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Jinn · 06-07-2005, 11:05 PM

I wrote this recently in a blog but I thought I'd put it out there anyway:

Safe driver does NOT equal slow driver..

Driving slowly (at or below the speed limit) does not make you a safe or good driver -- it may in fact make you a worse driver. Driving slowly is not among the list of things that makes a person a good driver. A good driver is cognizant of the things that are happening around them: to the sides, front, and back. A good driver knows what his vehicle is doing and what kind of traction it is getting. A good driver is always aware of the weather conditions and how they affect their car, modifying speed appropriately. A good driver should know nearly as much about what is happening behind them as what is happening in front of them. This requires diligent awareness. At higher speeds, being aware of these things is ultimately critical because of the rate at which things happen: looking twelve or more seconds ahead. At slower speeds, people develop a complacent attitude that they will be able to avoid traffic problems just because they are going slowly. Not true – 40 mph is still 40 mph, whether you’re observant is the key between a collision and avoidance. The idea that speeding somehow decreases your likelihood of avoiding an accident is a complete misconception. A good driver does not enter the highway at 50 mph, cutting in front of a car doing 75 – no matter the speed limit. This presents a dangerous situation for both parties. A good driver is flexible, able to change their driving modality instantly. A good driver is monitoring all lanes of traffic for available positions that optimize their driving. A good driver can utilize all the speeds and gear speeds of their car to achieve their exact goal on the road.

06-07-2005, 11:05 PM	#30 (permalink)
Jinn Lover - Protector - Teacher Location: Seattle, WA	I wrote this recently in a blog but I thought I'd put it out there anyway: Safe driver does NOT equal slow driver.. Driving slowly (at or below the speed limit) does not make you a safe or good driver -- it may in fact make you a worse driver. Driving slowly is not among the list of things that makes a person a good driver. A good driver is cognizant of the things that are happening around them: to the sides, front, and back. A good driver knows what his vehicle is doing and what kind of traction it is getting. A good driver is always aware of the weather conditions and how they affect their car, modifying speed appropriately. A good driver should know nearly as much about what is happening behind them as what is happening in front of them. This requires diligent awareness. At higher speeds, being aware of these things is ultimately critical because of the rate at which things happen: looking twelve or more seconds ahead. At slower speeds, people develop a complacent attitude that they will be able to avoid traffic problems just because they are going slowly. Not true – 40 mph is still 40 mph, whether you’re observant is the key between a collision and avoidance. The idea that speeding somehow decreases your likelihood of avoiding an accident is a complete misconception. A good driver does not enter the highway at 50 mph, cutting in front of a car doing 75 – no matter the speed limit. This presents a dangerous situation for both parties. A good driver is flexible, able to change their driving modality instantly. A good driver is monitoring all lanes of traffic for available positions that optimize their driving. A good driver can utilize all the speeds and gear speeds of their car to achieve their exact goal on the road. __________________ "I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel