Noteworthy Articles

1.

2.   Advice on Snow tyres

3    Winter Driving

4 . FROM POWER TO POWDERY

5. Pull Push Steering IS the best and safest way. By Chris Gilbert

Safety Advice mainly for women drivers

Kim Clark

Recently one of our members was in potentially serious situation whist driving home from an assessment drive at lunch time in Huddersfield. Thankfully the situation was dealt with calmly and intelligently however the lady was shaken up for quite some time. This got me thinking that it was time I tried to find out some safety tips for you. I know a lot of the following is common sense but we all need a reminder now and again.

It is in your own interests to keep your car well maintained and try to ensure it is regularly serviced. Join a breakdown service and put their telephone number somewhere that you can easily find it, although none of the emergency services will leave a woman alone at night.

Remember the tyres and tarmac phrase that you were given during your training. This is a twofold advantage, if you are hit from behind by another vehicle it reduces the chance of you being pushed into a junction or a vehicle in front of you. Secondly and just as importantly by leaving a small gap this ensures that if something does happen outside and you need to get away then your vehicle has room to get away.

Hand bags. We all want them to hand but it is good practice to either put it in the passenger foot well or on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Don’t encourage temptation.

Mobile phones. Set your phone to speed dial 999 at the press of one button either number 1 or zero are best. Please note that in an emergency it is not an offence to dial 999 whilst driving even with a hand held phone, but this ONLY applies to 999 calls. Also remember to lock your doors at night and in view of our member’s experience I would consider locking them at any time of day.

Please be reassured that these occurrences are rare, however there are occasions when a driver is followed by someone evil or by an angry man, possibly due to road rage. If the following driver should flash his headlights and follow closely in a threatening and intimidating manner, here are a few options that may keep you safe.

Advice for women drivers being followed at night (Special thanks to Chris Gilbert for allowing me to use information from his current DVD. See below for further details).

As a woman driving at night you need to be extra vigilant, use your mirrors more frequently so that you can be aware if the same motor vehicle remains behind you, particularly after you have made several changes in direction. It may be innocent as the others driver’s destination maybe the same as yours but rather than taking the suspect motor vehicle and a possible stalker with you showing them where you live, you should first ask if you are really being followed by doing one of the following actions.

1.     Circulate around a roundabout and re-join your chosen destination

2.     Or make several more changes in direction if you know the area.

3.     Or adjust your road speed to give the following vehicle an opportunity to overtake. 9 times out of 10 the matter will be resolved at this point and they will pass and the matter is resolved

4.     Exit and re-join a motorway ensuring that you are aware that there is the option to re-join.

If you are now firmly sure that you are being followed:-

·       Keep calm do not increase your speed. As the likelihood is that the other driver will also increase his speed you will probably find yourself driving faster than you are comfortable with.

In the unlikely event that the following motor vehicle is still there and that they are up to no good

a.     A service station.

b.     Police Station

c.      Fire station

d.     Ambulance station

e.     Hospital

f.       24hrs supermarket

 If none of these are readily available close up to other traffic such as HGVs and stay with them until help arrives. 

General safety tips

·       Gently slow down, and allow the other driver to pass

·       Keep calm and focus on the road ahead

·       Get to a place of safety as mentioned above.

 On the motorway be aware of opportunists who take advantage of a lady driver driving alone when they reduce their speed ahead so you overtake them. If this happens gently reduce your speed and see what he does. If he mirrors your actions consider stopping at the next service area, or exiting and re-joining the motorway to see what he does. 

 IF THE DRIVER IS MORE AGGRESSIVE AND INTIMIDATING SPEED DIAL 999 AND GET TO A PLACE OF SAFTY URGENTLY.

The chances are that if you don’t react by speeding up or showing signs of being intimidated by the following vehicle, he will give up.

 The most important things are

 

As I mentioned at the start of this piece a lot of the driving advice has been taken from a DVD by Chris Gilbert who has given his blessings (thanks Chris...) I have used Chris’s DVDs ever since they were released and I find them an invaluable source of information, not only in improving my own driving standards but it has enabled me to pass on his advice when out observing at all levels.

