The other day we were stuck behind a van in a traffic jam. I got ready to go just before it showed any signs of moving, and we pulled away with no delay.
Mrs C, who is not a driver, asked how I knew. Easy enough. I'd used the reflections of the queue in a shop window further down.
It occurred to me afterwards that everyone probably has some little hints like this that aren't in the Highway Code. Others include watching shadows in a queue, looking under cars for pedestrians' feet just in case, always stopping behind the next car in the queue so you can just see all of his tyres, which should allow you to pull past if he stalls, and so on.
What little tips can you pass on that you use?
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Using the reflections in shop windows to parallel park.
Just this afternoon, saw the headlights of another car reflected in the paintwork of the car ahead of us on a blind 90 degree bend which would only have been there had he been planning to cross our bows. Gave a chance to consider the "what if he doesn't give way", and slow down in preparation for avoiding action.
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We used to live on an 'S' bend on our street and every few weeks my old man would stop, select reverse, hold the brakes, indicate left and right and look through the rear-view at the reflections of the back of the car in someone's living room.
And I do it now, either use a neighbour's window or reverse closely to a shiny silver car. But only if a warning on the dash tells me a light has failed.
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Mainly applies to lorries but would equally apply to caravan or trailer towing.
When at a junction controlled by traffic lights sit well back from the vehicle in front, then as the lights change the other way you can start rolling, judge it right and you will have closed the gap and be changing up as the vehicle in front pulls away, similar if you are the first vehicle at the lights.
You can check out more lady drivers apparently using this method, so i'm told.
Another lorry tip (improving mpg and progress) roll up to lights judging the change to not actually have to stop at all, i try not to use my brakes at all if possible, all deceleration done via gears and auxiliary braking...which doesn't necessarily relate to cars.
Pulling out on dangerous roundabouts, try and pull out beside the nearside of a bus or lorry as they pull out, anyone hooning round will have to get through them first before hitting you, also you can actually pull out blind this way with practice, but don't out accelerate the lorry till its shut the inside of the roundabout off in case a biker's nipping round.
Shop windows useful parking aids too.
Overtaking, sit well back and look up the inside of traffic in front on long left hand bends, judge it right and only you will know that the road ahead is clear, those numpties jammed 6ft from the lorry at the head of the queue trying to peer round the offside of it on a left hand bend will be there for ever as you overtake them all.
Overtaking 2, sitting well back and driving nonchalantly whilst planning also deprives the murderous half wits who infest our roads from trying to kill you by baulking or trying to out accelerate you when you have the ordacity to overtake, the stealth overtake is very satisfying.
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I used to check lights when reversing when I lived in Didsbury.... and then when a Vauxhall garage told me a rear light had failed I responded it can't have done because it was working earlier.... they then pointed our the (horrible company car) Vectra had two bulbs in each rear light and one had failed.
So they had even anticipated carp electrics so fitted two bulbs :-)
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I mentioned in an earlier thread a couple of weeks ago.......Ignore any driver flashing you to do something, irrespective of the situation.
Waiting to turn right into our road off the main road last week, a white van man coming towards me slowed down and flashed me across his front. I ignored him 'cos I'd already seen the TDF cyclist on his nearside who he'd just overtaken.
Probably thought I was an ungrateful prat........so what ? At least the cyclist hadn't got to perform any circus tricks to avoid me. Also works well for 17yr old kids on 30mph scoots.
I don't think H M Coroner would accept ' But the other car told me to go ' !
Think bike !
Ted
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>>TDF cyclist
Had to Google that!
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>> >>TDF cyclist
>>
>> Had to Google that!
>>
I assumed it meant To Die For cyclist! tinyurl.com/nv5o28r
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When making progress on a multi lane road. Watch for a closing gap on the vehicles you are about to overtake. The driver of the vehicle nearest you will either brake or pull out infront of you.
When negotiating a bend look at where the verges/kerbs meet. If that point is getting closer to you you are going too fast, stays the same distance you are travelling at the right speed, moving away from you then you are mimsing.
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When following vehicles whose brakelights come on randomly, be wary because it tends to mean they are texting at the wheel!
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On a twisty road, especially an unfamiliar one and even more so at night, you can extend your vision by using the eyes of the driver in front. By staying well back, you can read the leading car's behaviour as the driver sees around the corners well before you get to them. Doesn't always work - not much help if it's one of Bobby's brake-dabbers - but it's very satisfying when it does.
