MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
What skills etc make a driver good driver?
Absolutely crucial that they have good typing skills and can sustain a circular argument on an internet forum for days on end.
😆
Have a good Xmas!
Aye, but that's a given.
Ability to read the conditions, early preparation and anticipation, avoidance of hazardous situations, ability to resist showing off and ability to resist creeping (just a little bit over the speed limit, take that corner a little bit faster, slow down a bit later) beyond what you know to be best.
After all, driving is a means of getting A to B for most of us and I want to get there and not a ditch or a hospital.
Me
90% about attitude, 10% about skill.
One of the greatest skills you can have as a driver is knowing your limitations and faults.
What prompted the question?
If anyone is looking for a late Christmas present idea:
http://www.iam.org.uk/the_iam/
[url= http://www.iam.org.uk/images/stories/downloads/shop/SfL_Car_17.12.09_condensed.pdf ]Skill for Life £139/url]
Most important- never panic even when faced with with an impossible situation.
I bet many accidents are caused by over-reactions and (especially on motorways) - over-correction.
Second what Andy says (serious mode on) .... I don't display my IAM badge on the grill.
Driving Instructor skillz
AA - just wanted to see what people though being a good driver was all about.
I don't display any of my badges unless it's a legal requirement. 😉
Anticipation, driving within ones own and the road's limits, tolerance and courtesy towards other users.
[i]Most important- never panic even when faced with with an impossible situation.
I bet many accidents are caused by over-reactions and (especially on motorways) - over-correction. [/i]
I often find drivers claim something happened "suddenly" when in reality they had prior warning.
As JonT said, observation is key. I start with getting people to look up the road, read it and the prevailing hazards (a hazard is a physical feature or something created by the movement of other road users).
Once you've seen something then you can deal with it.
Spotting things and gives you time to react and deal with them.
Seriously, IAM membership is an incredibly good deal. There are local groups across the UK with volunteer (but highly trained) "Observers" like me who provide as many "free" sessions as you'll need to get you throught the (testing) 1 1/2 hour test (with a police advanced examiner).
Ventilated driving gloves.
One of my favoured teaching techniques was to get a pupil to tell me what the hazards were on a particular stretch of road, first while stationary then on the move. When we were on the move I would give them a 3 second head start on telling me about a hazard before I would tell them about it. The universal reaction would be "shit there's a lot to see", "yip".
What makes a good driver?
Keeping all of you peons behind me where you can't cause me damage!
So instead of listening to the crap from your driving instructor "mirror, signal, manouvre" listen to this - "GET OUT OF MY WAY AND STAY THERE"
Oh, and just in case - it's a silver jag being driven by a driving god.....
A good driver knows the inside lane of a motorway is the travelling lane, and the other two are supposed to be for overtaking, not special BMW lanes......
My driving instructor told me to treat everyone on the road like an idiot. So, taking his good advice I am the only good driver on this planet 😉
Quiet efficiency is the hallmark of an expert. Although alert they give the impression of being completely relaxed. They drive in a calm, controlled style, without fuss or flourish, progressing smooth and unobtrusively. They will always be in the right place on the road, travelling at the right speed with the right gear engaged and he achieves this desirable state by concentrating all the time, planning ahead and driving systematically. 😀
23 years and 350,000 miles of driving experience with no insurance claims, so far.
[crosses fingers]
being able to do eveyone elses observations and thinking for them before they do. Therefore being able to deal with other peoples mistakes without any sudden changes in speed and/or direction.
[i]23 years and 350,000 miles of driving experience with no insurance claims, so far.[/i]
That don't make you a good driver.
[i]When we were on the move I would give them a 3 second head start on telling me about a hazard before I would tell them about it. The universal reaction would be "shit there's a lot to see", "yip". [/i]
Scanning 😉
Accident record is one indicator but I've seen plenty of people who'd driven for XXX years with no accidents.. "they all happen behind me" was what one bloke said!
