Let me start by saying that following traffic laws has absolutely nothing to do with this discussion.
A good driver knows his/her own ability, and how to use that ability to both get to his/her destination safely and to allow others to do the same. Legality has nothing to do with it; I can (and do) drive 100mph safely and responsibly on a freshly paved 5-lane highway with no cars within a mile of me and a 50 foot wide median covered with trees and boulders behind the guard rails. No state trooper would think twice about arresting me for a dozen offenses if I did that, but on the other hand, if he (or another car) came within half a mile of me, I'd slow down to the point that I could react properly to any hazard that might arise. I can get from the far left lane to an exit ramp across three other lanes if there's nobody around, but I wouldn't do it because even though I know I can do it safely, nobody else on the road knows that and would panic if they saw me do it.
A skilled driver has a high ability levely. A good driver knows his/her ability level and drives accordingly. A skilled driver can pull crazy and stupid stunts, while a good driver simply can avoid getting into dangerous situations drives in a manner that is safe to others who are unaware of his/her skill level.
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Originally Posted by Coppertop
A car totalled at 5 mph? Is your car made completely of glass?
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It's the exception, not the rule, but one example is the early '90s GM F-Bodies. 5mph is enough to set off the airbag, and that throws the entire interior out of alignment enough that you're looking at 3-4k in labor charges alone, plus 1k per airbag. After that, you have to factor in damage to the outside of the car.