http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7038940.stm
and the usual reports, too fast, too close.....
and the usual reports, too fast, too close.....
first pile up of the cold season
- Thread starter Jai
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first pile up of the cold season
So much for your hand, eye, brain, foot co-ordination Jai?
As well as speed limiters, some folk need separator limiters.
As well as speed limiters, some folk need separator limiters.
we just dont do bad weather.any change from a perfect not too sunny day and it all falls to bits.
how many times have you been on m/way in heavy rain/snow/frost keeping what you deem to be a safe speed and people are flying past you,often without lights on in poor visibility
how many times have you been on m/way in heavy rain/snow/frost keeping what you deem to be a safe speed and people are flying past you,often without lights on in poor visibility
Jesus H Christ Custard, if you 'don't do bad weather' in Scotland, how do you think we manage here.
This just shows me that some people can't drive at all.
They can drive OK, it' seems to be the stopping part that many have a problem with.
THE main problem is that too many drivers think they are the world's greatest.
They have this strange idea that they are waaaaay better than any other driver on the road.
They also believe that their car can go faster than anyone else's & that their brakes will stop their car on a sixpence - no matter how fast they are driving.
I was unfortunate enough to be on the anticlock of the M25 yesterday - mostly parked up - and was amazed at the number of drivers who ignored all the speed restrictions & 'average speed check' signs. Even on the unrestricted sections I had cars whizzing past me (so way over 70mph) and you would think that they were towing the car behind.
Of course, when it started raining the morons didn't adapt their drivig to the conditions, they simply switched on their wipers & continued tailgaiting at breakneck speeds.
They must have this idea that they are so perfect that when the brake lights of the car in front come on, they will react within 1 nanosecond, forgetting that there are many obstacles to their reaction times.
They have this strange idea that they are waaaaay better than any other driver on the road.
They also believe that their car can go faster than anyone else's & that their brakes will stop their car on a sixpence - no matter how fast they are driving.
I was unfortunate enough to be on the anticlock of the M25 yesterday - mostly parked up - and was amazed at the number of drivers who ignored all the speed restrictions & 'average speed check' signs. Even on the unrestricted sections I had cars whizzing past me (so way over 70mph) and you would think that they were towing the car behind.
Of course, when it started raining the morons didn't adapt their drivig to the conditions, they simply switched on their wipers & continued tailgaiting at breakneck speeds.
They must have this idea that they are so perfect that when the brake lights of the car in front come on, they will react within 1 nanosecond, forgetting that there are many obstacles to their reaction times.
Sadly, for the majority of motorists that is so true.
I was fortunate enough to have an ex police instructor as my driving instructor. Many of my driving lessons took place in winter - some in snow & one particularly memorable lesson in deep snow (the door mirror skimmed the top of the snow!).
I was taught how to handle the car in a skid, how to drive in the snow etc, sadly, the majority of drivers only ever read about it & when your life may depend on it, it is too late to be learning what to do.
I've been living down south for almost 30 years & the worst snow I've seen has been a couple of inches - and everything ground to a halt simply because drivers couldn't cope - sliding all over the place or simply not being able to set off at all.
Jesus H Christ Custard, if you 'don't do bad weather' in Scotland, how do you think we manage here.
some do it better than others
however we get much milder winters now so people get less practice in the likes of snow/ice driving.scariest moment for me EVER! was hitting a big patch of water on the m8.except it wasnt water,it was oil.must have come from a lorry as there were gallons of it.
car just spun instantly and i was a passenger. ended up on my roof at the side of themotorway.nearly had to break out the emergency pants
Tuesday on m25 was bad, loads didn't have lights on, some had rear fogs on to blind the rest of us :bang: and Mitsubishi shogun lights are too low they in the bumper so you cant see them because of the spray
That news report failed to mention that where the accident happend (between junctions 1 - 5 of the M1) there are loads or road works and lanes going from three to one lane with merging requirements. There are also average speed cameras. At least there was the other week and it's been that way for a few months now.
