I’m glad you mentioned what I call the ‘at fault principle.’ Tired of so many sensationalist internet videos and even casual conversations with people about who is at fault regarding a certain road incident. Totally irrelevant when you’re driving. ‘I’ve got priority’ no, the priority is preventing the incident and creating better traffic flow.
On the motorway it's especially important to pass other cars relatively briskly. It's a scenario where a bit of extra speed is arguably safer. It's far better to be a moving object in someone's mirror/blind spot and minimise the time spent directly alongside other vehicles.
The drivers that loiter overtaking at 1mph more than you are infuriating. Normally ends up you both catching a slower vehicle in lane 1 and them blocking you in or forcing you to change speed. Just put your foot down for 1 second and pass quickly!
It's those people who would now respond: yeah but to pass you I would break the speed limit. Exactly those small-minded people Ash is talking about. A wide spread attitude unfortunatelt.
On police driving courses they talk about this as "minimising time exposed to danger". If you're not bothered about the possibility of getting a speeding ticket (because otherwise you'd be the person handing them out) then there's no reason not to (1) pull out at your cruising speed to check for a safe overtake, (2) welly the accelerator to be exposed to danger for the shortest time possible, and (3) drop back to your cruising speed as you pull back in. A lot of people will wail at the idea of doing this, but the fact that it's taught by/too some of the best road drivers going is proof that *_sometimes_* a bit more speed is actually safer. Although civilian drivers aren't going to get many opportunities to practice this on other cars/bikes, one place it's a positive improvement in safety is when overtaking speed limited lorries on motorways and NSL dual carriageways.
Exactly my thought, it boggles my mind how this tendency does not come naturally to some (or many). It's the same social programming that makes you space out evenly in any other situation, be it on foot on the street, in a room or on the train.
Havnt watched the video. But the thumbnail made me click it! My biggest annoyance is when people don't realise the benefits and safety of driving staggered. I have always seen it as common sense tbh 😂
Ashley, please dont worry about the ranting. we all can see your passion for making better drivers. Since i started watching you back in 2020, my driving has come on leaps and bounds
Re ACC - I think THE critical point with any tool is to understand how it works. What are the strngths and weaknesses? Personally, I think ACC is VERY useful on motorways. My specific car has blind-spot indicators and the ACC warns you when vehicles in other lanes are passing (either side). Now, that is very useful information to have, but I also do my own observations. Though I can't stop them doing it, if necessary I can over-ride the ACC by either touching the brake or heavy-footing the accelerator to change my relative position if I don't like where another car is positioning themselves. That would be exactly the same as if I were manually controlling my speed relative to the car I'm following, but I don't have to worry about the other car suddenly braking in the specific moment I'm looking to my left or right. ACC works to reduce my stress, to let me focus on other things. It isn't a replacement for roadcraft.
Years ago, driving south on M6 in Lancashire, was just about to overtake an artic when it suffered a blow out and shot across the lanes infront of me and slammed the central reservation. That was the light bulb moment for me….. I’d have been dead if I’d have been at the side of him. So now my mantra is ‘bubble of space around me’. I create that space, and if someone enters it I recreate it. It’s so simple and I’ve had passengers tell me they feel safe with me. As for overtaking artics on motorways, or any vehicle really, I don’t initiate the overtake if I can’t get clear of it. I wait till there is a large enough space in my lane to get passed, and recreate my bubble of space. Roundabouts are the worst place for being in a non-staggered position. There are just too many points of conflict at entry and exit points. By being staggered you vastly reduce the chance of being caught out by lost lane hoppers…… and there’s plenty of them.
I like ACC, have used for the last year and it is just easier maintaining a steady speed and not having to worry about braking yourself. Yes it can put you in blindspots and seemingly close gaps but that's where it's easy to intervene yourself. You still have to pay attention whilst using it but it frees up a bit of space in the brain on longer journeys.
These driving like a instructor videos are brilliant! I’m from the same area Ashley so unfortunately deal with the same drivers, I’ve held my license for just going on 2 years and without these insights my test would of been a lot more difficult, I’ve watched your channel religiously and can guarantee my driving had only improved since doing so, there’s always that little Ashley voice in the back of my mind while driving, cheers Ashley👍
I love my adaptive cruise control. The one I use has 4 distance settings on the steering wheel, so it's really easy to adjust position to the surrounding environment, and the start stop function in traffic is great! Totally agree that it's not enough to just stay in the speed limit.
The bridge at 38:00, I was going the B&Q there the other day. The queue to turn left into the car park backed up, to the point where the car in front of me also wanting to turn left stopped just over the brow of the hill in lane 1. I held back and stopped on the top of the bridge, otherwise I would also have been just over the top of the bridge out of sight of vehicles approaching from behind. There was quite a large gap between me and the car in front, and I had handbrake on but also held my foot on the brakes to be as visible as possible. My thought was the traffic coming up behind should see me instead of flying over the hill and potentially crashing, and if anyone crashed into me, I have space in front so I shouldn't be pushed into the car in front. If I never watched your videos, I don't think I would have done that. The points you make about having space and helping others out have made me think a lot about how I drive over the last few years.
It’s normally like that especially on a Saturday or Sunday when trading is probably at its busiest at that particular junction in that particular direction from Switch Island and the Asda, sometimes it’s better to suck it and let them in in the name of safety. I always fear somebody stationary on the other side of the brow be it another car or somebody more vulnerable and less likely to be seen until the last moment or it’s too late
That's a great example of hazard awareness & planning. Too many don't pause to be visible, as in your situation. Closing to the back of a queue is all that matters - even if that puts them out of sight.
It is about being seen. I do the same on country roads with temporary traffic lights. Utterly pointless "parking" just round the corner of a blind bend.
Found and love this just now! Been driving with an adaptive defensive staggered approach without knowing its since forever... I'm 48 yrs old. It's time to get these videos to schools!!! Amazing job
I've started driving for the first time since passing my test (in 2020), and your channel has been beyond helpful. Slowly bringing back my confidence has been fantastic. I refuse to be someone who doesn't give a shit!!
After my daughter passed her driving test earlier in the year, I took her out for further "lessons", and literally went over what you're mentioned at the start of the video... when on dual carriageways or motorways, always try to keep a space to the side of you, particularly around lorries.... never be alongside a lorry or HGV as you could easily be in their blind spot, and it removes a potential space for you to move into. Another great video. 🙂
I wish more would think to do that, it can help build confidence after passing - still a stressful time when you 'go live'! It's learning road craft that really makes you a safer driver & videos can be very helpful.
Also it's worth while to remember they can't stop as quickly as you, so it's better to give them a bit more space before moving back into the lane. I see people all the time pull in as soon as they can and it's crazy.
Great video and it reminds me of the importance of giving yourself options. Also, I was thinking at 3:27 when that Instructor Car following moved back to the left with no-one behind even though they presumably knew they were turning right at the second junction and you stayed out, that once again your deeper thinking is what separates you above other instructors. Great work.
27:57 "Circumnavigation". I didn't expect Ashley to say that! But - seriously - another great video. It's nice to feel that I'm in a top 20% elite of people who drive in a staggered position. Now I just need a beautifully crisp Viofo dashcam!
Thanks for your videos Ashley. I strongly believe in encouraging a spirit of cooperation and a collegiate approach to all road users. I find it makes my driving stress free and way more efficient.
I'm loving this one Ash. I spend my entire (driving) day practicing this stuff. My 'adaptive cruise control' *is me* - I mentioned it bedore but my motto is _time and space_ are your friend. 😎🤘
I use the ACC on my Golf regularly, though usually in single-lane scenarios. The radar system is responsive to adjacent vehicles in left or right lanes, but more as a warning (still useful), than as an additional method of car control. As drivers, we are responsible and shouldn't allow automated systems to take over - using them judiciously. However, I think this technology is a very good safety and convenience feature and, as mentioned, useful for single-lane traffic, if less so in multi-lane scenarios where maintaining a staggered formation is safer. Perhaps the next generation of ACC should have a 'Maintain Staggered Formation' option.
the ACC on my Qashqai allows me to adjust the distance betwen my car and the vehicle I'm following - it's only 3 different distance settings, but it helps me to (mostly) avoid the situation of being alongside another vehicle.
