Reg's Youtube thread

[Reg Local]

I'll start off with my latest upload - Overtaking:

https://youtu.be/SjFWKVYfkpE

[Reg Local]

Blakewater said:

ds666 said:

I enjoyed the video. However I question how safe the overtake was at around 20 minutes. At the point you commit to the overtake there is a slow warning sign on the road and some hazard warning sign on the verge (can't read it clearly on the video) .
I'd suggest that it is never sensible to overtake across a junction/ exit (looks like a garden centre in this case). The car emerging was largely unsighted as you start the overtake. What if they had been turning right??

Edited by ds666 on Thursday 12th May 09:37

It's past here. An overtake in the same place features on the Classic Reg overtaking video, though from a little further back.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.7206138,-2.57078...

The buildings to the left and the rise of the bridge to seem to obscure the view a little bit. The guy in the junction looked positioned to turn left and pulling out in that moment would have conflicted with the green Suzuki. I suppose there was always the option to move in behind the Suzuki if it looked like he was going to pull out.

Sorry - I missed this question when it was posted.

As Blakewater pointed out, there were a couple of "alternative options" available. If there's a junction ahead, your plan should be to either wait until you're past it or complete the overtake before you get to it. "complete the overtake" doesn't necessarily mean you should have returned fully to the nearside - just that you should be fully past the overtaken vehicle with enough time to return to the nearside if necessary.

In this case, option 1 was to pull in between the first overtaken vehicle (my Dad!) and the second one. After moving out to pass Dad, it was clear that the second one was on, and it was also clear from his positioning and actions that the vehicle in the junction was:

a) intending to turn left, and;

b) not pulling out (no movement from the vehicle & the driver was looking in our direction).

It was clear I could be past the Suzuki well before the junction, and to compensate for the vehicle waiting to emerge, I stayed offside, so that, even if he had pulled out, we would not have come into conflict.

[Reg Local]

Just uploaded my latest video - Steering:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M13T2rhYf8

[Reg Local]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

Great stuff, as ever!

The opening music does make it sound like a documentary about paedophiles, or about drug gangs.

I'm curious about the term "rotational steering". I had always used that term to refer to the "hand-over-hand" technique where your arms cross. A quick Google reveals a roughly 50:50 split between people using the term in that way versus people using it the way Reg has used it to refer to what I call "fixed hand" steering.

Yeah - music choice isn't easy. My original choice felt like it was writing a cheque the video couldn't cash. You can thank Mrs Local for picking the new one, which is called "Spaghetti Guitar in Space". It'll do for now.

For me, rotational steering means keeping a fixed grip on the wheel throughout most steering inputs, but if you need more than 180 degrees of lock, you'll need to remove one hand and then cross over in a "hand-over-hand" style. So for me, both of your descriptions are correct.

rainmakerraw said:

Good stuff as ever, Reg. I'm liking the website, but did you know the 'videos' graphic link on the home page (when you scroll down) is missing a picture? The other three section links have pics which are also clickable, but the videos one is blank. I thought the page wasn't made yet at first, until I realised the text was clickable as well (and there's a link at the top). Just in case you missed it mate.

Thanks for the heads-up. The icon was working fine for me from a number of different connections - perhaps it's an issue at your end? I've edited the site and replaced the icon with a different one, so we'll see if that works.

[Reg Local]

Len Woodman said:

Thanks - are you going to do any in-town videos?

Yes, it's on the list!

[Reg Local]

No worries Doug. I've spent the last few evenings editing a new cornering video which should be ready to upload some time tomorrow. I'll update this thread when it's available.

[Reg Local]

As above - just uploaded my latest video - Cornering Revisited:

https://youtu.be/L13E7ou-BhY

Following on from my first video and some of the comments relating to offside position, this one was filmed on a road with a much wider variety of corners with differing views on approach.

[Reg Local]

greygoose said:

Nice video, what time of day was it to be so traffic free? Have you got any tips for dealing with night time driving as I seem to find oncoming vehicles' headlights are incredibly bright nowadays and can be almost blinding?

Early! It was about 7.00am. If you leave it any later the bikers start to appear, and I didn't want to be held up

I'll definitely do a a night-driving video, but I'll probably wait until the nights start to draw in a bit!

[Reg Local]

It's been a couple of months since I posted anything on Youtube, so I thought I'd bring my cameras and laptop away with me on holiday up to North West Scotland.

We travelled up on Saturday and the traffic was busier than we're used to north of Glasgow, but we normally come up here in autumn/winter. Mind you, the traffic allowed loads of overtakes, so I've edited the trip down to an 11 minute video & set it to some music which seems to suit the Scottish roads (I didn't think you'd want to listen to Mrs Local and me talking to each other - I know I don't).

Proper Scottish roads & overtaking start at about 1.25:

https://youtu.be/6NeXYVmUWg0

[Reg Local]

TheExcession said:

Nice video - even if the music is a bit over the top!

Please would you make some comment regarding the motorcyclists at 2:40?

Specifically regarding why you decided to over take the car first and not allow the bikes to pass first, can you think back to your rear observations at the time and explain what 'messages/signals' you picked up from their road positioning etc. which prompted you to go first.

