Contents

Introduction ............................................................. 5 Preface ..................................................................... 5 Numerical terms ...................................................... 7 Alphabetical terms ............................................... 16 Appendices ............................................................ 322
Greek characters ...................................................................................... 322 Mathematical symbols ............................................................................... 322 British American translations .............................................................. 322 American British translations .............................................................. 325 Conversions of measures and units ......................................................... 328 Gradient conversion table ....................................................................... 330 Typical coefficients of friction ............................................................... 330 Maximum lengths of vehicles (UK) ........................................................... 330 Maximum widths of vehicles ...................................................................... 330 Vehicle age classifications ...................................................................... 330 International accident rates ................................................................... 330 Great Britain, arterial routes, and motorways ...................................... 332 Euroroutes (E routes) .............................................................................. 332 USA, interstate highways and US highways ............................................. 334 Countries/sovereign territories in which the rule of the road is to drive on the LEFT, with their distinguishing sign letters ............ 335 Countries/sovereign territories in which the rule of the road is to drive on the RIGHT, with their distinguishing sign letters .......... 335 e-mark and E-mark approval country identification numbers ................ 337 Countries/States with no upper speed limit on some roads .................. 337 UK speed limit changes by dates .............................................................. 337 Vehicle emission tax bands (UK) ............................................................... 337 Winter braking distances at 30 km/h (20 mph) ......................................... 338 Overall stopping distances ...................................................................... 338 Tyre sidewall decode ................................................................................ 338 Tyre load index codes ................................................................................ 340 Tyre speed rating codes ............................................................................ 340 Wide loads (UK) .......................................................................................... 341 VIN number decode .................................................................................... 341 UK vehicle registration codes ................................................................. 342 Racing flags ............................................................................................... 342 Formula 1 world champions ...................................................................... 343 Rally pace notes, bend designations ....................................................... 344 Endorsement offence codes ..................................................................... 344 Risk of collision due to blood alcohol levels ....................................... 347 Junction styles .......................................................................................... 347

 dDd

d
D, diagonal construction, crossply, a designation within a tyre size coding. D, diesel. D, diesel, an oil approved for use by CCMC in diesel engines. D, drive, on an automatic gearbox it allows automatic selection by the gearbox of the best forward gear to match road speed and the power demand from the driver. D, down, on a road rally typically a lower spot height. D, dysgwr, Welsh, learner, a plate bearing the letter D signifying the driver is a learner, permitted in Wales as an alternative to an L plate. D, Germany, international vehicle distinguishing sign, see appendices. D, a hire car size and price category for cars based upon their floor pan; a medium sized family car that will seat 5 with comfort, e.g. Audi A6, or BMW 5-series sized. D, does not meet security requirements, referring to insurance sub grouping. D, dynamo live, the terminal having the live output from the dynamo. D, Europe, a driving licence category for any bus having more than 8 passenger seats, and permitting drawing of a trailer up to 750 kg MAM. D, USA, a driving license and vehicle category for cars and any motor vehicle with a GVWR not exceeding 16,000 lbs (7.25 tonnes) except those vehicles requiring a class A, B, C, L, or M, license. D, a write-off category in which the damage is confined to windows, locks, and/or bent panels, but where the car remains roadworthy, e.g. the state in which stolen cars are typically recovered after the insurer has paid out. D1, a European driving licence category for minibuses having between 9 and 16 passenger seats, and permitting drawing of a trailer up to 750 kg MAM. D1, the lowest drive gear on an automatic gearbox, it restricts automatic selection by the gearbox to the lowest forward gear only. D1, dual single lane carriageways. D1+E, a European driving licence category for minibuses drawing a trailer where the minibus is in subcategory D1 and its trailer has a MAM exceeding 750 kg, provided that the MAM of the combination thus formed does not exceed 12,000 kg and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the kerbweight of the minibus. D2, a drive mode on an automatic gearbox, it restricts automatic selection by the gearbox to the 2 lowest forward gears only. D2, dual 2 lane carriageways. D3, a drive mode on an automatic gearbox, it restricts automatic selection by the gearbox to the 3 lowest forward gears only. D3, dual 3 lane carriageways. D4, a drive mode on an automatic gearbox, it restricts automatic selection by the gearbox to the 4 lowest forward gears only, on a 4 speed system it is merely D. D band, a VED category within which vehicles emitting over 185 g/km of CO2 are charged. D pillar, the rearmost side pillar joining the roof to the body on an estate car. D segment car, a size category for cars based upon their floor pan; a medium sized family car that will seat 5 with comfort, a common size as a repmobile. dab, a short operation of some controls, especially the footbrake or accelerator, usually causing jerky driving. DAG, Drivers Action Group, a pressure group, UK. dagmar, USA, each of a pair of large bullet shaped bumper protrusions, fashionable on some 1950s cars, named after a buxom TV personality. daily checks, a sequence of checks to all critical vehicle systems typically prompted by the mnemonic POWER, for checks of petrol, oils, waters, electrics, rubbers. daily driving, when referring to EC drivers hours, any period of 24 hours beginning when work starts, in which 9 hours may be spent driving, increased to 10 hours twice per week, with a 45 minute break after maximum 41/2 hours driving or multiples of 15 minute breaks totalling 45 minutes in the same period. daily duty, when referring to domestic drivers hours, a driver must not be on duty for more than 11 hours per day. daily rest period, when referring to EC drivers hours, a time of at least 1 hour when the driver is free to dispose of the time as wished, with a minimum of 11 consecutive hours daily rest, reducing to 9 hours on not more than 3 days in the week, providing equivalent rest is taken the following week.

