I asked today, as I can see the day coming, after today, when I have to take serious evasive action due to suicidal overtakes
A15 towards Sleaford Roundabout(Leasingham) and after the twisty hilly bits, it pans out straight for a whileā¦I could see the knobber up my chuff in his silver VW Golf estate, so was able to make allowances for what may be about to happenā¦But, he decided to do an overtake into oncoming traffic with no regard for any other road user whatsoever The woman in the VW 4 wheel drive thing that was now facing him, as he was at the side of my trailer, had sheer terror in her face and took to the thin strip of grass to get out of the way, I was braking, to give him room to get in, to avoid a head on. I had no where to go, due to a ditch being at the side of the road and didn`t want to brake violently, as it was damp and I was unloaded, so no jack knife here!
Fair put the wind up me it did, watching all this unfurl from the best seat in the house
So when I got back to the yard, I asked what they would expect in a situation worse than this, obviously after ensuring you are on the ball and doing everything you can to avoid the situation in the first placeā¦Because, there will be a time when it all goes wrong.
Seemed it was just a case of doing everything you can to avoid a head on.
I was more inclined to take action which ensures the vehicle isn`t written off, or out of action for too long, I gave no thought to other people and only thought of the best way to avoid getting myself killed, especially if it is not my fault.
I would rather charge through other vehicles, than take to a ditch at 40 MPH.
dri-diddly-iver:
Just a thought. While you were braking, what if the overtaking car realised it wasnāt going to make it and braked at the same time?
Could you be deemed the cause of collision by preventing the escape route? I know it was a split second/instant decision but it was just a thought.
I got into this at work, as it all depends on the actions of three people, possibly making 3 different decisions, it is very complex and the outcomes could be so different, reaction seems to be the best route once the brown stuff is hitting the fan, pre-empting could cause a catalogue of disaster, it is such a finely balanced thing that is happening.
I tend to go with the unconscious decision making between all parties
dri-diddly-iver:
Just a thought. While you were braking, what if the overtaking car realised it wasnāt going to make it and braked at the same time?
Could you be deemed the cause of collision by preventing the escape route? I know it was a split second/instant decision but it was just a thought.
but this can work in reverse
what if you hadnt braked and still a head on
I think you have to judge each situation as it comes thers no wrong or right answer when your not there. I think you would have to think in your best judgement is the overtaking driver lightly to push on or slow down.
Personally i would do anything to avoid any serious injry to another party even if it put the vehicle i was driving in a ditch, think of the poor person in the oncoming vehicle haveing a 120mph head on smash (assuming both are doing 60mph in most cases the overtaking vehicle would be faster) chances are they would be killed, vechiels can be replaced, but unless your in the situation you cant say what to do for the best as evey scenario is diffrent
I had exact the same as you on the A57 going towards Markham moor - over the toll bridge, past Newton and come the strightā¦
4x4 land rover decides he wants to overtake me (I am going 40mph) with a junction a few hundred yards aheadā¦ I can see a car on that road and I thought he is going to turn left towards meā¦ yup he did, right in the path of the oncoming 4x4 guning it towards the car that just turn onto the road. The sheer terror in that poor lassās face says it all and prick in 4x4 flashing his headlights at the other driver cue stamping on brakes, clouds of tyres been burntā¦ at this point, looked back forwarded and shut my eyes waiting for the ācrunchā
It was a close one as they ājustā missed each other and I carring on my wayā¦ the horror though when the said 4x4 overtook me on the A1 after he decided to stay behind me contained 2 young kids in the fold away seats bouncing around in the backā¦
The sheer idoits on these roads amazes me and I must get that forward accident camera soon.