Thanks.

The bikes were 2 cars back when I started the overtake & because the view opened up to me first, I was out on the overtake a couple of seconds before they moved out. They'd only just caught up with me as I moved back to the nearside, so it all timed out perfectly.

ashleyman said:

I'd also be interested to hear about what happened at 4:28. Overtaking by utilising the opposing carriageway right turn lane and driving over hatchings.
I always thought both of those were big nos.

Anyway, very much enjoyed the video.

The hatched area is for the Glencoe ski area which was off to the left, so it would only be used by oncoming vehicles turning to my left & there was no possibility that the vehicle in front of me would use it. When these areas are bordered with a broken line, then there's nothing wrong with using them for an overtake if there is no possibility that you'll come into conflict with anyone else.

routari said:

Are you from the Barryboys forum? I remember a guy on there called R_U_Local or something that would do driving tip stuff.

I resemble that question. Any similarity between me and that RUL character are purely co-incidental.

[Reg Local]

dvenman said:

Reg - at about 6:30 in the video, there's a nice overtake on a left hand curve where the view opens up nicely. Any chance you could talk us through the information you had leading up to the overtakes, as it's not clear from the video how much crossview you had off to the left and how you came to the conclusion it was safe ? Not intended to say it was unsafe, but I'd like to understand the decision making process.

I had a nice, early extended view all the way round that left-hander and whilst exiting the previous left-hander, I'd been able to see that the entrance on the right had a gate just inside it which was closed (so no danger of a vehicle emerging).

I delayed the overtake until it was clear that neither vehicle was going to turn right.

[Reg Local]

Another new one - Single Track Roads:

https://youtu.be/DrX-9zD1FEo

Not the most exciting of subjects I know, but there's a bit more to it than you might think.

[Reg Local]

A couple more from the Scottish Highlands.

Night Driving (with a guest appearance at 08:10!):

https://youtu.be/0wFfd5g13J4

And Cornering Lines - I've used a drone for part of this footage - it's not brilliant, but you should get the general idea. I'll keep working on it.

https://youtu.be/4w5IjyNIFbE

[Reg Local]

titian said:

Blakewater - please explain further where the flashing lights are on the A59, I travel along it most days but can't understand your comment

Flashing lights on the A59 warning of the staggered junction:

[Reg Local]

Latest video is now available - Advanced Demonstration drive:

https://youtu.be/iMamqeEN0yc

[Reg Local]

TheExcession said:

Reg Local said:

Latest video is now available - Advanced Demonstration drive:

https://youtu.be/iMamqeEN0yc

Good stuff Reg, that's a really useful video to present to a learner, very calm, very relaxed, indeed a this is what you should be doing commentary.

I have one question though, probably at retard level. At a stop, or queuing in a line of traffic on the approach to a junction. How long should you sit there with the clutch depressed and the car in firts gear?

I'm a big fan of handbrake on, selecting neutral, foot off the clutch and then prepping for the next move.

Prepping meaning, that the car is not ready to move, but you are.

Is it acceptable to sit there in first gear with the clutch peddle depressed?

As a rule of thumb, I generally advise that you can roll to a stop on the brakes and then take first gear ready to go if you're likely to move off again straight away, but if you're going to be stationary for more than 3 seconds, you should go handbrake-neutral.

There is no massive problem with sitting in 1st gear, clutch down and waiting to go, but there are 3 potential issues. The first is that you're putting the clutch release mechanism under slightly more strain than you would if you waited in neutral. The second is that a slip off the clutch would result in a lurch forward which wouldn't happen in neutral and the third is that you won't get full advantage of the stop-start system if your car is so equipped (and if such things bother you).

So my advice is to go handbrake-neutral until the point where you anticipate you'll be about to move off, then take first gear and wait on the handbrake ready to go.

[Reg Local]

Just uploaded my latest video. For the past week, my mate Andy and I have been in Siberia having a few driving adventures, so I've got loads of stuff to upload over the next few weeks. This is just a short introduction.

https://youtu.be/NAcSClLgvik

[Reg Local]

greygoose said:

Looks an interesting trip, how much was travel insurance when you said you were going for a driving holiday to Russia?! Is that Andy with the fastest three wheeled Scenic at Llandow?

Got a hire car with all the optional insurances, just in case. I also opted for the cheapest, crappiest hire car possible, in anticipation of minor indiscretions on frozen roads surrounded by Russians. As it turned out, if you adopt a non-involvement policy & give everybody else priority, the local driving standards aren't all that bad.

And yes, that's the same Daft Andy:

[Reg Local]

First full Siberian video: "Driving in Siberia Part 1 - City Driving"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYGkxSYBHrg

[Reg Local]

In my view, rotational steering and what you describe at "fixed grip" steering are the same thing up to a point.

In referring to rotational steering in my video, I mean keeping a fixed grip on the steering wheel an applying up to about 45-60 degrees (at most) of steering without moving your hands from their original position on the wheel.

There is no reference to "fixed grip steering" in Roadcraft - just pull-push and rotational techniques, although the description of the first part of rotational steering is, effectively a fixed grip technique.

Hope that clears it up?!