Cyril Haearn wrote:Bonefishblues wrote:thirdcrank wrote:Perhaps tailgaters inevitably concentrate totally on the vehicle in front because they instinctively know that the big danger is that they will shunt it. When driving on single carriageway roads, especially narrow ones. I always try to pull over to let tailgaters overtake, which generally involves stopping. That's not always possible if somebody is right up your exhaust, but often, they just pull in behind, presumably because they are not looking beyond my car. The weird thing is, the most likely time for a stupid overtake is if I've pulled over for an emergency vehicle coming the other way, which must surely be a sign of not looking beyond the vehicle being tailgated
Indeed, in those circumstances, an overtake is a very good thing indeed, and much to be encouraged in a 'rather have that in front of me than behind me' sense.
Good for you maybe but the idiot will soon catch up with another vehicle and do the same, often one sees them trying to hide behind a truck
The next idiot behind will be sitting on your tail soon enough too
A few years ago, the govt agency I was working for at the time insisted that any employee who drove a car on work business must have appropriate training. So we all got sent out for day-long practical lessions in "defensive driving"- in my case the instructor was an ex traffic cop. We'd drive for a bit, then stop and dissect/analyse/consider shat should be done differently. The emphasis was on driving to avoiding collisions and so that all road users getting to where they are going safely- "making progress" was not really on the agenda. It was emphasised that it matters not who was in the wrong or the right- being in the right doesn't help if you (or anyone else) is injured or dead.
Some themes and little phrases I still remember: "the speed limit is a limit not a target- don't be afraid to slow down to match the conditions." "Better to be at the front of this queue than at the back of the next one-" when being tailgated- and you could see that half a mile ahead was another queue of traffic behind (say) a truck. We were specifically taught that the bext thing if tailgated is slow down and create space around you so that you can stop without picking up another vehicle in your boot if necessary. Never make a move which would cause another road user to take evasive action. ALways creating a safe space around you was an underlying theme.
Over the years I have tried to put what I was taught into practice, and whilst I cannot say if I am a better driver, I'm certainly calmer and don't really get frustrated any more. I always try to remember that my goal is getting to a place safely and without any damage to anyone- if nothing else it's better for the blood pressure!
The observational side they taught was also helpful, on a bike as much as in a car (if not more so). Whilst I don't particularly like driving, equally it doesn't stress me these days (in fact I find a packed, noisy train more stressful as my autistic senses struggle with that much people close by).
I have to admit I wish the "defensive" approach was taught more widely- and that black box telemetrics were more common (compulsory?).
TPO