40:14 is a good example of where 'flow mentality' is not always the best option. Some motorists don't or won't slow down when there's a issue up ahead in the road, preferring to 'steer to avoid' rather than braking and losing momentum. In addition, metal boxes are very isolating and it's all too easy to be cocooned in your own little world. The speeds involved mean you are past and away before you've got time to think properly.
Exactly, that's why i dont use the cruise: l adapt my position and speed all the time to make sure i am not too close to other vehicles. Particularly when loaded to max in my truck.
Totally agree, ACC is great on a quiet motorway at 3am but dangerous on a busy multi lane road. It spots the car in front of you but not what's happening 800 metres up the road. The people who use it by default are either totally reckless or don't understand defense driving.
I'm learning to drive at the moment, my test is in January. I naturally prefer staggering my driving to fit in with those around me and dislike driving with someone alongside me. As my instructor hasn't raised what you have in this video, I naturally assume my preference is due to fear, or being a learner, so it's very comforting and reassuring to know my preference is actually a better way to drive. Thanks for this informative video.
I've only ever used adaptive cruise once, in my instructor's car. It does have its benefits, I think it's really just a case of common sense on when and when not of using it. Great video too 😎
I always do this on motorways, subconsciously I guess. But I'll admit I never really thought about it too much, especially in city traffic. Gonna start focusing on this now, it makes total sense, thanks Ashley!
23:36 I totally agree, it’s a terrible mindset and a terrible attitude, even though it’s not 100% guaranteed, if you’re a good driver you’ll be able to avoid most accidents by simply always being next to a pocket of space or always being in a staggered formation.
Super helpful video! My only worry with the pockets of space/ some distance when behind a lorry is what if someone next to you is in the wrong lane and tries to squeeze into the gap between you and the lorry?
21:10 I totally agree with you, a bad driver thinks they’re a good driver because they’re legal, a good driver is legal but also thinks about altering their speed and their position with others around them to always be next to a pocket of space and always in a staggered formation, thank you so much Ashley mate for spreading your wisdom, honesty you’re very underrated, you definitely need more recognition for your work, please keep up the great work, your knowledge is slowly but surely changing people’s attitude behaviour and knowledge, I hope my subscription helps you out in some way, you really deserve it. 👍
Red flag alert at 19:14...that damage on the rear of the vehicle to the right could be from reversing or it could be from them being in the wrong lane and just moving over Staggered formation to protect yourselves
Great video, its surprising how many people consistently drive alongside each other because they're unaware of the dangers of driving alongside each other. On ACC, our current car is the first we've had with it on. As an avid user of cruise, my wife never uses it, I've had to adapt to it's advantages and it's limitations. I do find it frustrating on motorways and dual carriageways in that I seem to be having to pull outto overtake a lot sooner than I thought I needed to. But it's simply a case of disabling the ACC until the manoeuvre is complete. It did catch me out with a cyclist the other day, but otherwise I'm getting used to it more each time. It has been about 8 months to get to this stage.
The Mercedes van keeping pace along side and not just getting on with the overtake is absolutely common place. It happens on the motorway to me all the time. I’m forever slowing and speeding up to get rid of them. And I’m not even at 70 when this happens 🤷🏻♂️ But that aside. Just taking a moment to appreciate that rare VW R36 Passat estate at 24:15 😍
ACC is great once you get to realise it’s a tool to help your driving and not a self drive system. I drive a Skoda Karoq with ACC and it does have peripheral ‘vision’ as far as traffic to the right is concerned and so prevents inadvertent undertaking. Generally I find it works best in slow moving traffic; it removes so much stress in traffic jams and avoids the ridiculous spaces drivers leave between themselves and the car in front. As it’s automatic it can slow to a stop, requiring just occasional blipping of the throttle to set off if the stop/start cuts in. However it does often need to be temporarily disabled where cars or vans want to pull into a space in front of you. Then it can be re-enabled once the manoeuvre is complete.
I agree about adaptive cruise on motorways and dual carriageways. I have it but rarely use it in these roads as it can put you in situations where risk is increased. I do find it very useful on single carriageway A roads which removes the side by side issue.
This staggering’ is something that’s driven me to distraction for years, and I agree entirely with pretty well everything here. One bugbear is the motorway situation where I know I’m going to have to pull out for an overtake fairly soon, but am obstructed by a car to my right that is too close to pull out on but isn’t really overtaking, it’s drifting by at just a little quicker than I’m going.
Adaptive cruise on a new vehicle - depends how much it is and how much more your vehicle will be worth when you come to sell it. People prefer high spec used cars so they are worth more - that’s why leasing is often cheaper when you up spec the car you order.
I’d use adaptive cruise on single carriageway roads rather than motorways. I just set it at the max distance and find it makes the journey a little more relaxing. On a busy motorway I’d rather use the right foot for the reasons you give Ashley.
Another great video. I always felt it quite aggressive sitting next to someone and boxing them in and when done to me but I think now maybe ignorance is again the main element. Motorcycling allows me to feel more sensitive in this respect and maybe in heavy slow traffic jams it is more difficult.
when i get cars thats speed up and drive to my right, i come off the accelerator. Usually they are planning on pushing infront at a choke point up ahead or they are trying to match the speed limit. Better safe than sorry.
I like adaptive cruise control out on the open road here in Australia, but that is because most of those roads are only 1 lane each way, so the surrounding traffic isn't an issue. But I think you're spot on about it being a problem on multi lane roadways. Hopefully the car manufacturers can write their software to take those spaces into account. Some vehicles may need more sensors, but the Teslas already know where those vehicles are, so it should actually be easily sorted in a software update. Also, I think my philosophy is to drive as if everyone else could try to kill you at any time. They generally don't, but if they did, you'd be ready for them. I think that's what you're describing as Ashley Psychic.
I'd have to pay to get it on the 2022 Audi I picked up yesterday! 😆That made me laugh when I thought I'd got it, then touched the stalk and the message came up on the display "I don't have the licence", haha. Oh my. Good video Ash', thx for the info, as always 👍🏻😄 My opinion differs on it as I sit here with zero experience of using it, so I'd need to try it and see how it may help when just sat in traffic or whatever. I do understand what you mean about the periphery though and knowing what is going off around all the time.
On this theme on dual carriageways and motorways, at busy times where traffic might be slower than the speed limits, not to commit to an overtake unless you can fit into the space in front of the vehicle you are overtaking, so you don't end up sitting in people's blindspots while behind traffic in front. Also when overtaking HGV's, you can keep an eye on the lights on the cab section for clues on if they might be thinking about changing lanes as you are passing them. In heavy traffic situations if the space you were planning on fitting into disappears, for example if traffic slows down and you see the indicator come on the cab lights, that could be when you are in the blindspot and the safe option might be to 'give up' the overtake. It's usually smaller vehicles like cars and vans that cause the most issues and have the it's not my problem mentality. Even when you slot in between two vehicles in the adjacent lane, the one behind starts to run parralel to you, even where there are narrow lanes, or near me where some of the roundabouts aren't wide enought to accomodate the number of lanes on the curves, then get angry at you for getting in their way, when if they kept a sensible gap to the car in front and staggered formation to you they wouldn't have had any problems in the first place.
I try and leave my self space to my right all the time if I can, however when I'm at work driving buses it can be a different matter. In Hull my home city on a certain major road our bus lanes are quite narrow at certain spots. If a car emerging from a junction to my near side just has there nose stuck out just a little bit and I have a vehicle alongside me I have no where to go so end up signalling to pull around the car but drivers in there lane won't let me out which in turn may cause the car to pull out in front of me, or as I saw recently a car reverse to get out of my way and reversed straight into the car behind them. So staggered is good for me when people behave and stay back. I'm also starting a mentoring course on Monday to train trainee bus drivers which may lead to me being a driving instructor on the buses in the future, it's a week's course including my CPC which I have to do with an exam at the end of it next Friday, with all the videos I've watched of yours over the years I'm looking forward to inputting some of the things I've learnt watch your videos Ashley to the trainees, god help them.
