^^^^^ That's excellent, and what you describe is essentially the Smith System.

Anticipate constantly and think about what you'd do if a bad and dangerous situation develops.

It's actually ok to talk this out loud, especially if you're by yourself. What do you see, what do you anticipate, what will you do.

When my grandson first starting driving, I was riding with him. He made a left turn to pull into our driveway. I asked him why he didn't use the turn signal. He said "There was no one behind me." I explained that as a new driver, he needs to develop a "muscle memory" to use the turn single without even thinking whenever he makes a turn. It takes time and thought to evaluate whether anyone is behind you to see if you need to use your turn signal, even if it's just for a moment. I told him you need to develop a reflexive habit of using you turn signal when you make a turn or change lanes. I told him this will keep you safe and make you a better driver.

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:
I've mentioned this one in the past.

If you are on icy roads going down a hill and are concerned if you will be able to stop at the bottom, put the vehicle in neutral. When a vehicle is in drive the engine wants to turn the wheels so put it in neutral to take that forward force out of the equation.

Now that I think about it I guess you don't have to be going down a hill for this to help stop.

That only works for an automatic transmission. With a manual transmission you can get engine braking.

flashguy

The faster you go, the less you’ll feel the impact.

quote:

Originally posted by HuskySig:
The faster you go, the less you’ll feel the impact.

When I was a kid, my best friend's dad had a bumper sticker that said: "Drive like hell, you'll get there!" He drove like hell too.

quote:

Originally posted by HuskySig:
The faster you go, the less you’ll feel the impact.

The faster you go, the less time you spend in the danger zone.

Seat belts. Every damned time.

(I still do all those things I learned in driver's ed nearly 50 years ago.)

1. Walk around vehicle and observe obstructions.
2. Enter, close door and lock.
2. Adjust seat.
3. Adjust mirrors.
4. Buckle up.
5. Scan all around.
6. Key on, observer lights.
7. Foot on brake, (neutral, if manual) start, observe lights/gauges.
8. Give about 1 minute warm up, or more if very cold to allow choke/high idle to settle down.
9. Look around.
10. Put in gear and proceed slowly.
11. If backing, put right arm on seat back and turn body/neck and look out rear window.

And a bunch of all other things.

I truly believe that driver's ed, has been one of the most enduring and certain things that have kept me alive.

And, yes, I have let a thing slip a time or two, and almost every time I have had any "close calls", it reinforced the things I learned, or reminded me that I was lax in them.

And riding a motorcycle for years before I started driving cars, also helped.

I am not a good driver. I am a fortunate driver, trying to be a better driver.

When backing a trailer grip the bottom of the steering wheel, move hand in direction the rear of the trailer is needing to go.

Backing with a trailer is easy. Backing up with an articulated trailer is not.

A longer trailer is easier to back than a shorter one.

Backing up with a car dolly is trickier if there is a car on it. Perhaps the trickiest of all.
Make sure that both of the car tires on the dolly are properly inflated. This allows for proper rotation and lets you get the disabled car where it needs to go.

If there's somebody in front of you, regardless of direction...TURN OFF YOUR HIGH BEAMS

Its amazing the number of people these days that drive, in non-rural areas, with their high-beams on.

Has anyone addressed downshifting with an automatic transmission?

Let the automatic automatic.

Exception is towing, rv, or other heavy grade and using engine breaking with manual downshift.

Repeated manual downshifts result in excessive wear to the friction band(s) and can cause heat to warp the reaction drum(s).

The design of the transmissions ability to properly apply and release the clutch packs, and friction bands/drums, will preserver longevity of the transmission.

But, there are times it should be done, and most owner's manuals should clarify that.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
Some common courtesies:

1. When turning right off of a highway when someone is behind you, pull off to the right before turning. Likewise, when turning left off of a highway when someone is behind you, and seeing that there is no oncoming traffic, pull into the left lane prior to turning. Both allow those behind you to proceed easily.


3. If someone is tailgating you, simply ease off to the right when possible and let them by. You don't know if they've got a kid in the car with his arm cut off and they're trying to get to the ER, if they are late for work, or if they're just an asshole. It doesn't matter. Do the above and everyone is happy.

4. Drive at or near (within 5ish) of the posted speed limit......

#1 Is a good suggestion in Montana or other "wide road" states but it's not possible in many Appalachian states such as WV as at the very edge of our narrow 2-lane roads is a deep ditch. I'm always envious when traveling in mid-west and western states how there is an actual berm, with many being the equivalent of another lane!

#3 Agree 100% let them by. SLOW down and hug the right side of your lane and motion them past, do not speed up on a straight where they will want to pass.

#4 Uh maybe if in my truck with a load......

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:

quote:

Originally posted by Day_late:
The advice here for parking on a hill sounds
backwards to me, but maybe I'm just reading it wrong.

If headed downhill, the wheels should be turned toward the curb so any movement forward is stopped by the curb. If headed uphill, the wheels ought to be turned away from the curb so any movement backward is stopped by the curb.

That's the way I was taught.

Headed uphill wheels toward the curb. The rear wheels will stop the vehicle from rolling backwards. This has the added benefit that if there is no curb, the vehicle won't roll backwards across traffic. Front wheels always to the side is easy to remember and always works. "Toward the side downhill, away from the side uphill, unless there isn't a curb then towards towards the side" is unnecessarily complicated and harder to remember.

If you see a girl in a flatbed Ford, see if she slows down to take a look at you...

If you are in poor visability, use the solid white line at the right side of your lane to judge where you should be.

Jim

I didn't learn this before, but apparently, here in Arkansas, when entering an Interstate or other highway, enter the highway at 25 to 30 mph below the posted speed limit, especially during high traffic flow times.

If you have a grey or silver car, do not turn on your headlights during heavy rain.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
If you see a girl in a flatbed Ford, see if she slows down to take a look at you...

Hey, c'mon man - take it easy......

quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
If you see a girl in a flatbed Ford, see if she slows down to take a look at you...

Hey, c'mon man - take it easy......

During spring break about 1975, I decided to hitch hike to see a buddy in San Diego from Springfield MO. The second ride was in a van going to San Diego. I'm going down route 66 playing guitar in the back and learning songs from an Eagles song book. Look up and guess where I am?

Don't wrap your thumb around the steering wheel.

You are likely to break your hand in a crash.