Is it just me?

[Jason M]

Or am I the only one living in neardeathsvilel at the moment?

Please indulge me this little ditty as I find writing it out a quite cathartic experience....

Totally ignoring the red Audi that tried to take me out on a roundabout this morning with a vicious swerve into my lane when the driver suddenly saw the exit they wanted.... young lady driver.... a wave and a smile and it's all OK

Coming home along the A31 this evening - reasonable pace at about 90. Anyone that knows this road up Nr Winchester will know there is an uphill left right over a long brow that is delicious at about 100mph. (OK OK So there ARE slow down signs there I know!)

I'm approaching said corner. There is no traffic. I'm in the inside lane. Approaching the bend I spot a small cloud of white just ahead floating accross from the left in a vicious wind. Cannot see the cause but (and here is where assumptions are a dangerous thing) I 'assume' that a) because the land is very chalky round here and b) I think I've seen this before that the cause is c) a farmer driving along the edge of the field just ahead kicking up the chalk dust. For no particular reason I pull out into the outside lane. Thinking back I assume it's because I think I'll get a better view and the dust will not be so thick ...... which is quite lucky .....

as I come round the corner (on a trailing throttle so probably about 65-70 because I'm scaning for the problem) I'm instantly plunged into a super dense cloud of white smoke with absolutely no visibility. The second I'm in the cloud I know what it is by the smell. As I quickly go into 'FUUUUUUUUCKKKKKmaintainthestatusquosteerandhopeandpray' mode I just see a white mercedes van in the inside lane passing by my left shoulder. Had I not changed lanes I think I'd have been a human jigsaw by now

The van had obviously chosen just that moment decided to blow it's engine and spit it out the exhaust in a big white cloud of oil. Quite spectacular really - expecially in the rear view mirror rather than a few feet away from your left mirror

Now I've never seen that before. I've seen cars blowing oil, cluods of the stuff. I saw a Jag in France laying a James Bond style cloud pulling a caravan up a big hill but I've NEVER seen a cloud like this except on the telly at the races.

So... all you IAM drivers out there - what did I do wrong? I need to resolve my fear by identifing my inadequacies in this situation so anything would be usefull.

Ho hummmmmm . .. Still, it was lovely and warm and dry this lunchtime and it was nice to be able to completely relax and enjoy the corners at last

Jason

[gus]

Jason
Well luck does play a huge part in those kind of moments.Glad you survived another moment.Always expect the unexpected!If in doubt slow right down.But then you could get rear ended by someone who hasnt.No real answer as each action can have a adverse one.
Where was Lloyd at that time of day?He has a merc white van with a hundred billion miles on it.Just ripe for spewing its guts everywhere!
gus

[winger]

Who was it who said 'The better i got the luckier i became'!!!

You leave Lloyds van alone!,it chugged over to Cov yesterday with the two S's in the back!.

One of team mechanics was somewhat bemused when we wheeled out two S's to go in the dyno room,but when they've got 4 semi factory 749's there i guess he would be!

It's to long a story but if anyone ever hears me talking about dealing with Dymag for gods sake shoot me!!!!!!!!!,what a bloody company they are to deal with.

[Boxadog 2000]

Well I guess my biggest gripe is mobile phones I think I have at least one near miss moment every day with people using them whilst driving and that does not include the ones that have hands free and are just oblivious as they are in a little world of there own.

I want a device that I can turn on at the hit of a buton that sends a jamming signal that emits a very high pitched note as I go past them please.

Then you have of course kamikaze animals the bunnys have seen the sunlight and are out in force and bloody pheasants did god create a more STUPID animal than that, I would not mind but if you hit them they are no good for the table as they are genaerally mush.

Bob

[boxerpan]

Wasn't me.......probably a Paki with no insurance no maintenance in the last 18 months and his dimwit mate has just filled the tdi up with petrol

[Neil178]

Hey Jason, thank fook it's just a change of underware eh?
Some years ago when hammering around the B roads near Truro in my trusty Fulvia (Lancia) I learnt about being able to stop in the distance you can see. So there I was on 3 wheels when the back end of a JCB with all the grass cutting gubbins hanging off the rear off it rapidly started to fill my windscreen. Stopping was not an option and stuffing it into the Cornish hedge is impossible (they look nice but are thick stone walls under the foliage). I had to overtake praying that no oncoming traffic was coming.
I had smelt grass (no officer, not that type) just before and missed the clue big stylie! Glad you didn't.

http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campa ... smedia.htm

[Jason M]

Hey Jason, thank fook it's just a change of underware eh?
Some years ago when hammering around the B roads near Truro in my trusty Fulvia (Lancia) I learnt about being able to stop in the distance you can see. So there I was on 3 wheels when the back end of a JCB with all the grass cutting gubbins hanging off the rear off it rapidly started to fill my windscreen. Stopping was not an option and stuffing it into the Cornish hedge is impossible (they look nice but are thick stone walls under the foliage). I had to overtake praying that no oncoming traffic was coming.
I had smelt grass (no officer, not that type) just before and missed the clue big stylie! Glad you didn't.

http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campa ... smedia.htm

Neil Mate - sounds worse than mine! Lancia Fulvia, now there was a car. You didn't know Harry Manning up in Aldershot did you?

My dad had a 1300 Saloon (and some Flavia saloons and a Coupe) and I had 2 1300 HF Coupes - christ alive did those things handle Little 4 degree V4 engine going like the clappers, proper dog leg 1st gear, 4 pot front brakes - what a lovely machine. I put pay to my last one when I suddenly tried left foot braking for the first time.... whilst driving up a forest track in wales... to watch an RAC Rally stage Had to get a Landy to pull me out the mire - bent the front wishbones (still drove back home to Salisbury ) then shorty after the front strut appeared through the wing

Always wanted a 1600 HF - yum yum

Jason

[adamski49]

Jeez Jason, glad you made it out the other side. In answer to your question...