I used it for the first time on my current car. It can be useful in reducing fatigue & actually improved my MPG (never expected that). The car does have automatic braking but you have to be aware & ready to reduce set speed (or you can brake if necessary). It's a useful tool, for specific situations.
Thanks, Ashley. Yes, there are lots of drivers who just don't think. They don't have any road craft at all. Maybe it's a common sense thing that they don't have, and you can't teach that. 😊👍👍👍👏👏
The newer DAF trucks I drive have this adaptive cruise control and is ok sometimes, it keeps you a safe distance from the vehicle in front, but jumps on the brakes sometimes when things happen in front quicker than it can calculate. Most important of all one should be in control of a vehicle at all times! Yes, I hate it when others drive next to you or in your possible blind spot, seemingly blocking you from changing lanes in some tactical manner.
17:23 you still have a right signal on, does that not potentially suggest a U turn to others? Personally I would've cancelled the indicator there to take that road. No big deal of course, just something I noted.
There used to be an very hazardous speed camera on the A64 in Leeds going out of the city centre. It was hidden around the bend of a very busy section of the road. This section of road was a dual carriageway, 40mph, and had a slip road joining it. The slip road was on a bend as well, so you didn't have much time to adapt. If you were joining the road, you had to make sure you were going with the speed and flow of the traffic, using your mirrors and blind spot and negotiating your way on. I was a new driver at the time. Whilst obviously you shouldn't be speeding, the last thing you should have been doing was staring obsessively at your speedo to make sure you weren't going 3mph over the limit. The speed camera was then suddenly there, without warning, hidden. Some people knew it was there, so would start braking or those who suddenly saw it would brake sharply. You had to have your wits about you every second. Someone ended up taking the council to court about it and won and the speed camera inside was taken out, but they left the box there. It was then destroyed a couple of years later.
Adaptive cruise - I like it when towing because I only want to go as fast as HGVs, so letting the car sit nicely behind a lorry makes life stress-free. Likewise at 70mph on lightly populated roads. But I don't use it where there's traffic because then it's only as good as the driver in front. ACC maintains a distance so will brake sharply and accelerate sharply if that's what the driver ahead is doing - the opposite of defensive driving. It also doesn't read the road and the traffic so is perfectly happy to cruise beside a Polish HGV in its blind spot - or Angle of Death as the French more aptly call them.
The issue I have with adaptive cruise control is I think there can be extra danger in taking too much away from the drivers control. That's why I feel manual is slightly safer (though don't have data for this personally to back it up), because if you need to change gears you're staying engaged with driving and your observations are likely to improve. Whereas if you have an automatic car with adaptive cruise control running on a motorway, the only thing you need to do is occasionally tilt the wheel slightly. That'll make you much less engaged and much more likely to not observe changes in road condition. So I think there's some convenience things that are nice e.g. auto lights, regular cruise control etc. But until cars can drive fully independent, we need to keep some engagement for the driver to avoid zoning out.
The van at 22:00 was a great example of poor positioning. He caught you & kept you in his nearside blind spot, then eased back his speed & kept himself in your offside blind spot. Exactly what not to do.
I almost never use cruise control due to the inability to make micro adjustments, and because any input cancels cruise control. I use the speed limiter essentially as if it's cruise control, but it allows me to ease off where necessary depending on the scenario without cancelling
Try to position yourself next to a pocket of space as much as you possible can, I totally agree with you, it’s much safer to have a pocket of space next to you than another vehicle next to you.
I like adaptive cruise, especially when going on long motorway drives, more often than not the middle and overtaking lanes a full of cars. I just remain in the first lane and allow adaptive cruise to control the car.
I haven’t yet driven a car with adaptive cruise. Had a few cars inc my current one with basic cruise control…..seems to work fine. Saves a drop of fuel as well. …..the cars I’ve had basic cruise control on are all automatic….. I know you can get it on a manual car-but is there any point? ….. …speed limits allowing, once I leave the town on 1 route here, I can stay on cruise control all the way to the next town….this inc a couple of hills….this would require downshifting in a manual car.
08:48 I totally agree, very poor driving from the white van, I don’t understand why he’s next to the lorry and going around a bend, it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
problem with this round where i live is everyone drives so near to the car in front that there's no space! on a motorbike i find safest place to be is at the front of queues.
*"Don't sit next to lorries, busses, bigger vehicles":* They usually sit at 5 o' clock behind you on the motorway in the middle lane. When you appraoch a slower vehicle and want to pull out, they either suddenly speed up or fall back and flash their lights- whilst what they _should_ do is: pass swiftly and pull back in. *Cruise control:* I never use it. It takes away your control of speed. I use the speed limiter instead.
If I'm on the left, I'm looking for a gap on my right. If I'm on the right, I'm probably at the speed limit overtaking someone on the left. If someone then ends up on my left, it's because they're not going a constant speed and must have sped up as I was overtaking. This is super frustrating, because I then have a choice of breaking the speed limit to get in front to find that gap again, or fall behind to get the gap behind them. But if they aren't keeping a constant speed, I'm going to be stuck behind them constantly adjusting my speed and not making the progress I should be able to. So it's not always the fault of vehicles going the speed limit that end up side by side. I'll let you guess which option I feel more inclined to choose.
Exactly, you don't switch off your brain when you switch on ACC! Ashley said at the beginning that people think in black and white instead of shades of gray. But then he said that because ACC could sometimes be an issue he will NEVER use it 🤦♂️
18:25 Anyone who would not know this is 3 into 3 lanes after the junction would go in L3. Terrible road design to create a bottle neck right after a junction!
The Tesla Autopilot and more recent VW ACC will actually stop you from undertaking, matching the speed with cars on your right. This does actually often put a pocket of space on your right, but it's not really the purpose of it, and obviously doesn't care about vehicles on your left.
I mentioned this technique to a work colleague and his response was scary. He said he doesn't drive in staggered formation as it encourages people to take up that space and will result in him being further back in the queue at the next set of traffic lights. Didn't get the sense it's safer, you're not in a race and you're not making up any time nor losing any. Mind boggles as some peoples logic and some no matter what you say will not budge
Not surprised - some view that getting a 'couple of cars ahead achievement' as more important than anything else, even safety! I'm fascinated by driving psychology & this is a major issue for some drivers. Competition & 'being right' can lead to the ridiculous 'I'm going to do this, even if it risks an accident'.
Yes & no: In certain areas with dense traffic, you will be cut up if you leave too much space. The answer to that is probably that you leave enough distance to the one in front but not that much that it encourages people to cut you up.
@@demil3618 If that happens then it's only going to put you 5m further back down the road. About 4m for the car, and 1m for the following distance that kind of driver allows themselves. I leave at least a full 2 second gap in front of me wherever I am and I very rarely find myself inconvenienced by people cutting into that space, usually because they just blast ahead and tailgate the vehicle in front of me. I have a lot more problems with people diving into a closing gap in front of me when I'm braking approaching a junction or lights.
@@TheCatBilboand sometimes you let someone in and they turn off later so no net time saving. I do try and get ahead of light dawdlers though if safe. I also tailgate for a short distance through a green to maximise light throughput. Only so many times I want to sit through the same cycle 😂
@@ianmason. The 2 second gap won't work in dense rush hour traffic. Hence the 3-car length reccomendation there. Go to London and you will see. But I agree that once outside London, traffic becomes a lot more relaxed!
With a larger vehicle, i split the lanes to avoid any risk of someone trying to run up my inside in a tighter area. This is legal and in the highway code
People who can be a little more manoeuvrable should accommodate the bigger vehicles, I completely agree, bigger vehicles take up more space and they take longer to slow down and stop.
