How to own a 993 for decades W/O an Accident
 

Many of the driving habits I use in my 993 I developed riding a motorcycle as they seem to apply to my 993.

1) Assume you can’t be seen; A 993 has a low roofline falling below the window sills of many vehicles, this makes a 993 all but invisible to many other drivers;
2) Assume the drivers around you are oblivious or incompetent, or both; Situational awareness and obeying traffic control devices seem optional these days for many drivers;
3) Use your brain continually to update the scene unfolding before you, and plan escape routes anticipating common driving errors by others; Situational awareness is king!
4) Relinquish your right-of-way at a second’s notice; There is little value in asserting your rights on public roads when others are unaware of the rules of driving or don't respect them;
5) Provide for leaving space IN ALL DIRECTIONS;
6) Constantly change your positional relationship to the cars that surround you in traffic so they continue to see you;
7) Practice emergency maneuvers with your vehicle in an empty parking lot: know your cars handling characteristics;

I encourage others to add to my list in reply below
Andy

Great tips from a fellow biker.
Biking teaches you be much more aware as you are so vulnerable.
On the freeway from Detroit international to Ann Arbor I was once followed by a woman on her phone, adjusting her hair and steering with her knees at aound 70 mph
Look at preceeding drives manouvers, road positioning, unneccesary braking, lane changes without indication, get them in your rear view asap.

This is a very informative and practical post. I agree with everything you said and practice the same points in my daily driving. I would also add something I read elsewhere. The OP said that when you go out for a drive in your sports car/ toy/ motorcycle that you should "not have anything else" on your mind. For example work, family issues, financial issues, etc. You should be fully committed to driving and practicing the points you listed above.

Hi Andy:

You know you just jinxed yourself, right? Haha.

--Michael

I'll let you know what happens!
Andy

Well articulated, important,. Thanks Andy. This thread might rival tires and oil!...
Problem is that given the truths you and others relate, which are essential to both occupants and our cars being safe and accident free, that having to be on such vigilant guard nearly every second, and we need to, that such reality often impedes some of the pleasure and rewards in driving. our great cars.
It' often nigh impossible to maintain safe distances between ourselves and other vehicles, in front or behind. If there is such space, which we deliberately create and maintain, some fool will fill it, and usually w/o signaling, and often doing so too closely in their knee-jerk maneuver. Looking in a rear mirror and seeing someone quickly pulling in behind, not more than a foot or two from my bumper, at speed, is frequent.. Any false or other sudden move, and it's bing bang.
We are poorly seen in parking lots, especially as crew cabs and bigger higher SUV's rule America.. Their length and breadth impede our visibility, and demand ever more driving skills and vigilance.

DRL can’t hurt. My mod (link in my sig) lets 993 fog lights work independent of headlights- if you leave your fog light switch pulled out, your fogs will come automatically when you start the car.

Well stated and almost identical to my habits that were also formed while riding motorcycles. Unfortunately, you could be the best and most cautious rider, but all it takes is 1 idiotic / inattentive driver to ruin it all.

I like to think that the above points would help make us all idiot-proof - the only problem is that they keep making smarter idiots!

I keep my LED 'turbo fog lights' on all the time. Rears light as well, and I've added additional Tore LED's to the unused rear fog assemblies in our rear center plastic piece.
Technically illegal, never been stopped. I also have a copy of a comprehensive study in Australia a few years ago showing dark cars are substantially more likely to be involved in accidents, especially at night. Will show in traffic court, if necessary!
Absent side marker/directionals on our U.S. spec cars, aiding in being been in lane changing, is a dumb omission by the Feds here decades ago.Not all agree.

Very well stated - excellent information and I always appreciate such reminders to be vigilant.

It is my assumption other drivers are not only completely unaware of my presence on the road, but they wouldn't alter their actions in any way f they were.

Well said Andy! I also as mentioned earlier turn my lights on at dusk......a white car also gets lost sometimes in the bright light and the lights come on for what that is worth.......have had good luck for over 20 years and counting.........have owned 4 911s and agree with your list wholeheartedly, as I have never had an accident in a Porsche......we get out of the way fast;)

-Drive in a manner such that no other driver has to react to what you're doing.
-Drive as if your horn doesn't work.

I've owned my 993 for nearly 14 years. During that time, a Rennlist member opened their door into my driver's side rear wheel arch (leaving a dent), and another Rennlist member smacked into the rear of my 993 (damaging my bumper).

Friendly fire is painful.




Andreas

You can do all this and more and still get hit. There are no guarantees in 'Merica 2019, brought to you (usually) by texting, etc.

+1 very good!

I approach driving as if any accident - my fault or not - is a failure. I expect nothing out of the other drivers in the way of helping me avoid collisions.

Good advice!

I drove the 993 for 4 years with no horn.

The biggest issue I had over and over again was parking lots. People do incredibly stupid stuff inside them and entering/leaving them.

Let's just say that I became very skilled at making my voice louder than a horn!

