A good driving idea?

[Globalti]

Part of the technique of advanced driving is to force other drivers to behave in a way that suits you. This can mean taking up more road so that they are not tempted to try to squeeze past an obstacle, forcing you to reduce speed or alter course. Not always of course; every situation has to be judged on its merits. Another strategy would be to alter your speed so as to avoid you and the other car meeting at the critical point, I guess it all depends on your reading of the other driver's likely actions.

 

[abo]

I think we are on slippy ground if we start to second guess other drivers

You're kidding surely? It is a big part of driving, reading another road user's position, trajectory and general 'body language' for want of a better word and indeed second guessing them, with an escape route or plan B ready in case you have read the situation wrongly. ISTM that this why a lot of accidents occur, as many car operators hit the roads with *anything but* driving on their minds... Driving is an input-heavy task requiring constant interpretation and decision making, but to the majority it is a matter of working the wheel, brakes and gears and getting from A to B.

 

[NeilEB]

You're kidding surely? It is a big part of driving, reading another road user's position, trajectory and general 'body language' for want of a better word and indeed second guessing them, with an escape route or plan B ready in case you have read the situation wrongly. ISTM that this why a lot of accidents occur, as many car operators hit the roads with *anything but* driving on their minds... Driving is an input-heavy task requiring constant interpretation and decision making, but to the majority it is a matter of working the wheel, brakes and gears and getting from A to B.

I agree that we need to bear in mind what the other driver is likely to do, but the issue is we are dealing with other humans, and humans are anything but rational.

For instance, what if the other driver sees you move out slightly so think "ahh well, if I overtake he's got loads of room to move back"

There are too many idiots on the road for me to try and influence or guess what their behaviour will be.

All I can say is since deciding to get involved with cycling, I've paid much more attention to them on the road and try to give them as much room as possible

 

[G-Zero]

Like the lovely lady in a shiny Lexus this morning in Stanley..

I was cycling towards a tight offside bend and was tucked well in to the nearside, opening an early view into the bend and furthering myself from danger of oncoming traffic. Just as well I did, as this Lexus came through the bend, virtually completely on my side of the road and missed me by only a foot or so.

A split second later, the reason became apparent as an old guy came pedalling towards me. So instead of hanging back until through the bend, Muppet lady had obviously gone wide to give him plenty of room, with absolutely no consideration given to what was approaching from the opposite direction and she was coming through, no matter what.

If it had been a car or motorbike instead of me, or if I was off my line a bit to avoid a pothole or gravel, someone would have been hurt..

 

[abo]

Like the lovely lady in a shiny Lexus this morning in Stanley..

You *were* in banjo country though

 

[G-Zero]

You *were* in banjo country though

I was at that

 

[HLaB]

Sometimes I think as a cyclist when I see something coming towards me on the other side of the road good it stops most bad passes but every so often you get an idiot who'll either squeeze through or drive head on at the oncoming car forcing them to brake. Although a collision for them would be bad, I'm sure I'd be wrapped up in it and come off worse