Snow/Ice idiots

[Frankie]

To be honest, whether I can see ice or not I tend to be very cautious when it's like this. It's only the second day of snow here, where I am the road is concrete,the road always seems to turn to solid ice very quickly.

Didn't go out yesterday but on my journey to work today I took it very easy from my road,it was solid ice everywhere. I got to the end and stopped,ready to pull out right onto the main road. What do I see when I look right, a car coming along an ice covered road at well over 30mph. I thought what an idiot as he was going far to fast for a residential street with a school. Next thing I know about 10 meters from me he signals to turn in,I knew he's never make it. Maybe I was wrong but I decided the best course of action was to pull out and go left,which I started to do. So there I am with the bonnet poking out and he starts waving his hands at me, cancels his indicator and attempts to go straight on instead.
By this point his car was going sideways,he only just missed the front of my car. He stopped by the side of the road so I decided to quickly park up and go have a word with him.
Now I'm 32, I'd say after the first time I drove in snow I picked up you had to adjust you driving. So why is it when I get to the car,tap on his window and ask him what he thought he was doing he says he didn't expect it to slide. The guy must have been about 60, so he's got 30 years more experience than me.
I understand that people are going to have the odd slip up when it's like this but driving over a 30mph limit is ridiculous if the car clearly wont even stop at 15mph.

 

[renault12ts]

...you knew he couldn't make it?...you pulled out?...and you own up?

 

[Howard]

I think Frankie was assuming the other driver would turn ( from the indication ) and the wheels would slide and he would slide into Frankies car as he tried to make the turn.

Frankie pulled out in the hope that when the other car slid , trying to make the turn , his car wouldn't be there.

That the chap cancelled his indicator at the last moment throws a spanner into the works ...

 

[whitenemesis]

Doesn't one see indicators as 'intent' and one should not act on intent until it becomes action?

 

[renault12ts]

My understanding (until Frankie corrects me), was that as Frankie was sitting waiting to enter the main road, the other car was on the main road travelling towards him from his right.
The car indicated to turn right, presumably we are at a cross roads, but of course, couldn't because of the ice, and so realising his (foolish) mistake, cancelled his signal and proceeded straight on. If Frankie had stayed where he was the other car would then have passed in front of him.
Frankie realised this, but in an aberrant moment moved off anyway.
No one hurt...but two lessons learnt.

 

[Howard]

I'm reading it as the chap was indicating to turn left into the road that Frankie was waiting to pull out of .

Hence as he turns in ( too fast ) the wheels will slide and his front end / right wing will make contact with Frankies right wing / drivers door.

I'm sure Frankie will put us straight.

 

[renault12ts]

Ah yes, that's probably the truth, sorry.

He would still have gone straight past...but a predicament for Frankie.

Sorry Frankie....difficult position.

 

[Frankie]

He was turning left into the road I was in. I'm aware that an indicator only shows intent of direction but as his car was coming towards me I wanted to get out of the way. I didn't even want to turn left,I wanted to go right,moving left would have meant I was away from him had he not decided to change his mind. It might be a solid car but there was no way I was going to sit there while someone ploughed into the side of me,if there guy wasn't going too fast in the first place I would have waited and turned right.

 

[Frankie]

Sorry just to add, looking above. I'd moved off before he cancelled his indicator, while his car was heading into the turn towards me. I'm fully aware i did the wrong thing by pulling out but irrespective of what the indicators are doing,if I see a car sliding towards me I try to get out the way. It all happened very quickly to be honest but if he was driving slower in the first place it would never have happened.

 

[Howard]

Plus , in the snow no one would see your car , it would be so well camouflaged

 

[Frankie]

Nice one, I like it

 

[moralcrusader]

There do seem to be some real idiots out there. My road hasn't been gritted at all for the last few days, so I've been driving very carefully and keeping the speed down to 15mph max as it's just sheet ice and compacted snow.

So you can imagine my suprise when I was OVERTAKEN by a moron in a Micra who must have been doing 30+. Funnily enough, I found him broadside across the road further down. Eejit.

Also, is it me or do there appear to be a disproportionate number of Mercs on the road? Mostly I see 4x4s, but if it's a car, at least 50% have been Mercs. Are they just better in the snow or are owners just more sensible?

 

[NOMONEYBUTAMERC]

There do seem to be some real idiots out there. My road hasn't been gritted at all for the last few days, so I've been driving very carefully and keeping the speed down to 15mph max as it's just sheet ice and compacted snow.

So you can imagine my suprise when I was OVERTAKEN by a moron in a Micra who must have been doing 30+. Funnily enough, I found him broadside across the road further down. Eejit.

Also, is it me or do there appear to be a disproportionate number of Mercs on the road? Mostly I see 4x4s, but if it's a car, at least 50% have been Mercs. Are they just better in the snow or are owners just more sensible?

Merc owners are of course more sensible because they drive Mercs . I presume you drove over the tw*t in the Micra and carried on your way?

 

[renault12ts]

You drive a Mercedes therefore you tend to notice them more. I'd be very surprised if there were actually more Mercedes out than any other single make.

 

[Frankie]

I could see Discovery a little further along this eve as I was approaching a hill. I thought they where waiting for someone, kind of annoyed me as I didn't want to stop on a hill.As I got closer I saw it was spinning its wheels,I waited and then either he moved to the side or just drifted to the side. So I pulled off,without spinning the wheels and carried on past him. The driver and people outside it all stared at me. It amused me as I think the Discovery should be so much better in the snow than my car,yet because he just floored it he wasn't going anywhere.

 

[kwakdonut]

It's not so much WHAT you drive, but HOW you drive it!!

 

[moonloops]

It's not so much WHAT you drive, but HOW you drive it!!

yup the correct tyres and a feather on the throttle

 

[Frankie]

I'm still on standard tyres,they'll be changed in time for next year though as I'm convinced it will make a difference.

 

[Dryce]

It's not so much WHAT you drive, but HOW you drive it!!

Helped a neighbour with a FWD auto get it up her driveway. She didn't realise she could start the auto in 2nd gear. I think she promptly forgot the moment after I showed her how it was done after reaching the top.

Plenty of drivers have no idea about ESP (or its equivalent) and that there might be occasions where you want to disable it.

Then there's the 4WD vehtcles with low profile sports tyres that are no longer fit for purpose

That said - most drivers are pretty well behaved given the conditions. Though still a few nutcases.

It's also been noticeable in the office that those having an easier time of it are also the ones who have put on new tyres within the last couple of months. I don't think that's just a coincidence.

 

[stevieb15]

...you knew he couldn't make it?...you pulled out?...and you own up?

"Next thing I know about 10 meters from me he signals to turn in,I knew he's never make it. Maybe I was wrong but I decided the best course of action was to pull out and go left,which I started to do"

seems to me he was taking appropriate avoiding action given the information to hand