Safe Driver: Skills for Life - Part 2

If you're here and haven't read part 1, go to the links section and read that first. Otherwise, welcome to a guide that will make you a better driver, a safe driver, and develop driving skills for life.

6. Learn how to Merge

The inability to merge is one of the most frustrating things in the world when you're a good, safe driver. Good drivers are good mergers. Bad drivers can't merge to save their lives. If you learn how to merge properly, you will become a better driver and you will actually improve the quality of life for people throughout America. After you learn how to merge, consider yourself a philanthropist. It's that significant. Safe driving and good merging go together.

The inability to merge causes more traffic jams throughout the nation than any other thing I can think of. The inability to merge also causes accidents of all kinds. A safe driver knows how to merge. In many situations where there is a traffic jam, it is caused by those who don't know how to merge. If they knew how to merge, there wouldn't be a jam at all. Let me give an example from personal experience.

I drive a stretch of highway called the Boulder Turnpike. Beginning at approximately 5 pm most days, one of the ramps that leads to the Turnpike becomes packed with cars. It's a long ramp, and as a result of the jam, it often takes 15 minutes to move 200 yards.

And what's the cause of this traffic jam? You guessed it. The cause is the inability to merge. When one comes to the point where the ramp meets the highway, nine out of ten people come to a complete stop and attempt to enter the highway immediately. Okay, this would be one thing if they ABSOLUTELY HAD to get on the highway right where the ramp merges with the highway, but they don't. There is about 500 yards of extra lane there that people simply don't use.

What's that extra lane for you might wonder, oh person with lack of merging skills? It's so that instead of coming to a complete stop (and tying up traffic both on the ramp because everyone else behind has to stop, and severely slowing down traffic on the highway because the cars on the highway have to slow down to let the merging car in) a merging car can get up to speed and merge into traffic at the same speed as the traffic.

This is proper merging technique and if you don't use it, then you should practice or consider going everywhere on a bicycle or by public transportation. Whenever you attempt to enter traffic from a merging lane, you should be attempting to reach the speed of the merging traffic and then enter.

Ah, you see a conflict here, don't you? If the traffic is already stopped for all the morons who've also already stopped, what difference does it make what I do? The answer is that most of the time, the traffic stops at the merge and speeds up shortly thereafter, so if you, like me, have 500 yards of road with which to play with, speeding up makes it much easier to merge and relieves some space from the ramp. If everyone used the extra lane and got up to speed, imagine how many cars would be off the ramp.

This is, in fact, exactly what I do to get on the Turnpike when it's crowded. I don't follow all the sheep making the same mistake and stop my car. I use the extra lane, get up to speed, and generally look for a large truck or slow-moving car to merge with. Trucks are the best because they don't get up to speed as fast and almost always leave plenty of space in front of them lest they crush the Honda Civic in front of them and incur the wrath of the insurance gods (this is precisely the reason that when a truck gets too close to my rear, I get out of its way).

On any given day on the Turnpike, there is traffic jam after traffic jam where the highway merges with a new ramp despite the fact that the cars have plenty of extra lane to use in order to merge. If half of these people learned how to get on the highway properly, imagine how much better the driving would be. You can be part of that half! You'll be a better driver. You'll improve your confidence. You'll reduce road rage. You will improve the lives of many, many people. You will be revered by friends, colleagues, and people in other cars you don't even know.

Merging, for the most part, is the same thing as changing lanes, but often people don't think of it quite the same because usually they're already going the same speed as the rest of the traffic.

How does a bad driver change lanes? Well, the first thing a bad driver does is that he suddenly realizes he needs to change lanes instead of thinking ahead and planning for it. This causes problems when traffic is heavy because the bad driver will often think suddenly about changing lanes, hit the brakes, signal, and then attempt to change into the lane by hoping somebody will slow down for them. This, of course, causes a chain-reaction as every car behind the car that slows down has to slow down too. If this happens a few hundred times a minute, suddenly you have a traffic jam. The really bad driver will simply stay in the right lane throughout their entire trip on the highway. Since they don't know how to merge and change lanes in the first place, this wreaks havoc because, being in the right lane already, they're subject to more merging than ever given that people attempting to exit the highway are trying to get over and people trying to enter the highway are trying to get on. The same principle applies to city driving too.

It is much easier to merge while accelerating then decelerating. Why? Think about it. If you're already thinking about merging, by accelerating ahead of a car, you practically remove the step of having to look to your side or use your mirrors because you know that you know exactly where the car is you just passed. If you're decelerating, hitting your brakes, there is actually much less time to get over because the cars behind you are coming toward you, closing the gap you're trying to enter. You also have to look in your mirrors and estimate how much space you have. If you move past a car in a lane you intend to merge into, you already have much more information about where you're going.

