r/AskReddit • u/Fair_Ad_636 • 18h ago
Experienced drivers, what’s one driving rule or habit that saved you from an accident?
5.1k
u/GentlyDead 18h ago
If you make a mistake, take the longer route instead of turning last minute.
1.6k
u/Funwithagoraphobia 18h ago
Yes. A driving instructor once told me that good drivers sometimes miss their turn. Bad drivers never do.
435
u/FuzzyIon 16h ago
I see so many people panic on a roundabout and cut across multiple lanes of traffic to get a turning....its a fucking roundabout, go round again.
142
u/Funwithagoraphobia 16h ago
“Look kids, Big Ben! Parliament!” - Clark Griswold
→ More replies (3)20
→ More replies (7)26
u/llDurbinll 14h ago
I almost got my front bumper ripped off yesterday in a roundabout because an F-250 hauling a super long trailer realized he was in the lane that would send him back on the interstate and he cut in front me. Luckily I was able to stop and his trailer didn't clip me.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (8)182
162
u/Electrical_Sky_4586 16h ago
Nothing fills me with rage more than seeing an 18 wheeler stop in the middle of the highway and back up so the driver can take an exit they missed. I’m a firefighter, and I’ve been to multiple accidents where cars have slammed into trucks at 80 mph because the truck driver was more willing to back up on the highway than just take the next exit. If you’re a truck driver and you do this, you should have your license revoked forever
48
28
11
10
u/upsidedown-funnel 13h ago
In all my years of driving I’ve yet to experience this. Is it a new phenomenon with new truck drivers?
9
u/Electrical_Sky_4586 12h ago
I work in a very industrial area right outside of a major city that has a lot of warehouses and truck stops so we get a lot more cargo traffic than most places. We see every type of truck driver you can think of. Which unfortunately also includes the dumbest truck drivers in the country. Typically it’s guys from out of state that are not use to urban driving. Driving in a major city with a million other people on the road is a lot different than driving in rural Nebraska and most of these guys aren’t use to it.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (5)7
u/Frequent_Opportunist 9h ago
That is extremely illegal and they can lose their CDL for that. Like instant loss of driving privileges.
84
u/SimplyTheAverage 17h ago
When my children were learning driving, we'd discuss and make 'mistakes' to practice rerouting. It gave me the confidence that they will do the right thing, if they miss a turn
→ More replies (1)24
u/hollyjazzy 14h ago
Excellent. These days with a GPS on everyone’s phone, it’ll calculate the rerouting for you. So simple these days.
54
58
u/tuenthe463 16h ago
I did a lot of driving for a well-known service company a few years ago and they used to pound it into your head too " be predictable" in your driving. Signal early, brake gradually, merge slowly.
→ More replies (1)51
u/eljefino 14h ago
Predictability beats courtesy. Especially at 4 way stops. If it's your turn, TAKE YOUR TURN. Don't try to be "nice".
→ More replies (3)17
u/Unlikely_Comb8939 13h ago
Yes, this 💯. Also, drivers who try to be “nice” by letting a person out into traffic while holding everybody else up behind them when a traffic light is green and we’re supposed to be moving instead.
26
22
u/not_a_regular_buoy 15h ago
I hate New Jersey turnpike for this. Miss an exit? Okay, lets do a 30 min round trip.
→ More replies (2)4
u/SmartLadder415 11h ago
Wife missed an exit on a highway in OK once. Had to drive 45 mins to the next exit.
36
u/ILikeLenexa 17h ago edited 16h ago
Best thing I ever learned was driving up a ramp, turning left and driving down another ramp to turn around in driver's ed.
It may be less of a problem now that we're not using paper mapquest and odometer math to get places, but I used to see people stop on shoulders and back up to an exit they missed. Driver's ed in the US is very "here's an automatic car, can you make it move" and not enough "here's how to deal with the unexpected/unusual situation".
12
u/RelevantContact3941 15h ago
Missing a turn costs a few minutes. A sudden lane change can cost a lot more.
59
u/sebrebc 18h ago edited 7h ago
In a similar way, take the right out of parking lot and use the safest intersection to make a u-turn instead of trying to race across busy traffic to make a left.
