BRAKING MATTERS - AND IT DOES

This articles follows on from my previous one, which was based mainly on The Rules of Braking, from the Police Road Craft Book. Today I am dealing with  more in depth thinking and analysis of various braking situations. 

Braking is one of the moments that can make a vehicle very unstable, if not given enough thought, it could mean the difference between life and death. 

You have got to take the weight of the vehicle and its contents into account. The way the undulations and bends with the different cambers, plus the weather, all have an effect. Oh! Yes, speed as well. 

If you chug along at 20 mph many of the above have much less effect on your vehicle when you come to brake. It is still worth reading though.

Higher speeds can affect the stability of your vehicle if used in the wrong place. If for an example you have undulations as apposed to hills, you will find that as you go over the rises in the road your suspension becomes light and to touch your brakes harshly at this moment could cause a momentary lock up. 

You have to wait until the vehicle is over the rise and settled back on its haunches / suspension, then your tires will be in good contact with the road, with much better grip, so you can get a much better braking effect. You will be able to steer as well. 

Your initial touching of the brake pedal will need some thought, not hard onto the brake pedal, that alone could induce a skid for a moment. 

As you come over the rise in the road, sorry, preferably prior to negotiating the rise, you must think about the distance to the main hazard you are dealing with. 

If the above undulations are on the approach to a major hazard, try to look well forward and get as much speed off before having to deal with those undulations in the manner above.  

Braking can be done over a long distance, depending on your speed. Over that distance the surface can change several times, especially just after a fall of  heavy rain. In other words, if the surface varies then your braking and touch of the brake pedal must vary to accommodate the prevailing conditions. 

An example of going over different road conditions and dealing with them after being progressive. Brake firmly in a straight line, come off the brake pressure as you go over a slight rise in the road, letting the vehicle settle on its suspension on the other side, now back to firmer braking. 

Next going through a puddle, come off everything and hold the steering wheel, very firmly. When out of the water on a damp but good surface feel the pressure but not really firm until you have got a lot more speed off, or when coming onto the Non-slip surface, usually light tan in colour, which you will see on the approach of many major junctions, brake firmly on this tan surface even in the wet, to be safer before the forthcoming hazard. 

Do not leave all your braking until you are actually on that non-slip surface, you may not have enough time on your side.

Late braking for Traffic Lights:-

Getting caught out by those lights that change against you when you were just saying to yourself, “ I am going.” “ Oh no.”

A green light is the most difficult to approach, when you first see it green take a flexible gear, that is one that will help you use the engine to go, or slow when the 

engine compression will be helping your brakes to restrain the vehicle.

If they should change against you, come onto the brake firmly, realising that as your nose dives, the back end of your vehicle lifts up, as well as you, your passengers, and every item in your vehicle. 

Just before, and I mean just before, you come to a stop, take off some pressure on that brake, NO, I did not say come off the brake, then immediately back hard on the brake. You will then come to a controlled stop. 

It will help a great deal to practice, just give yourself a spot to brake to, some where quiet even off road, maybe an empty car park. Always use your mirrors before and while doing this manouver even off road. To begin with, try braking firmly to a stop, no particular spot needs to be used on this occasion, do this without locking up the road wheels, it will take time.

What has happened, while you were first braking, with everything being lifted and thrown forward, by coming off the pressure on the brake for just a moment  immediately prior to you coming to a stop, things have settled down somewhat. So that your last piece of  firm braking has not such a dramatic affect. 

Believe me it works, it always make me think of a Tom and Gerry  cartoon moment, they are always over exaggerated. It needs safe practice. This will give you more confidence in braking generally.

While the above is going on do not depress the clutch, it's very tempting to do so. If you press the clutch you loose the help you get from the engine compression, as long as the engine is connected to the road wheels you have that help. Press the clutch and you loose it.

Depress the clutch at the last second of the first piece of braking for the late changing traffic light as above. Here is an extreme example of what depressing the clutch at the wrong time would cause, going down a steep hill in a low enough gear restraining the vehicle, should you press the clutch at this time the vehicle would run away gaining speed rapidly.

A.B.S and Cadence Braking:-

While on the subject of braking I must include something about A.B.S. Which is an electronic / mechanical action on your brakes. It comes in when you have left it too late, and are pressing the brake pedal for all it's worth. Saying to yourself, “Please stop!'

A.B.S. Took the place of ' Cadence Braking ' Cadence is done purely by the trained driver with there foot going hard on, hard off, on, off, on, off, on, off, and so on. This is much slower than A.B.S. but serves the same purpose for split seconds.

While on the brake you may be sliding or possibly loosing a little speed if at all. When off the brake you could have a rolling action with the road wheels 

and while this is happening you can get some steering! Not much, but hopefully at least some.

