A TURN FOR THE WORST
17 March 2006 - Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists

Have you ever found yourself braking in a bend simply because it was sharperthan you originally thought?

If you have then you should consider how you
actually go about assessing the severity of bends, because if you get it
wrong, the consequences are potentially serious.

It is not just novice drivers who get caught out on the bends ­ though in
the jargon, it is here that most ''single vehicle accidents'' take place.

There are a number of clues we can take from the environment to help us.
The most obvious are the road signs and markings, but there are other less
obvious ones: the line of the trees, hedges, buildings, street lights or
telegraph poles (although remember that sometimes telegraph poles run
through fields, so don''t follow them!).

The actual width of the road can be a factor because the narrower it is, the
less space you have to manoeuvre. Skid marks on the road are an indication
of past mistakes. The position and speed of other traffic can also provide
you with valuable information. Another particularly useful way of assessing
a bend is to use the ''limit point analysis''. The limit point is the
furthest point which you can see, i.e. where the left and right hand sides
of the road meet. To use this technique simply ask yourself ''is it getting
further away?'' If it is and you can see further ahead, then your speed
should be fine. On the other hand if it is getting closer, then you could
continue to reduce speed until the ''limit point'' begins to move with you and
your view opens up again.

This technique takes a bit of practice but it will help you to link your
speed with your range of vision and allow you to stop in the distance seen
to be clear.

www.iam.org.uk

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