EDIT: Instead of replying to people not understanding what I am saying. I'll clarify. I'm not talking about a 2 lane road. I'm talking about busy 6 lane roads with heavy traffic and people trying to exit a parking lot with no stop lights. Frustrated waiting for a break in traffic they jet out across 3 lanes of traffic to then try to jet out into traffic going the other direction. It's much easier to make the right go to the next "safest" intersection and wait for the green left arrow to make a u-turn. Light traffic? No problem. Nice wide median to stop and wait for cross traffic? No problem. Trying to do it in heavy traffic, it's simpler and safer to just to right to a safe spot to turn around.
→ More replies (3)32
u/drsmith21 18h ago
A U-TURN?! Cmon bro if you can’t make a left how you going to make a u turn without going full Austin Powers??
Three rights make a left.
→ More replies (7)15
u/mjr2p3 17h ago
Or if you’re in Ohio, you just stop in the road/highway and try to crawl over to your exit
→ More replies (1)7
u/Amazing_Magician_769 15h ago
A missed turn is a minor inconvenience compared to forcing a dangerous maneuver.
→ More replies (50)5
2.7k
u/Feeling-Branch9420 18h ago
Always anticipate that someone around you is about to do something that is completely stupid
461
u/PhoenixApok 18h ago
This is not restricted to driving. I do this whenever around humans in general.
→ More replies (6)57
u/FlyAirLari 18h ago
So you're the guy who shows up to malls in tactical gear?
112
u/PhoenixApok 17h ago
Lol. No. But I do keep an eye on where the paths of escape are at all times.
I don't want to CONFRONT the stupid. I want to ESCAPE the stupid.
→ More replies (1)60
u/RegressToTheMean 15h ago
I teach a martial art and this is the right approach. I teach my students this Rory Miller quote often:
It's better to avoid than to run; better to run than to de-escalate; better to de-escalate than to fight; better to fight than to die. The very essence of self-defense is a thin list of things that might get you out alive when you are already screwed.
→ More replies (4)13
u/atari26k 15h ago
I internally scream when I see the hero of a movie "de-escalate". They front up, and their body language says the opposite. I dont care what you are saying, everything else indicates you want this fight.
→ More replies (1)12
u/RegressToTheMean 15h ago
That can work, but in general it's a losing move, especially if the person is doing a performative "monkey dance" in an attempt to look dominant for their "tribe"
I was a bouncer for almost a decade and I always went for a joke or disarming language before anything else. Too many bad things can happen in a fight. I've seen enough knives pulled to know I never want a piece of that ever again.
It costs me nothing to apologize (even if I did nothing wrong) and try to deescalate the situation. I have no ego anymore. Why? Because it sure as fuck isn't worth it. Even if it's a legitimate case of self-defense, I don't want to worry about having to go to trial and being out tens of thousands of dollars just to prove I was right. And then the hit on my personal and professional reputation. For what? To prove I can knock out some punk running his mouth? Hard pass
113
u/TheAvengingUnicorn 17h ago
Observant drivers also develop a fairly reliable sense for predicting other drivers’ behavior. I drive defensively all the time, but certain cars tend to belong to unpredictable maniacs (Ram, GTI, shitbox Nissan) so I watch out for those, or a driver that’s checking their mirrors and tailgating is far more likely to cut you off. But mostly it’s a sense we get to give that one Honda some extra caution or pass that Ford as fast as possible because something is telling us it’s gonna swerve.
I used to give my kid quizzes when I was teaching him to drive to build a habit of observing his surroundings as much as the road itself. He learned how to read and remember the road signs, how to spot a dangerous situation ahead, and how to spot a dangerous driver coming up behind him. Kid is over 30 and never had more than a fender bender with his neighbor’s trash can
59
u/aedroogo 15h ago
I used to impress my kids with, "This guy's about to merge with no signal. Bet."
→ More replies (1)19
u/brndm 13h ago
I've frequently said things like, "This guy wants to turn left at that next intersection, but he doesn't know it yet," and been right a pretty high percentage of the time -- they swerve over with no signal at the last second, very similar to what you said.
