Came VERY close to a major accident last night.

Mujja · 5 Apr 2006 at 06:54

Phate said:
so i sit there for a few seconds breathing hard, i get out and go upto the cab

Did you park your car some where safer first or leave it where you stopped? Which would have been closer to the bend and more of a danger to anyone coming around the bend.

During my first year of driving I once drove round a blind bend on a country road and almost went into the back of traffic queued up letting some cows cross. Up until that point as far as I was concerned I was driving just below the speed limit and that was safe enough.

From then, the last 18 years, I always slow down when going around any blind bend because you never know what's around the corner.

ABS hasn't saved my life yet but twice a kid has run out in front of my car and the ABS definately saved their lives. Now whenever I see young children playing on the pavements I'll slow right down. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

thebrasso · 5 Apr 2006 at 07:32

Its all part of the learning curve Phate. At least now damage was done. As Fox said, get some decent tyres if you can.

A couple of things I have picked up about trucks:

-Blindspots, be aware they do have them down both sides. On occasion I have used the horn as I was going past one (just a short toot) to let them know I'm there. However many people see this as a sign of hostility because horns are misused on the roads these days.

-If you are in front of one bear in mind they can't stop as quickly as a car so try to anticipate things so you don't have to brake hard whilst being in front of one.

If you see a truck emerging from a side road on the right to come in your direction, remember that the rig and trailer may swing out into your side of the road a bit so hang back.

My uncle used to be a lorry driver and he got into some rows because people seem to forget just how damn difficult they are to drive.

Scania · 5 Apr 2006 at 23:20

thebrasso said:
My uncle used to be a lorry driver and he got into some rows because people seem to forget just how damn difficult they are to drive.

Main issue there is the average driver of anything other than an LGV / HGV has absolutely no clue as to its limitations of vision, and its completely different requirements in positioning to get it around the roads.

Why on earth learners, at some designated time, are not given even 10 minutes behind the wheel of something, relatively, as small as a 7.5 tonner is beyond me.

It would help, imo, no ends in general awareness of other road users to your uncles issue, I still remember to this day my first time out in a 7.5 tonner and how shocked I was as to its differances compared to my Escort Mk3 I had at the time.

The same thing would help ,no doubt, if all drivers were forced, as a requirement of gaining their licence, to pass a Motorbike licence test, its crazy I think , that I drive a 44ton artic, yet I cannot drive/ride a Motorbike! *

So much wrong with general road users, which some thought into training would so easily cure.

Ho Hum, Rant over!

* I have some digits missing on my left hand, thus, my abilitys on any kind of handlebar controlled mode of transport has been, erm, interesting to say the least in the past, so, I've just never considered something bigger than a pushbike!

[TW]Fox · 5 Apr 2006 at 23:34

R124/LA420 said:
Why on earth learners, at some designated time, are not given even 10 minutes behind the wheel of something, relatively, as small as a 7.5 tonner is beyond me.

Becuase it would cost an absolute fortune, would do nothing for at least half of the people who did it, and would risk potential carnage when inexperienced drivers suddenly find themselves behind the wheel of a truck.

Foghorn Leghorn · 5 Apr 2006 at 23:46

[TW]Fox said:
Becuase it would cost an absolute fortune, would do nothing for at least half of the people who did it, and would risk potential carnage when inexperienced drivers suddenly find themselves behind the wheel of a truck.

True.......but it would be a riot to watch

my wifes friend cant reverse park her Ka, I can just imagine the damage she could do with an artic

Fog

Scania · 6 Apr 2006 at 11:03

[TW]Fox said:
Becuase it would cost an absolute fortune

The conjestion I sit in in towns, citys and motorways daily costs the country's economy millions, in the main, its caused by poor driving (drivers cutting in etc) and silly accidents, cut out those two and I think the better flowing roads would more than compensate.
Currently, we just build more roads and fill them with cretins stuck in this countrys rat-race.

Anyway, if it saved one life, to me its money well spent.

Foghorn Leghorn said:
True.......but it would be a riot to watch

my wifes friend cant reverse park her Ka, I can just imagine the damage she could do with an artic

Fog

The roads today ARE a riot to watch, I watch them day in & day out perhaps, once they've ground to a halt, we'll have time to re-think who drives on our roads and how.