If you slow and block the escape route back in, that also probably means the overtaking idiot car is braking and although theyāll still be out, the oncoming car will probably slow also. If they do collide it will hopefully be less severe and in any event, that is preferable for you than putting the entire combination in a ditch and watching said idiot leave the scene unscathed.
leo.saphira:
I had exact the same as you on the A57 going towards Markham moor - over the toll bridge, past Newton and come the strightā¦
4x4 land rover decides he wants to overtake me (I am going 40mph) with a junction a few hundred yards aheadā¦ I can see a car on that road and I thought he is going to turn left towards meā¦ yup he did, right in the path of the oncoming 4x4 guning it towards the car that just turn onto the road.
Well, in all honesty, itās the car that came out of the junction in the wrong there, clearly no observation.
When I was on the busses, believe it or not we were told that if avoiding an accident was likely to cause someone to fall on the bus or their shopping to be everywhere, then donāt avoid the accident, at least then they had someone to claim off (was never our fault of course).
The paperwork youāve got to fill out for any accident is enough to make damned sure youāll avoid them in future lol
leo.saphira:
I had exact the same as you on the A57 going towards Markham moor - over the toll bridge, past Newton and come the strightā¦
4x4 land rover decides he wants to overtake me (I am going 40mph) with a junction a few hundred yards aheadā¦ I can see a car on that road and I thought he is going to turn left towards meā¦ yup he did, right in the path of the oncoming 4x4 guning it towards the car that just turn onto the road.
Well, in all honesty, itās the car that came out of the junction in the wrong there, clearly no observation.
When I was on the busses, believe it or not we were told that if avoiding an accident was likely to cause someone to fall on the bus or their shopping to be everywhere, then donāt avoid the accident, at least then they had someone to claim off (was never our fault of course).
The paperwork youāve got to fill out for any accident is enough to make damned sure youāll avoid them in future lol
In a way they both in the wrong though as the 4x4 driver saw the sign of a right hand junction 200 yards ahead (which ever the distance is) and still chooses to overtake prior to the junction. I remember seeing some cop show years ago where they pulled a driver overtaking on a turn/juntion and he got a summons for court for Driving without due care and attention for other road users.
Tell me about them accident formsā¦ hurr! 30min to fill one in and with every other driver going,ā¦ oh what did you hit lol
When I get backā¦ all I want to do is park up trailer, fill up and go homeā¦ not sit in canteen doing paperwork and getting micky taken (and having to grovle for a new accident flash camera)
leo.saphira:
ā¦4x4 land rover decides he wants to overtake me (I am going 40mph) with a junction a few hundred yards aheadā¦ I can see a car on that road and I thought he is going to turn left towards meā¦ yup he did, right in the path of the oncoming 4x4 guning it towards the car that just turn onto the road.
Well, in all honesty, itās the car that came out of the junction in the wrong there, clearly no observation.
Not true.
They should have looked left but the fault lies with the Land Rover driver who should have noticed the junction and anticipated that a car might emerge from it without looking left.
Any competent defensive driver would not overtake approaching a junction like that. In the event of an accident the Land Rover driver would have a hard time trying to explain how he was on the wrong side of the road but it was still the other carās fault.
Itās a lack of observation by the Land Rover first and the other car second.
I hope this helps. awaits sarcastic reply from Harry Monk
i canāt actually imagine someone seriously asking what a company policy is on crashing.
good morning, iāve come about the job.
ok sit down, do you have anything youād like to ask me before you start?
Mmmm, what do i do when i crash? what is your policy on crashing? do you send out a van to pick me up from the hospital? or do i get a taxi, and hope it dosnāt crash? do you pay me when iām in traction?
the roads would be a lot safer, and muppets that drive down wages wouldnāt join the industry if employers said something like: āhereās your lorry, if you break it you donāt get anotherā.
Tbh I wouldnāt give a flying monkey what the company policy was, I would always take the path of self preservation for myself and the other parties if possible, my life first then theirs if there is something I can do about it, I would always if possible try and find a way to try and protect the innocent party even if that meant ramming the idiot beside me off the road at the last moment (if a crash was unavoidable)
If someone attempts a suicidal overtake, and you get faced with the choice of running off the road, possibly fatally injuring yourself or standing pat on your side of the road, knowing that the overtaker is almost certain to come a serious cropper - whoād hold their ground? Whoād lose this daft game of chicken which seems to be growing more popular these days?
