Driving tips and tricks

[HT413]

Only thing i'll add to this is why i give trucks a wide berth (especially the big boys like dumps and semi's). A loaded dump or trailer in NJ carries 80,000 lbs and carries about 25x the momentum or kinetic energy of a normal passenger car. you get hit by them and it's like getting hit by 25 cars simultaniously. Get sandwiched between 2 loaded trucks 1 going 50 and the other stopped, and you experience forces similar to what a car crusher can produce.

 

[HT413]

I also keep up w the guy ahead of me and always accelerate into a lane change. In NJ, it's more dangerous to drive too slow than too fast.

 

[HT413]

Getting hit by a 80,000 lb truck going 70 mph is like getting hit by a passenger car going 178 mph.

 

[tpodwdog]

^ I've been working for 20 years on getting my wife to realize that she needs to get past trucks quickly in the passing lane -- and that she needs to pay attention to who's creeping along the on-ramp two lanes over at the same speed as the truck, because sure as hell the truck driver is paying attention and will need to move when the car driver doesn't. Lots of close calls. She gets annoyed (!!!) when I blame her instead of the truck driver. Still working on it....

amen BIGRED...do you know why womens feet are so small?.....so they can get closer to the kitchen sink !.. i think its a good idearrrr to keep ' em there!:headbang: and off the roads!

 

[bigredbird]

amen BIGRED...do you know why womens feet are so small?.....so they can get closer to the kitchen sink !.. i think its a good idearrrr to keep ' em there!:headbang: and off the roads!

LOL! -- I'm not getting anywhere near that one! She's got some other qualities that make up for her "truck blindness," and I'd rather be doing this :sex: than this :jerk: .

:angel9:

 

[Dako]

^ I've been working for 20 years on getting my wife to realize that she needs to get past trucks quickly in the passing lane -- and that she needs to pay attention to who's creeping along the on-ramp two lanes over at the same speed as the truck, because sure as hell the truck driver is paying attention and will need to move when the car driver doesn't. Lots of close calls. She gets annoyed (!!!) when I blame her instead of the truck driver. Still working on it....

Drivers forget, when we take to the highways, we are in the truck driver's place of business...You don't just walk into a business, go behind the desk or counter and take up space...doing your own thing. You mind your place!

 

[67 coronet]

i like the trucker respect,which is well deserved.i used to drive truck about 20 years ago.have been in several accidents,none or which were my fault,and the car never faired well.tore a car in half(datsun b210)one time and all i felt was a light bump.about the same feeling as going over a speed bump.big rigs deserve respect on the roads,if for no other reason then they can kill you way too easy.

 

[pabster]

- When I'm number 1 at an intersection, I start moving forward the second the light turns green, and if someone is trying to run the light I'll try to force them to stop in the middle of the intersection. I do this a lot, and twice I've been lucky enough to have a cop nearby who would get behind the red light runner/intersection blocker and have them pull off the road so they can get their just-deserved ticket.

Interesting. I do the opposite. It's not that I condone running lights in any way, but I don't trust that people who run a light will be able to stop, so I usually wait about a second after a light turns green before going. This comes from living in Chicago, where gangbangers on the South Side would run lights all the time, and I didn't want to be the one they crash into. Sure, they were in the wrong, but I wasn't wearing body armor or carrying, and I didn't want to be gunned down.

And as far as flipping people off, I've cut way down on doing it. People in CA take that finger personally, and I've had people follow me, raging and screaming because I flipped them off for being a dumbass. Once again, not worth being gunned down.

Someone wrote that CA drivers are the worst. No way I'm going to agree with that. They're aggressive, and often distracted, but I've seen much worse. I'm voting FL for worst drivers- a lethal mix of seniors, people straight out of Central/South America driving school, dumbass kids going somewhere hammered. Best drivers? Upper midwest, WI/MN seemed pretty good. Courteous, not too agressive.

 

[bigredbird]

This comes from living in Chicago, where gangbangers on the South Side would run lights all the time, and I didn't want to be the one they crash into. Sure, they were in the wrong, but I wasn't wearing body armor or carrying, and I didn't want to be gunned down.

All you can do for "carrying" in Illinois is have an unloaded firearm in a closed case (provided that you've got the proper ID card), so you'd have to say "Wait a minute, Mr. Gangbanger, while I open the case and load my weapon. Then we can have our shootout over your crappy driving."

:violent-smiley-097:

 

[MarPar]

All you can do for "carrying" in Illinois is have an unloaded firearm in a closed case (provided that you've got the proper ID card), so you'd have to say "Wait a minute, Mr. Gangbanger, while I open the case and load my weapon. Then we can have our shootout over your crappy driving."

:violent-smiley-097:

yup. only damn state in the whole country you cant have concealed carry.

the politicians in power say that they want tough gun control laws. WTF do they think the gangbangers give a **** about laws, much less GUN control laws??

we, the citizens are the ones getting screwed here. at times i have to go to the bank with a lot of cash (my biz is in Chicago proper) and do you think im not packing?? i dont give a **** what some crook downtown at city hall thinks....i have gun control; USE BOTH HANDS

 

[Budnicks]

yup. only damn state in the whole country you cant have concealed carry.

the politicians in power say that they want tough gun control laws. WTF do they think the gangbangers give a **** about laws, much less GUN control laws??

we, the citizens are the ones getting screwed here. at times i have to go to the bank with a lot of cash (my biz is in Chicago proper) and do you think im not packing?? i dont give a **** what some crook downtown at city hall thinks....i have gun control; USE BOTH HANDS

Need to protect yourself sometimes... This thread has gone astray... I keep mine when I'm driving too, there we go, a safe driving tip...LOL...

