Wednesday 29 April 2009

Mirror, signal, manover


Mirror, signal, maneuver, MSM or the hazard routine is one of the best known term in driving.

Most people will have heard of it but they don't always know when to use it or really HOW to use it.

You use the hazard routine every time you see a potential hazard


A hazard is anything that could cause you to change speed or direction, so that is just about anything, junctions, parked cars, lights, bends, anything.


How to use it


Mirrors

Mirrors are always checked at least in pair, always starting with the drivers mirror (for more info on mirrors see later) and then the mirror in the direction you are heading in or where danger might be from


Examples of when a left mirror check is needed

Turning left, pulling in after parked cars, road bends sharply to the left, coming in after overtaking, pulling in to park.


Examples of when a right mirror check is needed.

Turning right, before speeding up or changing gear, before slowing down, pedestrian crossings, passing parked cars, overtaking, road bends sharply to the left.


It is also a good idea to check all mirrors before moving away at lights.


Signal

You only need to signal if it would benefit another road user (this includes pedestrians)

As you cannot see what is coming to junctions then you always need to signal for a junction.

For all other maneuvers think if it would benefit or confuse someone if you put on a signal


For example

If you are pulling out round parked cars and there is also a junction on the right a car may mistake a right signal to mean you are turning to the right when you only meant you were pulling out to pass the parked cars.


Maneuver

Whatever needs to be done to avoid the hazard should only be done after the first two steps, that way you know the positions of all the other traffic around you and they know what you are planning to do.

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