The big mitigation has got to be oneās sympathy with that proverbial oncoming driver who is of course entirely innocent in any about-to-happen accident.
Remove that third party (Ie. leaving just You, Cliff, Suicidal Driver and brick wall for instance) would it be easier to make the suicidal driver effectively go through with what they started?
Iāve had this argument with my brother whoās a bit of a leftie, but he says it would be hard to make a decision that effectively chose someone for death instead of yourself. Would it? I didnāt think you needed ākiller instinctā to have a good self-preservation ethic?
What say you folks?
(Aussie public information film about the consequences of driving like an ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā !)
Iād do what I could to preserve myself and the truck. Iām sure well regularly see these folks out there who if you think about it really need to have a serious accident to reign them in. I also think a bit of education helps - for example on the M40 the other day there was a broken down coach or bus being recovered, obviously big bits of kit in the hard shoulder - I moved over to the middle lane as I could see bods working on the breakdown. Young lass in a little car decides to undertake me rather then pass on the right. I donāt know if she realised she had done something stupid but I hope my lights and horns made her realise something was upā¦
att:
I would rather charge through other vehicles, than take to a ditch at 40 MPH.
Any thoughts?
If its a 40 mph limit and this is a problem then drive at 35mph, when they attempt to overtake then put your foot down. Theyāll appear to go slowwer or backwards and the oncoming car will appear to go faster. The impact will be behind you hopefully then just crack on.
att:
I asked today, as I can see the day coming, after today, when I have to take serious evasive action due to suicidal overtakes
A15 towards Sleaford Roundabout(Leasingham) and after the twisty hilly bits, it pans out straight for a whileā¦I could see the knobber up my chuff in his silver VW Golf estate, so was able to make allowances for what may be about to happenā¦But, he decided to do an overtake into oncoming traffic with no regard for any other road user whatsoever The woman in the VW 4 wheel drive thing that was now facing him, as he was at the side of my trailer, had sheer terror in her face and took to the thin strip of grass to get out of the way, I was braking, to give him room to get in, to avoid a head on. I had no where to go, due to a ditch being at the side of the road and didn`t want to brake violently, as it was damp and I was unloaded, so no jack knife here!
Fair put the wind up me it did, watching all this unfurl from the best seat in the house
So when I got back to the yard, I asked what they would expect in a situation worse than this, obviously after ensuring you are on the ball and doing everything you can to avoid the situation in the first placeā¦Because, there will be a time when it all goes wrong.
Seemed it was just a case of doing everything you can to avoid a head on.
I was more inclined to take action which ensures the vehicle isn`t written off, or out of action for too long, I gave no thought to other people and only thought of the best way to avoid getting myself killed, especially if it is not my fault.
I would rather charge through other vehicles, than take to a ditch at 40 MPH.
Any thoughts?
Does your company have a crash policy?
All I know is that in the eyes of the company & even the law Iād be in the wrong as Iām the one who was driving the hgv. So my motto is take care of number 1-drive your own vehicle & not other peopleās, screw everyone else especially car drivers. They can go drive how they like, kill themselves or each other etc, as long as Iām ok then thatās all that matters. Id probably lose my job too but as long as I havnt lost my life another job & another DAF will be in the making 1 dayā¦
Lot of people worrying on here. Just drive to the conditions/speed limit (itāll be on the tacho) and donāt worry about the idiot overtaking if he crashes he crashes, just keep going if you like no need to get involved.
Now waiting for the āthink of the childenā responsesā¦
The woman in the VW 4 wheel drive thing that was now facing him, as he was at the side of my trailer, had sheer terror in her face and took to the thin strip of grass to get out of the way, I was braking, to give him room to get in, to avoid a head on. I had no where to go, due to a ditch being at the side of the road and didn`t want to brake violently, as it was damp and I was unloaded, so no jack knife here!
