giving yourself enough space
Discussion
ok i almost had my wknd away ruined by a fool in a van!
i was in overtaking lane. overtaken one car and stayed out because there was a van going a fair bit slower than me and i made the decision that it was better to stay out rather than weave around! a long way in the distance there was a slow moving vehicle. i was gradually slowing 9i was catching the car in front and was covering the brake. then the van did the pull in front and indicate when your halfway into the overtaking lane manouver. i had to brake very heavily and because of the traffic was going to bunch up i decided to move to the inside lane to give myself space. i indicated and did so. i didn't continue to brake but was allowing the car to slow down gradually. the van then did the same manouver in reverse and i had to brake heavily again but this time i just thought damn it he's a fool and moved in to the overtaking lane again and nailed it to get past him! he was then doing the prat roadrage flashing and gesticualting - but i hadn't done anything wrong - i had always remained behind him. i changed lanes to give myself room after *he* had done a daft lane change into no space.
what would you have done - just really hammered the brakes in the overtaking lane for a long time until you had a decent gap in front of you..?
the other thing was i had lights on and my car is clean and bright blue so i don't think he has any excuse for not seeing me!
i was in overtaking lane. overtaken one car and stayed out because there was a van going a fair bit slower than me and i made the decision that it was better to stay out rather than weave around! a long way in the distance there was a slow moving vehicle. i was gradually slowing 9i was catching the car in front and was covering the brake. then the van did the pull in front and indicate when your halfway into the overtaking lane manouver. i had to brake very heavily and because of the traffic was going to bunch up i decided to move to the inside lane to give myself space. i indicated and did so. i didn't continue to brake but was allowing the car to slow down gradually. the van then did the same manouver in reverse and i had to brake heavily again but this time i just thought damn it he's a fool and moved in to the overtaking lane again and nailed it to get past him! he was then doing the prat roadrage flashing and gesticualting - but i hadn't done anything wrong - i had always remained behind him. i changed lanes to give myself room after *he* had done a daft lane change into no space.
what would you have done - just really hammered the brakes in the overtaking lane for a long time until you had a decent gap in front of you..?
the other thing was i had lights on and my car is clean and bright blue so i don't think he has any excuse for not seeing me!
Without knowing all the road and traffic conditions, it's not possible to say what you should/could have done.
One tip (learned from experience) is:
Always assume that the driver in front will do something stupid, and if it's man in a white van, it's a fact rather than an assumption.
I personally may have stayed where I was, but regardless of that, confort yourself by knowing that he reacted as he did becuase he is a dickhead (which we already know, as he was a white van man). It's probably not you, it's him.
One tip (learned from experience) is:
Always assume that the driver in front will do something stupid, and if it's man in a white van, it's a fact rather than an assumption.
I personally may have stayed where I was, but regardless of that, confort yourself by knowing that he reacted as he did becuase he is a dickhead (which we already know, as he was a white van man). It's probably not you, it's him.
baSkey said:
he was then doing the prat roadrage flashing and gesticualting
Blame is so much better to give than recieve.
He made a mistake. Felt guilty about it. Then he was angry at you for having seen it.
Meself - I'd have stayed in Lane 3 and waited until he'd finished being a
before going past.I would tend to sit in the 3/4 position as opposed to the full offside, it means your in their mirrors much more, as opposed to where they might be looking. I also drive with my headlights on all the time that way there more more likely to notice you as opposed to actually look for you.
cptsideways said:
I would tend to sit in the 3/4 position as opposed to the full offside
you mean sit sort of diagonally behind the rear light cluster as opposed to alongside?
i think in the future i'll just brake more heavily and stay where i am. that's generally what i'd do anyway - i just like to get away from erratic drivers!
having a MINI i have started driving with sidelights on a lot more 9most of the time in winter) because they actually seem visible!
it's this year that 'day light running'(nee volvo) lights on new cars become compulsory isn't it..?
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