From my observation (On Australian roads mind you), I suspect a lot of drivers ignore speed limits(not for the sake of speeding, just laziness) and instead pace themselves relative to other vehicles around them. This results in frequent cases of them ending up matching speed with a vehicle they are either passing or being passed by. For example, it isn't unusual to have a car doing 45-50 in a 60 zone, who immediately jumps up to 60 as soon as they are being passed, resulting in both vehicles being stuck beside each other. And if said passing vehicle then slows down, that original vehicle slows down to match them. I originally thought this was some kind of passive-aggressive road rage, but it happens so frequently and with little to no prior interaction, I'm starting to suspect it is the much worse case of unconscious drivers who are effectively driving on autopilot.
Hi Ashley. I have always wondered what your opinion is on people who use junctions on motorways or dual carriageways to "skip" long queues. Does this actually save time, or does it further increase congestion?
It definitely increases congestion. There's a dual carriageway near me with a mile-long exiting lane that people use to overtake. In busier times, you have to sit in slower traffic alongside that lane for the road to "magically" speed up once you've passed it, all because people have to "jump the line" and cut back in at the last minute
This is made worse by Sat Nags telling people to exit on the slip road and rejoin. The M25 around the M2 / Dartford section always has drivers doing this as well as the M1 near Luton The biggest form of congestion is people in a hurry and not leaving suitable space around themselves and others. Then, as people want to avoid the congestion they make a conscious decision (either off their own intuition or through being advised by an electronic navigation device) head onto a sliproad where they will have to rejoin a road where others aren’t leaving suitable space around them. And the self fulfilling prophecy continues
I always think do I I have bubble of space around me to be safe and do I have an escape route if someone enters the bubble and watch for people entering my safety bubble and adjust to suit
I am guilty of doing this. I’m now moving toward motorbikes since completing my CBT. So I will be thinking about this, especially on my bike so I can be a bit safer.
@@ashley_neal Hi Ash I just want to say you may want to rephrase the subtitle in case some get the wrong idea, hic so sorry just been to an ADI convention.
You can’t always be in a staggered formation, for example at a red traffic light and there’s a long stationary queue of traffic next to you but when the traffic starts to move on the green light I like to check my mirrors and alter my speed to I keep in a staggered formation with the vehicles next to me.
Those dual-carriageway sections where you have to be “half and half” instead of being in lane 1 (due to the parked cars) are a nonsense! Liverpool council should either make it a single lane plus parking or make the road a bit wider so there can be 2 lanes plus parking. Parking space should be provided off the carriageway and then lanes are clear for traffic. Judging by the generous central reservation and verges there is plenty of room for it - they could even throw in a nice cycle lane alongside!
Not just Liverpool, it's all over the country. The trouble is it's all down to money. Road alterations cost a fortune to the taxpayers, and the results aren't always beneficial.
Love that you've highlighted this Ashley. It's one of my biggest bugbears, next to middle lane hogging, which is a similar thing really regarding thoughtful driving. When you've got this 3 camera view setup, is it possible to flip the rearview camera so it's showing like a mirror?
I detest Active Cruise Control - at least Toyota's implementation on my GR Yaris. Rather than do what I would do, which is to ease off as traffic ahead eases off, it tends to leave the throttle on until it reaches a threshold and then applies the brakes. It's not the smooth, gradual, change that an experienced driver would do. Also, even on the closest setting, it keeps you at a distance that people will always fill that gap and then it has to apply the brakes. Driving manually, I'd be a _bit_ closer, conditions allowing, and/or ease back to allow someone into the gap.
I ride a motorbike and while having someone tailgate me is nerve racking I will watch them in my mirror and continue. But if made to choose I would rather a tailgater than someone beside me. At least behind me I’m fairly confident they can see me. I would not for two seconds have someone drive beside me. I will alter my speed so as to stagger them.
The van: most likely they are a driver that doesnt care for others, they are not planning ahead far enough, they are impatient to get where they are going and could well be "must get in front of the learner but need to watch my speed". by them not planning and working with the traffic around them they are upsetting flow for others. adaptive cruise control: i have used it in my brother Volvo V90, its an interesting bit of tech, his one had settings to how close you want to follow the vehicle in front, the minimum being a 2 second gap i believe. it does go to show how many people dont know the actual distance of only a fool brakes the 2 second rule. i did find it annoying as where i would stay on cruise control in my van and move out when catching a vehicle ahead on the motorway, the minimum distance radar would start slowing the car so i would need to move to the next lane a lot sooner than i felt needed to maintain the speed or it would slow and then boot it to get back up to the set limit the car was on. my brother loves it as he lives with it, its a tool for a specific place for those that want to use it. i feel people not at Ashleys level of skill and car control might like to use it, they can still turn it off when traffic ahead increases (i dont think it works under 20mph) and do what Ash did in the video, but it is very handy to keep a safe braking distance and that the car will stop you quicker if something happens and you are not able to react quick enough for some reason. it will be in vehicles in the future according to my brother, to now get 5 stars safety the vehicle needs adaptive radar, so a 5 star safety car of the past could now be a 2 star because it doesnt have a system to try and stop a collision in the first place. My use of cruise control: i do use cruise control rather often, i find it takes the worry away of what speed i am at when driving on long stretches of 30mph, 20mph, 40mph, any speed limit zone. but it all depends on the road. if there is a 30zone with lots of parked cars to the side of the road and its busy time of day, i am less likely to use cruise control as too many hazards. its simple to turn cruise control off, just press the cancel button or tap the brakes. but by not having to keep an eye on my speed, knowing it is locked in, i have the extra capacity to look for hazards and as risk increases i cover the brake and if needed cancel the cruise control. i do find riding my motorbike that does not have cruise control it is simple to go over the limits by a few mph, especially if a car is too close and expects you to speed as you are a motorbike, where is my van with cruise control has a tow bar on it, i feel less pressure from someone tailgating or sitting too close as the computer has the speed locked in.
I’m glad you mentioned what I call the ‘at fault principle.’ Tired of so many sensationalist internet videos and even casual conversations with people about who is at fault regarding a certain road incident. Totally irrelevant when you’re driving. ‘I’ve got priority’ no, the priority is preventing the incident and creating better traffic flow.
There's no point being dead right, as the old saying goes!
Americans tend to try to blame the individual instead of looking at the system.
On the motorway it's especially important to pass other cars relatively briskly. It's a scenario where a bit of extra speed is arguably safer. It's far better to be a moving object in someone's mirror/blind spot and minimise the time spent directly alongside other vehicles.
The drivers that loiter overtaking at 1mph more than you are infuriating. Normally ends up you both catching a slower vehicle in lane 1 and them blocking you in or forcing you to change speed. Just put your foot down for 1 second and pass quickly!
It's those people who would now respond: yeah but to pass you I would break the speed limit. Exactly those small-minded people Ash is talking about. A wide spread attitude unfortunatelt.
@delllbooy If I'm doing 1mph more than the person in front of me I prefer to just ease off and stay behind.
On police driving courses they talk about this as "minimising time exposed to danger". If you're not bothered about the possibility of getting a speeding ticket (because otherwise you'd be the person handing them out) then there's no reason not to (1) pull out at your cruising speed to check for a safe overtake, (2) welly the accelerator to be exposed to danger for the shortest time possible, and (3) drop back to your cruising speed as you pull back in. A lot of people will wail at the idea of doing this, but the fact that it's taught by/too some of the best road drivers going is proof that *_sometimes_* a bit more speed is actually safer.
Although civilian drivers aren't going to get many opportunities to practice this on other cars/bikes, one place it's a positive improvement in safety is when overtaking speed limited lorries on motorways and NSL dual carriageways.
@@delllbooythat's the negative about speed cameras. Just brainless velocity sensors that may fine you for not crawling your overtake.
its staggering how many people don't get staggered formations
Exactly my thought, it boggles my mind how this tendency does not come naturally to some (or many). It's the same social programming that makes you space out evenly in any other situation, be it on foot on the street, in a room or on the train.
