Driver Safety Warning

[Dustydog]

A useful bulletin from my friend David Staynings Driving School

From Sunday onwards we have the chance of rain. After weeks of extremely dry weather, this can cause something known as the ‘Florida Ice Effect’, which can make roads incredibly slippery.
It happens in the first part of a rain shower when the oils, dust, sludge and grime all get wet and are brought to the surface by the rain, creating a sheen on the roads which makes riding or driving similar to being on ice. This can make it much easier to suddenly lose control of your vehicle and spin out.
If we do suddenly experience rain, take extra caution if you’re out on the roads. Ride or drive safely and be a considerate road user; ensuring that you do not travel too close to other road users, and allow extra distance for braking.

 

[RogerL]

Always expect the unexpected !

 

[Raywood]

Agree this could be a problem.

 

[otherclive]

My granddaughter passed her test just over a week ago and one thing I mentioned to her was the effect of summer rain after a prolonged dry period. Will remind her again as she’s off to Thorpe Park sometime this week and sporadic thunder storms are forecast.

 

[Raywood]

Forecast, we had them last night!

 

[Buckman]

A useful bulletin from my friend David Staynings Driving School

From Sunday onwards we have the chance of rain. After weeks of extremely dry weather, this can cause something known as the ‘Florida Ice Effect’, which can make roads incredibly slippery.
It happens in the first part of a rain shower when the oils, dust, sludge and grime all get wet and are brought to the surface by the rain, creating a sheen on the roads which makes riding or driving similar to being on ice. This can make it much easier to suddenly lose control of your vehicle and spin out.
If we do suddenly experience rain, take extra caution if you’re out on the roads. Ride or drive safely and be a considerate road user; ensuring that you do not travel too close to other road users, and allow extra distance for braking.

We were taught that way back in the sixties and it is very dangerous. However after awhile as rain is so infrequent you forget. No fun braking for a stop sign and the car continues to slide right through the intersection. I was very lucky!

 

[Dustydog]

We were taught that way back in the sixties and it is very dangerous. However after awhile as rain is so infrequent you forget. No fun braking for a stop sign and the car continues to slide right through the intersection. I was very lucky!

My old neighbour decades ago, an ex army truck driver ,taught me cadence braking. Now sadly replaced with ABS🤪🤪

 

[RogerL]

My old neighbour decades ago, an ex army truck driver ,taught me cadence braking. Now sadly replaced with ABS🤪🤪

ABS gives cadence braking to everyone, not just those who were taught it.

Sadly few drivers try out their ABS (on a clear road) so when it's needed for real they ease off the pedal because of the vibration, rather than press even harder.

 

[Buckman]

My old neighbour decades ago, an ex army truck driver ,taught me cadence braking. Now sadly replaced with ABS🤪🤪

Yep no such thing as ABS, but strangely enough at the police driving school we were told to brake in a similar ABS fashion by pumping brakes rapidly. Preventing brakes locking up and vehicle sliding whether wet or dry.

 

[Dustydog]

I bet you learnt double declutching too🤪.Changing down with the large Peco exhaust was music to the ears👍

 

[Buckman]

I bet you learnt double declutching too🤪.Changing down with the large Peco exhaust was music to the ears👍

Not at the police driving school. However we were taught how to change gear after moving off without using the clutch. You needed to get the revs just right to change gear without it crunching. Did the change up and change down without using clutch. Not sure if I can still do it these days after driving an auto for so long?

 

[Parksy]

I bet you learnt double declutching too🤪.Changing down with the large Peco exhaust was music to the ears👍

When I first passed my class 1 HGV licence I was given an old Foden S80 tractor unit on my first job as an artic driver.
It had a Fuller 12 speed constant mesh gearbox, often called a 'crash box'.
Gear changes involved double declutching, but when I became used to driving that truck I found that apart from starting off and stopping, it was easy to change gear using the 'torque break' method, which didn't involve the use of the clutch.
It was done by reaching the optimum engine revs, lifting off the accelerator pedal as the gear change took place, and then increasing the engine revs again.
I could drive for miles without using the clutch at all.
When I was 'promoted' and given a much more modern Leyland T45 tractor unit, the cab was light years ahead of the Foden in terms of driver comfort, but I hated the all syncromesh gearbox.
It used to make my left leg ache 😜

 

[Buckman]

When I first passed my class 1 HGV licence I was given an old Foden S80 tractor unit on my first job as an artic driver.
It had a Fuller 12 speed constant mesh gearbox, often called a 'crash box'.
Gear changes involved double declutching, but when I became used to driving that truck I found that apart from starting off and stopping, it was easy to change gear using the 'torque break' method, which didn't involve the use of the clutch.
It was done by reaching the optimum engine revs, lifting off the accelerator pedal as the gear change took place, and then increasing the engine revs again.
I could drive for miles without using the clutch at all.
When I was 'promoted' and given a much more modern Leyland T45 tractor unit, the cab was light years ahead of the Foden in terms of driver comfort, but I hated the all syncromesh gearbox.
It used to make my left leg ache 😜

For moving bulky goods around the dock area in the sixties they use a vehicle I think it was called a Scammel. It had three wheels?

 

[Dustydog]

Scammell 3 wheel Iron Horse. BR used them at a lot of major stations too.

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

For moving bulky goods around the dock area they use a vehicle I think it was called a Scammel. I seem to recall that it had three wheels?

I think you mean this: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scammell_Scarab the Scammell Scarab. British Rail also used to use them in their goods yards.

 

[Parksy]

For moving bulky goods around the dock area in the sixties they use a vehicle I think it was called a Scammel. It had three wheels?

Parcels used to be carried nationwide on the railways, and the Scarab was a great little truck for moving the parcels around railway goods depots and for local deliveries.
I'm not sure how it would have coped with the 30 tonnes of steel that I used to haul around though

 

[Woodentop]

If you want to see such vehicles and many others het yourself to The Stray in Harrogate on the first Sunday in August to see the Pennine Run. Can be anything up to 100+ lorries, buses, coaches, tractors, vans and sometimes cars as well. The oldest wagons are steam driven!

 

[Hutch]

I went out on my motorbike today, NO rain forcast after 11.00. roads were dry, I would say the weather dampish. Took 5 miles to get the tyres above ambient temp . The temperatures came up ok.
Maybe folk don't realise that the tyres dont grip so well until they are up to a decent temperature.

 

[Dustydog]

I went out on my motorbike today, NO rain forcast after 11.00. roads were dry, I would say the weather dampish. Took 5 miles to get the tyres above ambient temp . The temperatures came up ok.
Maybe folk don't realise that the tyres dont grip so well until they are up to a decent temperature.

That‘s our Hutch👍👏

 

[Hutch]

That‘s our Hutch👍👏

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On the way home after a pint , of Green King.