7. Driving in the City

Driving in the city presents a number of different problems from other types of driving (like driving on the highway, which is discussed next). You'll usually be dealing with many more cars in the city, making a wide variety of unusual maneuvers. Driving in the city involves passing numerous intersections, which automatically means that other drivers might decide at the last minute that they need to make a right hand turn from the left hand lane or that they need to enter 45mph oncoming traffic at 10mph and right in front of you.

I can't tell you how many accidents I've avoided while driving in the city by keeping my eye on the stopped cars in the intersection immediately ahead of me. Drivers in intersections do all sorts of crazy things. Even though they're sitting there (waiting for a red light to change green or waiting at a stop sign) and not moving, it's amazing how often they will decide to make a turn or step on the accelerator at the least opportune time.

Assuming that most drivers around you are idiots and are going to do something stupid given the opportunity is a sound driving strategy. It makes you more alert. It makes you pay attention to other drivers. Always be aware of your surroundings while driving in the city. Even if there are no cars sitting at an intersection you are about to cross, always remember that cars are always approaching that intersection and that there's always a chance that the approaching car will fail to stop. Yes, yes, you're a positive person who likes to give others the benefit of the doubt. Save it for church. This is driving.

I have had numerous occasions where a car sitting at an intersection pulled out against a red light for no reason at all. If you are aware of the car, you'll have the opportunity to hit your brakes and stop. If you aren't aware, you'll slam into them or they will slam into you. Either way, we're talking thousands of dollars in damages, a traffic ticket for somebody, higher insurance rates, and possible death.

My uncle taught me a good lesson about driving in the city: never be the first one into an intersection after a light changes from red to green. Why does this make so much sense? Simple, because if you allow another car into the intersection first, then if somebody runs the red light coming from your right or left, your car will not be hit. Pulling out into an intersection first after the light changes dramatically increases the chances you will be sideswiped by another car. If that car is coming from your driver's side, the chances are good you will be killed. Let somebody else go into the intersection first (Obviously, if everybody did this, we'd all be stopped at intersections for the rest of our lives, so you can also simply check in both directions before applying the gas too. It's just that my first recommendation tends to be easier to do.)

Another good rule of thumb while driving in the city is this: never assume that other drivers understand the rules or read the signs. I have a peculiar arrow system in a major intersection near my home. On a street with two lanes going in one direction at an intersection, the far right lane has a right-hand only arrow while the left hand lane has a straight arrow and a left turn arrow. Common sense would seem to dictate that the right hand lane should be the lane where people also go straight, but it's not that way. This wreaks havoc on those coming from the other direction because many of them assume it's the right hand lane that would continue straight. Those that assume that all the drivers understand the different direction signals (which not everyone can see all the time) often find themselves in head-on collisions. Never assume somebody coming in the opposite direction knows you're going straight while they're turning. Never assume another driver understands the rules of a four-way stop. Never assume any other driver understands what you understand Never assume that just because another driver fails to use their turn signal that they're not turning. Assumptions will get you killed. It only takes a split second to allow another driver to demonstrate that they know the rules. It also takes only a split second to be in an accident.

Finally, something unique to city driving is this: parking lots. A good driver will be twice as aware in a parking lot as anywhere else because the likelihood of an accident in one skyrockets compared to simply driving on the street. A helpful tip about parking lots comes from my weight loss articles. It applies to avoiding accidents too: park in the first spot you see. If this means you have to walk a little farther to the mall or the movie theater, so be it. Fact is, you will encounter fewer cars that way and therefore have less opportunity to be hit by one. Generally though, one should also avoid parking in spaces that back into busy lanes of parking traffic. One should try to avoid parking between larger, longer cars if one has a smaller car. A good driver should always drive slowly and patiently in a parking lot. Racing for spots is a bad idea. And never assume that the laws governing driving on the street will apply to a parking lot. People seem to forget which side of the road to drive on or that stop signs still apply in a parking lot (they don't technically, but most people obey them). In other words, be extra careful.

8. Driving on the Highway

Though many people find driving, in general, to be stressful, it is usually highway driving that stresses them out the most, which goes some way in explaining why so many drivers on the highway suck.

Because speeds on the highway tend to be quite fast, drivers are naturally less effective because they have less time to make decisions. A bad decision on the highway can easily lead to an accident with the results ranging anywhere from a fender bender to death.

The most important step to remember when driving on the highway is the first step: stay away from other people. By employing this step, you will give yourself more time to make decisions, have more time to correct a bad decision, and get out of the way if some other idiot tries to plow into you or slams on the brakes suddenly or pulls into your lane without signaling. I was taught in driving school that the ideal distance to maintain between your car and the one in front of you is one car length for every ten miles per hour you are traveling. Most people don't come anywhere close to obeying this rule, yet it's a good one.

