How would an experienced driver have handled this?
in [Cars]
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From: Farmer Giles on 18 Jul 2010 10:18 "Jo" <joanna.hamilton90(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:cc357b2e-5fa8-446f-b65b-8c46eb71b8da(a)w12g2000yqj.googlegroups.com... > 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. > The oncoming traffic went to the left of their lane to make way for me > and three vehicles were astride at one point. > > If you were in that situation what would you have done? I couldn't > have gone back and it seems the only way was to get past and in front > of the horse trailer. > > Thanks for any advice. Please don't flame me I'm a new driver and my > confidence has been badly shaken today already :( > > Jo Hello Jo I've been driving for 47 years, and I think in that time I mght have made the occasional mistake! We have all done similar things, to what you describe, on occasions. In the circumstances that you found yourself you did ok - although, perhaps, it might have been better if you had exercised a bit more patience and not tried to overtake when you did. New drivers almost invariably feel pressured by other drivers. The important thing to (always) remember is that safety is paramount, so ignore other drivers - who are often aggressive and self-righteous (and wrong!). When I was teaching my daughter to drive, I remember that she was always overly concerned about what other drivers were thinking - was she driving too slowly, taking too much time at road junctions, etc, etc - I always told her to ignore other drivers, and simply do what she thought was best - and what was safe. I give the same advice to you.
From: Flop on 18 Jul 2010 10:27 Jo 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. > The oncoming traffic went to the left of their lane to make way for me > and three vehicles were astride at one point. > > If you were in that situation what would you have done? I couldn't > have gone back and it seems the only way was to get past and in front > of the horse trailer. > > Thanks for any advice. Please don't flame me I'm a new driver and my > confidence has been badly shaken today already :( > > Jo Bad mistake - Never mind what you could have done. See how many lessons you have learned. Draw a line under the incident - it will never happen the same again. Flop
From: JohnR on 18 Jul 2010 10:25 "Jo" <joanna.hamilton90(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:cc357b2e-5fa8-446f-b65b-8c46eb71b8da(a)w12g2000yqj.googlegroups.com... > 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. > The oncoming traffic went to the left of their lane to make way for me > and three vehicles were astride at one point. > > If you were in that situation what would you have done? I couldn't > have gone back and it seems the only way was to get past and in front > of the horse trailer. > > Thanks for any advice. Please don't flame me I'm a new driver and my > confidence has been badly shaken today already :( > Everyone(tm) has situations where things like this happen. Best advice I can offer is plan ahead when overtaking and do so in an assertive and progressive manner, in other words floor it until you are past, then change gear. Some people have a rather stupid and annoying habit of speeding up when vehicles try to pass. Personally i'd have left it in second gear and floored it past the obstructing vehicle, I have no idea what car you drive but 2nd gear should be able to handle passing a vehicle doing 20mph without any problem whatsoever. What you need for overtaking safely is acceleration. Also in future pay a little less attention to the road behind, plan and focus your actions on the road ahead.
From: Terry on 18 Jul 2010 10:27 Jo 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. There's yer problem
From: Phil L on 18 Jul 2010 10:32
Jo 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. > The oncoming traffic went to the left of their lane to make way for me > and three vehicles were astride at one point. > > If you were in that situation what would you have done? I couldn't > have gone back and it seems the only way was to get past and in front > of the horse trailer. > > Thanks for any advice. Please don't flame me I'm a new driver and my > confidence has been badly shaken today already :( > > Jo Coupled with your non existant grasp of basic car maintenance, don't you think it's time you got rid of the car until you've managed to grow a brain? - I'm being serious, you ae either going to kill yourself or someone else in the not-too-distant future unless you start using public transport. -- Phil L RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008 |