Do not rely on ABS, the adverts in the past when ABS first appeared were too misleading, making you think you could drive fast in the wet and tired, when surprised by a truck pulling out, you could steer round it and drive on, so cool, not in the real world though. Even in an recent brochure advert for a well known car this again is suggested.  

Please get that out of your mind. In reality, the only thing that it might do, is allow you to steer just enough so that instead of hitting a pedestrian, you may just clip them, hopefully with no injury or death. Yes only that amount of steering at the most.

Cadence braking used in the real world:-

I had an experience outside Buckingham Palace right by the Victoria Monument, known in London as the ' Wedding Cake ' just because it looks like one.

I was on an emergency call and it was raining, I was going across the front of the Palace Gates with the Wedding Cake to my right, with the intention of going up Constitution Hill towards Hyde Park Corner, to that emergency call.

It was dusk, so I had my Blue Lights going and the Horns going, which was all there was in those days. As I came towards the Wedding Cake a tourist driving from my right, failing to treat the Wedding Cake as the center of a roundabout, drifted pointing at the palace, right across my path, towards the Palace gates.

Being truly honest this was the only time I attempt Cadence Braking, A.B.S. had not been developed enough at this time, during training at Hendon on my Advance Driving Course I was taught it and practiced. To my surprise it clicked in on, off, on, off and so on, as above.

It gave me just enough time to go round the back of the oblivious motorist, to this day I am sure he never new a thing about the Police Car even being there. We steadied up and were away up Constitution Hill. Phew!Let's hope you never have to use Cadence or A.B.S.

TAKE GOOD CARE OUT THERE, NO ONE CAN DO IT FOR YOU.

DAN MOONIE

HOW THE RULES OF BRAKING SHOULD BE USED (ROAD CRAFT) AN INSTRUCTORS INTERPRETATION

Braking is usually done for safety reasons, it can be one of the most dangerous actions you ever take if not done with the correct amount of thought.This is why I felt this article following could  help make the difference between safety and potential / actual danger. 

The Rules of Braking comes from the Old Road Craft manual used by the Police, like many things in the past you had to learn them word perfect to pass an exam on the courses.

Unfortunately getting it right in an exam did not mean that you understood it for use in a practical way. Initially driving at speed  these lists do not come to mind easily, with a fast changing picture around you particularly in a progressive mode.The only way you can learn their meaning is by repeating them at the relivent times and places many times over.

If you can practise resiteing the Rules of Braking at the relivent time while in the hot seat, you will feel much more comfortable at speed , particularly in the wet. They really are life savers.

Lets have a look at the RULES OF BRAKING 

B---------- 1.Brake in plenty of time.

B---------- 2.Brake firmly only when travelling in a straight line.

A---------- 3.Vary the brake pressure according to the road surface and weather conditions. (refer to my article about Driving In the wet).

4.When descending a steep winding hill brake firmly on the straight stretches, ease off the pressure in the bends. Remember the advantage of taking a low gear at an early stage of descent.    

The phrase ' that rules are made for breaking ' comes to mind particularly with reference to Number 4. which I do not think was written with a great deal of thought but with the best will in the world. 

With 24 years of training the two highlighted phrases have regularly caused some confusion.

Dealing with the phrase ease off the pressure in the bends. Students interpretation would miss quote it thinking it said come off the brakes in the bends. 

Oh yes, it made it very interesting on steep winding hills because the car would speed up in the bends with the weight of the car and four occupants, the situation would get more and more exciting. I had to come in with a word of advice, not always polite as you might imagine. 

Then I would stop the car and get everyone out away from the pressure just felt, and explain the proper use of the correct phrase.

The second of the highlighted phrases in Rule 4 above Taking a low gear at an early stage of descent. 

This always seemed to be a contradiction of the advice in Road Craft which indicates ' when approaching any hazard e.g. bends, junctions and roundabouts, is to take a gear for the reduction of speed you have achieved, when you know you are feeling safe, so that as you entered the hazard your hands are now back on the steering wheel. 

Also in the case of the steep winding hill, it is much more comfortable to have taken the low gear and have your left foot off the clutch before going over the steep drop ahead, having the retardation of the engine controlling the vehicle.

If you go over the top and then think ' I might need a lower gear here'

it can make things interesting. As you go down a steep slope and decide to change down  during the process, you will have to depress the clutch, the car would at that moment start to speed up. Free wheeling

The paragraph above could be dealt with if the driver had considerable experience, it would make sense to have better control of your vehicle prior to descending the steep hill, with your hands back on the steering wheel so that you can concentrate ' on braking firmly, on the straight stretches and only easing off the pressure in the bends'.

When you feel that the slope is not that steep you can change back up the gears to relax the engine. Nothing is lost by taking the gear prior to descent, and it is always better to take the safer controlled action until you see a need for change.

Try the above advice particularly when seeing a sign that tells you a steep hill down is just ahead. Do not try to work out how steep the hill is, just go by the lack of vision and how much you have lost. Get some speed off and take the appropriate controlling gear for that speed so that your hands are now able to be back on the steering wheel, with your left foot  off the clutch, before you get to the steep drop.

