JEC_31

Great thread.

I'm a diligent "reader of driver-car-body-english", I guess I have a knack for it. I can't count how many times I've avoided trouble by successfully predicting when someone is going to suddenly change lanes or pull out. It's all in the little moves their car makes, the turned wheels and the driver's head motions.

Example: you are coming up to a side street and the car waiting to turn left out of it moves a little then stops - but the driver's head is craned in the opposite direction from you. If the car creeps a little more - slow the F down because here they come.

I also find that the motorcyclist's constant paranoia is a good thing. My father sold his Yamaha when I was little - after getting knocked down and bruised twice in one day, on the way to work and on the way home, both times by drivers who didn't see him. I've had a few close calls in sportscars but have been lucky so far.

I am going to start ingraining into habit some tidbits from this thread, like keeping wheels straight while waiting to turn and using the horn for rear-enders. Thanks guys.

Nifty

Having been rear ending in my old 911, I watch my rear view mirror a lot more these days. I find that many drive to the pace of those directly in front of them, oblivious to what's up ahead.

I do whatever to keep people off my tail. Say 1/4 mile ahead there is a traffic light, I know with traffic I will have to slow down or make a complete stop...and if someone's behind me, I start slowing down sooner just so they realize we're about to stop. I do not have to prove to the world my present car has great brakes.

If they prefer to make a full stop from 45 mph (well really 55), they can go around me.

I'm always trying to anticipate what other drivers will do, and even then I see things I would have never imagined.

rfdjr58

This is very good advice. Look far ahead of you. Look through the car ahead of you. When I'm the passenger with my son, I watch his eyes sometimes, and notice he's spending too much time looking at the tach or speedo.

Also, the big obvious suggestion is DON'T TAILGATE -- use the 3 second rule (although a lot of bad drivers will fill up the gap).

Pet Peeve: What's the deal with people driving around at night (especially trucks) with their fog lights on? In some cases it's like having the high-beams on. I don't understand this new trend (other than maybe more cars are coming standard with fog lights).

Good thread!

Stay safe!

OCBen

A few more thoughts since...

Though most of us do what we can to prevent our precious vehicles from getting damaged, we must never lose sight that it should always be our own skin that we need to save - first and foremost - and not that of our cars. Saving your *** is what all the safety features are for. And if you need to, sacrifice your car before sacrificing your life......for your car.


Some more tips:

• Make a habit of always looking up before driving underneath an overpass or a pedestrian bridge to make sure no would-be amateur bombardier has you in his sights. We've all heard the horror stories of drivers or passengers being killed by heavy objects dropped from above.

• If someone is driving alongside you and then tries to suddenly run you off the road (maliciously or through loss of control on his part) hold firm and bang your car against his, if need be, before you plow into trees or telephone poles that may happen to be alongside the road. Sacrifice your car before you sacrifice your life for your car.

It was pretty scary for me when I learned this valuable lesson. I was driving up to LA from OC on a Friday night to go clubbing. My 300ZX was clean and pristine, detailed to near concours condition as usual. I was in the right-most lane and a car happened to pull alongside me and pace me for a few minutes. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed there were at least two young hoodlum types in the car next to me. All of a sudden their car swerved sharply to the right and forced me off the road. Though shocked and in disbelief I was relieved to see that they had forced me off an offramp, which probably had them busting out laughing as they continued their joy ride looking for another victim.

I realized afterwards that they had played on my attachment to my car - not wanting my precious possession to get banged up.


A few points to keep in mind:

• It is better to trade paint with another car than to hit a tree, a pole, or other immovable object.

• It is better to hit a tree, a pole, or other immovable object than to collide head-on with another vehicle. The impact speed of hitting a stationary object is just your driving speed. The impact speed in a head-on collision is typically twice your driving speed (the sum of the two speeds) - it'll be like hitting an immovable object at twice the speed, usually with fatal results. If you're in a no-win situation it is best to risk losing your own life than colliding head-on and possibly taking out a family with young children.

• Lastly, and everyone knows this but it's worth repeating, if someone pulls a gun on you and demands your keys, DO NOT hesitate to get out of your car and relinquish your keys. If you hesitate or balk, you might end up relinquishing your life.


The bottom line here is DO NOT get too attached to your car. Value life more than your possessions. Mentally rehearse these scenarios, and others you might think of, so that should it ever happen to you, you will hopefully react as if it's second nature to you. The safety features and crumple zones of your car were designed to protect you - designed to sacrifice your car to save your life. Live by that philosphy.

richc

A couple I picked up from riding cycles for 40+ years -

1. don't ride beside or behind tractor trailers. They shed tires.
2. stuff bounces out of pick-up trucks. Same rule, don't ride beside or behind them.

sandwedge

In the center lane of I 75 south of Tampa couple of months ago: a 6' aluminum step ladder. A little bruised from at least one car encounter but for the most part intact.

Ucube

Great driving tips all around. I have one that's more so a driver behavior, which in turn, could aid in accident prevention. My late father always taught me to constantly remind myself "I'm never late" whenever I'm behind the wheel. Haste and driving often don't go well together.

OCBen

In my case I was a good distance behind it.

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-forum/226989-hereis-where-a-clear-bra-may-have-paid-for-itself-o-ouch.html

OCBen

That's great advice. I'm guilty of running late much of the time, and I usually try to make up time on my way there. Your dad was a smart man. Good advice.

Reminds me of a Rennlister's plate or tag line:

"I'm never late.
In my 9-2-8."

Cowhorn

I agree.

Norsk

Great topic. I'll add a couple: when crossing an intersection (of a two way street) get in the habit of looking left and then right, as your first lane of conflict will be coming from the left.

When parking, look for a pull through or else back in to the space so you have better visibility when you leave. No need to mention protecting the Pcar!

Don't ride in the pack. Drivers tend to ride in groups, must be some social subliminal thing.

Speaking of the "no zone" around tractor trailers, most collisions with cars occur just off the right front fender of the tractor. That's where the truck driver can't see through his cab, and the fender mirror (if equipped) is feeble.

fast1

One of the most important habits that drivers can get into is to allow more than enough time to get to their destination. There is nothing more dangerous than encountering a driver who is late for an appointment, and will literally risk his life and those near him to save a few minutes.

I live in the country and some of the roads do not have a dividing line. Moreover at least 60% of the vehicles that I encounter daily are either SUVs or trucks, driven by people who haven't the faintest idea where their right fender is. It is always an interesting experience having one of these drivers in their SUV coming towards you on a road without dividers, especially early in the morning.

MUSSBERGER

Never swerve to avoid a squirrel.
Always presume someone is going to encroach from the right,left or just slam you in the ***.(drove the Belt parkway everyday for a few years).

MichaelL

This is a very useful thread. Here's a couple more:
-Be careful if you are coming up on a pack of slow traffic on the highway, many motorists will change into the left lane suddenly without looking.
-When an exit ramp is backed up and blocks part of the right hand lane, some will wait until they are right on top of the exit and then stop, leaving 2 lanes blocked.
-Two cars that can't see each other until both try to change into the center lane at the same time.

chuckla

I want to be seen and heard, even by those fully distracted. Thus, I drive a red car, often have my lights on and always have pse on. I pay very close attention to what cars are doing in front and around me. I make mental notes, often remembering a piece of their license plate, and how they are driving. Who uses turn signals, who moves too close to the center line, who fails to drive at a constant speed, who demonstrates a need to cut other cars off or win a mini race, who is on the phone, etc. This helps me focus and drive with confidence. Like others, I pan my mirrors left to right frequently so no one surprises me with their sudden presence. It's all defensive, but it doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the car.