Another belter. One thing that shocked me on my advanced car course was learning about all the information that is painted on the roads, warning signs, marker posts (red and white) and what they tell you. Once you start to see this info, and understand how to interpret it - you can drive 'like a local' on roads youve never driven. Maybe a video on that. Things like throw back arrows and what is likely to happen to the tightness of the road for example.... the spacing of white lines and how that can often indicate more caution and how 'less white paint' often tells you the road is about to open up. I was amazed that in all my years prior to my advanced driving course, id never been taught it.
I cannot believe that in all the years that you were driving that you saw but paid no attention to painted lines or signs on the road. That is truly unbelievable that you have never considered what they are there for. I also cannot understand that you admit to readily to not conforming to their directions. at all and that you have gotten away with it for so long.
Reg wonderful stuff. I am back in Uk after30 years away in Oz. I have binged watched your videos to orientate myself to being home in Scotland. They have been immensely helpful and informative. Thank you my driving up here on the west coast has become safer quicker and more so much more rewarding. Thank you 🙏🦘
Funny that. I watched some of his videos on the roads in Scotland. recognising some of them but unfortunately we never saw his speeds on his vehicle. Are we to believe that he kept within the legal speed limits all the time. No way on all of those overtakes. I am aware that some police forces and the ones that he drove in do train in Wales and Scotland due to the quietness of their roads and do learn there how to make faster progress. That is faster than the legal speed limit allow. Its one thing being allowed to do that by law when performing active duty and or training but its a quite different matter showing off those those high speed skills in ones own machine without permission which would not be forthcoming anyway. So for every overtake he undertook in Scotland he was basically breaking the law if he exceeded the legal speed limit for that road.
Great video. My dad was an advanced driving instructor, so from a young age i been learning these skills, but sadly he passed away in 2016, but one thing i miss is him sitting in the van with me and guiding me when he noticed i needed a refresh of a skill, and thats so important, its not just learning the skill, its keep updating and refreshing the skill. yesterday (sunday 23rd july) i went on my second ride i have ever done in 17years of riding motorbikes, we left from Kirkcaldy Kawasaki and went to Powmill to meet more bikers, and then up to Tyndrum and then Oban. it took all my skills to keep up with the experienced bikers on way to powmill, on a road i had never been on before, but the limit point video i watched of yours last week was a great refresh and let me judge the corners better than a younger self. the other important part was ride my own ride, keep myself safe. the lead rider who organised it said i did well to keep up with their pace, as well as i was on a 650cc and they on 1000cc bikes.
Very good indepth video Reg. One thing I am surprised that wasn't mentioned is not just being able to stop in the distance you see to be clear but making it a least double the distance to take into account oncoming traffic especially on either narrow roads or very tight corners. Such situations are where less experienced drivers are more likely to be inadvertently on your side of the road and travelling straight at you well inside the limit point. Far too many drivers - perhaps even the majority - take corners on narrow roads at a far too fast a speed with no contingency to stop in time for oncoming vehicles.
You are right there, they do, so you must make allowances for yourself in order to keep you safe. You can't control their bad or selfish habits but you can only assume something dangerous could happen and control what actions you think necessary to make. Unfortunate but true,.
That last sentence is so true. A recent survey for the IAM showed that advanced riders and drivers after training did in fact drive or ride faster than other normal traffic on country roads and in particular on bends. Thus they may be more likely to be involved in collisions caused by excessive or inappropriate speeds. This is something Reg Local will know all to well about as he not only trains under the umbrella of the IAM but is also a paid examiner with them.
Welcome back Reg. A nicely different perspective looking at Limit Point driving. The being able to stop is sadly forgotten by many. The limit point also helps greatly linking and combining bends.
@@RegLocal It appears that one forgets that the stopping distances mentioned and recommended in the H.C do not refer at all to those for a motorcycle or a HGV and the H.C. does mention that fact. So we on two wheels really should not take for granted those stopping figures when riding a motorcycle. That said it appears that historically we have generally accepted those distances as being fair for motorcyclists as well and this by all of the training authorities and its not a bad thing to accept them for all vehicles except HGV's.