I love the "quiet efficiency" idea. Which page of Roadcraft Drac? 😉
Exactly what Drac said, plus excellent awareness and anticipation so that nothing is a surprise.
Also, driving in a manner that your passengers feel comfortable with
Another game would be, near, far or moving - I would choose a word based on what was going on and they would need to tell me what the respective hazard was.
Quality games these.
23 years and 350,000 miles of driving experience with no insurance claims, so far.
Does to me. Plus, hes not a pompous 'look at me' with his Cubs badge on the front of his car. Ive seen a fair few of those- driven far too within the conditions. 🙄
I'm a good driver: just drove 170 odd miles through what the radio described as "treacharous conditions", on top of the 150 odd I did yesterday in similar, and no one died or was injured as a result of my driving - that's good enough for me 😀
What skills etc make a good driver?
The ability to drive faster than anyone else.
[i]I love the "quiet efficiency" idea. Which page of Roadcraft Drac? [/i]
Well spotted I'd have to hunt it out, took me long enough to remember the words correct it and make politically correct. It was near the front if I remember, it's been almost 18 years.
23 years and 350,000 miles of driving experience with no insurance claims, so far.
So what did you crash into but not put though your insurance?
The ability to drive a car which does have ABS and TC and EPS turned on, but not have the ABS and TC and EPS lights flashing.
"That don't make you a good driver. "
I wasn't willy waving and I do commit errors! But I'm proud of my crash-free driving record although I accept I could just be very very lucky.
A trick I've always used is keeping plenty of reaction time between me and anything I might hit e.g. the car in front, bends, junctions etc.
The black ice around here has been interesting. Two bits of road looking clear, one offering full grip, the other almost none. I had a "moment" today but managed to gently regain grip before the mini-roundabout - kinda fun!
I'm a terrible passenger. I hate being driven.
If I can fall asleep while someone is driving. They gotta be good.
There's only two people in this world that I've been able to do that with.
Mrs Stratobiker is one of them.
Stratobiker, binners will atest that my driving is soo leisurely that you'll go back in time. I must be your third if you ever get into the car with me 😉
Humility? 😕
sign of a good driver is that they never surprise or startle other drivers. i like to think that when i drive every move is entirley predictable and expected.
before anyone points it out, yes, this could also apply to bad driving.
I wave my private parts at your IAM qualification and fart in your general direction 😆
Love to read the quotes from the 'bible' Drac. For me being trained to the level of an advanced services driver is as good as it gets (unless you are fortunate enough to get a trainers course).
Used to think I was a 'really good driver' till I did my advanced-now I know I am, but even safer and smoother with it with advanced scanning skills to go with the car control skills.
Yeah it does help a lot with driving Suggsey, I've been trying for the last few years to become an instructor but there not interested in training their own staff.
Interesting thread this,I have been delivering Christmas presents in the North lakes all day.(Courier)Its been a mad week.
After the last few days of heavy snow, its been a nightmare getting the van up some pretty severe inclines and along the back lanes with no salt or grit on them (rwd).
On several occasions i have had to overtake slower cars "mincing" up or down gradients in cough, "dodgy" situations, when if I had too match there speed I would have not had the momentum and eventually grip to get up the climb.
On a couple of occasions i got a flash of lights and horn, with my aggresive approach to the situation.
It does feel wrong at the time and could be described as "bad driving"
Ultimatly all the deliverys got done,(Including Seathwaite farm!Borrowdale) all the kids will be happy,but my van has two broken wing mirrors!!
A good driver imho pulls over to let quicker vehicles through and has anticipated this by "using the mirrors".
There is all types of driving conditions... city driving is probably the hardest due to the cut throat antics of other drivers.. congestion.. blind spots and them f...ing bicycles and mopeds - scooters.... I think the best drivers drive hearses..
If they can use their indicators that's a start. Especially at roundabouts.
