Driving Advice

[GrassyGnoll]

Now that my prolonged prolonging of acquiring my driver's permit is over I have been loosed on the road at the overripe age of 17. Today I spent 3 hours concentrated on making sure I did not cause the fiery and/or crunchy death of those in my proximity. Wheel in my death grip vice I piloted the road with the velocity of a paranoid nonogenarian with an "herbal" buzz. Point is, I'm spent. It's the little things that get to you too. Judging by the reaction of my father forgetting to dip a little in the opposite direction before parking is a cardinal sin. Are there any other tips glazed over by my instructor and parents that may save me a scratch or bump?

[Zarrexaij]

Don't be overly cautious. It sounds paradoxical, but you can make just as many mistakes being too cautious as you can being careless.

[Amotis]

Wheel in my death grip vice I piloted the road with the velocity of a paranoid nonogenarian with an "herbal" buzz.

You got it half right. I suggest you relax. Driving should be fluid. Like changing lanes, the look over your shoulder and to the mirrors should be smooth, keeping your hands straight and body open to movement. If everything is jerky and tense you lose the control of reacting, or the possibility of overcompensating.

edito - or get simi'd by a pyramidhead. thats works sometimes too.

[Cobra_Ikari]

I've not a clue. I'm an awful driver. Tend to speed, often pass out at the wheel...I've nearly run over a policeman and into a fuel tanker. So, yeah. >.>

[Mordar]

Now that my prolonged prolonging of acquiring my driver's permit is over I have been loosed on the road at the overripe age of 17. Today I spent 3 hours concentrated on making sure I did not cause the fiery and/or crunchy death of those in my proximity. Wheel in my death grip vice I piloted the road with the velocity of a paranoid nonogenarian with an "herbal" buzz. Point is, I'm spent. It's the little things that get to you too. Judging by the reaction of my father forgetting to dip a little in the opposite direction before parking is a cardinal sin. Are there any other tips glazed over by my instructor and parents that may save me a scratch or bump?

Don't drive and talk on the phone.

Don't drive and text-message.

Don't drive and play with your iPod.

Do pay attention to what you're doing.

Do breathe.

Do drive lots on small, local neighborhood roads so that you really learn the control of your specific car - braking, turn radius, acceleration, lines-of-sight.

Do remember that even though your peers drive and screw around all the time, you don't want to be the one that ends up dead (or killing someone), so pay attention to all the rules, even if they're not cool.

Oh...and try to be relaxed and comfortable without taking the driving for granted.

Be safe!

- Mordar

[DraPrime]

Don't run over a pig. It's what my friend did when he was taking the test to get his license.

And just drive a lot to get better. You eventually get used to it, even though it may seem freaky at first.

[Flickerdart]

Just do it. That seemed to be what my driving instructor tried to teach me when he took me out on the main streets on the first lesson. What's that, you say? Toronto doesn't have a lot of traffic, you say? Perfectly fine roads and drivers that know what they're doing make it easy, you say? Automatic gearshift is no problem?
WRONG.
This took place in Moscow. Huge city, old and shoddy streets, terrible cars. Oh, and manual gearshift is a *censored* when you're standing in a traffic jam and have to inch along a few meters every once in a while.
As for the skill and ability of other drivers...we have a saying:
"Bought a car, bought a license, didn't buy knowing how to drive." Not to mention mopeds and the like don't even need a license to go on the road.

At one point, my instructor actually urged me to run a yellow light. In Soviet Russia, driving is afraid of YOU!

[RTGoodman]

Driving Tip #1: Don't hit anything. :smallwink:

Seriously though, relaxing is a big one. If you're too jumpy, you might end up over-correcting and swerving or anything like that.

Also, just get a lot of practice. I didn't drive much at all from the time I got my permit until I went to take my actual driving test. I still passed, but I wasn't that great. I've spent more time behind the wheel, and now I regularly drive 3 hours each way between school and home, including rush-hour traffic in Raleigh.



Don't run over a pig. It's what my friend did when he was taking the test to get his license.

Okay, where do you live? I though I lived in the boonies, but I've never heard of anything like that. :smalleek:

[Ivius]

1: Go as fast as you can. Nothing says "I can't drive" like going too slow.

2: Be aggressive. In NASCAR events and illegal street races, some of the best drivers on the road win because off just that.

