Swan-necking - is it getting more prevalent?

[dbldutch02]

Wondering (prompted by Love@firstride's accident) whether it's just me who thinks swan-necking on turns is getting more prevalent? Do I notice it more now because I'm on a bike and it could cause me an off, or has it always been like this? The number of car drivers who take (for us in the UK mostly left) turns as if they are driving an articulated lorry is just amazing, and I bet they haven't a clue they are doing it.

Any pet theories why they do it? My current favourite is that more people have alloys, with low profile tyres which they don't want to clip on the curb.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

The texting / cell phone crap, at least down here, is way more dangerous than anything else..


Down here in Florida, especially during season, traffic habits are horrible.


Re the U-Turns;

Back in the late 1980's a lady pulled a u-turn from the curb lane in front of me (two lanes in each direction, no median). Coming home from work, midnight shift(12-8a, so I was tired and certainly not 100%)

I tagged her quarter panel, my body flipped over the bike, landed on the trunk, then on the ground.

Totaled the bike, a 1985 Honda VT 1100. Just a scratch on my leg. Got a new 1986 VT1100 after that..

I don't see the U-turns much, if any, different than before. There's more traffic, more bikes, Scooters everywhere, (fuel prices' going up), likely leads to more incidents..


Literally, You HAVE TO ride like your invisible and "have a way out"

 

[Monica A]

I've noticed more drivers doing that too. In my town it seems to be the retired folks. I always think they just don't realize what their car is capable of doing. (Suspension and power steering has drastically improved since the 1950's & 60's.) How tight a turn radius it can make. "And what is that round thing in front of me and what am I suppose to do with it". (At least that's what I imagine them saying to themselves) "It's a steering wheel dumba*s, you use it to turn your car, not the "swing" effect you usually use." But maybe it is to save their rims, lol I notice it on on-ramps to highways sometimes too. They can't turn the steering wheel enough to keep a smooth arch through the turn. The on-ramp near my house has a off-camber bank to it. I am always afraid someone will come into my lane, so I always try to get ahead of them (read roll on the throttle here :Flash. That's my excuse if I ever get pulled over. heehee

 

[Lofty]

Swan necking seems to be a UK term, what exactly does this mean?

 

[AdrianB1]

Is it turning slightly left when you actually want to turn right, so you have a wider turn, like a long lorry (truck)?

 

[Lofty]

Oh okay, like a really slow Scandinavian flick for stupid drivers.


Got it, yeah people do this to me all the time, and it makes me livid.

 

[raja777m]

Is it turning slightly left when you actually want to turn right, so you have a wider turn, like a long lorry (truck)?

Yes, that is correct:

It refers to taking a left/right turn too wide then steering into the correct position, so the route the car took looks like the shape of a swan's neck, or a question mark.

Source: Swan Necking (Page 1) / Driving instructor training Forum / Driver Training Today | Driving Instructor and Learner Forum

 

[Water Bear]

That sort of thing makes me nervous when I'm in a car and people do it right next to me. I need a rocket-booster ejector seat on my bike...