Comments on: How good a driver are you really? http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2006/08/14/how-good-a-driver-are-you-really/ eating bandwidth since 1992 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:25:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: JB http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2006/08/14/how-good-a-driver-are-you-really/comment-page-1/#comment-90759 JB Thu, 17 Aug 2006 03:23:35 +0000 http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=263#comment-90759 Absolutely, Ian. Awareness is paramount. I used to not even like talking to people in the car while driving. I've gotten better about that, but do exactly as you described - I keep tabs on everyone around me, including behind me, as much as I can. Absolutely, Ian. Awareness is paramount. I used to not even like talking to people in the car while driving. I’ve gotten better about that, but do exactly as you described - I keep tabs on everyone around me, including behind me, as much as I can.

]]> By: Ian Clifton http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2006/08/14/how-good-a-driver-are-you-really/comment-page-1/#comment-90702 Ian Clifton Thu, 17 Aug 2006 00:48:42 +0000 http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=263#comment-90702 I'm a pretty good driver ;) Fortunately, much of that is from having a very good car, so I can literally slam my brakes and force it down two gears to avoid idiots (and I've had to do that a few times in the past). Auto-cross is a good way to learn to better control your car when it is near the limits, but it doesn't teach you much about the level of awareness you need on the road. When I'm driving, I always know who is around me and in what lanes, even if I have no intention of changing lanes, because I *might* have to avoid something. I've had semis blow tires in front of me (yes, plural). I even had one try slaloming those large barrel cones (unsuccessfully, I might add) in front of me! I also had a truck in front of me that had a bunch of drywall sheets in its bed, unsecured, that flew up. I knew someone was directly to my right and I was in the left lane, so I hit my brakes hard and pulled as far left as I could without hitting the wall to minimize the impact. I ended up with a foglight being destroyed but if I hadn't reacted it would have definitely shattered the windshield. I'm not saying I'm a great driver, just more aware than most, driving a better car than most, and FAR MORE LUCKY than most! I’m a pretty good driver ;) Fortunately, much of that is from having a very good car, so I can literally slam my brakes and force it down two gears to avoid idiots (and I’ve had to do that a few times in the past). Auto-cross is a good way to learn to better control your car when it is near the limits, but it doesn’t teach you much about the level of awareness you need on the road.

When I’m driving, I always know who is around me and in what lanes, even if I have no intention of changing lanes, because I *might* have to avoid something. I’ve had semis blow tires in front of me (yes, plural). I even had one try slaloming those large barrel cones (unsuccessfully, I might add) in front of me! I also had a truck in front of me that had a bunch of drywall sheets in its bed, unsecured, that flew up. I knew someone was directly to my right and I was in the left lane, so I hit my brakes hard and pulled as far left as I could without hitting the wall to minimize the impact. I ended up with a foglight being destroyed but if I hadn’t reacted it would have definitely shattered the windshield.

I’m not saying I’m a great driver, just more aware than most, driving a better car than most, and FAR MORE LUCKY than most!

]]> By: Todd http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2006/08/14/how-good-a-driver-are-you-really/comment-page-1/#comment-89942 Todd Tue, 15 Aug 2006 01:12:40 +0000 http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=263#comment-89942 I like pie. I like pie.

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