Advanced Driving Tips

[DonDavis]

Many of you know I was a Certified Smith System driving instructor for over 10 years. It really transformed my driving.

Back story.
I joined GE Healthcare as a Field Engineer in 1999. We service CT/MRI/XR/NuclearMedicine in hospitals and outpatient imaging centers located literally all over the place. We don't have a brick and mortar office and work from home when not busy ( that's not very often, btw ).
We get company vehicles and GE was had been using Smith System for many years.
They would send an FE to the Smith 5 day class to get certified, then the GE guy can teach the system to our drivers. I would have to get my recert every 2 years.

GE has decided to save the expense of Smith and created their own class. We would have monthly tcons to discuss how things are going. When it was announced we would abandon Smith, every single FE protested calling it a mistake. I agree totally, but I digress...

That class was all driving every day in real world conditions. The first day was about 2 hours of classroom, then we hit the road in a 15 passenger van with our 6 students plus the Instructor for the rest of the week.

I really loved it.

In Jeff's Raged thread I brought up a suggestion about using hazards to assist in communicating with other drivers. It works for me. You should try it.

But please use caution if you attempt to use the techniques I'm sharing below.

The last thing an experienced driver wants is to be told they're doing something wrong.

And NONE of you have signed up for a class. I appreciate questions, but reserve criticizing here. It's takes real practice to adopt this properly.

If'n you ain't gonna actually try, then move along.

Below is the reference sheet I mentioned in Jeff's thread.

It's read from the bottom up containing 6 Protocols.

1-New Stretch of Road
2-Changing Lanes or Turning
3-Clear all Intersections
4-Check your Mirrors
5-The First Vehicle at a Stop Light
6-Behind Another Vehicle at a Stop Light

And these are NOT the primary Keys for driving Smith. They are...

Aim High in Steering
Get the Big Picture
Keep your Eyes Moving
Leave Yourself an Out
Make Sure They See You

Enjoy.






And for fun, here are some actual comments from real drivers that were involved with collisions.

It's from 1977, But certainly pertinent.

Some real gems in there.

[masraum]

Out of curiosity, why is the sheet bottom-up vs top-down?

[DonDavis]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

...snip...One of my Recertification Instructors was a retired commercial pilot.

He made Quick Reference sheets for the class that were modeled after pilot manuals. They were read up from the bottom. I might still have them.

Really a great guy and his class was my favorite.

Originally Posted by masraum

If you find it, take a pic or scan it or something!

You asked, I delivered.

[DonDavis]

And scanning from the bottom gets the eyes back on the road more quickly.

But I never used them behind the wheel.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

Some real gems in there.

ROFLMAO! Some real genius in there!

Protocol 6 needs an update, or maybe the bit about the eyes always moving covers it. I know of at least 2 people very close to me, and feel like there's a third, where they were making a right turn as the second person. They saw the person in front let off of the brakes and start to move, and then promptly rear-ended them, because the person in front changed their mind and stopped.

I've seen too many times in this situation where the person in front has decision making issues, so they'll "start to go" several times before they actually go. I try to NOT anticipate by looking left if I'll be able to follow. I watch the car in front and make sure they are gone before I check to see if I can go. In some cases, this means that I have to wait for another opening, but it's better than rear-ending them.

And it's even easier to do in this sort of layout because you're not able to see them with your peripheral vision if you're looking over your shoulder at the oncoming traffic.

[stevej37]

I had that happen to me. I was looking left at a stop sign and another car crept up on my left and blocked my view. I released the brake to go forward for a better view and the car behind me rammed me into the intersection.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by stevej37

I had that happen to me. I was looking left at a stop sign and another car crept up on my left and blocked my view. I released the brake to go forward for a better view and the car behind me rammed me into the intersection.

Yep, not uncommon, I think.

Mostly unrelated, most of the time, being rear-ended almost guarantees that the person that did the rear-ending is at fault in an accident. And while I see and understand that take on things, and it makes a certain amount of sense, I have only ever been rear ended once. In college, one of my college buddies was dicking with his radio as he came up behind me completely stopped at a light (4 lanes wide) and locked up his brakes just as it started raining and slid into the back of my car. Neither car had any damage. But I've never been rear ended other than that .

When I was about 21, I knew this couple and the guy had been rear ended 10 times in the 3 years before I met them. I think they were in their mid 20s. I have always thought that he was doing something to get rear ended. I actively try to do things to ensure that I'm not rear ended.

