Driving/Country Roads.

lenny

Guest
Dont know about you but I find the most stressful part of my travels is the negotiating of single track country roads, especially at night.
Even though I drive large vehicles for a living, I still feel stressed when I cause a convoy of impatient drivers behind me even though I feel as though I,m driving at the at the right speed considering the conditions, especially at bends in the road.
Am I just a nervous driver or do others feel the same??
 
i feel like you lenny when i have a lot of people behind me. but i just plod a long at at the correct speed limit or as conditions allow i want to get there safely. if they want to pass let themthey are the idiots not us. allan
 
in a hurry

I agree with that ,just keep an eye open for the stupid ones that overtake ay blind summits and bends.
If you nip into a suitable lay-by now and then and keep the convoy to a reasonable size,it helps with our M/H image. If there is no where to go into just drive at the speed you are comfortable with.
As an old caravanner I used to find I could cruise at 50-60mph
and would be nearly as quick as the speed merchants on a long trip.
Take a tip from the Truckers and be steady with your speed.

weez
Tony
 
Laybyes

Thanks Allan, also have you noticed the lack of decent length laybyes allowing you to pull in and let them pass.
I used to indicate left to let them know the road was clear ahead for them to pass but these days I,m not so sure cos all of a sudden you get some maniac travelling the other way at breakneck speed ,and should there be a collision ,I would feel responsible.
Maybe I,m just slowing down cos of age catching up on me??.
 
Wee-z said:
I agree with that ,just keep an eye open for the stupid ones that overtake ay blind summits and bends.
If you nip into a suitable lay-by now and then and keep the convoy to a reasonable size,it helps with our M/H image. If there is no where to go into just drive at the speed you are comfortable with.
As an old caravanner I used to find I could cruise at 50-60mph
and would be nearly as quick as the speed merchants on a long trip.
Take a tip from the Truckers and be steady with your speed.

weez
Tony
Click to expand...

Thanks Tony, talking of truckers, I had one tailgating me for about 10 miles the other night on a pitch black country road from Jedburgh to The roundabout off for Gallashiels, even though I indicated for him to pass he seemed quite happy to sit behind me.
I began to think he was using me as a guide to negotiate the tight bends for him.
At one point I tried to shake him off on a long stretch to no avail reaching speeds up to 65 MPH .
I thought they were limited to 40 MPH on country roads.
What a relief when I turned left at the roundabout and he carried on straight ahead,,Phew
 
Driving/country roads

We are usually sat a little higher so we have a better view of the road ahead,i try to let traffic past if a queue builds up behind either by indicating left or pulling over.It was always appreciated by me when in my biking days and always tried to show appreciation with a toot of the horn or a wave,but as in all walks of life you get people who think the road belongs to them alone:eek:Andy.
 
Don't get upset Lenny,
You and I and others belong to the section ' responsible wiser drivers' :D:eek:
Leo
 
lenny said:
Dont know about you but I find the most stressful part of my travels is the negotiating of single track country roads, especially at night.
Even though I drive large vehicles for a living, I still feel stressed when I cause a convoy of impatient drivers behind me even though I feel as though I,m driving at the at the right speed considering the conditions, especially at bends in the road.
Am I just a nervous driver or do others feel the same??
Click to expand...

Totally agree with the country roads at night bit, 20 od years ago I used to wait for it to get dark before setting out on a journey. Now cant see a bl**dy thing when driving in the dark especially when a vehicle is coming the other way and the glare of the lights seems to be more exagerated than when I was younger.
 
Driving/country roads

When driving at night it really does pay to have a clean windscreen to reduce the glare of oncoming traffic,Andy.
 
nowhereman said:
Totally agree with the country roads at night bit, 20 od years ago I used to wait for it to get dark before setting out on a journey. Now cant see a bl**dy thing when driving in the dark especially when a vehicle is coming the other way and the glare of the lights seems to be more exagerated than when I was younger.
Click to expand...
It are not your eyes Nowhereman,
In the 'old' days there were ordinary bulbs, then came the more powerfull halogens and the last years those xenon-bulbs with their blinding bleuish glare. These could be hell when not properly adjusted :mad:
 
messenger 2.5td said:
When driving at night it really does pay to have a clean windscreen to reduce the glare of oncoming traffic,Andy.
Click to expand...

Thats a good point Andy;), when you consider we cook in our vans, It does form a film of grease on the inside of the windscreen that may not be visible in daylight.
 
I think some people don't realise it's sometimes not safe to drive faster than I do. At some point I do have to think I may need to be able to stop. I can't remember whuch road number it is but it's comins south from Oban I vow never to go on that road ever again, it might be fine with power steering and a modern vehicle but it's horrible.
 
Agreed,Bedford;),you only have to look at the amount of demolished fences and dry stone walls on or near sharp bends to work out that too many drivers have lost control of their motors due to speeding.
 
I had "words" with my 80 year old father a couple of years ago - he was driving too fast for comfort. Spent a few hours giving him a driving lesson and got him to promise never to drive above 50mph. He now enjoys driving again - more relaxed, and my mother also copes with his driving. Amazing how things get reversed - I remember him giving me a right bollacking for driving too fast as kid!!

I've seen a sign on the back of a camper (cant remember the exact words but something like)..........

"I've worked for 50 years, I've seen two recessions
I fought in Vietnam, I've paid interest rates at 18%
so you can xxxxing wait while I look at the scenery"

Bear in mind that speed limits are the maximum speed, they are NOT the obligatory speed.

With the price of fuel in recent years I stopped driving above 80kph and just think of the money that I'm saving.
 
on country roads i will pull in to a labye or other passing place to let faster traffic through, i hate a string of other motors behind me .also it may make other impatient drivers take extra risks trying to pass me and cause an accident, just because i am in no hurry dont mean i have to hold up others that may have reason to get somewhere quickly, manners cost nothing after all .
 
lenny said:
Thanks Tony, talking of truckers, I had one tailgating me for about 10 miles the other night on a pitch black country road from Jedburgh to The roundabout off for Gallashiels, even though I indicated for him to pass he seemed quite happy to sit behind me.
I began to think he was using me as a guide to negotiate the tight bends for him.
At one point I tried to shake him off on a long stretch to no avail reaching speeds up to 65 MPH .
I thought they were limited to 40 MPH on country roads.
What a relief when I turned left at the roundabout and he carried on straight ahead,,Phew
Click to expand...

Perhaps he was tailgating to save fuel you see it on the motorways all the time:eek:
 
dont know about anyone else, but i prefer the a1 to the m1 .been to london a couple or three times this year and always use the a1. more relaxing especially with the old beddy at 50 to 55 mph :eek:
 
mandrake said:
on country roads i will pull in to a labye or other passing place to let faster traffic through, i hate a string of other motors behind me .also it may make other impatient drivers take extra risks trying to pass me and cause an accident, just because i am in no hurry dont mean i have to hold up others that may have reason to get somewhere quickly, manners cost nothing after all .
Click to expand...

I agree Mandrake I always try to pull in but people often get so impatient when there is nowhere to pull in.
 
mandrake said:
dont know about anyone else, but i prefer the a1 to the m1 .been to london a couple or three times this year and always use the a1. more relaxing especially with the old beddy at 50 to 55 mph :eek:
Click to expand...

I agree but it would depend where I was going. I avoid the M62 like the plague from years of being stuck in traffic in a Lorry.
 
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