5. Control of the vehicle
Under 'Separation Distance 'in the Government's own DVSA Handbook on safe driving they recommend a lessening of the full Stopping Distance in urban traffic and this is also supported by some ADI's and advanced Drivers and Riding Schools/Authorities. They, as the DVSA advise is to ignore the Full Thinking Distance and to keep not less than the Thinking Distance when following other vehicles. This they say is to make best use of valuable road space and further on . Later they do say that the only safe distance is the Full Stopping Distance and that by driving closer, ie. the Thinking distance only, one puts oneself into a position of greater risk. Why then do they recommend a Tailgating position? Surely they have sacrificed safety for another consideration which should never happen. Further many drivers are now being instructed, during training, to keep a distance between themselves and the vehicle in front so that if the vehicle in front slows or stops they can do so also. This is obviously when it's anticipated and expected that the vehicle in front is likely to slow or stop such as at traffic lights or at a bus stop. This is not what the H.C. envisages as its recommending a safe distance in the event of an 'unexpected and sudden stopping' of the vehicle in front and not a following on slowing and stopping under normal traffic conditions. This contrary advice has placed all new drivers into that once again insidious position of being far too close to the vehicle in front in the event of an accident ahead, of a sudden and unexpected halt of traffic ahead. The result of this is also one of fixation on the car in front and this creates a lack of safer vision. Being so close to the vehicle in front that one cannot see the road ahead and one cannot be seen by others. This leads to not only rear end shunts but also the the more dangerous side on smidsy at road junctions as vehicles being so close together are not being at all or seen in time. Finally as drivers are pre instructed to give closer distances around town it follows that they will do so and consider it normal, So under faster road circumstances at 50 and 60 mph on main arterial roads they assume a distance of 50 or so feet is safe behind and more dangerously still at motorways speeds of 70 mph plus they drive far too close behind and that's when pile ups, occur. Multiple crashes with death and devastation are created when every car becomes part of a domino effect. One where the effect is only stopped from proceeding and becoming more dangerous merely by a vehicle or vehicles that give the safer full stopping distance. Something need to be done about Tailgating and its knock on effects to road safety in general as its responsible for by far the greatest numbers of incidents than any other more popularly believed cause. rcraven
6 Comments
Removal of the 'stop within distance you can see to be clear' rule has made most roads, but especially country roads, incredibly dangerous for walkers and cyclists. Indeed, this has caused several accidents in this village this week and almost makes it justifiable to hits pedestrians and cyclists.
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Robert d manning
14/1/2022 08:08:05
The DVSA recommend a following distance gap of 1 metre per mph.
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Removal of the 'stop within distance you can see to be clear' rule has made most roads, but especially country roads, incredibly dangerous for walkers and cyclists. Indeed, this has caused several accidents in this village this week and almost makes it justifiable to hits pedestrians and cyclists.
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6/8/2021 18:32:05
I agree safety is out of the wondow.It seems like they are writing the rules to fit what drivers are already doing plus it's admission there are more cars than there is road space.
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Claire Bullass
20/8/2021 13:44:21
I live on a very busy road which is 60mph. It is a country road. I live just after a bend nearside and not much slows making it difficult to get off our drive safely. The postman wont deliver as it has been deemed a health and safety risk. The house has been the longer than the road as it is today.
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