Driving in FOG

[markjay]

OT

Back in the nineties I had a silver Omega that had several body panels professionally resprayed.

The colour match was perfect, except when parked under yellow/orange street light, then the car looked like an African taxi...

 

[st13phil]

...when i heard on the news that a HGV had completely missed the junction on the A41 and drove straight through a Island and closed the road.

I arrived at the roundabout in question just after it had happened. Quite impressive, really. An artic with tractor unit and half the trailer on the roundabout, with the rest of the trailer blocking the road. Judging by the truck's position, the driver had clearly made no attempt to negotiate the roundabout, and had just ploughed straight on. The fog wasn't actually that bad - visibility was adequate to travel at 30mph or so and still be able to stop in the distance you could see. My first thought was that the truck driver had either fallen asleep at the wheel, or had suffered some sort of catastrophic medical event that precipitated the crash.

 

[Ted]

Or perhaps he lost consentration.

 

[meeeb]

I dont think 35 in a 70 area was driving to fast especially when cars were passing me at 70 + ........ You just get in a zone trying to be carefull and turn off your basic senses

Advice: in fog or other conditions of reduced visibility don't make judgements on appropriate speed based on what your speed is in relation to the maximum permitted speed for the road, or what speed other dild*s are driving at - and keep your "basic senses" - if you have any - turned on.

"Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop well within the distance you can see to be clear." Highway Code rule 126.

I find your logic and reasoning skills terrifying.

 

[cb1965]

Have to say I see some of what the OP is getting at even if he is not explaining himself too well. I remember being on the M5 many years ago in thick fog and I was doing literally 25mph on the inside lane when a truck had to take evasive action onto the hard shoulder (and into a bunch of roadwork signs) to avoid rear ending me as he later claimed I was going way too slow.

The fact I couldn't have stopped in the distance I could see if I'd gone any faster and he obviously couldn't by virtue of the fact he crashed avoiding me was lost on him!

It's a balancing act between not getting smashed into by another driver and going slow enough that you don't do the same!

 

[Dieselman]

Have to say I see some of what the OP is getting at even if he is not explaining himself too well. I remember being on the M5 many years ago in thick fog and I was doing literally 25mph on the inside lane when a truck had to take evasive action onto the hard shoulder (and into a bunch of roadwork signs) to avoid rear ending me as he later claimed I was going way too slow.

The fact I couldn't have stopped in the distance I could see if I'd gione any faster and he obviously couldn't by virtue of the fact he crashed avoiding me was lost on him!

It's a balancing act between not getting smashed into by another driver and going slow enough that you don't do the same!

If he could see at the speed he was traveling at, why did he need to take evasive action...?

 

[st13phil]

It's a balancing act between not getting smashed into by another driver and going slow enough that you don't do the same!

One of the commute routes I could use to get to work includes the M40 from J9 to J7 which is prone to fog at certain times of the year, and this is exactly why I avoid it like the plague if it's foggy. Too many morons following tail-lights at excessive speed for the conditions.

 

[NickGLE350DE]

Seems to me many posters here are perfection itself and never have that momentary lapse of reason, or concentration that was described. The OP was being honest, said he zoned out and nearly hit a roundabout. That sounds like someone who is tired, or mesmerised by the fog, something which I have experienced - it affects your ability in some way. Using the A41 from Bicester back towards home a week ago, late night, and a journey I make every week, conditions near perfect and clear , suddenly fog appears so dense no option but to slam on the brakes , and it clears to a lighter mist after a hundred yards or so .. then more of the same. This area has very high water table and is prone to variable fog conditions esp. this time of year and Nov. - so I reckon the OP was just sharing a scary experience and being open; if you are local you know this stuff is lethal around these parts - this will have been a salient warning that the OP should be more attentive - but why all the crass bullying - he said he got it wrong.. that's it.

 

[developer]

- this will have been a salient warning that the OP should be more attentive - but why all the crass bullying - he said he got it wrong.. that's it.

Forums Nick - just the usual ingredients.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

forums nick - just the usual ingredients/suspects.

efa

:d

 

[SLK32AMG]

Seems to me many posters here are perfection itself and never have that momentary lapse of reason, or concentration that was described. The OP was being honest, said he zoned out and nearly hit a roundabout. That sounds like someone who is tired, or mesmerised by the fog, something which I have experienced - it affects your ability in some way. Using the A41 from Bicester back towards home a week ago, late night, and a journey I make every week, conditions near perfect and clear , suddenly fog appears so dense no option but to slam on the brakes , and it clears to a lighter mist after a hundred yards or so .. then more of the same. This area has very high water table and is prone to variable fog conditions esp. this time of year and Nov. - so I reckon the OP was just sharing a scary experience and being open; if you are local you know this stuff is lethal around these parts - this will have been a salient warning that the OP should be more attentive - but why all the crass bullying - he said he got it wrong.. that's it.

Exactly, Just posting my experiance and get abuse, Its not like i was gloting on the fact that i avoided the accident, but It will be my last post on this forum other than asking for help on MB issues with car faults, I will just leave it to others and all the A$$HOLES can continue to show them selves up to the rest of forum members by just being the perfect drivers who never have a driving glitch !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[developer]

Exactly, Just posting my experiance and get abuse, Its not like i was gloting on the fact that i avoided the accident, but It will be my last post on this forum other than asking for help on MB issues with car faults, I will just leave it to others and all the A$$HOLES can continue to show them selves up to the rest of forum members by just being the perfect drivers who never have a driving glitch !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stick around fella - it's not worth getting stressed over...

 

[cb1965]

Exactly, Just posting my experiance and get abuse, Its not like i was gloting on the fact that i avoided the accident, but It will be my last post on this forum other than asking for help on MB issues with car faults, I will just leave it to others and all the A$$HOLES can continue to show them selves up to the rest of forum members by just being the perfect drivers who never have a driving glitch !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't let the b**tards grind you down, I have found most posters on this forum to be very knowledgeable and welcoming in my relatively short time here, just ignore those that wind you up!

 

[129-320]

Interesting.

 

[cinek]

Couldnt believe the number of people this morning driving in fog without any lights on.

And I cant believe the number of people who drive with fog lights on the daily basis without the fog

 

[GP801]

Just to add a recent experience of mine. Driving back from Italy in December pretty thick freezing fog from just before Lyon most of the way up to Dijon. 50-60km/hr felt reasonable to me. The locals mostly with front and rear foglights on were driving as if it was daylight. Perhaps they were using the "force" to see or else I have serious problems with my eyes. The really scary part was reaching the toll booths. The combination of head/fog lights with the overhead floodlights meant it was virtually impossible to see the booth unless there was someone to follow. Actually had to stop completely to work out where the route through was. Next time must try the sunglasses trick.
Interestingly unlike in the UK virtually all the cars had two rear fog lights illuminated.

 

[itaintemeyouno]

And I cant believe the number of people who drive with fog lights on the daily basis without the fog

Or worse still those that use their rear fog lights on wet night dk:

 

[del320]

SLK32AMG makes a bona fide post relating his experiences driving in thick fog. He is experienced enough to know the dangers of driving too fast and the feelings of disorientation in such foggy conditions. Doubtless he also knows the maxim of driving at a speed where you can see far enough ahead to stop safely.

In all. a situation we have all experienced at some time or other.

Despite this, he is jumped upon and lambasted for his incompetence, lack of concentration and the henious crime of having the nerve to drive at all.

Sheppey Crossing - 5 Sept 2013. Some have short memories.

Were the 130 odd motorists all idiots like the OP, or paragons of virtue like DM and LTD?

Damned if you do, damned if you don't...

 

[neilrr]

Or worse still those that use their rear fog lights on wet night dk:

Flash them 3 x, turn your own front fogs on & off 3 x to help them understand what you are flashing them for & if they don't turn them off leave your high beam on until they get the message.

It usually, eventually works.

 

[itaintemeyouno]

Flash them 3 x, turn your own front fogs on & off 3 x to help them understand what you are flashing them for & if they don't turn them off leave your high beam on until they get the message.

It usually, eventually works.

I find that generally flashing people rarely works. I was behind a car the other day that didn't have any lights on at all and it was after dark. When I overtook them, the reason was clear, it was a Renault Clio with bright DRLs. They obviously assumed their lights were on and were oblivious.