Highway driving consists of a number of different driving conditions. Typically, the most common is the daily commute, which may consist of very heavy traffic or bumper-to-bumper traffic. The mistake most people make is to get as close to the car in front of them as possible, thereby making themselves vulnerable to the whims or the brakes of the driver in front of them. Giving yourself extra distance is vital in these situations because driving under these conditions can become trance inducing and you want to give yourself every opportunity to make a small mistake and correct.

The lane one picks to drive in is also important, whether you are driving on the highway during rush hour or at any other time. Ideally, you want to be driving in the far left lane if you are not planning on exiting the highway soon. While this involves making one or two lane changes (or possibly more depending on where you live), the benefits of being to the far left are many. Generally, you will go faster because fewer drivers are in that lane. Also, once you are there, you only have to keep an eye out for drivers changing into that lane from one direction - your right. In any of the middle lanes, you have to contend with drivers changing lanes from both sides. Should you choose to drive in the far right lane because you're scared to change lanes, you must contend with every single merging ramp. Since merging into moving traffic is one of the most difficult things for most drivers, the right lane is likely to be the place where most accidents occur.

Another common highway driving scenario is the trip, whether it's a two-hour jaunt to the beach or your favorite ski area or a cross-country journey. Many things come up while driving under these conditions that are different from other situations.

In any extended trip, one thing most drivers desperately want to do is make good time. Unfortunately, this very often involves speeding. While I will not advocate speeding, it would be stupid of me to ignore the issue since it's something that virtually everybody does. The question then is this: if you're going to speed, how do you do it safely and in a way that reduces your risk of tickets and accidents?

If you want to make good time and avoid an expensive ticket, find yourself a guinea pig. A guinea pig is a really stupid driver who's willing to go faster than everybody else on the highway. If you see one of these drivers, the opportunity exists to follow him. Allow your guinea pig to get as far ahead of you as possible while still in sight, then maintain his speed. Should a cop be waiting in a speed trap somewhere up ahead, it's the guinea pig who will get pulled over, not you. Remember though, the guinea pig scenario only really applies in situations where there isn't much traffic. Otherwise, you will find yourself moving faster than the rest of the traffic and having to change lanes often thereby increasing your change of having an accident and getting a ticket. It's called reckless driving.

Another common situation on the highway, particularly the two-lane variety, is the need to pass some slow-moving semi or RV. What amazes me and continues to amaze me, is that people on winding, sight-impaired roads, move into the oncoming lane to pass the slow car in front of them even though they don't really have a good idea if there are any cars coming toward them. If you like risking your life, do this often. If you'd like to stay alive, I recommend caution when passing. Make sure you have a clear sight line ahead and that no cars are coming toward you. If possible, try to make your pass after you have begun accelerating toward the car in front of you rather than starting the pass while maintaining the same speed as the car in front. This will make the pass quicker and reduce the chance of an accident.

9. Learn How to Drive a Car with a Manual Transmission

People who drive manual transmissions are better drivers than those who only drive automatic transmissions. People who learn how to drive on manual transmissions are better drivers than those who learn how to drive automatic transmissions. While I don't have any scientific evidence to support this assertion, I do have years of driving experience and many years of observational experience. In my experience, those who drive manuals have always been better drivers on the whole. If you don't know how to drive a manual, you should learn. If you have kids and plan to teach them to drive, do it with a manual transmission. I truly believe that you are increasing their chances for a safe driving career.

Why are manual transmission drivers better than automatic transmission drivers? Simple: automatics are for lazy people. They're more simple and require less skill and less of the driver's attention. This is a fact. Somebody who drives an automatic has little more to do than step on the gas and steer the wheel. Laziness is a terrible characteristic for a driver and leads to bad things.

Driving a manual may not be that much more difficult and generally becomes second nature to most who do it, but the driver of a manual transmission is usually more aware of the speed of the car and must pay attention so that he can shift at the proper time. For instance, I know exactly how fast I can go in each gear and how my car sounds when it needs to be shifted. This is excellent information to have when making various driving decisions. Furthermore, in dangerous and surprise situations, the driver of a manual transmission is more capable and more aware of shifting down, a move that is quite useful in a number of different situations, like driving down steep roads and driving in bad weather. Decreasing the torque being applied to the wheels can be crucial driving in bad weather and drivers of automatic transmissions are rarely aware of their disadvantage.

There's really no question in my mind, driving a manual transmission will make you a better driver. You will concentrate more on the task at hand and that can only be a good thing.

10. Driving in Bad Weather

As I mentioned in the introduction, I have driven in some of the worst weather conditions imaginable. I've actually been on the highway as the Governor closed all the highways near Denver to everything but emergency vehicles (okay, he didn't close them, he just sort of told everybody who wasn't already on the roads to stay home).

