Squirrel wrote:
On the way to work the other morning, B4058 towards Stroud, shortly after turning off the A4135. The road bends round to the right.
I spotted the cab of a tractor with orange flashing light over the top of the hedge on the other side of the bend (coming the other way). I lifted off the loud pedal for a moment and covered the brake. (Didn't check speed as was more interested in potential hazard, estimate 45-50mph at this point, NSL road.)
Was there any chance, that an earlier glance across to your right, through the R hand bend, may have given you, a chance to see any section of oncoming road, (no matter how small), and the possibility of advance warning of the car ?
I am not saying that you did not think of this, nor that you did not try to do this, - just asking if it was at all possible. I appreciate that it is spring, and so the foliage is in good growth too, thus adding to the visual impairment.
Quote:
The bend opened up about 8-10 car lengths from the tractor. A Vectra was coming straight towards me on my side of the road. Fortunately I'd covered the brake pedal and hit it - hard. Had I not done so a head-on would have been pretty much inevitable.
The Vectra missed me by about 3 feet. By the time it reached me I'd come to a complete stop. Nevertheless I got a series of headlamp flashes and abusive gestures from the driver of the Vectra (male, early 20s).
As there was : 8-10 car lengths at the point that you 'entered' the corner; a road that you know; you observed the (tractors) flashing lights, and you had your escape route planned - I would have :
Yes, (I too would have) used the engine braking, but I would have braked too, until I could see that it was absolutely safe.
Also was the tractor finishing a straight that was leading him to the corner. In other words was there any opportunity for someone to do an overtaking manoeuvre, that you could be 'allowing for' a 'what if' possibility.
I assume he hand gestured because he scared himself!
Then I would have scrubbed off more speed earlier, downshifting to 2nd (heel & toe), (allowing for the slow in fast out - which doubles up to allow for 'stop in the distance that I can see to be clear in' all the way round the corner), and then started to use the verge and given extra space for the oncoming vehicle.
I would also, by being in 2nd gear, ready to use the power to take any further avoiding action. That escape route can be a life saver.
It is obviously easy to say what I would have done, when I have the luxury of 'after event' knowledge.
The 3ft is a v small allowance and must have felt extremely close, and I assume that he was still in 'overtaking speed' too so any impact would have been n/s front to n/s front ... a nasty accident (part head on) if it had occurred.
Quote:
I know that road very well - and from where that Vectra was the bend (and hence the overtake) would have been completely blind.
If the tractor was on a previous straight section, he may have made a late decision to overtake, and failed to plan well, and taken a late chance overtake.
Sounds like you did well, and allowed for the possibility of 'an event'.
One other thing that occurs to me is by looking at the oncoming car was there
any chance that your steering was beginning to steer back towards your preferred, position ? (We drive where we look). I appreciate that if you were still braking, then the steering will not kick in, until you release the brake pressure (unless you have ABS).
Quote:
Had I not had space to stop I'd have probably had no choice but to ditch my car into the verge - which at that point is a few feet wide. I'd certainly have been able to get far enough to the left that the Vectra would have impacted down my offside rather than head-on.
As far as I can tell I did everything right here. Saw the tractor, anticipated a lunatic overtaking on a blind bend (proven right), covered the brake pedal, braked hard and prepared to turn into the verge if I didn't have room to stop.
Comments anyone?
As I say above I think I would have started to use the verge - this sounds so close, that it would have given you, that much extra margin. You were out of time to 'then' use your escape route, it was something that you, could have used, but chose in that 'instant' not to, presumably judging it as un-necessary given the situation.