Best driving practices

[Nick1994]

One of my driving practices is letting others in my lane. If I'm feeling generous I'll even slow down for them a little bit. Many people out there will gun it and not let you in. In my morning commute I have to move over 3 lanes within 1/2 a mile unless I wanna get on the wrong highway, which can be difficult because often people won't let you in. News flash, it isn't that big of a deal. You're still gonna get to work at the same time regardless if you let me in.

 

[Rick in PA]

When passing a line of cars at a traffic light (for example; many cars stopped to go straight, you're making a right and the right turn lane is clear). Go extra slow, you never know when someone will change their mind and pull into the turn lane.

When turning out into traffic (for example; you're making a left at a stop sign and someone approaching from the left but signaling a turn). Wait until you see their wheels turn committing them to the turn before pulling out in front of them.

Think about the message your brake lights send to the other driver. At a stop sign, with someone behind you, when you release the brakes, go-go-go. Don't just pull ahead for a better view and re-stop. The driver behind you may rear end you in this situation.

 

[Silk]

Just ride a motorcycle, and use what you learned to stay alive to drive a car.

 

[supton]

My best practice is to stay off the road. Think about it. The more cars there are, the more incidents there are, be it accidents, road rage or simple mistakes. I've been able to alter my commute&work hours just slightly so as to avoid the worst rush hour traffice.

Next best is to be predictable. Turn signals are nice, although most drivers will notice that you want to change lanes if you start a slow drift. Or at least I do.

There is a time and place for letting people in; I try to do that in slow city traffic. Sometimes a vibe can get started, where we alternate letting cars in (i let one in, the guy behind me lets one in, so on). On the highway I'll move over for merging traffic, if I can--although you'll note this can run afoul of the drive right meme in cities as you tend to camp in the middle lane to do so. But I refuse to slow down on the highway for merging traffic.

The final thing would to remember that others aren't no more perfect than I. Going into a tizzy every time something bad happened to me would be a sure way to a shorter life. Worst thing I could do is get mad and start my own case of road rage.

 

[kozanoglu]

Avoid Monte Carlos and any SS variants like Cobalt SS.

 

[mcrn]

When possible I leave a way out while setting at a red light or in traffic. At least leave enough room where I can pull up quite a bit if someone is coming up from behind and does not look like they can stop.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I avoid being next to a truck. Those tires go quite violently when it's their time to expire.

Other than that, I am a habitual mirror checker. Like constantly.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I find that driving the speed limit relieves a lot of stress. For one, I have absolutely no need to be on the look-out for (and to avoid) "the man" in the black-and-white. They're out there for us, not against us, right? Beyond not having to be on constant fear of a speeding ticket, driving the speed limit lets all of the riff-raff pass on by, and I get a chuckle out of observing all of the trouble people get themselves into trying to beat the next guy. Things like serving left and right, cutting each other off, them having to slam on the brakes (or ride them) because they've put themselves into a situation where they shouldn't be in the first place. It's actually pretty entertaining. I truly laugh out loud at least once or twice during each commute.

The stoplight chasers were REALLY in a hurry today. I swear, I was smelling burning catalytic converters all the way to work. It seems like everyone had their foots on the floorboards this morning... And they got there three minutes before I did, too.

I guess they won.

 

[IndyIan]

I find I like to just set the cruise a mph or two faster than the speed limited trucks and camp out in the right lane. The semi-enforced limit is only 6mph faster anyways.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
I find that driving the speed limit relieves a lot of stress.


Ironically my BP went down when I started driving 10 over. In MA at least it seems the worst drivers are around the speed limit, and in the right or middle lanes. Give or take. I found going just fast enough to be passing most people got me around the people not paying attention. Otherwise it just seemed like I was constantly avoiding people trying to put their car where I already was.

Am going to guess that is New England traffic, not traffic elsewhere--some things are regional. Off the highway I prefer to stick with the limit, or at least attempt to (I blur 50/55mph roads in 60, as my vehicles don't hold top gear too well at 50/55).

 

[SteveSRT8]

I drive a major highway every day into a neighboring country where the work is.

Like Hokiefyd above I find it quite amusing. Since it is peak volume hour the traffic is heavy, I am in the middle lane just keeping up, and the antics of the econoboxers who must get to their cubicle FIRST are literally live entertainment.

Driving nearly 100k miles a year and NOT on major interstates means you simply have to learn better skills. Many guys in my biz retire after a traffic accident hurts them...

 

[Mr Nice]

I leave my house at 5:30 AM just to avoid the idiots, then leave work at 2:30 PM to avoid the idiots during rush hour.