I wonder if it was some cock who waited until the last minute to merge lanes, misjudged it and then had a choice of running into the traffic cones or the coach...
Only last February we had a 'severe weather warning' in the south east and I was expecting some kind of Siberian blizzard like we had in Feb 1991. We got a sprinkling of snow and everything shut down! My University closed the campus for lessons but that was only because the road to get to it was little more than a dirt track a couple of miles long. You can imagine what that would have been like with a load of fresh teenage drivers hammering along with no experience of slippery roads...
But the rest of the south east, they acted like a nuclear bomb had gone off! "Stay indoors", "don't go out", "Cancel your journeys", "Frankie say SNOW, hide yourself!"p) all the warnings told us. So most people did, and they never get to experience really slippery conditions as a result.
Quite a contrast to when I started motoring on two wheels back in 1986. The only thing controlling what happend between the road and my bike was my brain. I had to ride through all weathers as it was my only form of transport, plus I rode through torrential rain, snow, ice, fog and freezing fog. Freezing fog was no fun as it caused my visor to ice up so I had to ride with it open. By the time I arrived at my destination I had ice in my eyebrows and eyelids and I couldn't move my face muscles!
In the process I learnt a lot of respect for the road and road condition and I learnt how to ride in treacherous conditions. Far more so than if I only drove a modern car that mollycoddled me and did half the work automatically. And yes, I did fall off a few times (black ice is no fun...) but believe me, shock and fear drum learning into your brain far quicker than any advertising campaign does or car brochure telling you how 'safe' a car is...
So with modern vehicles being equipped with traction control, esp, anti-lock brakes, onboard computers warning you of ice and bad driving conditions etc. it doesn't seem like they have much effect. Perhaps drivers need proper training to deal with slippery conditions/ bad visibilty rather than relying on their car to do the work. Or as Jeremy Clarkson once said, "The best way to make a driver drive safely is to have a six inch spike sticking out of the steering wheel". (It was something like that!)
I wonder if it was some cock who waited until the last minute to merge lanes, misjudged it and then had a choice of running into the traffic cones or the coach...
Only last February we had a 'severe weather warning' in the south east and I was expecting some kind of Siberian blizzard like we had in Feb 1991. We got a sprinkling of snow and everything shut down! My University closed the campus for lessons but that was only because the road to get to it was little more than a dirt track a couple of miles long. You can imagine what that would have been like with a load of fresh teenage drivers hammering along with no experience of slippery roads...
But the rest of the south east, they acted like a nuclear bomb had gone off! "Stay indoors", "don't go out", "Cancel your journeys", "Frankie say SNOW, hide yourself!"
p) all the warnings told us. So most people did, and they never get to experience really slippery conditions as a result.Quite a contrast to when I started motoring on two wheels back in 1986. The only thing controlling what happend between the road and my bike was my brain. I had to ride through all weathers as it was my only form of transport, plus I rode through torrential rain, snow, ice, fog and freezing fog. Freezing fog was no fun as it caused my visor to ice up so I had to ride with it open. By the time I arrived at my destination I had ice in my eyebrows and eyelids and I couldn't move my face muscles!
In the process I learnt a lot of respect for the road and road condition and I learnt how to ride in treacherous conditions. Far more so than if I only drove a modern car that mollycoddled me and did half the work automatically. And yes, I did fall off a few times (black ice is no fun...) but believe me, shock and fear drum learning into your brain far quicker than any advertising campaign does or car brochure telling you how 'safe' a car is...
