BishBashBosh:
Mirrors are essential - you should be checking them BOTH every 10 seconds minimum. Don’t forget to check them before changing direction, before signalling,
I never understood why you have to check your mirror BEFORE signalling. What happens if you signal first? Serious question. Thanks
How about doing that may cause another driver about to pass you to slam on as they are think you might signal and pull straight out
Make sure your signal will not cause others to change course or speed - look first
BishBashBosh:
Mirrors are essential - you should be checking them BOTH every 10 seconds minimum. Don’t forget to check them before changing direction, before signalling,
I never understood why you have to check your mirror BEFORE signalling. What happens if you signal first? Serious question. Thanks
How about doing that may cause another driver about to pass you to slam on as they are think you might signal and pull straight out
Make sure your signal will not cause others to change course or speed - look first
Aren’t other drivers responsible for their own actions? When someone indicates, it merely declares intent to change direction (at some point in the future). Vehicles in the path of the planned maneuver are not obliged to change course or speed, it’s up to them if they want to slow down or move over if it is safe for them to do so. That’s how I understand it. It leaves more time for the vehicles further behind to make a decision to pass or slow down or move over (if indicating right to change lane for example).
How many times have you seen other drivers move and indicate at the same time
Me, I have seen thousands during my time
To add a little more …
A good driver ALWAYS knows what is going on around them … the only way to know that is to look at everything that is possible to see
I always describe use of mirrors as similar to a video where you are continually aware of what’s happening around and behind you (as far as possible). This beats the general tuition of “check your mirrors before any change of speed, direction and before signalling”.
Personally, I find it adds a great deal of interest to the drive. Motorways, in particular, can be so boring! But start making the “video” and you can track folks’ movements and anticipate their actions. In some cases you can predict a near miss or an accident quite a long time before it happens.
It is by far and away the safest method to use mirrors. It goes hand in hand with the traditional scanning method and is just a different way of describing that.
And, regardless of what some may say, there really is time to look forwards as well!
ROG:
How many times have you seen other drivers move and indicate at the same time
Me, I have seen thousands during my time
To add a little more …
A good driver ALWAYS knows what is going on around them … the only way to know that is to look at everything that is possible to see
That’s a different thing, though. I’m talking about “indicating in good time”, before or after checking your mirror. Obviously you MUST check your mirror if you’re about to turn. Only good reason to move+indicate simultaneously I can think of is if someone stared in their mirror for so long before indicating that they actually forgot to indicate when a gap finally opens so they’re in a hurry to get in hence indicate at the last possible second
ETS:
I’m talking about “indicating in good time”, before or after checking your mirror.
Please be more specific such as giving a scenario
I’m driving in a city, intensive traffic both lanes, I’m in the left lane. Approaching a junction where I know I will be turning right. I indicate right, look at the right mirror to see what the flow of traffic in the right lane is like and wait for an opening in the right lane. Most of the time the first 2-3-5 vehicles behind me will try to overtake me because they see my intention to change lanes and no one wants to drive behind a lorry but eventually a good soul will let me merge to the right.
My point is, how is the information you’re going to obtain by checking your mirror before indicating going to impact your decision to indicate at this very moment or not?
ETS:
I’m driving in a city, intensive traffic both lanes, I’m in the left lane. Approaching a junction where I know I will be turning right. I indicate right, look at the right mirror to see what the flow of traffic in the right lane is like
The blue lighter which was about to shoot past you has now lost possibly vital life saving seconds by braking hard because it cannot take the risk that you might pull out - had you looked first you would not have indicated - at least a good driver would not have …
I found this recently, thought it might interest those who like a bit of nerdy number-crunching; it’s data on pass rates for 115 different HGV test centres, year-on-year. gov.uk/government/statistic … est-centre
For 2017-2018 the national average is 57.8% but there’s a massive amount of variance depending on location. There’s eight locations that have pass marks in the range of 80.3% to 88.3% plus another one that has a pass rate of 91.7% but it looks like that one might be just for the Fire Service.