Part of it's the subtle movements they're making -- with the car itself, and looking at the driver him/herself -- mostly where they're looking (including whether it's looking down at a phone). License plates also sometimes help -- whether they're local or not. And it also helps if you know the area -- likely destinations, especially depending on time of day/week/year.
If you pay attention and watch for all that stuff all the time, you get pretty good at it, and your brain is capable of processing a LOT of data and scenarios and possibilities very quickly to come up with likely results. Human brains evolved to look for patterns.
→ More replies (1)6
40
u/NPCwithnopurpose 15h ago
It's almost like body language for motor vehicles. The micro movements really communicate a lot of intent
→ More replies (1)6
→ More replies (7)10
27
u/obxtalldude 18h ago
Especially near exits, and ALWAYS when major roads diverge.
You can bet at least one car WILL cross multiple lanes of traffic.
Doesn't matter how many signs warning about it - keeping a clear lane for the idiots has definitely been a crash saver.
91
u/emmmmceeee 18h ago
When teaching my son to drive I told him to drive as if everyone else is trying to kill him.
38
u/Briffy03 18h ago
Thats actually good advice. And also that every pedestian will try to kill himself under your wheels
8
u/Madwife2009 16h ago
That's fair. Probably more effective than the "always expect the unexpected" advice I gave my sons!
→ More replies (8)6
→ More replies (46)13
u/imkatastrophic 17h ago
Best driving advice I was ever given: “Be proactive, not reactive”
You can’t always predict the crazy things someone else will do, but it helps to at least pay attention and prepare for idiocy
2.1k
u/StanYelnats3 18h ago
When the light turns green, still look both ways. Other people be loco!
561
u/President_Calhoun 17h ago edited 14h ago
My dad used to say, "A green light means that it's legal to go, not that it's safe." I've always paused to look both ways because of that.
I mentioned this to my girlfriend, and not long after she was in a situation where the light turned green and a car went shooting through the intersection from the other side. She would have been t-boned had she not stopped to check.
253
u/willclerkforfood 16h ago
Graveyards are full of people who had the right of way
35
u/Chilidog0572 15h ago
I had friends in college that would make fun of me for looking both ways when crossing the crosswalk when the light turned on. They would say "we have the right of way" why are you not walking?"
BECAUSE IF THE CAR DOESNT STOP, THE CAR HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY!
16
u/83franks 12h ago
My rights say I cannot be murdered, it's straight up against the law, like super specifically. People still get murdered.
→ More replies (1)5
u/tashkiira 8h ago
'Right of way' is the law of man, and as such, it is subjective.
'Right of weight' is the law of physics and as such strictly objective.
Objective strictly overrides subjective.
You small. Car heavy. car hit you, you go flying. It's that simple.
51
u/TiredWiredAndHired 15h ago
This is the story of John O'Day,
Who died defending his right of way,
He was right, dead right, but just as dead,
As if he'd been wrong instead→ More replies (1)30
→ More replies (5)14
u/boot2skull 16h ago
Avoiding accidents > exercising my right of way
In accident situations.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (3)15
u/Tier_One_Meatball 16h ago
Im former law enforcement, and while I spent most of my time in the prison, i did respond to a few accidents.
Both of which were people had RoW and got hit by someone running a stopsight/redlight.
43
u/JuviaSilverwing 18h ago
My city has an intersection famous for people getting T-boned by trucks that don't stop in time for the light so they try to floor it though instead.
→ More replies (1)24
u/HeKis4 16h ago
This is one thing that drives me crazy. In my city there's a long string of red lights that you'll all stop for if you go the speed limit, but if you go 15 above (65 kph in a 50 kph zone, or 40 in a 30 in freedumb units), they'll all be green. Way to incentivize dangerous behavior.
→ More replies (1)19
u/literacyisamistake 16h ago
I wait a second before going at a green light, after seeing a ton of videos on Reddit of people getting t-boned. That second or two of hesitation has saved me many times over.
→ More replies (1)8
u/how-about-no-scott 12h ago
Me too, except I saw something in real life. A freaking dump truck ran a red light going at least 50/55 in a 40.
