Issue 23

January 2015

www.rospa-southeastessex.org.uk

The ‘System’ of car control

For more information see Roadcraft and our website.

The Newsletter of South East Essex Advanced Drivers

What’s behind this?

Chairman Scott Mildren

Deputy Chairman

Secretary Merv Whitney

Treasurer Alison Morris

Publicity Officer

Newsletter Editor Terry Joyce

Editorial Hello, Just to let you know that your Direct Debit for your RoSPA membership will go up to £25 this year. RoSPA tell us the subscriptions are in rate with inflation

There is now an online system for booking tests. See http://www.roadar.org/applications/applications.htm

This is a slightly different view of the front cover. As you can see there was a car hidden behind the A pillar. See page 5 for the article.

Please let me know if you change your email address.

Can you have look at our Facebook page please and like the page. https://www.facebook.com/SouthEastEssexAdvancedDrivers

Our Group Night dates for 2015 have been announced See the back page. Please make a note in your diary.

http://www.rospa-southeastessex.org.uk/

Terry Joyce terry@rospa-southeastessex.org.uk

Our Committee

to our members who have taken a test.

To our new members

Donald McDonald, Robin Bradley, Lolita Dines and Nicholas Wright.

Name Grade Tutor

Graham Horsler Gold Clive Smitth

Steve Cornish Silver Terry Joyce

Phil Hyne Silver John Ockmore

Pamela Mitchell Gold Terry Joyce

Paul Sabbah Bronze Clive Smith

Tariq Musaji Gold

Martin Sklenar Silver Clive Smith

Karen Lashley Gold John Ockmore

This Newsletter will be sent to all members that have an email address.

Please let me know if you change it.

Welcome

New RoSPA Chief Examiner

A former officer, whose 30-year career policing the roads included a number of com-mendations for bravery, has joined the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) as its new chief examiner for advanced driving and motorcycling.

Andy Nixon first joined the safety charity in 2013 as an examiner after retiring from West Midlands Police in 2010, during which he became a special escort motorcyclist and worked as an outrider for numerous royal visits to the region.

His extensive policing career also saw him become a qualified advanced grade one motorcyclist, an advanced grade one driver, and advanced City & Guilds qualified in vehicle examination for everything from mopeds to LGVs. In Andy’s final three years with the force he was also the deputy chairman of the West Midlands Police Federation.

During his service he was bestowed with two coroner’s commendations, both of which were for dealing with road traffic accidents, and several Chief Superintendent commendations for bravery.

It was an easy choice for him to enter policing, despite an early desire to become a musician, as his father worked as an advanced examiner for the same force, while his grandfather, uncle and sister have all also served in the police. His wife is a police sergeant with West Midlands Police’s dog unit.

Andy said: “I’ve always had an interest in road safety, as I had grown up amongst motorcycles and cars. As soon as I was able to start my riding and driving exams through the police, I did so straight away.”

He became involved with RoSPA after a chance meeting with his predecessor, and also former Chief Superintendent, Bob Smalley, led him to become first an examiner, and then senior examiner for the West Midlands.

Andy is passionate about making the roads safer for motorists and pedestrians after seeing the terrible consequences of accidents.

He said: “I’ve seen so much hurt and grief and upset caused by road deaths and injuries in my years on the police force, that when I was asked by Bob about the opportunity to join RoSPA to help make the roads safer, I jumped at the chance.”

From the RoSPA website

Blind Spots I have covered this subject before but following an incident on an observed drive I thought it would be worth a revision and also because of this statistic from the Depart-ment of Transport: The leading cause of fatal, serious and slight crashes on UK roads is drivers 'failing to look properly’.

On all cars there are a number of what are considered blind spots. The roof support on either side of a vehicle's windshield, otherwise known as the A pillar, is one of them.

The A pillar is the engineering term for the area dividing the windscreen and the win-dows. In recent years the A pillars have become sturdier in a bid to improve the struc-ture of the car as a whole. But because the A pillar has become thicker, it has created a blind spot which obstructs the vision of drivers.

More than 90 per cent of the information from the car’s external environment is viewed by the driver through the windscreen and windows. So, you should be aware of the potential restriction the A pillar may cause in your ability to scan the road ahead.

It is vital to check that nothing is hidden from view by the A pillar before making a manoeuvre. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and even a car depending on your position are easy to “lose” in the space behind a pillar. Make sure you take time to look around the pillar, not just take a quick “snap-shot” look which could allow some-thing to be hidden from view.

The picture on the left is looking through the windscreen. The picture on the right has changed as I’ve moved my head a few inches to the left.

This highlights what it is possible to miss if you do not look around the pillar. As you are driving in a straight line on an approach to a junction, look further ahead, and scan to the left and right on your approach. That way you will see things through the windscreen before they become “lost” behind the pillars. Also moving your head back or forward a few inches will help. Remember, good all - round vision is vital. It is our responsibility as drivers to see what is there and plan how to deal with it.

