Safe Speed Forums

On the 11/03/2006 I was travelling to a weeks holiday in Fort William on the A82 (Rannoch Moor) about 10 miles south of Glen Coe over took an Astra and lorry and closed on a Mec Estate. We crosed a bridge and there was a small pot hole which he swerved right on to the other side of the road to miss, he then approached another one of the few small white bridges on this road I looked and saw that the road was clear for at least 1/4 mile beyond the bridge (this road is very straight in parts) waited till we had both crossed the bridge, I indcated and moved out to over take (his speed was around about 45-50mph mine at 60-65) and as I closed to pass him he again serves out to the right hand side of the road whith no visable reason.

I braked and used the horn gently to warn him that I was there to which he slamed on the brakes and served back on to the left hand side of the road I carried on and over took him as I did so my wife looked at him and said he was rubbing his eyes as if he was trying to keep awake this was about around 2.30 to 03.00pm in the afternoon.

I wonder if that was the cause as when we got to the road works at Glen Coe bridge and waited for the light to change, the astra and two other cars pulled in behind us after a little while he arrived in the que, my wife watched him through the rear window and when the lights turned green for us we moved of except him until the car that was behind him paped his horn then he moved off very slowly.

Sorry for long post also this is my first but thought I must tell someone.

Firstly and thanks for sharing.

Secondly What can we learn from your experience

Well, reassure yourself that your diagnosis of almost asleep was probably correct (although totally sozzled or drugged up are other possibilities). What could you have done to help him? Probably nothing - unless a good scare would drive him into taking a power nap.

What could you do differently in a rerun? If you come across one whose performing erratic or exaggerated movements such as the first pothole you witnessed him miss, unless there is compelling reason to do so, discretion may be the better part of valour and it may be worth sacrificing 10 mph for a while to appraise him for longer. Having decided it is sleepiness, the best way to overtake him is to hoot a couple of seconds or so *before* pulling out. Hopefully it will bring about an almost Pavlovian chink to the left, whereupon you can safely and swiftly move past. If not - and it may not - be prepared to abort that overtake.

Just my 2d.

Yes, that's my approach also. I might substitute a headlamp flash for the horn, but I'd like to see some positive confirmation (that he was aware of me) before I overtook an erratic driver. I might also wait for a wider straighter overtake.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Yes I do a lot of that where I live in Stoke what with the A 500 and it ass road works soon to be completed I hope lol. Generaly I find that the standard of driving in Soctland is a whole lot better than down here in all of the 360 miles that I and my wife drove that day (she did the first 180 miles to Arndale Waters servicees our change over point) we also stoped in Carlie for breakfast and a later stop before Sterling that was the only bit of bad driving we saw.

I do agree that thinking about it it might have been a lot better to have warned him in some way light flash or hoot on horn but we all see things better with after sight and I prob would respond differently next time as my dad said when I pased my test they taught you pass the test now you realy start to learn to drive.

Seen alot in 30+ years driving (passed test in 1970) and only had 1 accident (that done it now law of averages will catch me) and clean licence for that time, (speed cameras now watching me as well) so will keep trying to improve as always tho I do make mistakes as everone does not perfect by long means but try to improve as I now have to drive as part of my living.

Rereading my post it looks terribly ostentatious. That was not my intention - and the continuous learning process is really what it's all about.

I tried to wake up a sleeping driver once. It can be very difficult. On a deserted M1(a long time ago) at 3am him/her in L2 me in L1 both at about 70 me a long way behind. When he gradually drifts into L1 and I thought about time. Then onto the hard shoulder and I thought poor sod's broken down. Then no sign of slowing down so I speed up a bit when it dawned on me they might be asleep. Horn blaring lights flashing Hazard lights on. I tried everything. Gradually they drifted onto the grass then suddenly they were up the banking and that woke them up.

Back into lane one and no exits for some time. I stayed behind but at the same speed in case they did it again. Sure enough ten minutes later and they start to drift onto the hard shoulder. I start my act again but no effect whatsoever and I was much closer this time. Once again the grass woke them up but luckily both times there were no bridges and the grass embankment went up not down.

They pulled off at the next exit.

_________________
Shooting is good for you and too good for some people.