So, about that Mercedes slippy-slidey video then...

[CaptainRAVE]

I'd have been apprehensive in my vehicle on winters never mind summer tyres :s though I'm interested to see how my summer touring tyres cope in snow - I've not got to test it properly yet.

Indeed, short of proper snow tyres, looking at the slush/compact ice I wouldn’t attempt it.

i thought that was the merc driver getting out and presumably being a little tense?

The first person seemed to come out of their home - the smart car owner? Either way, middle of the road ain’t the place to stand.

 

[Rroff]

I believe the women standing in the road waving her hands around was the Smart car owner. I'm not sure she had good situational awareness all around.

Don't think she came out of her house - there is only walls on the left hand side for a bit there - just an earlier passing motorist who I'm guessing had a bit of a slide, lost their nerve and once they'd managed to come to a stop was too inexperienced to want to move again.

 

[DereksDontRun]

Theres literally nothing to see. the merc is just following the curve of the road as the vw peels off to the other side. you cant tell from the video if he was hard on the brakes or accelerating but i cant imagine hes accelerating down an icy hill lol.

I think the merc's brake lights paint a picture - I think they're off when it hits the smart car and only light up just before the back end slides into the car on the other side of the road. If that's the case then they're hardly trying to slow down... I think the VW pulled to the other side of the road to avoid the Smart car, the Merc thought the VW was pulling to that side (presumably to stop) and accelerated to overtake (probably while watching the VW and not noticing the Smart car). When the VW didn't stop the Merc's on the horn and tries to push through, collects the Smart car and only then tries to brake, and plays pinball down the road. 100% Merc's fault and not driving to conditions or paying attention (either inexperience or being a prat).

 

[theone8181]

I think the merc's brake lights paint a picture - I think they're off when it hits the smart car and only light up just before the back end slides into the car on the other side of the road. If that's the case then they're hardly trying to slow down... I think the VW pulled to the other side of the road to avoid the Smart car, the Merc thought the VW was pulling to that side (presumably to stop) and accelerated to overtake (probably while watching the VW and not noticing the Smart car). When the VW didn't stop the Merc's on the horn and tries to push through, collects the Smart car and only then tries to brake, and plays pinball down the road. 100% Merc's fault and not driving to conditions or paying attention (either inexperience or being a prat).

Not sure brakes would have made a difference if already sliding, but I do agree too fast for the conditions.

 

[Havana_UK]

Not sure brakes would have made a difference if already sliding, but I do agree too fast for the conditions.

Quite, and the blame will (rightly I think) be placed on the Merc driver as it was he who has all the collisions, however I think the reality of this situation is more nuanced like it so often is and there are multiple examples of questionable decision making at place which all ultimately contributed to the problem.
1. The Smart's chosen parking point was truly awful, and there's another video surfaced since that shows other vehicles (travelling MUCH slower than the MB) which skidded and crashed as a consequence of having to drive around it
2. The VW's decision to go the wrong side of the island, whilst possibly sensible given the Smart's parking place, could have easily caused confusion to the driver behind
3. The MB's speed was clearly too fast for the conditions (and I think also the main factor in the accident)

Like others have already said, in these conditions you need to drive defensively and give people plenty of room to drive in, not least because if they have an accident you need space to avoid becoming part of it. Sadly, driving standards are fairly low on the whole anyway with people being far to impatient/ignorant or simply not paying adequate attention to the task as hand, and the UK in general experiences so little of this type of weather that a) we're not used to it, and b) we don't swap our tyres during the winter months, which incidentally I agree with - we simply get so little of this extreme weather that for many parts of the country it's not needed.

 

[Haggisman]

2. The VW's decision to go the wrong side of the island, whilst possibly sensible given the Smart's parking place, could have easily caused confusion to the driver behind.

If a car in front is doing something unusual and you're "confused" about it, the correct thing to do is back off and give them space to do whatever it is they're doing. Not plough on regardless and try to nip in front of them. Yes strictly speak the VW should not have gone on the wrong side of the island, but it was probably the sensible thing to do given the conditions and position of the Smart. From what I can see from the video (granted it doesn't show the whole situation), what the Merc did would have been stupid and dangerous even in ideal conditions, never mind snow and ice on a steep hill.

Typical German repmobile driver doing typical German repmobile driver things.

 

[Havana_UK]

If a car in front is doing something unusual and you're "confused" about it, the correct thing to do is back off and give them space to do whatever it is they're doing. Not plough on regardless and try to nip in front of them. Yes strictly speak the VW should not have gone on the wrong side of the island, but it was probably the sensible thing to do given the conditions and position of the Smart. From what I can see from the video (granted it doesn't show the whole situation), what the Merc did would have been stupid and dangerous even in ideal conditions, never mind snow and ice on a steep hill.

Absolutely 100%, I agree with you! I simply cite it as a factor to be considered in the circumstances.

 

[DXP55]

To my mind the VW driver was the hero - It looked like he had realised if you braked you were a gonner so he took his foot off the throttle and let the car do it's own thing- all he did was gently steer it the wrong side of the island as he saw the hazard of the smart car - the right side being a straight line and flat with no camber- after the loony had past him you will see he went down that hill completely under control.
Probably some old pensioner thats seen it and done it.

If this has been said - sorry I wasn't going to read 7 pages.

 

[Rroff]

If a car in front is doing something unusual and you're "confused" about it, the correct thing to do is back off and give them space to do whatever it is they're doing.

