Q for advanced motorist - accelerating out of trouble?

[Fume Troll]

A phrase I have often heard from people with performance cars (and bikes) is that more power is a good thing as you may find yourself in a situation where you want to "accelerate out of trouble/ danger".

Is there any case where this is really true?

Cheers,

FT.

[Major Bloodnok]

Probably, yes. However, I'd suggest that, if you found yourself doing that, then you've misread the lead-up to the situation.

[BOF]

Think being in the outside lane of the M25...

Space ahead of you...traffic too close and bunched behind you, so not safe to brake.

Foreign truck starts to move out of lane one, or to be closing on a truck ahead of him - traffic in lane 2 has only your lane to go to - it's either hit the loud pedal or 'Beam me up Scottie'.

As Major B says - depends on your observation and anticipation - it's always "What IF?"

BOF.

Edited by BOF on Monday 5th May 13:08

[p1esk]

Fume Troll said:

A phrase I have often heard from people with performance cars (and bikes) is that more power is a good thing as you may find yourself in a situation where you want to "accelerate out of trouble/ danger".

Is there any case where this is really true?

Cheers,

FT.

Yes, although I find it's a very rare situation, which is fortunate for me as <moan, moan, whinge, whinge> I have relatively little acceleration capacity available. A bad workman always blames his tools.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[GreenV8S]

I think most people try to avoid being alongside vehicles in adjacent lanes for any longer than necessary, and stay out of each others' blind spots. But with lanes of traffic moving past each other you can't avoid it completely. However, having plenty of acceleration available means you can control when and how quickly you pass the traffic around you. In a less powerful car you have much less ability to to this. I don't think it's exactly getting you out of trouble, more like minimising the exposure to danger.

[rasputin]

I have a deep mis-trust of truck drivers. As far as I'm concerned they've all been up and driving for 72 hours straight and can't see anything within 12 miles of their mirrors.

So overtaking a truck for me means making sure I have decent acceleration available (3,500rpm+ in my car) before I get alongside... I am then ready to brake until the point where going forward would get me out of the way quicker and then I'm ready to "jump" forward.
If there's someone close behind and I'm in the outside lane (so my safety bubble is forwards only) I do the same, but give the throttle a stab as soon as I'm beside the truck, to get back to open road ASAP.
Also hand covering horn throughout the overtake.

Yes I've had some bad experiences

[Don]

GreenV8S said:

I think most people try to avoid being alongside vehicles in adjacent lanes for any longer than necessary, and stay out of each others' blind spots. But with lanes of traffic moving past each other you can't avoid it completely. However, having plenty of acceleration available means you can control when and how quickly you pass the traffic around you. In a less powerful car you have much less ability to to this. I don't think it's exactly getting you out of trouble, more like minimising the exposure to danger.

Beautifully put.

[7db]

I find a little nudge of power can help clarify situations - however, the most acceleration available to you is via your brake pedal (and then your steering wheel).

Useful at the lights to get yourself a little empty space to drive in.

[Colonial]

Depends. The phrase if in doubt power out is the worst thing you can say to an inexperienced driver in a RWD car.

However, accelerating out of trouble is useful. Had to do it on the motorway at the end of last year. Car swerved into my lane whilst I was slongside. Was being tailgated so couldn't break. Moved half onto the edge of the road and accelerated away from the situation. Only thing I could do.

But I got a speeding fine for it. From a radar operator. Who saw the whole thing. And still gave me a speeding fine.

[p1esk]

Colonial said:

Depends. The phrase if in doubt power out is the worst thing you can say to an inexperienced driver in a RWD car.

However, accelerating out of trouble is useful. Had to do it on the motorway at the end of last year. Car swerved into my lane whilst I was slongside. Was being tailgated so couldn't break. Moved half onto the edge of the road and accelerated away from the situation. Only thing I could do.

But I got a speeding fine for it. From a radar operator. Who saw the whole thing. And still gave me a speeding fine.

Pillocks! In the situation you describe it seems like you had no alternative if an accident were to be avoided.

I think I'd have refused to pay that one.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Fume Troll]

OK, so most of these examples rely on you being unable to brake...Is that realistic? I don't mean to be rude, I don't have any advanced driver qualifications, it's just a question! If you found yourself in a situation where you were unable to brake, and a truck wasn't pulling out on you, what should you do to get into a position where you can brake?

I guess what I'm asking is: Given that it seems there are some situations where you can accelerate out of trouble, are there any of those situations which could not have been prevented by better awareness or observation leading up to that point?

I suspect that with the way our roads are now, the only way would be to avoid driving! I.e. as soon as you make a space for yourself, get yourself into a clear box of road, someone who has a different perception of what is safe will move into it.

Cheers,

FT.

[Colonial]

p1esk said:

Pillocks! In the situation you describe it seems like you had no alternative if an accident were to be avoided.

I think I'd have refused to pay that one.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

One would have thought so. I did contest it but was told speeding is illegal. No ifs or buts.

Very, very annoyed.

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

Having good brakes doesn't do much to make overtaking any easier or safer.

When negotiating a hazard, I like to be in a gear that gives me the potential to either speed up or slow down easily.

You can drive a slower vehicle safely, but you don't have as many options.

[p1esk]

Colonial said:

p1esk said:

Pillocks! In the situation you describe it seems like you had no alternative if an accident were to be avoided.

I think I'd have refused to pay that one.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

One would have thought so. I did contest it but was told speeding is illegal. No ifs or buts.

Very, very annoyed.

Well I sympathise with you totally. I would say it was quite unreasonable to get done for that one.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Hooli]

accleration works well for me on the bike particulary. for example when overtaking & numptie starts to drift into you as i already have a speed advantage its easier & quicker to increase that differential rather than scrub off twice as much speed while double checking i've got somewhere to drop back too.
or when you have some ahole who wants to tailgate - never understood this with bikes especially, its not like i'll slow you down if its safe to travel quicker. i'll pick a gap in the outside lane (or on comming traffic) which i KNOW they wont be able to follow me into & vanish so they can have the accident they want with someone else.

[andymayo]

very interesting points made

[Pork_n_Beem]

accelerating out of trouble is not the way i would decribe it. I am often accelerating to put me in clear space, as already mentioned this is preferred than braking on a busy motorway. The more power you have the more options, also when accelerating to match speeds when joining a motorway or DC is safer than trying to merge when you are 15mph slower than the traffic speed.

I vary my speed on motorways to give myself the most space and the least stress, accelerating and coasting, as appropriate

[BertBert]

yep, I agree with PnB. In the case of Colonial, one could be a super-smart ass VH stylee and point out that perhaps you could have worked out you were in a bad situation with the tailgater, used your observation to spot the potential side swipe and been slowing much earlier!!! Tailgater dealt with, side swipe avoided, speed-tax not paid!



Bert

[ab@]

I thought the "i need the biggest engine they do so i can accelerate out of trouble" was just the line my mother used when picking her new car?

[Colonial]

BertBert said:

yep, I agree with PnB. In the case of Colonial, one could be a super-smart ass VH stylee and point out that perhaps you could have worked out you were in a bad situation with the tailgater, used your observation to spot the potential side swipe and been slowing much earlier!!! Tailgater dealt with, side swipe avoided, speed-tax not paid!



Bert

Ah, the benefit of hindsight. Still, overall I'm happy with my reaction and avoidance. If it's worth anything the tailgater came up very, very quickly at around 140kmh+ when I was doing 115-120 (yes, slightly over the limit) and swerved across 3 lanes of traffic to site behind me about 5 seconds before it happened.

Still, only money, and will have 3 points back next month. Back up to 9.