I took a dull defensive driving course and........

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 2, 2011
Messages
216
Location
New YOrk
I only really learned one thing: to eviscerate the notion of 'right of way' from my mind. I happen to agree that we should get rid of that idea, all of us. We replace it with the idea of 'usually of way' or 'sometimes of way.' It's less certain, it encourages us all to be more careful.

Too many times, I have seen people, arrogant people, seemingly plow straight ahead and narrowly missing a turning vehicle or someone merging or whatever, all because of the idea that they had the 'right of way' and NO ONE was going to tell them different.

An example: it may be true that by convention the driver attempting to make a left, should wait for the oncoming drivers to pass first but that driver needs to be alert too that drivers making turns sometimes misjudge.
 
Last edited:
Have you ever turned right on red into two empty lanes only to have some yahoo come roaring up behind you and honk despite a completely empty passing lane to the left of us.
My appologies for occupying YOUR lane on YOUR road sir. Sure, i could be more defensive and wait, but so could they and not pretend they have the right of way to the lane in front of them at the speed they deem.
 
Back in the stone age how I learned 'right of way' in drivers ed was, 'right of way is something a driver never has but can always yield for safety.' Made sense to me.

Just curious, did they mention tips like keeping wheels pointed straight ahead while waiting to make a left hand turn?

I'd think a defensive driving course/refresher could be beneficial if taught correctly.
 
In NY most people are in the course to get a few points off their license. A few to get the insurance discount. Very few take it to learn to drive better or because its fun.
 
Last edited:
My defensive driving course is 2 inch tube bumpers integrated into the frame... bring on the crumple boxes.

I got rear ended ended by a guy in a civic and my rear hitch destroyed his Hood. My wife, in the passenger seat playing with the radio never noticed, even when he reversed and floored it past us to flee the scene.

Didn't even bother calling the cops.


I average 40-60k miles a year...and have for the last 10. ID say I know the laws better than most traffic court judges. When I know I have the safe right of way, and there isn't an imminent accident brewing...I go. If I see a vehicle significantly more armored or stout than my own...they have the right of way.

Then again...there isn't much terrain that I don't classify as an emergency escape zone if a texting driver is coming up behind me quickly. Ditches. Medians. Sidewalks. A concrete barrier next to the interstate...if I can climb it to avoid an accident...I'm down.


In all seriousness though...being completely aware of the dimensions of your vehicle, the vehicles and drivers around you, and constant scanning of your mirrors is the best bet to avoid accidents.

My wife is always mystified that I can make an emergency lane change without whipping my head around to see what's there first. Its impossible to explain that I know the year make and model of every vehicle around me whether the driver is paying attention, and of their suspension is worn out or not. Just a habit I got into when I was younger.

If I see a woman in a small SUV...or a guy in a sporty car...this old boy keeps his distance.
 
Too many people drive as if no other car is on the road, nor willing to adjust their driving to any other car...defensive driving's primary objective is to protect the rest of us from THEM.
When I was in India EVERYone honked their horn...not so much to complain about other's driving ("hey, get outtamyway!") as much as to alert them that the horn-blower is present ("hey, just letting you know I'm here")...given their lack of adherence to lanes that is their way, albeit noisy way, of defensive driving.
 
They adhere to zero traffic laws though.

Third world Asian countries are weird like that...meek as can be, but behind the wheel they turn into Mr. Hyde.
 
When I was learning to drive, my parents gave me a couple of lessons with a driving school, and although it had nothing to do with the test, the guys was full on defensive driving...

Everyone is going to break every rule is the mantra that you use.

When this guy pulls out, where do I go, can I stop.
Yes, my light is green, but is that 18 wheeler going to run red ? (usually yes).
Parked cars, suburbs, means kids.

Silly little safety conversations that you have with yourself, but pay off.

32.gif
scariest impaired driving experience that I had was after 29 hour stint commissioning a turbine. I knew I was fine, but realised that I was having my safety conversations sometime after the risk, rather than before...scared me badly.
 
Originally Posted By: SuzukiGoat
They adhere to zero traffic laws though.

Third world Asian countries are weird like that...meek as can be, but behind the wheel they turn into Mr. Hyde.


An Italian co-worker has an interesting take on blinkers...he prefers the term "indicators" as the US use...

"I am INDICATING my intent to change lanes, not asking for permission".

It sounds aggressive when stated, but being a predominantly country driver, the city folks seem to respond better to this than us bumpkins wavering around with our indicators on waiting for an invitation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom