Describe the skill of anticipation

[obi_waynne]

How would you describe the essential driving skill of anticipation? Can it be learnt or is it down to experience?

Have you ever anticipated something on an almost psychic level?

I once stopped my car on a country road just before a bend and a minute later a wide lorry came past. I only saw a glimpse of the lorry in the distance between trees for a moment but it was enough for me work out the road wasn't wide enough. My passengers wondered what I had stopped for and when the lorry came by I told them I drive by the force! - Does this count as anticipation or just observation?

What is the difference between observation and anticipation?

 

[geraint13]

think your instance was good observation and acting accordingly.

anticipation is guess work imo. you work out what you think another drivers most likely actions are then you act in accordance of what you think is the best course of action. its like the hazard perception test on the therory. some may see a hazard others may see somthing entirely different.

its all about your personal perception.

 

[WLBjork]

Most anticipation is really observation and prediction.

Over 12 years ago, I was on my way home from Leicester along the A46. Coming up to a bend, I slowed more than I normally did. Coming round the bend, there was a HGV manoeuvering and blocking the entire road. Had I come round as fast as normal, I would have had to slam on the brakes; instead I could slow down more gently.

I couldn't say what caused me to slow down, whether my subconcious had noticed something or what I still don't know.

 

[glabus]

As I wasn't with you a comment on which skill you used cannot be given with any accuracy.
There IS a sort of sixth sense which comes possibly from both. How many times has any one on here experienced a 'knowledge' of what the car or cars in front (or behind) is about to do though no signals or road position/s have given any clue?
On one of my earlier quotes I asked people to try to enumerate the actions need to perform a turn in the road (no replies!!!)
Now I would suggest you try to Advanced driving commentary (also Police!) techniques. Preferably you need to have a skilled/experienced driver as passenger to note any missed observation/s. It can be quite surprising the amount of info that you might miss. You WILL see the car/s in front. The vehicles coming towards you. You will see (or should) ALL road signs that indicate speeds, junctions directions etc. Did you note when there were double or single solid lines, chevrons, roadside hazard lines and so on and so on.
NOW, to say that you have seen most of these 'indicators' takes much more time than your brain reacts to them BUT Your eyes do have to have sent that info to it!!
Please try it. You will not get it all under your belt for a few times but you will find yourself more aware of what you and other roadusers (ALL of them!!!) are doing both right and wrong.

How would you describe the essential driving skill of anticipation? Can it be learnt or is it down to experience?

Have you ever anticipated something on an almost psychic level?

I once stopped my car on a country road just before a bend and a minute later a wide lorry came past. I only saw a glimpse of the lorry in the distance between trees for a moment but it was enough for me work out the road wasn't wide enough. My passengers wondered what I had stopped for and when the lorry came by I told them I drive by the force! - Does this count as anticipation or just observation?

What is the difference between observation and anticipation?

 

[obi_waynne]

I have had quite a few 6th sense moments.

1) Bike fell off a car in front of me. I slowed up and moved back far in advance of the bike actually coming off. It wasn't even as if it were jumping about at all.

2) I was with a young driver who'd just passed his test on a rainy motorway. He was just pulling out to overtake a big lorry and I told him to hang back a bit. A second or two later the lorry just pulled out into the lane we had just moved in without any indications or anything! He would have had us had I not said anything. The young driver was impressed by my "Psychic abilities" but in reality I picked up on the subtle change in the lorrys speed and position.

3) Approaching a bend that can be taken really quickly and I normally do I slowed up as something didn't seem quite right I still can't explain what it was but there was a kid in the middle of the road who had just fallen off his bike.

Commentry is good. Get your co-driver to ask you what was the last sign you passed! This is scary on how much you miss and is something an IAM instructer will do to you! The typical "road narrows" "no right turn" and "bend signs" are typically all seen and totally ignored by most drivers.

 

[glabus]

Waynne, your 1-3 need no real comment/s

Finally (for now!!!) Your mention of IAM made me wonder if you have had experience/s of their "instructors" (anyone else?)
MY experience with a guy who took me and people/person in a second car out was NOT an instructor per se He was a Member who had, assumedly; given up his time to pass on his 'knowledge'
Unfortunately his knowledge was flawed:amazed:
It had been raining but we could only see through front & rear screens as side windows were fogged!
Though still wet on the ground we did 60 where that was limit on rural roads. On turning left we went through a pool of water at speed and never checked for wet brakes and it seemed that when limits altered to higher speeds we were supposed to hit the limit.
I also tried the ROspa course and they had a different approach. On my first drive I was allowed to drive my way. On the second I was pull on what the 'instructor' saw as poor driving.
One junction to the left went slightly back on itself (inverted Y shape!) Though I had slowed and indicated the first time now I was requested to reduce my speed almost to a crawl well before I considered it necessary

We get drivers who slow down so much when turning (especially left!!) that I often say Going on Hols. got a suitcase with you. They hold others up unneccesarily and quite often a follower will move out into the path of oncoming traffic where there is the possibility of a shunt
So, that was 2 different Advanced Driving approaches. The Forces use another no doubt (ever followed a convoy??) and the Police yet another. Which is best??

 

[obi_waynne]

I have a good friend who was an IAM instructor and spent quite a bit of time in the car with him, it was all good experience and I recommend it. I toyed with doing the "official course" but I'm happy knowing that i'm a safer driver and don't have the time to get the piece of paper to "prove it"!

I'm sure I would further benefit from the course but I feel the same way about a movie where you've seen all the best bits, is there much to be gained by watching the whoe thing.

 

[glabus]

You state that your friend was an Instructor!
That, assumedly; means that he was a trained person with a qualification to his name and possibly letters after it. AS I said the guys who took me out were 'members' offerring their time.
It is quite possible to learn to drive (or most other things too!!) by going out with a father, brother, mum, sister, other relative or a friend (of either sex) but their habits and attitudes might not be the ones taught by an ADI. Their teaching may get you passed the Test. I've seen it happen.
Somebody once suggested (or its a factual statement??) that passing the Test allowed one to continue to hone ones skills alone!
Unfortunately, most think that passing allows one to forget everything taught for safe negotiation of the roads.
When challenged we ALL consider ourselves to be excellent drivers. We cannot possibly be doing anything wrong!
To teach someone else we then bring our driving modus operandi to bear. Its the same (or used to be!) with Test Examiners. Each has a pet hate and any candidate who uses it will probably find themselves failing (I DO hope that the system has changed since my days but we are all human)

I have a good friend who was an IAM instructor and spent quite a bit of time in the car with him, it was all good experience and I recommend it. I toyed with doing the "official course" but I'm happy knowing that i'm a safer driver and don't have the time to get the piece of paper to "prove it"!

I'm sure I would further benefit from the course but I feel the same way about a movie where you've seen all the best bits, is there much to be gained by watching the whoe thing.

 

[dpsubaru]

think that anticipation also comes with experience and just a 'feeling' you get for what others around you are going to do. This works for cars and trucks in Vietnam but not for motorbikes, they are just absurd and do ridiculous things that no one would be able to anticipate - i.e.: why just stop in the middle of a dual carriageway, cant you see the tanker coming up behind you??

 

[glabus]

Hi,
We haven't spoken for a while here hope you are OK
You will no doubt be glad to hear of a brand new motorcycle that is to be introduced into the world markets soon.
It is the Yorimutt 2000!
It is quite similar to present bikes in that it is paperthin and can slip through a door without opening it.
Therefore it is only the extra width of the rider which may need to be taken into account when performing any sane or insane manoever (must look up spelling!!)
The bike is beautifully balanced allowing one wheel locomotion to be executed perfectly without any weight distribution problems.
It can also be leant over even further than a setup racing bike to an angle of 179 degrees still using Bridgestone tyres
Being designated 2000 I know you will be aware that this refers to engine capacity Consequently the braking is by front and rear ventilated 12" discs which can stop you from 120mph to 0 in a fraction of a second or 3 feet
IN the event of a crash the bike disintegrates around the rider in parts that can be put back together making him the ONLY object to suffer minor serious or fatal injury. However it is suggested that wearing good quality Leathers and a helmet will reduce these problems too
Unfortunately, there are no specs sheets photos or reviews of this bike available at this time AND there are competitors already looking to produce another similar but better machine
These are the:
EUROPRATT 2500 and the
FUKENFARSCHT 3000 (Which is Japanese!!)

Keep well Keep safe

think that anticipation also comes with experience and just a 'feeling' you get for what others around you are going to do. This works for cars and trucks in Vietnam but not for motorbikes, they are just absurd and do ridiculous things that no one would be able to anticipate - i.e.: why just stop in the middle of a dual carriageway, cant you see the tanker coming up behind you??

 

[Broken Cambelt]

There can be no anticipation without observation. a good driver will automatically (and correctly) predict the most likley outcome of a set of events before it unfolds. though somtimes we just use the force. we simply know what the idiots going to do.

 

[HDi fun]

Anticipation starts before we even get into the car and start the engine.

 

[pikey motorsports]

I did an "unofficial" Police Advanced driving course during my time in the RMP in germany, a LOT of anticipation and so called 6th sense moments come from your subconscious.
The things you see, yet dont notice, play a large part in your actions and reactions. Its learning to be aware of your surroundings, and reading things correctly. after a while it just becomes second nature, much like driving.

The ability to read the road and other road users is something most people learn, although some do seem to have an uncanny ability to foresee other peoples actions before perhaps they even fully understand what they are about to do!

 

[geraint13]

I did an "unofficial" Police Advanced driving course during my time in the RMP in germany, a LOT of anticipation and so called 6th sense moments come from your subconscious.
The things you see, yet dont notice, play a large part in your actions and reactions. Its learning to be aware of your surroundings, and reading things correctly. after a while it just becomes second nature, much like driving.

The ability to read the road and other road users is something most people learn, although some do seem to have an uncanny ability to foresee other peoples actions before perhaps they even fully understand what they are about to do!

this sounds like a really good explanation, and imo accurate