For anyone who might be about to take their test in Birmingham, look away now…
One training school could get a 1st time pass every time with others only getting 3rd time passes every time at the same test centre so that would bring down the average pass rates for that test centre
Not sure if test centres give figures for each category of vehicle tested
ETS:
I’m talking about “indicating in good time”, before or after checking your mirror.
Please be more specific such as giving a scenario
I’m driving in a city, intensive traffic both lanes, I’m in the left lane. Approaching a junction where I know I will be turning right. I indicate right, look at the right mirror to see what the flow of traffic in the right lane is like and wait for an opening in the right lane. Most of the time the first 2-3-5 vehicles behind me will try to overtake me because they see my intention to change lanes and no one wants to drive behind a lorry but eventually a good soul will let me merge to the right.
My point is, how is the information you’re going to obtain by checking your mirror before indicating going to impact your decision to indicate at this very moment or not?
Well, it tells whether you can, or not.
Yes, you can bully your way out. Yes, you can wait until someone lets you out. But…you HAVE to get out at some point.
I do this every single day, central London, 7.5t. Multi drop.
There is no “I’ll just flash the lorry in” anymore. There is no “I’ll just let this guy go before me”. There is no “Oh look, he;s trying to come out of a T junction. If I stop here and wave him on it will be better for all of us.”
I have had to wait, at a T, pushing my nose out, to try and get out, while people have driven their cars past me, who want turn right, and then had the reverse to get the angle to get around the corner.
Hourly paid, I don’t care
Perhaps not, but I don’t imagine for one minute all test routes are equally challenging for all locations. I passed my Class 1 at Wetherby (Walton) and I thought their route was much, much easier than the one I did for my Class 2 at Keighley (Steeton).
Anyway, my post was just for anyone who found the statistical differences of interest, as I did.
BishBashBosh:
Mirrors are essential - you should be checking them BOTH every 10 seconds minimum. Don’t forget to check them before changing direction, before signalling,
I never understood why you have to check your mirror BEFORE signalling. What happens if you signal first? Serious question. Thanks
How about doing that may cause another driver about to pass you to slam on as they are think you might signal and pull straight out
Make sure your signal will not cause others to change course or speed - look first
Aren’t other drivers responsible for their own actions? When someone indicates, it merely declares intent to change direction (at some point in the future). Vehicles in the path of the planned maneuver are not obliged to change course or speed, it’s up to them if they want to slow down or move over if it is safe for them to do so. That’s how I understand it. It leaves more time for the vehicles further behind to make a decision to pass or slow down or move over (if indicating right to change lane for example).
What gets my goat is when on a motorway, whether in lorry, car or otherwise, and youre motoring along in middle or outside lane and someone to your left indicates then pulls out immediately. Not even assessing that you are overtaking them. I get the impression that some motorists think that just because they are indicating, it gives them the right to just pull out regardless.
Zac_A:
I found this recently, thought it might interest those who like a bit of nerdy number-crunching; it’s data on pass rates for 115 different HGV test centres, year-on-year. gov.uk/government/statistic … est-centre
For 2017-2018 the national average is 57.8% but there’s a massive amount of variance depending on location. There’s eight locations that have pass marks in the range of 80.3% to 88.3% plus another one that has a pass rate of 91.7% but it looks like that one might be just for the Fire Service.
For anyone who might be about to take their test in Birmingham, look away now…
Their pass rate is the lowest at 41.9%
Possibly fuelled by Garretts Green. What a horrid area that place is in!
Been driving a truck for 2 minutes but cars and bikes for 25 years privately and professionally. Assume everyone else is an idiot seems to work for me. It’s a shame and I can see a drop in standards over the years but in the car or bike, or now in a truck, I just expect no help, no consideration, no giving right of way, just a lot of poor driving. I’m completely stress-free 99.9% of the time with the odd internal private vent/swearing session in my head but not out loud.
car in the left lane at a roundabout turned right and into my path meaning I failed.