Cornering principles and balancing the car in the corner would be a good follow up to this limit point video - corners running down hill and up hill . Was good to watch and a great reminder for me. :)
Reg, a big thank you for revisiting this topic but with more in-depth analysis, whilst also utilising a slightly alternate interpretation to convey your knowledge. I often look back at your other videos and find i still pick up on incremental things to learn that complements the learning curve. I look forward to your upcoming videos, thanks again.
All the information is there. It’s reading it and knowing how to respond. Limit points can be extended by utilising the whole road and positioning yourself in an optimum position where safe and practical. As for braking in corners, I tend to get weight transfer settled and then feather the brakes if necessary. Ultimately…… smoother is faster.
Great video! Yes please, more in-depth videos. In addition, maybe a follow-up on double radius corners (opening and tightening), uphill, downhill and the common faults you often see drivers make. In addition, maybe add more on S-bends or sequences of bends (esp. tightening and/or downhill) and how to best use one’s eyes for this.
Thanks Reg for this and all you car advanced driving videos. Always clear and concise and they have really improved my driving, whether that’s in the Sprinter van I drive for work or the golf I drive for fun!
I'm glad you commented on the your position in relation to the centre line. That in combination with the limit point is how I have been driving for years without realising it had science to it. My other half often amazed at how I can carry speed safely while keeping the car comfortable. I blame learning to drive in country lanes and being taught by my dad who used to race bikes. I'll be watching for the limit points on my way home today and putting more conscious thought into the affect on my driving. Thanks for and interesting video.
The only limit point area you have not covered here is a vertical Limit point. When approaching a hump backed bridge or where there is no corner but vision disappears over a brow of a hill. The principles are all the same but it was an area for me that came up on my Rospa test. I slowed down to 25mph over a brow in a National and a heavy was over taking a cyclist over the double white line on my test. Very easy brake down to 10mph to give him room and then back on the power to avoid being caught by the following motorist. However my examiner felt I should have slowed more before the brow. Just highlighted to me a slightly different limit point
Another great video Reg, very informative as usual. Whether I'm on the bike or the in the car the principle is the same. The problem i have had on my bike is I'm not slowing enough when the limit point is moving towards me. Rolling off the throttle, or applying a bit of brake as the limit point moves towards me, then back on the throttle as it moves away again, makes so much sense. I often come out of a bend thinking I didn't need to slow as much as i did. But I have always tried to stick to the saying "slow in, fast out, fast in, sh1t out" So much better to come out of a bend wishing I could have gone faster, than frantically dabbing the rear brake half way round.
Its slow in , constant round and then faster out. Seems like you have got it taped as one of the main causes or collisions/incidents on bends is overshooting them by going too fast in. Its much safer to go in slower rather than too fast and its safer to maintain that same speed, not slowing and not accelerating but continually checking the distance between you and your limit point. Then after the Apex and on seeing the straight road ahead of you and if on a bike standing it up then and only then can you contemplate a controlled acceleration. To many are still at the Apex when their forward vision sees the straightening out of the bend but they then accelerate too soon whilst still leant over and that's when they may lose their back end. You are doing it right so keep that up.
Useful video as always. Suggestion for next video: driving smoothness or the importance of keeping the car in good working condition. I find it very useful when you talk about smoothnnes. I also wanna thank you for this awesome content, I've improved my driving so much, and people really notice it. 😊
Thank you again for your great videos. When I was training for my Blue Light-course I watched your videos a lot to understand what I was doing better. I revisited your channel today and I still picked up on a few learning points for myself 🤘
Tuition on limit points stayed with me since studying for my rallying license. As you say not just the road you can see but the vertical structures you can see ahead. I then learnt quite quickly that you could then look further ahead than those verticals to get some idea about the roads course further on. That helped trust my navigator (called co-drivers now) as if that view matched what he was calling my speed across a series of corners would be higher.