This is the first of two articles on braking. This article gives you some well tried rules to go by, with my instructional thoughts attached. The second will deal with the same subject, but with much deeper thought and analysis, which will improve your ability to deal with many different incidents. Also building your confidence as knowledge is gained.

TAKE CARE OUT THERE, NO ONE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU

DAN MOONIE

DO YOU WANT TO DIE IN THE RIGHT - this is a scary attitude that some drivers have

What a stupid question I hear you say, does he think I don't know how to drive. I have been driving for 20/30/40, plus years. 

O.K.,O.K. of course I don't think that! Please take a moment out and listen to what I've got to say. After all, for 20 years I have taught the most questioning drivers, Police Officers. I have opened their eyes to develop their driving to the highest level for roads in Britain.

What I am referring to in this article is to do with attitude of mind. I will be explaining things to you when you may have slipped into a comfortable rut, with no one to tell you otherwise. Thereby lies danger, every bit as dangerous as a young person with the ' I'm immortal ' approach. 

Do you say to yourself " This could be the day I die in or on this vehicle?" No, of course you don't, if that were in your mind, you may never want to drive. Some times I wish that particular drivers would genuinely think about it, when they are driving without due care or even outright recklessly.  

Again you hear, "see that junction, or that bend, it's dangerous."  Try standing in a safe place by these so called dangerous spots and count how many vehicles negotiate that hazard safely, in 30 minutes, or an hour, or what ever period you think proves my point. If all of those vehicles negotiated it safely why do some say it's dangerous? Take away the drivers and there would be no danger.

Many of the drivers who have accidents are actually locals. This is often down to a complacency that comes over drivers " Oh I'm nearly home I can relax, I know this area like the back of my hand." 

It's even more scary because they have been round a bend or through a junction so many times it's going to be as clear as it was when they did this yesterday and the day before and the day before that. 

Why on this occasion should there not be a car stopped on the left-hand side of the road just round the bend, with it's off-side door open, and a lorry coming the other way just as you swan round that same old corner.  

It always happens to someone else. Try to adopt an attitude of driving on roads you know well, as if you have never driven on them before.

Let's look at a real life situation that could have been one of those where someone could have 'died in the right,' but my experience thankfully helped to saved the day.

I was travelling south on the A.9. on a two-lane dual-carriageway with a 70 mph speed limit towards a junction. This was before the recent changes that have improved safety all round.

Before reaching the actual junction, which is on the left with an inter-section in the middle for north-bound right turners. The dual-carriageway reduces to one lane on the near-side, with a ghost island, that's the diagonal white lines painted on the road surface that on this occasion had short dashed white lines bordering it's left-hand side for it's full length. 

There was also a reduction in the speed limit down to 50 mph with a speed camera and the appropriate road signs and markings.

As is usual most of the drivers who would never look at an over-take on the following two-way section of this road, do their best to get past just that last car before coming in to the near-side lane as was clearly indicated by road markings and large signs, well back from this part of the forthcoming hazard. 

I was at the front of a closed up line of about 7/8 followers of various cars/vans. I had shown my brake lights early, because of the speed limits and in case some might have missed the fact that a speed-camera was imminent.

I could see an articulated lorry turn from my left, just as I reached the junction. It was now going along a short slip-road to join us on the single south-bound lane. He was determined with his indicator on to come straight out into my lane as I was now just past his tail-end. 

Bearing in mind who and with what attitude was following me, I changed down to third gear, signalled right and accelerated onto the ghost-island and away from the lorry. Two others followed me, maybe because I was positive, I don't know.

I know that because of my back-ground I could legally do this, even before it happened. See the new Highway Code Para 130 refers. The particular words that say you can go onto these ghost-islands with the short dashed white-line boarders are :- ' if it is necessary ' In my  view it was absolutely necessary purely for safety reasons. Knowing this made my move very calm, positive and easy.

More recently, the bordering line of the above ghost island, is now a solid white line. Given all the above circumstances, you are still allowed to do the same thing as I did above. You can cross or straddle a solid white line if it is safe to do so.  

Dying in the right? The attitude of some drivers is as follows " He should not come out of a side road, onto a main road without giving way to traffic on that main road "  

Only those drivers taught to deal with emergency calls would cover this sort of situation in their training. I am therefore aware of a large gap in all drivers training that can save lives, this is the main reason behind my articles.

For now, just one more situation you will see every day .You are on a two-lane dual-carriageway or Motor Way, a slip-road off is coming up about 1 mile ahead with slow heavies in front of you in the near-side lane.

Use your mirrors, signal and move out as you approach the slip-road off. 

When drivers do this they often return straight back to the near-side lane, because they were taught that, according to the Highway Code,  once you have over-taken move back to the near-side lane as soon as possible.'

Again without doing any other training,  it breeds a certain black and white attitude to some situations. The above is one such set of circumstances. 

The potential danger after returning to the left-hand lane is the slip-road down/up from the near-side, for traffic joining your road. The awkward angles for those vehicles joining your road may cause them to miss you as you could easily be in their blind spot. 

Even after signs that point out that ' traffic is joining from the near-side, '  drivers are often seen coming into the near-side lane particularly when the joining slip-road initially looks empty. There are often lamp posts on the slip roads, as another clue to where it actually is.

Stay out until you can see the slip road in your near-side mirror, then signal when the left-hand lane is clear, and still using your mirrors, come over steadily.

One of my phrases often used in tuition ( see above situation ) " you are a reactionary driver, rather than what we are trying hard to make you,  an anticipating driver. This is really the secret to safety at any speed, but the faster you go the earlier you need to start doing something in anticipation, and that is implementing the System of Car Control, or the police method of driving.

Many a student thought they were on an Advanced Driving Course when in fact they were on an anticipating course. If you read all my articles and comply with the advice, it will make you more of an anticipating driver. Therefore safer and alive. You can still get lots of enjoyment out of doing things  early and saying silently to your self, “ I knew that was going to happen.”genuinely.

Think of this :- Step out 15 large steps. It is approximately 44 feet in old money. That is how far you travel at 30 mph in one ( 1 ) second. Then of course you have to start doing something, thinking, braking and weather conditions, all add to the overall stopping distance. 

Step this out and put a person at each end and ask yourself 'how many people could get between them, for instance in a bus queue?' Who drives at 30 mph all the time? We are all human and with all the training in the world you will find yourself over the speed limit on occasions. Most drivers cannot resist the temptation, some do not care.

It's a sobering thought to just think how far you travel at say 40/50/60/70/80/90/100 100+  in one second. Too many drivers go at those speeds with very little training, scary. It brings me back to my original word, anticipation. It's not the total answer but by heck it helps.

Look out for my next tips on anticipation, they could save your life.

TAKE CARE OUT THERE, NO ONE CAN DO IT FOR YOU.

DAN MOONIE

DRIVING AT NIGHT

There are two attitudes of mind you may have towards night driving. Either not too sure because you cannot see as much, or on the positive side, you concentrate on the road and the things that stand out in your headlights warning you of possible danger, anyway what you can't see doesn't matter or does it?

The dark is something that makes many drivers feel apprehensive, no lighting at all can make it even more difficult. It is understandable, purely because your vision is limited compared to daylight vision.

I intend talking about clues to look for, such as signs and road markings and using other vehicles to find your way, all  warning you of problems coming up ahead. There are  some simple guide lines that are much more evident in the dark ( see my article on centre white lines and using them to anticipate.)

Whilst driver training in my last job, we had to do night runs. It was noticeable that after returning to  day driving, students would notice more signs and road markings, and use them in their commentary.That was because they stood out so much in their headlights, and they had learnt from that experience, that alone gave them better anticipation. The centre white lines, in particular, stood out. Their driving improved, by noticing these clues more, even during the daylight hours.

Here are a few tips to start with. Do not look at the lights of oncoming vehicles, guide your eyes towards the near-side kerb line, sometimes marked with a solid white line, go slightly towards that. 

You will find that if you look at something for too long you will be drawn towards it. Make this work for you, as above, by looking at the kerb, then moving your eyes along it, do not just look at one spot. Look further along the nearside white line and then come back, continuing this till the oncoming vehicles pass.

After the vehicles towards have passed, take both the kerb and the centre white lines as a guide. Come a little nearer to the centre white line, keeping away from the muck and drains on the near-side. Oh, and click on your main beam the split  second the last oncoming vehicle passes. 

Of course a split second before your lights dazzle an oncoming vehicles, dip your main beam again and back to following the nearside kerb line. You may dazzle oncomers on a dual-carriageway, purely because of the angle of your headlights.

Vehicles up ahead and towards will often illuminate a potential hazard coming up, so lift your vision when you see headlights up ahead. 

With no one about for a while, flash and dip your headlights a couple of times before reaching junctions and entrances. This is to warn people coming up to the main road of your presence. 

Do not wait until you definitely see another vehicle, that is what I refer to as a reactionary driving. Please try and be an anticipating driver, the secret behind everything to do with safe driving.

If on a really quiet stretch for a while, occasionally flash and dip your headlights to change the view ahead. Maybe the main flash will catch a sign in its beam, some distance away.The reflective signs, all talked about below will be seen much sooner, giving you even earlier warning of what lies ahead.

Look for a small blue backed sign, 450 yards shown on it, warning of a lay-by coming up. If at the front of a line of vehicles, or on your own, flash your head lights, to see if anyone is in that lay-by. They may be moving off, but not yet realised they have not got lights on.

