How would an experienced driver have handled this?
in [Drive]
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From: IanAl on 19 Jul 2010 10:12 On Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:42:37 +0100, Terry <me(a)privacy.net> wrote: >IanAl wrote: >> On Sun, 18 Jul 2010 06:39:56 -0700 (PDT), Jo >> <joanna.hamilton90(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Hello all, >>> >>> I'm quite shaken as I had a brush with the grim reaper today :( >>> >>> Coming off a roundabout, I was driving along an A-road immediately >>> behind a horse carriage doing 20 mph in a 60 mph road. I was about 150 >>> yards past the roundabout and a queue of cars had built up behind me. >>> >>> I felt pressured into overtaking the horse carriage. It was too slow >>> for 3rd gear and I was in 2nd gear. The horse carriage seemed to speed >>> up as I was overtaking them (but can't be sure). I sped up to about >>> 30mph and was now astride the rear wheels of the vehicle. I fumbled >>> the 2-3rd gear change (seemed stuck and cost me a few seconds to try >>> again) and oncoming traffic lead by a truck was now too close. There >>> was enough space if I didn't fumble the 2-3rd gear change and didn't >>> expect my spot behind the horse trailer to be closed up so quickly >>> >>> So having no choice I floored the accelerator to 60mph on 3rd gear. >> >> Should have used 2nd. > >Or reverse That's just silly. I assume the OP means a horse *box*. If she means a horse *drawn* carriage, prolonged sounding of the horn should dispose of the problem either as a result of the horses bolting, reaching a more reasonable 50mph, or depositing the vehicle in the ditch.
From: Harry K on 19 Jul 2010 10:24 On Jul 19, 1:47 am, Adrian <toomany2...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Jo <joanna.hamilto...(a)gmail.com> gurgled happily, sounding much like they > were saying: > > > In general some comments: <snip> > > * What is the legal position on exceeding the speed limit while > > overtaking? I remember my instructor saying it was still not allowed, > > but how does the law view it practically? > > There are no situations where it is legal to exceed the speed limit. > <snip> Can't speak to your local laws but here in the US in at least some states it is legal to exceed the speed limit while passing. State of Washington is one. Only applies if the vehicle being passed is moving at less than the limit though. Harry K
From: steve robinson on 19 Jul 2010 12:19 Jo wrote: > Hello all, > > Apologies for being unclear as to the nature of the vehicle I was > trying to overtake - it was a truck with a metal horse-box > attached. I do not know if there were horses within the box as the > slats on the wall were quite narrow. > > I have read all your responses and will reply to some later today (I > am busy until after lunch, then I have the rest of the day off). > > In general some comments: > * I'm not sure how useful additional driving lessons will be. When I > took my driving lessons we rarely did overtaking into a lane with > oncoming traffic - maybe 2-3 times cumulatively in all my lessons. > > * You are right I shouldn't feel pressured by other drivers. In a > wider context I shouldn't feel pressured by other people into doing > things I don't want to do, but that's me and I'm trying to change. > Middle child syndrome :( > > * I will take advice that I should hang back to overtake rather than > start just behind the vehicle. My instructor might have mentioned > that but I think I forgot! I just tried to instinctively start as > close behind the vehicle I'm trying to overtake as possible to keep > the overtaking distance to a minimum. It does affect one's view of > the road ahead and means you're doing a lot of accelerating in the > lane of oncoming traffic. > > * What is the legal position on exceeding the speed limit while > overtaking? I remember my instructor saying it was still not > allowed, but how does the law view it practically? A �60 fine and three points usally unless you get a sensible plod not some snotty 20 something arrogant know it all done it all > > * My fumbling with the 2-3rd gear change was because I was rushing > it. The gear stick entering the 3rd gear position felt stiffer > than usual, and on my car it is usually the 1st gear that feels > stiff. So for a moment I panicked thinking I had engaged 1st gear > instead of 3rd gear (disastrous when trying to overtake!), so I had > to disengage the stick back to middle-neutral, depress the clutch, > look at the gear stick to make sure I got it right and then > re-engage the clutch. All taking precious seconds. > > * My car has a 1.2 litre engine so I understand it has very little > power. I drove for a bit some years ago on an Aussie L licence > before I came to England. I drove my parent's car which had much > better acceleration and an auto gearbox! > > * I'm feeling better today. Thanks for your comments, especially the > constructive and helpful ones. I was visibly shaking yesterday after > the incident. > > * All the other girls in our shared house are students of about my > age with similar levels of driving experience, if they do drive at > all. So while they could offer comfort they can't offer much in the > way of advice. A large bottle of plonk always works > > At some point on a quiet road I will have to test the maximum speeds > of my different gears with a floored accelerator. > > Thanks again. > > Jo