3: When in doubt, lay on the horn. Why do you think it's there?

[hobbes543]

1: Go as fast as you can. Nothing says "I can't drive" like going too slow.

2: Be aggressive. In NASCAR events and illegal street races, some of the best drivers on the road win because off just that.

3: When in doubt, lay on the horn. Why do you think it's there?

I take it your from Boston? Most rules of the road are only mere suggestions in Boston.

[Bag_of_Holding]

When it comes down to giving some tips on driving, the best I could give you is simply not to drive. I think it's very scary :smalleek:



Yeah, I'm a big fan of public transports and riding my push-bike around.

[AslanCross]

It's scary when you start and can continue to be scary until you've been driving for about a year. Even then you will still make mistakes.

-Be calm and know when you have right of way.
-Driving too slowly is just as bad as speeding.
-Don't distract yourself with your cellphone, handheld game or book.
-Don't drink and drive, of course.
-Refuse to drive if you feel too fatigued. Falling asleep at the wheel is very dangerous.

Eventually the car will feel like an extension of your body, and driving will become about as automatic as walking. Don't think about it. It's more instinctive than cognitive.

[Copacetic]

Keep your eyes on the road, Don't be distracted.... Heck, whadda I know? Where I live I'm not drving for another three years.

[Nychta]

I don't drive. Probably don't even know your road rules.

However, as a person who walks to and from school, I can advise you that indicating at least a few seconds before you turn is a good idea. It saves pedestrians swearing at you for not giving enough notice, and it saves you swearing at them for walking out on the road when you were *obviously* about to turn.

Please.

[Nibleswick]

Stop at the stop sign not ten feet past it.

Practice some more, it's not as bad as you think it is, you just have to get use to it.

[Solo]

Don't Panic

[thubby]

breath, sit back in your seat, crack a window (it was a huge help to me when i was learning). if anything about the car you are driving makes you uncomfortable, change it. mirrors, seat, steering wheel, you have to be comfortable driving the car before considering anyone else. because, you know, their life is in your newbie hands.

YOU ARE NOT THE CENTER OF YOUR CAR!!! so many learners drive in 2 lanes because they miss that.

[Leper_Kahn]

Do what I do. Close your eyes and hope you don't hit anything.

Also, make sure your last words are, "I HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY!!"

[Vaynor]

I'm just about to get my permit. I've never been that excited about driving, but it will be useful I 'spose.

Good luck!

Also, it's funny, my driver's education course (the pre-permit one) has taught me everything except for how to actually drive the car. I'm still in the dark as to which pedal is the gas and which is the brake (I know I could look it up easily, but I like being able to say that).

[Felixaar]

Two words.

FLOOR IT!

[bosssmiley]

Relax, the car is under your control. It will only do what you tell it to do. If things are getting out of control, slam on the anchors.

Expect other drivers to do the stupidest, most illogical, selfish and dangerous things possible. Plan accordingly. Be pleasantly surprised when they actually act like human beings.

Expect at least one other driver a session/journey to tailgate you/cut you up. Some @ssh0les just seem to get off on bullying hesitant drivers. Come the revolution these jerks will pay... :smallwink:

[Neithan]

Another good advice: Keep distance to the car before you!

When you see a car in front of you at something difficult, like parking, or it slows down because the driver is maybe looking for directions, start to slow down even if you're still some distance away. People feel rushed if there's a car right behind them and they slow down trafic, and when they are rushed, they make errors. Doesn't help you, but everyone else. :smallsmile:

Even when the car behind you is very close, it helps a lot if there should be an accident. That way, you only get pushed over the empty street before you and not crushed betwen the car in your front and in your back.

[Groundhog]

If you're just starting to learn how to drive, go to an empty parking lot and just practice turning, accelerating, etc. This way you can gain some confidence with manipulating the car and its controls without having to worry about hitting anyone/thing worse than the curb. Some driving schools even set up regulation parallel parking spaces in empty lots, so you can practice your parking too. After that, try going onto quiet streets, then work your way up until you are confident enough to go on the highway.

And don't feel too bad about not dipping before you park. At least you didn't do what I did my second time practicing, and ran over a bus stop, right?