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Always look under front corner of stationary buses.
Check operation of all brake lights against the wall when reversing into space in underground car parks.
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The good lorry/caravan driving tips upthread are similar to the way you tend to Prius drive - lots of anticipation and so on. No reason, it's just that when there's bar charts everywhere telling you your consumption it focuses the mind on bettering it all the time (67mpg on the computer most days this week, mixed motorway and commuting)
It's always been, for some reason, in whatever car I am driving, a point of principle to me to use my brakes for the absolute minimum time, so that tends to mean not hooning up to red lights. Not using them for bends if it can be avoided, just taking them at a nice smooth speed. Keeping an eye on the cars six or seven ahead on country roads so you know that braking is going to happen and if you get it right, you don't have to. If all the cars in front brake one after the other and I don't have to then I'm happy.
All of that, of course, without holding anyone up.
Does it work? Well, in 30 years of driving and about a dozen cars, I've yet to replace any brake pads or discs. Might be no correlation.
The other thing I do habitually, for some bizarre psychological reason no doubt, is what my driving instructor called the chauffeur stop. I try to make the final stop undetectable, rather than have the little "reverse jerk" you get if you aren't careful. And in a manual car, make the gear changes undetectable too.
Does it work? I suppose the only evidence is driving the family to France, and after three hundred miles or so my rear seat passengers asking if it was an automatic (it wasn't.).
I expect AC and others will think all that annoying and priggish, but there we are.
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Quite the contrary Crankers, I have read it with great interest and agree with it generally. I too try to make gearchanges unobtrusive and quite often succeed. I can't quite aspire to chauffeur-like smoothness, and although no longer 'furious' in my driving I quite like to be at or above the speed limit, but I don't want to guzzle juice, be noticed or wear the jalopy out before its time...
What interested me most was your Prius experience, because I've just written a piece on driverless cars that contains a fair amount about the Prius. I would guess that your 67mpg would be better than a lot of drivers could do in one. Have you any idea whether this is so?
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The Prius mpg - varies between drivers, and varies summer to winter. But looking at Fuelly, I guess I'm at the top end of the ones on there for my 2009 model ( there are a few hundred examples of each model year that seem to be entering data). Some loons go as low as as an average 49, most are mid fifties, and I guess my yearly average is about (a real) 62 ish, so towards the top.
www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/prius
You can look at your own model - it's probably on there. You don't have to join to see the data, and most importantly, make sure you set it to UK units (top left) otherwise it will look disappointing.
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>> What interested me most was your Prius experience, because I've just written a piece on
>> driverless cars that contains a fair amount about the Prius.
And we'd still like to read it if poss please AC, or did i miss some cryptic clue how to find it, wouldn't surprise me thick as two planks lorry drivers like me don't do cryptic.
Very good summary that CC, always a pleasure to watch a proper driver going about their business.
The smooth unobtrusive use of gears and subsequent smooth progress is one of the reasons i detest automated manuals so much, its not so much one they're moving its the stopping and starting and janctions especially where the vehicle simply will not be ready and never in the right gear, hence my overriding the lorry gearbox, still not brilliant mind but far better than left to its own devices.
Funny thing is when you talk about making progress people take umbrage and assume you mean or want to drive hard or like a loon, nothing could be further from the truth, making good progress by not losing speed unless absolutely necessary by good anticipation makes for faster journeys but smooth and fuss free and more economical and with minimal mechaincal wear, what could give more pleasure.
I know, brakes to slow gears to go...:-))
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>> or did i miss some cryptic clue how to find it
No gb, you didn't miss anything. Problem seems to be that the piece is obviously too long to post, and I can't decently ask RP to forward it to anyone who asks. He has now been sent a copy of the whole magazine though, and is doubtless buried in its other much more learned pieces.
I don't mind my email address being given to those here showing interest, unless this is deemed to be very risky behaviour. It hasn't led to any trouble in the past.
It would be good in a way if there was a forum category for articles, images and so on. But it hasn't been proposed and no doubt there are good reasons.
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Can you not just tell us which publication and edition so we can go and buy it? I'd like to read it too.
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>> Funny thing is when you talk about making progress people take umbrage and assume you
>> mean or want to drive hard or like a loon, nothing could be further from
>> the truth, making good progress by not losing speed unless absolutely necessary by good anticipation
>> makes for faster journeys but smooth and fuss free and more economical and with minimal
>> mechaincal wear, what could give more pleasure.
>> I know, brakes to slow gears to go...:-))
>>
In recently trying to improve the MPG of the Passat I have slowed a little and am concentrating more on anticipation at junctions, it is surprising how often someone races past me on dual carriageway sections of the route but 5 miles later are only 20 yards ahead in the queue. And the best trip computer reading being 72mpg for Solihull to just North of Cannock using the M6, would make a Prius owner weep. And that is with cruise set just above the speed limit.
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How funny Cranks, those are two of my favourites - "the chauffeur stop" and "in a manual car, make the gear changes undetectable".
I always let the brakes go gently just before we stop. I think I read about that donkeys years ago.
But on the manual changes, I remember exactly where and when it happened. I was driving two or three local mates to Hyde Sixth Form College, a very rare occurrence because my old man had given me the 7-seater 504 for the day. Driving down Mill lane from Haughton Green to Hyde one of my mates piped up "Is this an automatic then?". It's all about silky smooth change gears, and I was proud as fudge (27 years ago).
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>> It's all about silky smooth change gears, and I was proud as
>> fudge (27 years ago).
I would have thought that your hand going backwards and forwards on the knob through the gate would have given him a clue.
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"going backwards and forwards on the knob"
If I see a man going backwards and forwards with his knob I avert my eyes.
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>> When negotiating a bend look at where the verges/kerbs meet. If that point is getting
>> closer to you you are going too fast, stays the same distance you are travelling
>> at the right speed, moving away from you then you are mimsing.
>>
That one has been puzzling me, it reads like driving with a threepenny bit steering wheel, only going to turn it one segment at a time and balance the bend by adjusting speed.
Its obviously or rather i hope its not that so what am i missing.
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It's the point ahead where the curbs on both sides of the road appear to merge. I know what he means but can't explain it either... We were taught it on motorbike training course, although I passed I don't ride anymore. Lost my confidence after a near-miss.
Last edited by: MJW1994 on Wed 4 Sep 13 at 20:26
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>> That one has been puzzling me,
If the kerb is moving away from you, that suggests to me that you are speeding not mimsing because you are understeering away from the kerb.
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It's not the kerb that's moving away, Corvid, it's the vanishing point at which the two kerbs (or, more likely, verges) appear to meet. To a stationary eye, the tighter the curve, the close this point will appear. If it's getting closer as you move, it's an indication that the curve is getting tighter and you should adjust your speed accordingly to maintain your ability to stop within the distance you know to be clear.
It's not a precise guide but it's still useful.
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>> Overtaking, sit well back and look up the inside of traffic in front on long
>> left hand bends, judge it right and only you will know that the road ahead
>> is clear, those numpties jammed 6ft from the lorry at the head of the queue
>> trying to peer round the offside of it on a left hand bend will be
>> there for ever as you overtake them all.
I completely agree; you just have to be ready as that same numpty can pull out to overtake without using their mirror.
As a caravanner, I find my own shadows useful for gauging the length of my outfit, and knowing when I'm safely past. I soon get back into the swing of it each season.
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Good tip about the roundabout,I do the same, use the lorry or bus as protection.
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You mean you rely on the judgement of strangers when making decisions about a manoeuvre.
Not for me, thanks. Let him go, wait till I can see for myself, then proceed when safe. I'm seldom in such a hurry that I need to rely on others to make my decisions for me, and I certainly prefer not to drive blind using others as a "shield".
Surprised to hear GB recommending driving blind above.
Any plod care to comment?
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I've done that blind pullout on a roundabout when shielded by something big game a few times, but it doesn't really feel very comfortable and I wouldn't choose to do it normally.
What about wanting to turn left at the roundabout, huge queue, so approach it in the right lane, go round the roundabout entirely and away you go?
Selfish queue jump or sensible progress?
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>> Surprised to hear GB recommending driving blind above.
>>
If theres a 60ft artic beside me taking up the entire roundabout then GB is going to use it as cover to pull out in his 15ft car every single time he can, its not blind in the least, only the Hoffs car 'Kitt' or a limboing suicidal cyclist could possibly pass through or under it and hit me.
Several cars including multiple lanes will sensibly use a lorry for cover like that, the roads would grind to a halt if people didn't take safe advantage and clear off, thing being those cars could not be entering the roundabout more safely if they tried, nothing can possibly get to them.
As i mentioned though, the sensible car driver using such cover doesn't out accelerate the lorry till he's closed the gap between the front of the lorry and the roundabout in case someone fast goes for the diminishing space.
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>> nothing can possibly get to them.
Apart from the lorry itself who hasn't spotted you and swerves left for whatever reason.
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Never accelerate towards brake lights. In moderate traffic, if I see brake lights a few cars ahead I relax the throttle slightly so that by the time the domino effect gets back to me I've lost enough speed to not need my middle pedal. I once had a cab fare remark that I seemed to be very lucky with the traffic, as the driver who picked him up from the airport had had several cars pull out and force him to brake whilst it hadn't happened to us once on the way back :)
Always look at the other driver's head at junctions and roundabouts, it tells you where they're looking and more important where they're going. I always seem to correctly spot which oncoming cars will turn right without signalling at mini roundabouts.
At holiday time on dual carriageways you know well, approach each roundabout in the right hand lane. A lot of the traffic will take the left hand lane to go straight ahead as they're following satnav.
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When an approaching stream of traffic is behind a slow moving vehicle be prepared for a suicide overtake from someone down the line whose patience snaps. Moving well to the left increases the chances they will actually see you before attempting to pull out.
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>> t holiday time on dual carriageways you know well, approach each roundabout in the right hand lane. A lot of the traffic will take the left hand lane to go straight ahead as they're following satnav.
You can use this strategy to go left as well - just circle the whole roundabout. Helps to beat the queue.
PS: Now noted that it was mentioned earlier ;-)
Last edited by: movilogo on Wed 4 Sep 13 at 11:51
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>> >> Selfish queue jump
You are in fifth position in a queue behind a lorry on a country road. You safely and legally overtake the cars and lorry in front of you.
Selfish queue jump or sensible progress?
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>> sensible progress
(Provided you're not baulking someone in front of you trying to do the same thing - and you can't always tell if you're going to or not, so perhaps it tends towards the selfish.)
Last edited by: Alanović on Wed 4 Sep 13 at 12:10
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^^ wot they said
also - rear lights, check them when you are in stationary traffic and there is a bus behind you - very handy reflector
At traffic lights, keep an eye on the other traffic flows, you may see them come to a stop before the lights change (red light jumpers excepted) or you may see the other lights change to red - often and particularly at night, if you can't see the light, you can see it illuminating the shade. Needless to say, driving to our exalted standards, in unfamiliar locations you will always remember that just because those lights have changed to red, it's yours that are going to change to green
At a mini roundabout near me, much hated by Adamski (once of this parish), the poor view to the right can be improved by looking for reflections in the houses opposite.
Try and see the driver of the car ahead and be aware if they aren't concentrating
turn the radio off and give yourself a running commentary once in a while
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Carry a toddler so that you can use parent & child bays in supermarket car park.
If you can't see bonnet during parking, switch on your headlight to see reflection getting bigger as you become nearer.
If main roads are congested, going to side roads will lead you into more congestion (before everyone tries to avoid main road suddenly). At least in main roads, authorities will try their best to move traffic.
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>>
>> turn the radio off and give yourself a running commentary once in a while
>>
I agree. Alternatively start the day with 10 points and deduct a point for any silly mistakes, half a point if you missed a chance to overtake (safely) etc. It can be quite an eye opener, and you have to work hard to finish above 6 or 7.
Reverse into parking spaces when you can - take advantage of the fact that the engine is warm. Allows you to drive off forwards in the morning and avoid manoevres with a cold engine. Also allows you to test the brakelights against the wall or whatever before you leave.
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When following a bus look out for the 'bus stopping' light that comes on when passengers press the bell. One can then avoid being trapped behind the bus when it reaches the stop.
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>> When following a bus look out for the 'bus stopping' light that comes on when passengers press the bell. One can then avoid being trapped behind the bus when it reaches the stop.
>>
Alternately, just expect a bus to stop at bus stops.
Watch out for children near playgrounds... and if a toy (ball, frisbee etc) is seen near a road, expect a child to follow....
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>> Watch out for children near playgrounds... and if a toy (ball, frisbee etc) is seen
>> near a road, expect a child to follow....
>>
And if one child crosses expect another . . . . .
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All very good advice and informative, unfortunately most of us are the converted. The vast majority of road users are incompetent electronic device using drivers who are more interested with what is going on inside their cars than observing their surroundings and planning their progress.
A certain bridge in Kent demonstrated this recently.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 6 Sep 13 at 08:49
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>> demonstrated this recently<<
As does the photo I saw posted on Facebook yesterday, obviously taken while driving in the middle lane of a motorway, of how dense the fog was.
Pat
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>> And if one child crosses expect another . . . . .
>>
Same applies to cats.
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>> >> And if one child crosses expect another . . . . .
>> >>
>> Same applies to cats.
>>
I don't brake for cats.
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>> Reverse into parking spaces when you can -
I do exactly the opposite. In car parks I choose a slot which is on the outside of the car park and I drive in forwards. That way the front of my car is protected. If someone nudges the unprotected back of my car, the damage sustained is likely to be less serious than if the front had got damaged. A broken rear light is less serious than a broken headlight.
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"If someone nudges the unprotected back of my car, the damage sustained is likely to be less serious than if the front had got damaged. A broken rear light is less serious than a broken headlight."
Reversing out of a space in a shopping mall and knocking over a small child - more serious or less serious than a broken lamp?
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>> Reversing out of a space in a shopping mall and knocking over a small child .......
It's no worse than knocking over a small child while reversing into a parking slot.
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No worse, l'Es, but - as I don't think you're too obtuse to understand - far more likely. Small children tend not to loiter in parking spaces, and those that do you can spot when you check before you reverse in. Whereas once you're committed to reversing out into an area you can't properly see, a child could appear from anywhere and you might be none the wiser.
The principal motoring safety organizations, my ex-police defensive driving instructor, even safety-obsessed organizations like National Grid, in whose building I used to work, are against you on this one, and so am I; you're just wrong here.
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>> safety-obsessed organizations like National Grid,
That would simply be rule-obsessed.
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>> Whereas once you're committed
>> to reversing out into an area you can't properly see, a child could appear from
>> anywhere and you might be none the wiser.
My car has a rear view mirror, rear proximity sensors and a rear view camera. Anyway, I'm never committed to reversing out. I can stop and change direction at any time. I don't reverse out any faster, and I'm no less careful, than if I was reversing in.
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So why don't reverse everywhere?
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You still dont get it?
The biggest problem in reversing in is that if you have a large lifting Tailgate, most supermarket bays are not long enough to leave the lifting space free.
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IMHO this is one of the best and most useful threads we've had here recently. It should be made compulsory reading!
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When following a car in your local town, look to see if he might be an out of towner. Is the dealer name on the plate from miles away? Is he loaded with holiday luggage?
If so, or even if you think so, assume he won't know which lane to be in at the roundabout or that odd junction, and keep clear or keep back a bit to give him time.
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If a medium or large late model car with two male occupants is behind you look for a second interior mirror on the nearside. It will almost certainly be The Man.
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Confucius might have said, ( if he'd been around today )
"If dliver of car behind you texting, get out of their bruddy way sharpish rike before they hit you up alse"
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What's the opposite of Sherlockian ? Cant be Moriartian, as he had brains and used them...
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>> Watsonian? Clouseauish?
Watson would surely have been a safer driver than Holmes, if less dashing... and Clouseau is too nervous. What we need is a stupid, smug, insensitive lump, the way so many drivers come across through their cars' body language. I nominate 'Ubuesque'.
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>> edwhitfield.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/gardening-graphics_1027540a.jpg
I dunno corax... Toad is conceited rather than smug, none too bright and a bad driver, but because he's reckless and gung-ho. The sort of driver I'm thinking of is the archetypal dangerous, unpredictable, self-regarding mimser.
Unlike that character, Toad has heart.
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>> the archetypal dangerous, unpredictable, self-regarding mimser.
I can't think of one offhand, there are too many of them.
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>> What's the opposite of Sherlockian ? Cant be Moriartian, ............