From: Gareth on 19 Jul 2010 13:44 On 19/07/2010 08:49, Jo wrote: > Hello all, > > Apologies for being unclear as to the nature of the vehicle I was > trying to overtake - it was a truck with a metal horse-box attached. I > do not know if there were horses within the box as the slats on the > wall were quite narrow. I don't think it matters if there were horses inside; the comments about scaring horses are only really relevant to a horse drawn vehicle of horse being ridden or lead along the road. One thing you do need to take into account though is the length of the vehicle - a truck and horse box will obviously take longer to overtake than a car doing the same speed. > I have read all your responses and will reply to some later today (I > am busy until after lunch, then I have the rest of the day off). > > In general some comments: > * I'm not sure how useful additional driving lessons will be. When I > took my driving lessons we rarely did overtaking into a lane with > oncoming traffic - maybe 2-3 times cumulatively in all my lessons. > Excluding cyclists and stationary vehicles, it is quite a rare manoeuvre. > * You are right I shouldn't feel pressured by other drivers. In a > wider context I shouldn't feel pressured by other people into doing > things I don't want to do, but that's me and I'm trying to change. > Middle child syndrome :( > > * I will take advice that I should hang back to overtake rather than > start just behind the vehicle. My instructor might have mentioned that > but I think I forgot! I just tried to instinctively start as close > behind the vehicle I'm trying to overtake as possible to keep the > overtaking distance to a minimum. It does affect one's view of the > road ahead and means you're doing a lot of accelerating in the lane of > oncoming traffic. > > * What is the legal position on exceeding the speed limit while > overtaking? I remember my instructor saying it was still not allowed, > but how does the law view it practically? It is still illegal and you should make sure you have time to safely execute the manoeuvre without breaking the speed limit but if you have got yourself into a position where you have a choice between a 60 quid fine and death, I would recommend the fine. Unless you make a habit of dangerous overtaking I think it is very unlikely that you would be caught. I suppose you could pass a speed camera just as you pull in but I think that's unlikely. > > * My fumbling with the 2-3rd gear change was because I was rushing it. Rushing gear changes is not a good idea. If you get it right the overall difference in speed will be quite small but if you get it wrong it makes a big difference. > The gear stick entering the 3rd gear position felt stiffer than usual, > and on my car it is usually the 1st gear that feels stiff. So for a > moment I panicked thinking I had engaged 1st gear instead of 3rd gear > (disastrous when trying to overtake!), so I had to disengage the stick > back to middle-neutral, depress the clutch, look at the gear stick to > make sure I got it right and then re-engage the clutch. All taking > precious seconds. > > * My car has a 1.2 litre engine so I understand it has very little > power. I drove for a bit some years ago on an Aussie L licence before > I came to England. I drove my parent's car which had much better > acceleration and an auto gearbox! > > * I'm feeling better today. Thanks for your comments, especially the > constructive and helpful ones. I was visibly shaking yesterday after > the incident. > > * All the other girls in our shared house are students of about my age > with similar levels of driving experience, if they do drive at all. So > while they could offer comfort they can't offer much in the way of > advice. > > At some point on a quiet road I will have to test the maximum speeds > of my different gears with a floored accelerator. If you have the handbook the top speeds may actually be listed. It is probably still a good idea to get the feel of your car somewhere relatively safe though. > > Thanks again. > > Jo
From: Justin Credible on 19 Jul 2010 13:46
"steve robinson" <steve(a)colevalleyinteriors.co.uk> wrote in message news:xn0gws8hxbgtqb002(a)news.eternal-september.org... > > Better to be 5 minutes late in this world than 40 years early in the > next > Or as US pilots put it; "better off late and anonymous than the lead story on Fox News at 9". |