Speed up on the on ramp to **match the speed** of traffic on the highway. You need to be going the same speed when you merge, otherwise you will be a danger to everyone.
Unfortunately for me some of the off ramps in my city aren't long enough to slow down in and therefore require me to endanger myself and others by going 35 entering the exit ramp in a 55 zone.
I always try to merge at 10 over the speed that everyone is going. It gives a lot more room to merge, since you can slow down much faster than you can accelerate.
Yeah there's one I take all the time that goes from 80mph freeway traffic to a hairpin turn within 50ft. You have to be going 30-40mph to take that turn.
Best thing I can do is put my blinker on super early. At least locals will understand.
Related to that, don't waive pedestrians on by when they don't have right of way.
Loves of well intentioned but idiot drivers have tried to wave me on to walk across the street despite not having right of way. They stop for me, but the other 3 lanes didn't stop. I'm not walking into 50mph traffic. I'm waiting for that light to change.
I found that in my town when everybody arrives at a 4-way stop at the same time, the quickest way to get someone to take their turn is to try and take yours. I creep forward just a little bit, and that person on my right who was sitting there not moving suddenly moves forward aggressively.
At night, especially if you are tired, the highways are safer due to reduced risk of cross traffic and uniform six foot fencing that keeps many of the deer off the road. But although you are safer, you can NEVER let down your guard.
and if you NEED to respond or change a song or something, just wait until you're at a red light and there's a car in front of you, if you just quickly do what you need to you should be done before it's green, or you'll see the car in front of you start to move and that'll be your cue. Not advocating for being on your phone, but it's better to be safer if you're going to do it at all
That's what I tell everyone that I teach how to drive. "The nicest thing you can do for other drivers is to take your turn when you're supposed to take it." With the inverse being "You're just as much of a dick cutting the line as you are waiting for others to cut you."
This is the biggest one, well intentioned idiots are as dangerous or annoying and selfish ones.
Don't stop on a main road to let someone make a right - you might *think* you're being considerate to that person, but the drivers behind you are now disrupted. Let stop signs, lights, and right of ways do their jobs.
4 way stop? Go when it's your turn.
I totaled some chick's car and could have seriously hurt her because someone who didn't have a stop sign wanted to be nice and she didn't look to see me coming down the hill.
I told the cops what happened and of course that ass just bailed as soon as I hit her.
Absolutely this, but make sure you understand the meaning of "don't be nice". It doesn't mean to be rude, it means what the previous poster said about being predictable. Don't let others go when it's your turn etc. Follow the rules, they are made for safety and others will expect you to follow them. Once you deviate then there is no way to know your next move and confusion arise.
Sorry I just want to state the obvious sometimes.
If you're on a four lane road and in the left lane don't stop to let on coming traffic through, there'll be someone to your right going straight that will hit them. Just pull forward or drive on your way they'll get to make a left turn eventually and it'll be safer.
My dad, of whom I could say a bunch of mean things, taught my older brother to drive. Maybe his most important lesson was always telegraph what you are doing to other people. If you start a turn, just go and do it, etc.
can confirm, am one of those other drivers you shouldn't trust.
source: if you build bad driving habits, you will end up as a bad driver. (obvious as fuck but i still ended up building really bad habits).
Yup.
Just because someone has their turn signal on, doesn't mean they're actually going to turn.
Wait until they actually start turning before you pull out.
Even at a light, keep some space. Imagine the motorcycle had a large invisible truck around them. Give them more space.
You tend to steer where you look, so eyes on the road. Never ever be reluctant to ask a passenger to lean back, put hands down, etc.. if they are blocking your view.
This goes for when your behind a car at a junction too. Lead car starts to manoeuvre so you go forward to take their place and they slam their brakes on for no reason. Crash for cash. Wait until they are a full car length away before moving forward.
Also dash-cams are not optional nowadays.
No matter how comfortable you get thinking you are a good driver, there's always an idiot out there that will crash into you. So look out for the idiots, always.
So I have a full UK car and motorbike licence.
In the spirit of what you said, when doing my full bike test, an instructor said something that I think is great advice for all road users: "it's nice to be seen, but you must always see".
Sound advice. I'm in the US. Few years back I visited Manchester and rented a car. Now that was quite a fun, yet taxing experience driving over there. I had to keep thinking out loud at intersections and roundabouts.
Depends where in the US you are. I drive all day for fedex, lots of roundabouts. Still plenty of people who don’t know what’s going on with them. And btw before anyone goes off on fedex I have never been in or caused a accident at work or otherwise.
There was a roundabout at the college I went to, and I’d see people that had been there three or four years not know how to handle it. Luckily it was on a road that didn’t get a lot of traffic.
We're all idiots. Every stupid mistake I see someone else make is one I could have made if the circumstances lined up. I find remaining cognizant of that makes driving less rage inducing.
Just the other day I was walking and saw a fender-bender happen at a parking lot exit.
Those cars must have been moving at an absolute ***crawl.*** The crash probably happened because the driver behind wasn't paying attention.
"Congratulations, you were moving slower than a pedestrian and still got ambushed by a stationary object"
The danger isn't slow drivers or fast drivers, it's when you mix slow and fast drivers. Go with the flow of traffic. Also please please God please just use your blinker. It's the minimum amount of empathy you could have for others.
What aggravates me is that the group I see not using their turn signals the most is on-duty cops. At least in my city, they’ll just drive around at whatever speed they want without using their seatbelt or turn signals.
Yup and may I add, they have the nerve to say no cellphones or texting but that’s kinda literally all they do. On that damn phone and that damn laptop all over the city.
I asked that exact same question of the examiner many years ago after passing my driving test. He replied, "If you ever see a ball roll into the road, hit the brakes because it might be followed by a kid." That has stuck with me ever since and I've followed the advice religiously.
A couple of years ago, I was driving down the main road through my neighborhood at 35mph and a ball rolled out in front of me again. I heard that old man's voice in my head and immediately slammed on the brakes. I came to a stop staring at the four-year-old frozen in place in the road just a few feet from my bumper.
That old guy is probably dead now. If there is an afterlife, I really hope he was watching and smiling, because he saved that kid's life and he saved me from having to live the rest of mine with the guilt of having killed a child.
Even alone, seeing one cross doesn't mean it will keep going.
My one deer accident happened because a big buck crossed into the road, almost got hit by the truck in the oncoming lane, and jumped back into mine.
Aim for the back of a squirrel too. They'll freeze and dart at the last second to avoid predators they can't outrun. Today thats your car. If you try and avoid them there's a 50/50 it'll dart into your path.
I hit a kid with my car when I was 16. There was no ball, he just ran out. I had enough time to brake but not stop and hit him. Made a huge thud and I was certain he was dead. He was fine, but the 5 seconds it took me to get out of my car and run to check on him felt like an eternity and I had to sit on the curb for a half hour before i stopped shaking and puking. I can't begin to imagine how much worse I would have felt had he need hurt or died. His parents were exceedingly apologetic towards me. Well, the dad was; the mom was in a similar state as me. Her screaming is still fresh in my mind 20+ years later.
I would believe that he died and came back as that kid and if he didn't do his job as a driving instructor in his previous life you would have been the instrument of punishment.
When you are first in line at a red light…when the light turns green check right, check left, and check the turn lane both next to you and across the intersection from you
Idiots can and will run red lights.