U do oop north not as many cars as down south 😊
Havnt watched the video. But the thumbnail made me click it! My biggest annoyance is when people don't realise the benefits and safety of driving staggered.
I have always seen it as common sense tbh 😂
So what is staggered formation? No one is explaining it, just throwing out the buzz word
@@deivytrajan Not lined up side by side, but in alternating pattern in parallel lanes - think of the teeth of a zipper.
Ashley, please dont worry about the ranting. we all can see your passion for making better drivers. Since i started watching you back in 2020, my driving has come on leaps and bounds
Re ACC - I think THE critical point with any tool is to understand how it works. What are the strngths and weaknesses? Personally, I think ACC is VERY useful on motorways. My specific car has blind-spot indicators and the ACC warns you when vehicles in other lanes are passing (either side).
Now, that is very useful information to have, but I also do my own observations. Though I can't stop them doing it, if necessary I can over-ride the ACC by either touching the brake or heavy-footing the accelerator to change my relative position if I don't like where another car is positioning themselves. That would be exactly the same as if I were manually controlling my speed relative to the car I'm following, but I don't have to worry about the other car suddenly braking in the specific moment I'm looking to my left or right.
ACC works to reduce my stress, to let me focus on other things. It isn't a replacement for roadcraft.
Years ago, driving south on M6 in Lancashire, was just about to overtake an artic when it suffered a blow out and shot across the lanes infront of me and slammed the central reservation. That was the light bulb moment for me….. I’d have been dead if I’d have been at the side of him.
So now my mantra is ‘bubble of space around me’. I create that space, and if someone enters it I recreate it. It’s so simple and I’ve had passengers tell me they feel safe with me.
As for overtaking artics on motorways, or any vehicle really, I don’t initiate the overtake if I can’t get clear of it. I wait till there is a large enough space in my lane to get passed, and recreate my bubble of space.
Roundabouts are the worst place for being in a non-staggered position. There are just too many points of conflict at entry and exit points. By being staggered you vastly reduce the chance of being caught out by lost lane hoppers…… and there’s plenty of them.
I like ACC, have used for the last year and it is just easier maintaining a steady speed and not having to worry about braking yourself. Yes it can put you in blindspots and seemingly close gaps but that's where it's easy to intervene yourself. You still have to pay attention whilst using it but it frees up a bit of space in the brain on longer journeys.
These driving like a instructor videos are brilliant! I’m from the same area Ashley so unfortunately deal with the same drivers, I’ve held my license for just going on 2 years and without these insights my test would of been a lot more difficult, I’ve watched your channel religiously and can guarantee my driving had only improved since doing so, there’s always that little Ashley voice in the back of my mind while driving, cheers Ashley👍
I love my adaptive cruise control. The one I use has 4 distance settings on the steering wheel, so it's really easy to adjust position to the surrounding environment, and the start stop function in traffic is great! Totally agree that it's not enough to just stay in the speed limit.
The bridge at 38:00, I was going the B&Q there the other day. The queue to turn left into the car park backed up, to the point where the car in front of me also wanting to turn left stopped just over the brow of the hill in lane 1.
I held back and stopped on the top of the bridge, otherwise I would also have been just over the top of the bridge out of sight of vehicles approaching from behind. There was quite a large gap between me and the car in front, and I had handbrake on but also held my foot on the brakes to be as visible as possible.
My thought was the traffic coming up behind should see me instead of flying over the hill and potentially crashing, and if anyone crashed into me, I have space in front so I shouldn't be pushed into the car in front.
If I never watched your videos, I don't think I would have done that. The points you make about having space and helping others out have made me think a lot about how I drive over the last few years.
It’s normally like that especially on a Saturday or Sunday when trading is probably at its busiest at that particular junction in that particular direction from Switch Island and the Asda, sometimes it’s better to suck it and let them in in the name of safety.
I always fear somebody stationary on the other side of the brow be it another car or somebody more vulnerable and less likely to be seen until the last moment or it’s too late
That's a great example of hazard awareness & planning. Too many don't pause to be visible, as in your situation. Closing to the back of a queue is all that matters - even if that puts them out of sight.
It is about being seen. I do the same on country roads with temporary traffic lights. Utterly pointless "parking" just round the corner of a blind bend.
Found and love this just now! Been driving with an adaptive defensive staggered approach without knowing its since forever... I'm 48 yrs old. It's time to get these videos to schools!!! Amazing job
I've started driving for the first time since passing my test (in 2020), and your channel has been beyond helpful. Slowly bringing back my confidence has been fantastic. I refuse to be someone who doesn't give a shit!!
After my daughter passed her driving test earlier in the year, I took her out for further "lessons", and literally went over what you're mentioned at the start of the video... when on dual carriageways or motorways, always try to keep a space to the side of you, particularly around lorries.... never be alongside a lorry or HGV as you could easily be in their blind spot, and it removes a potential space for you to move into.
Another great video. 🙂
I wish more would think to do that, it can help build confidence after passing - still a stressful time when you 'go live'! It's learning road craft that really makes you a safer driver & videos can be very helpful.
Also it's worth while to remember they can't stop as quickly as you, so it's better to give them a bit more space before moving back into the lane. I see people all the time pull in as soon as they can and it's crazy.
Great video and it reminds me of the importance of giving yourself options. Also, I was thinking at 3:27 when that Instructor Car following moved back to the left with no-one behind even though they presumably knew they were turning right at the second junction and you stayed out, that once again your deeper thinking is what separates you above other instructors. Great work.
Good video to show perfectly that common road sense and situational awareness is key to make you a competent, and safe driver.
27:57 "Circumnavigation". I didn't expect Ashley to say that!
But - seriously - another great video. It's nice to feel that I'm in a top 20% elite of people who drive in a staggered position.
Now I just need a beautifully crisp Viofo dashcam!
Thanks for your videos Ashley. I strongly believe in encouraging a spirit of cooperation and a collegiate approach to all road users.
I find it makes my driving stress free and way more efficient.
I'm loving this one Ash. I spend my entire (driving) day practicing this stuff. My 'adaptive cruise control' *is me* - I mentioned it bedore but my motto is _time and space_ are your friend. 😎🤘
I use the ACC on my Golf regularly, though usually in single-lane scenarios. The radar system is responsive to adjacent vehicles in left or right lanes, but more as a warning (still useful), than as an additional method of car control. As drivers, we are responsible and shouldn't allow automated systems to take over - using them judiciously.
However, I think this technology is a very good safety and convenience feature and, as mentioned, useful for single-lane traffic, if less so in multi-lane scenarios where maintaining a staggered formation is safer. Perhaps the next generation of ACC should have a 'Maintain Staggered Formation' option.
the ACC on my Qashqai allows me to adjust the distance betwen my car and the vehicle I'm following - it's only 3 different distance settings, but it helps me to (mostly) avoid the situation of being alongside another vehicle.
Loved this video. The opposite of a space closer? Absolutely yes!
40:14 is a good example of where 'flow mentality' is not always the best option. Some motorists don't or won't slow down when there's a issue up ahead in the road, preferring to 'steer to avoid' rather than braking and losing momentum. In addition, metal boxes are very isolating and it's all too easy to be cocooned in your own little world. The speeds involved mean you are past and away before you've got time to think properly.
Exactly, that's why i dont use the cruise: l adapt my position and speed all the time to make sure i am not too close to other vehicles.
Particularly when loaded to max in my truck.
Totally agree, ACC is great on a quiet motorway at 3am but dangerous on a busy multi lane road. It spots the car in front of you but not what's happening 800 metres up the road. The people who use it by default are either totally reckless or don't understand defense driving.
I'm learning to drive at the moment, my test is in January. I naturally prefer staggering my driving to fit in with those around me and dislike driving with someone alongside me. As my instructor hasn't raised what you have in this video, I naturally assume my preference is due to fear, or being a learner, so it's very comforting and reassuring to know my preference is actually a better way to drive. Thanks for this informative video.
