From: oyalcin@iastate.edu (Onur Yalcin)
Subject: Re: Car-to-car contact at high speeds
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 22:02:29 GMT

In article <-#h2caq@rpi.edu> kaminl@aix.rpi.edu (Matt Garretson) writes:
>  I have a question, but first, here is the background:
>
>A few weeks ago, I saw an accident (via my rearview mirror, thank god) in
>which a car in the center lane started to pull into the left. Only problem
>was that there was a car already in the left lane, in the first car's blind 
>spot. So the car in the left lane freaked out and swerved to the left so
>as to avoid being hit by the first car. But there was a cement divider, so
>the car in the left lane bounced off it and right across the middle and right
>lanes, causing a many-car pileup.  
>
>At least, that's what it looked like. So my question is this:
>
>   Suppose I'm going along in the left lane maybe 70mph, and a car to my
>right starts to come into my lane where I already am (i.e. to bump into
>my right side). There is no shoulder to the left to swerve into safely-
>only a guardrail (or oncoming traffic! :( ).  I don't want to end up 
>bouncing all over the place like the car above. And I can't brake quickly
>since there are cars on my tail (%^*&@! tailgaters). So, is it a good idea
>to steer into the car, with the intention of keeping it from pushing me
>where I don't want to go? I don't mean swerving into it, but trying to
>exert enough pressure once contact is made to maintain my own position,
>and hopefully give the other driver enough time to correct his steering.
>Will side-to-side contact between cars be disasterous at 70mph?  It
>seems to work ok in the movies, anyway.  What is the best thing to do in
>a situation like this? I know there are many variables, but any
>comments would be appreciated.
>
>Thanks,
>Matt 

This is what more a horn can do other than being used to say "hurry up" to your
wife as you sit in your car, waiting for her.

Honking should hopefully solve the problem unless this other driver has 
actually seen you, and he is doing this deliberately. (Are deaf people given
driving licences?).

It is good defence to reduce the time that you spend in someone's blind spot. A
lot of people don't think about this as they let their cruise setting overtake
others with a speed differential of 0.5 Mph.

You should avoid to express your anger with a long continuous honk. This can 
cause the other driver to panic: Swerves back to his lane too abruptly, now
he has to correct back to the left; and he is back over you if he overcorrects.
Besides short, unrythmic pats on the horn are easier to differentiate from the
engine sound and from the music inside the other car. 

Since you may not always be on the leftmost lane as this happens, for one thing
you should not swerve to the left to avoid this. Just steer slightly out of 
your lane, as you do this either accelerate and have him see you, or, if this 
is not possible, slow down to or just below this other car's speed. The 
tailgater behind you, Mr.#%$&*@, should actually have seen everything and put 
a distance with you and him/herself even if not, it will just take him a harder
braking than yours to slown down to your speed. I really think he deserves the 
thrill if he hasn't taken his precautions.

I wouldn't steer into this other car. As you say, this is done in movies...

And to avoid being the cause for all of this, it is best to adopt the habitude 
of continually checking your mirrors (not just when you decide to change lanes)
and enter in a lane very smoothly, instead of swerving into it.






--