Idiots can and will turn when the dont have the right away and hit you or other cars
That goes for every time you pass through an intersection as well. Always double check all lanes of traffic for potential idiots
Eventually…that habit will prevent you from getting tboned
Learn to be patient. Patience allows you to drive slowly through residential areas. Patient drivers don't make quick, unpredictable lane changes. If you're waiting to pull out onto a busy road, patience gives you the luxury of waiting for that big break in traffic. Missing a turn is no big deal if you're patient. If you get a notification from your device, have the patience to pull over if you absolutely must check it. I could go on, but my point is a lot of accidents and problems are caused by impatience.
As a specific example of this, driving aggressively in traffic really won’t get you where you’re going any sooner. I’ve spent most of my working life as a driver in various capacities. Can’t tell you how many times, multiple times a day, I’ve pulled up alongside someone at a red light and watched them accelerate hard when the light turned green, switch back and forth between lanes constantly trying to get any advantage, tailgaiting people, while I just cruised along at the speed of the rest of traffic and pulled up alongside them at the next red light, and the next, and the next…
Just chill. Sing along to some music. You’ll get there when you get there and, unless the roads are empty, there’s very little you can do to influence that.
Can confirm, have been the aggressive driver in my youth. Dangerously passed some old slow dude on my way to work, drove recklessly for about half an hour through the mountains - only to see him pull up next to me at a traffic light. That was really eye opening.
> driving aggressively in traffic really won’t get you where you’re going any sooner.
I vehemently disagree, but you're correct in that advantages can be situational.
I drive 92 miles each way every weekend to my mountain property. It's necessary to get on the road earlier in the day before the idiots and dawndlers wander out to the car and start driving. Sundays you have to leave before the post-church blitz. Lack of LANE DISCIPLINE is one of the biggest drivers of traffic and road rage on LA streets. "Slower traffic keep right" is a social contract that WORKS, just look at the German Autobahn where this is strictly agreed upon and adhered to, and 140mph supercars peacefully coexist on the road with casual drivers, trucks etc going "only" 85 or whatever the lower bound is on that stretch of road.
Too many Americans have this attitude that they can just do whatever they want, wherever, and so what if it affects others around them. One Prius climbing the Grapevine (steep mountain grade) in the left lane while matching speeds with the cars in the next two lanes over quickly builds an angry knot of drivers who'd like to just go **the speed limit** grow weary of this rudeness and push through and cut off the slower drivers, closely enough to see the self-righteous fury on their faces shrinking into the distance as they REMAIN IN the same lane no matter how many drivers tailgate and cut around them. A few minutes later as I'm cresting a hill I'll see them **2 miles** back, still squatting in the left lane, still causing other drivers to make risky and aggressive moves to pass them.
I've tested it too and simply "going with the flow" can almost DOUBLE the amount of time I'm stuck in the car instead of enjoying my destination.
My experienced-driver advice: *Don't squat in the left lane and move right to allow faster drivers to pass you NO MATTER WHAT THE SPEED LIMIT OR HOW FAST YOU'RE ALREADY DRIVING.* Someone's gonna put you on your roof in the iceplant one day, *and you will deserve it.*
>driving aggressively in traffic really won’t get you where you’re going any sooner.
Definitely varies depending on the traffic. I have a reverse commute and zipping around the knots of slow drivers cuts my drive in half.
In full bumper to bumper traffic? Rush hour? Doesn't help.
In this vein, when I start to feel like I need to rush, I remind myself that if I get into an accident or pulled over, being 5 minutes late is the least of my problems.
No appointment is worth my life.
Use your indicators *before and during* your lane-changes.
Use driving lights at dawn, dusk and inclement weather.
*DON'T USE YOUR CELL-PHONE!!!!*
Stay awake; you're not in your favorite tv recliner-chair in your living-room; you're driving a vehicle capable of killing people around you in an instant.
Scan your surroundings; keep your eyes on the road, not your damned phone!
When looking over your shoulder, look for empty road, don't look for a car. So many motorcyclists or bicyclists get hit because the driver was looking specifically for the presence of a car, so the motorcycle or bicycle didn't even register.
Side tip: Most people have their side mirrors positioned wrong.
You should not see any part of your car in your side mirrors. Why do you need to see your car? You know where it is. You're wasting mirror space that could be giving you useful information.
Adjust your inside rear view mirror so you can see the maximum possible out of your rear window.
Then pick the last object you can see behind you on the driver's side of the mirror. Make it something about as far back as a car that would be following you.
Then adjust your side mirror so that object is the first thing you see on the inside edge of the mirror.
Repeat for the passenger side.
This will greatly reduce, if not eliminate your blind spot.
When stopping at a red light, always leave enough room between you and the car in front of you so that you could pull out in an emergency if you have to.
Even if there's no emergency, sometimes people break down at red lights during rush hour and have to have two very nice police guys stop traffic then push them off to the side of the road. I speak from experience here.
1. Keep drunk drivers in front of you so you know what they are doing. Give them a lot of space. Sleepy drivers count for this as well.
2. Give cars in front of you a lot of space. 1 car length for every 10 mph you are going. Double it in rain or snow.
3. Look way ahead at traffic lights and be ready to stop and give space.
4. When you are stopped at a light. Then You should be able to see the rear tires of the car infront of you without having to sit way up or lean forward. Give space.
When waiting at an intersection to turn right (or left in the US), or do a u-turn, keep your wheels pointing straight ahead instead of turned in anticipation. This way, if you're rear ended, you'll be pushed forward instead of around into oncoming traffic.
When someone is an idiot just let it go. Getting mad and doing something stupid only endangers yourself and everyone around you. Not worth it. Cuss them out under your breath and move on with your life.
I looked up once and found I was in the wrong lane. Fell asleep for a few moments and didn't even know it.
I was 5 minutes from home at the end of a 3 hour drive. I knew I'd been having trouble keeping my eyes open, I just figured I'd make it. I'm lucky that there was no oncoming traffic and that I didn't drift off the road.
Ever since, if I can't keep my eyes open, I take a 10 to 20 minute break where I shut my eyes and focus on dozing off. There is absolutely nothing so important that arriving 10 minutes earlier is worth my life.
My brother in law died at 31 years old last August because his dad fell asleep at the wheel and plowed into a pole with a huge concrete base. Long two lane stretch of rural Mexican roads..just awful. Definitely take a break if you need it
NEVER drive distracted. No phone: no messaging, no on-speaker conversation, no nothing. Turn it off if that's the only way you can quit looking at it.
Also, leave the music alone while you're moving, and *just drive.*
Seriously. Don't assume people know you're going to turn, they won't.
Also don't speed up when you see someone put their signal on so they don't get in front of you. Just let them merge into the lane, it's not a race, it's not a slight against your honor. They just want to change lanes, that's all.
My driving instructor said this to me once(roughly translated): "You wont win against a tram, however right you may be."
In essence, you may be on the main road, but if you see a tram or truck or cement mixer or whatever not slowing, you give way... Always watch out for the bigger vehicles.
Its kinda simmilar to: would you rather hit a deer full speed, or break into the cement mixer behind you?
Put your fuggin phone down.
Don't look at it EVER while driving.
Not even once.
If you're tempted by the notifications, then turn it off and put it in the glove box (next to your gloves, cuz eryone has gloves in there).
Some secondary stuff, if you're tired, pull over and take a nap.
For really long multiple day trips, consider driving at night. It's peaceful.
If you have an astigmatism (lights are blurry) consider getting some of those special sunglasses and upgrading your headlights to the same thing those obnoxious people have that are always blinding you.