Great video Ashley, it really makes you think.
I've only ever used adaptive cruise once, in my instructor's car. It does have its benefits, I think it's really just a case of common sense on when and when not of using it. Great video too 😎
I always do this on motorways, subconsciously I guess. But I'll admit I never really thought about it too much, especially in city traffic. Gonna start focusing on this now, it makes total sense, thanks Ashley!
23:36 I totally agree, it’s a terrible mindset and a terrible attitude, even though it’s not 100% guaranteed, if you’re a good driver you’ll be able to avoid most accidents by simply always being next to a pocket of space or always being in a staggered formation.
Super helpful video! My only worry with the pockets of space/ some distance when behind a lorry is what if someone next to you is in the wrong lane and tries to squeeze into the gap between you and the lorry?
23:05 Blimey a Volkswagen Passat R36. Quite a rare one that.
Thanks for the lesson. Im still learning and I've never heard of this before
21:10 I totally agree with you, a bad driver thinks they’re a good driver because they’re legal, a good driver is legal but also thinks about altering their speed and their position with others around them to always be next to a pocket of space and always in a staggered formation, thank you so much Ashley mate for spreading your wisdom, honesty you’re very underrated, you definitely need more recognition for your work, please keep up the great work, your knowledge is slowly but surely changing people’s attitude behaviour and knowledge, I hope my subscription helps you out in some way, you really deserve it. 👍
Red flag alert at 19:14...that damage on the rear of the vehicle to the right could be from reversing or it could be from them being in the wrong lane and just moving over
Staggered formation to protect yourselves
Great video, its surprising how many people consistently drive alongside each other because they're unaware of the dangers of driving alongside each other.
On ACC, our current car is the first we've had with it on. As an avid user of cruise, my wife never uses it, I've had to adapt to it's advantages and it's limitations. I do find it frustrating on motorways and dual carriageways in that I seem to be having to pull outto overtake a lot sooner than I thought I needed to. But it's simply a case of disabling the ACC until the manoeuvre is complete. It did catch me out with a cyclist the other day, but otherwise I'm getting used to it more each time. It has been about 8 months to get to this stage.
The Mercedes van keeping pace along side and not just getting on with the overtake is absolutely common place. It happens on the motorway to me all the time. I’m forever slowing and speeding up to get rid of them. And I’m not even at 70 when this happens 🤷🏻♂️
But that aside. Just taking a moment to appreciate that rare VW R36 Passat estate at 24:15 😍
32:23 - 32:55 That was such a good example, masterclass!
ACC is great once you get to realise it’s a tool to help your driving and not a self drive system. I drive a Skoda Karoq with ACC and it does have peripheral ‘vision’ as far as traffic to the right is concerned and so prevents inadvertent undertaking. Generally I find it works best in slow moving traffic; it removes so much stress in traffic jams and avoids the ridiculous spaces drivers leave between themselves and the car in front. As it’s automatic it can slow to a stop, requiring just occasional blipping of the throttle to set off if the stop/start cuts in. However it does often need to be temporarily disabled where cars or vans want to pull into a space in front of you. Then it can be re-enabled once the manoeuvre is complete.
I agree about adaptive cruise on motorways and dual carriageways. I have it but rarely use it in these roads as it can put you in situations where risk is increased. I do find it very useful on single carriageway A roads which removes the side by side issue.
I find that Active cruise Control is useful on the motorway when in roadworks (there are many) that have a speed limit of 50 mph.
This staggering’ is something that’s driven me to distraction for years, and I agree entirely with pretty well everything here. One bugbear is the motorway situation where I know I’m going to have to pull out for an overtake fairly soon, but am obstructed by a car to my right that is too close to pull out on but isn’t really overtaking, it’s drifting by at just a little quicker than I’m going.
And then they get in front of you and start going slower than you were going when they decided to pass.
Ashley "The Staggersaurus" Neal, top vid. And a lovely R36 behind you at one point 👌
Can you make a video about motorcycle parking, where you can park and how you can make sure no one will steal your bike when you leave it in public?
Adaptive cruise on a new vehicle - depends how much it is and how much more your vehicle will be worth when you come to sell it. People prefer high spec used cars so they are worth more - that’s why leasing is often cheaper when you up spec the car you order.
No ACC on my Vanden Plas 1300 alas. I do have twin carbs though. And servo-assisted brakes 👍
I’d use adaptive cruise on single carriageway roads rather than motorways. I just set it at the max distance and find it makes the journey a little more relaxing. On a busy motorway I’d rather use the right foot for the reasons you give Ashley.
Another great video. I always felt it quite aggressive sitting next to someone and boxing them in and when done to me but I think now maybe ignorance is again the main element.
Motorcycling allows me to feel more sensitive in this respect and maybe in heavy slow traffic jams it is more difficult.
when i get cars thats speed up and drive to my right, i come off the accelerator. Usually they are planning on pushing infront at a choke point up ahead or they are trying to match the speed limit. Better safe than sorry.
I like adaptive cruise control out on the open road here in Australia, but that is because most of those roads are only 1 lane each way, so the surrounding traffic isn't an issue. But I think you're spot on about it being a problem on multi lane roadways. Hopefully the car manufacturers can write their software to take those spaces into account. Some vehicles may need more sensors, but the Teslas already know where those vehicles are, so it should actually be easily sorted in a software update.
Also, I think my philosophy is to drive as if everyone else could try to kill you at any time. They generally don't, but if they did, you'd be ready for them. I think that's what you're describing as Ashley Psychic.
I'd have to pay to get it on the 2022 Audi I picked up yesterday! 😆That made me laugh when I thought I'd got it, then touched the stalk and the message came up on the display "I don't have the licence", haha. Oh my. Good video Ash', thx for the info, as always 👍🏻😄 My opinion differs on it as I sit here with zero experience of using it, so I'd need to try it and see how it may help when just sat in traffic or whatever. I do understand what you mean about the periphery though and knowing what is going off around all the time.
On this theme on dual carriageways and motorways, at busy times where traffic might be slower than the speed limits, not to commit to an overtake unless you can fit into the space in front of the vehicle you are overtaking, so you don't end up sitting in people's blindspots while behind traffic in front. Also when overtaking HGV's, you can keep an eye on the lights on the cab section for clues on if they might be thinking about changing lanes as you are passing them. In heavy traffic situations if the space you were planning on fitting into disappears, for example if traffic slows down and you see the indicator come on the cab lights, that could be when you are in the blindspot and the safe option might be to 'give up' the overtake.
It's usually smaller vehicles like cars and vans that cause the most issues and have the it's not my problem mentality. Even when you slot in between two vehicles in the adjacent lane, the one behind starts to run parralel to you, even where there are narrow lanes, or near me where some of the roundabouts aren't wide enought to accomodate the number of lanes on the curves, then get angry at you for getting in their way, when if they kept a sensible gap to the car in front and staggered formation to you they wouldn't have had any problems in the first place.
I try and leave my self space to my right all the time if I can, however when I'm at work driving buses it can be a different matter. In Hull my home city on a certain major road our bus lanes are quite narrow at certain spots. If a car emerging from a junction to my near side just has there nose stuck out just a little bit and I have a vehicle alongside me I have no where to go so end up signalling to pull around the car but drivers in there lane won't let me out which in turn may cause the car to pull out in front of me, or as I saw recently a car reverse to get out of my way and reversed straight into the car behind them. So staggered is good for me when people behave and stay back.
I'm also starting a mentoring course on Monday to train trainee bus drivers which may lead to me being a driving instructor on the buses in the future, it's a week's course including my CPC which I have to do with an exam at the end of it next Friday, with all the videos I've watched of yours over the years I'm looking forward to inputting some of the things I've learnt watch your videos Ashley to the trainees, god help them.
I don’t like to use cruise control, things on the road can change in a split second and I like to be in full control of my car at all times.
I used it for the first time on my current car. It can be useful in reducing fatigue & actually improved my MPG (never expected that).