The official rule here in Finland is literally "you must be able to stop the vehicle within the visible area of the road". Basically same thing as "limit point technique". As a bonus definining it as must be able to stop the vehicle also automatically scales to heavy rain and icy roads. The hardest part is to evaluate how much bumps the road might have that destabilize the car badly enough to prevent effective braking.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE 80% of people driving or riding on our roads today are NOT Professionally trained. The video above shows you a Professional Driver/Rider driving high spec motor vehicle. Professional drivers can include people with years of on road experience HOWEVER it's important to note that the 80% have little interest in driving or vehicle maintenance, and going anywhere near these people could terminate your life. I KID NOT !! The 80% indulge in drink and drug driving, arguing, eating, and I've seen people texting at 70mph but most common is texting, l could add more but you get the 👉 point. I love these videos and thank you John for educating us on this very serious subject matter. Please remember folks to WATCH OUT and be very AWARE of the BIGGEST HAZZARD out there on our roads today is PEOPLE 😮 I call them THE 80%
Fantastic comeback Reg. Thank you for this topic. This is really useful - as always. Most drivers lack basics in this important aspect. Fantastic video and editing as always. Thank you
Great video, as always. Referring to your comment about what to call the in depth video’s. Might I suggest ‘deep drive’ as deep dive is often used for a more in depth look at any given subject. Looking forward to seeing some more. Robert (Chesterfield IAM)
really enjoyed this. thanks for taking the time to explain through a few examples, helps a lot to get the information to stick. really helps with how to gauge speed for a corner and to do so safely, not just to keep my car out of the ditch but also not into someone else. thanks for a great lesson.
Excellent in depth video Reg and great delivery. Welcome back and looking forward to some more in-depth stuff as and when you find the time. Keep up the great work.
Hi Reg brilliant videos. Ive been worling by way through them,im 5weeks in to my advanced driving course with thr IAM and really enjoying it. You're vidoes are a massive help 👍
Around 5:30, the local maintenance authority has helpfully pointed out where some the problems are! Mostly various minor planned repairs that will probably result in temporary patches in due course. However, some of the potholes look a lot worse for cyclists. At around 23:20, it looked a bit like a blind summit just after the white car, although the wide angle view of those cameras can be deceptive. Maybe the editing was quite skilful, a cynic might say. Limit points are not quite the only thing to observe at corners - the width of the road is as well, especially if it becomes narrow and likely to require a stop for an opposite direction move. The other factor is the gradient, which is often not mentioned in any related paperwork, which should be taken into account when estimating braking distance. Typical variations for gradients on railway rolling stock are always taken into account in systems design. E.g. at a running speed of 75 mph, on the level the braking distance could be 1250m, but on 1:100 uphill it would be ~1080, or 1:100 downhill it would be ~1500. Standards vary depending on the detail of the kit in use, but the laws of physics to do with gravity are always the same. Hard work to come across values for road vehicles, but there are some steepish gradients with roadside warning signs with gradient marks - such as Porlock Hill in North Devon. A bit of footage of that here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dD_-JmT_2vc.html around 18:37 in. The car in use was a hybrid with engine +regenerative braking in use.
Best explanation and clarity of application. Have just been watching the IAM motorbike videos too. Am about to start having observed rides this weekend and feel very well prepared. Than you
I would love to see an in-depth System of Car Control, especially for automatic cars. Because on automatic cars, the Gear phase is automatically handled by the car (assuming not putting it in manual mode which majority of automatic drivers don't) BTW, thanks so much for these cornering videos which made me take corners with more confidence
Another really useful one and looks like you've seriously upgraded your forward facing camera. It's a great improvement. Never used to be able to see any road signs until about 5 minutes after you'd mentioned them before :D
@@RegLocal Funnily enough, another video brought me here where the poster seemed not to grasp how this actually worked. In their video, they inferred that the limit point got closer 'if' you were going too fast and got further away 'if' you slowed down. 🙄 Honestly! The point that seemed lost on them was that we can't change the limit point - we drive according to it (and other limiting factors). It worried me enough to comment. That and the fact that he spent more time with his head turned facing the camera, not even looking at the road ahead - let alone the limit point. Your video explained everything that he entirely overlooked or failed to grasp. And yes - apparently he has had 'advanced' driving instruction. 🤔
Great video Reg, thanks very much. Very useful explanation, like the idea of the in depth series. Maybe one on take use and give information including use of the mirrors? Fabulous scenery as always but sad to see dieback disease taking hold of so many of your ash trees :(
Left and right handers are different as you explained, counter intuitively, a lot of people are more at home with the tighter left hander as the camber is often in your favour with the natural roll off to the gutter. It's a trap I guess though, as the limit point is likely to be way less on a left than a right.
