Tyre Damage - is it safe to drive

alastairq

Don't confuse the 'models of competence' I quoted as being descriptive of the types of driver found on the road.

They refer to the progressive stages of learning....[and are not my invention, as I said]

The 4th stage is probably the most widely populated stage amongst drivers, and typically describes what happens with an individual once the test is passed, and effective [driver] education ceases.

It is this 'stage' that the driver mikey72 alludes to...the one who may make a mistake, [but on the whole, will not]...inhabits.

The first two stages refer to the levels of skill achieved during the 'learner' stage.

Relatively few drivers consistently maintain a level of 'conscious competence' when driving.....for example, trafpol....and, believe it or not [limited only be sheer inexperience]...those who are in the process of passing their tests.

It isn't about how much training one has received, or of what type...but how consistently aware of one's driving environment one is.

alastairq

There is a basic driving tenet which says, a driver should drive no faster than that speed at which they can stop safely, within the distance seen to be clear ahead.

Providing that rule is adhered to [and few do adhere to it]...then....regardless of the make or expense of tyre, or anything else.......the driver will...if the need arises, stop quicker than anyone in front.


In other words, will not run into the back of the vehicle in front.

Regardless of what that vehicle does.


Therefore, when I state that, even though I have a mixture of makes and prices of tyre on my wheels...I will stop quicker than the vehicle in front', that is perfectly true. Providing I exercise appropriate drive skills. If I don't, I will end up in Court....and rightly so.

What I also know is , with normal, legal driving, I will get nowhere near any mechanical or performance limits of my tyres.

And rightly so.


What I find disturbingly 'dangerous' about the opinions and views expressed on here, is the belief that safety depends on a perceived quality of technology.

Especially regarding tyres.

This attitude only serves to increase drivers' belief that the technology will be what keeps them safe, and appropriate driving procedure is less and less important.

Sooner or later, however, situations will arise which will be beyond the capabilities of even the most expensive technology [read, 'tyres?'].....and the driver will 'crash 'n burn'.

But, hey ho, never mind, the driver had fitted the very best tyres money could buy, so it's not his fault.


I do not subscribe to that belief.

If that makes me 'dangerous' in the eyes of those on here, then so be it.

Unfortunately, as time has shown, events have proven the exact opposite....and will continue to do so.

mikey72

alastairq wrote: »

There is a basic driving tenet which says, a driver should drive no faster than that speed at which they can stop safely, within the distance seen to be clear ahead.

Providing that rule is adhered to [and few do adhere to it]...then....regardless of the make or expense of tyre, or anything else.......the driver will...if the need arises, stop quicker than anyone in front.


In other words, will not run into the back of the vehicle in front.

Regardless of what that vehicle does.


Therefore, when I state that, even though I have a mixture of makes and prices of tyre on my wheels...I will stop quicker than the vehicle in front', that is perfectly true. Providing I exercise appropriate drive skills. If I don't, I will end up in Court....and rightly so.

What I also know is , with normal, legal driving, I will get nowhere near any mechanical or performance limits of my tyres.

And rightly so.


What I find disturbingly 'dangerous' about the opinions and views expressed on here, is the belief that safety depends on a perceived quality of technology.

Especially regarding tyres.

This attitude only serves to increase drivers' belief that the technology will be what keeps them safe, and appropriate driving procedure is less and less important.

Sooner or later, however, situations will arise which will be beyond the capabilities of even the most expensive technology [read, 'tyres?'].....and the driver will 'crash 'n burn'.

But, hey ho, never mind, the driver had fitted the very best tyres money could buy, so it's not his fault.


I do not subscribe to that belief.

If that makes me 'dangerous' in the eyes of those on here, then so be it.

Unfortunately, as time has shown, events have proven the exact opposite....and will continue to do so.

If you mean you are conscious of the stopping ability of the combination of your driving ability, and the cars performance due to the tyres and brakes, you won't stop quicker. You won't stop in a shorter time. You won't stop in a shorter distance. You may mean you leave a large enough gap between you and the car in front, so you can stop without catching him up as he stops, which may be in a shorter relative space, and so not have an accident.

vaio

mikey72 wrote: »

........You may mean you leave a large enough gap between you and the car in front, so you can stop without catching him up as he stops, which may be in a shorter relative space, and so not have an accident.

Which is fine right up to the point when someone unexpectedly encroaches into that space and brakes heavily at which point the theory goes tits up

Lum

Well if you extend Alistarq's comment about being able to stop in the space you can guarantee to be clear (and he is 100% correct on this one) to it's logical conclusion. Any space that someone could unexpectedly pop out of, such as between two parked cars, is no longer "distance seen to be clear" and thus you should be able to stop for it. You can also change the frequency and severity of these little nooks and crannies by altering your road position.

I have often wondered how far you should take this, as in theory if you're driving past a tall building, then something could fall out from the top floor at any point and land in front of you, and taking this into consideration reduces the space you can guarantee to be clear to almost zero. In practice I suspect that sort of risk is one you'd declare as highly unlikely and not really avoidable... better tyres might make a difference though!

Joe_Horner

Lum wrote: »

... better tyres might make a difference though!

Only if you piled them up on your bonnet as a crash mat

photome

Lum wrote: »

Well if you extend Alistarq's comment about being able to stop in the space you can guarantee to be clear (and he is 100% correct on this one) to it's logical conclusion. Any space that someone could unexpectedly pop out of, such as between two parked cars, is no longer "distance seen to be clear" and thus you should be able to stop for it. You can also change the frequency and severity of these little nooks and crannies by altering your road position.

I have often wondered how far you should take this, as in theory if you're driving past a tall building, then something could fall out from the top floor at any point and land in front of you, and taking this into consideration reduces the space you can guarantee to be clear to almost zero. In practice I suspect that sort of risk is one you'd declare as highly unlikely and not really avoidable... better tyres might make a difference though!

Not to Alistairq they wont, I think he is GOD

victor2

photome wrote: »

Not to Alistairq they wont, I think he is GOD

Correction:
He thinks he is GOD.

alastairq

as in, Good Old-fashioned Driver?

Hey, if I can do it why on earth can't you lot?

mikey72

Good Old-fashioned Driver? Yes, well before they built the first motorway, and had any other traffic worth mentioning. You're spot on there.