The ability to wear a trilby at a rakish angle driving any car, not just a Saab.
think it was fifth gear who raced a highly qualified police driver v's vicky butler-H. He was 4 secs a lap slower. On the road though, different story
car position, speed, awareness and laying off those brakes make a good driver IMO
Gavgas your right so many panic in snow and ice too drive far too slowly.
23 years and 350,000 miles of driving experience with no insurance claims, so far.
350k in 23 years.. bloody hell i have done 140k in 2 years.!(without accidents!)
The abilty to drive fast in icy conditions so I can keep up with the dangerous drivers who can't drive. Then nearly lose it as I fishtail down the road because I wasn't concentrating and didn't see the ice.
"think it was fifth gear who raced a highly qualified police driver v's vicky butler-H. He was 4 secs a lap slower. On the road though, different story"
Two of the best motorcycle riders I have ever ridden with were women,I could easily ride and follow road position at high speed, with no question as to ability or forward observation,One was fastest (at the time) female british rider around the nurbering in Germany!
I have been passenger in vehicles with Class 1 Police driving authorisation and many of them have frightened the living daylights out of me!! (ex police mechanic). :roll
The biggest problem I think is the Concentration you need to drive well, with so many distractions around you,Its much easier to drive faster and rush into situations "when your in a hurry" than it is to slow down and anticipate the hazard thats round that blind bend.
A good driver can make progress in a safe and controlled way, while also taking into account situations created by others, through forward planing and good observation. 😉
Depends what you define as driving?
If it's track driving where the goal is to maintain ultimate speed then any of the F1 or WRC drivers do it for me.
For driving on the public road, getting from A to B, then the first 'skill' is to put 'driving' the car as the first priority. A friend of mine puts it in about seventh place behind talking, looking at things around them, etc...
Interesting comments about never being caught out by sudden unexpected situations. Years ago I was driving my dad's Capri to deliver some chrissy cards. Just overtaking a slower mini on a stretch of dual carriageway when the car suddenly spun sideways, shot 90 degrees across the front of the stunned mini driver, over the kerb, across a wide grass verge, missed by two feet a large two-post road sign, before coming to rest parallel with the road in the right direction, just on the edge of a ditch, car in neutral, engine idleing. Turns out the rear off-side tyre had blown out suddenly throwing the car into a slide at 60mph. The cops who turned up a few minutes afterwards, just coincidentally, checked the road surface but could find no cause, and were kind enough to help me change the tyre 'cos the jack kept sinking into the ground, so I had a police officer winding the jack handle like fury while I whipped the wheel off and put the spare on. Not saying that was good driving, but the fact I had the car in neutral while it was ticking over impressed me. 😉
Goan - Premier Member23 years and 350,000 miles of driving experience with no insurance claims, so far.
So what did you crash into but not put though your insurance?
hehehe, have to have a laugh at that one ❗
Near enough 40yrs driving and:
2 days before my first test I managed to roll an Austin 1100, broken steering arm caused the crash. Rolled the car XXXX times, crawled out of the upside down car through the hole which used to be the windscreen ❗
Crashed an MGB into a sandstone dyke and demolished a 30mph sing. Bald tyres on a wet road caused that one.
No claims on either due to being "works" cars.
Used to do a bit of road rallying/autotesting in my late teens and early 20s. One or 2 guys bailed out as navigators due to my "speed". I then got an experienced female navigator who reckoned I was the fastest but safest driver she had sat beside ❓ 😀
I had a friend whos dad was a policeman who asked me to have a test drive in a car he wanted to buy(I was a mech at the time). We took the car for a bit of a drive around some of the local back roads. He was interested in "what can it could do" and said give it some welly, well I needed no further prompting 🙄
After a bit he commented that he wished some of his colleagues were as smooth and fast, took that as a bit of a compliment 😀
Friends comment was that her dad thought I was a right nutter 😈
Re the comments on the AMI. We put our son through the scheme straight after he passed his driving test. He was driving quite a bit to get to and from work. He was fortunate to get a police driver as a tutor/advisor and thought it was the best thing he had done re driving.