Safe Speed Forums

From another thread:
If I had a penny for every time I've been tailgated, either agressively or through negligence, and thought to myself that they'd end up in my back seat if I was forced to do an emergency stop, er... I'd have at least 50p . Still, it is annoying that so many drivers seem unable to conclude that fast cars are often built with brakes to match, and that therefore getting too close to things with WRX or VTEC or EVO on the boot isn't terribly bright. I had an example today where I hit the brakes hard, but not emergency stop hard, for traffic lights, but the hatch alongside me began to decelrate, realised they weren't going to stop in time and had to floor it to just get through as amber changed to red. I'm very glad they were alongside rather than behind me.

So anyway, it occured to me that there ought to be a Ten Commandments of Safe Driving, and that awareness of vehicle types and their various limitations or abilities should be on there somewhere. Here's my thoughts so far, in no particular order:

1. The Safe Speed maxim - always drive at a speed at which you can stop within the distance you can reasonably expect to remain clear.
2. Two second rule/maintain adequate distance from the vehcile you're following (though it's sort of the same thing as 1 in a way).
3. Always ensure your car's lights, tyres, etc are working/correctly inflated/have sufficient tread/whatever, and check regularly.
4. Always consider the abilities or limitations of the vehicles around you and how that might make them behave (extra room for artics on roundabouts or in crosswinds, faster cars may well have better brakes than you etc).
5. Get into a comfortable driving position on the driveway - do not be fiddle arsing about with the seat 500 yds down the road.
6. ...

That's as far as I've got so far. I'm certain there are things I do habitually that could fill the next four, but right now I can't think of what they are. Besides, there are better qualified drivers than me within these virtual walls that can add to the list, so I'm hoping the BiBs, IAMs and RoSPAs round here will chip in. What I'm trying to get is a list that I could give to someone like my recently-passed-L-test sister that kind of encapsulates COAST principles and a handful of other key points, and most importantly is easy to understand and remember.

What are your thoughts?

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

6. Monitor your driving standard and view any change as sign of fatigue.

7. Have your eyes checked regularly.

8. eat and drink sensibly before and during any long journey as this prevents fatigue setting in.

9. Take information, use information, give information (TUG - yet another COAST relative. We also have CARP (qwe changed it to CARP as it has another rather unfortunate other word ....it actually French PARC and one of the Swiss uses this on a French forum Patience, Attente, Responisbilite Courtoisie ...)

10, Order the hazards in order of importance - proximity, road layout, mobility of hazard, adjust speed of approach.


But I think we ought ot number them differently - and this is just off the top my head - have not given it vast amounts of thought.

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This is tough because we haven't defined the 'layer' we're working on. (Or if we did I missed it.)

We could be talking about beliefs and attitudes. That's the foundation layer. Steve Haley has done a pretty fine job on that: http://www.skilldriver.org/index.asp?pa ... .0.Beliefs

We could be talking about best practice. That would include the safe speed rule, safe following distance and so on.

We could be talking about golden tips and great advice. Learn from your mistakes? And see this thread: http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=462

We could be talking about remembering things. COAST, POWER, PARC, MSM etc.

We could be talking about the most important things. Concentration, Observation. Anticipation. Planning. Courtesy. Time to react.

So I don't really know where to start.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

No I didn't 'define the layer' as you put it, though I did say that I was thinking of things that sort of define COAST principles among others, so yes, it's best practice I was thinking of. Having said that, it's Ten Commandments so there's no reason why we shouldn't be talking best practice and attitudes. Let me put it another way, imagine someone from Mars has just arrived and has the ability to learn how to operate a car in about 20 minutes flat. What ten essential points should they be told about to prevent them from crashing five minutes after that?

_________________
Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

OK. Thanks for the clarification. I'll have a go.

1) Nothing is more important than completing your journey in one piece.
2) Always ensure that you have time to react. This means setting a safe speed according to the conditions.
3) Make maximum use of available space - stay as far away from risks as possible - in all four directions (ahead, behind, to the left and to the right).
4) When it goes wrong, learn from it. You don't want to repeat mistakes.
5) Look and plan as far ahead as you can. Observe and anticipate the actions of others - including those behind you.
6) Co-operate with other road users with courtesy and consideration.
7) Make sure that you and your vehicle are fit for the journey.
8) Concentrate at all times. Guard against inattention.
9) Learn to stay calm. Don't get annoyed with other road users.
10) Be predictable. Give signals not surprises!

11) Join Safe Speed for great advice!

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Not sure this can actually be improved!

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Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
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A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

Well. There's not much can be added to that! Yet again another piece of invaluable advice from all at SafeSpeed. How about getting it printed on posters and placed in motorway service areas?

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

I can't believe that - I wrote it out in less than ten minutes!

There has to be something important that isn't there. Anyone?

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Always obey the Spee..............Aaarghhh [sound of muffled cries and Rigpig being dragged away to be shot]

I have thought of one important one I'd like to see in there:

* Position for vision.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

SafeSpeed's list about sums it all up, I think. Doesn't the "position for vison " bit kind of come under the "Look and plan ahead" one? Or it could be added to that part.

_________________
Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

I agree - think we have the main points for a new driver. Shall have a think to see if there is anything else - but think you got most of the salient points here - Paul.

Perhaps we should think of 10 commandments for cyclists - just to have inlcusion herre. Perhaps Peyote, Cylcist, IG, Neil and Ian can come up with some....
I'll kick off with a few:

1. Do NOT run red lights!

2. Do not panic in traffic and ride in the traffic lanes instead of trying to hide from me.

3. keep your bike in sound mechanical condition (sure that chap in Keswick had no brakes today )

4. Do NOT ride when tired of drunk....

5. Do not ride on pavement (It jolly well hurt when someone lacerated my leg a month ago and ruined me trousers)

6. Relating to the above USE A BELL - pedestrians do not hear you coming!

7. Be visible - this means approrpiate clothing and LIGHTS at night!

8. Do not weave in and out of parked cars or hurltel on and off the pavement.

9. Look out for traffic at all times

10. Act assertively but not confrontationally

11. JOIN Safespeed and accept it's all about road safety ...

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !
But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.

I might want to change this to say "don't get annoyed or be judgmental with other road users". Showing your disapproval of others' behaviour is very tempting, but never constructive or helpful to safety.

Otherwise, brilliant

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

YES.
There should be a hand signal in the Highway Code which means "Sorry, I made a mistake, I realsie I made a mistake, and I will try not to do it again, and no amount of fist shaking, lights flashing and horn sounding is going to change that!"
Oh, and it should'nt consist of raising two fingers in ANY configuration either!

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!