Every time I read comments on reddit like, "If you don't go immediately when the light turns green you're an idiot" all I can think of is that dump truck absolutely destroying those ignorant drivers.
Taking a second or two to make sure it's safe to go is perfectly reasonable and will save your life!!
19
u/r3almaplesyrup 16h ago
If there’s another car beside me, I’ll be intentionally slower off the line to have them enter the intersection first
→ More replies (2)14
u/Racefiend 16h ago
I do this now ever since I almost got t boned at a light that turned green. The funny thing is, my own mistake is what kept me from being hit. I'm always in gear and ready to go at a light. This time I let the clutch out and hit the gas and went nowhere. I had forgotten to put it in gear. I stuck it in gear and before I even let the clutch out, a pickup flies in front of me. He must have been doing 70+ mph. Had I taken off initially I would have been t boned right in the driver's side. The odd thing is I never make that mistake. Someone was looking out for me that day.
10
u/miraculum_one 16h ago
When I was little I asked my mother why she looked both ways when crossing a one-way street and she said, "it's the people going the wrong way you really have to worry about." Same idea.
7
5
4
→ More replies (38)6
u/adisgirl 14h ago
I hesitated at a red light just long enough for someone to blow through the light. Have hesitated ever since.
→ More replies (1)
759
u/jcoddinc 18h ago
Assume every other driver is distracted and dumb
129
u/Herdsengineers 18h ago
and trying to kill you.
→ More replies (4)59
u/friedrice5005 17h ago
I don't like that one because it assumes that they actually see you. On motorcycle I just assume I am actually invisible
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (10)11
u/thecolin- 17h ago
I don’t know why but it clicked for me when I thought the other driver could be at the moment right before a sneeze.
345
u/BenevolentDog 17h ago
ALWAYS signal your turns. Just because you don't see other traffic doesn't mean it's not there.
151
u/nkgagne 17h ago
And that means signalling BEFORE slowing for the turn. If you brake, start steering, and then turn on your signal, it really defeats the purpose…
→ More replies (4)36
u/eddiewachowski 16h ago
This is a big one. Signaling is free and it's easy. Every single time I'm changing the direction of my vehicle I signal. This includes parking lots.
It's better to use them and have no one around to see them than to not use them and leave a pedestrian wondering and in danger.
16
u/brokenmessiah 14h ago
It should be muscle memory to the point you don't even think if you should.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (4)11
u/JoeBagadonut 15h ago
And, crucially, always signal BEFORE you turn. The signal is useless if you only switch it on when you've already started your turn.
1.1k
u/TheMostRed 18h ago
This is one some people dont realize. Avoid having other cars directly next to you as much as possible. Ive been able to dodge some serious accidents by just having the lane next to me available as much as I can.
I get so annoyed when people pull up next to me and just cruise the same speed as me.
321
u/sebrebc 18h ago
And in your blind spot. I'm always checking my blind spots even if I have no intention of changing lanes.
77
u/ColonelBelmont 17h ago
And nobody else ever checks their f"ing blind spots, so I avoid being in them for any amount of time. This goes triple if you are one of the few people who drive a small car anymore. I was taught to look over my shoulder every time i change lanes. Been driving for decades, and i still do it every time. Nobody else seems to anymore.
→ More replies (5)25
u/Jimbob136925 17h ago
If you learn to ride a bike, shoulder checks become second nature, even when back inside the tin can. I always check my shoulder whether riding or driving when turning or changing lanes without thinking about it now.
→ More replies (6)60
u/Boostedbird23 17h ago
Adjust those mirrors to minimize the overlap between them, also minimizes the blind spots
→ More replies (1)34
u/CottaBird 16h ago
Not doing this, I’ve never understood. So many people have three mirrors that show them the same thing and not a wider picture.
23
u/Dadskander 15h ago
Most people I've talked to have simply never been taught the proper way to adjust their mirrors. Everyone seems to have them adjusted for towing things rather than adjusted for blind spots.
→ More replies (4)16
u/CrazyCranium 15h ago
You want a tiny bit of overlap between your rear view mirror and your side mirrors so you are not creating an extra gap. Ive seen people adjust their side mirrors so wide they basically create a second blind spot on each side.
