Rate your driving ability

Bobbler · 13 Jan 2006 at 12:42

Not bothering because I have no one to judge myself other than against myself, cant compare to Schu as I have never been in the car with him, for all I know he maybe useless at parking or a road rage monster LOL, cant compare myself with other members as I have never seen them drive ...
Sorry Merlin, last time one of these was posted in consisted of very similar as to what has happened so far.

merlin · 13 Jan 2006 at 12:55

Dolph said:
These threads all make me laugh.

The biggest problem that plagues our roads is overconfidance in your own abilities.

They make me laugh too, which is why I posted it.

Agreed, and this thread provided firm proof of that after just a few posts.

PeterNem · 13 Jan 2006 at 13:04

Here we go, been driving 5 years and am fairly confident but at the same time cautious and try and keep aware of the prevailing conditions and environment.

1) General awareness/anticipation - 8. Check my mirrors often, always aware of what is approaching behind me. Always give other drivers plenty of space and wont move into the path of a car that';s approaching at higher speed.

2) Parking ability - 9. I spent a year parking a mondeo on a packed street in London and never caused myself or others any damage.

3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco? - 8 - Practicing clutch control on weekends with my dad years before my driving test helped, as did learning in a variety of vehicles. I'd like to think I'm nice and smooth when I want to be (which is most of the time).

4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users? 5 - I have all the time in the world for those driving sensibly and making reasonable progress. I have been known however to flash my lights at people who sit at 45mph on a long straight A road in good conditions to let them know my annoyance. I also get annoyed on motorways with people sat in the overtaking lanes when the inside is clear. However, despite getting annoyed the worse i'd do is flash my lights a couple of times, I'd never cut them up or do anything that could endanger either of us.

5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code? 7. Althoughb not perfect I know a fair bit that I'd say most of my peers don't seem to, such as how to use a motorway properly, that regularly spaced street lights implies a 30mph speed limit unless otherwise signed, how to use roundabouts etc etc.

6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions 8 Most of my driving ability I'd say comes from the awareness and generally pretty sensible common sense approach to driving. My actual driving skills are fine for the road even when making progress but I'm sure I;d not be fantastic on a race track. I make rapid progress on main and A roads and know what myself and my can can do on long sweeting bends and straights, but I always drop my speed for corners and don't really push it as much as I maybe could. I'me quite happy bombing along motorways and main roads at speeds I'd rather not mention and really don;t think this is a problem if the conditions are right and the roads empty.

7) " wet/icy conditions 6 - Similar to the above really. I can drive comfortably and safely in any conditions. I recently did a 200 mile roundtrip on the night a few weeks back where it was snowing and freezing and a few roads weren't gritted. Adjusted my driving to the conditions and didn't have a single problem. So again, I'm sure I'd not last long if I were really pushing it, I am quite capable of driving "to the conditions" and getting to my destination in one peice without putting myself or others at risk.

8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape 4. It's not really a situation sI've ever had to deal with. In 5 years of driving there has only been a couple of time where I've felt my car begin to loose grip and although I recovered fine from both of those, I wouldn't be confident of doing it on every occasion. This is an area I need to improve. I was hoping to find a large empty space to practice in the ice and snow a few weeks ago and didn't get round to it. Something like a skid pan session would be of use to me. My point of view is that generally if you are smooth and dont make any sudden twitchy moves in bad conditions then you won't have many problems in the first place, for instance braking in plenty of time... I can only ever recall the ABS cutting in while I;ve been driving a handful of time in 5 years, and that's always been due to comeone entering my path or something rather than me now slowing enough for a corner or junction.

Jez · 13 Jan 2006 at 13:11

1) General awareness/anticipation - 4/5 I dont really notice things unless i have to to be honest. I wouldnt say i am unsafe but ive had a few incidents of pulling out on people i didnt see etc

2) Parking ability - 4 I can park ok in bays etc, parallel parking i avoid unless critical

3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco? 8? I drive smoothly and brake smoothly, but i perhaps might coast sometimes where i shouldnt etc

4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users? 2 Very bad at this, although it depends on my mood, i am usually stressed while driving, i drive up people's arses if they go too slow, i race them if they are going fast, i sneak through lights which are turning red, i cut people up when in a hurry to get where i want to be

5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code? 8? I got 34 in my theory and know what all the road signs are and what right of ways everyone has

6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions 7? Pretty good, never had any incidents in the dry even though i thrash my cars everywhere

7) " wet/icy conditions 5? Generally pretty good but a few hairy moments where i have driven slightly too keenly for the skill i obviously had at the time.

8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape 3? No official training and little experience of hairy situations means i cannot put anything over about this. I can correct some things but then look what happened when my MR2 Turbo started fishtailing.