My point is, if all drivers had to attain such higher standards of driving ability, just think, how much more freely our roads would flow,with far fewer accidents?
Accidents happen with HGV's in the main, due to other drivers not realising what kind of space they need to move about, equally, car drivers often plough into bikers, as there unaware of the safety issues in riding a bike.

The standard for passing a test should be very much higher, I'd rather drive on roads free from people unable to reverse park something as small as a Ford Ka!

A vehicle is a lethal weapon,driver training standards should reflect this, sadly,from the antics I observe on a daily basis, they don't.

tom_nieto · 6 Apr 2006 at 11:16

I like to think that since I've been riding a push bike in London I've become a safer driver. I have to be so aware of the idiot about to pull out of the next junction or the person overtaking me and turning left. Not quite the same as driving an artic or riding a fast bike, but still pretty dangerous and I think it has rubbed off on me a little.

LoadsaMoney · 6 Apr 2006 at 12:03

I don't know how your wheels locked up, and you skidded to within 10ft of him if you were only doing about 40-50, and he was about 200 yds away. :confused:

*Moangroan* · 6 Apr 2006 at 18:53

I know someone who did exactly the same belted round a corner with the stopping point out of sight....some old donk was parked up ill....smacked the back of the car killed him....

geiger · 6 Apr 2006 at 19:07

LoadsaMoney said:
I don't know how your wheels locked up, and you skidded to within 10ft of him if you were only doing about 40-50, and he was about 200 yds away.

Its easy if the car is skidding, it really stops poorly under those circumstances. It shouldnt skid easily, not if the brake pads, etc are all in good nick.

I find if the car is left in gear (dont dip the clutch) then it doesnt really lock up above 35 (in the dry), even with no ABS .

James_N · 6 Apr 2006 at 19:12

My Volvo estate doesnt have ABS, and i really have to stamp on the pedal very hard for the wheels to skid. Its not easy to lock the wheels even on that.

The_Dark_Side · 6 Apr 2006 at 19:22

it worry's me that the standard reply to threads like this is for the driver to learn more advanced cornering/braking techniques, but if he learned to read the road+weather conditions properly he wouldn't need Senna-esque skills to get out of trouble.

atpbx · 6 Apr 2006 at 19:33

Look to avoid rather than stop.

Even trying to explain this concept will waste valuable seconds of my life as the ensuing arguments with pedants and experts will rage for literally, 3 posts.

Scania · 7 Apr 2006 at 11:55

The_Dark_Side said:
he wouldn't need Senna-esque skills to get out of trouble.

Good job he had'nt got them! Sennas skills did'nt keep him out of trouble, alas.

Kol · 7 Apr 2006 at 13:36

Where is Phate anyway? He doesn't appear to have much input in his own thread!

Scania · 7 Apr 2006 at 13:46

Mikol said:
Where is Phate anyway? He doesn't appear to have much input in his own thread!

Probably, wishing he's never put finger to keyboard, poor chap.....

Tesla · 7 Apr 2006 at 14:03

geiger said:
Its easy if the car is skidding, it really stops poorly under those circumstances. It shouldnt skid easily, not if the brake pads, etc are all in good nick.

I find if the car is left in gear (dont dip the clutch) then it doesnt really lock up above 35 (in the dry), even with no ABS .

If the brake pads are in good condition then you have more chance of skidding as the coefficient of friction will be reached between the tyre and road before being reached by the pad and disc.

Phate · 7 Apr 2006 at 14:34

R124/LA420 said:
Probably, wishing he's never put finger to keyboard, poor chap.....

Sic has trained me...i am a hardnened keyboard warrior, tbh im surprised people are still posting in this..happened on thursday...last week lol

Mr Joshua · 7 Apr 2006 at 14:43

Mikol said:
Where is Phate anyway? He doesn't appear to have much input in his own thread!

He only needed to make one post so everyone could decide what happened, how it happened, how it could have been avoided and what could have happened.

L33 · 7 Apr 2006 at 15:51

Phate said:
i hit the brakes slowing down fast then i hit a wet patch of road and the rear wheels lock up and i begin to skid

but anyway. incase of next time can i do anything more to stop quicker?

Yes there is something! Take your car to a garage and get them to check out your brake system (and/or tyres), the fronts should be doing the majority of the braking, and should lock up well before the rears! Very dangerous.....

Glad you're OK and hopefully no harm done!