With someone in the lay-by, use your mirrors and if safe, move away. If they keep moving, put on the full beam, keep on until you have passed the danger on your near-side, so long as you are not dazzling anyone. What does this flash mean? It is saying ' hello, I am here.' as is implied in the Highway Code.

Ask yourself the following question if there is an adjacent lay-by to your off-side. " Which way does a driver leaving that lay-by look as it takes 

off?" Answer, over their right shoulder, away from you, it is where the first danger to them comes from. If you see this, use your mirrors and move to the near-side and put on a long flash to attract attention, don't be shy. 

With the next paragraphs about reflective signs please do not think I am being patronising as I have to speak to all levels of driver, some  with limited knowledge on driving.

 

Reflective surfaces on signs on the near-side of the road, as a generalisation are red in colour. This helps pick out the left side of the road. I relate this to seeing a vehicle ahead, the rear lights and reflectors are red, apart from indicators which are amber, at both the front and back of a vehicle. 

You would overtake a vehicle even during the day by steering to its right-hand side. Keep to that rule with regards to the reflective signs at night, when they are red. Add rain to all these situations and these reflective signs are even more helpful.

There are hazard posts at the near-side of the road,  some on bends, they have a short black and white painted post, the reflective disc on the top is red. So keep to the right of them. A line of red reflectors in your headlight indicates to you that the road goes to the right. 

If you see this line of reflectors on the approach to a bend they are trying to tell you something. This bend is more dangerous than the others, maybe accidents have occurred regularly at this point over a period of time. Local councils do not spend money lightly, so ignor at your peril. 

On the other side of the road, the same posts will have white reflectors, just like the oncoming head-lights of any vehicle, which you  keep to the left of. Likewise, a long line of white reflectors tells you the road bends to the left.

There are similar smaller posts that pick out other things.They are  at the mouth of some roads and entrances. As you approach, both the posts to your nearside have red reflectors, these will show a white reflector to the oncoming vehicles, because the entrance is on the right-hand side of the road for them.

As an addition, when off the main roads in the Highlands, where a heavy fall of snow can cover the road in some places there are 7/8 feet high posts, on top of which the reflectors stick to the same rule as above. Near-side or left-side, red. On the off-side or right-hand side, white. Stick to the middle, between these posts to remain on the road. 

The colour of a directional sign on a Main road, or 'A' road as some drivers call it is green. Only on a motorway are they blue. If you are following the main roads as opposed to a motorway, look for a green background to the major signs. 

Roundabouts will stand out. There are often a large cluster of lamp-posts in the distance at night, they stand out much earlier. The roundabout itself is preceded by a green roundabout sign.The lamp-posts locate the actual position of the roundabout. If you cannot see it yet, look for brake-lights as you get nearer, they may be just round the bend, initially out of sight.

To locate the middle island of a roundabout, look for a round blue backed sign, with a white arrow pointing left. This is on top of the black and white chevron board, also pointing left.

Count-down markers to a major junction on a main road, have a 

green background 3/2/1. Any other colour is used for other local hazards, and of course only blue count-down markers on the approach to a motorway slip-road. 

On any other road, than a motorway, you must remember that these count-down markers can only be equidistant from each other, they are often 100 yards / meters apart, but  this distance can only be guaranteed on the approach to a motorway slip-road. 

All other roads could have a junction or an entrance close to the main hazard you are being warned of.  All the count-down markers can do  is divide up  the distance from that last junction / entrance equally up to the give-way markings, if on the approach to a roundabout. It is for that reason that you should not presume they are all 100 yards / meters apart. Your braking distance could be much shorter, and you could get caught out particularly in wet conditions.  

By lifting and opening your vision you can often get an early glimpse of the lights of a moving vehicle, way ahead to your right or left. Start looking for a junction where you might come in to contact with that vehicle, so you can start planning much earlier.

To locate a slip road, look out for the white road markings that will help you to pin point its actual location. It will stand out in your headlights when dark and it is on both motorways and main ' A ' roads. 

After passing the large road signs warning you of the junction and the count-down markers, look for two large white arrows connected but splitting, one pointing off onto the slip-lane, the other points straight on along the main road inside lane. Even if the vision is poor, go over the middle split of this white road marking. This will ensure you go off onto the slip road, fair and square. Do this in daylight convince yourself that you would go directly onto the slip-road.

There are various signs that warn you of a junction coming up, this is whether you are on an ' A ' main road, or a minor road.You will initially see a red triangular sign, with a white background, showing a black symbol of a junction lay-out, either right / left or both. 

There are others with local information, but there is only one sign that locates the actual junction. This is a ' Finger-Post ' sign. It has a pointed end like a finger pointing into the junction or entrance. They are always at the location of the junction, but could be on any side of the road.

The importance of the finger post is that you often get a glimpse before seeing the junction itself. This helps you to judge your braking distance, if turning. 