The car does have automatic braking but you have to be aware & ready to reduce set speed (or you can brake if necessary). It's a useful tool, for specific situations.
Thanks, Ashley. Yes, there are lots of drivers who just don't think. They don't have any road craft at all. Maybe it's a common sense thing that they don't have, and you can't teach that. 😊👍👍👍👏👏
The newer DAF trucks I drive have this adaptive cruise control and is ok sometimes, it keeps you a safe distance from the vehicle in front, but jumps on the brakes sometimes when things happen in front quicker than it can calculate. Most important of all one should be in control of a vehicle at all times! Yes, I hate it when others drive next to you or in your possible blind spot, seemingly blocking you from changing lanes in some tactical manner.
That's the big concern with self-driving cars: they can react late, or too much, when a driver would have made a better judgement.
17:23 you still have a right signal on, does that not potentially suggest a U turn to others? Personally I would've cancelled the indicator there to take that road. No big deal of course, just something I noted.
There used to be an very hazardous speed camera on the A64 in Leeds going out of the city centre. It was hidden around the bend of a very busy section of the road. This section of road was a dual carriageway, 40mph, and had a slip road joining it. The slip road was on a bend as well, so you didn't have much time to adapt. If you were joining the road, you had to make sure you were going with the speed and flow of the traffic, using your mirrors and blind spot and negotiating your way on. I was a new driver at the time. Whilst obviously you shouldn't be speeding, the last thing you should have been doing was staring obsessively at your speedo to make sure you weren't going 3mph over the limit. The speed camera was then suddenly there, without warning, hidden. Some people knew it was there, so would start braking or those who suddenly saw it would brake sharply. You had to have your wits about you every second.
Someone ended up taking the council to court about it and won and the speed camera inside was taken out, but they left the box there. It was then destroyed a couple of years later.
Your videos are basically the new 21st century version of the old book "Roadcraft. The Police Drivers Handbook"
I try to do this
Adaptive cruise - I like it when towing because I only want to go as fast as HGVs, so letting the car sit nicely behind a lorry makes life stress-free. Likewise at 70mph on lightly populated roads.
But I don't use it where there's traffic because then it's only as good as the driver in front. ACC maintains a distance so will brake sharply and accelerate sharply if that's what the driver ahead is doing - the opposite of defensive driving. It also doesn't read the road and the traffic so is perfectly happy to cruise beside a Polish HGV in its blind spot - or Angle of Death as the French more aptly call them.
The issue I have with adaptive cruise control is I think there can be extra danger in taking too much away from the drivers control. That's why I feel manual is slightly safer (though don't have data for this personally to back it up), because if you need to change gears you're staying engaged with driving and your observations are likely to improve. Whereas if you have an automatic car with adaptive cruise control running on a motorway, the only thing you need to do is occasionally tilt the wheel slightly. That'll make you much less engaged and much more likely to not observe changes in road condition. So I think there's some convenience things that are nice e.g. auto lights, regular cruise control etc. But until cars can drive fully independent, we need to keep some engagement for the driver to avoid zoning out.
The van at 22:00 was a great example of poor positioning. He caught you & kept you in his nearside blind spot, then eased back his speed & kept himself in your offside blind spot. Exactly what not to do.
I almost never use cruise control due to the inability to make micro adjustments, and because any input cancels cruise control. I use the speed limiter essentially as if it's cruise control, but it allows me to ease off where necessary depending on the scenario without cancelling
Try to position yourself next to a pocket of space as much as you possible can, I totally agree with you, it’s much safer to have a pocket of space next to you than another vehicle next to you.
I think it applies all around us, on the basis that 'anything closer, is closer to hit you'!
I like adaptive cruise, especially when going on long motorway drives, more often than not the middle and overtaking lanes a full of cars. I just remain in the first lane and allow adaptive cruise to control the car.
Couldn't do that. Just be doing 55mph amongst all the lorries lol
I have seen staggered formation indicated with roadside signs in Germany, I think on motorways when there are roadworks and narrow lanes.
I haven’t yet driven a car with adaptive cruise.
Had a few cars inc my current one with basic cruise control…..seems to work fine. Saves a drop of fuel as well.
…..the cars I’ve had basic cruise control on are all automatic…..
I know you can get it on a manual car-but is there any point? …..
…speed limits allowing, once I leave the town on 1 route here, I can stay on cruise control all the way to the next town….this inc a couple of hills….this would require downshifting in a manual car.
08:48 I totally agree, very poor driving from the white van, I don’t understand why he’s next to the lorry and going around a bend, it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
problem with this round where i live is everyone drives so near to the car in front that there's no space! on a motorbike i find safest place to be is at the front of queues.
*"Don't sit next to lorries, busses, bigger vehicles":*
They usually sit at 5 o' clock behind you on the motorway in the middle lane. When you appraoch a slower vehicle and want to pull out, they either suddenly speed up or fall back and flash their lights- whilst what they _should_ do is: pass swiftly and pull back in.
*Cruise control:* I never use it. It takes away your control of speed. I use the speed limiter instead.
If I'm on the left, I'm looking for a gap on my right. If I'm on the right, I'm probably at the speed limit overtaking someone on the left. If someone then ends up on my left, it's because they're not going a constant speed and must have sped up as I was overtaking. This is super frustrating, because I then have a choice of breaking the speed limit to get in front to find that gap again, or fall behind to get the gap behind them. But if they aren't keeping a constant speed, I'm going to be stuck behind them constantly adjusting my speed and not making the progress I should be able to. So it's not always the fault of vehicles going the speed limit that end up side by side. I'll let you guess which option I feel more inclined to choose.
I use ACC a lot. I override it a lot when I anticipate it will put me somewhere I don't want to be.
Exactly, you don't switch off your brain when you switch on ACC!
Ashley said at the beginning that people think in black and white instead of shades of gray. But then he said that because ACC could sometimes be an issue he will NEVER use it 🤦♂️
18:25 Anyone who would not know this is 3 into 3 lanes after the junction would go in L3.
Terrible road design to create a bottle neck right after a junction!
Funny that "Be Positive" driving school was behind ya 🙂
You wait 6 months for an instructor, and then two come along at once...
;)
The Tesla Autopilot and more recent VW ACC will actually stop you from undertaking, matching the speed with cars on your right. This does actually often put a pocket of space on your right, but it's not really the purpose of it, and obviously doesn't care about vehicles on your left.
My father taught me to this do in the country side so overtaking traffic had somewhere pull in if they have to thats fifty years ago .
I mentioned this technique to a work colleague and his response was scary. He said he doesn't drive in staggered formation as it encourages people to take up that space and will result in him being further back in the queue at the next set of traffic lights. Didn't get the sense it's safer, you're not in a race and you're not making up any time nor losing any. Mind boggles as some peoples logic and some no matter what you say will not budge
Not surprised - some view that getting a 'couple of cars ahead achievement' as more important than anything else, even safety!
I'm fascinated by driving psychology & this is a major issue for some drivers. Competition & 'being right' can lead to the ridiculous 'I'm going to do this, even if it risks an accident'.
Yes & no: In certain areas with dense traffic, you will be cut up if you leave too much space.
The answer to that is probably that you leave enough distance to the one in front but not that much that it encourages people to cut you up.
@@demil3618 If that happens then it's only going to put you 5m further back down the road. About 4m for the car, and 1m for the following distance that kind of driver allows themselves. I leave at least a full 2 second gap in front of me wherever I am and I very rarely find myself inconvenienced by people cutting into that space, usually because they just blast ahead and tailgate the vehicle in front of me. I have a lot more problems with people diving into a closing gap in front of me when I'm braking approaching a junction or lights.
@@TheCatBilboand sometimes you let someone in and they turn off later so no net time saving. I do try and get ahead of light dawdlers though if safe. I also tailgate for a short distance through a green to maximise light throughput. Only so many times I want to sit through the same cycle 😂
@@ianmason.
The 2 second gap won't work in dense rush hour traffic.
