Being a Good Driver

[TheMeInTeam]

Aside from trying not to tailgate (and a half-second of additional reaction time hardly matters if you're going 60), this is why I very much appreciate sometimes driving an SUV where I can see over sedans to some degree, and why I try hard especially in my Mustang to not be behind an SUV or pickup truck (or other taller vehicle) in traffic so I at least might be able to peer through the windows of the car in front of me.

not tailgating makes all the difference in the world here. for both you, and the idiot or non-idiot behind you.

going 60+, a car will not stop in 1-2s. collision force increases as a square of the speed though, so getting down to 20-40 vs hitting at 60 is a massive difference in terms of damage and risk. further, guy behind you not tailgating gets more time to react, too.

other factors matter of course, like how much the vehicle hit decelerates the car hitting from behind and how quickly. if you hit a light car, it likely won't stop the vehicle colliding with it entirely or even close, so that will generate less damage than if same car drove into a reinforced concrete wall at same speed (much less).

in pretty much every scenario, hitting the thing going at half the speed will improve the odds of living, and it will usually improve them greatly. thus not tailgating and having an extra 0.5-2s of time to slow can easily save lives, even in scenarios where a collision isn't avoidable. large vehicles might obstruct view, but even in this situation both your vision and your ability to react in a useful way are improved by not being up someone's butt on the road. one of many reasons i called out tailgating earlier.

 

[Samez]

A lot of good advice in this thread. One i would like to add:
If you have trouble seeing in the dark get your sight checked. Don't be to proud to wear lenses/glasses especially when driving.

 

[Kaitzilla]

^ Yes, 20/20 vision at all times

Sunglasses.
Needed whenever the sun is on the horizon, both morning and night for 1 hour each.
The rest of the day they are a menace, darkening what should be easily seen like grey cars

Clean windows.
Some people foolishly go blind when headlights hit the windshield just right.
Don't tolerate that film on the windshield because the person in front at the car wash put wax through the water sprayer.
Do whatever it takes to get the dirt and waxy film/haze off the windows.
Smoking, plastic particles, vapors, don't tolerate any situation that causes you to go blind at any time.

Night driving is high-stakes because the odds of dying skyrocket.
Every drunk and tired soul is lurking in the darkness ready to crash.

The brights setting on the headlights are wonderful.
Double powered headlights.
Just can't do it when you are 700 feet behind someone or 2000 feet from someone coming the other way.

If someone is riding your bumper with high mounted headlights beaming the sun into your face, push the tab on your rearview mirror to switch to the darkened view.
If someone is just sitting in the way, pull back on the headlight stick to flash your lights.

Wildlife and cops are everywhere.
The cops because they are trying to catch the coveted DWI arrest.
It is basically like winning the lottery for them because they make so much money.
No, like Christmas came early.
The tow company also makes a fortune, so they will be there in 3 minutes.
The lawyers and judge also make about 1000 bucks for a few minutes work.
The fun blow system that attaches to the ignition system that needs a good blow to start the vehicle for for a few months.
The fun electronic problems the vehicle has the rest of its life because a moron attached the ignition interlock device.
The numerous expensive hotel retreats for the grade school SATOP finger wagging.
The permanent monthly increase to the car insurance bill.
Ding ding ding cha ching ching ching. $$$$$

Some people are irritated because headlights only reach out in front of the car only so far.
They are designed this way to prevent blinding oncoming drivers.
Know that a lower powered light actually does shine forward into the night, but it can't be seen like the light on the ground.
Best way to see it is shine the headlights on the side of a building at night.
Knowing your actual headlight strength and pattern can increase confidence.

Being too timid with the horn is a problem some people have.
A short beep solves a lot of problems, especially when someone is about to back into you.
Don't stick your head out the window and yell at them like I did.
They won't hear a human voice usually.

Don't go crazy and die a road rage victim.
The horn is for alerting people, avoiding crashes, or letting someone know they almost caused you to crash.
Like that time I wrongly braked to let someone in on the highway, almost causing the person merging behind me to crash into me as they checked behind themselves.
If you want to let someone merge in front on the highway, just take the foot off the gas.

 

[Kaitzilla]

If self driving cars become the norm, you will see a lot of cars with zero people inside them.

"Alexia, drive me to the office."

"Alexia, after I have left the vehicle, drive to a legal parking space."

.....

"Alexia, drive to the office and wait."

I have deep skepticism about self driving cars.

Can a computer duplicate everything I do on the road each day?
Nope.


Someone is sticking out halfway into my lane and they came to a stop.

Swerve part way into the next lane over?
Lock up the brakes and stop?
Can the self-driving car even tell the lane is partially blocked?

The computer car will crash every time I bet.

Humans can barely solve the fringe/edge cases.
I don't see an algorithm that can match us.

 

[EvaDK]

My best tip: always keep a healthy distance to the person in front of you. Also when stopping at traffic lights.
Also: always make passes in the left lane. (only applies in nations where you drive in the right side of the road)

I also have a license for motorcycle; my best tip is - always be aware that car drivers might not see or notice you in the traffic. That's why my driving instructor recommended that you wear a very visible color leather jacket, like red or orange, instead of black.

 

[IglooDame]

My best tip: always keep a healthy distance to the person in front of you. Also when stopping at traffic lights.
Also: always make passes in the left lane. (only applies in nations where you drive in the right side of the road)

I also have a license for motorcycle; my best tip is - always be aware that car drivers might not see or notice you in the traffic. That's why my driving instructor recommended that you wear a very visible color leather jacket, like red or orange, instead of black.

A UKish friend of mine referred to passing on the slow-lane side (whether that is right or left being country-dependent yes) as "undertaking" and I'm not sure he just came up with that or it's a UKish term but it struck me as an excellent double entendre. Even though I'm sometimes wont to blow past a fast-lane squatter on their right. (USian)

 

[tjs282]

"Undertaking" is fairly commonly used in the UK

 

[EvaDK]

A UKish friend of mine referred to passing on the slow-lane side (whether that is right or left being country-dependent yes) as "undertaking" and I'm not sure he just came up with that or it's a UKish term but it struck me as an excellent double entendre.

Gallows humor at its finest.

I was in the navy; we used to refer to infantry men/women as 'donors'. I've heard British armored regiment crews refer to them as 'crunchies'.