Yeah - one I've encountered a couple of times driving a pickup where I have to take a less usual line to get into parking spaces is having the vehicle behind me try and comes past me as I swing out wide to get into a space even when I'm indicating and it should be clear to anyone who isn't a complete idiot what my intention is if I wasn't being observant they'd have gone into the side of me.

Can get a little confusing if a vehicle has to completely leave a lane to get into a turning, etc. where really that is on the driver of the larger vehicle as they are effectively re-entering the highway but still it is basic courtesy, etc. to just let them complete their manoeuvre.

I dunno why so many people have a problem with just slowing down for a moment and giving people a moment to do their thing - putting people under pressure in already less than ideal circumstances is often what leads to completely avoidable accidents so it is nothing but idiotic.

 

[Lopéz]

Mercedes driver allowed themselves no thinking time, didn't read the situation and made poor rushed decisions.

 

[Scania]

Three things at play here, the Smart driver was a moron for parking where she did, the Merc driver was also a moron for carrying far too much speed and our use of summer tyres in winter finished the moronic recipe....

 

[TripleT]

Merc driver being an end, simple as. Obviously a situation is going on ahead, back off and assess. Don't speed up like a tool.

 

[Muffin`]

enjoyed that, good watch

thanks OP

 

[jpaul]

Rroff - you are the exception that prooves the rule from your videos;
I'd say pickup man replaced white van man, driving on local country/muddy roads seemingly unaware of their stopping power, plus squeezing through gaps on urban roads, with little consideration,a might is right strategy.

Existing snow tracks showed Merc was not the first to circumnavigate the smart; versus riskier fresher snow on other side - people who didn't come up the hill.
At 30mph, I've been overtaken a few times in towns, creative people taking the illegal (??) wrong side of the road around road islands, ambulances excepted.

 

[Resident]

Rroff - you are the exception that prooves the rule from your videos;
I'd say pickup man replaced white van man, driving on local country/muddy roads seemingly unaware of their stopping power, plus squeezing through gaps on urban roads, with little consideration,a might is right strategy.

Existing snow tracks showed Merc was not the first to circumnavigate the smart; versus riskier fresher snow on other side - people who didn't come up the hill.
At 30mph, I've been overtaken a few times in towns, creative people taking the illegal (??) wrong side of the road around road islands, ambulances excepted.

Whilst at work there's a regular route I do and I have to go the wrong side of an island because the clowncil thought it a good idea to put a crossing island 24ft from a traffic calming gate. With a 40ft rigid vehicle it's impossible.

 

[Rroff]

Rroff - you are the exception that prooves the rule from your videos;
I'd say pickup man replaced white van man, driving on local country/muddy roads seemingly unaware of their stopping power, plus squeezing through gaps on urban roads, with little consideration,a might is right strategy.

I suspect some feel empowered by it getting into a pickup and it goes to their head - I prefer driving mine as for some reason psychologically my confidence decreases if I I'm driving a lower vehicle than approx. my normal standing height.

I have my own moments of being inconsiderate and/or driving badly but it is usually unintentional either from inexperience or not reading a situation correctly or at all - having seen what I've seen in the way of serious incidents, some of which were entirely avoidable if at least one of the partly hadn't been driving with no consideration for anyone but themselves, I tend to try and learn from and improve my standard of driving in all situations.

EDIT: On a semi-related note shame I can't de-cat and stick a 3" dump pipe on mine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT7tNNx6Hoc just love that bark - it is so much quieter on mine.

Whilst at work there's a regular route I do and I have to go the wrong side of an island because the clowncil thought it a good idea to put a crossing island 24ft from a traffic calming gate. With a 40ft rigid vehicle it's impossible.

I don't tend to drive bigger vehicles (7.5t upwards) myself but work in distribution do the driver briefs/debriefs, etc. and have in the past rode with some of the lorries, etc. makes for some interesting experiences seeing what they have to deal with first hand especially when it comes to road layouts.

 

[Resident]

I suspect some feel empowered by it getting into a pickup and it goes to their head - I prefer driving mine as for some reason psychologically my confidence decreases if I I'm driving a lower vehicle than approx. my normal standing height.

I have my own moments of being inconsiderate and/or driving badly but it is usually unintentional either from inexperience or not reading a situation correctly or at all - having seen what I've seen in the way of serious incidents, some of which were entirely avoidable if at least one of the partly hadn't been driving with no consideration for anyone but themselves, I tend to try and learn from and improve my standard of driving in all situations.

EDIT: On a semi-related note shame I can't de-cat and stick a 3" dump pipe on mine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT7tNNx6Hoc just love that bark - it is so much quieter on mine.



I don't tend to drive bigger vehicles (7.5t upwards) myself but work in distribution do the driver briefs/debriefs, etc. and have in the past rode with some of the lorries, etc. makes for some interesting experiences seeing what they have to deal with first hand especially when it comes to road layouts.

My work vehicles are 37.5 - 40 ft long and 11.2 - 12.7t unladen with 5-6ft forward overhang of the front wheel and 7-8ft tail overhang. It gets interesting driving through estates.

 

[Liquidfox]

Merc at fault. If you can't stop (which it clearly couldn't), then you're going too fast.

VW likely went on the other side of the road to play it safe to manoeuvre round the poorly parked Smart car, but no matter how crappy the parking, that doesn't mean you get to hit it.

 

[Cyber-Mav]

Mercedes driver allowed themselves no thinking time, didn't read the situation and made poor rushed decisions.

is that regarding the purchase of the car?

 

[builder22]

Merc thought VW was stopping/parking, assuming it's the Merc blasting the horn? you can see they're quite far back when the horn starts sounding so wasn't that they were trying to 'overtake' but def not driving to the conditions!