Coming back from London after several days there, happy and contented on the A24 dual carriageway into Dorking, then after Dorking. An eager-beaverish woman in a black Yaris was trying to go, not fast, but a bit faster than me. But she didn't know which lane to be in and I passed her in Dorking. Next bit of dual carriageway she appeared again and I wnet into the nearside lane to let her past. She took her time over it. Then focused properly again and found that the blue Golf in front had braked sharply without signalling and that my comfortable hundred-yard gap was down to 30 yards, the Golf was almost at a halt and we were doing fiftyish. Simultaneously herself was saying Ooh, ooh. It was raining and the road was wet.
Braking wouldn't have done it so it was a fairly violent jink to the right into the outside lane past the Golf which was in fact turning off to the left, bad cess to it. Done tidily and without braking. I am relieved to find that my reactions are still correct and pretty prompt. But good drivers don't need their goddam reactions, right?
Haven't had a moment that fraught for at least five years. Just as well I had found the only working tyre pump in London yesterday and done the pressures. Because the one that loses most air quickest is the n/s front, which had to take the first and most important bite at the jink manoeuvre. If it had had 26 psi instead of its proper 33 things could have been a bit untidier.
I hang my head in shame and stare miserably at my feet.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sun 10 Jun 12 at 18:21
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Don't beat yourself up over it, AC. I think that you did very well in the circumstances.
". . . the blue Golf in front had braked sharply without signalling. . ." You can't expect every car in front of you to be doing that - you'd be a nervous wreck by the end of your journey if you did!
The key thing is that you had left yourself a "comfortable" gap, which left you time and space to take corrective action. Now if you'd been one of those plonkers who drives way too close to the car in front (and it's not *ahem* only certain brands!) . . .
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We've all done it AC.
My usual ones are at roundabouts. Car in front looks like it will go, plenty of room, I look right with my car still flowing .......and the carphound bottles it.....leaving me to attack their rear.
Done that several times over the 30 years or so i've been driving, so i'm obviously not learning.
Funny thing is, on every occasion they've apologised to me! When strictly speaking it's my fault.
One bloke just drove off, despite me giving him rather a large and loud clout, so I presumed he had no docs.
There's never been any damage though, just a good nudge.
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Thats what the Bumpers were for! but since the latest fad is to claim, claim, claim, manufacturers have realised they can save a few "bob" by not fitting them, and renaming the unprotected panels "Valences"!
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My HGV instructor taught me years ago a good tip for roundabouts and it's always kept me off the bumper in front of me!
If you have to stop behind traffic, never allow yourself to check for traffic from the right until ALL the traffic has gone from in front of you...fix your eyes on that vehicle in front and keep them on it until he enters the roundabout.
Pat
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fix your eyes on that vehicle in front and keep them on it until he enters the roundabout.
That's what I was taught later in life as well Pat.
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>>My HGV instructor taught me years ago a good tip for roundabouts and it's always kept me off the bumper in front of me<<
Good advice, it would have saved me more-than a couple of rear enders over the years!
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You were lucky there was nothing in lane 2 - you'd have taken a bike out ! (not a judgement) - I had a moment on the way home from work on Friday - In the three series, Britannia Bridge was queuing in lane 1 and queue jumpers sneak into gaps, I've done it myself on the bike and did it yesterday. Anyway a LWB transit mini bus went into the gap in front of me - and we all drove across the bridge, the exit is a two laner 50 zone, the van and I accelerated together, suddenly he slammed on and veered off the road onto the chevrons, I think he missed the turn off, whatever it was I slammed on as well,ABS came on for what seemed like eternity. The car held its line despite the wet slippery surface. Whoops..
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>> lucky there was nothing in lane 2 - you'd have taken a bike out !
Well tell me about it Rob. I like to think I would have been aware, especially with bikes which have lights and often come up very fast in those zones.
