed either.
....Damn, I forgot my pipe and slacks again.
EmailAddress said:
911hope said:
Racing drivers have very high insurance premiums.
And they are some of the worst tailgaters around.The vast majority of accidents are poor concentration or bad decisions. Car control skills rarely save the day.
911hope said:
EmailAddress said:
911hope said:
Racing drivers have very high insurance premiums.
And they are some of the worst tailgaters around.The vast majority of accidents are poor concentration or bad decisions. Car control skills rarely save the day.
Failure to judge another road users path or speed is the second.
Tony33 said:
My late dad made the same complaint 30 odd years ago. Everyone else in a rush, always being tailgated. He did turn into a dawdler as he got older, probably will happen to most of us.
Unfortunately so - I have seen my FIL go from a 90mph cruiser to one of those people who slows down just after they pull away from a green light to point at a building and start talking about what it was before they turned it into flats. It's interesting when you are the only car there, but when there is a queue behind you can feel the hate burning into you from behind. Mrs D insists on driving if we ever go somewhere in his car as it's the best way to reduce stress levels (FIL not driving) whilst saving face (not suggesting to FIL that the driving should be done by a different man, me).
A few years ago I had a car with adaptive cruise control. The gap it held to the car in front was adjustable (1-5) and it automatically compensated for speed (it would close the gap right down in stop-start traffic). It retained the setting once adjusted and I liked number “4”, which gave a comfortable gap even after I’d learned to trust the system.
What’s this got to do with the price of fish?
When I bought the car (second hand) the adaptive cruise was set to 1… Whoever had the car before me must have been quite content to cruise along with a <0.5 second gap to the car in front. Terrified me until I worked out how to adjust it!
What’s this got to do with the price of fish?
When I bought the car (second hand) the adaptive cruise was set to 1… Whoever had the car before me must have been quite content to cruise along with a <0.5 second gap to the car in front. Terrified me until I worked out how to adjust it!
WelshRich said:
A few years ago I had a car with adaptive cruise control. The gap it held to the car in front was adjustable (1-5) and it automatically compensated for speed (it would close the gap right down in stop-start traffic). It retained the setting once adjusted and I liked number “4”, which gave a comfortable gap even after I’d learned to trust the system.
What’s this got to do with the price of fish?
When I bought the car (second hand) the adaptive cruise was set to 1… Whoever had the car before me must have been quite content to cruise along with a <0.5 second gap to the car in front. Terrified me until I worked out how to adjust it!
that is the opposite of my experience with adaptive cruise (VW) The closest setting was still an invitation for somebody to fill the gap, at which point the car stuck the anchors on to regain the gap. Spent more time looking in the mirror! I gave up on it. I guess it would work if everyone had it.What’s this got to do with the price of fish?
When I bought the car (second hand) the adaptive cruise was set to 1… Whoever had the car before me must have been quite content to cruise along with a <0.5 second gap to the car in front. Terrified me until I worked out how to adjust it!
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