Summary - i have rated myself quite low as to be honest in the scheme of things i am a clueless 20 year old. I have had more experience than most people my age i would say, and i would say i am a good driver for my agegroup (passed my test 3 years ago after 5 lessons with 5 minors), but in the scheme of things i am still crap compared with people like my father and his age group with 30-40 years driving experience. Ive had experience in a couple of fast cars (300bhp impreza, 250bhp MR2) and many other slower cars, and i do a lot of miles, but i am still very much a learner.

Freefaller · 13 Jan 2006 at 13:11

Dolph said:
These threads all make me laugh. I'll try and rate myself honestly, and I'll be willing to bet there's a lot of people who would rate themselves higher than me..... To be honest I doubt it. Like Dr Who, I wouldn't rate myself much above a 7 in most things, maybe an eight in awareness (having been taught speed driving on roads by a police pursuit instructor), but it would be barely an eight and probably rounding up rather than down.

Even at that, I'm probably over-estimating myself. Those who have been out with a true professional driver will know what I mean. I think I'm pretty good, but I've known people who totally blow my skill out of the water, and they know people who blow their skills out of the water, and so on....

The biggest problem that plagues our roads is overconfidance in your own abilities.

Agreed 100%. Maybe I was a little bit optimistic with my ratings, but I can't agree with you more and about what Dr Who and Fox have said.

PeterNem · 13 Jan 2006 at 13:15

Having read the whole thread (when I posted my reply I had only read the opening post), I would knock a point off of high speed control (from 8 to 7) as I think I didn't quite get what this point was after.

I was thinking in the mindset that having always made rapid progress and never had a problem in 5 years that this is pretty good, but realisitcally I don't push my car as much as I know some people could and a track day or being driven by a more experienced driver would show this.

gobbo · 13 Jan 2006 at 13:24

1) 5
2) 6
3) 7
4) 8
5) 6
6) N/A - My car dosen't understand "high speed"!
7) N/A - See 6
8) 2 - Only happened once
Total of 34/80

I am pretty crap driver tbh, but i've only had my license for 3 years, and half that time i've been at uni without a car. But i'm sure my skills will improve with more time.

Fox - Noticed you said you'd done your IAM test, was it worth doing? I looked into it a while ago but never really thought about it much after.

Coco · 13 Jan 2006 at 13:35

[TW]Fox said:
These threads suck becuase everyone thinks they are one step away from Michael Schumacher. I mean come on, look at the number of people who think they are such driving gods they rate themselves as a 9...

Agreed 100% to the max.
However, tis only for fun, but still very shocking that people think so highly of themselves...

Adz · 13 Jan 2006 at 13:36

1) 8, a product of lots of mileage and more than a few incidents of people trying to drive into me
2) 6, I'm a lazy parker but can get it spot on if I really concentrate
3) 6, Again, smooth as silk if I can be bothered ie. if other people are in the car.
4) 4, I swear at people through my windscreen
5) 6, at least I understand how a box junction works, unlike the majority of drivers in London :rolleyes:

6) 8 in an 'ordinary' car. Put me behind the wheel of something a little more lary and I'll most likely be toast.
7) 7
8) 6, I've not died yet but I haven't had a vast amount of practice

Dangerous · 13 Jan 2006 at 13:40

1)=8 General awareness/anticipation
2)=7 Parking ability
3)=8 Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco?
4)=3 How patient and courteous are you to other road users?
5)=5 What is your knowledge of the Highway Code?
6)=7 High speed control of your car in dry conditions
7)=4 " wet/icy conditions
8)=7 Your ability to correct your car when out of shape

1)I notice what the people behind and infront of me are doing because I tend to notice the law a lot.
2)I drive a bus and get can it in to most places

3)heal + toe helps a lot here
4)I can't deal with slow drivers so will overtake them where possible but I am courteous to trucks/cars who actually indicate to come out.
5)Average
6)Knowing your car and how it acts
7)I should be better but I aint
8)Same as 6 really

Morba · 13 Jan 2006 at 13:40

Dolph said:
These threads all make me laugh. I'll try and rate myself honestly, and I'll be willing to bet there's a lot of people who would rate themselves higher than me..... To be honest I doubt it. Like Dr Who, I wouldn't rate myself much above a 7 in most things, maybe an eight in awareness (having been taught speed driving on roads by a police pursuit instructor), but it would be barely an eight and probably rounding up rather than down.

Even at that, I'm probably over-estimating myself. Those who have been out with a true professional driver will know what I mean. I think I'm pretty good, but I've known people who totally blow my skill out of the water, and they know people who blow their skills out of the water, and so on....

The biggest problem that plagues our roads is overconfidance in your own abilities.

the problem is that until people are shown how to do it better they think they are doing it the best way.
unfortunately there is nothing in driving law to say 'now you know the basics, lets take you on an advanced course', its just personal preference as to wether you do an advanced course.

