Comments on: The seven steps of safe stopping http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/ Tue, 21 May 2013 19:38:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: TheRealMeatloaf http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/#comment-644230 TheRealMeatloaf Wed, 26 Dec 2012 19:15:27 +0000 http://ec2-107-20-15-173.compute-1.amazonaws.com/?post_type=feature&p=33418#comment-644230 @Steve_YYZ; Yes, he is absolutely serious. I've been in more than one situation where I could clearly see the vehicle behind me was out of control on slick roads (both times were in winter) and was forced to make an emergency maneuver to avoid the collision. For what it's worth, he's not talking about barreling full throttle into a ditch nose first - when you're prepared for such a situation you can usually ease your car over to your chosen escape route with little to no harm or damage done to your vehicle or the environment around you. I pulled into a ditch on one such occasion and all it took was a little wiggling to get my right wheels back on level ground. In both cases a potential rear-end collision was 100% avoided because the cars both came to rest right where my car was formerly parked. Moreover, when you're sitting stopped, proper driving technique states you should be watching your rear-view mirror and occasionally glance at the intersection in front of you to avoid these situations. With proper situational awareness you'll always have an idea of what's going on around you so you won't be forced to make split second decisions "in the blink of an eye". Me thinks that's Ian's point in all of this. @Steve_YYZ;

Yes, he is absolutely serious. I’ve been in more than one situation where I could clearly see the vehicle behind me was out of control on slick roads (both times were in winter) and was forced to make an emergency maneuver to avoid the collision. For what it’s worth, he’s not talking about barreling full throttle into a ditch nose first – when you’re prepared for such a situation you can usually ease your car over to your chosen escape route with little to no harm or damage done to your vehicle or the environment around you. I pulled into a ditch on one such occasion and all it took was a little wiggling to get my right wheels back on level ground. In both cases a potential rear-end collision was 100% avoided because the cars both came to rest right where my car was formerly parked.

Moreover, when you’re sitting stopped, proper driving technique states you should be watching your rear-view mirror and occasionally glance at the intersection in front of you to avoid these situations.

With proper situational awareness you’ll always have an idea of what’s going on around you so you won’t be forced to make split second decisions “in the blink of an eye”.

Me thinks that’s Ian’s point in all of this.

]]> By: Steve_YYZ http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/#comment-603976 Steve_YYZ Sat, 22 Dec 2012 20:04:32 +0000 http://ec2-107-20-15-173.compute-1.amazonaws.com/?post_type=feature&p=33418#comment-603976 Point 4.... "Down in the Ditch"? Are you crazy. You're implying a motorist looking in a rear-view mirror should make an instantaneous decision that the car behind will not stop, then drive themselves into the ditch? What nonsense is this? If you're wrong, or the other car actually does stop because YOU'VE made a misjudgement, your now AT FAULT for a single vehicle accident. YOUR insurance rates will go up and YOU are likely to get charged with Careless Driving by the police. You won't be able to blame the other car (who never hit you) because there simply wasn't a collison. Heck, the other car isn't even obligated to remain at the scene of YOUR accident. The reality is, the average motorist is totally incapable of watching cross-traffic, watching his rear-view at the same time, making a judgement that the car behind won't stop, making a simultaneous judgement to move ahead, left, right, or "into the ditch", checking for cross-traffic to see it's safe to pull out against the light (don't forget to keep watching your rear-view at the same time), and do all this in a blink of an eye. Their best option is to firmly press their brake to prevent themselves being pushed out into cross-traffic, get their head back against the headrest to prevent whip-lash, and hold on. Not drive themselves into the ditch. Oh, and I'll leave the drive up onto the sidewalk in the trash bin as well. Sure hope I'm not a pedestrian when one of your "trained" motorists run me over while I wait for the bus. Point 4…. “Down in the Ditch”? Are you crazy. You’re implying a motorist looking in a rear-view mirror should make an instantaneous decision that the car behind will not stop, then drive themselves into the ditch? What nonsense is this? If you’re wrong, or the other car actually does stop because YOU’VE made a misjudgement, your now AT FAULT for a single vehicle accident. YOUR insurance rates will go up and YOU are likely to get charged with Careless Driving by the police. You won’t be able to blame the other car (who never hit you) because there simply wasn’t a collison. Heck, the other car isn’t even obligated to remain at the scene of YOUR accident. The reality is, the average motorist is totally incapable of watching cross-traffic, watching his rear-view at the same time, making a judgement that the car behind won’t stop, making a simultaneous judgement to move ahead, left, right, or “into the ditch”, checking for cross-traffic to see it’s safe to pull out against the light (don’t forget to keep watching your rear-view at the same time), and do all this in a blink of an eye. Their best option is to firmly press their brake to prevent themselves being pushed out into cross-traffic, get their head back against the headrest to prevent whip-lash, and hold on. Not drive themselves into the ditch. Oh, and I’ll leave the drive up onto the sidewalk in the trash bin as well. Sure hope I’m not a pedestrian when one of your “trained” motorists run me over while I wait for the bus.

