ChrisSoutham wrote:

Thankfully I've never had an accident, scrape or claim.
My only advice would be always look ahead and predict the next move of the vehicles in front - all too often you can see lorries pulling out on startled drivers in a situation that was fairly obvious.

Couldn't agree more, but wife spends more time worrying about drivers behind her than those in front. If we all worry about what's happening in front, someone else will be covering our arses  2008 FL2 TD4 XS Zermatt Silver, Manual
2010 Jaguar XF

I used to be a local & long distance Coach Driver for a Kent based very exclusive company & very fussy company indeed. I felt very proud to drive thier coaches even though it was like working for the Gestapo lol.
That said it makes you & did me a better driver as given I could have anything from 49 to 83 lives in my hands you can't afford to be stupid & you really do have to predict the actions of drivers 600+ yards in front of you.

When driving on dual carrigeways/motorways as I was on Friday evening down the A1/M & M25 I mentioned to my Brother-In-Law who was with me that I never if possible stay behind any lorry whether it be small or large especially if I see another in my rear view mirror. Also if traffic does come to a halt I make as sure as possible again I am not behind a lorry then also keep a very strong eye on what is coming up behind & leave enough room when I pull up to the car in front to get out of that lane if the following vehicle looks like it won't stop!!

After I left mainstream coaching I drove for Arriva Medway Towns for 3 years before doing what I do now. I was always rather supersticious of working on the 13th & on the 13th of February 2000 I had very good reason to be & that was because a motorcyclist was coming towards me on a piece of road that narrowed due to a Zebra Crossing, 3 cars were coming the same way as he but he decided to overtake obviously not realising there was a bus coming towards him. The result was that he slammed his brakes on so hard that he aquaplaned accross the road & slammed into or rather underneath my offside wheel. Needless to say the result was unpleasant.

It all went to the Corroners Court where I was exonourated & his parents hugged me & said they understood that it was NOT my fault. It turned out that he had faulty brakes i.e no pads/metal on metal.

Strange also that there were 3 people on that bus & one of those passengers had their Birthday on the 13th, each journey has/had a journey number & that one was 2713 & the exact time I was due to be in that position was 13.13 (1.13PM)....

One thing I & my wife learnt from this is that life is too short to argue!!

I also think it helps that if you look after a vehicle it will look after you! (Past) Freelander 2 HSE 2010 MY In Rimini Red.
(Past) RR Evoque Dynamic Lux Si4 In Firenze Red.
(Past) RR Evouque Pure Tech in Barollo Black with bespoke Firenze Red colour coding.
(Present) Freelander Metropolis 2015 MY In Santorini Black with Ivory Premium Leather.

Last edited by The Valeter on 7th Nov 2011 5:31 pm. Edited 2 times in total

I live just down the road from this disaster site. The Rugby Club are now the centre of the police investigation regarding the smoke that is alleged to have drifted over the M5 from the firework display. However, smoke or fog it seems the old motorway madness is still with us. People who were close to the crash said it was sickening to hear cars just ploughing into the back of the smash at 60-70mph.

As regards the test, I only had 5 lessons and passed first time but I have passed the IAM test and regularly have my driving (and motorcycling) assessed. Perhaps regular "assessment" should be the norm for us all. John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

JST wrote:

I live just down the road from this disaster site. The Rugby Club are now the centre of the police investigation regarding the smoke that is alleged to have drifted over the M5 from the firework display. However, smoke or fog it seems the old motorway madness is still with us. People who were close to the crash said it was sickening to hear cars just ploughing into the back of the smash at 60-70mph.

As regards the test, I only had 5 lessons and passed first time but I have passed the IAM test and regularly have my driving (and motorcycling) assessed. Perhaps regular "assessment" should be the norm for us all.

Fog or smoke it makes no difference.
Too fast, too close, not driving with due care and attention = no sympathy

Sorry to sound cold hearted but the number of idiots I see when I drive up and down the motorways makes me wonder how some of these managed to get a licence in the first place

I'm not a perfect driver and I doubt anyone is, but I concentrate 110% when driving, after all 3 ton of car takes some stopping in an emergency even with the excellent brakes that it has.

Just my 2p worth. ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

Interesting point Dave but I would like to see such people get a comeuppance at the hands of the law rather than have the error of their ways demonstrated in such horrific and tragic circumstances. As stupid as they are I hope the only accident they ever have is one that involves them only and no other people or property and no serious injuries just enough to give them a wake up call and wipe the smirk off their stupid faces.

Such poor innocent people who do drive to the conditions can't do much to combat such idiots. For example if you were to leave 4 car lengths on the motorway or a dual carriageway in the wet, some wan r in an Audi or Mondeo Man for example will undertake and fill the bloody gap!

I am interested to see how the health and safety investigation turns out because there is talk of claims for negligence on the part of the firework organisers but if anyone were to bring a claim, they must first show the organisers owed the motorists a duty of care. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Whether the bonfire/fireworks was the cause we'll have to wait and see.
Nevetheless, organising such an event next to a M/Way is hardly the best use of common sense i would have though. Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

People don't think with logic tho, I saw hundreds of fireworks on my way home from the m5 Friday night

The Doctor wrote:

Such poor innocent people who do drive to the conditions can't do much to combat such idiots. For example if you were to leave 4 car lengths on the motorway or a dual carriageway in the wet, some wan r in an Audi or Mondeo Man for example will undertake and fill the bloody gap!

In Germany it is forbidden to have any bonfire, fireworks, pyrotechnics etc within 500m of any Autobahn. Maybe a similar rule in this country would be a good idea?

ad210358 wrote:

The Doctor wrote:

Such poor innocent people who do drive to the conditions can't do much to combat such idiots. For example if you were to leave 4 car lengths on the motorway or a dual carriageway in the wet, some wan r in an Audi or Mondeo Man for example will undertake and fill the bloody gap!

If drivers were in the correct lane, then Audi or Mondeo man could not undertake, lane one for driving, 2 and 3 for overtaking.
You tend to hear more and more the someone was undertaken on he Motorway, if drivers today had correct lane discipline then they would not get undertaken, to many train drivers on the motorways.

Hadn't the fireworks finished just before the crash? So I'm thinking some one was watching the finalé not the road

Can't blame the people putting it on, just because it's near the motorway, if you go with that then all those monuments like angel of the north or similar should be removed as I have been past those and witnessed people gawping at them and not the road, Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

rchrdleigh wrote:

In Germany it is forbidden to have any bonfire, fireworks, pyrotechnics etc within 500m of any Autobahn. Maybe a similar rule in this country would be a good idea?

The Valeter wrote:

JST wrote:

I live just down the road from this disaster site. The Rugby Club are now the centre of the police investigation regarding the smoke that is alleged to have drifted over the M5 from the firework display. However, smoke or fog it seems the old motorway madness is still with us. People who were close to the crash said it was sickening to hear cars just ploughing into the back of the smash at 60-70mph.

As regards the test, I only had 5 lessons and passed first time but I have passed the IAM test and regularly have my driving (and motorcycling) assessed. Perhaps regular "assessment" should be the norm for us all.

Top up test every 5 years, not a long test more one of common sense & aptitude etc.