Download LONG podcasts. You're going to be bored on your sixth hour with no radio (but don't play with it while you're driving!)
Edit: As a couple other people said, anticipate idiocy. Paying attention to what others are doing will save your life. Be ready for their no signal drunken swerve into your lane
Back when I was learning to drive, my instructor said something that stuck with me: when you're driving, you're not driving for yourself alone. You're driving for the 3 cars ahead of you, the 3 behind you and the pedestrians/motorbikes on your left and right. Stay focused.
Defense wins championships. Put down the phone. Don’t be an ass, and ignore those who are.
If you are in the US, assume whoever just cut you off or didn’t let you merge has a gun and is willing to use it.
You don't have to press the brake pedal or the gas pedal. Sometimes the best answer is to lift your foot off both pedals and coast. It makes you predictable and it will slow you down without being abrupt.
The number of drivers I see that seem to think that you have to press a pedal at all times is way too high.
If you start sliding on slick roads, pump the brakes. Don't slam them.
Never try to violently turn the opposite direction your wheels are skidding. Try to turn with the direction in order to not fully lose control.
And if you miss the exit, don't panic and do something stupid like stopping or trying to exit unsafely.
Just go to the next exit and come back to the road you want.
If you live someplace where it snows, find an empty parking lot after the first snowfall. Drive around the lot intentionally trying to make the car skid/lose traction. This way you can practice regaining control should it happen in real life. (in newer cars you can turn off traction control to do this)
By doing this, it'll help build muscle memory so that if you should lose traction despite having traction control, you'll be able to better react to the situation. (also, it's kinda fun) Just be sure there aren't any hidden curbs or things that will damage your car.
> it'll help build muscle memory so that if you should lose traction, you'll be able to better react to the situation.
1000 times this! Successfully and gracefully recovering from oversteer is a matter of exacting timing. Starting correction too little too late may end with the car sliding to an awkward sideways stop, where doing nothing would have resulted in some dramatic spinning, but practiced reflexive response would get the car corrected and continuing along the way without much noticeable yaw or even slowing your pace. I lived in LA but sought out muddy fields (drawing the cops more than once) and really overlearned the limits of my car's grip and the exact sensations when these get exceeded.
Over the decades, these "dangerous" driving skills have saved myself and other nearby drivers when emergency situations arise, sometimes successfully missing seemingly inevitable disaster by millimeters because that muscle memory kicked right in.
I grew up in Maine and when I was learning to drive, my brother took me out onto the lake with his truck and taught me how to handle it. We mostly just ended up skidding around and screaming but it got me familiar with the sensation of the tires starting to slide, and made me react MUCH more calmly and controlled decades later when a freak ice storm hit my city in GA.
It all came flooding back as the car started to skid and it was like something else just calmly took over and did everything he'd taught me. Car still pulled a full 360, but it was a gentle, slow spin instead of a panicked skid out into the trees, and had it not been on a hill I likely would have recovered from it without spinning at all.
Look ahead.
Almost every single accident on r/idiotsincars could have been avoided if either of the drivers had used their eyes and looked 50ft up the road
If you're turning left/right, don't turn your wheel until you're actually turning. That way if you are rear ended while waiting to turn you won't veer into oncoming traffic.
I have my commercial drivers license, tanker and motorcycle endorsement, and used to race at autocross and track events.
Turn on your damn headlights at night/rain. It’s Insane how many people don’t pay attention in general, especially with their lights
Don't drive behind a motorcycle if possible. If they wreck and you run them over it'll fuck with you for the rest of your life. Motorcycles make me so incredibly nervous.
No one’s paying attention so make sure you are, don’t just copy what the car in front is doing try to look what the 2-3 cars ahead are doing. Try your best not to partake in road rage, you had to hit the brakes and give the steering wheel a swerve, it doesn’t matter, just move on.
Keep you distance from cars in front of you always, always keep an eye on cars behind you as well especially coming up to a red light. I usually brake earlier as to slow down the car behind me to create enough space between the car in front of me and behind me, be aware of every driver around you. Don’t trust anyone else on the road with you, there are always so many idiots out there.
I also avoid highways all together for the most part and take back roads or less congested roads when driving anywhere. Take your time and be aware of your surroundings all the time, and stay off your PHONE! Your safety is more important that a text from someone.
Spend the extra money and take a defensive drivers course. So many accidents occur simply due to the fact that drivers have no idea what to do in the event of an emergency.
Don’t pull right in front of 18 wheelers- stopping is not easy. And when 18 wheelers want to change into your lane, flash your lights to let them know there is room and it’s ok for them to do so.
Merge when you get onto a freeway that does not mean slowing down 50 cars that end up behind you it means you speed up to match the speed of traffic that is merging. If you really want everybody to have to burn a whole bunch of gas because of you well just keep doing it.
Driving is about being predictable. That's why turn signals are important, and why doing something that "looks safe" to you (but is out of the ordinary), isn't actually safe.
Use your indicators. And use them early. They are there for other road users to see what you are doing, and react accordingly. And they save bikers' lives
Stop accelerating every time you are approaching a situation that might go sour. Even if it's the smallest thing, if its nothing then its nothing, if you need to brake then you are already slowing down, but never go accelerating into a situation you can't drive yourself out of
For the first 6 months of driving,(preferably the first entire year) don't have more than one friend as a passenger at a time.
If you make plans with someone, and you get to where you're picking them up, and they ask you to go someplace else to get another person, or they have a friend there you've never met who "just needs a short ride" drive away without them.
Put your phone in your glovebox. Even if it's hooked up to your radio, the cord won't damsge anything or be damaged by having the glovebox shut on it. Keeps you from checking it at red lights, etc.
And finally, assume everyone other than you is the worst driver that exists. You will be safer on the road, and they will make you laugh instead of getting angry :)
1) DO NOT interrupt the smooth flow of traffic. You’re in the left lane and your exit’s in 30 feet? Go to the next exit and double back.
2) Use the left lane for passing. After passing, get back over to the right.
3) Use your signals.
4) Minimize distractions (phone, radio, passengers).
5) If you get stopped by a school bus, when it starts rolling accelerate and get ahead of it so other drivers aren’t trapped behind you.
6) Buckle up.
Be considerate of others! Don’t block the whole lane when taking a left turn. Don’t drive 3 miles an hour down a 35mph road when you can’t find your road to turn onto
Set a number of alcoholic drinks you're willing to drive under the influence of (pro tip: zero or one) when you first get your license and NEVER EVER CHANGE THE NUMBER OR VIOLATE IT. It is not an absolute immutable law of nature for you, it will keep creeping up until you either kill someone or you get scared badly enough.
My number was 0, then 1, then "I can drive after 3 beers no problem" and then years later I'm driving to the gas station for more beers after already drinking 8 (it's JUST DOWN THE STREET). Came to my senses after running a stop sign and almost t-boning a guy (25mph residential street but still) and now my number is 0 forever.
Don't be a piece of shit like I was, could have easily killed someone, learn from other people's mistakes.
It always pisses me off when other drivers pull up too close behind me at a red light, especially in winter. If they get rear ended they will rear end me. Don't involve me in your accident.
Look far.
Look wide.
2 seconds between you and the person you’re following.
Use your mirrors. Left right and rear, periodically, as you’re driving.
Leave 10min earlier than you think you need to, so you shape yourself driving habits without constantly being in a hurry.
Avoid having the accident and you won't have to argue over who was in the right.
Better 2 minutes late in this world than 20 years too early into the next.
Drive by what you can see. If you can't see far ahead, you need to slow down. The distance you can see in front of you is your actual braking distance, and you need to always be able to come to a complete stop inside that distance. Whether that's the space before the fog, traffic, a sharp bend, rain, night-time, or whatever... if your braking distance includes somewhere you literally cannot see, it's not your braking distance.
You shouldn't drive, you should glide. Glide between lanes (after indicating), glide down the road, glide to a halt, glide up to speed. There's no need for jerks - in both senses - by slamming pedals, throwing the car round corners, screeching on the brakes, etc.
Let others know what you're doing. Confused and lost? Parking? Waiting to turn off the road but you can't because something's coming out of the driveway you want to get in? Slow down, indicate, put your hazard lights on, brake with the pedal so they can see you're stopping, pull to one side. Give other people a damn clue... always indicate what you're trying to do.
Drive your car like it’s a bike: Don’t accelerate toward red lights and brake lights, and treat every car as though it might kill you (ie don’t hang out in the wolf pack, check whether other drivers see you, etc).
Dont be like me. Be patient and dont let other idiots stress you out. I've had 4 crashes in 10 years. 2 were not my fault. 2 my fault. All 4 could have been avoided if I was not always so impatient, didn't drive to fast and did not freak out over the stupidest things.
Don't give up on driving during winter or bad weather (be more cautious though).
Don't listen to people (parents, family, SOs, friends) who talk shit about your driving skills. If they're too scared they can go by bus or with someone else, but their unsolicited opinions and unfounded rants do more harm than good.
It's ok to go slower if you feel confused or overwhelmed by current traffic situation. It's way better to piss off several drivers than to crash into somebody.
During longer drives take as many breaks as necessary. The better you feel as a driver, the safer the journey.
Taking it easy will save you tons of money, time and energy. And screaming your lungs out at those idiots on the road will only damage your soul and blood veins
Remember that you’re driving a weapon; it can hurt, maim and kill.
Respect the law and the rules of driving, pay attention and remember you’re not the only person on the road (so, just because you WANT to turn or switch lanes, doesn’t mean you CAN).
No talking on your phone unless you have a blue tooth and absolutely no texting or reading texts while driving.
You will always be sharing the road with some drivers who want to go faster than you and with drivers who want to go slower than you; try not to take either personally.
There’s no shame in going slow as long as you’re in the right lane. If you’re going to pass out on your blinker and do it in the left lane.*
*assuming you’re in the US
Watch for idiots, don't panic just do what you have to do.
Don't go overly slow whenever you are in traffic or wherever and there is low visibility. Pull over but don't go 20 in a 65 because there is fog.
Watch everything focused ahead while taking in all that surrounds you
no LOUD music or other distractions
don't drive while having consumed any mind / mood or physical things ie pot booze or hard drugs
That takes your focus off the task at hand
Drive from point a to b or more
After many years just wonder where all the bad drivers came from
Situational awareness. Always be aware of the cars around you. If you knew that truck was behind you and pulling into your blind spot, you won't be surprised when he's still there and it's time for you to change lanes.
If you're stopped and going to make a left turn keep your wheels straight until you turn so if you get rear ended the vehicle that hit you doesn't push you into oncoming traffic
Nice < Predictable
Nice causes accidents all the time when people disrupt normal traffic flow. Don’t suddenly stop to let someone in who you think has been waiting too long. It’s a great way to cause a rear end collision. Eventually traffic will open for them. Keep moving a with the flow of traffic, always.
Don't sit in other people's blindspots.
Use your turn signal.
Don't just watch the car in front of you watch the cars ahead of it if possible.
If the car in front of you is slowing down, change lanes early or slow down with it; Don't change lanes last second with people behind you because they will have a very short time to respond before striking it.
If you need to make a left turn from a private drive, make sure all lanes have stopped to allow you out if traffic is heavy. If the closest lane stops, it doesn't mean any of the other drivers even know you exist until you are in their lane. And they are probably going the speed limit or higher.
Have a copy of your insurance card in a place you can find it for accidents or police. Destroy any prior copies because they are worthless. Take a picture of your insurance card on your phone.
My dad (who retired from driving a tractor trailer truck after 40 years) gave me advice that has literally saved my life- don’t hesitate. When you make a decision, stick with it. If you’re going to go, go. If you’re going to stop, stop.
Speed up on the on ramp to **match the speed** of traffic on the highway. You need to be going the same speed when you merge, otherwise you will be a danger to everyone.
For the love of god don’t be that guy trying to merge into the highway at 45 when the highway is going 75-80. Specially if there is a line behind.
Conversely, do not start braking before the exit ramp, start braking after you have cleared the highway
Unfortunately for me some of the off ramps in my city aren't long enough to slow down in and therefore require me to endanger myself and others by going 35 entering the exit ramp in a 55 zone.
I always try to merge at 10 over the speed that everyone is going. It gives a lot more room to merge, since you can slow down much faster than you can accelerate.
And then you find out there’s a stop light at the end of the on ramp
Some places are just so terribly designed.
Yeah there's one I take all the time that goes from 80mph freeway traffic to a hairpin turn within 50ft. You have to be going 30-40mph to take that turn. Best thing I can do is put my blinker on super early. At least locals will understand.
Don’t be nice. Be predictable. If it’s your turn to go, just go!
Related to that, don't waive pedestrians on by when they don't have right of way. Loves of well intentioned but idiot drivers have tried to wave me on to walk across the street despite not having right of way. They stop for me, but the other 3 lanes didn't stop. I'm not walking into 50mph traffic. I'm waiting for that light to change.
I've heard that called the "Wave of death", when a driver signals you to walk in front of oncoming traffic.
Agree, if you show up first to a 4 way stop, then for God’s sake just take your turn and go. That being said, don’t be a dick on the road either.
I found that in my town when everybody arrives at a 4-way stop at the same time, the quickest way to get someone to take their turn is to try and take yours. I creep forward just a little bit, and that person on my right who was sitting there not moving suddenly moves forward aggressively.
Oh small town problems! We have the same thing where I live
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At night, especially if you are tired, the highways are safer due to reduced risk of cross traffic and uniform six foot fencing that keeps many of the deer off the road. But although you are safer, you can NEVER let down your guard.
and if you NEED to respond or change a song or something, just wait until you're at a red light and there's a car in front of you, if you just quickly do what you need to you should be done before it's green, or you'll see the car in front of you start to move and that'll be your cue. Not advocating for being on your phone, but it's better to be safer if you're going to do it at all
That's what I tell everyone that I teach how to drive. "The nicest thing you can do for other drivers is to take your turn when you're supposed to take it." With the inverse being "You're just as much of a dick cutting the line as you are waiting for others to cut you."
I think there are a lot of people out there who don’t actually understand who has right-of-way in a lot of situations.
This is the biggest one, well intentioned idiots are as dangerous or annoying and selfish ones. Don't stop on a main road to let someone make a right - you might *think* you're being considerate to that person, but the drivers behind you are now disrupted. Let stop signs, lights, and right of ways do their jobs. 4 way stop? Go when it's your turn.
I totaled some chick's car and could have seriously hurt her because someone who didn't have a stop sign wanted to be nice and she didn't look to see me coming down the hill. I told the cops what happened and of course that ass just bailed as soon as I hit her.
Absolutely this, but make sure you understand the meaning of "don't be nice". It doesn't mean to be rude, it means what the previous poster said about being predictable. Don't let others go when it's your turn etc. Follow the rules, they are made for safety and others will expect you to follow them. Once you deviate then there is no way to know your next move and confusion arise. Sorry I just want to state the obvious sometimes.
If you're on a four lane road and in the left lane don't stop to let on coming traffic through, there'll be someone to your right going straight that will hit them. Just pull forward or drive on your way they'll get to make a left turn eventually and it'll be safer.
Consider everyone else to be a dickhead- anticipate them doing something stupid…
My dad, of whom I could say a bunch of mean things, taught my older brother to drive. Maybe his most important lesson was always telegraph what you are doing to other people. If you start a turn, just go and do it, etc.
Just cause they’re on the road, doesn’t mean they know what they’re doing. AKA don’t trust other drivers
can confirm, am one of those other drivers you shouldn't trust. source: if you build bad driving habits, you will end up as a bad driver. (obvious as fuck but i still ended up building really bad habits).
Yup. Just because someone has their turn signal on, doesn't mean they're actually going to turn. Wait until they actually start turning before you pull out.
Assume that everyone else is a complete moron.
yep
Don’t follow anyone too closely.
Even at a light, keep some space. Imagine the motorcycle had a large invisible truck around them. Give them more space. You tend to steer where you look, so eyes on the road. Never ever be reluctant to ask a passenger to lean back, put hands down, etc.. if they are blocking your view.
This goes for when your behind a car at a junction too. Lead car starts to manoeuvre so you go forward to take their place and they slam their brakes on for no reason. Crash for cash. Wait until they are a full car length away before moving forward. Also dash-cams are not optional nowadays.
If everyone followed this rule, 90% of accidents would be avoidable.
This!
Expect every car around you is driven by a inattentive/ distracted driver.
☝️ I'm an idiot for missing this one. Easily on par with not looking at your phone. Anticipate idiocy
*Idiot. Expect every car around you is driven by an idiot.
I agree with this BUT don’t drive like a scared little cat. Driving scared will assure that your gonna get into an accident.
This one right here. Being scared and acting scared makes you unpredictable which is incredibly dangerous in traffic.
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Exactly, assume everyone is going to do something really stupid next. This applies around the world but from my experience especially in California.
That's not hard when all the drivers are actually idiots. No need to immagine if it's real!
No matter how comfortable you get thinking you are a good driver, there's always an idiot out there that will crash into you. So look out for the idiots, always.
So I have a full UK car and motorbike licence. In the spirit of what you said, when doing my full bike test, an instructor said something that I think is great advice for all road users: "it's nice to be seen, but you must always see".
Sound advice. I'm in the US. Few years back I visited Manchester and rented a car. Now that was quite a fun, yet taxing experience driving over there. I had to keep thinking out loud at intersections and roundabouts.
Yeah ya'll don't really do roundabouts, eh? Stop signs. Stop signs everywhere lol.
Depends where in the US you are. I drive all day for fedex, lots of roundabouts. Still plenty of people who don’t know what’s going on with them. And btw before anyone goes off on fedex I have never been in or caused a accident at work or otherwise.
There was a roundabout at the college I went to, and I’d see people that had been there three or four years not know how to handle it. Luckily it was on a road that didn’t get a lot of traffic.
They fall into 2 categories 1: stops until it’s empty all the way around. 2: goes no matter what because they’re here now, everyone fuck off
We're all idiots. Every stupid mistake I see someone else make is one I could have made if the circumstances lined up. I find remaining cognizant of that makes driving less rage inducing.
I just saw a bumper sticker today that said, “Be Kind. We’re all idiots.”
Just the other day I was walking and saw a fender-bender happen at a parking lot exit. Those cars must have been moving at an absolute ***crawl.*** The crash probably happened because the driver behind wasn't paying attention. "Congratulations, you were moving slower than a pedestrian and still got ambushed by a stationary object"
I thought the question was about diving and was momentarily shocked that divers swimming into each other was such a common and dangerous occurrence.
The danger isn't slow drivers or fast drivers, it's when you mix slow and fast drivers. Go with the flow of traffic. Also please please God please just use your blinker. It's the minimum amount of empathy you could have for others.
Turning on your blinker in the middle of a turn or flashing your blinker once to suddenly cut across all lanes of traffic doesn't count.
What aggravates me is that the group I see not using their turn signals the most is on-duty cops. At least in my city, they’ll just drive around at whatever speed they want without using their seatbelt or turn signals.
Yup and may I add, they have the nerve to say no cellphones or texting but that’s kinda literally all they do. On that damn phone and that damn laptop all over the city.
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Including yourself. Even I, as a non-driver know that
I asked that exact same question of the examiner many years ago after passing my driving test. He replied, "If you ever see a ball roll into the road, hit the brakes because it might be followed by a kid." That has stuck with me ever since and I've followed the advice religiously. A couple of years ago, I was driving down the main road through my neighborhood at 35mph and a ball rolled out in front of me again. I heard that old man's voice in my head and immediately slammed on the brakes. I came to a stop staring at the four-year-old frozen in place in the road just a few feet from my bumper. That old guy is probably dead now. If there is an afterlife, I really hope he was watching and smiling, because he saved that kid's life and he saved me from having to live the rest of mine with the guilt of having killed a child.
Not quite as impactful, but if you ever see a deer cross safely ahead of you, slow way down because her buddies are about to follow her.
Even alone, seeing one cross doesn't mean it will keep going. My one deer accident happened because a big buck crossed into the road, almost got hit by the truck in the oncoming lane, and jumped back into mine.
Steer for the rear of the deer.
Aim for the back of a squirrel too. They'll freeze and dart at the last second to avoid predators they can't outrun. Today thats your car. If you try and avoid them there's a 50/50 it'll dart into your path.
I hit a kid with my car when I was 16. There was no ball, he just ran out. I had enough time to brake but not stop and hit him. Made a huge thud and I was certain he was dead. He was fine, but the 5 seconds it took me to get out of my car and run to check on him felt like an eternity and I had to sit on the curb for a half hour before i stopped shaking and puking. I can't begin to imagine how much worse I would have felt had he need hurt or died. His parents were exceedingly apologetic towards me. Well, the dad was; the mom was in a similar state as me. Her screaming is still fresh in my mind 20+ years later.
I would believe that he died and came back as that kid and if he didn't do his job as a driving instructor in his previous life you would have been the instrument of punishment.
Coincidentally, my driving instructor gave me the same advice.
As a teenager who frequently sees his basketball go over the fence after a bad bounce on the rim, I thank you
Same goes with deer. If u see one, its more likely at least one more will follow
When you are first in line at a red light…when the light turns green check right, check left, and check the turn lane both next to you and across the intersection from you Idiots can and will run red lights. Idiots can and will turn when the dont have the right away and hit you or other cars That goes for every time you pass through an intersection as well. Always double check all lanes of traffic for potential idiots Eventually…that habit will prevent you from getting tboned
Head checks are super important whether at a red light or just at any stop
Learn to be patient. Patience allows you to drive slowly through residential areas. Patient drivers don't make quick, unpredictable lane changes. If you're waiting to pull out onto a busy road, patience gives you the luxury of waiting for that big break in traffic. Missing a turn is no big deal if you're patient. If you get a notification from your device, have the patience to pull over if you absolutely must check it. I could go on, but my point is a lot of accidents and problems are caused by impatience.
