The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Fleecewife on July 21, 2015, 12:07:01 pm

Title: road safety idea
Post by: Fleecewife on July 21, 2015, 12:07:01 pm
This is an advert for some Samsung technology.  The idea is so drivers can see in front of the enormous lorry they are stuck behind, so don't pull out to overtake into oncoming traffic.
What do you think, and will it catch on?

 HTTPS://www.youtube.com/embed/ZetSRWchM4w?rel=0 (http://HTTPS://www.youtube.com/embed/ZetSRWchM4w?rel=0)
Title: Re: road safety idea
Post by: devonlady on July 21, 2015, 12:17:35 pm
Couldn't get the page FW.
Title: Re: road safety idea
Post by: Q on July 21, 2015, 01:22:50 pm


working link  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZetSRWchM4w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZetSRWchM4w)
Title: Re: road safety idea
Post by: Cosmore on July 21, 2015, 01:28:16 pm
Also couldn't access the url FW.
But what about keeping well back from the rear of the lorry? If you follow a large vehicle at a safe distance behind the road ahead is visible, overtaking should only be done on long straight stretches where the opposite carriageway can be seen to be clear for sufficient distance to pass safely.

If you are too close (dare I say tailgating?) then of course all you will see is the back of the lorry - and the lorry driver cannot see you in his door mirrors, he dosen't know you are there - if he did an emergency stop for whatever reason could you stop in time?

There was a simple device (from memory it was sold by the AA) that I have used on a car when I drove a right hand drive car on the continent, it was a double mirror arrangement that fitted on the near (passenger) side door mirror, enabling you to see ahead past vans and larger vehicles which as you were driving on the right was a help - but the same regard for safe distancing still applied.
That's my twopennorth, anyway! ;)
Title: Re: road safety idea
Post by: SallyintNorth on July 21, 2015, 01:39:10 pm
But what about keeping well back from the rear of the lorry? If you follow a large vehicle at a safe distance behind the road ahead is visible, overtaking should only be done on long straight stretches where the opposite carriageway can be seen to be clear for sufficient distance to pass safely.

If you are too close (dare I say tailgating?) then of course all you will see is the back of the lorry - and the lorry driver cannot see you in his door mirrors, he dosen't know you are there - if he did an emergency stop for whatever reason could you stop in time?

Agreed one should always drive far enough back that you can see the lorry's wing mirrors (or the lorry driver can't see you), and that you could stop if the lorry braked.  (I usually count 2 seconds to check I have enough distance.)

However, whilst that gives you some visibility of the road ahead, it's not enough to make an overtaking decision.  You still have to edge out to confirm. 

If drivers are stuck behind a lorry for a long time, they get tetchy and frustrated, more and more keen to get past, likely to pull out more frequently and perhaps take chances... the Samsung lorry display would stop a lot of that, keeping following drivers more calmly in relaxed pursuit, awaiting a clear road and a genuine opportunity to pass.

I think it's great  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: road safety idea
Post by: Q on July 21, 2015, 02:14:27 pm
I like it but I would probably be mesmerised by the view and try driving straight through the lorry!
Title: Re: road safety idea
Post by: Fleecewife on July 21, 2015, 02:48:05 pm
The advert is filmed in Argentina where they seem to have a soaring rate of deaths on the road, many when overtaking.  Of course they should keep their distance, but they don't. In addition, on a motorcycle, there is a blind spot in the rearview mirrors of most vehicles, which is immensely dangerous to bikers.

I too would be too busy watching the screen to concentrate  ::)
I also thought that unless you had been concentrating, it's vaguely possible you could pull out when there was a vehicle parallel with the lorry, but it seems remote.

I think it's something which should at least be tested here.

Sorry the link didn't work - it did for me.
Title: Re: road safety idea
Post by: doganjo on July 21, 2015, 08:12:08 pm
I agree that I'd be fascinated by the picture on the back of the lorry, but I also think you'd get used to it very quickly.  Seems a good idea to me.
Title: Re: road safety idea
Post by: Lesley Silvester on July 21, 2015, 11:21:03 pm
Excellent idea.  :thumbsup: