Get with the times: You're driving all wrong

From a driver's ed instructor in Minnesota, here are a few other modern air bag cautions - don't let kids ride shot gun, kids 13 and younger MUST ride in the back seat; the same goes for dogs, nor should little dogs ride on a driver's lap. And use those seat belts- here in Minnesota, 92% of drivers state wide buckle up and the remaining 8 % are dieing off.

 

^ That's me in the picture, BTW.

I've been subsequently told I'm not leaning enough, but I see white dudes, probably tuned in to country music doing this daily, so why is it called a ghetto lean?

A few years ago, when I posted this and pictures of guys doing this, leadfooted posers were absolutely livid at "GearHeadHybrid.com" (not the actual name of that site, but would have been more accurate )

 

...on recent posts of making driving one-handed.

It's counter-intuitive, but as driving becomes more convenient, it enables bad behavior:

- better noise insulation allows us to drive faster than we think.
- rack-and-pinion, power steering entices some to "control" {ahem} the vehicle with one finger, wrist, or forearm on the wheel. That and steering with the knees.
- "lame" performance from zero to sixty has gone from fifteen seconds to maybe just eight, enabling weaving and other aggressive driving.
- Manual transmissions were the rule, but only 9% or less of US sales - a bad thing for non-hybrid vehicles. It's not just stick-shifts still get better fuel economy, but automatics are abused by the general driving public as it frees them to drive distracted playing with their phone.
- The more safety features, the more many people self-deceive themselves they don't have to do anything and overrely on ABS, airbags, crumple zones, etc. I'm glad we have all that, but just remember you could still get killed if you don't think.


This is going to be a very controversial idea: if everybody had both hands on the wheel, distracted and some careless driving would go down a lot. So set up steering wheels like heavy machinery and require both hands to operate. In other words, if one hand is not on the wheel more than 1-2 minutes, the car coasts to a stop. I don't think it would ever be implemented, but it's a good thought exercise.

 

I agree with this!!! On long road trips I regularly rest one arm or the other for a minute or so, but otherwise, I've got both hands on the wheel and I wish other people did as well. It scares the shit out of me to be riding with someone who is driving with one hand and gesturing with the other. And some folks will even start gesturing with both hands, on the theory that the car will keep going straight when they're not touching the wheel!

(The driver turning to look at me is another thing that terrifies me. Keep your eyes on the road, for crying out loud!!!)

 

I don't recall when or where I heard it, but I remember some automotive safety expert saying that the most effective safety feature would be a big sharp spike, right in the middle of the steering wheel.

 

^ My guess is Click & Clack said that.

 

The best is if you don't get into an accident. Safe driving will help prevent accidents except for the other driver you have no control over.

 

Driving defensively can help protect you against the other guy. The point of the spike idea was to make the driver feel vulnerable, instead of invincible. Knowing we're well protected does not make us safer drivers - it's almost like we increase our aggression to compensate for the decreased risk provided by the safety features.

 

So what we really want is to put a spike on the other guy's steering wheel, while keeping the seat belts and air bags on our own car. Because we Prius Chatters are all careful, defensive drivers.

 

On a more serious level, people might drive more sensibly if they can see better, lower to the ground (to sense speed better), the speed is displayed in huge digital digits instead an analog sweep, and there is more road noise.

It's worth getting a copy from Amazon.com High and Mighty: Summary and book reviews of High and Mighty by Keith Bradsher.

 

Goodness, no. Whatever gave you that idea?

 

I find this to be true when I wear ear protection around power tools. The tools are just as dangerous, but they no longer sound scary.

Tom

 

I caught my contractor the other day closing his eyes while he used the table saw! And this was after I gave him some earplugs.

 

Was that in lieu of safety glasses?

 

He thought so.

 

This is the same as not using condoms when your girlfriend or says she won't get pregnant because she's in her safe time zone. A few of my friends fell for it and regretted it later.
So wear seatbelts, keep your hands on the wheel, use condoms and use caution. Do not let your little brain take over your big brain.

 

Isn't that kind of like closing your eyes while feeding sharks? Kinda hard to keep your hands away from the sharp bits if your eyes are closed. As for a contractor who doesn't have safety goggles, I think I'd get a different contractor.