Advanced Driving Advice: Cornering
When the weather is warm and the sun shining, there is no better feeling than going for a pleasant drive in the countryside. The fresh air and scenery certainly beat the normal daily commute and if you are keen driver you can enjoy the performance of your car within the legal limits on relatively uncongested roads.
UK roads in the country are tight, so when a curve comes up there is a phenomenon called the tightening radius bend. This condition is a danger for drivers, and is a leading cause of accidents. When you go around a corner the radius is the same as when you began to turn, so you don’t have to adjust the wheel. On a curve in the country the bends are different, which means you have to adjust the wheel the further you go.
The typical example of a crash caused by a tightening radius bend is a when the driver turns into a corner at a speed they think suitable for the conditions and corner type, but mid way through the bend significantly tightens.
The driver may attempt to correct for the speed by applying more pressure to the steering, tightening it up, but the speed is normally too high and the car begins to under- steer. The driver may try to fight this phenomenon by using the brakes, but this can cause the vehicle to hit an oncoming car or go into the ditch.
The problem is further compounded on country roads because hedges, bushes, or trees can obscure a drivers site regarding a bend. Therefore they are unprepared for the change in the corner and danger ensues.
If you want to avoid being a statistic you will want to use visual cues. Before entering a curve make sure you are going the proper speed by braking or if need be changing the gears.
Light poles or telephone poles are the best visual cues you have in regards to a curve that is obstructed. The poles can indicate a change is going to occur in the road, thus giving you warning. At night these types of cues can be difficult to see, so using an oncoming car’s headlights for warning is also acceptable. You should enter a bend at a safe speed to remain on your side of the road and avoid an unbalanced car when you hit the middle of the curve.
As soon as the bend ends you are able to speed up your vehicle until the next curve. When driving in the country you need to remember there are other dangers for drivers, such as slow moving tractors, livestock, or slippery mud. Always think “what if” to determine the correct speed for a curve.
If you want to make good progress when motoring along country roads at night you are going to need very good auto bulbs to cut through the darkness. Upgrade headlight bulbs like the Osram Night Breaker xenon bulbs will improve the light output from your headlights and are totally street legal.
I agree with the first answer. Crime can happen anywhere. The landlord has no control over that. If she is truly in fear of her safety then she needs to move regardless of losing deposit money.
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Uppity Woman, on December 2nd, 2009 at 11:22 AM Said:
“If somebody locked me in a trunk when I was a kid I would have been freaked.”
But, Uppity, that's just the point. Not everyone would feel the same. So far as we know, these kids WEREN'T freaked. It was an adventure to them. My stepchildren certainly weren't freaked when they pleaded with their mother to “go around the block”.
Did you know that since 2002 all cars come with a lighted inside trunk release? Monahan's kids could have gotten out whenever they chose. Details here:
I don't want a society that protects children to the point where the only excitement they can experience is sitting on the couch blasting away at Klingons. How much longer will it be till we make it illegal to allow a child to climb a tree? Wade in the river? Strike a match?
How I would love to meet Mr. Monahan's children. They sound like wonderful kids to me.
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