Terry Joyce

Winter Driving

As I have said before, the best advice for severe winter driving is, don't drive unless you really have to. I searched the internet for advice on Winter Driving to see if I could find any new advice and the answer is, not really. There is an incredible amount of advice and very good advice it is. The RoSPA website is fairly good as are all of the different motoring organisations. Have a look and see what they have to offer. The tyres we have on our cars are considered summer tyres: below 7°c the compound becomes harder and the grip reduces. In some countries winter tyres are a legal requirement for several months of the year. Test have been carried out in icy conditions, braking from 20mph, a car with winter tyres stopped 11metres sooner than one without. On snowy roads, from 30mph, the difference was 8 metres. That’s one and a half to two car lengths and could be the difference between a near miss and a serious accident, or even a fatal one. Certainly worth thinking about. If you are not going to use winter tyres, keep reminding yourself that your car isn't in physical contact with wet, snowy, icy or any other road surfaces, only its tyres are. They must be in perfect condition and have exactly the right amount of air in them to perform at their best. The ideal in-car temperature when driving is around 21°C. Any warmer and you are liable to become lethargic and sleepy As advanced drivers, we are looking for as much information as possible, so make sure all windscreens and mirrors are clean. One thing I thought to mention was to carry a high visibility coat or vest. I have a couple of these in the car because they are compulsory in some European countries. They are well worth having, in case of breaking down or being stranded and having to walk for help. It goes without saying a mobile phone is invaluable in emergency situations but make sure you have any relevant numbers programmed in or write them on piece of paper in the dashboard. Carry a digital camera, unless your phone has one; they are useful should you need to record evidence after a collision, particularly if it was not your fault. The Highways Agency used to produce a Driving on roads in winter leaflet which was a comprehensive guide to driving in winter but it doesn’t seem to be on their website anymore. I have a copy as a pdf. If you wants to see it let me know and I will email it to you. I hope this has been of help. I would be interested in any stories or advice about driving in the snow and ice.

Terry Joyce

Changes in The Official Highway Code (Revised 2007) © Crown copyright 2007

270

Motorways

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069858

Link below to online Highway Code

This rule has been modified and the amount of Laws relating to it have increased

You MUST NOT stop on the carriageway, hard shoulder, slip road, central reservation or verge except in an emergency, or when told to do so by the police, HA traffic officers in uniform, an emergency sign or by flashing red light signals. Do not stop on the hard shoulder to ei-ther make or receive mobile phone calls.

Laws MT(E&W)R regs 5A, 7, 9, 10 & 16,MT(S)R regs 6(1), 8, 9 & 14, PRA 2002 sect 41 & sched 5(8), & RTA 1988 sects 35 & 163 as amended by TMA 2004, sect 6

If your vehicle breaks down, think first of all other road users and:

get your vehicle off the road if possible warn other traffic by using your hazard warning lights if your vehi-

cle is causing an obstruction help other road users see you by wearing light-coloured or fluores-

cent clothing in daylight and reflective clothing at night or in poor visibility

put a warning triangle on the road at least 45 metres (147 feet) be-hind your broken-down vehicle on the same side of the road, or use other permitted warning devices if you have them. Always take great care when placing or retrieving them, but never use them on motorways

if possible, keep your sidelights on if it is dark or visibility is poor do not stand (or let anybody else stand) between your vehicle and

oncoming traffic at night or in poor visibility do not stand where you will prevent other road users seeing your lights

Breakdowns and incidents

This rule has been modified to include hi vis clothing

274

The links below are to websites that you may have an interest in. Please

let me know if any of them are not working. Email me if you think of any

websites that may be of interest.

Internet Links

Highway Code online

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/index.htm

Know your traffic signs

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_191955.pdf

Tyresafe

http://www.tyresafe.org

Drive Alive

http://www.drive-alive.co.uk

Winter Driving Tips

http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/adviceandinformation/driving/winter-driving-tips.aspx

Our Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/SouthEastEssexAdvancedDrivers

Here is a different view of the Rayleigh Weir roundabout and underpass.

See our website for links to Google Earth and Streetmap.

Bedloes Corner is the junction on the A1245 with Rawreth Lane and Church Road. It is controlled by traffic lights.

From the North: You cannot turn right. See the arrows on the diagram. You turn left just before the lights and then turn right. You can then enter Church Road by going straight on at the lights.

From the south: A1245 turn left at traffic lights

For anyone approaching from the Wickford/Shotgate direction the hall can be reached via the A129, turn left into the old London road, passing The Chichester. There is a width restriction when you enter Church Road.

Our Group meetings are held in the Village Hall at Rawreth Located in Church Road, the post code is SS11 8SH.

Group Nights 2015

Wednesday 29th April Wednesday 29th July ~Wednesday 28th October

Our Group Nights start at 8pm. Make a note in your diary!

www.rospa-southeastessex.org.uk