99.9 % of drivers would dis-agree with this. They would argue that ‘it costs too much’ but I retort that it already costs too much to NOT do this…
---- Learn to drive in the same manner as we learn to fly ----
Unless youall have your pilot’s license ( some of us in this forum do ) you may not recognize the massive importance of doing so.
-Driving class would include ; the basic mechanics of the internal combustion engine, fuel system requirements, brakes, tires, lights etc. ; The physical capabilities and non-capabilities of the machine. ; The procedures associated with emergency situations. ; The mental assessment of the driving evironment ( noise , distractions, passengers, traffic ). ; Traffic flow theory ( how your actions, or lack thereof, affect EVERYONE around you ). And more.
Drivers would practice these actions in real time with instructor on board.
-Drivers would be re-tested every two years to keep their license current.
ALL drivers would learn this way and ALL current driver would need to re-school in this manner.
-The liability insurance could be written on the DRIVER, not the car. Different drivers / different levels of ability / different rates no matter which vehicle is being driven, the driver’s actions would be liability covered. The comp & collision insurance could be written on the vehicle.
-Drivers would actually know their machine.
Drivers would actually know how to drive AND how NOT to drive.
-accident rates would be cut in half, death rates would decrease, and insurance rates would fall along with that ( oops, don’t tell the insurance people they’re about to make less money )
Laws would need changed to effect this kind of driver licensure and it will be a very big job to do so, including the schooling infrastructure, but think about it.
I may have left out a lot of what can be taught & learned in the manner of getting a pilot’s license but visit any Cessna pilot learning center at most airports to see what’s involved in getting your pilot’s license, then apply that to automotive driving.
Another post here asked if learnig a stickshift makes us better drivers. I think the additional mental excercise is a key that contributes to making one a better driver. I know for certain, and watched it happen, that when I got my private pilot’s license, I changed the way I drive my trucks for the better.
You use turn signals to indicate what you are planning to do in the near future, not for what you are already doing in the present.
What you are doing in the present is already obvious to surrounding drivers. Signaling microseconds before making a turn does the people behind you absolutely no good. If signaling microseconds before making the turn or lane change was sufficient, then cars would have the turn signals activated by the steering wheel just like brake lights are activated by the brake pedal.
A good guideline is to signal about 15 seconds before your turn or lane change. If making a turn, your turn doesn’t start when you begin to turn the wheel, it starts the moment you begin to slow down for the turn ahead. You should already be signaling before you start to slow down.
Yea, thinking ahead, what a concept. Not only do you use turn signals in time to actually benefit your fellow drivers, but it also significantly improves your gas mileage and brake life.
When approaching an interstate highway from an on-ramp, please YIELD to the traffic already on the highway…or, at the very least, look at the traffic on the highway to gauge your approach and entrance. Don’t just drive straight on like an automaton and expect cars on the highway to yield. THEY HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY!
I can throw in EXACTLY the opposite complaint as I rarely see this problem, but exactly the OPPOSITE. If you are on an interstate and passing an on-ramp with traffic entering - if you have the space and room to do so move left a lane to let traffic enter.
The LAST thing you want is for traffic entering a highway to have to slow down - they should be getting up to the appropriate speed for the roadway. NOT hanging back waiting for discourteous or perhaps unschooled drivers to leave room.
“When approaching an interstate highway from an on-ramp, please YIELD to the traffic already on the highway…or, at the very least, look at the traffic on the highway to gauge your approach and entrance. Don’t just drive straight on like an automaton and expect cars on the highway to yield. THEY HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY!”
Only if there is a yield sign for the on ramp. There are a number of merges in MD where there is no yield sign because everyone is supposed to yield to the traffic around them. This is not the case at all limited access merges, but there are many where it is.
Also, I gauge the traffic flow when I’m in the right lane and will let someone merge in, even if I have the right-of-way. If it only costs me a couple of seconds to ease off the gas to let someone in and keep on-ramp and highway traffic moving smoothly, I’ll do it. Your post seems to say that you own the road. I’m sure you don’t.
I was hoping to see a post from Whiety about this because I know he is from WI.IIRC. Comming from CA and AZ. the unwritten rule was the cars entering the interstate yielded to the cars on the interstate already.
When I got to WI. the opposite was the case,the cars entering the interstate expected the cars on the interstate to yield and let them in, if you attempted to play by West Coast rules there was trouble.
What have I learned? play by the rules that the locals use,who wants to be involved in a accident because you just had to force your way upon others,just not worth it.
