Straightening a bend
Discussion
When going around a corner, is it correct to 'straighten' it by using the full width of the road? Roadcraft and the IAM's How to be an Advanced Driver both seem to say that, where it is safe to do so, you should initially position yourself at the outside of the corner to improve visibility and once you can see past the exit you should move in towards the inside of the corner (in your lane) and then back towards the centre of the lane once you have exited the corner.
However, I've just been on my first observed drive with the IAM and my observer said that the only positioning you should do in a corner is moving towards the outside to improve visibility and that 'straightening' a corner is not something that the IAM practices.
However, I've just been on my first observed drive with the IAM and my observer said that the only positioning you should do in a corner is moving towards the outside to improve visibility and that 'straightening' a corner is not something that the IAM practices.
softtop said:
You are asking a volunteer to go out with someone who drives on the wrong side of the road??? Having been there I know what you are talking about but if you were involved in an accident.... They want you to pass your test and you can do that just by using your side of the road and applying the techniques
Sorry, I wrote that badly. I should have written "use the full width of your lane". I'm not talking about driving on the wrong side of the road.
Big Fat F'er said:
SamHH said:
When going around a corner, is it correct to 'straighten' it by using the full width of the road?
SamHH - as a matter of interest, do you mean using the full width of the road (both lanes) to straighten out a bend, or do you mean using the full width of your lane to take a different line around a corner.
Once you've defined that, the interminable debate can start on the best line.
BFF
The full width of your lane, not the the full width of the road (both lanes). Sorry for the ambiguity.
DarkMatter said:
The way I understand or interpret the IAM method is that, where it is safe to do so, you should always do as you describe but the reason is not to straighten the bend but to improve your visibilty and to give yourself space to steer away from any hazard that was not foreseen. The side effect of this is a 'straightening' of the bend which enables you to adopt a more 'press on' style of driving which is what the IAM does, or did, advocate.
The IAM manual says:
How to be an Advanced Driver said:
The best course through a corner means adjusting your position on the road to seek two benefits - to obtain the best view ahead and to 'straighten' the curve.
Based on that I would say that you should start on the outside of the corner (within your lane) and once you can see past the exit move to the inside of the corner (within your lane) thereby 'straightening' the bend. Once you have finished going round the corner you would return to the centre of your lane.
However, when I asked my observer about this she said that straightening a bend in this way is not something the IAM does. She said that the only objective of positioning in corners is to improve visibility. This means starting on the outside of the corner (in your lane) and once you can see past the exit, moving back to the centre of your lane.
Obviously, I'm talking about the optimum path; there might be obstacles that force you to take an alternative, safer position.
Edited by SamHH on Wednesday 13th December 14:01
Big Fat F'er said:
SamHH said:
.....my observer said....
SamHH - don't give up on your Observer just yet.
A lot of folk take great pleasure in stating that the IAM and Roadcraft and Rospa (and yes, even HPC) are too prescriptive, and that they should allow individual interpretation. Yet when your Observer gives her individual interpretation (which I happen to think is worng, just like someothers) it's recommended you drop her.
Get your head around some ideas, and discuss it with her. If She still can't or won't explain, THEN do something about her.
The info is out there.
BFF
Of course. I'm not going to ask to change observers simply on the basis of this. Maybe my observer and I misunderstood each other. I'll bring it up again next time, and this time I'll have Roadcraft and the IAM manual on hand so that she can see what exactly I mean.
I brought up this topic again when I went out with my observer today. Initially she said the same thing as last time: you should stick to the outside of your lane when going round a bend and not attempt to 'straighten' it. I showed her the relevant section of Roadcraft. She seemed to be unfamiliar with this section and felt that it was instructing readers to compromise visibility in favour of reducing cornering forces (the diagram does make it look like this).
However, she accepted that 'straightening' a bend is part of Roadcraft and suggested that a compromise must be struck between doing this and gaining maximum visibility. I'm glad we sorted it out but am surprised that she wasn't more familiar with this technique and how it should be applied.
However, she accepted that 'straightening' a bend is part of Roadcraft and suggested that a compromise must be struck between doing this and gaining maximum visibility. I'm glad we sorted it out but am surprised that she wasn't more familiar with this technique and how it should be applied.
Edited by SamHH on Thursday 21st December 14:51
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