Useful tips for extending your observation?
Discussion
When I did my driver training the instructor was full of useful little tips to help 'see' further down the road, some I'm sure are common sense to many, but others may be new...
For starters...
Looking at hedgerows and telegraph lines to assess the likely path of a road
Looking for church steeples etc for an indication of likely '30s' coming up
Looking under the wheels of parked cars for potential pedestrians
Looking for bins out for a potential dust cart in the road
Looking for fresh mud/leaves on the road for a possible tractor round the corners
Looking for a grouping of streetlights for a roundabout, junction approaching
What else can people add?
For starters...
Looking at hedgerows and telegraph lines to assess the likely path of a road
Looking for church steeples etc for an indication of likely '30s' coming up
Looking under the wheels of parked cars for potential pedestrians
Looking for bins out for a potential dust cart in the road
Looking for fresh mud/leaves on the road for a possible tractor round the corners
Looking for a grouping of streetlights for a roundabout, junction approaching
What else can people add?
Looking through the windows of the car in front/parked cars.
On bends keep an eye on the brake lights of the car in front. They may dab them anyway, but they can see further round the corner than you.
Look for the overtake, really does get me thinking how far ahead is clear.
Think 'Is there a speed camera along here?'
On bends keep an eye on the brake lights of the car in front. They may dab them anyway, but they can see further round the corner than you.
Look for the overtake, really does get me thinking how far ahead is clear.
Think 'Is there a speed camera along here?'
Reflections
Windows, sides of cars - if they are clean
Off a wet road to see the brake lights of the car in front of the car in front of you.
Sometimes useful to see the state of a traffic light you cannot see directly.
Leaning left on slow country right handers and vis versa - be careful you still have good control though.
Windows, sides of cars - if they are clean
Off a wet road to see the brake lights of the car in front of the car in front of you.
Sometimes useful to see the state of a traffic light you cannot see directly.
Leaning left on slow country right handers and vis versa - be careful you still have good control though.
fulvia griff said:
- Look for reflections in cars/shop windows etc.
Can also help with parking.When pulling out a blind junction/driveway look for moving shadows. With low sun the shadows stretch further ahead than the car/pedestrian.
Also windows down can hear (most motor) vehicles when you may not yet be able to see them.
bins out in the day - maybe there is a bin lorry round the corner...
oh, and its worth giving me a bell too - if I am late setting off to get somewhere important there are always no end of tractors, deer on the road, cows crossing, broken down trucks, roadworks etc. on my route that its worth you checking with me anyway!
oh, and its worth giving me a bell too - if I am late setting off to get somewhere important there are always no end of tractors, deer on the road, cows crossing, broken down trucks, roadworks etc. on my route that its worth you checking with me anyway!
An obvious one for most I'd expect, when planning to overtake a car or more usefully a lorry/van, always hang back from them more than usual, you get a clearer view view of when it is safe to overtake and you give yourself to gain extra speed on your side of the ride before doing the manoeuvre
Something that has always served me well is gut instinct on anything that is out of context for the road.
For example, recently driving to a friends farm. Entering a tricky double bend I spotted a man in shirt and tie walking on the grass edge around 200m in front.
Unusual place for anyone to be but for a shirt and tie man, very unusual.
Instinct was to slow right down.
Turns out he was trying to encourage 3 young lambs off the road that were running in my direction.
Given that they were my friends lambs I was very glad I had slowed to a walking pace.
For example, recently driving to a friends farm. Entering a tricky double bend I spotted a man in shirt and tie walking on the grass edge around 200m in front.
Unusual place for anyone to be but for a shirt and tie man, very unusual.
Instinct was to slow right down.
Turns out he was trying to encourage 3 young lambs off the road that were running in my direction.
Given that they were my friends lambs I was very glad I had slowed to a walking pace.
KB_S1 said:
Something that has always served me well is gut instinct on anything that is out of context for the road.
Excellent point, I think it is possible that sub-conscious cues in addition to conscious observation is what occasionally gives you that sixth sense feeling when you correctly predict something which was not directly visible.Or maybe its just me?
The trick is to see if you can work out what it was that tipped you off.
Edited by Toltec on Tuesday 19th July 23:07
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