Getting cut up by another driver - Expect the unexpected
August 30, 2022
Complex roundabout junctions like the Robinhood Roundabout in Newbury are notorious for 50:50 accidents where two cars collide near or over a white line. I do not go to work without dual controls, mirrors and my dash cam and this video should explain why!
If you are at a set of lights always move off checking your door mirrors. This is mainly for bikes that may be filtering through but also for motorists that know they are in the wrong lane that may be signalling to move over.
Knowing what is about to happen is key and you will hear me talking to my pupils here about checking their door mirrors and in particular their left mirror. This is because the lane we are in divides to two - so a good driver will always hog the line they want, keeping near it and check down that side of the car for any hidden problems.
The first clip shows two cars both clearly in the wrong lane but do change lanes quite safely. Whether they would have checked their blind spots I cant vouch for but if you do need to actually change lanes always mirrors and signal, let it flash at least 3 times and then ALWAYS check your blind spot!
The second example clearly shows the driver of the red car completely oblivious to our whereabouts (despite just undertaking us). I had to grab the wheel, use the horn and use my dual controls it was that close to us. The learner will usually try to swerve out the way but quite often there is another car on the other side so it is quicker to just hit the brakes.
To find out how to deal with changing lanes and dealing with lanes that split more effectively check out our Online Driving Course dedicated video which comes with Multiple Choice Questions if you buy the course