“1. Keep up with the flow of traffic, even if it’s above the posted speed limit. If the prevailing speed is 75 MPH and you are the only one plodding along at 55 MPH you are creating a dangerous situation.”
Why? It’s no less safe to go 55 when those passing you go 75. If someone wants to go 55, save fuel, and operate in their comfort zone, what’s the problem? Especially if the legal limit is 55. I ride every day on a road with a 65 MPH limit and there are a lot of people who go 55, even if there is no traffic impeding their progress. My reaction? I pass them. Maybe you should read Car Talk’s Official Guide to Civil Driving. Your first point indicates that you didn’t.
The few times I’m entering a freeway, usually the traffic already on the freeway will move over into the left lane to allow the merging traffic to enter, if possible. I also do this if I can as well.
My way of thinking involves me using my signal before I even hit the brakes to slow for the turn.
step 1: signal my turn
step 2: foot off accelerator and coast a bit
step 3: brake if needed
step 4: turn
step 5: ???
step 6: profit!
But officer I yeild as loud as I could, I guess he did not hear me. Luckily I seem to not run into as many merge problems as others. As soon as can see the cars I find the gap I want and adjust speed so I will be at the right place at the right time, sometimes it means you are doing 75 on the ramp so you can pull into traffic without bothering anyone else, and yes if i’m in the right lane and see alot of cars coming up the ramp will do my best to get over a lane.
As soon as can see the cars I find the gap I want and adjust speed so I will be at the right place at the right time, sometimes it means you are doing 75 on the ramp so you can pull into traffic without bothering anyone else"
In my book that is exactly the way to do it. Many people just don’t get the fact that interstates were made to maximize traffic flow and that everyone on the road has a role in making sure the design works.
Here’s my favorite “blood pressure spike” example - one person in the right lane, one person on the ramp hitting about the same spot on the road. BOTH put on their brakes - I guess just so they can keep riding next to each other - ?
In any case - from this whole discussion it looks to me like Tom & Ray’s list is a complete failure because it neglects to put up “Know the rules of the road” as the #1 factor in civil driving.
“As soon as can see the cars I find the gap I want and adjust speed so I will be at the right place at the right time…”
That requires the right personality. Some people are more passive and won’t take matters upon themselves. I do it your way, though my top speed is lower. We need to help the less assertive drivers blend in, too.
That is absolutely true - but the more passive types still need to figure out how to enter a highway without creating havoc for existing traffic. I’ve seen some drivers who are so passive (paranoid, uncertain, afraid?) that they should probably not be using the interstates at all. There are other ways to get there.
Just received an excelllent book on tarffic and driving entitled “TRAFFIC; Why we drive the way we do!” (and what it says about us). Author is Tom Vanderbilt who is familiar with traffic around the world. He takes a sociological look at driving habits and makes some strong correlations, such as between the number of traffic deaths due to disobeying rules and the offcial level of corruption in those countries.
Americans do not rate well on a world scale according to the author.
My 91 year old mother-in-law wisely stays off the freeways, since she finds merging in heavy traffic a real chore at her age. She has a spotless driving record and yearly passes her driving test easily.
I find it interesting that recent changes in KS law make it so that a beginning driver (which can be at 15) must ride and log 50 hours with a licensed driver over 21. Shoot, I got my private ticket with only 20 hours of dual instruction and a total of 43 hours when I took my checkride. So did you if you showed any initial talent. Flying and driving have SOME similarities, but I don’t think 50 hours of dual and weeks of classroom instruction are really necessary.
Quoting B.L.E. above “A good guideline is to signal about 15 seconds before your turn or lane change. If making a turn,”
15 seconds before a turn when travelling at 60 MPH (88’ per second) would be 1320’ ahead of the turn. That’s 1/4 of a mile. In a quarter of a mile you’re likely to pass SEVERAL intersections with folks thinking about pulling out into traffic. One of them is likely to pull out right in front of you. You could be right, DEAD RIGHT.
The law says 100’ before a turn. As a general rule I turn on my signal at about the same time as I start to apply my brakes. It’s usually somewhat more than 100’, and gives those behind me ample time to do whatever they need to do. When turning left off of a four lane street with no turn lanes I usually give more notice than that so that others can get into the right lane and pass me by easily.
Also note, DON’T PUMP THE BRAKES when you have your directional indicators on. It can really confuse those behind you as to what you intend to do.
Please provide the correlation so we can begin to dispute the statistics, from a purely analytical position of course! Correlation example, scientist cuts front leg off of flea and says jump. the flea jumps. same thing happens after they cut off legs 2 and 3, finally they cut off the forth leg and determine that the flea’s center of hearing is in the fourth leg.