The post your driving tips thread
- Thread starter wassap
- Start date
Road Manners
if someone lets you out, or waits for you etc.. Please say thank you it takes no effort and shows common manners, the amount of times women in BMW's just waltz by without even taking their eye's of the BMW lane annoys the hell out of me, infact I hate it soooooo much just one or two incidents like this can honestly ruin my day
if someone lets you out, or waits for you etc.. Please say thank you it takes no effort and shows common manners, the amount of times women in BMW's just waltz by without even taking their eye's of the BMW lane annoys the hell out of me, infact I hate it soooooo much just one or two incidents like this can honestly ruin my day
Echoed WillGill, if someone pulls in behind parked cars to let you through - say thanks! There's nothing that annoys me more than someone who just plods through,staring at the road ahead after you've stopped to give way for them
Be generally aware of everything...do those logs on the back of that pickup look like the might come loose, avoiding action might have to be taken (yes, it happened to a mate of mine), look out for bikers, and kids, and small faster cars, and badgers...
Learn to use roundabouts (second biggest pet hate!), and learn how your car handles - learn what it feels like to break with the wheels on the limit of locking, what it feels like when the car slides, and how to control it - you never know when that extra bit of car control is gonna save your bacon
Be generally aware of everything...do those logs on the back of that pickup look like the might come loose, avoiding action might have to be taken (yes, it happened to a mate of mine), look out for bikers, and kids, and small faster cars, and badgers...
Learn to use roundabouts (second biggest pet hate!), and learn how your car handles - learn what it feels like to break with the wheels on the limit of locking, what it feels like when the car slides, and how to control it - you never know when that extra bit of car control is gonna save your bacon
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 6,705
- Location
- Cambs
National Speed Limit means 70 on dual carriageways. Not 70 most of the time but slow down to 60 at speed cameras coz you aren't sure. Coz if your really aren't sure you'd be safer on a pushbike.
ROFLOL!
Totally agree with you there mate. It's almost as if half of them think it's a case of first come first served
...and the other half just don't care 
I've developed a sixth sense for when other drivers are about to do something daft now, and I make damn sure I give them a very wide berth - like the idiot last week who seemed to be on a mission to put a large Yaris sized dent in my passenger door (at a large roundabout
). I avoided him pretty easily but I was not a happy bunny.If the motorway is empty don't be a plum and sit in the middle or outside, and if you are stupid/annoying enough to do this don't swear at me when I blow your doors away on the inside then swerve in front of you, you were the numpty holding me enjoy a taste of your own medicine tbh
Rear fog lights....NEVER EVER!!! if you are a woman they should have a key lock on them, I mean does no one notice the great big orange light on their dashboards??
sorry I've gone a bit OT, best fuel economy is around 55mph on most cars IIRC.
take your car down a quiet road and slam on the brakes and see if has a tendancy to dive one way in particular, better to expect it than carp yourself twice when you have to slam on the anchors
Rear fog lights....NEVER EVER!!! if you are a woman they should have a key lock on them, I mean does no one notice the great big orange light on their dashboards??
sorry I've gone a bit OT, best fuel economy is around 55mph on most cars IIRC.
take your car down a quiet road and slam on the brakes and see if has a tendancy to dive one way in particular, better to expect it than carp yourself twice when you have to slam on the anchors
^ what he said ^ , most people dont have much of an idea of how hard they can brake before locking the wheels, especialy on a bike, its worth knowing the capabilitys of what your driveing/rideing and finding out at a time where one wrong move could have you dead.
Bit of snow advice, can also apply to heavy rain..
Use the gears to slow down, rather than the brakes.. there is no risk of skidding and as long as you arent going to fast + slow down early enuf it can also give a much smoother ride to the passengers + reassure them. Also, never steer in to sharply or correct to sharply.. If you feel your self sliding (doesnt apply to RWD cars, cos ive never driven one
), come off the power +gently steer the opposite way,dont swing the car the opposite way, then gently put the power back on..
Be nice to other road users: i.e let them out.. doesnt take much out of your journey, but could save them minutes..
Also, if ne annoying sales repsy ppl come up on your inside@ traffic light (which often is left hand turn only around my parts) + then attempt to burn u off the lights to get in front of you, floor it + dont let them by.. they wont do it again
Use the gears to slow down, rather than the brakes.. there is no risk of skidding and as long as you arent going to fast + slow down early enuf it can also give a much smoother ride to the passengers + reassure them. Also, never steer in to sharply or correct to sharply.. If you feel your self sliding (doesnt apply to RWD cars, cos ive never driven one
), come off the power +gently steer the opposite way,dont swing the car the opposite way, then gently put the power back on.. Be nice to other road users: i.e let them out.. doesnt take much out of your journey, but could save them minutes..
Also, if ne annoying sales repsy ppl come up on your inside@ traffic light (which often is left hand turn only around my parts) + then attempt to burn u off the lights to get in front of you, floor it + dont let them by.. they wont do it again
Originally posted by commited
then attempt to burn u off the lights to get in front of you, floor it + dont let them by.. they wont do it again
i dont get this that often
i love humiliating rep's accelerate just enough to block off their entry into the lane they should have been in anyway, my little moral victories every day make me smile sNot really a tip, but I always make an effort to flash every single car driving around with their fog lights on when it's not foggy. They really annoy me, AND IT DOESN'T LOOK COOL. If only I could get away with using a crowbar on every fog light user, I'd be a very happy man.