[Aston]

Remember that lights synchronised for 35 are also usually synchronised at 70. ;)

Um.... Practice with someone there. Unless they are like my mom, who is a nervous passenger. Try to get someone who trusts you to sit in the passenger seat for a while, just to give you confidence and advice, preferably after the fact.

[DraPrime]

Okay, where do you live? I though I lived in the boonies, but I've never heard of anything like that. :smalleek:

It was surprisingly close to Boston. We do have some (although few) farms in the area, and somehow a very unlucky pig got onto the road.

[Haruki-kun]

Here's some advice. If there's one hting I've learned about driving in the past 3 years it's this:

Good drivers just drive.

Don't do ANYHTING other that driving while driving. Talking with someone next to you is fine, but only if you feel confident. If your cell phone starts ringing, don't pick it up. If it's really important, pull over, and then pick it up.

Also, ALWAYS wear a seatbelt and force everyone in the car to wear one, too. No exceptions. I've had people tell me seatbelts "aren't as safe". But it would be too much of a ocincidence how many lives they've saved. Not to mention the millions of dollars that have been spent researching them.

[Zeb The Troll]

As a motorcyclist who's been nearly run off the road by a lane change far too often, I'd like to reiterate checking your mirrors and actually looking over your shoulder to check your blind spots before changing lanes.

No kidding. The worst part about that is that most often I'm not riding in a blind spot, I'm actually right outside their window and if they'd turned their heads even far enough to see their side view mirrors they'd have seen me in their periphery, but no. They just start meandering into my lane until I start honking my (rather anemic) horn and when they realize what they're doing they invariably jerk the (usually) SUV back into the lane they were in, nearly causing an accident that way too.

Aside from that, like others have said, just find some lesser travelled side streets and drive around them until you're comfortable with the way your vehicle responds to your input. That's what I had my daughter do and she's (if I do say so myself) a very good driver.

[Leper_Kahn]

As a motorcyclist who's been nearly run off the road by a lane change far too often, I'd like to reiterate checking your mirrors and actually looking over your shoulder to check your blind spots before changing lanes.

You crazy motorcyclists! He's right though. It is VERY hard to see motorcycles. I swear they just appear from nowhere, but even if they do just appear that's better than almost running someone off the road. Always check. It's better to be surprised than killing someone.


You should still try to avoid being surprised. :smallwink:

[Cheesegear]

Mood affects your driving. And music will often affect your mood. At least for me. What's on the radio/CD/thing can help or harm your driving. So does singing along. Concentrate on the road. Not on the music/talking.
I find that annoying too. People talking to me whilst I'm trying to drive tends to distract me. But, that can rarely be avoided when you're car-pooling, or being taught to drive.

After the first few lessons I had, nothing annoyed me more than my instructor (Mum/Dad/Instructor) telling me what I did wrong because I already knew.

[Dallas-Dakota]

1 sell car

2 buy good bike

3 get one of the best conditions in town(city)

4 Be faster then those wussies with their cars.

[Totally Guy]

My advice is to be placid. I don't yell at other drivers when they make little mistakes and I disassociate with the concept of yelling at other drivers. That way when I make a little mistake I don't end up imagining that everybody judging me on it. I don't imagine the driver behind yelling obsenities. As such I don't tend to beat myself up over anything and don't get irate myself.

I think I've only had the dreaded two finger salute once in my 2 and a quarter years of driving.

Treat others the way you want to imagine them treating you. If they are ranting in their car, it doesn't matter, you can't hear it. They could be singing along to death metal for all you know.

That's my advice if it made any sense.

[CrazedGoblin]

Expect at least one other driver a session/journey to tailgate you/cut you up. Some @ssh0les just seem to get off on bullying hesitant drivers. Come the revolution these jerks will pay... :smallwink:


just got back from wales, drove there on my pre-pass licence (i forget its name) with a quailified driver with me of course hehe, had atleast 4 of these following me, i was at the speed limit, then when it was ok to overtake they go past me as fast as possible, had one person try to pull back into the lane i was in when we were side by side, lets just say the breaks were tested pretty well.

[skywalker]

Remember that lights synchronised for 35 are also usually synchronised at 70. ;)

This is a fallacy. You will simply make it to the next light while it's still red. I've actually tried to do this with the street lights in my hometown(which are timed to 35).

[phoenixineohp]

Don't hit things.

Don't confuse the brake with the gas.