That particular trip illustrates some important lessons about driving in bad road conditions. I don't drive a four-by-four either or a Hummer or a Jeep or anything like that. I drive (used to now) a 1997 Honda Civic with front wheel drive, so that just goes to show you, where bad weather is concerned, it's not the car, it's the driver. That's not to say four-wheel drive can't be effective, but generally people in large four-wheel drive vehicles don't have a good sense of the tremendous mass of their car. When you make a mistake in bad weather in a large car, the mass of the car often magnifies the error. People in big SUVs are usually the ones that don't understand this and that's why they're stuck in a ditch by the side of the road when I drive by.

During this trip I took, which was approximately 35 miles in a wicked snow storm in which a foot of snow had already fallen when I started, I passed more cars that had slid off the side of the road than you can possibly imagine. The only real trouble I had on the entire trip was getting out of my parking spot to begin my journey back home. The whole thing was ice and I couldn't get any traction. There was also a small problem on the highway driving back as it was me and one other car; a woman in a four wheel drive Subaru who decided getting real close to my rear end was actually a good idea where traction and unpredictability were serious, life-threatening issues.

There are a number of physical principles involved in driving in bad weather, so the more you know about physics, the more you understand vectors, force, momentum, and friction, the better driver you will be. Knowledge is power. Because there aren't any books on the physics of driving that I know of, I'll try to explain these topics in simple terms.

It is most useful when driving in bad weather to understand the following principle: your car will tend to go in the direction it's headed unless you do something to stop it or alter it.

What does this mean exactly? Well, from my observations, people end up causing themselves problems while driving in bad weather by attempting to apply force to their cars in places where it will dramatically increase their chances of losing control. Let's take fairly deep snow, for example. Your car has enough mass that nothing on the road is likely to alter its direction from the direction it is traveling. To make this simpler: your car will travel in the direction it's headed unless you do something to change it. This "change" might include hitting the brakes or turning the steering wheel in one direction or another.

This is, in fact, the mistake most people make and what gets most people into accidents while driving in bad weather. Snow, ice, and rain decrease the ability of your tires to grip the road. Therefore, when you apply the brakes or turn the steering wheel away from your direction of momentum (the direction in which you are traveling), you increase the chance you will spin out or lose control.

While driving in heavy snow in a straight line, most drivers tend to freak out when they feel their car slide a little bit. Their response to this is to overcompensate in one of two ways: they turn the steering wheel abruptly against the direction of the slide or they slam on the brakes. Both maneuvers increase the chance of losing control of the car. Though the car may feel like it is moving in one direction or another, physical laws demand that its momentum keep it moving in the direction it is traveling. This means that your car will not suddenly slide off the road for no reason unless you steer it into the side of the road or slam on the brakes.

Therefore, the most effective way to drive in bad weather conditions is to give yourself plenty of extra room and drive in a straight line whenever possible. Instead of applying the brakes to stop, one should simply allow the snow to do the work. Taking one's foot off the brakes and allowing the car to slow naturally is the best way to slow down. If applying the brakes is absolutely necessary, this should be done in such a way as to make sure the brakes do not lock the tires. Gently applying the brakes will allow the tire to keep turning instead of locking up, thereby maintaining a grip on the road (this is why anti-lock brakes were developed).

Obviously, one has to negotiate turns while on the road and this can be quite tricky in bad weather. This is where drivers of four-wheel drive vehicles get in particular trouble because they tend to apply the gas while going around turns and this often magnifies problems, particularly if conditions are icy or snowy. To safely negotiate turns during bad weather, it is best to simply let the momentum of the car do the work. Do not step on the gas. Do not apply the brakes. If you are going a reasonable speed, the best way to negotiate a turn in bad weather safely is to allow the car to coast around the turn. If it's absolutely necessary to brake beforehand because you feel you are going to fast into the turn, that braking should be done while the car is traveling in a straight line, before the turn is attempted. Applying one's brakes while in the actual turn dramatically increases the car's chances of sliding because the car's momentum is going in a different direction than the eventual direction of the car following the turn.

Driving in bad weather magnifies the importance of all the other points made in this book. Staying away from other people becomes incredibly important. The more distance you give between yourself and other cars, the more time you will have to react to your mistakes or to anyone else's. Being calm becomes equally important. A nervous driver is much more likely to slam on the brakes when an unusual situation presents itself. A nervous driver is much more likely to jerk the steering wheel. If you're distracted in bad weather, your chances of making a mistake are magnified. Being alert makes decisions easier. Thinking ahead becomes important since other drivers may not be skilled in bad weather and often make their decisions as though the bad weather didn't exist.

Hey, you're done. And if you aren't immediately a better driver, at least you have the tools now to become one. Enjoy your new found knowledge and stay safe.