Safe Driver?

[Danger Phoenix]

Following a discussion with my Mum, I was wondering who you would deem to be the "safer driver":

Person A
- 15 years driving experience,
- Had 2 minor crashes
- Breaks speed limits on regular roads (not large A roads or motorways)
- Makes up own rules about when it is alright to break 20mph speed limit zones (when there is no school etc.) or how you can overtake by going in the oncoming traffic lane when there isn't any oncoming traffic)
- Doesn't really indicate properly (often indicates after starting to turn
- Doesn't look at other cars and pedestrians etc. and only cares about own car
- Can't really glance at mirrors because front focus would be lost
- Holds wheel with both hands, but lets go of it after turning a corner and allows it to straighten up by itself


Person B
- 1 months driving experience,
- No accidents (so far )
- Rarely breaks speed limits, even on 20mph zones (does sometimes on motorways but only when road is clear and there is no bad weather)
- Works out what other drivers might do and acts accordingly
- Can look in mirrors and focus ahead and change song on iPod at the same time
Holds steering wheel with one hand but forces it back after turning a corner

 

[Danger Phoenix]

I'd say Person B but it depends on Persons A's previous accidents. Was it there fault and how severe?

Both accidents were more than 10 years ago:
1) Hit a motorcyclist at a roundabout because Person A had thought they had gone... motorcylist was fine and went off on his way about 5 seconds later, but front headlight of the car was damaged
2) Hit a car in the back on a side road, but since there was no damage to the other car no insurance details were swapped and everyone went on their merry way - front bumper of Person A's car was scratched though

 

[Danger Phoenix]

Well I wouldnt say that after one months expeience drver B can "- Works out what other drivers might do and acts accordingly" otherwise Im not sure!

Person B sits in the car when others are driving and pays attention as if he/she was driving. Also, Person B can drive on a motorway and determine which cars will change lanes and overtake etc. whilst Person A cannot. Although its 1 months experience, we are not counting the driving lessons taken over a duration of 4 months.

 

[Danger Phoenix]

Hehe! My Mum's argument has been that because she has only had 2 minor accidents that she is safer... but my argument was that breaking the law left right and centre is not safe at all.

In my defence, my sister feels safer with me driving, and both my Dad and I pay attention to the roads as if we were driving when my Mum is driving. We don't directly tell her she is unsafe because she will lose all confidence and become even worse, but we subtly make sure she doesn't go on long journeys on her own or in the dark.

True, I might be a bit over confident, but I have seen my Mum's driving and I have noticed that her experience counts for **** all! I remember grabbing the steering wheel out of her hands when I was 10 because she tried to steer out of a skid (I am 22 now). I remember making the car swerve a few years ago to avoid a cyclist because my Mum hadn't seen him in the dark.

She just thinks that I am unsafe and sits next to me screaming every few minutes because I go faster than she thinks I should... I was driving at 85mph on the M4 today (completely dry and clear road) and suddenly she starts screaming because I'm apparently driving on the white line... erm, I think I would know if I was because driving over cats eyes makes a distinct sound. If anything is dangerous is her distracting me by screaming.

 

[Danger Phoenix]

Its funny though, just because you drive slow and observe the speed limits, it doesn't instantly make you the better driver.
I can say with confidence that when I'm speeding, I'm more alert and responsive, always aware of what's happening all around me, on the look out for rozzers and idiots.
When I'm on a nice wee relaxed drive (which i've started doing recently to save petrol!) my mind doesn't focus the same, and I tend to think about what I'm having for dinner.

Yeah, I get what you mean. My Dad is like that and I feel perfectly safe with him driving... I wouldn't even mind taking a nap, but never with my Mum!

Earlier today my Mum came up with "Yes, it says 60mph but that is not for new drivers"... if I have an accident, I bet it will be because of her shouting and screaming.

I went to a job interview last week (18 mile round trip), and came back to pick my Mum up from work... she gets in the car and as I start to pull away she started telling me to brake because I was exiting the car park. Seriously, if I didn't know how and when to brake, would I have made it back to pick her up.

She bases her safeness on the fact that she has been driving for a lot longer... she doesn't even consider let alone notice all the things she does wrong

 

[Danger Phoenix]

Generally, overtaking is done by moving out across in to the lane of oncoming traffic, unless you are on a motorway/dual carriage way... well as far as I'm aware.

Sorry, maybe I didn't explain it too well... at some traffic lights next to Kew Gardens, approaching Kew Bridge, 1 lane turns into 2 about 25m before the lights. Obviously if cars are backed up, the majority of the 2nd lane is empty, so drivers tend to drive along the length of the traffic, in the wrong lane to get into the 25m of the 2nd lane.

 

[Danger Phoenix]

If I was comparing my driving to my Dad's... I would immediately say that he is a far better and safer driver than I am... he does take more risks, drives faster than me and breaks the law often... but I would still say he is safer and better than me. Even though my Mum does the same things, it is her lack of observation and ability to look in more than once place at a time which worries me.

 

[Danger Phoenix]

And what's wrong with that? There is a similar junction not so far from me, you'd be a fool to just sit there in a long line of traffic, probably having to wait for 2 cycles of the lights to get through.

I'd say that's fine if you can be sure you'll be back on the correct side of the road before any other cars will come along the opposite way.

Well based on an episode of Police Camera Action where the police were stopping drivers for doing that... there must be something obviously wrong with it.

My Mum told me to do that today and I just simply refused! What would happen if a car had started to come down the road? Where would I go from there? I would need to reverse back down the road or hope that the other car stops and let me by...

 

[Danger Phoenix]

This image isn't very clear, so I have drawn the lane markings and shown where one lane turns to two just before the lights. When traffic is backed up, cars start going into the oncoming traffic lane to get at the lights... now the way the lights work at that junction (today was the first time I have driven there myself, but I know exactly how the lights work etc. because I pay attention when my parents are driving) there can always be traffic coming into that road either from straight ahead or the road on the right.

Today for example, an idiot in a silver Mercedes tried to do what I am describing and blocked the oncoming traffic lane until our lights turned green. That could have been me if I had listened to my Mum...