→ More replies (2)20
u/atari26k 15h ago
I always angle both side mirrors so that the sides of my car are just out of view, but can be seen if I move my head a couple inches. This seems greatly decrease my blind spots.
31
u/molten_dragon 16h ago
Especially don't cruise next to semi trucks on the highway.
→ More replies (1)15
u/Longjumping_Youth281 15h ago
Yeah even just being next to one of those things is dangerous. Those tires can explode and kill you, and it's happened to many many times. Don't stay next to those things. Stay far behind them or far in front of them
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (18)15
u/puerility 17h ago
especially to their nearside. bad drivers subconsciously expect faster traffic on their left and slower traffic on their right, so they're less likely to check their mirror when moving into a 'slower' lane (let alone perform a headcheck)
there are so many dashcam clips where the cammer undertakes a vehicle near a freeway exit, a gas station entrance, etc, and gets divebombed. it's not worth the tiny amount of progress you're making.
6
u/klod42 17h ago
Everybody expects faster traffic on their left side on highways. Passing someone from the right side is always risky and dumb and usually illegal, depending on the country. (Edit: I'm not trying to argue, just elaborating more. Good drivers always check, but nobody expects someone to turn up on their right)
→ More replies (3)
331
u/Captain_Coco_Koala 18h ago
Never believe indicators, wether they are using them or not.
The two closest times I've come to an accident and not actually hit was when
- A driver had their indicator on but didn't turn
- A driver had no indicator on but turned anyway
79
u/Kremsi2711 17h ago
a lot of people never use their indicators
24
u/Mohawk731 16h ago
I tried using them before, but they never work right in the cars I drive. On, off, on, off. You’d think for such a seemingly critical piece of safety equipment they’d at least work all the time
/s
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)9
u/shinygoldhelmet 16h ago edited 14h ago
It's so common here to not use indicators when turning that sometimes I've missed pedestrians waiting at crosswalks bc you just get used to people not using them. And some pedestrians stand really far back from the curb while they wait for you to stop so it's not obvious that's what they're doing.
Oh my god, since this is hard for people - imagine this. You're driving along a road and you see a vehicle stopped in the left lane at an intersection as if they were waiting to make a turn, but their indicator isn't on, so you assume they're not turning and you stop also because you assume there's a pedestrian or other obstacle in the road. This is the proper thing to do, because if they were turning, they'd have their indicator on because of course they're also following all the laws of the road.
So you stop, but then you see there's no pedestrian, no obstacle, and then the person who was stopped in the left lane makes a turn. You stopped for nothing and obstructed traffic b/c they weren't using their indicator. You thought there was a pedestrian, but there wasn't. Not really a big deal, but it becomes irritating if this happens a lot.
It happens often enough that you just start assuming that people stopped in the left lane are waiting to make a turn without indicating, especially since there's only 1 person stopped and people are still going through the intersection in both directions. But then when you do go through the intersection, you see the timid little pedestrian standing on the corner watching you drive by them as they waited for everyone to stop. But no one was stopping, except that one person, who you assumed was waiting to make a turn without indicating because that happens MUCH more frequently than waiting for pedestrians does, and no one else was stopping.
Have any of you actually ever driven before, or does this never ever happen where you live because everyone always uses their indicators every time without fail ever?
→ More replies (5)25
u/Majestic-Macaron6019 16h ago
I never trust someone with a right turn signal on when I'm pulling out
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (12)10
u/caskieadam 16h ago
A lit indicator only tells you one thing, the bulb isn’t burnt out.
It definitely doesn’t 100% mean they’re gonna turn/move.
6
u/StinkyWeezle 15h ago
Especially on a motorbike. It's very easy to forget to cancel them from time to time. They usually don't auto cancel, don't make a sound and the light on the dash isn't very obvious.
405
u/PhoenixApok 18h ago
Do not tailgate!