 

[tpodwdog]

my favorite 2 lines from a Clint Eastwood movie........:

"....WHY DID YA KILL HIM ?"

CLINT........" ...coz he needed killin' "

 

[440roadrunner]

It might be "funny" to talk about but I think "forcing" red light runners is dangerous as hell. They might be startled, "grab a bunch of wheel" and run into or over someone. This is a HUGE problem here in Coeur d Alene

TAILGATING, one of my favorite things to hate. This is in the right lane, not the left. I'm MORE than happy to get out of the left when I see you coming. I hold up my arm and hand, wave it in the the middle of the car, and blink my brake lights, slow down. If you get closer, I slow DOWN. If you get closer I slow DOWN GET IT YET?

SIGNALS. Use them God Dammit

LEFT LANE: Wake up, look in the mirror, then get out of the left lane

RUNNING LIGHTS: If I can get my camera unholstered, I've got your photo. If I can get behind you, you might just be talking with a cop soon. I'm not taking here, about pushing the yellow, nor am I talking about running YOUR red. I'm talking about AFTER all that when you run MY GREEN

LEARN TO effin' drive in the winter

TRUCKERS I've heard all the BS about how much road taxes you pay. I have news. When you pull into the left lane in front of 10 cars, to pass your buddy, and the two of you decide to have an elephant race, the 20 cars that are now stacked up behind you are PISSED, and we might just pay more taxes than you, all added up.

SPEEDERS. If you want to speed, give me time to find a hole and move over, which I probably am already, anyhow. What this means is, if you are trynna "push" me in the right lane, you ain't gonna. STFU

(I'm prolly alREADY pushin the limit, so you got no complaints)

PUT DOWN THE GOD DAMMED CELL AND DRIVE!!!

 

[Budnicks]

PUT DOWN THE DAMN CELL PHONE OR COFFEE OR MAKE UP OR CHEESEBURGER & F--KEN' DRIVE, YOUR IN A F--KEN' CAR & YOUR INDANGERING EVERYONE ELSE AROUND YOU...That could be the best driving tips of all...

 

[HawkRod]

OK, I'll add one, especially since most of us drive cars that don't handle curves all that well.

BY FAR, most accidents on curves happen because the driver can't negotiate the exit of the turn. This happens because they screw up and turn into the curve TOO SOON, and at a speed where they are just in control. They then hit the apex of the turn too early, and are then forced to turn more sharply as they exit the turn. This puts them beyond the ability to control the car, they can't make it and wipe out.

Hard to state in words, easier to diagram... Bottom line is to handle turns better, start your turn later at a speed you can handle. Then the exit will take care of itself. Sounds counter intuitive, but that's what works...

Hawk

 

[RedShadow30]

I may be only 22, but one of the smartest things my parents ever did to teach me to drive was have my grandfather who was a cop 35 years teach me defensive driving, And he showed me where Its safe to let my cars loose. haha

 

[bigredbird]

LEARN TO effin' drive in the winter

And remember next winter that you learned how last winter. You don't have to re-learn every freakin' year!

 

[pabster]

OK, I'll add one, especially since most of us drive cars that don't handle curves all that well.

BY FAR, most accidents on curves happen because the driver can't negotiate the exit of the turn. This happens because they screw up and turn into the curve TOO SOON, and at a speed where they are just in control. They then hit the apex of the turn too early, and are then forced to turn more sharply as they exit the turn. This puts them beyond the ability to control the car, they can't make it and wipe out.

Hard to state in words, easier to diagram... Bottom line is to handle turns better, start your turn later at a speed you can handle. Then the exit will take care of itself. Sounds counter intuitive, but that's what works...

Hawk

Good tip. If I'm driving quickly in twisties, I do just what I would in a motorcycle. I start the turn at the right time, but at bit lower speed than I could be going, and then I accelerate through the turn. I don't think this adds stability the way it does on two wheels, but it's a hard habit to break and it sure is fun.

Of course, if I'm driving my '74, she don't do so well in turns, so I take it easy.

 

[kb67mopar]

To add to the winter driving as previously stated. I am sorry but its not that hard to remember what to do...slow down a bit, take longer when braking, make smooth movements when changing lanes and accelerate more slowly. And most of all if you have trouble driving in snow or get nervous GET THE F$%# OUT OF MY WAY and stay home. Take a bus or walk or get dragged behind a horse I don't care just get the heck off of my road! I am 27 years old and have been living in lake effect snow belts of the great lakes for all 27 years and not once have I lost control, slid off the road or crashed. Yet for some reason I can still do the speed limit on snow covered roads......hmm maybe its you!

 

[RustyRatRod]

Drive with a chip on your shoulder. This enables you to get mad quicker, because you're already halfway there. By the time your car has stopped moving from a collision, you are already over at the other car involved, beatin the snot out of the offending driver. So remember, chip on your shoulder. It keeps you one up on the competition.