Whenever I hear the name Moriarty I always think of Count Jim Moriarty in The Goon Show.
www.comedy.co.uk/guide/radio/the_goon_show/
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I did a very non-Sherlockian thing yesterday. Waiting to turn left into a major road, saw a small motor-bike approaching from my right. Its left blinker went on signalling a turn into my minor road. But I still waited until the bike slowed down and wobbled before pulling out in front of it to turn left. Either the biker had changed his mind or he didn't know he was signalling, because he braked hard and uttered an angry shout. I bawled 'Sorry!' out of the window as I drove away, not feeling all that guilty and thinking that if he'd hit us it would have been at least half his fault.
But on reflection I think the fault was all mine. Any fule kno that turn signals should never be taken that seriously. One sees people all the time either not signalling or doing the opposite of what their signal suggests they are going to do. Must cause a lot of deaths.
Think bike. Think moron too. But anyway, think. I don't like those close calls one bit.
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In almost exactly those circumstances a friend managed to park his Kawasaki in the back seat of a VW Beetle in the Grassmarket in Edinburgh around about 1977. The car was being driven by a comely blonde who he later married incidentaly, having performed a near perfect parabolic gymnast's back flip over the roof of the Beetle and somehow managed to land on his feet on the other side of the car.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sat 7 Sep 13 at 16:41
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There's a junction near here which me and me broad use regularly We turn right from a minor road into a wide, busy dual cabbageway. There are lights now but it used to be a stop sign.
Drivers coming from the right, into the city, either went across in front of you or turned left into ' our ' road. I can't count the number of drivers signalling left who went straight across. Why did they do it ? Because of the petrol station 25 yds along the main road to our left !
People just don't think about the consequences of their actions...you have to do it for them to stay safe.
Ted
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>> Think moron too. But anyway, think. I don't like those close calls one
>> bit.
Here's one you'll like. Yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, I'm sitting just about exactly here, goo.gl/maps/2U22P, in a queue of stationary traffic waiting for the traffic lights at the single track bridge further ahead. A family gets out of their car in the car park to my right, and stands at the edge of the road to cross over to the restaurant on my left. The car in front of me pulls off and I allow the pedestrians to cross the road in front of me. As they get to the front of my car, As you can see, there is no pavement on my left, and the family of four proceeds the couple of yards up the road to the door to the restaurant.
As soon as they are in front of me I make the decision to to pull away and overtake them, and obviously look in my mirrors before commencing the manoeuvre. Good job I did, as two cars, an Audi A4 Cabrio and a Nissan Primera estate shoot past me on my right, and cut in front of me, almost mowing down the family. I have to brake swiftly to abort my manoeuvre. They (the cars) head off towards the traffic lights and are caught on red, gaining precisely one car length and less than one second's journey time. They must have seen that I was allowing pedestrians to cross the road, and they must have known they'd still be in the road as they shot past me.
As I sit behind them, fuming at their stupidity, I realise that the Primera estate lives about 4 doors away from me. I think a casual word over the gate next time I'm passing.
And before the suggestion is made, no I did not sit there for overly long before starting to move around the pedestrians. I was on the ball and moved as soon as was safe.
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>> >> Think moron too. But anyway, think. I don't like those close calls one
>> >> bit.
>>
>> And before the suggestion is made, no I did not sit there for overly long
>> before starting to move around the pedestrians. I was on the ball and moved as
>> soon as was safe.
They probably thought, being a renault, you had broken down.
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>> They probably thought, being a renault, you had broken down.
>>
They probably thought, being a Renault driver, that you had driven into a bus.
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All very amusing. Except I could have been in the wife's Golf.....
(OK, I wasn't, I was in the Guna..............)
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Still, at least with the window jammed open it was easy enough to pass audible comment.
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Well a lot of mimsing wrinklies remind me of Henry Crun and Minnie Bannister !
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Issue with motorcycles is they don't have self cancelling indicators. And I have found sometimes coming of a roundabout that the left indicator has not cancelled,
Learning point is that if you see a vehicle approaching with an indicator on assume only that the bulb is working.
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Yup. Never believe a signal, from a car either, until 'it is safe to do so'.
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Indicators ........When my phone rings, if the road is quiet and suitable, I indicate that I'm going to pull in to the kerb and stop. Setting off again, I notice some distance on, that the left indicator is still flashing. It doesn't self-cancel under these circumstances, it is silent and the warning light isn't very bright on the Vitara.
I make an automatic check now every time. Perhaps I should stop signalling. It's only really for the benefit of somebody ahead rather than behind. I don't bother stopping if I'm being followed.
I constantly check the cancel button on the bike........paranoia ?
Ted
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Ted, you do a lot of driving? I believe you drive in the course of your employment?
Why on earth, don't you get yourself a hands-free kit? It would save all that pulling over caper. They aren't expensive.
Link type thing.
tinyurl.com/o5o2c3z
Last edited by: Duncan on Mon 9 Sep 13 at 14:11
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Indeed Ted, if like me you can't abide those things you have to stuff in your shell like then i will recommend this, yes it makes you look like the lad taking the orders at McDs drive thru, but the reception is crystal clear, at motorway speed SWM at home swears blind i'm stationary such is the interference/background noise free clarity.
tinyurl.com/pt85hhj
Simplicity itself to connect, one central button does everything, switches on/off, modes, answers, dials out (LNR) and cancels, the other two buttons control volume, one charge lasts about 30 hours standby connected, probably 3 hours continual chopsing.
Used to have a very good (and expensive) Plantronics gucci jobbie circa £70 a throw but this gives the gucci a run for its money.
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Interesting thread.....
Couple of what might seem 'stating the bleeding obvious' pointers to some...... maybe not to others...
Country road , cold day ... pile of steaming horse, cattle or sheep 'manure '.......slow down and round next few corners look out for horses , cattle or sheep in the road.......
Dustbins out on verge .....look out for dustcart travelling slowly and dustmen with bins in the road.......
Completely blocked Motorway ...three lanes solid ....go in the services , straight through and out....saved myself around 20 minutes by doing that at Clacketts Lane on M25 a couple of weeks ago and have used the same trick on motorway junctions ... up slip road and down the other side..just make sure you know the junction does have a slip road on the other side.
Like others have observed , I use shop window reflections for reversing, l will go on a roundabout when a lorry is on my offside , use the right hand lane to circle the roundabout and turn left when there is a queue....
It is all about processing information and anticipating what might happen and using that information to your advantage.
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>> It is all about processing information and anticipating what might happen and using that information
>> to your advantage.
>>
Coming down a long straight hill on a single track road last week and saw a lorry ahead making its way up at a good speed but obviously not wanting to have to slow and lose momentum by negotiating a pass.
I spotted a passing place on my right, assessed I could just pull over into it in time if I braked sharpish. The ground looked soft, but I was going downhill so I judged it was OK.
The lorry came closer, the driver quickly spotted what I had done, so held his foot on the pedal and steamed past, passing on the "wrong" side of the road.
I was pleased to get a little toot in recognition - most town-experienced drivers in the country will religiously insist in stopping on their own side of the road, taking no account of the road conditions for the other vehicle.
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>> Coming down a long straight hill on a single track road last week and saw
>> a lorry ahead making its way up at a good speed but obviously not wanting
>> to have to slow and lose momentum by negotiating a pass.
>> I spotted a passing place on my right, assessed I could just pull over
>> into it in time if I braked sharpish. The ground looked soft, but I was
>> going downhill so I judged it was OK.
>> The lorry came closer, the driver quickly spotted what I had done, so held his
>> foot on the pedal and steamed past, passing on the "wrong" side of the road.
>> I was pleased to get a little toot in recognition - most town-experienced drivers in
>> the country will religiously insist in stopping on their own side of the road, taking
>> no account of the road conditions for the other vehicle.
>>
Spending a fair bit of time on single tracks I do that myself Cliff.
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>> Coming down a long straight hill on a single track road last week and saw
>> a lorry ahead making its way up at a good speed but obviously not wanting
>> to have to slow and lose momentum by negotiating a pass.
>> I spotted a passing place on my right, assessed I could just pull over
>> into it in time if I braked sharpish. The ground looked soft, but I was
>> going downhill so I judged it was OK.
>> The lorry came closer, the driver quickly spotted what I had done, so held his
>> foot on the pedal and steamed past, passing on the "wrong" side of the road.
