More punctures after advanced driving car positioning?

[wyson]

After getting my advanced driving qualification, I noticed I’m getting way more punctures than usual. I’m averaging about one a year. I think its because of the advanced driving method of positioning your car to the right or left side of your lane for approaching bends and following vehicles offset slightly (where conditions allow) for vision. This puts your wheels on areas of the road with more debris, that haven’t been ‘cleaned’ by the cars that have gone before.

I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else? Maybe I’ve just had a run of bad luck, or everyone is getting more punctures because council budgets have been slashed and they aren’t clearing the roads like they used to etc.

I’ve stopped positioning my car like this now. It’s just too expensive and time consuming (3 puncture repairs and 3 new tyres down), for very marginal gains.

[Fishlegs]

Part of advanced driving positioning is considering this exact problem. You don't just move your vehicle around from side to side because that's what you were taught to do. Consider the surface, drains, potholes, stones, gravel, dust, debris, and yes nails too. If the surface is bad where you feel you want to put the car, don't put it there. Stay off it. Maybe adjust your speed instead.

Apply your own judgement to all things, not just positioning. The better your judgement, the more advanced you are. Advanced driving is not about being a more sophisticated robot, it's about thinking for yourself and planning accordingly.

[wyson]

Fishlegs said:

Part of advanced driving positioning is considering this exact problem. You don't just move your vehicle around from side to side because that's what you were taught to do. Consider the surface, drains, potholes, stones, gravel, dust, debris, and yes nails too. If the surface is bad where you feel you want to put the car, don't put it there. Stay off it. Maybe adjust your speed instead.

Apply your own judgement to all things, not just positioning. The better your judgement, the more advanced you are. Advanced driving is not about being a more sophisticated robot, it's about thinking for yourself and planning accordingly.

You must have amazing vision to be able to pick out nails at 60mph on an A road! Sorry, that is beyond my abilities.

[supertouring]

Coincidence.

[Haltamer]

Sounds like a problem with your luck rather than positioning!

May be worth considering other causal factors such as construction sites nearby etc.

[Fishlegs]

wyson said:

You must have amazing vision to be able to pick out nails at 60mph on an A road! Sorry, that is beyond my abilities.

It's not about looking for individual nails (as well you know!). It's about not placing your car in the debris purely because your instructor told you that's what the book says advanced drivers do. It sounds from your first post like you you know why this is happening, so don't do it.

There's nothing advanced about using the whole road. There's plenty advanced about considering using the whole road, but deciding not to.

[wyson]

Fishlegs said:

It's not about looking for individual nails (as well you know!). It's about not placing your car in the debris purely because your instructor told you that's what the book says advanced drivers do. It sounds from your first post like you you know why this is happening, so don't do it.

There's nothing advanced about using the whole road. There's plenty advanced about considering using the whole road, but deciding not to.

What is a Fishleg anyway? Like literally, mudskipper type thing? Do you have a long torso and short stubby little legs with limited mobility so call yourself fishlegs?

Amazingly enough, I’m not stupid (wouldn’t dare admit this to my manager nor my Mrs, I’d never hear the end of it) and don’t put my wheels where there is obvious debris!

Edited by wyson on Wednesday 23 June 18:46

[OverSteery]

It sounds more like bad luck to me.

OP, just how many years and punctures are we talking about?

I've only had one puncture in the last 15+ years since I did my IAM. (I nearly wrote 15 years of advanced driving - and then thought better of it )

[voram]

Round my way the roads are so bad "positioning" mainly involves avoiding pot-holes. Particularly awkward after dark.

[silverfoxcc]

Had three punctures in 12 months Pirelli 6000 I know!!!!

Replaced with a set of Michelin Cross climate over two years ago, not a loss of 1 psi. Excellent bits of rubber

So yep not the driving just bad bloody luck

[kambites]

I suspect coincidence. I did my IAM course shortly after passing my driving test over 20 years ago and I've had one puncture since.

[Nearlyretired]

You are very unlucky!
I passed my Driving instructor exam (ADI) and Advanced Driving test 37years ago and have positioned my cars to get maximum vision and have never had an increase in punctures.
It's true you do tend to pickup more debris when tucking it over to the left for right handers!
My main worry is pot holes,so I keep an eye open!
Part of good driving is constantly observing and analysing the condition and grip levels of the road ahead.
When in doubt slow down and if safe stop!

Edited by Nearlyretired on Friday 25th June 14:13

Edited by Nearlyretired on Friday 25th June 14:18

[Nearlyretired]

You are very unlucky!
I passed my Driving instructor exam (ADI) and Advanced Driving test 37years ago and have positioned my cars to get maximum vision and have never had an increase in punctures.
It's true you do tend to pickup more debris when tucking it over to the left for right handers!
My main worry is pot holes,so I keep an eye open!
Part of good driving is constantly observing and analysing the condition and grip levels of the road ahead.
When in doubt slow down and if safe,stop!

Edited by Nearlyretired on Friday 25th June 14:13

Edited by Nearlyretired on Friday 25th June 14:19

[wyson]

I am starting to think it is bad luck. It was around the time the permissible development rights thing kicked in and there was suddenly a whole lot of building works; extensions, basements etc. going on. Where I lived, every other house seemed to be doing some sort of extension. TBF, the best way to add value to your house in London. You’d easily get your money back and then some.

Edited by wyson on Sunday 27th June 10:58

[Majorslow]

I think OP is unlucky ...like me...

Was minding my own business a couple of weeks ago, when a Police car on a blue light run over took me on a bend, he spat up a load of crap and put a dent in my windscreen. lucky for me it was repairable, and my insurance cost was £0.00. if my screen had required replacing it would have been £90 excess.

I reported to Police as an "incident" and was put in touch with a very pleasant traffic sgt.

In meantime repair was completed and i informed police that i didn't want to take it further as I had had no financial loss.

Then their solicitors got in touch with me, and said I had no claim against the Police as he was driving "normally". and.... it was the councils fault the stone spat up, and that it was up to the council to keep the roads clean. Cheeky buggers. If the Police car had been driving "Normally" he wouldn't have gone over the centre line at very high speed on a bend.

The centre of the road can have a shed load of crap in it, especially where there are broken line chevrons. Just because you can (if safe) drive in them does not mean you have to. Avoid debris, it does not provide good grip, and of course more likelihood of punctures.....that maybe you could claim against the council for?

[Pit Pony]

Nearlyretired/ said:

When in doubt slow down and if safe stop

I'm not sure that's not wrong or maybe im.not not sure that it's not right.

I'll not stop now..or should I stop. Is it safe to stop?

[APontus]

I tend to avoid hatched sections on the centerline if they're obviously little used, to avoid driving over debris. I don't think offsiding on regular sections increases the chances of puncture; the crown of the road and narrow 'dead' area means not much can gather.

[Majorslow]

Motorway hard shoulders are to be avoided if possible... a "traffic Police Officer" friend of mine said they often get punctures when they visit the hard shoulder for "business" reasons

[Pica-Pica]

Just bad luck. As said, avoid potholes, drain covers and anywhere debris might hang out.

[51mes]

I'm not sure that it's proven but in my experience low profile tyres are also more susceptible to debris damage, 40/50 profile tyres tend to have less tread and also less give than higher profiles - my old jag xe-s was highly susceptible on the summer 19's (4 punctures - one 45 minutes after picking the car up from purchase) but much less so when wearing the winter 18's (none) across about 30K miles/3 years , with it being much worse than my previous volvo's (v60 polestar(one) & v40 R-design).

Touch wood the 18" shod IPace high profile tyres has been puncture free - but only about 10K miles so far.