Friday afternoon on the motorway.
Discussion
I really don't get it, I know the general standard of driving is pretty bad and apparently there are half a million crashes in the UK every year but its every Friday afternoon without fail that it all goes to pot.
This is near me and luckily I was going the opposite way to most of the carnage this time bit wherever I drive, and its in lots of different places its the same old story. how do people manage to crash so often and more importantly why, its why we have brakes, they stop you from hitting anything else but most people must think, oh its too much bother to stand on the pedal I'll just smash into something to stop in stead. do they not realise that when the inevitable happens its such an upheaval and that's if they walk away uninjured or not hurt anyone else. Even if its just a dented bumper its a world of hire cars, waiting for lifts, endless phone calls, missed time from work, getting wet waiting for a bus, form filling, maybe time at the police station, etc etc etc. Why would anyone want all that.
This is near me and luckily I was going the opposite way to most of the carnage this time bit wherever I drive, and its in lots of different places its the same old story. how do people manage to crash so often and more importantly why, its why we have brakes, they stop you from hitting anything else but most people must think, oh its too much bother to stand on the pedal I'll just smash into something to stop in stead. do they not realise that when the inevitable happens its such an upheaval and that's if they walk away uninjured or not hurt anyone else. Even if its just a dented bumper its a world of hire cars, waiting for lifts, endless phone calls, missed time from work, getting wet waiting for a bus, form filling, maybe time at the police station, etc etc etc. Why would anyone want all that.
Frane Selak said:
I really don't get it, I know the general standard of driving is pretty bad and apparently there are half a million crashes in the UK every year but its every Friday afternoon without fail that it all goes to pot.
This is near me and luckily I was going the opposite way to most of the carnage this time bit wherever I drive, and its in lots of different places its the same old story. how do people manage to crash so often and more importantly why, its why we have brakes, they stop you from hitting anything else but most people must think, oh its too much bother to stand on the pedal I'll just smash into something to stop in stead. do they not realise that when the inevitable happens its such an upheaval and that's if they walk away uninjured or not hurt anyone else. Even if its just a dented bumper its a world of hire cars, waiting for lifts, endless phone calls, missed time from work, getting wet waiting for a bus, form filling, maybe time at the police station, etc etc etc. Why would anyone want all that.
Are you suggesting that people decide to have a crash instead of braking? Or that brakes can prevent any and all accidents? Because clearly neither of those things is true. This is near me and luckily I was going the opposite way to most of the carnage this time bit wherever I drive, and its in lots of different places its the same old story. how do people manage to crash so often and more importantly why, its why we have brakes, they stop you from hitting anything else but most people must think, oh its too much bother to stand on the pedal I'll just smash into something to stop in stead. do they not realise that when the inevitable happens its such an upheaval and that's if they walk away uninjured or not hurt anyone else. Even if its just a dented bumper its a world of hire cars, waiting for lifts, endless phone calls, missed time from work, getting wet waiting for a bus, form filling, maybe time at the police station, etc etc etc. Why would anyone want all that.
_Neal_ said:
Are you suggesting that people decide to have a crash instead of braking? Or that brakes can prevent any and all accidents? Because clearly neither of those things is true.
well I don't know, I manage to stop without issues when something happens in front of me. If I decide to do something else instead of look out of the windows then that would be crashing on purpose wouldn't it, because its the first fundamental thing you need to do before you decide if you are going to brake. If you don't look then you wont bother to brake and just crash. Or if I decide to go from the outside lane straight to the slip road at the 100yd marker and swerve across all three lanes barging people out of the way, that too would be crashing on purpose from what I can see.Frane Selak said:
I really don't get it, I know the general standard of driving is pretty bad and apparently there are half a million crashes in the UK every year but its every Friday afternoon without fail that it all goes to pot.
This is near me and luckily I was going the opposite way to most of the carnage this time bit wherever I drive, and its in lots of different places its the same old story. how do people manage to crash so often and more importantly why, its why we have brakes, they stop you from hitting anything else but most people must think, oh its too much bother to stand on the pedal I'll just smash into something to stop in stead. do they not realise that when the inevitable happens its such an upheaval and that's if they walk away uninjured or not hurt anyone else. Even if its just a dented bumper its a world of hire cars, waiting for lifts, endless phone calls, missed time from work, getting wet waiting for a bus, form filling, maybe time at the police station, etc etc etc. Why would anyone want all that.
Simple, people drive too quickly, too close together and don t have time to react, and crash, because they are in a rush or whatever ,it is the same around Newport every Friday, at least one rear end shunt when the traffic slows quickly around the tunnelsThis is near me and luckily I was going the opposite way to most of the carnage this time bit wherever I drive, and its in lots of different places its the same old story. how do people manage to crash so often and more importantly why, its why we have brakes, they stop you from hitting anything else but most people must think, oh its too much bother to stand on the pedal I'll just smash into something to stop in stead. do they not realise that when the inevitable happens its such an upheaval and that's if they walk away uninjured or not hurt anyone else. Even if its just a dented bumper its a world of hire cars, waiting for lifts, endless phone calls, missed time from work, getting wet waiting for a bus, form filling, maybe time at the police station, etc etc etc. Why would anyone want all that.
Same thing happens at port talbot
When ever it’s rained heavily there’s a crash at Bridgend where people hit the standing water in lane 3 and aquaplane into the hard shoulder
Same in the m5 around Weston, the motorway is very straight there, and every week without fail someone flips their caravan
Every Monday and Friday in the winter there is a crash on the m4 interchange with the m5, the traffic queues in the left lane, people go to pull into a gap but because of the low sun fail to see cars in the gap and crash into the side of someone
Edited by Quattr04. on Friday 8th May 16:06
Its why i always prayed for a single long run rather than a shorter double run on a Friday at work, 3am start back in the yard just after midday.
Friday mornings are generally quieter and have been since the lockdown farce than the rest of the week, its once you get to around midday that lemming lunacy really kicks off, the lack of driving competence has to be seen to be believed coupled with the desperate rush so many appear to be in to get somewhere, even if that somewhere gets cut short in a crash which has just thrown a spanner in their weekend plans.
Don't get me started on the rubber neckers who have to slow to a crawl causing miles of queues as they file past open mouthed to witness a creased Corsa bumper causing no actual reason for delay sat on the hard shoulder assuming there is one, several extra miles of queue guaranteed if the wombles are on scene complete with cones.
The answer to it is have google traffic (or waze which i can't make head or tail of) running on your phone constantly on the dash and to keep a beady eye on it, have several alternative routes already pre planned in your mind ready to change course as soon as the twerps do their thing further ahead, which they always do.
Please follow any alternative routes satnav instructs, i'll be on the old roads and alternatives satnav doesn't advise and would like a clear run, ta.
Friday mornings are generally quieter and have been since the lockdown farce than the rest of the week, its once you get to around midday that lemming lunacy really kicks off, the lack of driving competence has to be seen to be believed coupled with the desperate rush so many appear to be in to get somewhere, even if that somewhere gets cut short in a crash which has just thrown a spanner in their weekend plans.
Don't get me started on the rubber neckers who have to slow to a crawl causing miles of queues as they file past open mouthed to witness a creased Corsa bumper causing no actual reason for delay sat on the hard shoulder assuming there is one, several extra miles of queue guaranteed if the wombles are on scene complete with cones.
The answer to it is have google traffic (or waze which i can't make head or tail of) running on your phone constantly on the dash and to keep a beady eye on it, have several alternative routes already pre planned in your mind ready to change course as soon as the twerps do their thing further ahead, which they always do.
Please follow any alternative routes satnav instructs, i'll be on the old roads and alternatives satnav doesn't advise and would like a clear run, ta.
_Neal_ said:
Frane Selak said:
I really don't get it, I know the general standard of driving is pretty bad and apparently there are half a million crashes in the UK every year but its every Friday afternoon without fail that it all goes to pot.
This is near me and luckily I was going the opposite way to most of the carnage this time bit wherever I drive, and its in lots of different places its the same old story. how do people manage to crash so often and more importantly why, its why we have brakes, they stop you from hitting anything else but most people must think, oh its too much bother to stand on the pedal I'll just smash into something to stop in stead. do they not realise that when the inevitable happens its such an upheaval and that's if they walk away uninjured or not hurt anyone else. Even if its just a dented bumper its a world of hire cars, waiting for lifts, endless phone calls, missed time from work, getting wet waiting for a bus, form filling, maybe time at the police station, etc etc etc. Why would anyone want all that.
Are you suggesting that people decide to have a crash instead of braking? Or that brakes can prevent any and all accidents? Because clearly neither of those things is true. This is near me and luckily I was going the opposite way to most of the carnage this time bit wherever I drive, and its in lots of different places its the same old story. how do people manage to crash so often and more importantly why, its why we have brakes, they stop you from hitting anything else but most people must think, oh its too much bother to stand on the pedal I'll just smash into something to stop in stead. do they not realise that when the inevitable happens its such an upheaval and that's if they walk away uninjured or not hurt anyone else. Even if its just a dented bumper its a world of hire cars, waiting for lifts, endless phone calls, missed time from work, getting wet waiting for a bus, form filling, maybe time at the police station, etc etc etc. Why would anyone want all that.
It s generally lack of observation, inattentiveness and driving on auto pilot.
I settle into this mode as well, especially on longer drives. Start doing commentary, aloud, if by myself, or in my head if the terrors are sleeping to shake myself out of it.
Really if there was anything I took away from my advanced driving course, it was this. A lot of the other stuff, like shuffling the wheel, doesn t make much difference at the end of the day. Observation makes a HUGE difference.
OP, get yourself on an advanced driving course. Can discuss this sort of thing ‘till your heart is content and get guided by experienced Police drivers.
I settle into this mode as well, especially on longer drives. Start doing commentary, aloud, if by myself, or in my head if the terrors are sleeping to shake myself out of it.
Really if there was anything I took away from my advanced driving course, it was this. A lot of the other stuff, like shuffling the wheel, doesn t make much difference at the end of the day. Observation makes a HUGE difference.
OP, get yourself on an advanced driving course. Can discuss this sort of thing ‘till your heart is content and get guided by experienced Police drivers.
Edited by wyson on Saturday 9th May 10:41
Its not me that has crashed, from what it looks like most days but especially on a Friday is that I'm the only one that hasn't crashed. Oh and the nonly reason that I put it in this subject is because in the past when I've posted something about driving its been moved to this section so I thought I'd save the mods the bother. I did think it should have gone into general gassing.
And lastly, I don't see what's odd about asking why so many people are willing to cause crashes on the road so readily, if not on what amounts to purpose, we were always taught self preservation. I used to do some work down south a lot and without fail every Friday afternoon coming back north on the M5 or especially the M6 it would be massive tailbacks caused by some idiot or idiots bringing the network to a standstill, I've not walked through my front door sometimes until 10PM despite leaving somewhere at least 200 miles away from home at lunch time. I managed to do that journey time after time without incident, why is it so hard for others.
And lastly, I don't see what's odd about asking why so many people are willing to cause crashes on the road so readily, if not on what amounts to purpose, we were always taught self preservation. I used to do some work down south a lot and without fail every Friday afternoon coming back north on the M5 or especially the M6 it would be massive tailbacks caused by some idiot or idiots bringing the network to a standstill, I've not walked through my front door sometimes until 10PM despite leaving somewhere at least 200 miles away from home at lunch time. I managed to do that journey time after time without incident, why is it so hard for others.
Frane Selak said:
Its not me that has crashed, from what it looks like most days but especially on a Friday is that I'm the only one that hasn't crashed. Oh and the nonly reason that I put it in this subject is because in the past when I've posted something about driving its been moved to this section so I thought I'd save the mods the bother. I did think it should have gone into general gassing.
And lastly, I don't see what's odd about asking why so many people are willing to cause crashes on the road so readily, if not on what amounts to purpose, we were always taught self preservation. I used to do some work down south a lot and without fail every Friday afternoon coming back north on the M5 or especially the M6 it would be massive tailbacks caused by some idiot or idiots bringing the network to a standstill, I've not walked through my front door sometimes until 10PM despite leaving somewhere at least 200 miles away from home at lunch time. I managed to do that journey time after time without incident, why is it so hard for others.
You're obviously just incredibly lucky. And lastly, I don't see what's odd about asking why so many people are willing to cause crashes on the road so readily, if not on what amounts to purpose, we were always taught self preservation. I used to do some work down south a lot and without fail every Friday afternoon coming back north on the M5 or especially the M6 it would be massive tailbacks caused by some idiot or idiots bringing the network to a standstill, I've not walked through my front door sometimes until 10PM despite leaving somewhere at least 200 miles away from home at lunch time. I managed to do that journey time after time without incident, why is it so hard for others.
Oh no wait a minute ....
No insights here. Obviously no one decides to have an accident. We do however tend to underestimate risk and / or decide to take more risk than we need to - e.g., who among us observes the 2 second rule? It would be interesting to find out if this would actually work on the SW quadrant of the M25 where appearances suggest there is a shortage of road space.
Fast moving traffic is like dominoes waiting to fall unfortunately. If each of us has a 1 in 100,000 chance of making a mistakes that causes a collision on a given day, that's still a lot of accidents and hold ups.
It doesn't always take an accident to cause a hold up either. Bunching just happens, see the Japanese RIng Experiment - 22 cars driving in a circle at a steady speed and eventually bunching causes a shockwave that results in cars being stationary. When that happens a collision becomes more likely.
It makes me imagine a man swinging a bucket full of water around his head. As long as he keeps swing the bucket, or stops in a controlled fashion, he stays dry. If something causes the bucket to stop suddenly then he is likely to get wet.
Then there is "driving to conditions" which some people simply don't do. Why are there people doing 80mph through traffic in heavy rain? When we drove cars on cross ply tyres and cart springs we all learned to slow down a bit because the loss of grip was obvious. Now it isn't, but the margins are still thinner than in the dry.