>> I was pleased to get a little toot in recognition - most town-experienced drivers in
>> the country will religiously insist in stopping on their own side of the road, taking
>> no account of the road conditions for the other vehicle.
Not many single tracks in Northants but I have driven extensively on the Western Isles. The idea is usually to stop on the left alongside the passing place and let the oncoming vehicle run round it. Maybe Cliff AND the truck had time in above case but inexperienced drivers or foreigners in hire cars diving across my bows to occupy a PP on THEIR right give me the willies!!
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 9 Sep 13 at 20:34
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What impresses CP is yr realization that it's easier to move on with two wheels in muddy grass if you are pointing downhill than up. Chapeau!
But that radical approach to getting out of the way fazes some people even in the country. They may need a couple of minutes of deep thought to get used to the idea. Of course I can only approve (even in town where it is likely really to upset people, snigger....).
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>> Completely blocked Motorway ...three lanes solid ....go in the services , straight through and out...
>>saved myself around 20 minutes by doing that at Clacketts Lane on M25 a couple of
>> weeks ago and have used the same trick on motorway junctions ... up slip road
>> and down the other side..just make sure you know the junction does have a slip
>> road on the other side.
>>
>> It is all about processing information and anticipating what might happen and using that information to your advantage.
>>
I had an interesting trip this evening, towards the end of the rush from Tooting to Esher.
I needed to plot my route with SWMBO as passenger but her NOT using a seat belt and at a slow speed as smoothly as possible.
Quite a few muppets who did not register my 25 MPH or sat to close on my tail so making it difficult to overtake.
To avoid the middle lane on the generally nasty Hook underpass I stayed in the left hand lane and went up the ramp to the Hook roundabout and then down the ramp the other side.
So off the direct route to AVOID speeding traffic
It was not a trip at that speed I want to do again.
En route to Tooting in my daughters Yaris a front wiper was making a lot of noise as the rubber had split. A few yards diversion and for jus Three Pounds the rubber was changed and refitted ( in the Rain) by friendly motor factors. That is what I call excellent service ( could be they are sorry for that old bloke ?
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Be prepared for a slow vehicle ahead.( like me this evening).
I forgot to put a hat on the rear shelf :-)
Last night my sons M3 went into seriously slow limp mode again.
The previous time it was on a motorway.
Some might ask "Why does he not put his foot down with all those horses?".
He said 40 was as good as it went. The electronic tacho displayed a very small power band so a really low limp mode and no other options.
I suspect a faulty sensor. In case the on board faults memory has not stored the details he has photos of the displays so I await the findings.
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The Doro does come with a simple hands free kit......ear plug type with a mike in the lead. I can't really be bothered for the couple of times a month I might need to pull over. I usually have the phone in a holder on the dash....I can just hit any button and then the volume button and carry on a conversation. 50% of work driving is done in other cars so sometimes the phone is in my pocket, which entails a stop or a non-answer.
Both my main callers, home or the office, know that they will flag up as a missed call and I'll quickly get back to them. Works ok for me and them.
Ted
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Following a commercial with it's address on the back ? You know the area and know that the lane to that village is a few miles up on the right.
You can settle back and anticipate indicator and brake lights coming on as you approach.
Usually !
Ted
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Do not make the mistake I once made... 'over Sherlocking'
.......heading into Bournemouth in very heavy traffic before satnavs , I spotted a taxi in front make a sharp right turn and thought he was using his local knowledge of the back doubles to get to the town centre, I followed for several streets twisting and turning as he raced along..........happy to be following a man who knew the way ........
.....until he happily turned into his own drive, got out and went into his home no doubt wondering who the strange car behind him was visiting in the cul de sac where he lived.....
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>> turned into his own drive, got out and went into his home no doubt wondering who the strange car behind him was visiting in the cul de sac where he lived.....
Heh heh helico, I've been there a good few times. Nevertheless back in the day learned a hell of a lot of London back-doubles by following black cabs. Livingstonian and other changes to the road system, and advancing age, have rendered some of those routes useless over the years, but a good few still hold, some of them for miles across town.
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There's a boating adage "Did you hear about the man who followed a barge, and found it had gone to load sand?"
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Didn't Sherlock Holmes always use Hansom Cabs? Good tip if you've been injecting yourself with morphine.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Mon 9 Sep 13 at 19:45
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Driving like Sherlock - Mike H