So with modern vehicles being equipped with traction control, esp, anti-lock brakes, onboard computers warning you of ice and bad driving conditions etc. it doesn't seem like they have much effect. Perhaps drivers need proper training to deal with slippery conditions/ bad visibilty rather than relying on their car to do the work. Or as Jeremy Clarkson once said, "The best way to make a driver drive safely is to have a six inch spike sticking out of the steering wheel". (It was something like that!)
i hate them ****ers, 800m they still out there 600m they still out there 400m they still out there 200m they still out there and putting their foot down, they get to the end and beep horn flash lights and call you a w,nker for not braking hard to let them in, some one does though and that brings the lane with all the sensible drivers in to a stand still :bang:
I love winter weather.
I learnt over a cold winter and passed just before another. Spent a few weekends just driving around in abandoned car parks sliding around the flowerbeds. Gave me the chance to experiment with low-grip conditions. Great fun and meant when the snow fell on the roads I was still in control - even if I was sliding around
I think sniffpetrol sums it up perfectly.
BRITAIN UNDER SIX INCHES OF TRAVEL CHAOS
Britain was braced for more bleeding obvious advice this week as forecasters warned of another incoming front of TRAVEL CHAOS. This new warning comes only days after the whole country awoke to find a six inch covering of TRAVEL CHAOS had covered much of the British Isles overnight with more flurries of TRAVEL CHAOS over the following 24 hours.
However, whilst a further dusting of TRAVEL CHAOS could be a problem in itself, some experts say the real danger for drivers is of being hit by a sudden shower of sodding patronising advice from motoring organisations. "If this weather continues, drivers need to be extra careful to avoid large patches of ****ing obvious advice," noted Dr Gneil Pipely, Head of Wasting Everyone's Time Studies at All Saints College, Appleton. "For example, it's all too easy to be in the car listening to the radio when, next thing you know, you're being told to avoid any journey that isn't necessary, and by the time you sense the smugly high minded tone it's too late to take evasive re-tuning action".
But facile warnings apparently aimed at people who just drive around in their cars for no reason whatsoever could be only the tip of a very patronising iceberg, Dr Pipely warns. With the expected return of TRAVEL CHAOS motorists should also be on high alert for other blandly useless information such as 'carry a warm rug in the car', 'take a flask of tea with you on every journey', 'if the road looks icy, don't bang the car into first gear and mash the throttle like a mentalist' and 'always arrange for a St Bernard to run everywhere after your car just in case you drive into a crevace on the M4'. Motorists are also reminded that a good way to keep warm during TRAVEL CHAOS is to smash the car radio repeatedly with a hand jack until Sally ****ing Traffic on Radio 2 just ****ing shuts up.
"Ha ha ha," said some motorists in Sweden and Canada whilst driving perfectly well through a massive snow storm. "What is wrong with you people?" they added, grittily.
I learnt over a cold winter and passed just before another. Spent a few weekends just driving around in abandoned car parks sliding around the flowerbeds. Gave me the chance to experiment with low-grip conditions. Great fun and meant when the snow fell on the roads I was still in control - even if I was sliding around
I think sniffpetrol sums it up perfectly.
BRITAIN UNDER SIX INCHES OF TRAVEL CHAOS
Britain was braced for more bleeding obvious advice this week as forecasters warned of another incoming front of TRAVEL CHAOS. This new warning comes only days after the whole country awoke to find a six inch covering of TRAVEL CHAOS had covered much of the British Isles overnight with more flurries of TRAVEL CHAOS over the following 24 hours.
However, whilst a further dusting of TRAVEL CHAOS could be a problem in itself, some experts say the real danger for drivers is of being hit by a sudden shower of sodding patronising advice from motoring organisations. "If this weather continues, drivers need to be extra careful to avoid large patches of ****ing obvious advice," noted Dr Gneil Pipely, Head of Wasting Everyone's Time Studies at All Saints College, Appleton. "For example, it's all too easy to be in the car listening to the radio when, next thing you know, you're being told to avoid any journey that isn't necessary, and by the time you sense the smugly high minded tone it's too late to take evasive re-tuning action".