If not turning, you can also anticipate that a slower vehicle in front may turn without signalling, while others can come out, or turn into the junction across your path, that you have not seen yet.

If you are the only vehicle at that time, flash and dip your lights several times as you see the red triangular sign, maybe getting sight of the ' Finger Post ' but also warning the possible turners of your presence, and hopefully keeping them steady until you pass.

This article like the others is about the one thing that makes driving safer. Anticipation. 

  

TAKE CARE OUT THERE, NO ONE CAN DO IT FOR YOU.  

DAN MOONIE

DRIVING IN THE WET

When it starts to rain, have you noticed that other drivers seem to be going faster, or at least driving at the same speed, not seemingly to have slowed down for the conditions. You are right to be wary of the wet.

The wet does need some additional thought. I am going to talk about as many things as I can to help give you more confidence in these conditions. After all 

' dancing in the rain ' seems alright, but a pirouette in a car, is not much fun if done on the road. On a skid-pan it can be great fun, there is nothing to hit, and of course it is not your car.

Many students in the past, would understandably become apprehensive when conditions were wet. I would tell them that if they have this weather on the day of their, final drive, don't  think “Oh no”, try to think positively, say to your self, 

“ Thank you, I now have plenty to talk about in my commentary, and can justify steadying up, the whole drive.”

Now that I have mentioned commentary, let's talk a little about it and how it can help you to be safer in the wet.   Many drivers think it is about saying what you see, yes, in some ways it is, but it should come out as what you are going to do about something that  is coming up. 

Here is a little piece of commentary that could help you in the wet.

Simple it might appear, It can be used again, and again, on wet days. Use it when turning out of a side-road, or leaving a roundabout.  

"Mirror, waiting for my wheels to get straight, before I -------------firm up the drive ".  

Say it as you are doing such a maneuver, you will find it difficult not to comply with those words. There is no harm in coming onto the gas steadily as you say the above words. Even if your wheels spin, just come back off the gas a little and immediately back on the gas with more subtlety. With your wheels straight you will not swerve all over the road. Once again, try this somewhere safe with no one about. Keep scanning your mirrors all the time whilst practicing this method even if you are off-road such as a quiet car park. 

I will be dealing specifically with the Method / System of Car Control used by the Police, with examples of when and how to use commentary, built round that  Method / System. I have been asked about commentary many times, so don't forget to look for that article.

There are many other places the above piece of commentary can be used, even in the dry. When driving a peoples carrier, or a car, you can use the above phrase  to help with passenger comfort,  and a top-heavy vehicles stability.

Away from commentary for now, lets look at more tips for driving in wet conditions.

Turn on your dipped head-lights, and if conditions are very bad, put on your high intensity lights. Often called fog-lights, so many drives will not put them on until there is fog - How strange is that? 

The proper name for these lights as stated above is, 'High Intensity Lights', this is so that you can be seen in poor visibility. A guide to go by, look at vehicles well ahead,  when their rear lights seem dim or not on, even though they are on. This should help the penny drop,  if you  cannot see the lights of vehicle up ahead, then drivers following you will probably not be able to see your normal lights. Put  on the High Intensity Lights, and be seen. 

Also on a sunny day,  when I go through a shaded wood area, I switch on my dipped head lights, again on a very narrow road, with passing places, I do this to be seen earlier.

On a sunny day have you ever used your mirrors,  just as you enter a tunnel. You will notice, that those following cannot be seen at all. Put your dipped head lights on about 50 meters back from the entry point of the tunnel. 

Be seen, if others cannot see you they may move innocently, and without an indication, catching someone out. There is not a great deal of room in a motorway tunnel once it goes wrong, do not forget to turn the lights off after leaving the tunnel.

 

Back to water, where does water settle? In dips. Before going over a rise in the road, ease off, take a more flexible gear, maybe third, depending on your speed, then cover your brakes, until you see what is in the next dip. 

This is anticipation, the secret behind all safe driving, at what ever speed. The faster you wish to go the earlier you have to start the System / Method. If you cannot position enough to see things earlier for the speed you are doing, slow down.  

When there is nothing over the rise, do not dismiss this advice for other dips, it only needs one puddle to cause a lot of  potential trouble. How deep is a puddle? How long is a piece of string.

If you cannot move away from the water over one of these dips, don't panic, brake and loose as much speed as you can, being subtle with your brake pedal. 

An unsubtle snatching touch, could start a slide, initially beginning with a momentary lock up. Once on the pedal, apply pressure gently at first, then progressively firmer and firmer, never so firm as to induce a skid, practice on a clear, wet road. Remember to use your mirrors before you do this, continue to monitor them, make shore there is no one about. 

As you are about to go through the water, take your feet off, yes off all the pedals,  grip the steering wheel very tightly, with both hands and good strong bent arms 'Ten to Two'. Stay like this until you are through the water and back on a better surface. Make sure your thumbs are on but not through the steering wheel, should you hit anything while going through the water that jerks the steering hard you could break a thumb that is through the steering wheel.

