PH guide to safe, fast road driving.
PH guide to safe, fast road driving.
Author
Discussion

Benbay001

Original Poster:

5,894 posts

187 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
After a friend of mine wrote his car off last night after plowing into a bridge, from driving far too fast for the road and the conditions, it got me wondering, what are the keys to safe, fast and considerate road driving?
Ideally 10 key points.
The five i can think of which have served me well are:
  • If you feel uncomfortable driving as fast as you are, slow down
  • Built up areas should always be taken especially slowly and very cautiously
  • If you think you are cornering near your cars grip level and you cant see to the next straight, then youre going too fast.
  • Getting close to the car in front wont get you to yours destination any faster and will severely hamper your view
  • Stereotypes are usually correct

Anyone got some more than they would like to add?

And yes, i was talking about a friend, not a "FRIEND"!

talksthetorque

10,821 posts

165 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
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coffee

Synchromesh

2,428 posts

196 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
Well I'll start with the obvious one then...

Always drive such that you can stop (on your side of the road) in the distance you can see to be clear, and reasonably expect to stay clear.

Monkeylegend

29,453 posts

261 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
Never ever exceed the speed limits.

0a

24,158 posts

224 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
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If in doubt, don't, and be happy you didn't. This applies to pulling out, making the gap, overtaking and so on.

Secondly, concentrate on enjoyable driving, not fast driving per se on the road.

Ian974

3,202 posts

229 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
Fasten your seatbelt and use your lights when its dark. If your friend needs to be reminded of information that basic and obvious I'd imagine he'd probably need reminded of those too.

Benbay001

Original Poster:

5,894 posts

187 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
Ian974 said:
use your lights when its dark.
yes And when its drizzling.

Frik

13,690 posts

273 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
Synchromesh said:
Well I'll start with the obvious one then...

Always drive such that you can stop (on your side of the road) in the distance you can see to be clear, and reasonably expect to stay clear.
A very good point, though I think a lot of people tend to overestimate how quickly they can stop...

I'd add giving yourself more space gives you more options. Also, always be aware of how your actions may be interpreted by other road users.

Tickle

6,495 posts

234 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
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Not sure who told me this when I first started driving and no doubt people will of heard it before, I got told before any overtaking manoeuvre,
Is it safe,
Is it legal,
Will it get me an advantage,

If any of them boxes cant be ticked dont do it. Its always stuck with me.


Squiggs

1,520 posts

185 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
Avoid hitting bridges at speed - infact avoid hitting anything whilst moving.

carl_w

10,771 posts

288 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
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"If in doubt, flat out"

shoestring7

6,194 posts

276 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
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Drive on the left.

HTH

SS7

Yazza54

20,337 posts

211 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
akaRob said:
MX-5. Even if it goes wrong, you won't be going fast enough to cause any harm to anything. hehe
Haha biggrin

jebus

278 posts

205 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
+1 wipers on, lights on.

On the road let the corners and straights flow together, slamming the brakes on and throwing it into the corner is pointless.

deal with tailgating tts by slowing down to either stupid troll like speeds, or they get the message and overtake or just pull over and let the gimp on their way, why let your drive be ruined by a simple git.

Proper Quality tires are important, who cares how good your suspension set up is, how powerful your engine is or how massive your brakes are, without good tyres to put that to the ground its going to be wasted.

TREMAiNE

4,164 posts

179 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
jebus said:
Proper Quality tires are important, who cares how good your suspension set up is, how powerful your engine is or how massive your brakes are, without good tyres to put that to the ground its going to be wasted.
+1 - I have a friend that proclaims that his car handles and brakes so well its OK to spend 50 quid per corner... No matter how good a 300bhp Scooby is, you need good rubber.

The Tea Boy

4,129 posts

265 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
Slowing down won't make the gap any bigger wink

In all seriousness,
If it doesn't feel right it'll end up with a fright!


(as to the mx5 comment! rofl )

s p a c e m a n

12,123 posts

178 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
Where was he in a rush to get to and was it worth killing his car for? You don't need to give people safe guides to driving fast, you just need to make them realise that its only worth pressing on when there is no danger of fking up.

I'm all for a blast about but I only do it in places that I know with my eyes closed, there is hardly anyone else about and I never drive beyond my capabilities on a public road. Crashing into a bridge suggests that he needs to change his attitude, not be given a tutorial on how to do stuff.

Debaser

8,560 posts

291 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
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Look ahead (and all around)
Anticipate
Assume other road users are idiots
Stay alert

Monkeylegend

29,453 posts

261 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
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Slow in, fast out.

seeby

1,807 posts

200 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
Stop before you hit a bridge biggrin