Re: The brake gear overlap
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 5:06 pm
Zebedee wrote:Roadcraft suggests overlapping when turning at junctions, if you've got a vehicle close behind, because this avoids holding up or confusing traffic behind you.
Indeed, but I don't think it is particularly difficult to avoid holding up or confusing traffic behind you.
This may, to some extent, be stating the obvious, but what's needed from the leading driver is:
1. A suitably timed signal of his intentions, which mainly means giving the signal early enough, but not too early.
2. Starting the braking at a suitable point.
3. Producing an appropriate speed profile, i.e. taking care over how much intensity and variation of braking you use at different points during the slowing down process.
4. Adopting tidy positioning as you near the point at which you plan to make your turn.
If you do that sort of thing, most following drivers will hold back sufficiently to avoid delaying themselves too much. Having said that, you do get the occasional one that insists on being glued to your tail right up to the point at which you make the turn, but if that's what they choose to do, any delay to them is entirely of their own making. Even then, there is no need for this to present much of a safety problem.
Best wishes all,
Dave.