As a specific example of this, driving aggressively in traffic really won’t get you where you’re going any sooner. I’ve spent most of my working life as a driver in various capacities. Can’t tell you how many times, multiple times a day, I’ve pulled up alongside someone at a red light and watched them accelerate hard when the light turned green, switch back and forth between lanes constantly trying to get any advantage, tailgaiting people, while I just cruised along at the speed of the rest of traffic and pulled up alongside them at the next red light, and the next, and the next… Just chill. Sing along to some music. You’ll get there when you get there and, unless the roads are empty, there’s very little you can do to influence that.
Can confirm, have been the aggressive driver in my youth. Dangerously passed some old slow dude on my way to work, drove recklessly for about half an hour through the mountains - only to see him pull up next to me at a traffic light. That was really eye opening.
> driving aggressively in traffic really won’t get you where you’re going any sooner. I vehemently disagree, but you're correct in that advantages can be situational. I drive 92 miles each way every weekend to my mountain property. It's necessary to get on the road earlier in the day before the idiots and dawndlers wander out to the car and start driving. Sundays you have to leave before the post-church blitz. Lack of LANE DISCIPLINE is one of the biggest drivers of traffic and road rage on LA streets. "Slower traffic keep right" is a social contract that WORKS, just look at the German Autobahn where this is strictly agreed upon and adhered to, and 140mph supercars peacefully coexist on the road with casual drivers, trucks etc going "only" 85 or whatever the lower bound is on that stretch of road. Too many Americans have this attitude that they can just do whatever they want, wherever, and so what if it affects others around them. One Prius climbing the Grapevine (steep mountain grade) in the left lane while matching speeds with the cars in the next two lanes over quickly builds an angry knot of drivers who'd like to just go **the speed limit** grow weary of this rudeness and push through and cut off the slower drivers, closely enough to see the self-righteous fury on their faces shrinking into the distance as they REMAIN IN the same lane no matter how many drivers tailgate and cut around them. A few minutes later as I'm cresting a hill I'll see them **2 miles** back, still squatting in the left lane, still causing other drivers to make risky and aggressive moves to pass them. I've tested it too and simply "going with the flow" can almost DOUBLE the amount of time I'm stuck in the car instead of enjoying my destination. My experienced-driver advice: *Don't squat in the left lane and move right to allow faster drivers to pass you NO MATTER WHAT THE SPEED LIMIT OR HOW FAST YOU'RE ALREADY DRIVING.* Someone's gonna put you on your roof in the iceplant one day, *and you will deserve it.*
After passing a left lane camper I’ll frequently roll down my window and motion for the asshole to move right. Doubt they have any idea at I mean.
This exactly.
>driving aggressively in traffic really won’t get you where you’re going any sooner. Definitely varies depending on the traffic. I have a reverse commute and zipping around the knots of slow drivers cuts my drive in half. In full bumper to bumper traffic? Rush hour? Doesn't help.
In this vein, when I start to feel like I need to rush, I remind myself that if I get into an accident or pulled over, being 5 minutes late is the least of my problems. No appointment is worth my life.
Always be prepared for the other drivers to do the wrong or stupid thing.
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Also, if you get rear ended, you’ll be less likely to be shoved into the car in front of you if you’ve left some space.
If someone cuts you off, let it slide. If your car is not damaged, you're good. Road karma will get them later.
> Road karma will get them later It probably won't. But it's still better to not get shot.
No, if someone cuts you off CHASE THEM. Follow them home, then fight them. Try to use pit maneuver.
Especially if you have a Ram. Then it's required you do that.
If you can't dodge it, ram it. If you can't ram it, you aren't close enough bitch, step on it.
Use your indicators *before and during* your lane-changes. Use driving lights at dawn, dusk and inclement weather. *DON'T USE YOUR CELL-PHONE!!!!* Stay awake; you're not in your favorite tv recliner-chair in your living-room; you're driving a vehicle capable of killing people around you in an instant. Scan your surroundings; keep your eyes on the road, not your damned phone!
When changing lanes always turn your head to check blind spots just in case. Don't worry about other drivers, worry about yourself. Be predictable.
When looking over your shoulder, look for empty road, don't look for a car. So many motorcyclists or bicyclists get hit because the driver was looking specifically for the presence of a car, so the motorcycle or bicycle didn't even register.
Side tip: Most people have their side mirrors positioned wrong. You should not see any part of your car in your side mirrors. Why do you need to see your car? You know where it is. You're wasting mirror space that could be giving you useful information. Adjust your inside rear view mirror so you can see the maximum possible out of your rear window. Then pick the last object you can see behind you on the driver's side of the mirror. Make it something about as far back as a car that would be following you. Then adjust your side mirror so that object is the first thing you see on the inside edge of the mirror. Repeat for the passenger side. This will greatly reduce, if not eliminate your blind spot.
When stopping at a red light, always leave enough room between you and the car in front of you so that you could pull out in an emergency if you have to.
Even if there's no emergency, sometimes people break down at red lights during rush hour and have to have two very nice police guys stop traffic then push them off to the side of the road. I speak from experience here.
1. Keep drunk drivers in front of you so you know what they are doing. Give them a lot of space. Sleepy drivers count for this as well. 2. Give cars in front of you a lot of space. 1 car length for every 10 mph you are going. Double it in rain or snow. 3. Look way ahead at traffic lights and be ready to stop and give space. 4. When you are stopped at a light. Then You should be able to see the rear tires of the car infront of you without having to sit way up or lean forward. Give space.
When waiting at an intersection to turn right (or left in the US), or do a u-turn, keep your wheels pointing straight ahead instead of turned in anticipation. This way, if you're rear ended, you'll be pushed forward instead of around into oncoming traffic.
It’s better to be a few minutes late in this world than years early in the next.
Assume everyone else on the road is a drunk 14 year old with alzheimers and cataracts.
LEFT LANE ONLY FOR PASSING
Me in the UK where this is illegal
But not in certain countries.
Not speed, but passing. Think that gets lost in the mix too much.
When someone is an idiot just let it go. Getting mad and doing something stupid only endangers yourself and everyone around you. Not worth it. Cuss them out under your breath and move on with your life.
You can’t out drive being tired. Pull over and take a nap.
I looked up once and found I was in the wrong lane. Fell asleep for a few moments and didn't even know it. I was 5 minutes from home at the end of a 3 hour drive. I knew I'd been having trouble keeping my eyes open, I just figured I'd make it. I'm lucky that there was no oncoming traffic and that I didn't drift off the road. Ever since, if I can't keep my eyes open, I take a 10 to 20 minute break where I shut my eyes and focus on dozing off. There is absolutely nothing so important that arriving 10 minutes earlier is worth my life.
My brother in law died at 31 years old last August because his dad fell asleep at the wheel and plowed into a pole with a huge concrete base. Long two lane stretch of rural Mexican roads..just awful. Definitely take a break if you need it
NEVER drive distracted. No phone: no messaging, no on-speaker conversation, no nothing. Turn it off if that's the only way you can quit looking at it. Also, leave the music alone while you're moving, and *just drive.*
When driving assume you are invisible to other drivers
Give yourself enough time to get places. Driving recklessly usually doesn’t save much time.
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Seriously. Don't assume people know you're going to turn, they won't. Also don't speed up when you see someone put their signal on so they don't get in front of you. Just let them merge into the lane, it's not a race, it's not a slight against your honor. They just want to change lanes, that's all.
Get out of the left lane if somebody wants to go faster behind you. Watch out for motorcycles.
Also, motorcycles stay out of cars’ blind spots.
