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Young people think Advance Driving and
Advance Driving Groups are full of boring old farts, driving about
all prim and proper, their passengers dozing off to sleep due to the
pedestrian speeds they’re going at. Now, and let’s be
clear about this, yes, the author may be considered an Old Fart but,
as far as driving is concerned, never (I hope) boring! Added to that,
the other Observers in NET RoADA are most definitely not boring drivers;
some don’t even come under the Old Fart category either. |
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Advance driving, based upon the Police System of Advanced
Driving, is all about arriving, in one piece and, as quickly as possible.
An advanced drive could be likened to a drive in a high-speed hearse,
(without any dead bodies), and should be, safe, smooth, systematic
and within the confines of the Law. A good advance drive is most definitely
not boring and, should be great fun! I hope, after reading the rest
of this article, you will agree Advance Driving and Riding is fun
too. |
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Throughout the rest of this piece, you will keep coming across the
term HAZARD. What is a hazard? In simple terms, a hazard is anything
around the road that may cause you to change course or speed or both.
This can be another road-user, the physical construction of the road
or debris in the road. Even a puddle could be a hazard. You don’t
know how deep it is and; as the wise sage says, “the water on
a swimming duck always comes up to the same point!” Now other
road-users, they could be pedestrians, horse riders, cyclists, etc.,
not just other road vehicles.
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Now let us consider the Advanced Driver’s favourite road sign,
the National Speed Limit sign. This sign tells you that you may proceed
on a bike or in a car up to 70 mph on a dual carriageway and 60 mph
if it is a single carriageway, or, at least the appropriate speed
for that section of road and the prevailing conditions. The term,
appropriate speed for the road, is the important phrase. Any idiot
can drive too fast, relying upon the advanced engineering safety features
of their vehicle to keep them alive. The appropriate speed can be
considered to be fastest a specific vehicle and driver can safely
traverse a section of road safely.
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Other drivers and riders have often told us that they can’t
keep up with us on the winding country lanes but usually catch us
up again once a town, and its 30 mph limit have been arrived at. (They
haven’t the skill to drive safely at high speed when the law
permits but don’t mind exceeding the speed limit when the dangers
and hazards have dramatically risen!) Yes, we love speed, but only
in the right place. I’m often tailgated by other drivers, (don’t
be pushed along by them; they won’t pay your speeding ticket),
but, as soon as a physical width restriction is arrived at, (posts
in the road), my speed remains constant however theirs, well most
almost always become stationary before proceeding at the creep. Then
they come blasting up behind me again! Funny that; once the national
speed limit is arrived at they seldom keep up then either!
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So, what is the difference between an advanced motorist and the
rest, (apart from our adherence to motoring law)? Simply put it
is observation, planning, technique then the skill to control the
vehicle.
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OBSERVATION
Suddenly; the most frequently used word used at
the start of insurance claim reports. Unless it ‘drops out of
the sky’, things seldom occur suddenly. In reality, the driver
has failed to see the situation building up; until it is too late!
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 Driving
at less than 40 the driver still stabs on the brakes when the yellow
box of the speed camera is spied. They’ve been driving on
automatic, they are oblivious to the speed limit in spite of just
passing a speed limit reminder plate. |
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How often have you driven down a familiar
road and, having got to the other end, realized you couldn’t
remember anything of the drive. This is more common than you can think,
especially for the trek to and from home and work. You’re driving
on ‘automatic’.
In fact, we believe, most drivers avoid accidents by accident. When
on automatic pilot, as the driver makes a mistake, it is the actions
of others that conspire to avoid the potential accident. So, one may
infer, some accidents (or crashes, as we prefer to call them) occur
when two road-users on automatic try to occupy the same piece of road
at the same time.
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So, how do you avoid, either driving on automatic or, someone else
who is on automatic? Improving your observational skills, hazard perception
and hence, your level of concentration is a good start. By joining
NET RoADA, you can be taught the tricks to help you concentrate, observe
and perceive the potential hazards.
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PLANNING
Once the driver has observed the environment about them, spotted the
potential hazards, they need to formulate a plan, taking into account
the road ahead and those hazards. This is a continuous task in normal
driving and riding. Would anybody benefit from a warning from me?
What path is best to be taken through this stretch of the road? What
speed should I be at? What gear is best for that speed? |
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A failure in planning?
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Warning
This could be simple use of the indicators, a slight depression of
the brake pedal, (to illuminate the brake lights), sounding the horn
or flashing the headlights to warn another road-user of your presence
or intentions. You may even find it necessary to give a hand signal.
If there are no other road-users in sight, well, in most circumstances,
there is no reason to provide a warning. |
Path
or position
Where do you want the vehicle to go? Not just the ‘target’,
as far as you are looking but, all the road in between. Consider where
other road users are and, where they are likely to be. Whatever road
is left is yours to employ, (assuming it is both safe and legal).
Your positioning isn’t just to avoid hitting anything but also
to improve your view of the road ahead, or round a junction. Early
acquisition of a position on a road can also make a manoeuvre through
a hazard easier, help other road users and help inform others of your
intentions. You could try imagining ‘railway lines’ set
out on the road ahead, where you wish your vehicle to go. This technique
is especially handy on bends.
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Speed
This could be anything between the posted speed limit and zero. There
are a number of factors for you to consider: |
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could you
stop in time, before hitting something?
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would the current speed
bring you in to conflict with other road users? (This could require
either an increase or decrease in speed.)
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at a high, (inappropriate),
speed, could you loose control?
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can other road users
cope with your speed?
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Remember: gears to go, (accelerate), brakes to slow. It is cheaper
to replace brake pads than any gearbox component. |
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Gear
The gear you employ should allow you to both accelerate or slow without
straining the engine or, need to change gear again until you are clear,
passed the hazard. (When coping with some tricky driving, you don’t
want to have to change gear as well, do you?) Even with an automatic
gearbox, low gear holds can be employed to provide better control.
In fact, it is even better with an auto box with a low gear hold on
as it will still drop down another gear if needed.
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TECHNIQUE
Guess what? We have just described the lead up to a hazard using
our System of Driving. After the hazard is passed, you accelerate
away and start looking for a new hazard.
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THE SYSTEM ~ as described in Roadcraft |
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How would a single car on
a quiet road crash? Quite often, it isn’t just the vehicle
being driven at high speed but the driver who lost their bottle!
Today’s modern vehicles have been designed to be stable virtually
right up to the limits of physics. This presents two quandaries.
First of all you will get little warning you are about to cross
the limit of physics and, secondly, the driver loosing their bottle
panics and causes the vehicle to jump over the limit of physics.
With the help of NET RoADA you could learn when to turn up the volume
and go quickly then, when to drive quietly and be a bit more sedate.
In fact, to be in control. (Most drivers just think they’re
in control!) How to manage the space about us, in multilane highways
you don’t want vehicles at your side, you don’t want
the vehicle in front to be too close and should you be tailgated,
you will need to take them into account too.
Have you ever thought how the police can stay in contact with a
speeding fugitive yet not take the risks like speeding through red
lights, etc. Quite simply put, they are highly trained. Guess what?
We in NET RoADA use the same book as they do, (Roadcraft), along
with the System and many of the techniques they have developed.
A. Bof ~ April 2006
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