]]> By: Mark http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/#comment-603334 Mark Sat, 22 Dec 2012 18:43:01 +0000 http://ec2-107-20-15-173.compute-1.amazonaws.com/?post_type=feature&p=33418#comment-603334 Why were there no warning lights on the cruiser....seriously.. stopped on a road, no hazards OR cherries going? These officers were negligent. I hope they were not seriously injured, but they really botched it on safety precautions. Why were there no warning lights on the cruiser….seriously.. stopped on a road, no hazards OR cherries going? These officers were negligent. I hope they were not seriously injured, but they really botched it on safety precautions.

]]> By: Ian http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/#comment-592504 Ian Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:42:15 +0000 http://ec2-107-20-15-173.compute-1.amazonaws.com/?post_type=feature&p=33418#comment-592504 That is why we run our advanced driver training courses. To help motorists focus on their driving and make smart driving decisions. If the sidewalk is available as a viable escape route, use it. That is why we run our advanced driver training courses. To help motorists focus on their driving and make smart driving decisions. If the sidewalk is available as a viable escape route, use it.

]]> By: Sam http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/#comment-567585 Sam Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:48:59 +0000 http://ec2-107-20-15-173.compute-1.amazonaws.com/?post_type=feature&p=33418#comment-567585 No confusion at all Ian! It's just that drivers seem to have enough problem spotting pedestrians where they *should* be looking for them, i.e. crosswalks. Hardly a day goes by that someone isn't run down in a crosswalk in Toronto. I just don't think that the average panicked driver would have the presence of mind to carefully scan the sidewalk (with many more obstructions to a "good view" than are present with crosswalks) to be able to make such a choice intelligently and in the very short time frame required. It's better if they just stay in place a take the hit. No confusion at all Ian! It’s just that drivers seem to have enough problem spotting pedestrians where they *should* be looking for them, i.e. crosswalks. Hardly a day goes by that someone isn’t run down in a crosswalk in Toronto. I just don’t think that the average panicked driver would have the presence of mind to carefully scan the sidewalk (with many more obstructions to a “good view” than are present with crosswalks) to be able to make such a choice intelligently and in the very short time frame required. It’s better if they just stay in place a take the hit.

]]> By: Ian http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/#comment-566705 Ian Wed, 19 Dec 2012 20:43:58 +0000 http://ec2-107-20-15-173.compute-1.amazonaws.com/?post_type=feature&p=33418#comment-566705 Sam, I assumed people were bright enough to only use the sidewalk if there are no pedestrians on it. I apologize if that confused you. Sam, I assumed people were bright enough to only use the sidewalk if there are no pedestrians on it. I apologize if that confused you.

]]> By: Sam http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/#comment-565255 Sam Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:17:33 +0000 http://ec2-107-20-15-173.compute-1.amazonaws.com/?post_type=feature&p=33418#comment-565255 Drive onto the sidewalk? Seriously? It's your problem, don't make it a pedestrian's problem too. At the very least, the sidewalk should be their "safe place", as much as possible. Drive onto the sidewalk? Seriously? It’s your problem, don’t make it a pedestrian’s problem too. At the very least, the sidewalk should be their “safe place”, as much as possible.

]]> By: licoricepizza http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/#comment-551471 licoricepizza Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:44:34 +0000 http://ec2-107-20-15-173.compute-1.amazonaws.com/?post_type=feature&p=33418#comment-551471 An entire article can easily be written about point number 1 alone. I see people rush up to red lights and stop signs *all the time*. Why? You know you have to come to a full stop, so why turn it into a dangerous manoeuvre? I'm sure it doesn't save any time on your drive, and like Ian says, it just wears your brake pads down a little more than normal braking would've done. I'm sick of this daily scenario: about to cross the path of a vehicle approaching a stop sign/red light (either by car or by foot) and noticing said vehicle is just tearing toward the intersection, only braking at the last second. It isn't until they start to slow down that I feel confident they're not going to blow right through and t-bone me (or worse, run me over as a pedestrian). An entire article can easily be written about point number 1 alone. I see people rush up to red lights and stop signs *all the time*. Why? You know you have to come to a full stop, so why turn it into a dangerous manoeuvre? I’m sure it doesn’t save any time on your drive, and like Ian says, it just wears your brake pads down a little more than normal braking would’ve done. I’m sick of this daily scenario: about to cross the path of a vehicle approaching a stop sign/red light (either by car or by foot) and noticing said vehicle is just tearing toward the intersection, only braking at the last second. It isn’t until they start to slow down that I feel confident they’re not going to blow right through and t-bone me (or worse, run me over as a pedestrian).

]]> By: Sid Priddle http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/#comment-550699 Sid Priddle Tue, 18 Dec 2012 12:11:29 +0000 http://ec2-107-20-15-173.compute-1.amazonaws.com/?post_type=feature&p=33418#comment-550699 Good article . But one additional tip worth considering is to put the car in neutral when braking on ice . This takes away the drive power from the wheels . Good article . But one additional tip worth considering is to put the car in neutral when braking on ice . This takes away the drive power from the wheels .

]]> By: Mario Rossi http://www.wheels.ca/feature/the-seven-steps-of-safe-stopping/#comment-547071 Mario Rossi Tue, 18 Dec 2012 04:21:38 +0000 http://ec2-107-20-15-173.compute-1.amazonaws.com/?post_type=feature&p=33418#comment-547071 Have not been able to find my car's "barking" system to learn about it. Not even in the manuals. Please help. Have not been able to find my car’s “barking” system to learn about it. Not even in the manuals. Please help.

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