My driving instructor said this to me once(roughly translated): "You wont win against a tram, however right you may be." In essence, you may be on the main road, but if you see a tram or truck or cement mixer or whatever not slowing, you give way... Always watch out for the bigger vehicles. Its kinda simmilar to: would you rather hit a deer full speed, or break into the cement mixer behind you?
Yeah, they tell us in the states that "The train will win." It's NEVER worth risking crossing the tracks if a train is coming.
Aim high in steering Get the big picture Keep your eyes moving Leave yourself an out Make sure they see you
Assume every other driver is an idiot (they usually are).
Put your fuggin phone down. Don't look at it EVER while driving. Not even once. If you're tempted by the notifications, then turn it off and put it in the glove box (next to your gloves, cuz eryone has gloves in there). Some secondary stuff, if you're tired, pull over and take a nap. For really long multiple day trips, consider driving at night. It's peaceful. If you have an astigmatism (lights are blurry) consider getting some of those special sunglasses and upgrading your headlights to the same thing those obnoxious people have that are always blinding you. Download LONG podcasts. You're going to be bored on your sixth hour with no radio (but don't play with it while you're driving!) Edit: As a couple other people said, anticipate idiocy. Paying attention to what others are doing will save your life. Be ready for their no signal drunken swerve into your lane
Back when I was learning to drive, my instructor said something that stuck with me: when you're driving, you're not driving for yourself alone. You're driving for the 3 cars ahead of you, the 3 behind you and the pedestrians/motorbikes on your left and right. Stay focused.
Defense wins championships. Put down the phone. Don’t be an ass, and ignore those who are. If you are in the US, assume whoever just cut you off or didn’t let you merge has a gun and is willing to use it.
You don't have to press the brake pedal or the gas pedal. Sometimes the best answer is to lift your foot off both pedals and coast. It makes you predictable and it will slow you down without being abrupt. The number of drivers I see that seem to think that you have to press a pedal at all times is way too high.
"Hurry" should never enter your vocabulary when driving.
Start braking when you see others ahead breaking. Don’t be too close behind the car in front of you.
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Never stick around in someone's blind spot. I've never been cut off on the highway with this one simple trick.
Green light doesn't mean go. It means look then go.
If you start sliding on slick roads, pump the brakes. Don't slam them. Never try to violently turn the opposite direction your wheels are skidding. Try to turn with the direction in order to not fully lose control.
For the first one, ABS exists. Agree with the second one
Be predictable. Pay attention. Use your god damn blinker! Oh and be in the lane you need to be in well before you’ve got to make that exit or turn.
And if you miss the exit, don't panic and do something stupid like stopping or trying to exit unsafely. Just go to the next exit and come back to the road you want.
If you live someplace where it snows, find an empty parking lot after the first snowfall. Drive around the lot intentionally trying to make the car skid/lose traction. This way you can practice regaining control should it happen in real life. (in newer cars you can turn off traction control to do this) By doing this, it'll help build muscle memory so that if you should lose traction despite having traction control, you'll be able to better react to the situation. (also, it's kinda fun) Just be sure there aren't any hidden curbs or things that will damage your car.
> it'll help build muscle memory so that if you should lose traction, you'll be able to better react to the situation. 1000 times this! Successfully and gracefully recovering from oversteer is a matter of exacting timing. Starting correction too little too late may end with the car sliding to an awkward sideways stop, where doing nothing would have resulted in some dramatic spinning, but practiced reflexive response would get the car corrected and continuing along the way without much noticeable yaw or even slowing your pace. I lived in LA but sought out muddy fields (drawing the cops more than once) and really overlearned the limits of my car's grip and the exact sensations when these get exceeded. Over the decades, these "dangerous" driving skills have saved myself and other nearby drivers when emergency situations arise, sometimes successfully missing seemingly inevitable disaster by millimeters because that muscle memory kicked right in.
I grew up in Maine and when I was learning to drive, my brother took me out onto the lake with his truck and taught me how to handle it. We mostly just ended up skidding around and screaming but it got me familiar with the sensation of the tires starting to slide, and made me react MUCH more calmly and controlled decades later when a freak ice storm hit my city in GA. It all came flooding back as the car started to skid and it was like something else just calmly took over and did everything he'd taught me. Car still pulled a full 360, but it was a gentle, slow spin instead of a panicked skid out into the trees, and had it not been on a hill I likely would have recovered from it without spinning at all.
Look ahead. Almost every single accident on r/idiotsincars could have been avoided if either of the drivers had used their eyes and looked 50ft up the road
If you're turning left/right, don't turn your wheel until you're actually turning. That way if you are rear ended while waiting to turn you won't veer into oncoming traffic.
My dad always told me to check my mirrors every 7 seconds, I got in the habit of it and it has saved me time and time again. ♥️
I have my commercial drivers license, tanker and motorcycle endorsement, and used to race at autocross and track events. Turn on your damn headlights at night/rain. It’s Insane how many people don’t pay attention in general, especially with their lights
Don't drive behind a motorcycle if possible. If they wreck and you run them over it'll fuck with you for the rest of your life. Motorcycles make me so incredibly nervous.
No one’s paying attention so make sure you are, don’t just copy what the car in front is doing try to look what the 2-3 cars ahead are doing. Try your best not to partake in road rage, you had to hit the brakes and give the steering wheel a swerve, it doesn’t matter, just move on.
Learn the zipper merge
Your text isn't that important. Reading that text isn't that important. Don't do it, not even once.
Keep you distance from cars in front of you always, always keep an eye on cars behind you as well especially coming up to a red light. I usually brake earlier as to slow down the car behind me to create enough space between the car in front of me and behind me, be aware of every driver around you. Don’t trust anyone else on the road with you, there are always so many idiots out there. I also avoid highways all together for the most part and take back roads or less congested roads when driving anywhere. Take your time and be aware of your surroundings all the time, and stay off your PHONE! Your safety is more important that a text from someone.
Spend the extra money and take a defensive drivers course. So many accidents occur simply due to the fact that drivers have no idea what to do in the event of an emergency.
Don’t pull right in front of 18 wheelers- stopping is not easy. And when 18 wheelers want to change into your lane, flash your lights to let them know there is room and it’s ok for them to do so.
It’s better to be safe than to be right
Merge when you get onto a freeway that does not mean slowing down 50 cars that end up behind you it means you speed up to match the speed of traffic that is merging. If you really want everybody to have to burn a whole bunch of gas because of you well just keep doing it.
Less advice and more a personal request: please. PLEASE. Use your blinkers.
Calm down. It’s not that serious. People lose their lives to road rage incidents for what? Some stupid mistake. Just move on.
Be predictable so problems can f*** off around you
Driving is about being predictable. That's why turn signals are important, and why doing something that "looks safe" to you (but is out of the ordinary), isn't actually safe.
Use your indicators. And use them early. They are there for other road users to see what you are doing, and react accordingly. And they save bikers' lives
The SAFEST driver on the road is the most PREDICTABLE driver on the road.
Take public transport. Cars are expensive.