Hence the 3-car length reccomendation there.
Go to London and you will see.
But I agree that once outside London, traffic becomes a lot more relaxed!
With a larger vehicle, i split the lanes to avoid any risk of someone trying to run up my inside in a tighter area. This is legal and in the highway code
Thanks, Particularly on a motorcycle for obvious reasons.
People who can be a little more manoeuvrable should accommodate the bigger vehicles, I completely agree, bigger vehicles take up more space and they take longer to slow down and stop.
fave series
From my observation (On Australian roads mind you), I suspect a lot of drivers ignore speed limits(not for the sake of speeding, just laziness) and instead pace themselves relative to other vehicles around them. This results in frequent cases of them ending up matching speed with a vehicle they are either passing or being passed by. For example, it isn't unusual to have a car doing 45-50 in a 60 zone, who immediately jumps up to 60 as soon as they are being passed, resulting in both vehicles being stuck beside each other. And if said passing vehicle then slows down, that original vehicle slows down to match them.
I originally thought this was some kind of passive-aggressive road rage, but it happens so frequently and with little to no prior interaction, I'm starting to suspect it is the much worse case of unconscious drivers who are effectively driving on autopilot.
A space closer blocks the lane change where people that drive staggered tend to drive more organically and aint so territorial about that space.
Hi Ashley. I have always wondered what your opinion is on people who use junctions on motorways or dual carriageways to "skip" long queues. Does this actually save time, or does it further increase congestion?
It definitely increases congestion. There's a dual carriageway near me with a mile-long exiting lane that people use to overtake. In busier times, you have to sit in slower traffic alongside that lane for the road to "magically" speed up once you've passed it, all because people have to "jump the line" and cut back in at the last minute
This is made worse by Sat Nags telling people to exit on the slip road and rejoin. The M25 around the M2 / Dartford section always has drivers doing this as well as the M1 near Luton
The biggest form of congestion is people in a hurry and not leaving suitable space around themselves and others. Then, as people want to avoid the congestion they make a conscious decision (either off their own intuition or through being advised by an electronic navigation device) head onto a sliproad where they will have to rejoin a road where others aren’t leaving suitable space around them. And the self fulfilling prophecy continues
Please update about cameras. I also want to start recording while driving lessons but have no knowledge about cameras.
I always think do I I have bubble of space around me to be safe and do I have an escape route if someone enters the bubble and watch for people entering my safety bubble and adjust to suit
I am guilty of doing this. I’m now moving toward motorbikes since completing my CBT. So I will be thinking about this, especially on my bike so I can be a bit safer.
Love the shout out to Tommy
Hi Ash... which of your cameras is on your offside shoulder (door window)?
DJI Action 5 Pro
@@ashley_neal Hi Ash I just want to say you may want to rephrase the subtitle in case some get the wrong idea, hic so sorry just been to an ADI convention.
You can’t always be in a staggered formation, for example at a red traffic light and there’s a long stationary queue of traffic next to you but when the traffic starts to move on the green light I like to check my mirrors and alter my speed to I keep in a staggered formation with the vehicles next to me.
Or when your lane starts moving a few mph faster if you stay in a staggered formation. It becomes lane hogging.
Those dual-carriageway sections where you have to be “half and half” instead of being in lane 1 (due to the parked cars) are a nonsense!
Liverpool council should either make it a single lane plus parking or make the road a bit wider so there can be 2 lanes plus parking.
Parking space should be provided off the carriageway and then lanes are clear for traffic.
Judging by the generous central reservation and verges there is plenty of room for it - they could even throw in a nice cycle lane alongside!
Not just Liverpool, it's all over the country. The trouble is it's all down to money. Road alterations cost a fortune to the taxpayers, and the results aren't always beneficial.
Adaptive cruise is bad for economy too. If a driver randomly slows and doesn’t average their speed you follow that same driving style.
You’re assuming that you’re always following someone…
@@JohnR31415 that’s the point of adaptive cruise though. It intervenes when you approach the back of a vehicle. Standard cruise just keeps going.
22:06, people who do this drive me nuts, they sit there hovering in your blind spot so if anything happens you have no where to go.
Love that you've highlighted this Ashley. It's one of my biggest bugbears, next to middle lane hogging, which is a similar thing really regarding thoughtful driving.
When you've got this 3 camera view setup, is it possible to flip the rearview camera so it's showing like a mirror?
General consensus has been that more people prefer the rear view as it is now, rather than flipped to mimic a mirror.
@@ianmason. Really? It's confusing to me when a car disappears out of view on one side of the camera and appears on the opposite side
@@Jack-c2d8w Its been brought up many times and the majority seem to be happy with it the way it is.
@@ianmason. Okay fair enough, but I refuse to believe that the majority of car drivers would be happier that way. It seems unnatural.
I detest Active Cruise Control - at least Toyota's implementation on my GR Yaris. Rather than do what I would do, which is to ease off as traffic ahead eases off, it tends to leave the throttle on until it reaches a threshold and then applies the brakes. It's not the smooth, gradual, change that an experienced driver would do. Also, even on the closest setting, it keeps you at a distance that people will always fill that gap and then it has to apply the brakes. Driving manually, I'd be a _bit_ closer, conditions allowing, and/or ease back to allow someone into the gap.
Driving in a staggard formation means don't overtake if there's a vehicle to your left or right.
I ride a motorbike and while having someone tailgate me is nerve racking I will watch them in my mirror and continue.
But if made to choose I would rather a tailgater than someone beside me. At least behind me I’m fairly confident they can see me.
I would not for two seconds have someone drive beside me. I will alter my speed so as to stagger them.
Ahh, adaptive cruise. The eternal battle between machines making decisions and drivers who constantly need decisions making for them.
Can you make some videos about driving bicycles and motorcycles as well, and specific things to mind there?
Great informative video
There is a reason the emergency services are pretty much trained to drive like this. Even more important on the motorway.
The van: most likely they are a driver that doesnt care for others, they are not planning ahead far enough, they are impatient to get where they are going and could well be "must get in front of the learner but need to watch my speed". by them not planning and working with the traffic around them they are upsetting flow for others.
adaptive cruise control: i have used it in my brother Volvo V90, its an interesting bit of tech, his one had settings to how close you want to follow the vehicle in front, the minimum being a 2 second gap i believe. it does go to show how many people dont know the actual distance of only a fool brakes the 2 second rule. i did find it annoying as where i would stay on cruise control in my van and move out when catching a vehicle ahead on the motorway, the minimum distance radar would start slowing the car so i would need to move to the next lane a lot sooner than i felt needed to maintain the speed or it would slow and then boot it to get back up to the set limit the car was on. my brother loves it as he lives with it, its a tool for a specific place for those that want to use it. i feel people not at Ashleys level of skill and car control might like to use it, they can still turn it off when traffic ahead increases (i dont think it works under 20mph) and do what Ash did in the video, but it is very handy to keep a safe braking distance and that the car will stop you quicker if something happens and you are not able to react quick enough for some reason.
it will be in vehicles in the future according to my brother, to now get 5 stars safety the vehicle needs adaptive radar, so a 5 star safety car of the past could now be a 2 star because it doesnt have a system to try and stop a collision in the first place.
My use of cruise control: i do use cruise control rather often, i find it takes the worry away of what speed i am at when driving on long stretches of 30mph, 20mph, 40mph, any speed limit zone. but it all depends on the road. if there is a 30zone with lots of parked cars to the side of the road and its busy time of day, i am less likely to use cruise control as too many hazards. its simple to turn cruise control off, just press the cancel button or tap the brakes. but by not having to keep an eye on my speed, knowing it is locked in, i have the extra capacity to look for hazards and as risk increases i cover the brake and if needed cancel the cruise control. i do find riding my motorbike that does not have cruise control it is simple to go over the limits by a few mph, especially if a car is too close and expects you to speed as you are a motorbike, where is my van with cruise control has a tow bar on it, i feel less pressure from someone tailgating or sitting too close as the computer has the speed locked in.