For the bikers, always assume everyone hasn't seen you. Some people can look you right in the face, and you've even made eye contact with them, yet you're still invisible. A quick blast of the horn usually helps their focus, but I still rather they just looked about and stopped day dreaming.
I'm getting road rage just thinking about it, and I'm nowhere near a road right now
For the bikers, always assume everyone hasn't seen you. Some people can look you right in the face, and you've even made eye contact with them, yet you're still invisible. A quick blast of the horn usually helps their focus, but I still rather they just looked about and stopped day dreaming.
I'm getting road rage just thinking about it, and I'm nowhere near a road right now
if you're in a rear wheeler, learn how to drift/go on a skidpan. you'll then know what to do if your arse end starts trying to overtake you should it be wet or icy.
if you're not going to obey the two second rule, at least think of the car infront. if it has much better stopping power, give it more room, as should they need to stop, you'll be going straight up their arse.
dont race on the roads.
if you're not going to obey the two second rule, at least think of the car infront. if it has much better stopping power, give it more room, as should they need to stop, you'll be going straight up their arse.
dont race on the roads.
dexteruk
dexteruk
If you leave a nice 2 second gap between you and the car in front then wehn a faster car comes up behind you they will be able to overtake and pull in easily.
If you find on the open road people are having to "muscle in" ahead of you after overtaking - maybe you are tailgating...
the two best tips i could give to anyone, regardless of age, experience, sex etc to guarantee to make them a better driver:
1, Get a bike license - or at the very least a CBT - you'll see the roads in a whole new way
2, Learn Roadcraft - the police driving system - it is taught by the IAM, and you will find it makes a world of difference to your driving skills and perception.
a third tip that is less important - but still worth the money - take your car on a track day - anyone using their car to it's limit on the road is a moron - there are too many unknowns to do that. But a track day allows you to find the limit (and alas beyond sometimes) relatively safely
Here's why i say about the biking tip - argument i had with an american lass....
Lass: "motorbikes are dangerous - i hate them, all you bikers must be stoopid to ride them"
Dex: "But why are bikes dangerous, i have never hurt anyone else on my bike even though i have fallen off a few times"
Lass: "well when i am in my car i have a ton and a half of metal surrounding me, i have seatblelts, side impact bars and air bags protecting me - i can have a smash and walk away. you can't"
Dex: " So it's the bike that's dangerous is it? not the moron in the car who isn't concerned about having an accident?"
(why can i never post a short snappy thread)
If you find on the open road people are having to "muscle in" ahead of you after overtaking - maybe you are tailgating...
the two best tips i could give to anyone, regardless of age, experience, sex etc to guarantee to make them a better driver:
1, Get a bike license - or at the very least a CBT - you'll see the roads in a whole new way
2, Learn Roadcraft - the police driving system - it is taught by the IAM, and you will find it makes a world of difference to your driving skills and perception.
a third tip that is less important - but still worth the money - take your car on a track day - anyone using their car to it's limit on the road is a moron - there are too many unknowns to do that. But a track day allows you to find the limit (and alas beyond sometimes) relatively safely
Here's why i say about the biking tip - argument i had with an american lass....
Lass: "motorbikes are dangerous - i hate them, all you bikers must be stoopid to ride them"
Dex: "But why are bikes dangerous, i have never hurt anyone else on my bike even though i have fallen off a few times"
Lass: "well when i am in my car i have a ton and a half of metal surrounding me, i have seatblelts, side impact bars and air bags protecting me - i can have a smash and walk away. you can't"
Dex: " So it's the bike that's dangerous is it? not the moron in the car who isn't concerned about having an accident?"
(why can i never post a short snappy thread)
Lol, me too..Originally posted by Will Gill
i dont get this that often
Got beaten off the line by a Civic today tho.. didnt really try, but u should have heard his engine!!
Sounded like a plane..
Mum was in the car + she just kept on saying "dont race him, dont race him"..
I accelerated hard in first just to wind her up, but i didnt speed
Heres mine:
* If your on country roads and their muddy from tractors etc then SLOW down, to at least 1/2 your normal speed, or less - even if it seems to slow. Mud and road tires don't mix and all it will all go wrong very quickly if you loose grip.
* If your driving past horses slow down! but don't change down gears rapidly, stay in a higher gear if you can safely, because the sound of you changing down, especially in a daft car can spook the horse - and that could end up in a big writeoff/dogfood mess.
* If your on country roads and their muddy from tractors etc then SLOW down, to at least 1/2 your normal speed, or less - even if it seems to slow. Mud and road tires don't mix and all it will all go wrong very quickly if you loose grip.
* If your driving past horses slow down! but don't change down gears rapidly, stay in a higher gear if you can safely, because the sound of you changing down, especially in a daft car can spook the horse - and that could end up in a big writeoff/dogfood mess.
Originally posted by Lowe
60 mate - 70 if it's got armcos.
70 always
(Unless you mean dual carriageways that arent marked as dual carriageways? but we have a lot of those over here too!)http://www.residentlawyer.com/motoring/speeding/SpeedLimits.htm
http://www.smartdriving.co.uk/Driving/DefensiveDriving/Speed/UK_Speed_limits.html
http://www.police999.com/traffic/speedlim.html