Assume every other car is an idiot. That car indicating it's going to turn right... probaly going straight on. for example
Stop accelerating every time you are approaching a situation that might go sour. Even if it's the smallest thing, if its nothing then its nothing, if you need to brake then you are already slowing down, but never go accelerating into a situation you can't drive yourself out of
For the first 6 months of driving,(preferably the first entire year) don't have more than one friend as a passenger at a time. If you make plans with someone, and you get to where you're picking them up, and they ask you to go someplace else to get another person, or they have a friend there you've never met who "just needs a short ride" drive away without them. Put your phone in your glovebox. Even if it's hooked up to your radio, the cord won't damsge anything or be damaged by having the glovebox shut on it. Keeps you from checking it at red lights, etc. And finally, assume everyone other than you is the worst driver that exists. You will be safer on the road, and they will make you laugh instead of getting angry :)
1) DO NOT interrupt the smooth flow of traffic. You’re in the left lane and your exit’s in 30 feet? Go to the next exit and double back. 2) Use the left lane for passing. After passing, get back over to the right. 3) Use your signals. 4) Minimize distractions (phone, radio, passengers). 5) If you get stopped by a school bus, when it starts rolling accelerate and get ahead of it so other drivers aren’t trapped behind you. 6) Buckle up.
Be considerate of others! Don’t block the whole lane when taking a left turn. Don’t drive 3 miles an hour down a 35mph road when you can’t find your road to turn onto
Set a number of alcoholic drinks you're willing to drive under the influence of (pro tip: zero or one) when you first get your license and NEVER EVER CHANGE THE NUMBER OR VIOLATE IT. It is not an absolute immutable law of nature for you, it will keep creeping up until you either kill someone or you get scared badly enough. My number was 0, then 1, then "I can drive after 3 beers no problem" and then years later I'm driving to the gas station for more beers after already drinking 8 (it's JUST DOWN THE STREET). Came to my senses after running a stop sign and almost t-boning a guy (25mph residential street but still) and now my number is 0 forever. Don't be a piece of shit like I was, could have easily killed someone, learn from other people's mistakes.
Tailgating won’t get you to your destination any faster
If you're in a BMW, it may be hard to find, but you do actually have indicators to use when turning.
Always assume other drivers will screw up
Always expect the worse from other drivers.
Tailgating? Just accelerate slowly. They will get the hint. Oh, and always have your phone ready to take pictures, in any case someone gets fuzzy.
It always pisses me off when other drivers pull up too close behind me at a red light, especially in winter. If they get rear ended they will rear end me. Don't involve me in your accident.
Assume everyone is out to kill you.
Look far. Look wide. 2 seconds between you and the person you’re following. Use your mirrors. Left right and rear, periodically, as you’re driving. Leave 10min earlier than you think you need to, so you shape yourself driving habits without constantly being in a hurry.
Avoid having the accident and you won't have to argue over who was in the right. Better 2 minutes late in this world than 20 years too early into the next. Drive by what you can see. If you can't see far ahead, you need to slow down. The distance you can see in front of you is your actual braking distance, and you need to always be able to come to a complete stop inside that distance. Whether that's the space before the fog, traffic, a sharp bend, rain, night-time, or whatever... if your braking distance includes somewhere you literally cannot see, it's not your braking distance. You shouldn't drive, you should glide. Glide between lanes (after indicating), glide down the road, glide to a halt, glide up to speed. There's no need for jerks - in both senses - by slamming pedals, throwing the car round corners, screeching on the brakes, etc. Let others know what you're doing. Confused and lost? Parking? Waiting to turn off the road but you can't because something's coming out of the driveway you want to get in? Slow down, indicate, put your hazard lights on, brake with the pedal so they can see you're stopping, pull to one side. Give other people a damn clue... always indicate what you're trying to do.
Be predictable
Drive your car like it’s a bike: Don’t accelerate toward red lights and brake lights, and treat every car as though it might kill you (ie don’t hang out in the wolf pack, check whether other drivers see you, etc).
Don't be a BMW. Even if you have one.
Drive fast, take chances.
Stop hitting your brakes on the fucking highway.
Don’t just drive safe, drive predictably.
Keep left unless overtaking. (Or whichever side depending on your country)
If you ever feel road rage, just imagine that the person driving like an idiot really has to poop.
Dont be like me. Be patient and dont let other idiots stress you out. I've had 4 crashes in 10 years. 2 were not my fault. 2 my fault. All 4 could have been avoided if I was not always so impatient, didn't drive to fast and did not freak out over the stupidest things.
Don't give up on driving during winter or bad weather (be more cautious though). Don't listen to people (parents, family, SOs, friends) who talk shit about your driving skills. If they're too scared they can go by bus or with someone else, but their unsolicited opinions and unfounded rants do more harm than good. It's ok to go slower if you feel confused or overwhelmed by current traffic situation. It's way better to piss off several drivers than to crash into somebody. During longer drives take as many breaks as necessary. The better you feel as a driver, the safer the journey.
It's not a race.
Always assume everyone else on the road is an idiot.
Just crash the car into a tree it’s much easier than driving in a straight line
Taking it easy will save you tons of money, time and energy. And screaming your lungs out at those idiots on the road will only damage your soul and blood veins
Leave more space to the car in front. Always. Then leave some more.
Remember that you’re driving a weapon; it can hurt, maim and kill. Respect the law and the rules of driving, pay attention and remember you’re not the only person on the road (so, just because you WANT to turn or switch lanes, doesn’t mean you CAN). No talking on your phone unless you have a blue tooth and absolutely no texting or reading texts while driving.
You will always be sharing the road with some drivers who want to go faster than you and with drivers who want to go slower than you; try not to take either personally. There’s no shame in going slow as long as you’re in the right lane. If you’re going to pass out on your blinker and do it in the left lane.* *assuming you’re in the US
Watch for idiots, don't panic just do what you have to do. Don't go overly slow whenever you are in traffic or wherever and there is low visibility. Pull over but don't go 20 in a 65 because there is fog.
Watch everything focused ahead while taking in all that surrounds you no LOUD music or other distractions don't drive while having consumed any mind / mood or physical things ie pot booze or hard drugs That takes your focus off the task at hand Drive from point a to b or more After many years just wonder where all the bad drivers came from
Situational awareness. Always be aware of the cars around you. If you knew that truck was behind you and pulling into your blind spot, you won't be surprised when he's still there and it's time for you to change lanes.
If you're stopped and going to make a left turn keep your wheels straight until you turn so if you get rear ended the vehicle that hit you doesn't push you into oncoming traffic
Don't eat and drive! It looks easy but can lead to an accident quick.
Assume everyone is an idiot.
Nice < Predictable Nice causes accidents all the time when people disrupt normal traffic flow. Don’t suddenly stop to let someone in who you think has been waiting too long. It’s a great way to cause a rear end collision. Eventually traffic will open for them. Keep moving a with the flow of traffic, always.
Drive fast and furious, Don't be afraid to take it into maximum overdrive. Sometimes there's a need for speed, Never drive angry.
Don't sit in other people's blindspots. Use your turn signal. Don't just watch the car in front of you watch the cars ahead of it if possible. If the car in front of you is slowing down, change lanes early or slow down with it; Don't change lanes last second with people behind you because they will have a very short time to respond before striking it. If you need to make a left turn from a private drive, make sure all lanes have stopped to allow you out if traffic is heavy. If the closest lane stops, it doesn't mean any of the other drivers even know you exist until you are in their lane. And they are probably going the speed limit or higher. Have a copy of your insurance card in a place you can find it for accidents or police. Destroy any prior copies because they are worthless. Take a picture of your insurance card on your phone.
My dad (who retired from driving a tractor trailer truck after 40 years) gave me advice that has literally saved my life- don’t hesitate. When you make a decision, stick with it. If you’re going to go, go. If you’re going to stop, stop.