Hello Nolan,
Very good advice. I have been driving for over 40 years without an accident
(touch wood!) and continue to practice most of your safe driving tecniques.
But it was refreshing to see it all in black and white again.
John.
1958 MGA 1500.
At 12:07 PM 7/02/97 -0800, nolan penney wrote:
>>Well written and VERY true. I find when I drive my B I am more cautious than
>>in my Accord. I realize that I'm not only in a small convertible, but one
>>that still has a number of 17 year old parts.
>
>As a motorcycle nut myself, I'm very aware of my cars capability of being
squashed, and
>being invisible. I'd like to offer a couple of suggestions myself.
>
>Being seen:
>
>Headlights, high beam. There is a reason we on motorcycles use them this
way in the day
>light. Try it, you'll be amazed at how much better you are seen.
>
>Horns. Use em! Only in America do we seem to consider it improper to
toodle at the car
>drifting into us, or to catch the attention of the person considering
pulling out.
>
>Blind Spots. Stay out of 'em. Especially the ones that hurt. If I've got
to ride in
>your blind spot, I do so in a manner that makes sure when you change lanes
into mine you
>just cut me off, and not hit me with your rear fender.
>
>Insanity. Sounds strange, but it works. On the motorcycle when I'm
getting crowded I
>shimmy the hell out of the bike. It frightens other people, and they back
away from that
>idiot on the motorcycle. Then they spend a lot of time watching me because
they can't
>figure out what I'm going to do next. It's not complementary to me, but
I'd rather them
>consider me nuts and pay attention to me then consider me safe and ignore
me. I'm in
>total control as I'm shimmying the bike btw. The car does a pretty good
dance as well.
>
>Insanity II: Fake aggression and positioning. I've been known to cross
the yellow line a
>time or two to get the attention of a dreamer coming the other way. No,
not when we're
>near one another, but when he's 100 yards down the road, and drifting
across my lane. By
>jove, when you position yourself in what they consider their teritory
(regarless of where
>they actually are), it's amazing how quickly they suddenly wake up. Same
with drifting
>right up beside you on the white line if you're drifting over into my lane
as we travel
>together. Again, I'm not asleep at all when I do this.
>
>Control:
>
>I don't do this as much with the car as I do the motorcycle. But I should,
for it lack of
>practice has caused me problems.
>
>Braking. I do this regularly on the bike. When I'm on some quiet country
road, all
>alone, slam on the brakes and bring the bike to a _complete_ halt as
quickly as possible.
>This way I get and stay intimate with the proper procedure for that
particular motorcyle.
>The complete halt part is important. People often times slow down quickly,
then run into
>whatever it was they were trying to avoid. Practice often! You will be
astounded at how
>quickly you can learn to stop your car with practice and experience. Do it
on different
>surfaces too.
>
>Dodging. When was the last time anyone truly practiced dodging that
whatever? Same
>conditions as above, but pick an object in the road, now, quickly get
around it. 99.9% of
>the time, the car or motorcycle is far more able to dodge then we are, or
give the vehicle
>credit for. We, the poor human, screw it all up and cause the crash.
Practice makes
>perfect.
>
>Outs. The great game of "what if..." Constantly or at least frequently
imagine something
>happening, and determine ways out. If there isn't one, you aren't driving
right.
>
>Mirrors. Who's there, and where are they? Goes along with outs and
dodging. You can't
>swerve quickly around that fool that just pulled out if you don't know
what's around you
>to avoid. Use your mirrors and your neck, and keep track of where people
are around you
>at all times.
>
>Parking lots and fields. Great areas for learning about your car. You can
skid, slide
>and all sorts of things here. And try out different conditions. Rain,
mud, gravel, sand,
>snow. Try them, learn them. When you have mastered regaining control of a
hard sideways
>skid, you are a long ways towards not loosing control of your car in the
first place.
>
>You:
>
>Know your limits. I'm no Mario Andretti, and know it. Especially on a
motorcycle. I
>ride a cruiser, and cruise on it. When I'm out with my canyon racer
friends, I meet up
>with them later. Because I _cannot_ ride like them. If I try, I might get
lucky, but I'm
>pushing the envelope. And if something happens, I will not be able to
handle it, though
>they can. Same with the car. I've also heard this described as pucker
facter, or
>sphincter analysis. Your body will tell you when you are over the limit.
Pay attention
>to your body.
>
>Your body. Tired? Pull over. Same with hungry, dehydrated, or needing a
bathroom. Why
>it is that as americans we feel we absolutely must drive without stop or
break I dont'
>know. Though I do know I suffer from this as well. Make yourself take
breaks. Get food,
>get water (most of us are dehydrated at all times!), take a nap. Whatever.
Just get out
>from that fixed position behind the steering wheel.
>
>Body cycle. This is part of the above. We all run on a rather regular
cycle of up and
>down. Have energy, want to sleep. Zesty and happy, tired and cranky.
Myself, I run on a
>45 minute cycle, which is a little quicker then average. So what do I do?
Mostly
>nothing, other then be aware of this. But I will pull over when I'm
finding myself being
>an exhausted cranky idiot. Because I know full well I'll be feeling more
human in a
>little while, as well being a whole lot more competent rider or driver.
>
>
>The crash.
>
>Lastly, make the decision. You need this in all your life before it'll
show up here. But
>it's very important here. When you're on the bridge and that Dodge minivan
is coming
>across the lane at you, you've got a decision to make. One of them can me
no decision at
>all, but I'd recommend a concious decision. It may not be right in hind
sight, but you've
>got a better chance when you are aware of the things around you, your own
skill, and your
>vehicles capabilities. Then you can make that decision to try passing them
on the other
>side, try to take the impact in a specific part of the car, attempt to
reverse direction,
>or whatever it is you feel the choice must be. But make the choice, and
thereby stay in
>control.
>
>
>
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