Factors like vehicle balance, brake condition, tyres and, most importantly, road conditions are going to reduce these massively. None of us is immune to distraction, fatigue or error either. Too often drivers are moving at or above the capability of their car, without taking those into account. They drive as though they are in a video game where the only aim is to go as fast as possible without spinning off the road. The reality is that you are moving a heavy metal object through the country, past homes, shops and schools with the capability of causing tragedy or nuisance.
Would be good to see something on motorways, lane discipline, spotting the closing gap in front of hgv’s and keeping clear of the imminent manoeuvre, signal, mirror trick the kings of the road seem very keen on. Lots to go on really considering many people switch off because motorways are considered boring.
Nice to see you back reg and with a car video as well. Towards the end of the video which part of the A6 is that where it’s got 2 lanes coming in the other direction?
That's uncanny how that popped up. I'm trying to increase my confidence for bends, as that is a short coming of mine my observer is commenting on. A little different for a bike strictly observing IPSGA. If unsure of a corner would you say one gear less than you might think, obviously after braking and before arriving at the corner.
No different on the bike Anthony. Get your speed right by reading the limit point on approach, and then choose a gear for your speed. No need to go one lower - just whatever gear gives you the best flexibility.
@@RegLocal I've been down to Barmouth today with my observer, it really dropped into place today. My observer is putting me in for the pre-test based on today.
Too much grass/sunlight to clearly see limit point. Only the last part was visually easier to understand limit point as road markings help to display limit point. Also slowing down your videos, arrows and circles and replaying to review roads would be helpful to understand concept better.
Ive watched this video twice and still have no idea what yr talking about. Can u add some graphics (with arrows) point out where the exact limit points are on various curves? How do i know what gear to be in various curves? Also have no clue on what you mean by “position of approach” “centerline”.
There's a bit of this I struggle with - HOW does it "tell you... whether you have to slow down for a corner or not"? You seem to be saying that when the distance to the limit point is shortening, you have to slow, but that's independent of speed, it only depends on the geometry. So do you mean the thing that tells you to slow down is whether you can stop in the distance to the limit point?
I appreciated this, but I feel like I need to watch again in much higher resolution. On my phone screen, I can't really see any of the things in the distance.
I have a question. I have moved from England to France and as you know, the ‘rules’ are a bit different here. I’m finding applying some of the principles of AD to be difficult/ impossible here. I don’t think there’s anything like AD here. Have you got any tips?
Hi Reg, at 20:52 it appears you move out to overtake the tractor as you approach a driveway or road on the right. Knowing how skilled you are, I guess it must be down to distortion by the dashcam. Would you care to comment?
I think most people, including me, find it easier to count a few seconds than to estimate distance. At 60mph the overall stopping distance is 240 feet. It takes 2.73 seconds to travel 240 feet at 60mph. Let's call it 3 seconds for ease of calculation and to include an extra margin for safety (that extra 0.27 of a second is about 24 feet at 60mph). Although the HC's braking distances may be a bit on the long side, only allowing two-thirds of a second (the HC allows about the same distance in feet as the speed in mph for thinking distance) to react and start breaking has been said to be far too short, so perhaps the thinking and braking distances that make up the combined stopping distance now equal themselves out with modern brakes. So, given that at 60mph I'm covering the HC's stopping distance in three seconds I should not be reaching the limit point in less than three seconds. I know the limit point moves, but from the point I start counting three seconds I should not reach the limit point that I could see at the time I started counting. This three second 'rule' works down to 40mph. Below 40mph it can be reduced to two seconds.
The H.C does say that one should give AT LEAST 2 seconds and yes at speeds over 40 mph those distances referred to in the H C for 50, 60 and 70 mph are more than 2 seconds. Its sometimes called the following on distance or full stopping distances and it should apply to all vehicle drivers on our roads today otherwise its Tailgating. This mean that one would be unable to stop on our side of the road and in the distance seen to be clear. That is to the limit point on any road and at all times.