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 Appendices
Winter braking distances at 30 km/h (20 mph)
standard tyres snow tyres studded tyres snow chains dry tarmac metres 6 6 10 15 wet tarmac metres 12 12 20 30 snow * metres 24 18 12 12 ice ** metres 52 36 18 24

Notes: The braking distance figures do NOT include thinking and reaction distance, for overall stopping distances add 6 metres to all figures. * The figures for snow assume it is of large flakes, dry, and frozen, i.e. stopping distances will be significantly longer in powder snow and wet snow. ** The figures for ice assume it is not wet, i.e. stopping distances will be significantly longer on wet ice. Braking distance is proportional to the square of the roadspeed, therefore if speeds are doubled to 60 km/h (40 mph) all above figures must be multiplied by 4.

Overall stopping distances

Tyre sidewall decode

European metric section width (millimetres) aspect ratio radial construction rim diameter (inches) European section width (millimetres) aspect ratio speed rating radial construction rim diameter (inches) European DIN section width (millimetres) aspect ratio radial construction rim diameter (inches) load rating speed rating 185 / 70 R 15

155 / 65 H R 14

195 / 60 R 15 91 V

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 Appendices
Rally pace notes - bend designations
There are several methods in use for defining the sharpness of a bend. The two systems shown here are the most common.

Endorsement offence codes

Code Accidents AC10 AC20 AC30 Disqualified driver BA10 BA30 Careless driving CD10 CD20 CD30 CD40 CD50 CD60 CD70 Offence Failing to stop after an accident Failing to give particulars or to report an accident Undefined accident offences Driving whilst disqualified by order of a court Attempting to drive whilst disqualified by order of a court Driving without due care and attention Driving without reasonable consideration for other road users Driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users Causing death through careless driving when unfit through drink Causing death through careless driving when unfit through drugs Causing death through careless driving with alcohol level above the limit Causing death through careless driving then failing to supply a specimen for analysis Penalty points 5-10 5-10 5-10 6 6 3-9 3-9 3-9 3-11 3-11 3-11 3-11

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 Appendices
Risk of collision due to blood alcohol levels

Junction styles

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 Appendices
Euro metric section width (millimetres) radial construction rim diameter (inches) USA P metric passenger car section width (millimetres) aspect ratio speed rating radial construction rim diameter (inches) USA P metric passenger car section width (millimetres) aspect ratio radial construction rim diameter (inches) Temporary spare tyre temporary spare section width (millimetres) aspect ratio diagonal construction rim diameter (inches) Alpha metric load rating radial construction aspect ratio rim diameter (inches) Numeric section width (inches) non-radial construction rim diameter (inches) Light truck metric light truck section width (millimetres) aspect ratio radial construction rim diameter (inches) Floatation overall diameter (inches) section width (inches) radial construction rim diameter (inches) light truck Alpha numeric size code radial construction aspect ratio rim diameter (inches) light truck Numeric section width (inches) non-radial construction rim diameter (inches) light truck 145 / R 13

P 205 / 60 V R 15

P 195 / 65 R 14

T 115 / 70 D 13

G R 78 - 14

5.50 - 13

LT 205 / 75 R 16

31 x 11.50 R 16 LT

L R 75 - 16 LT

7.50 - 15 LT

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