But to tell the truth it was one of those moments when you don't have time to check. I have been wondering if there was a real eager beaver on the Yaris woman's tail, but if so he was gone. There were a couple of citizens behind m in the l/h lane, but nothing offside near enough to matter. Alhamdulillah! though because there really wasn't time to check or look or anything.
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Good reactions A.C for a older gentleman..;) Been there myself a few times you need lady luck.
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>> Been there myself a few times you need lady luck.
Me too of course, things I shudder to remember, but I thought I had grown out of it Dutchie.
No fool like an old fool they say (a bit unkindly).
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sun 10 Jun 12 at 20:50
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Thinking about your moment highlights potential dangers in some of my habits - Riding out to meet some like-minded friends yesterday afternoon encountered a queue on the bridge (but going the other way onto the mainland - as we call it) - the approved style for locals is to go into lane two avoiding two very close and busy on-slips....what I hadn't computed was that there was a broken down car in lane one and the ones held up were pulling wlly-nilly into lane 2, I was well tucked up but close to the barriers (not a good place to be) avoiding some numpty who had his hand out of his window....
What amazes me is how much information the eyes and brain processes in situations like this, some bits are on auto-pilot others are executing thought out adjustments to speed, course and other minute changes which contribute to the greater. Thinking through stuff afterwards it's incredible that the analysis and reaction to situations have happened in the space of very few seconds...especially at speed.....
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The brain has a fantastic ability to judge where something should be at a given time.
If someone threw a ball at you and you had to see its exact position, then lift your arms up to it you would miss it every time.
Your hands go to the position your brain thinks the ball will be at that time - hence how you can hone skills through practise.
It is also why illusions work, by putting objects where your brain doesn't expect them to be.
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The black Spaniel has this amazing spacial awareness - the little 'un is working up to it. He can place himself within a gnat's whisker of where a ball is going to land in our back garden, this includes a multi meter sprint to the approximate location (Garden's is near enough 60 meters deep and around 25 meters wide) and then manoeuvring himself to the point of impact once he reaches the projected landing zone - remarkable eye co-ordination, layers of precision pre-planning and high level of fitness contribute. Never ceases to amaze me...such a mundane exercise in reality but huge levels of multi-tasking for him.
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>> It is also why illusions work, by putting objects where your brain doesn't expect them
>> to be.
Sometimes what the brain sees in no way resembles what actually exists in any given time. Everything we see is controlled by past history and future expectation.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 10 Jun 12 at 21:55
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>Sometimes what the brain sees in no way resembles what actually exists in any given time.
Especially if it's non-prescription?
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>> >Sometimes what the brain sees in no way resembles what actually exists in any given
>> time.
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>> Especially if it's non-prescription?
Specsavers is the cure of course.
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Don't knock Specsavers ! Got a 2 pairs of glasses - mid range (not designer) - well made with decent lenses that outclass the last Boots prescription - all including a thorough eye-test for less than a 100 pounds !
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You are a good motorbike rider Rob.You'r reactions will be defend myself at all times reacting without thinking.Riding a motorbike is a dangerous hobby.
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Never over-estimate your skill....adrenaline keeps you fired up !
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And always remember there is always someone else around the corner trying to kill you.
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And remember there is always someone round the corner making a concerted effort to ruin your day. And that's in addition to the Old Bill :)
Funnily enough I took the Sprint out today with the idea of giving it an 'airing'. Its been a while with all the carp weather. Anyway I just did not feel right on the machine. Don't know what it was but man and machine was not in perfect harmony. So it was round the block and back in the garage. Better safe than sorry. You do have to be up for it and today I wasn't. Maybe tomorrow.
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I met a couple of roundabout carphounds today.
They'll enter a roundabout from the LH lane of a dual carriageway and go straight on, but exit in the RH lane, changing lane on the roundabout and driving as if there's ice on the road (with no signals of course).
They seem surprised when I 'warn of my presence' and both slowed to a crawl.
I wasn't prepared to compromise myself and left them to their own devices.
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It all adds to life's rich pattern.
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A moment - Londoner