Do look over your shoulder for lane changes. Even if you could swear nothing is behind you. It's because it's beside you.

Don't merge into other vehicles.

On the highway look for red lights ahead of the car in front of you. Know if traffic is slowing before the car ahead of you brakes.

If in doubt about being able to make the left hand turn before the on coming car, wait. Even if it looks clear, and there is a car turning right onto the one lane street, and it looks like you have lots of time, wait.

Here is a little situation...

You are waiting to do a left hand turn in an intersection. There is a bus that is in right hand lane of the double on coming street. It is signaling left. The way is clear but a green in both directions. Do you take the left?

No. The bus is pulling away from the curb, not turning left itself. It would be in the other lane to do that.

Buses get angry when they think you are cutting them off. It freaks the heck out of the pedestrian who is crossing too. And your passenger. :smallsigh:

The next time you have bad weather, take the car out to a parking lot or on back roads. Learn what it feels like to drive in that bad weather. One thing is to go slower. Hydroplaning is one of the scariest things ever. Learn not to over correct.

Remember that the car goes where your eyes are.

Never ever drive if you have had something to drink. Not only is it unsafe, I'll come over there and kill you. :smallannoyed:

Good luck. Everyone messes up at some point. It will be okay. Just fess up and be glad you got it out of your system. :smallsmile:
(And check out the show 'Canada's Worst Driver'. There are at least two seasons and it will teach you the ins and outs really well. And it's hilarious.)

[Amotis]

Hydroplaning is one of the scariest things ever.

Nah, it's like flying in your car. :smallbiggrin:

The weight of the world lifts off your shoulders and you feel the invisible yet present guiding hand of James Dean like Ol' Ben talking to Luke in the Death Star trenches.

"Let go, Luke. Let go of your sen- OH ****, WALL!"

[Robberbaron]

Pretty sure I only saw one person mention turn signals, use them, whether you're changing lanes or actually turning, they're one of your few communicating devices as a driver. Unless there are multiple places to turn in before your turn, try turning it on before you start applying your brakes.

Learn the traffic in the area around you, if there is a particular off ramp on a highway that is clogged, get over early, don't try and roar on past everyone that is patiently waiting and cut in line. I'm all for roaring down the road, but do that on the long stretches, better to be safe around exits, interchanges and the like.

Basically if you don't want other drivers doing it to you, do your best not to do it to others.

[Ranna]

On my driving test traffic lights and traffic jams were an absolute god send, because it cuts down on the actual amount of driving you have to do in front of the tester but thats in Britain. - My sister has just passed the American driving test and she says its OK if you just keep your cool and look in your mirrors before you do anything and signal with every movement you wish to make.

Oh and stay away from other moron drivers, there has been cases where another person has failed someones test for them.

[Burrito]

Driving is a weird little paradox: You can't drive unless you know how to drive, and you won't know how to drive unless you start driving...huh?

I've only been driving for 16 years, and have only had about 40 hours of behind the wheel training in police pursuit driving, so I am by NO MEANS and expert....so take this advice with a grain of salt.

I am just going to assume you have your learners permit, and need to have a licensed driver with you. Practice with someone you are comfortable with. Parents surprisingly, arn't all that good to drive with. Uncles, aunts, older cousins, family friends are good to drive with. There isn't the same pressure of disapointment with them as there is with mom and dad.

Big parking lots, late at night are good to practice in. They are usually well lit, and have the pavement in good condition. There are lots of lines on the ground to practice parking on.

I tend to move my mirrors out so that I can actually see my blind spots. You don't see as much behind you, but you still have the rearview mirror.

Don't get worried about staying in your lane. Just focus on the road up ahead of you (10-20) car lengths. some people tend to stear by looking at the lines just ahead of the car. This leads to overcorrection and a drastic lack of response time. If you keep your eyes up, and focused on whats going on up ahead of you, you can react to it. Use your peripheral vision to stay in the lane. The car won't suddenly jump into the ditch all on its own.

Practice, practice, practice. In the morning, in the rain/snow/whatever. At night if you can. With the sun in your eyes. Try to cover every normal situation (as safely as you can), you won't get comfortable or confident unless you actually drive.

Hope it helps.

[GrassyGnoll]

Thanks to all of you, especially Burrito and phoenix. A modicum of safety has been restored to the road.