--Michael

I’ll add, I've been riding motorcycles for over 50 years. Apparently here in California, no-one know what the stalk on thr left side of the steering wheel is for. I have been really good at reading body language. Has kept me out of a few close ones on the bike a n car (s). Found that a horn on a motorcycle is mostly useless for two reasons, unless you add an air horn, the meager meepmeep won’t be heard and second, by the time you react and hit the horn an evasive maneuver is a whole lot better.

^ Michael, do you have to add oil that often? :confused:;)

Same deal here in VA.
Sometimes it feels like some drivers are trying to play Chicken with you. Some even fake a lane change with a quick jerk towards your lane causing one to back way off whereupon they proceed to make the lane change, no turn signal involved.

[QUOTE=pp000830;15918832]Same deal here in VA.
Sometimes it feels like some drivers are trying to play Chicken with you. Some even fake a lane change with a quick jerk towards your lane causing one to back way off whereupon they proceed to make the lane change, no turn signal involved.[/QUOT
How about leaving your car in the garage covered??

As an add driver training especially on a bike teaches a lot. I raced for 20yrs in an MGA then biked for another 15 now doing track days in my 944. The ability to respond correctly and quickly in emergency situations is something you can learn safely.
eg. on a bike don't look at w.hat you want to avoid. Do skid training, great progranmm in the UK via Porsche. it's very informative to take your car beyond it's adhesion limit in a non threatening environment and learn. the Finns make great drivers because they drive on ice a lot and learn young, the Italians are mad but have great car control. Too many modern drivers rely on the car with traction control, proximity sensors etc. and can't drive for sh1t.

Leave the car in the garage covered. You won't worry about performance tires, key fobs, servo motors, mixing flaps, etc. You will need a reliable maintenance charger.

Yes so the next owner actually enjoys the car.

The less you drive, the less probability you have of an accident. Conversely, the more you drive, the greater the probability of an accident.
Insurer's, in part, base rates on this theory, the theory of probability.
Also, the less you drive, you will not have to worry about performance tires, key fobs, servo motors, and mixing flaps.
Lower insurance rate with less mileage and remaining accident free.

As my driving teacher in Germany used to say: „When the drivers behind you believe that your brake lights must be out as you drive along, you’re doing it right.“. I try to drive without brakes as much as possible to modulate my speed by always looking at least three cars ahead, within reason, of course. No outrageous engine braking or the like, brakes are still cheaper than a clutch...

I must be due for one hell of an accident, what with the shunt-free mileage I’ve piled onto my daily driver (noted below).




Andreas

Good thread.

Accident free for 40 years (Shhhh!). Not sure I can add much to the above great advice.

1. Reduce distractions. When you find your mind wandering, turn off the radio. I find an MT helps. When I drive my wife’s SUV, it’s like I am being put to sleep by driving an auto box.

2. Keep your windows clean, inside and out. Make sure *you* can see.

3. Eliminate clutter inside. I can’t stand anything rolling around the interior. The slightest rattle drives me nuts. Everything in the car is stowed or in the frunk.

4. Ditto on observing behavior ahead and behind. Develop a feel for what is ‘unusual’ and look out for it.

5. Profile vehicles. The white pickup truck at 3pm might have just picked up a six pack. The Minivan drifting right might have a distracted mom in the process of smacking a few kids. The Crown Vic with low tires might be a retiree with a shaky older driver.

6. Cover the brake when needed, and be prepared to depress it.

7. Slow down in parking lots, expect people to not look backing up. See 6.

8. Drive as if your horn is broken. Avoid contact, visual or otherwise with other drivers. Somebody cut you off? Relax, smile, get about your mission, which is to get to B from A.

If you see someone behind you on their phone, move lanes immediately!

In a 993 that may actually be true. Lol. I had to pull the fuse on mine after the inevitable horn beeps over bumps. Did the o-ring fix and it is all better.

+1 If you are constantly touching your brakes on the highway you are probably driving too aggressively.

True,
Andy

I'll add a few:

1) Don't hang around in the other guy's blindspot.
2) Don't park next to tall vehicles in parking lots or behind them on the street.

Drive like youre on a motorcycle - we (old ones at least!) tend to be the most defensive driver

dont drive in parking lots

if you cant avoid parking lots, never backup in one

Congrats! I've been with you all that time too.

One of the things I learned long ago was to leave plenty of space in front of me, drive/ride always with the headlights on and pay strict attention to ANYTHING that moves as it is a potential threat.

.

Didn't read them all yet, but watching driver's hands and front tires save my ass regularly on a bicycle.

And in addition, the longer you drive accident free or without a claim, the greater the probability you will encounter an accident or claim.
Insurer's rates are based on risks, and again, probabilities.
Theory of probability.

Now you know why we have such low speed limits in North America. Too many people doing everything behind the wheel...except driving.

Exactly. One of my pets peeves is ppl who’ll roll up to a stop,...and keep slowing rolling, so you’re not quite sure if ARE going to stop. I do find that looking at the front wheel to notice rotation is much quicker than looking at the body of the car to see motion.

All great reminders in this thread!

Yes TexasJake, agree, but...
Looking at other drivers' heads and hands has become often nigh impossible with the onslaught of heavily tinted-almost blackened windows, side windows in particular; illegal, but not enforced.

