Decreasing
Radius Turns
May Not Have A Decreasing Radius
A
decreasing radius turn is dangerous. Such a turn that does not have a
decreasing radius is even more dangerous because it is not obvious.
(Only a
'literalist' should think that a 'decreasing radius curve' necessarily
involves a decreasing radius.)
The
problem with a decreasing radius turn is that you can find yourself
going too fast to exit it safely even though you were not going too
fast for the first part of the curve. That is, unlike a constant
radius turn, there is not one smooth line through this kind of curve
which has a single apex to it that allows you to pick a single stable
lean/speed through it.
How can
a decreasing radius turn not have a decreasing radius? Simple. There
are three scenarios that individually or combined result in a curve
that must be treated as if it is decreasing radius:
Though
each of the curves described above has a constant radius, they must be
treated in the same way as a decreasing radius curve in order to
negotiate them safely.
So,
what this should tell you is that on any unfamiliar road you should
avoid trying to take the curves as fast as they look to be. Further,
you are well advised to always plan to exit a curve some distance away
from its outside edge - this, so that you have some ability to
'overshoot' your line WHEN the unexpected happens.
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