A skid is caused by 1. Harsh steering. 2. Harsh braking  3. Harsh acceleration, all three according to the conditions, or a combination of these three. Take away the cause,  and you will take away the slide/skid. This does of course depend on the time and distance you have in your available, before going through the water. Your speed alone may not help, the strong grip of the steering wheel will help a great deal.

Also imagine one of your front steering wheels going through the water, the other on a slightly better surface. The one in the water may aqua plain, in other words, slide on the top of the water, even if you do it right as above, your speed alone may cause this.  

If the steering deviates, when you come out of the water, onto a gripping surface, your vehicle will follow the direction of that steering. By the time you have reacted, you could be off the road , to your left into a wall, or a tree, or people. Even going to the right, head on towards on comers. Not nice either way. 

If you can anticipate the above situation happening by looking well ahead to an on coming vehicle, use your mirrors, and try to brake well back from the puddle, even if it is only on the other side of the road. 

Wait until the on coming vehicle gets through the puddle before moving forward. This is a bit of advanced thinking for another driver, about something you have realised  may well happen. Yet another example of what safe driving is about, anticipation. I am fully aware, much of it depends on the time and distance available

The following is of an actual incident that happened to me. By using the method described above, it really proved it works.

Driving back along the A701 towards Edinburgh, on Thursday 11^th January 2006, late morning, with plenty of water about, I had good reason to use the above method in extreme circumstances. My passenger, understandably, shouted, and I had to keep cool. This was a two-way road and I was approaching a cross-roads controlled by traffic lights, Green in favour of myself and the oncoming traffic. 

The road climbed and leveled out immediately as I crossed the junction. It was then, and only then, I caught sight of a long curb-side puddle, about 6' wide and I could not avoid it. This was because of a line of on coming vehicles and the 6" curb to my left. I looked ahead to see the road straight, braked as much as I dared to, then I was in it. 

I came off everything, and was gripping the Steering wheel very firmly, the screen was showered with water, so I momentarily had no vision. I just had to believe in the above method, I had never had to use it in such deep water. Thank goodness it worked.

The option was hitting a strong curb, or colliding with the on coming vehicles,  as the screen cleared I was on my own side of the road, and very thankful for the years of training I had at Hendon, and that includes while an instructor for many years, where I had to use the above method of dealing with surface water. 

Read through this method several times, and go and practice only when it is clear and safe. Think about what I have said about dealing with water you cannot avoid, as above, and stick to it. Do not panic, if you hear a wheel skipping, relax, do not take your tight grip away, only when you are on a better surface, out of the puddle.

You can use vehicles in front in the distance, with their extra spray telling you where water lies, you should then plan the possibility of having to use the above, To emphasis it, off all pedals, gripping the steering wheel very tight-relaxing, only when on a better surface. 

Spray can block your vision, so when you are about to pass a large vehicle with lots of spray, turn on the windscreen wipers, very fast, to clear the screen before you actually pass them. This is on both a dual-carriage-way coming up behind bigger vehicles, and on a two way roads with similar oncoming vehicles, particularly a line of  traffic with several being heavy goods vehicles towards. 

Look for the possibility of an impatient motor cyclist, or car driver, coming out of the spray towards you, attempting an overtake. Do not turn the fast wipers off until you have passed them all.

On dual-carriage-ways, stay in the outer lanes as long as you can , use those mirrors, the inside lanes by virtue of many heavy vehicles using them, have nice deep ruts. Water sits in these ruts, and they are usually full of spray. Staying out, keeps you out of the spray, and a lack of vision, also giving you better and earlier vision of  forthcoming hazards, particularly where the dual-carriageway bends to the left up ahead. 

The wet changes a lot of things and  I hope I have helped you to feel safer, that is as long as you stick with the advice above. There will be a lot more in the near future. take good care, and as I said before, slip-sliding away is fun on a skid pan, on the road it could be the last thing you ever do. Enjoy your driving, do not push over the limit, for you, the vehicle, or the weather conditions, live to enjoy it all again.

That is enough for now, don't forget to practice again and again so that it feels natural when it happens for real.

TAKE CARE OUT THER, NOONE ELSE CAN DO IT FOR YOU 

DAN MOONIE.

ROAD SIGNS THAT NEED A LOT MORE THOUGHT

This article is more about the interpretation of what seems every day signs, and the way you can anticipate things on the road better and make your driving much safer.

Directional road signs relating to the ' A ' / Major route roads are coloured green. If you are turning into another ' A ' road the direction signs  will be green, but if you are turning into a ' B ' road it will be white or brown for local places and specific places of interest. 

A blue sign would indicate that you are turning directly onto a Motorway. Example - M6 white in blue, on a directional green, white or brown sign for local places, indicates that turning in that direction will eventually take you onto the motorway.