[stevej37]

Most of the time, the answer is that some drivers are in such a hurry, that they anticipate would they would like to happen.
A few seconds of time is not going to make any difference...just be attentive.

[KFC911]

I was leaving work one afternoon in my '87 Supra Turbo years ago ... had to get on I-40 on a VERY short entrance & exit ramp during rush hour. The old guy in front of me stopped completely (wrong), and then saw a decent opening as I did too .... for several cars to merge in. So I punched it while checking my mirror again and blind spot... the old guy then stopped again after accelerating ..... I did too .

Toyota Supra Turbos were built like tanks .... and I destroyed his Mazda 626.... with only a small scratch on my front bumper.... I still say it wasn't my fault .... but it twas. Cop agreed as he handed me the ticket .

[masraum]

Originally Posted by KC911

I was leaving work one afternoon in my '87 Supra Turbo years ago ... had to get on I-40 on a VERY short entrance & exit ramp during rush hour. The old guy in front of me stopped completely (wrong), and then saw a decent opening as I did too .... for several cars to merge in. So I punched it while checking my mirror again and blind spot... the old guy then stopped again after accelerating ..... I did too .

Toyota Supra Turbos were built like tanks .... and I destroyed his Mazda 626.... with only a small scratch on my front bumper.... I still say it wasn't my fault .... but it twas. Cop agreed as he handed me the ticket .

Yep, I always assume "they" are going to do something stupid, so I should focus on them. I almost hit someone once or twice for that reason when I was younger.

[MBAtarga]

Protocol 4 with stopping 15' short of pedestrian crosswalks and/or leaving 15' of distance behind the car in front of you is asking to be rear ended. I'm pretty certain that in city driving - NO ONE - expects the car in front of them to stop with such a distance when in traffic.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

Protocol 4 with stopping 15' short of pedestrian crosswalks and/or leaving 15' of distance behind the car in front of you is asking to be rear ended. I'm pretty certain that in city driving - NO ONE - expects the car in front of them to stop with such a distance when in traffic.

If you stop slowly enough vs a short stop, you'll be fine. I generally stop with my front bumper behind the "stop line." I have run into folks that stop 1-1.5 car lengths behind the stop line. That bugs me.

I do remember being taught that you should always leave a car length (or was it 1.5) between you and the car in front of you at a stop light. These days, that seems a bit excessive in heavy traffic, but the point is that in a pile up, you are less likely to be pushed into the car in front of you.

[stevej37]

The next big question is....Do you look both ways when turning right??

[stevej37]

Time is up...you failed.

Even though traffic from the right is going the opposite direction...there very well may be a driver passing another car in the lane you are turning into.

Your insurance rate will be reflecting your wrong answer.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by stevej37

The next big question is....Do you look both ways when turning right??

Oh hell yeah ! I've seen too many drivers stopped in a lane, or going the wrong way down a one way street even. I never "quick start" when a light turns green and always have my head on a swivel looking both ways going through green lights too.....

That's why I'm still here .

[oldE]

The Smith system sounds like the defensive driving we were taught when I took Driver Ed. It also reminds me of the things one does if they wish to remain alive riding a motorcycle.
Trying to predict behavior and leaving yourself an out.
So far, so good.

Best
Les

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by KC911

Oh hell yeah ! I've seen too many drivers stopped in a lane, or going the wrong way down a one way street even. I never "quick start" when a light turns green and always have my head on a swivel looking both ways going through green lights too.....

That's why I'm still here .

No rate raise for you.
It must have been a real stumper for the others.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by stevej37

No rate raise for you.

I wish . About 15 years ago I was behind a POS hoopty at a stop light which then turned green. She began to accelerate, as did I, then she stopped .... for no reason . I tapped her at mebbe 5 mph .... we both pulled over and she gets out "rubbing her neck" .... I didn't get a ticket 'cause the LEO knew she was FOS, but she played the game "right" and got 4 grand from my Insurance Co....

My rates went up for 3 years ...

I hate other drivers

[stevej37]

Yep, anytime you hit someone from behind...open your wallet.
No matter what dumb thing the other driver did.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Yep, anytime you hit someone from behind...open your wallet.
No matter what dumb thing the other driver did.

I've been considering a retirement gig...

Gonna buy me a big ol' tank with GREAT brakes !