Limit points
Limit, or vanishing points as they are sometimes known, can be a useful guide but they can also be misleading in certain circumstances. When cornering a limit point is the furthest point you can see the road as it disappears around a blind corner. When riding we should match our speed to our ability to stop relative to the distance between us and this limit point. As it gets closer we need to slow down, if it remains at a fixed distance we can remain at the same speed and if it moves away from us we can then increase speed. The problem here, which can lead to disaster, is the reliability of the references that give you the limit point. In general they are most reliable when the references are very close to the road’s edge, such as thick hedgerow on both sides.
In this instance they are very useful to assist in assessing the severity of the corner. The further back from the side of the tarmac these references are the more unreliable the limit points are as they can give the impression the bend is less sharp than it actually is. On some roads where the hedgerows are quite close to the edge they have been cut right back from the road on the corners to allow for a better view. On the face of it this seems a sensible thing to do, however this can give a rider the impression the limit point is extending, prompting the rider to cease reducing speed and maybe even to start accelerating. There is a classic example of this type of feature on a road near Warwick. Since the hedgerow was modified there have been a number of fresh skid marks appearing on the road from one corner into a field; fortunately the farmer leaves the field gate open, presumably because he is fed up of replacing it!
