Brown trousers moment....

[laser_jock@work]

...nearly hit a Metro side on this morning at 40mph. The driver pulled out of side road onto the A452 right in front of me. I managed to swerve the Surf round the silly moo but then of course I'm on the wrong side with on coming traffic! Swerve back into my lane on two wheels and mangage not to roll it over. The closest car I came to hitting was the oncoming Granada. Could have all turned out very different though had I side impacted the drivers side of the Metro......

Still shaking.

Nevillef

[dirtydog]

always shakes you up mate - just be thankfull you reacted in time!

[Ste00]

could have turned out much worse if you were verry on 2 wheels and came down on the metro or grenada...

[Snoop]

I had a similar experience a few months back with a broken down bus and a coffin dodger that decided my surf was invisible so pulled onto my side round the bus. I had a choice, hit the old boy head on or mow down the people off the bus waiting by the side of road. I went for the old timer in full on 4 wheel skid, kicking the brake pedal mode and somehow he managed to get out of the way. I was

I find a lot of people do not make allowances for the increased stopping distances required by larger vehicles such as the surf and RR's etc. especially on dual carriageways and the like.

[da SLUG man]

I find a lot of people do not make allowances for the increased stopping distances required by larger vehicles such as the surf and RR's etc. especially on dual carriageways and the like.

it's the driver of the larger vehicle who should compensate for the larger stopping distance by means of good observation and planning... does your surf really have that much more stopping distance anyway?

[laser_jock@work]

it's the driver of the larger vehicle who should compensate for the larger stopping distance by means of good observation and planning... does your surf really have that much more stopping distance anyway?

I didn't have time to apply brake this morning- I was already steering a course around the Metro. Had I slammed on the anchors I'm sure there would have been a crash. I'm lucky the road was dry or I wouldn't have recovered from the second swerve.

But you're right- in a big heavy car like a Surf with no ABS (MK2 anyway) tailgating and last minute stopping isn't an option as there's less room for error.

Nevillef

[Snoop]

it's the driver of the larger vehicle who should compensate for the larger stopping distance by means of good observation and planning... does your surf really have that much more stopping distance anyway?

Absolutely, I agree - but, I've been doing Brighton to Heathrow and I leave a bigger gap because I know how much extra stopping the truck takes, but the number of people that drive to the end of their bonnet and swing out right in-front is ridiculous - and they expect you to be able to slow down as quickly as bmws and the like.

I've found the surf definately has a far greater stopping distance then any other 4x4 I have ever driven except Landies and I've done RR's, Freelanders, Discoveries, pickups and fourtraks and some of those have been automatics as well. I think it's because the Surf has such a light backend, high run-on and no ABS. I've even had it checked to make sure the brakes on ours are ok and they are new and operating fine.

[Ste00]

gotta admit i tailgate in my golf... its stupid and i am gonna have to stop it the instant i get the surf...