But facile warnings apparently aimed at people who just drive around in their cars for no reason whatsoever could be only the tip of a very patronising iceberg, Dr Pipely warns. With the expected return of TRAVEL CHAOS motorists should also be on high alert for other blandly useless information such as 'carry a warm rug in the car', 'take a flask of tea with you on every journey', 'if the road looks icy, don't bang the car into first gear and mash the throttle like a mentalist' and 'always arrange for a St Bernard to run everywhere after your car just in case you drive into a crevace on the M4'. Motorists are also reminded that a good way to keep warm during TRAVEL CHAOS is to smash the car radio repeatedly with a hand jack until Sally ****ing Traffic on Radio 2 just ****ing shuts up.
"Ha ha ha," said some motorists in Sweden and Canada whilst driving perfectly well through a massive snow storm. "What is wrong with you people?" they added, grittily.
I've just become more defensive as times gone on. I don't pass trucks on the motorway unless the road in front of them is clear, always looking at least 300 yards ahead of me (thats equivalent to 300M for the young'ns ) expecting numpties to cut me up, block me, demand my braking distance and when driving my wagon I'm looking in my mirrors nearly as often as I look forward. Law of probability says I will be caught out one day but I will have improved my chances of not being injured
) expecting numpties to cut me up, block me, demand my braking distance and when driving my wagon I'm looking in my mirrors nearly as often as I look forward. Law of probability says I will be caught out one day but I will have improved my chances of not being injured
A lot of the problems today I believe stem from fact that people are so well protected by there cars that they feel invincible.
They have ABS, traction control, stability control etc etc which makes very average drivers think they can drive better than they can as the car constantly corrects all there mistakes. On the most modern fly-by-wire accelerator cars even if you plant your foot to the floor the ECU works out exaclty how much torque the wheels can take so it applies the correct throttle amount for you.
Cars are also so well insulated now that road/engine noise is kept to such a low level that speed no longer alerts the senses like it does in older cars and makes you concentrate that bit harder on not only your own progress, but to others about you, and come to conclude that maybe you are going too fast for the conditions. And then to compound it all the cars are so strong and with air-bags everywhere once the electronics can't help any more they will we are told protect us as they are all Euro NCAP whatever star rating.
I think it is of no coincidence that as cars are getting safer more people are losing there life's on the roads, OK there is always going to be an increase in road users, but I think proportionally I am correct in saying it is rising.
Therefore as someone (Clarkson??) once said before the libellous/politically correct/health & safety society we lived in got so out of hand once said, we would all drive safer if there was a spike on the steering wheel and we wore no seatbelts and death by impalement was a certainty if we crashed.
They have ABS, traction control, stability control etc etc which makes very average drivers think they can drive better than they can as the car constantly corrects all there mistakes. On the most modern fly-by-wire accelerator cars even if you plant your foot to the floor the ECU works out exaclty how much torque the wheels can take so it applies the correct throttle amount for you.
Cars are also so well insulated now that road/engine noise is kept to such a low level that speed no longer alerts the senses like it does in older cars and makes you concentrate that bit harder on not only your own progress, but to others about you, and come to conclude that maybe you are going too fast for the conditions. And then to compound it all the cars are so strong and with air-bags everywhere once the electronics can't help any more they will we are told protect us as they are all Euro NCAP whatever star rating.
I think it is of no coincidence that as cars are getting safer more people are losing there life's on the roads, OK there is always going to be an increase in road users, but I think proportionally I am correct in saying it is rising.
Therefore as someone (Clarkson??) once said before the libellous/politically correct/health & safety society we lived in got so out of hand once said, we would all drive safer if there was a spike on the steering wheel and we wore no seatbelts and death by impalement was a certainty if we crashed.
I always drive assertive. The number of times I see people driving while wondering if they're going to turn or not... pull out or not.. overtake or not..
I can't second guess what you're thinking you might do..
I can't second guess what you're thinking you might do..
Young drivers have always felt invincible, fireproof even!
Just keep your fingers Xed!