Take a look at the roads coming into a roundabout, particularly from major routes and motorways. If people are coming into your roundabout directly from a Motorway, be wary, they may not have come down to a slower mode of driving, therefore arriving into your path too fast. Large roundabouts over or under motorways, are a classic places for this to happen.

Be particularly concerned if it is also wet. In everything I mention, add wet to what ever the scenario is, and much earlier recognition and  braking will be required. 

Look at the photo's shown of the clues that warn you of a major junction or roundabout. In the distance you will see a group of lamp posts, it indicates that a major junction is coming up, often a roundabout.

Next a large green roundabout sign appears, you must as early as possible start planning which lane you need to be in for your route. Local signs will also be seen, white or brown, that could help with your planning. 

The count-down-markers on a Major / ' A ' road, will be green and can only be equidistant apart. Many drivers think they are 100 meters / 100 yards apart. They may well be, but the only place you can absolutely ensure they are 100 meters / yards apart is on the approach to a motorway off-slip. 

The reason for this, is that on any other road there is always the possibility of an entrance or junction within the 300 meters / yards distance on the approach to a roundabout, or other hazard. 

The distance you see between the first marker and the second marker, and from the second marker to the third, will continue to be spaced out at exactly the same distance, as will the distance from the last count-down-marker to the roundabout, ' Give way ' lines Be very wary at speed, and once again particularly when it is wet, it will make a major difference to your braking.

If you do not know which sign indicates exactly where a roundabout island is, in the immediate above paragraph circumstances, you may well get to know it personally, as your vehicle is embedded in it. To know what it looks like, gives you your longest available braking distance. 

As an instructor you learn to explain directions in different ways. To say, “straight on at the roundabout” and they take you literately, replying, “you did say, straight on at the roundabout.” I made my directions very clear at roundabouts saying “follow the signs for Watford, the third exit.” I would get the drivers in their commentary to count off the exits in a roundabout, this ensured we took the correct exit every time, and safely 

The island sign is as shown, a black and white chevron board pointing to the left, on top of which is a round blue sign, with a white arrow also pointing left. 

Lets look at another simple example, where a small sign,  not always  registered, and definitely not dealt with in the following fashion.  

With a lay-by on the left, you firstly see a small square blue sign, one of the few blue signs not on a motorway. This one in particular, may not be registered by many drivers. It warns you that the lay-by is 450 yards ahead. 

Who ever thought of that distance? After passing the distance sign and seeing a vehicle or two in the lay-by, drivers do not think to move away, just reacting when something happens, if they have enough time on their side. 

What is worse not even noticing the whole thing, then when something happens, everyone else is to blame. Be an anticipating driver, not a reactionary driver, time will not always be in your favour.

Believe it will happen, using your mirrors and looking far enough ahead to see it is clear, move away from the only danger to you on that stretch of road, especially if they have lights on, or the engine is running, they could move off without warning. 

Watch for their wheels should they begin to rotate. If you cannot move away, ease off, taking a flexible gear, then cover the brakes until you are happy, particularly when the lay by is close to the road side.

It is also noticeable that a lay-by often has another lay-by adjacent on the other side of the road. If it was the case that both lay-byes had vehicles in them, if clear towards, and no one behind is thinking of overtaking you, split the danger by going out as you approach the one to your near-side, coming in towards the near-side for the off-side lay-by.

While on the subject of lay-byes on the off-side of the road, with various vehicles there in. Avoid doing an overtake so that you are closer to the off-side lay-by in the middle of what appears otherwise, a safe overtake. 

Ask yourself the question, "which way does a driver look when pulling out of a lay-by on your off-side?" They may well have looked in your direction while you had not yet made a move, they would be at fault to some degree, not as much as the responsibility you have to overtake in safe places. 

There will be many more signs to talk about and other clues you can take from other vehicles as well. Get out there and have a different perspective on signs you may have seen before, now with a little more knowledge of how to use them and keep safer, good luck. 

TAKE CARE OUT THERE, NO ONE ELSE CAN DO IT FOR YOU  

DAN MOONIE

Driving You Mad

My Dad, Dan Moonie, was an Advanced Police Driving Instructor for over 20 years. He worked at Hendon Police Driving School that trains Police Officers in the largest Police Service in Britain, 32,000 officers and about 18,000.civilians.

He trained officers on every type of vehicle on the roads of Britain and could drive a car. motorbike, HGV and bus. After he retired from Hendon, he went on to train a Government Department for a further 5 years. This was due to Health and Safety at Work demanding that if an employee who had to drive fast, they needed to be trained up to advanced level. He never told us, but I like to think he taught James Bond how to drive fast and safely.

A few years before he died we talked about setting up a blog for him to share his knowledge and experience, we never found the time. However, he wrote many articles that he hoped would help all drivers on the road. This site will be the collection that he sent me.