So... all you IAM drivers out there - what did I do wrong? I need to resolve my fear by identifing my inadequacies in this situation so anything would be usefull.

I think the line is (as quoted by Neil above) "You must be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear".

A31 this evening - reasonable pace at about 90. Anyone that knows this road up Nr Winchester will know there is an uphill left right over a long brow that is delicious at about 100mph

Familiarity breeds contempt. It's a bend you know well and have taken numerous times without a problem until today

We've all done it and still do it to a certain degree. I've watched a mix of IAM and Class 1 riders completely disregard the 'stop in the distance you can see to be clear' rule on French back roads.

The trick is to minimise the risk without spoiling the fun.

Try reading this book. It can't do any harm.



Cheers

Adam

[Jason M]

Jeez Jason, glad you made it out the other side. In answer to your question...

So... all you IAM drivers out there - what did I do wrong? I need to resolve my fear by identifing my inadequacies in this situation so anything would be usefull.

I think the line is (as quoted by Neil above) "You must be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear".

A31 this evening - reasonable pace at about 90. Anyone that knows this road up Nr Winchester will know there is an uphill left right over a long brow that is delicious at about 100mph

Familiarity breeds contempt. It's a bend you know well and have taken numerous times without a problem until today

We've all done it and still do it to a certain degree. I've watched a mix of IAM and Class 1 riders completely disregard the 'stop in the distance you can see to be clear' rule on French back roads.

The trick is to minimise the risk without spoiling the fun.

Try reading this book. It can't do any harm.

Cheers

Adam

Chears Adam - maybe I will read that. The thing is that in this case, the 'distance you can see' was instantly reduced by the blowing up - it must have just been happening the moment I came round behind it - it's like someone suddenly throwing a smoke bomb in the road from the hedge. I am certainly not always able to stop in the distance I can see, and I bet that a good deal of the time a lot of us can't, otherwise everyone would be crawling round the corners

Still, you live and learn eh - I'll take a read of the book, it certainly can't do any harm, and I'm the first to admin I've still a lot to learn

Jason

[bikemad99]

Jason ,

I`m hopeless with names,but was`nt it you who had a near miss on a roundabout in the Lakes when I was following you last year. You must be doing most things right,as you keep missing.

[Jason M]

Jason ,

I`m hopeless with names,but was`nt it you who had a near miss on a roundabout in the Lakes when I was following you last year. You must be doing most things right,as you keep missing.

Mate - wasn't me I don't think... could have been though ... unless it has been pushed off the bottom of the near death experience list

Was that when we all went 'up north' and stayed in that place where we all ate a piece of Henry? Can you remember any more details?

I certainly fell off on the way up to Burton last year on a diesely roundabout

Jason

[bikemad99]

Mate - wasn't me I don't think... could have been though ... unless it has been pushed off the bottom of the near death experience list

May not have been you, but we were leaving a roundabout onto the outside lane of a dual carriageway when the car we were overtaking decided to do another lap of the island.Whoever it was took evasive action and missed the said car. I think it was on the Sunday heading for home. We only needed one more crash for the hat trick. I seem to rember someone getting 3 points and £60 fine on the same day. Maybe these weekends are" too risky"

Jason[/quote]

[Ade B]

Jason, you could look at is as just luck but you could also say that your road plan (changing lane and slowing down.. a bit...) saved your bacon - nice riding - straight out of roadcraft

I had a moment coming back from Newbury yesterday, approaching a roundabout, not sure where I was heading looked at the road sign for a moment too long and had to do some emergency braking to not enter the roundabout at about 80 A winter of london only riding has left me a bit speed rusty (things happen so fast.....)

probably a Paki with no insurance

Lloyd did you really say that?

[Jason M]

Jason, you could look at is as just luck but you could also say that your road plan (changing lane and slowing down.. a bit...) saved your bacon - nice riding - straight out of roadcraft

I had a moment coming back from Newbury yesterday, approaching a roundabout, not sure where I was heading looked at the road sign for a moment too long and had to do some emergency braking to not enter the roundabout at about 80 A winter of london only riding has left me a bit speed rusty (things happen so fast.....)

probably a Paki with no insurance

Lloyd did you really say that?

Ade - you're right. Just a fraction of a second too long doing one action and suddenly you're in 'mitigation mode' trying to get youself out of a mess. It's amazing how fast things happen Glad you survived anyway - it's a dangerous old game innit. I was walking around yesterday suddenly considering that it might be just TOO dangerous, but I find the alternative C R just too frustrating. I think personally it would be more risky to just ride occasionally (rusty) on nice dry summer days!

[boxerpan]

Jason, you could look at is as just luck but you could also say that your road plan (changing lane and slowing down.. a bit...) saved your bacon - nice riding - straight out of roadcraft

I had a moment coming back from Newbury yesterday, approaching a roundabout, not sure where I was heading looked at the road sign for a moment too long and had to do some emergency braking to not enter the roundabout at about 80 A winter of london only riding has left me a bit speed rusty (things happen so fast.....)

probably a Paki with no insurance

Lloyd did you really say that?

Yep, they've just had a purge at our place with the Ministry. The list of non-compliance (insurance, licences & red diesel) and prohibitions for poor maintenance was 30% of the owner drivers on the night shift. Without fail they were all one particular variety and it pisses me off