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Difficulty: MediumAdjusting Margins in Fog and High Winds

You are driving along a road sheltered by high buildings and dense hedgerows on a very windy day. What hazard should you prepare for as you drive past the end of the sheltered section into open countryside?

  1. A
    A sudden increase in thinking distance caused by external wind resistance
  2. A sudden side gust of wind that could push your vehicle off courseAnswer
  3. C
    A loss of steering stability requiring you to depress the clutch and coast through the wind
  4. D
    A requirement to close the following distance to the vehicle ahead to shelter in its slipstream

Answer

A sudden side gust of wind that could push your vehicle off course
When emerging from behind buildings, walls, or hedgerows into open areas, the sudden exposure to strong crosswinds can buffet the vehicle and blow it off its intended line. Drivers must anticipate this hazard and maintain firm steering control.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the environmental change when transitioning from a sheltered road to open space in windy conditions.
Recognise that physical structures like buildings and hedges block crosswinds, creating an abrupt change in wind force when leaving them.
Sudden gusts are most severe at boundary points where wind breaks end.
2
Anticipate the effect of crosswinds on the vehicle's lateral safety margins and lane position.
Prepare to maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel and adjust steering input to keep a safe path.
Proactive anticipation prevents the vehicle from swerving into adjacent lanes or oncoming traffic.

Key Concept

Anticipating sudden crosswinds and adjusting lateral safety margins when passing gaps in roadside shelter.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Adjusting Margins in Fog and High Winds

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