Manoeuvres SA drivers dread
Unpredictability and low visibility are what SA drivers dread the most on the road, according to a recent sa move poll.
Of the 2000 responses, 16 per cent said driving through fog or heavy rain freaked them out the most, followed by getting behind the wheel during dusk and dawn when animals are on the road.
In the poll, we asked our sa move readers to tell us which driving actions leave your heart racing and palms sweaty.
The results
| 1. | Driving through fog or heavy rain |
| 2. | Driving at dusk or dawn when there’s a risk of animals on the road |
| 3. | Reverse parallel parking |
| 4. | Turning right across multiple lanes of traffic (missing out on 3rd place by 1 vote) |
| 5. | Reversing into a tight car parking space |
| 6. | Merging onto high-speed highways |
| 7. | Navigating a multi-lane roundabout |
| 8. | Last-minute lane changes eg. on a freeway to avoid missing an exit |
| 9. | Overtaking on a single-lane country road |
| 10. | Passing a parked vehicle or cyclist on a narrow road |
We had a lot of confident respondents, with one reader saying, “No dreads – I treat driving as a serious craft.”
Another reader says they only dread “motorists who aren’t comfortable with the above list”.
What you said
SA doesn’t get as much rain or fog as other states, so we don’t get as much practice driving or riding in poor weather conditions as they do. Such conditions make roads slippery, increase stopping distances, significantly reduce visibility. In addition, lights and reflections through the windscreen, mirrors and side windows can be disorienting.
Readers pointed out difficulty seeing lane lines, cyclist, pedestrians and other cars, especially at night.
As Toni on Facebook says, “I’m ok with all driving manoeuvres. It’s driving in the rain and the white lines disappear and you can’t see the lanes – that’s my issue.”
Other drivers find the dazzling lights from other cars, signs and roadworks unbearable.
“Driving into bright lights [is] a pain in the eyeball – and especially bad in fog or rain,” says a survey respondent.
What we suggest
RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain says drivers need to understand the risks and adjust their driving accordingly.
“It can be intimidating to drive when visibility is low or near-zero,” he says. “Whether it’s rain or fog, slow down to give yourself more time to react to what’s up ahead and avoid sudden steering and braking.”
Ensuring your tyres, lights (including fog lights) and wiper blades are working and in good condition can have a big impact on safety. Keep your windscreen clean both inside and out to reduce glare. Check weather conditions in advance so you can factor in extra time to get to your destination. If you find yourself driving in a situation that makes you too uncomfortable, then take a quick breather.
“Find a safe place to pull over and wait for visibility to improve or traffic to thin out,” Charles says.
“Driving to the conditions is what gets you to your destination safely, and the more prepared you are, the less daunting bad weather becomes behind the wheel.”
Tip: If you’re struggling to see the edges of rural roads, look for the roadside reflectors.
- The ones on your left appear red, like taillights.
- The ones on your right appear white, like headlights.
Stick near the red reflectors to help stay on your side of the road.
It’s not me, it’s you
Many readers had no qualms about performing their own driving manoeuvres, feeling completely confident in their reverse parallel parking skills and zip-merging with high-speed freeway traffic. Instead, they are anxious about other drivers on the road.
One Facebook follower says she worries most about other drivers breaking the rules to be “polite instead of predictable”, such as stopping unexpectedly to wave her in when they have right of way, while another dislikes multi-lane roundabouts (wink: Britannia Roundabout) but not for the reasons you may think.
“I know what to do – but others don’t!” they say.
Having read your feedback, keep an eye out because soon we’ll be asking you… what driving manoeuvre or situation do you dread other people doing the most?
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