Chris Gilbert has two sets of DVDs currently on the market; Ultimate Driving Craft 1 & 2. The second being a two disc set. His web site can be found at www.driving4tomorrow.com  Tel 01753 528474. His adverts can be found in the IAM magazine Chris  was the Instructor to HRH Prince William & HRH Prince Harry. ADI (6). A retired Police Sergeant Advanced Driving Instructor/Examiner Met. Police London, Former RoSPA Examiner and DSA Delegated Driving Examiner LGV/PCV and is the President - North Staffs Institute of Advanced Motorist Group.

 

Advice on Snow tyres

Peter Doyle Examiner says :-I have fitted snow Tyres for as long as I can remember now. Mainly because I have always lived at the top of a hill and wouldn't have got out otherwise!

They really do make a difference both in the snow and when the temperature drops below 7 degrees. The tread pattern is different and there are more blocks to grip in the snow and slush. 

A warning though. There are a number of tyre places which sell winter Tyres which have been imported from the continent. These may seem a bargain but there is a reason they are exported from the likes of Germany. They have passed their best and are illegal over there! They have often had puncture repairs and are difficult to match. On the sidewall there is a series of four numbers which identify when they were manufactured. For example 0402 would mean they were made in the fourth week of 2002 making them 9 yrs old. The rubber has by this time lost it's flexibility and does not work as well. 

At the moment Costco have an offer on Tyres if anyone has a card to get in. If you buy 4 Tyres you get 20% off. This includes snow tyres. You could get 2 Tyres of one size and 2 of another size for the deal so 2 people could share. 

They are Michelin Tyres and are a little expensive but are one of the best and would last a few years. After all what price is safety and I can assure you that it will bring a smile to your face when you drive past a 4x4 which is stuck! It really makes a difference and if you have been stuck before you will wonder how you managed without. 

Example of price when I last visited was  for a 205/55 16 Michelin Alpin £100 before the 20% discount making them £80. 

Hope this wasn't too boring but I like to share my experiences for the benefit of others. 

 

Take it easy in snow says IAM

 

The IAM has issued advice on driving on snow and ice, with freezing conditions set to continue for many days to come.

Peter Rodger, IAM Chief Examiner said: “Avoid travelling unless completely necessary, and don’t ignore police warnings or advice to not travel on specific routes. Can you work remotely, or change your schedule?”

If staying at home in the warm is not an option, they offer the following advice on driving safely through this period:

• Make sure your windows are clear and that you have all-round visibility before you set off. Also take the time to clear snow off the roof of your car

• When driving in snow, get your speed right - not too fast that you risk losing control, but not so slow that you risk losing momentum when you need it

• Start gently from stationary, avoiding high revs. Stay in a higher gear for better control, and if it is slippery, in a manual car move off in a higher gear, rather than just using first

• If you get yourself into a skid the main thing to remember is to take your foot off the pedals and steer

• Only use the brake if you cannot steer out of trouble. Double or even triple your normal stopping distance from the vehicle in front so you are not relying on your brakes to be able to stop. It simply may not happen!

• It’s better to think ahead as you drive to keep moving, even if it is at walking pace

• Plan your journey around busier roads as they are more likely to have been gritted. Avoid using short cuts on minor roads – they are less likely to be cleared or treated with salt, especially country lanes and housing areas

• Bends are a particular problem in slippery conditions – slow down before you get to the bend, so that by the time you turn the steering wheel you have already lost enough speed

• On a downhill slope get your speed low before you start the descent, and do not let it build up – it is much easier to keep it low than to try and slow down once things get slippery And if the worst does happen:

• Keep track of where you are. If you do have to call for assistance, you need to be able to tell the breakdown or emergency services your location, so they can find you

• If you must leave your vehicle to telephone for assistance, find a safe place to stand away from the traffic flow. If you have just lost control the next driver could well do the same in the same place

• On motorways and dual carriageways it is always better to leave your vehicle and stand a short distance behind and to the safe side of it. Don’t stand in front of it if at all possible. Balancing the risks of a collision and hypothermia is something that depends on your situation

 

FROM POWER TO POWDERY

Many of you will remember the acronym POWER when first learning your drive checks, it progressed to POWDER a few pears ago and it has been updated again. So in an effort to keep you informed and up to date.

 P         Propulsion Fluid (Petrol, Diesel, Hydro etc.)

O         Oil (weekly checks on oil and fluid checks)

W        Water (check levels on water and antifreeze)

D         Damage (check externally for any damage)

E         Electrical systems (Check all lights and internal dash lights)

R         Rubber (check tyre condition, pressure and tread)

Y         is for YOU  are you fit to drive?

 

 

Pull Push Steering IS the best and safest way.

Chris Gilbert. www.driving4tomorrow.com

Chris Gilbert replies to the comments by Sir John Whitmore who has been outspoken with regards to our pull-push method of steering and  Roadcraft. Sir John is also very critical of driving organisations like IAM which includes RoSPA and even the DSA. In December 2009 Sir John had an article published the The ADI News followed by another in January in The Telegraph, in which he repeats all his old criticisms. Since December Chris Gilbert has had a steady flow of messages from IAM, RoSPA members and ADIs  suggesting he writes something to counter Sir John's wild and inaccurate claims. And has done so, and the article is to be published in ADI News and the DIA Driving Instructor magazines in March. below is his reply.He makes a very good point regarding position of hands verses the airbag.

For more than 21 years I have sat back, kept silent, and have not bothered to comment on Sir John Whitmore’s views on steering. Now however, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to speak out and redress the balance on steering methods.

I have become increasingly concerned that drivers and ADIs may have been unsettled of late about their steering technique.
Some may have adopted hand over hand steering rather than continue with the trusted pull-push method. This in my view would be a very dangerous step to take, given all the evidence I am about to present to you.

My advice to all drivers and DSA Approved Driving Instructors is under no circumstances venture away from pull-push steering no matter how compelling the argument may seem to be. Pull-push is the safest and best way to turn a motor vehicle steering wheel.

My view is based upon my vast, wide ranging experience in the field of driver training covering some 40 years and a million plus instructional miles on the public highway.

The Evidence

Putting my opinion aside for one moment, I want to deal with proven and undeniable facts. I will provide the evidence and refer you to websites were you can research for yourself the facts, enabling you to form your own opinion.

 I will set out the facts on two fronts:-

(a)                Air bag Deployment Injuries and

(b)               Accurate Smooth Safe Steering.

 

Air bag Deployment.

Sir John says that in an emergency a driver will always cross their hands because it is the quickest way to steer.  That is not true!  Drivers who use pull push will continue to use their natural steering technique and have no need to change in an emergency. I will come back to that later but the evidence I have uncovered found that many air bag injuries occurred in non emergency situations at speeds as low as 5 MPH.

On many of the latest motor cars, mine included, the air bag will deploy even when the vehicle is stationary, such as side impact or another driver reversing into the front of the vehicle.

Air bag injuries to which I refer can be serious hand and arm injuries. This includes fractured wrists, fingers, thumbs, arms and elbows some have been compound fractures.  In some cases resulting in amputation.  It will be seen that the evidence points to drivers using hand over hand steering or incorrect steering grip.

One example was an American lady who had her thumb almost torn off as a result of her air bag deploying as she was manoeuvring at 5 MPH. Having misjudged her turn into her driveway, her car fender (bumper) hit a wooden post; the air bag deployed injuring her thumb.

American Research and Case History

In the United States of America air bags have been in use far longer than in the UK. It is there that most of the research has been conducted and much evidence has been gathered by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It is from US websites that I found disturbing evidence, some very surprising. Please have a look at the following sites.

www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/rulings/deactnpr.n21.html

Also the following sites. Remember to underscore the spaces.

www.airbagonoff.com/new_page_17.htm  www.airbagonoff.com/dr_smock’s_research.htm

There is a great deal of evidence on websites involving low speed air bag deployment where in our terms the driver has not been steering correctly. The details are extensive and will take much time to digest.

Air Bag Module Cover

So, how have these injuries come about and can they be avoided?

The answer is quite simply ‘Yes, they can be avoided by the driver steering correctly’. Correctly means pull-push or shuffle steering as the Americans call it. It appears most American drivers, other than police drivers, cross their hands when steering. Problems arise when a driver has their hands or arms over the Airbag Module Cover, situated in the centre of the steering wheel, when the airbag deploys. The driver’s hands and arms are thrust upwards by the force of the air bag and impact into the driver’s approaching face, and can cause dreadful injuries. These injuries are exacerbated the wearing of a watch, ring or bracelet tearing into the driver’s face. When the air bag deploys, it deploys at around 210 MPH with a force of around 1200lbs. UK and European air bags deploy with less pressure.

Correct Grip and Steering Action

 If the driver is holding the steering wheel correctly and not crossing hands (hand over hand steering), the air bag will deploy safely between the driver’s arms causing none of the injuries as described previously. If ever there was a case for not crossing hands or steering hand over hand, then this must be it.

Quarter to three, not ten to two!

The American driving experts are advising drivers to hold the steering wheel lower at quarter to 3 so that the arms are well away from the airbag module cover in the event of its deployment. They recommend steering action by sliding the hands up and down each side of the steering wheel, each hand mirroring the other, neither hand passing the 12 or 6 o’clock positions.  In other words they advocate pull-push or shuffle steering, not hand over hand. This equally applies to slow speed manoeuvres, such as parking, for reasons made all too clear by the lady and her thumb. I personally do not like the expression ‘shuffle steering’ as it conjures thoughts of small bites of hand movement and lots of shuffling. That of course is not the case.

A very interesting site, it is a must look at. www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?id=4390
 ‘Driver Airbag Hand Injuries; 10 and 2 is Not the Rule’.  Here, you will find sound advice about steering grip and shuffle steering.

Looking back to your driver’s education, you will be posed the following questions:-

·        Did the instructor teach you to hold the steering wheel at the 10 and 2 o’clock positions?

·        Were you taught to use hand over hand steering?

·        Do you steer your vehicle with one hand on top of the wheel?

 

I believe the questions are thought provoking.

Hypothetically, if a driver had been taught hand over hand steering or an incorrect steering hold, would this make the instructor culpable in the event of that driver sustaining a serious injury following air bag deployment?

I am certain, given the American culture for suing, this would be the case. I just wonder - could that ever happen here in the UK?

To Conclude Airbag Injuries

In their report on airbag injuries the NHTSA state and I quote. ‘Passengers and drivers are safer with an airbag than without. Never the less, the current number of deaths and serious injuries attributed to air bag deployment in low speed crashes is disturbing. A large number of arm injuries have been attributed to air bag deployment, both in low and high speed crashes’.  You will find that report on the NHTSA site.

It is my opinion that steering hand position and crossing arms over the Air Bag Module Cover are the cause of the vast majority, if not all, of the arm and hand injuries during airbag deployment in the United States.  There is no doubt many such incidents occur here in the UK.

Back to Sir John’s comment that in an emergency a driver will cross their hands to steer quickly. That may be true of the reactionary driver driving with their eyes on ‘dipped’ rather than ‘main beam’. They suffer with the ‘suddenly syndrome’ when many things become urgent and they may very well find they have to steer quickly.

The secret of good driving is driving with a high visual horizon, incorporating good vision scans positioning correctly and thereby adjusting road speed so a situation, even a hint of one, does not develop into a full blown emergency. These are the fundamentals upon which Roadcraft was conceived.

Now we must realise how dangerous it is to cross hands on the steering wheel, above all in the event of an emergency.  You do not need to cross your hands to steer quickly. Pull-push will always deal with given emergencies and has the added advantage of being able to easily reverse the steering direction without getting the arms tangled up.

My Experience

I taught hundreds of learner drivers between 1964 and 1972 and whilst serving as a police sergeant, class 1 staff instructor, at the Metropolitan Police Motor Driving School Hendon I taught 999 driving, LGV, PCV, skid pan and high performance advanced pursuit driving. In 1991 I became a DSA PCV/LGV Delegated Driving Examiner and as an ADI I have never held a   grade lower than 6.

I feel my experience of training to the very highest level on the public highway is far more relevant experience to judge steering method than Sir John’s experience on a race track.

A Million Plus Instructional Miles

During my twenty two years at Hendon I travelled over a million instructional miles, all over the country, by day and  night, in all weather conditions. Driving and instructing in a selection of motor cars from V8 Rovers to the BMW M3. Under an Act of Parliament I have driven and trained at speeds of more than twice the National Speed Limit. The public road environment is far more hazardous than driving around a track where marshals are employed track side to wave yellow flags in the event of impending danger.

Yet during that time I never had a collision, never caused one, never left the road, never had a lock up or even activated the ABS. I repeat; a million miles of safe, collision free driving, much of it, well above the National Speed Limit. I owe that achievement to Roadcraft and pull-push method of steering.

 

DSA – Roadcraft

The DSA driving technique is not that dissimilar to Roadcraft driving at speeds up to 70 MPH. Unless there is a commentary being given, and then the wording would give it away. A DSA Examiner would find it very difficult to recognise DSA or Roadcraft driving.