@@rcraven1013 I agree with your comment however the limit point is not quite the same as the following distance. The limit point usually refers to how far you can see to be clear on bends etc and not so much about the distance you should be from the vehicle in front.
@@Sukikev Wrong. Unfortunately road users are too used to seeing the limit point as just relating to bends and corners and its not. The limit point is the furthest unobstructed distance one can see down the road in front. If any vehicles gets in the way of that unobstructed view then that vehicle becomes the new 'limit point' and it therefore then becomes the safe recommended distance for following vehicle that being the 'stopping distances'. So the limit point it's on any and all bends but also on all the straights all of the time. That means that if there is another vehicle in front of one then that vehicle is the limit point. It no use having a straight with a view of say a mile, that being the limit point if there are a number of vehicles in front of one as they now become the limit point and the limit point now becomes the stopping distance. All things are relative. More drivers should understand that vehicles in front and even moving can become the new limit point for braking purposes.If understood and given more safe stopping distances behind them then our roads would be a much safer place for all road users. The limit point is the same as the stopping distance as its as far as one can see that is unobstructed.
@@rcraven1013 I didn't want to go into a lengthy explanation on the difference between the limit point and following distance, particularly when the video is specifically about it's use on approaching bends. A thorough description of the limit point and its application can be found on pages 182 to 190 of Roadcraft. The following distance is, technically, a different topic and its definition and application can be found on page 167 of Roadcraft. The limit point is used to ensure that you can stop to avoid colliding with a stationary hazard when it appear into view (except where the road isn't wide enough for two vehicle to pass, in which case the limit point is extended accordingly). The following position is not usually (please don't list the exceptions!) as far as the limit point. I think what's confused some people is that I've used counting seconds to help calculate the limit point, whereas it's usually just used to calculate a safe following distance. The two-second rule for the following distance is explained on pages 114 and 115 of Roadcraft.
@@Sukikev You didn't want a lengthy explanation???? and yet you waffled on in your first contribution. Kettle calling pan black I think. Not many road users would realise that the stopping distance behind another vehicle in the H.C. become the limit point as well. They don't realise that we all use the limit point at all times as it's the safe distance to stop in at all times and not just when going round a bend. Unfortunately there are too many road users out there on motorbikes or cars that havn't got a clue about the limit point as they see it just being about bends and its not. I have seen too many videos of so called advanced riding that show a bike following a car around a bend but just taking into account the bends limit point and not the limit point to that much closer car. Being unable to stop in the event of an emergency they come to grief. It's something which they totally disregard and that's sometimes why we have so many incidents and collisions on bend, many resulting in deaths or serious injuries. At least others, including yourself know know.
You talked about stopping distances again there. Stopping a car effectively is key to avoiding/reducing an accident, but it seems to me that so little attention is paid to it. You do an emergency stop when you learn to drive, but are no longer guaranteed to be tested on one. They are not part of the IAM test either, and I never did one on my observed drives, likely the same with RoSPA too. Drivers rarely/never practice this skill once driving. The only time you do it is when it is too late to learn to do it well. Any thoughts?
Peter, I’m a chief Observer for the IAM. Emergency stops is one of the first things I teach when I have a new associate. There’s no point in keep saying can you stop in the distance you can see unless you know the minimum distance you can actually stop in real life. Once this is understood, I find the confidence and ability of even the most nervous driver improves drastically. In fact, most nervous drivers are nervous because they are unsure how quick they can stop. During their initial driver training to take their normal test, they have too many other new skills to hone.
@@ianbolton9135 That’s really interesting Ian, and great to hear. I certainly was motivated to practice some during the IAM course, but am uncertain whether that impetus came from me or my observer. My thought was that as you were doing the course in your own vehicle, IAM may have viewed it as unreasonable to ask an associate to inflict the stress and wear on the car that this activity incurs, not to mention the increased risk of pushing a vehicle closer to its limits. I am delighted that someone in the position you hold shares my feeling about its importance.