DIstraction. I seem to have more narrow squeaks when I have passengers, almost never on my own. I think because some of my attention inevitably goes to them. That's down to me to manage of course.
Over confidence and complacency. We soon forget our experiences while we 'get away with it'. For years my commute entailed driving on a notorious section of the A41 southbound in the Chilterns. Elevated (more chance of frost, fog) fast (no cameras) and with a series of short slip roads (slow vehicles joining). Every winter, as the first frost or foggy day arrived there would be an accident and long hold ups. It was so predictable I just went another way on those days.
As I said, no great insights.
You can however add in ignorance. Why are we not taught as new drivers how our eyes work and why it is possible to look without seeing? I found this on a cycling website a few years ago. Worth a few minutes. Suffice to say I now always look twice and that habit has certainly saved me a likely collision more than once.
We (I did) tend to think our eyes can pan like a camera. They don't. When we do that, they stop and look at two or three points. As they move between those points of focus, we are blind. This easy to prove, even though the brain provides what feels like uninterrupted vision. We might pick up something in peripheral vision, we might not - the cone of vision is surprisingly narrow.
This is how SMIDSY's happen - a sensation most of us will recognise even of we have never voiced the words "sorry mate, I didn't see you".
Summary - look methodically, look twice.
A Fighter Pilot's Guide to Surviving on the Roads
(downloadable link to pdf)
Fast moving traffic is like dominoes waiting to fall unfortunately. If each of us has a 1 in 100,000 chance of making a mistakes that causes a collision on a given day, that's still a lot of accidents and hold ups.
It doesn't always take an accident to cause a hold up either. Bunching just happens, see the Japanese RIng Experiment - 22 cars driving in a circle at a steady speed and eventually bunching causes a shockwave that results in cars being stationary. When that happens a collision becomes more likely.
It makes me imagine a man swinging a bucket full of water around his head. As long as he keeps swing the bucket, or stops in a controlled fashion, he stays dry. If something causes the bucket to stop suddenly then he is likely to get wet.
Then there is "driving to conditions" which some people simply don't do. Why are there people doing 80mph through traffic in heavy rain? When we drove cars on cross ply tyres and cart springs we all learned to slow down a bit because the loss of grip was obvious. Now it isn't, but the margins are still thinner than in the dry.
DIstraction. I seem to have more narrow squeaks when I have passengers, almost never on my own. I think because some of my attention inevitably goes to them. That's down to me to manage of course.
Over confidence and complacency. We soon forget our experiences while we 'get away with it'. For years my commute entailed driving on a notorious section of the A41 southbound in the Chilterns. Elevated (more chance of frost, fog) fast (no cameras) and with a series of short slip roads (slow vehicles joining). Every winter, as the first frost or foggy day arrived there would be an accident and long hold ups. It was so predictable I just went another way on those days.
As I said, no great insights.
You can however add in ignorance. Why are we not taught as new drivers how our eyes work and why it is possible to look without seeing? I found this on a cycling website a few years ago. Worth a few minutes. Suffice to say I now always look twice and that habit has certainly saved me a likely collision more than once.
We (I did) tend to think our eyes can pan like a camera. They don't. When we do that, they stop and look at two or three points. As they move between those points of focus, we are blind. This easy to prove, even though the brain provides what feels like uninterrupted vision. We might pick up something in peripheral vision, we might not - the cone of vision is surprisingly narrow.
This is how SMIDSY's happen - a sensation most of us will recognise even of we have never voiced the words "sorry mate, I didn't see you".
Summary - look methodically, look twice.
A Fighter Pilot's Guide to Surviving on the Roads
(downloadable link to pdf)
Edited by Manatee on Friday 10th July 22:26
mikeiow said:
I often feel people drive far too close for their speed & ability to react.
Naturally I am a driving god, & therefore don't suffer from that....
More seriously....I do think if more cars had adaptive cruise control (& drivers capable of using it), the numbers of crashes would reduce.
I think one of the 'bunching' experiments showed that a few 'smart' cars among the stream of traffic can prevent bunching, which apart form causing accidents also causes those jams where there has been no actual collision or obstacle.Naturally I am a driving god, & therefore don't suffer from that....
More seriously....I do think if more cars had adaptive cruise control (& drivers capable of using it), the numbers of crashes would reduce.
P2KKA said:
_Neal_ said:
Are you suggesting that people decide to have a crash instead of braking?
You must have never seen any of those dashcam channels. There are people that would absolutely prefer to crash because it makes them "right"Mr Squarekins said:
I was going to say the same. Rather than taking evasive action, alot of people seem to reach for the horn first. Then, it's too late.
Missed that one.1. It's been shown that people don't brake hard enough, soon enough.
2. People tend not to steer during 'panic' braking.
I passed my test pre-ABS. Do they teach people how to use it yet?
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