Will Gill · 13 Jan 2006 at 13:46

1) 8 General awareness/anticipation
2) 5 Parking ability
3) 7 Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco?
4) 1 (I am How patient and courteous are you to other road users?
5) 8 What is your knowledge of the Highway Code?
6) 9 High speed control of your car in dry conditions
7) 9 (4 years living in the alps) wet/icy conditions
8) 8 Your ability to correct your car when out of shape

I consider myself a pretty good driver, with no patience whatsoever, I would have put money on me killing or maiming someone if I'd stayed in the UK much longer

I have driven in the alps and on race circuits for most of my adult life so have experienced the limits of what most cars can do in most conditions. I dont think I deserve the right to put 10 for any of the answers maybe someone like flibster does but anyone else putting 10 I will call BS

GT3 · 13 Jan 2006 at 14:09

Probably a 5 in most of them - (less for parking and patience), I've not been driving long enough to say otherwise. I am however quite looking forwards to recieving my first years no claims in March after covering 30,000 miles at a guess.

There is room for improvement in everyones driving though and although I'd rate myself above a lot of people in my circle of friends thats not saying much. I am not patient at all, a lot of drivers frustrate me greatly with their incompetance, I can't park at all (always worrying about kerbing my alloys) and I have hardly any experience in the ice/snow.

I am also looking forwards to doing some form of advanced driving course this year as well as participating in a few trackdays which will hopefully help towards being a better driver.

Shock · 13 Jan 2006 at 14:13

1- 4 General awareness/anticipation
2- 4 Parking ability
3- 7 Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco?
4- 5 How patient and courteous are you to other road users?
5- 2 What is your knowledge of the Highway Code?

1- Seems ok to me.
2- Can't reverse park, everything else is ok.
3- Pretty easy in a slow car.
4- Always let people out and never go up others arses.
5- Got all questions right in theory test ages ago, probably forgot all but the common stuff now.

Tough to judge myself on the others, car is slow, so everything's pretty simple.

Simon · 13 Jan 2006 at 14:14

1 in all catagories. Does anyone think less of me now?

Mickey_D · 13 Jan 2006 at 14:24

merlin said:
I can't resist any longer, it's rate your driving ability time!

Give yourself a mark out of 10 for the following : -

1) General awareness/anticipation - 6-7
2) Parking ability - 8-9
3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco? - Depends on whether the wife is with me. I have the ability, just quite often don't bother when it's just me.
4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users? - 3-4
5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code? - 7-8
6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions - 6-7
7) " wet/icy conditions - 8-9
8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape - 8-9

Ok now to give you a guide - 1 out of 10 is bad, like...Maureen from driving school bad, and 10 is god-like.

Adam_151 · 13 Jan 2006 at 14:26

1) General awareness/anticipation

probably about 3.5/4, not too bad at spotting people doing possible daft things and reacting, but thinking ahead about where I need to go and selecting my lane in time is not one of my strong points, often end up taking impromtu detours...

2) Parking ability

Can't rate myself too highly on this tbh, avoid reverse parking most of the time, and even managed to scape the car on the way into the garage the other day, so maybe a 2/2.5

3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco?

Maybe a 5 I'm pretty smooth with these compared to other areas of driving

4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users?

6/7, I don't antagonise people/but I've been known to swear at the windscreen when stuck behind an old person doing 40 in a 60 limit down a clear dry road

5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code?

5 - I've read it, not sure how much of it stuck in my head though, some bits stuck some fell out

6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions

Don't tend to excced the limit my masses like some people do, and I seem to be a good judge/ err on the side of caution about safe speeds to take corners, etc

7) " wet/icy conditions

no real idea

8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape

Probably not too great, I'd guess a 2 (never had the need to yet...)

Lowe · 13 Jan 2006 at 15:08

Anotther gripe about these threads:

"I've been trained by a Police instructor etc"

So? I've been taught martial arts by a 10th degree grandmaster, and someone else who trains the CIA in close combat, but does that make me Bruce Lee 2? I think not!

merlin · 13 Jan 2006 at 15:27

Simon said:
1 in all catagories. Does anyone think less of me now?

Whilst you look a lot like Maureen, but your driving is significantly better.

Dolph · 13 Jan 2006 at 15:35

Lowe said:
Anotther gripe about these threads:

"I've been trained by a Police instructor etc"

So? I've been taught martial arts by a 10th degree grandmaster, and someone else who trains the CIA in close combat, but does that make me Bruce Lee 2? I think not!

Of course it doesn't make you Bruce Lee 2, however it would give you an advantage and additional knowledge against someone who hasn't had that kind of training. You learn new techniques and new ways of looking at things, quite possibly including things you've not considered before.