@@peterthompson9854 absolutely. The problem is that ‘emergency stops’ are not in the Blue book and as such, a lot of Observers would say that because it’s not in the blue book it’s not part of the syllabus. However, I feel that throughout the system of car control and all aspects of the course the emphasis has always been that you must be able to stop on your own side of the road within the distance you can see to be clear. Because of that emphasis (to me) it makes sense to teach how to bring the car to a standstill quickly under control. If the driver knows what the distance it takes to pull his car up at different speeds, he will have more confidence and judgement based on experience rather than a wing and a prayer. Luckily for me I have a disused airdrome a few miles from me that I take associates on. I only observe for cars. I’m not sure how a bike Observer would approach emergency stops as there’s a lot more that could go wrong on a bike.
Watched three on this 'limit point' topic, and don't understand what any of you are talking about. Seems like you are all trying to short cut one's natural ability to read a bend by adding a distraction.
Not being picky but the speed you were going when there was livestock about was excessive. Can tell your of the 'make progress' school of thought like the police are taught but in reality 'where's the fire? ' Too many people drive on their toes always thinking they can stop, when in reality road conditions and other road users more than likely determine that factor. 😉
Reg. You might be able to stop in a much shorter distance than that recommended in the Highway code. I know that you drive a powerful BMW made for autobahns and the like in Germany. with a top speed of what 150 plus mph. so with a performance car like that one needs to have a good efficient braking capacity. However you must admit that all vehicles are not the same and some indeed many vehicles will not stop in the same distance that yours will so its a little bit dangerous advocating what your car can do so others would consider that theirs would do the same Can one stop on a sixpence ?no one cant. If you look at the |H.C. yes that was many years ago but still to this day no authority, or even you can completely say that a lower stopping distance is going to be safer. Why not leave it alone and accept a greater stopping distance as there are other considerations that relate to the amount of space or limit point in front of us. One is that if we drive by the recommendations of the H.C,. we would be giving those distances when following all other vehicles and that means that we would have a better sight of the road ahead and of whatever is or might happen that could be a danger to us. Plus we would now being seen by more and earlier. So the giving of safe space is a win win all round and hat would make our roads safer than they currently are with all the tailgating around when drivers believe that they can disregard the H. C. as they can stop in such a shorter distance. If we were to accept you stopping distance as a norm then we would be Tailgating vehicles all the time and thus we would have lost the safety benefit of that improved sight. There are too many matters that need to be taken into account. One is obviously the experience of the driver and their mind set. What you advocate would be of benefit but not to the the majority of the driving public. They don't see anything wrong with how they are driving and how they are taking corners, The don't see how one can dramatically improve ones vison by moving a mere 2 or max, 3 ft from one side of the carriageway to the other. On a bike its giving some improvement but not to a car driver. Not many road users have your mind set with the regards to safety and have had your police training, years of experience and knowledge of practises and procedures. Lets look art cars, Say you have a Fiat 500 and load it with 3/4 other people and fill it with luggage for a holiday. Is that car with all that increased weight going to stop as your BMW can? No it's not. Even your BMW would have difficulty stopping it in the distances seen on your video if it were fully loaded. Lets also presume that the car is older and the tyres tho legal are well worn as are the brakes. So now, will that car stop in the same distance? I think not. What if it were a transit type van, loaded or other wise, would that be able to stop in the same distance as your BMW. I think not. Then lets look at the road. In many circumstances one finds deep ruts and lose chippings etc. and it rains a lot in the UK so the roads can be completely wet increasing the chance of one losing grip if one anchors on particularly on bends,. I could go on with more but I believe that I have said enough. You can keep your belief in your own stopping distances. Keep it to yourself and I will hope that others will start to give greater stopping distances and also to ride or drive slower than the NSL, on our country roads and particularly on and approaching bends thus being safer on them.
@@RegLocal No matter what car you are driving its a bad practise to give details and exstolling your own cars braking abilities . Some drivers will accept what you say and as a result may drive closer to others believing that they can stop in much shorter distances than those recommended in the H.C. So you are doing a disservice to the general driving public by mentioning the distance that you can brake in.