I was thinking about you when I realized that statistically, your average chance of getting in an accident is exactly the same each time one takes their car out for a trip with the first trip or their 100th. Also, certain driver behaviors not only help with not causing an accident but some also result in accident avoidance for potential accidents caused by others. For me, this suggests that a vigilant driver who maintains situational awareness and has enough experience to make sudden changes to avoid an accident second nature can reduce their chances of getting in an accident on each trip by several orders of magnitude. Just reducing this risk by a couple of zeros, orders of magnitude, would reduce one's incident rate for accidents by decades. Someone who manages to lower their risk by three orders of magnitude potentially extends their accident-free status for the entire service life of their vehicle. This may be why driver age is a key factor of the risk accidents. and why accident history varies widely between drivers.
Andy

Are you suggesting that an operator of an automobile driving ten (10) individual trips is less likely to have an accident than an operator driving one (1) trip, exactly the same mileage?

I think Andy might have been referring to the other part of your statement:
...... the longer you drive accident free or without a claim, the greater the probability you will encounter an accident or claim.
Which is like saying the more heads I flip in a row, the more likely the next one will be tails, which of course is false.

No the risk on each individual trip is on average the same.
Andy

Yes,
And I am also saying driver behavior has a dramatic influence on the statistics versus just flipping the coin (trips taken)

This thread really hits home for me. I drove for a living. I am a retired Teamster. I always worked in construction, moving heavy equipment up to 60 tons and 15 feet wide. Often with Highway Patrol escorts. The current driving environment is such that I avoid freeways whenever possible and spend my time on the back roads of Northern California. Around here people merging on the freeway think THEY have the right of way. They don't use their mirrors, and I don't think they have a clue about the rules of the road. The Highway Patrol officers I know admit that things are a mess but they are simply outnumbered. If you think things are bad in a 993 try it at a gross weight of 175,000 pounds and 100 feet long. We need tougher licensing procedures......

Funny story (now)....

A few years back in my Miata I came to a stop sign at a busy intersection during rush hour. Crossing traffic was at a complete stop due to construction so I settled in for a long wait. In my rear view mirror I watched as a huge truck approached. He stopped a few feet back and I remember being amazed at how big he was. All I could see was grill, which must have been 8 ft tall. From my angle, I couldn’t see the driver or even the windshield.

Some minutes go by when out of the blue the guy bumps me. Then another, this time harder. Then another. WTF??? Next thing I know I’m in a 4-wheel slide out into traffic with both feet on my brake. I’m no match for the truck so I resign myself to getting accordianed into the line of cars. The only thing that saved me was pedestrians jumping up and down waving their arms and yelling, which somehow stopped the truck. I’m thinking the guy lost his mind waiting so long in the hot sun, so I get out of the car thinking things are going to get ugly. Turns out the totally forgot I was there and, not being able to see me, decided to pull all the way up to the stop sign. His insurance took care of everything ok and no one was hurt, so no big deal, but I remember thinking how easily he could have killed a pedestrian.

I have a friend who was pushed several miles down I70 into Columbus OH by a trucker who didn't see him over the trucks hood.

Have a couple my dad taught me:

Look at the horizon (distance) first and then scan down to cars closest to you. I swear my ex- bro in law never looked more than 30 ft ahead of him and would always be "surprised" by a traffic jam / slow down ahead.

When passing a car on the hwy, note the distance of the car's front tire in relation to the dotted line. If you see that tire is going to touch the line, he is turning into your lane! Saved me more than once.


I still think you should have to take the written test for license renewal and the driving portion every other test. At the very least it would weed out the marginal drivers and give everyone a refresh on the rules of the road. But then this is the same system that had me parallel park with one car. Made me take a US test as they would not recognize the drivers license I had in Germany. The one in Germany was a lot harder and more comprehensive.


Harold

The truck drivers mentioned in posts 46 and 47 chose the wrong career path. Drivers licenses of all types are too easy to get. I'm still in the industry and the quality of applicants for driving jobs is scary.

This is a really helpful reminder post. I used to ride a motorcycle for a couple of years (long ago - gave it up when I thought about personal safety ��) but I retained the “ride paranoid” mentality described by many of you which is be aware of your surroundings, constantly scan, watch your rear, always have an escape route, watch your spacing, etc.

What drives me crazy, and is totally out of our control, are the drivers looking at their phones, texting, going across 3 lanes in 100 feet because google maps gives them directions late and they think nothing of causing an accident rather than turning around at the next opportunity. My son, driving our large truck, was rear ended at 40 mph by someone texting or looking at her phone. He was stopped at a light. She totaled her car, caused damage to ours, lucky she hit the our tow hitch.

Had that been any of us in our Porsche’s it would’ve likely caused personal injuries to us and scratch a very nice Porsche. That is totally out of our control.

I also use the front tires to gauge what a driver is intending to do at an intersection - if they are still turning when they shouldn’t be, they’re getting ready to do something stupid.

Another golden rule is that if you don’t make eye contact with the other driver, always assume they don’t see you and stay on guard!

Ps - great avatar! I have 2 GSDs - best dogs ever!!