[andrzejpw]

Well, just 2 more days and I get my permit. My dad and I have been driving a lot in parking lots, and I'll soon be ready for the road.

So . . . any words of wisdom?

 

[gloco]

Quote:

Originally posted by andrzejpw So . . . any words of wisdom?

Don't run over any cats, dogs or people!

And stay off the ******* sidewalk.

 

[dhwilkin]

If you make eye-contact w/ the driver beside you at an intersection, you are obligated to race that driver to the next light. So if you have a slow car, don't ever make eye-contact.

- Always check your vehicle's blind spot before changing lanes, especially in heavy traffic.

- Always signal when you change lanes, especially if you're near another car.

- Check your speed constantly. It's far too easy to go alot faster than you thought.

- Do not put speed over safety. For example, if you realize you're about to go past your turn, do not suddenly swerve across two lanes to reach it. Keep going, make a u-turn, and come back.

 

[john_jcb]

Don't ever assume that the other drivers are going to do the smart or correct thing in any situation. People will cut you off, step on the brakes or speed up for no apparent reason. Be ready for the unexpected.

Devote your full attention to driving.

It pays to yield sometimes even when you have the right of way.

Wear a seat belt all the time

Get a good pair of sun glasses

Never drink and drive Never

 

[rickcr42]

every other car on the road is your enemy,you must be aggressive.The gas pedal is your bestist friend,the brakes are only for emergency use.Like when some ******* happens to get in your way.
If you see a gap in traffic PUNCH THE GAS,
Just go for it,nothing to lose.

BTW-had my very first accident last week.Seen the gap,punched the gas,and [size=medium]WHAMMO[/size]
Where did HE come from

had to pull my fender out to drive away,the other car was towed,no casulties

(oooh my back

)
Moral ? Have the bigger vehicle

 

[andrzejpw]

Quote:

If you make eye-contact w/ the driver beside you at an intersection, you are obligated to race that driver to the next light.

What if I rev my engine as well?

And I'm guessing if I stall out the other person is obligated to laugh?


Quote:

Never drink and drive Never

That's been ingrained in my mind since about 5th grade.

 

[dhwilkin]

Quote:

rickcr42 said... The gas pedal is your bestist friend,the brakes are only for emergency use.

Oh yeah, almost forgot about that. Remember, real men don't use brakes! *
Quote:

andrzejpw said... And I'm guessing if I stall out the other person is obligated to laugh?

Yup. Finger-pointing is optional.

* = Applicable to video games only, not real life.

 

[raymondlin]

Listen ONLY to your Driving Instructor, everyone has bad habits in driving, no matter how good they think they are. I am learnign to drive too, and not be able to drive except in my driving lessons actually helped as nobody influenced my driving apart from the instructor. So I have picked up NO bad habits from anyone so far and doing very well.

 

[andrzejpw]

My dad is my driving instructor. Let's just say he OWNS the school of aggressive driving.

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally posted by raymondlin So I have picked up NO bad habits from anyone so far and doing very well.

You already drive on the wrong side a very bad habit.

Was almost killed in London one day when I looked for oncoming traffic then stepped off the curb. I felt the wind of a cab as he swerved to miss me.

 

[BDA_ABAT]

Remember: YOU ARE NOT READY TO DRIVE!

If you've gone out on parking lots and the like but have not spent much time on the road, BEWARE!

Driving is like almost every other skill. A very, very, very few people seem to have innate skill without lots of practice. For the vast majority of people, practice is the only way to get better. Most of driving is about judgement. You cannot make accurate judgements without experience. That experience is not only with your car but also with how other cars and drivers usually react.

There is good data from the US that clearly shows that folks that get > 100 hours of actual driving time (logged while driving with someone like your dad while you have a permit) before taking their test have much better outcomes than those that have < 100 hours. Folks with more than 250 hours time do even better. PRACTICE!

Bottom line: be careful, pay attention, don't overestimate your driving skill level, don't assume that others on the road will behave rationally and PRACTICE.

Good luck!
Bruce

 

[raymondlin]

Your Dad? You should find someone who is quailfy to teach you, having a driving licence doesn't make him a instructor. A lot of people have habits that they think it's perfectly safe but it'll fail you in your test.

ie, lost of people don't put their hand brake on when the car is parked, they put it in gear. When you have passed your test, there is nothing to stop you to do that but you can't do that in a test. Some people have actually got their car stuck in gear as they parked on a slope and the weight of the car put too much pressure in the car and they are just stuck there and had to call for help.

Your driving instructor will know the well known driving test route and will take you round them and make you familiar with them, your dad won't and the experience have going through a road that you know already helps not only your nerve but you'll know what's coming up every junction.

I won't learn driving from my dad, even though he's a good and safe driver as there are loads of stuff he does will fail me in a test and he won't even know it himself.

 

[raymondlin]

Quote:

Was almost killed in London one day when I looked for oncoming traffic then stepped off the curb. I felt the wind of a cab as he swerved to miss me.

Judging by the fact that you think we drive on the "wrong" side of the road, you obviously looking at the "wrong" direction when the cab swerved by you.

 

[andrzejpw]

I'm getting my permit on saturday. Not my license . . .

Quote:

Your Dad? You should find someone who is quailfy to teach you, having a driving licence doesn't make him a instructor.

I don't have much of a choice. You're underestimating my dad. I know the route I'll be taking on the test, btw.

 

[raymondlin]

Well, good luck! At least the roads in the US are a lot easier and straighter! And you don't have Roundabout! and the speed limit is only 50 mph !