Pull Push – Accurate & Very Safe.

During all my instructional life I have never found pull-push steering wanting in any way whatsoever, both on the public highway or on the skid pan. Sir John has said pull-push is potentially dangerous.  Given the working environment that the emergency workers in particular endue, there is no evidence to suggest this to be the case.

Hair Raising Moments

My steering experiences during 22 years of employment at Hendon are opposed to Sir John’s view. I admit I did have a number of hair raising experiences travelling at high speed on slippery roads but only when a student deviated from the pull- push method. This often unsettled the balance of the car causing the student to stiffen, grip the wheel tighter and make the situation worse.  I found pull-push to be far more accurate and a smoother action than hand over hand steering. It is often said ‘if it looks right, it is right. Pull-push looks right. Hand over hand looks very awkward and clumsy.

Sir John’s Opportunity

In 1989-93 I was a member of the Home Office Working Party investigating driving techniques for possible changes to and entry into Roadcraft. We opened ourselves up to change and invited all driving experts to have their input.

To give an example: Mr K Bamford, a Physics School Master from a Yorkshire Grammar School wrote in and told us there was no such thing as centrifugal force acting upon a car in a bend. We bowed to his better knowledge and changed Roadcraft.  We invited Sir John Whitmore to Hendon to discuss his views on steering. We gave him the opportunity to convince us hand over hand was better than pull-push. We were open to suggestion, looking to make positive change where necessary, particularly if Sir John’s theories were proven correct.

I spent the day with Sir John along with Mr Colin Urqhart the Chief Civilian Instructor at the time. We spent most of the morning discussing Roadcraft and steering. We then gave Sir John the opportunity to demonstrate his steering technique on the skid pan. All I am prepared to say is Sir John was unable to
display his preferred method of steering to any advantage. The skid pan instructor using pull-push had far better control than Sir John. At the start of the day we were open to suggestion, by its end we were left unimpressed, in no way convinced, that hand over hand steering was better or the equal of pull-push. Sir John stated he had no issues with Roadcraft, other than those around steering concepts. His demonstration had only served us to differ.

Police Steering in the United States.

In 1986 I visited the Los Angeles Police Driver Training Facility, then situated at Pomona to compare police driver training methods. There, I met Sergeant William Smith Jr. Bill told me that due to a high number of police collisions, attributed to hand over hand steering The LAPD had, in 1971, implemented a change of steering method to what he called shuffle steering. It soon became apparent to me that shuffle steering was their name for our pull-push. This change of steering had reduced the number collisions significantly and as a result shuffle steering was implemented throughout California, including The Sheriffs Dept, Highway Patrol and State Troopers.

Bill has now retired from the LAPD and he now works for a company who train police officers in pursuit driving on a simulator. Bill writes pursuit scenarios and also travels throughout the whole of the U.S. training police drivers. I decided a few days ago to contact Bill to ask him what was happening now in the US with regards to pull-push or shuffle steering. Here is his reply.

‘Hi Chris, LAPD was teaching shuffle steering when I took over the Unit in 1971.  All academies in California (38+) teach shuffle steering. In my travels throughout the USA I find all police departments indicate they teach a shuffle or pull push as you call it. It is almost nationwide.  We now realise how dangerous it is to cross hands on the steering wheel, even in an emergency’.

Bill also said he would be quite happy to travel to the UK to discuss steering with Sir John, at Sir John’s expense of course.

Conclusion

I believe I have proven the case for pull-push steering even without consideration to the air bag problem. I also believe there is overwhelming evidence from the US that at low speeds and even in non urgent situations, air bag deployment when the arms are over the Airbag Module Cover can have serious or even fatal consequences.  I think the case for pull-push is even stronger than previously, but I am not surprised by that.

 I additionally feel, given all this undeniable evidence,  ADIs MUST always teach pull push steering, and never allow a pupil to steer hand over hand under any circumstances.

 Consideration must also be given to implementing a change from 10-2  to a quarter to three (dependent upon the specific car’s steering wheel configuration), thus preventing arms being positioned over the Air Bag Module Cover.

 

Under Health and Safety, an ADI can then never be accused of teaching unsafe steering practices and resulting injuries will be minimal if not wholly prevented.