Road Positioning

Road positioning is a crucial element of advanced driving, where drivers strategically adjust their position on the road to enhance visibility and safety margins.

This technique allows drivers to better see the road ahead, particularly when approaching and navigating corners, enabling them to manage their observations, planning and speed more effectively.

Extended Road Positioning

However, a word of warning to those new to using extended road positioning (moving right) on challenging country roads - unsafe situations can develop rapidly so any decision made to try this MUST be grounded in safety and can only be employed when it is completely safe to do so.

Extending road positioning for better views on blind corners can be particularly hazardous for less experienced drivers, as oncoming traffic or other hazards could remain hidden until the very last moment.

This scenario often forces drivers to make sharp steering corrections to return to their side of the road, potentially causing vehicle instability mid-corner. It is crucial to use extended road positioning only when a driver prioritises safety over improved visibility.

Risk Management

For inexperienced drivers or those unfamiliar with the intricacies of advanced driving techniques, it's essential to exercise caution and restraint before attempting to extend road positioning on tight, twisty country roads. Drivers should thoroughly assess the risks involved and be prepared to adapt their strategy based on the specific risk circumstances they encounter. This should involve matching speed to the vision ahead and approaching corners with heightened caution and being ready to smoothly return to a safer position on the road if necessary.

Ultimately, while advanced driving techniques such as extending road positioning can be valuable tools for enhancing visual efficiency, they must always be applied judiciously and with full awareness of the potential hazards involved. Safety should remain the paramount concern for all drivers, especially in challenging driving environments like narrow country roads.

Enhancing Safety Margins

The goal of adjusting road positioning is to enhance safety margins wherever possible and feasible. By creating more space around their vehicle, advanced drivers not only improve their own safety but also contribute to the safety of others.

This approach reduces the risk of collisions, provides clearer lines of sight, expands spatial awareness when dealing with other road users and allows for smoother traffic flow. Expert drivers continually assess their surroundings, making informed decisions that prioritise safety, based on their experience and attentiveness.

Safety Buffer

All drivers can benefit from using extended road positioning when driving on roads where there are ‘hidden’ entrances to houses, premises and farms (on country roads). Here, and only if safe, drivers can extend their positioning to add a ‘safety buffer’ where such driveways and access tracks lead directly onto the road.

Look for mirrors opposite these access points and take extra care when doing this, just in case there could be oncoming traffic – in which case, a loss of speed may be the only option to enhance safety.

Positioning to Avoid Roadside Debris

Road positioning isn't just about improving visibility, creating space or managing corner sight lines - it's also crucial for avoiding hazards on the road surface, such as potholes, drain covers, grates, and general roadside debris. These obstacles can cause damage to a vehicle and pose tyre safety risks, making it essential for drivers to position their cars carefully to avoid them (when possible).

Alert and attentive drivers use road positioning to navigate around these hazards, ensuring a smoother and safer ride. Here are some key points to consider:

• Potholes can cause serious damage to a vehicle's tyres, suspension, and wheel alignment. By positioning the car to avoid these, drivers can prevent costly repairs and maintain better control of their vehicle.
• Keep a keen eye out for drain covers and grates, as these can be particularly slippery in wet conditions, potentially causing loss of traction (particularly for motorcycles and bicycle riders). Avoiding these obstacles helps maintain grip and stability.
• Finally, objects on the road, such as branches, litter, or even small rocks, can pose a risk to tyres and the undercarriage. Positioning the vehicle to avoid debris helps prevent punctures and other potential damage.

However, when adjusting road positioning to avoid these obstacles, drivers should always ensure that their movements do not compromise their own safety or the safety of other road users.

Dominate or Surrender?

Advanced drivers often use road positioning to either dominate or surrender road space, depending on the situation.

Dominating road space can be essential for asserting presence in certain scenarios. It can be used to deter or encourage oncoming drivers to refrain from certain manoeuvres. Particularly in urban environments it can useful to clearly position your to exaggerate the sheer lack of space in tight town centre environments with parked vehicle on both sides of the road.

Conversely, any advanced driver worth their salt, surrendering road space may be necessary to allow faster vehicles to pass or to accommodate merging traffic or just to ensure safety prevails. These decisions require a high level of expertise and situational awareness, as they involve assessing the dynamic road environment and predicting the actions of other road users.

A Combination of Strategies

In summary, effective road positioning involves a combination of strategies to avoid visible hazards, thereby enhancing the safety of the journey. These techniques are essential for maintaining adequate safety margins, which are the buffer zones around a vehicle that provide extra space to react to unexpected situations and avoid potential incidents.

By integrating these strategies, drivers can effectively manage safety in a more controlled way and manage and reduce the risk of collisions and ensure a smoother, safer driving experience. That’s what advanced driving is all about!