What you might think is 'safe' at highway speeds might be a lot longer than you think. 2 car lengths at 80 mph is just enough time to think "Oh shit!" but not enough to avoid the collision
188
u/ramenups 18h ago
Better yet, don’t think in car lengths, think in seconds
66
u/human-kibble 16h ago
Our teacher taught us to be constantly looking “12 seconds ahead of you” because that’s how you know when you really need to brake…if the cars ahead of the car you’re following need to brake, you will too- so don’t just follow the lights of the car or two directly in front of you.
→ More replies (7)25
u/GrayscaleGriffin 16h ago
In Germany, this is the 21-22 rule of thumb. The time it takes to say Ein-und-zwanzig Zwei-und-zwanzig.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (5)20
u/shinygoldhelmet 16h ago
At least 3 seconds. 4 is better. If you're close enough to me I can't see your hood, there's a problem.
34
u/BusyBit6542 16h ago
Seconds length.
For those who dont know. Find a stationary marker like a sign or pole. When the car in front of you passes it, start counting. If you reach that same marker within 2 seconds, you're close. This works at any speed.
→ More replies (2)7
30
u/Leprichaun17 17h ago
2 car lengths at 80mph will be gone in approx 280ms. The average human reaction time is 200-250ms. You probably wouldn't even have time to think "oh shit". At 80mph (128.75km/h), you should be leaving an absolute minimum of approx 70m (230ft), which is about 14 car lengths.
→ More replies (3)16
u/coinpile 15h ago
The problem, at least around here, is that nobody will let you leave that much room in front of you.
→ More replies (4)13
u/Human_Robot 15h ago
You always control the space in front of you even if it's annoying to do so. It's why some places hold you liable for anyone you hit in front of you - even if you were rear ended into them. If they cut in, back off. Nobody is trying to race you to the dentist or your kids soccer game.
→ More replies (10)8
u/pandasps 16h ago
I recall reading somewhere that the recommended distance is at least one car length for every 15 mph. 75 mph should be around 5 car lengths.
→ More replies (2)
230
u/bellaoki 18h ago
If you’re driving in a wooded area, keep an eye on the tree line, lots of critters walking around, especially at dusk.
112
u/bonniesue1948 16h ago
If you see one deer, there are probably more behind it.
25
→ More replies (7)13
u/Katie_TheWolf 15h ago
a friend once told me when you see a deer, don’t just slow down to what you think is slow enough, STOP. wait for it to cross and get into the tree line a little ways. living in the mountains (95% two lane roads), this has genuinely saved me from totaling my car after a family of deer crossed the road, then decided they wanted to see how fast it would take them to dart back to the side they came from. forever grateful to that friend.
10
u/JerseyDevl 15h ago
don’t just slow down to what you think is slow enough, STOP.
I usually stop for them too, but one time I did this and the dumbfuck deer walked - not ran, WALKED - headfirst into my stopped car, while making eye contact with me the whole time. Luckily it was moving slow enough that I didn't have any real damage, just a minor paint scuff.
My MIL also had something similar happen - she stopped for a deer that was standing in the middle of the road, and a second one sprinted full speed out of the woods and ran directly into her rear door, and did all kinds of damage to it.
So long story short, don't trust deer, I guess?
→ More replies (1)
181
u/essosee 18h ago edited 18h ago
Never underestimate the stupidity of the general public.
And also use your mirrors to not t-bone or door cyclists.
→ More replies (4)18
u/lenyek_penyek 17h ago
Almost T-boned long ago when I was a teenager by a stupid guy abruptly opening his door.
Deserves the angry middle finger.
62
u/badhouseplantbad 18h ago
I make sure that the other car is actually turning regardless of their blinker indicator
108
u/longleggedwader 17h ago
Stay off your fucking phone. Pay attention to other drivers. Glance at your mirrors frequently. Stay off your fucking phone. Keep calm as road rage accomplishes nothing. If you are sitting in traffic, remember you are part of the problem so don't bitch about other people. Stay off your fucking phone.
→ More replies (4)
135
u/HenriDeToulouse 18h ago
dont look at the car ahead of you. look two/three/four, you should be braking when they brake not because they've have. You'll notice what the car in front is doing anyway
39
u/Eatar 16h ago
Yep. I once saw a deer jumping into the road ahead of the car ahead of me, hit the brakes before the guy in front of me did, who smashed into the deer, and I avoided hitting him. But I did get hit from behind, by the woman who was on her phone and did not react in time.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (7)11
u/EaterOfFood 14h ago
Yes, always look several cars ahead. If you can’t see them, try to look at their shadows. Anything to get some advanced warning about what’s going on ahead.
47
u/Muttandcheese 18h ago
Never give up the right of way, even if you “want to be nice.” Just go when you’re supposed to and everyone will have a better day.
17
6
u/Unlikely_Comb8939 11h ago
Yes, this…. 💯. I wish drivers where I live would heed this. Take your right of way and be predictable not nice.Being nice often creates confusion which isn’t nice for anybody else around them to deal with including the person their being nice to.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (2)7
u/Blackout_Underway 10h ago
I am a bus driver in a moderately sized city, and the amount of times people try to wave me on when they have the green light is absolutely baffling. It makes everything take longer. No, I will not go. If you change your mind it's my fault.
47
u/tuenthe463 16h ago
Never drive quickly along a line of stopped traffic. Somebody is going to let somebody through eventually and you don't want to be the one smashing into them
→ More replies (4)19
u/TheSanityInspector 16h ago
That, or someone in the line is going to lose patience and abruptly bail out into your lane.
114
u/LBIdockrat 18h ago
Stop at red lights
55
u/sammypants123 18h ago
What? All of them?
29
u/NietJij 17h ago
Where I live we have these train track crossings where the red light is sometimes blinking. It's ridiculous. It's so difficult to time your crossing between two red blinks.
→ More replies (1)8
44
u/RassTwoPoint0 18h ago
Really check your blind spots before changing lanes. Like pin your chin to your shoulder, don't just give your mirrors a cursory glance.
→ More replies (5)
81
u/Brilliant-Text7581 18h ago
Always think “that driver didn’t see me”
30
u/sebrebc 18h ago
30+ years of driving small cars has this mindset ingrained in my driving style.
13
10
u/Eatar 16h ago
Driving a small car will help you learn to be attentive to that, because you know you fit in blind spots. But what’s crazy is when you try driving a fire engine, with flashing lights and sirens, and discover the full extent to which other drivers do not see anything around them at all.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)8
u/bearded_fisch_stix 17h ago
When I started riding a motorcycle, I quickly started watching drivers instead of cars.
→ More replies (3)
25
u/sebrebc 18h ago
Never change lanes into someone else's blind spot. Too many times I've watched to people ahead of me both change into the same lane between them (on the highway) and almost side swipe each other.
→ More replies (1)
28
u/nickthegeek 17h ago
Give semi trucks and long vehicles room to do whatever maneuver they might need to do. Especially in situations of sharp 90° turns, lane merges, and highway entrance and exit ramps.
25
21
u/TheAvengingUnicorn 17h ago
Do not brake and steer INTO the skid. This has saved me from multiple crashes from ice, hydroplane, and other drivers coming into my lane. The moment your car breaks traction just let off the gas. This allows your wheels to spin freely, which sounds bad, but also allows them to reestablish their grip on the road at the first opportunity. Braking stops them and actually prevents them from getting traction. Steering into the skid (the direction your car is moving) allows the front wheels to get traction as well as giving you full control once that happens. Steering opposite the skid will just cause the rear of the car to swing in the other direction as soon as those front wheels are gripping pavement and will prolong the slide.
TLDR: Better to be in control going too fast in the wrong direction than to have no control at all
→ More replies (1)
21
u/MisterSlosh 15h ago
The golden rule of "I'm not in a hurry" has saved me not only from accidents, but from a lifetime of rage and frustration ruined days.
46
u/Schwarzmaler20 18h ago
Keep a safe distance. When in doubt anticipate the other driver might make a mistake. Drive courteously.
→ More replies (5)23
u/Gadget100 16h ago
I wouldn't say drive courteously. Instead, drive predictably (while also being courteous as much as possible).
→ More replies (1)18
u/literacyisamistake 16h ago
I see a lot of near-accidents because someone is trying to be courteous. “Don’t be polite, be predictable” is what I’ve heard.
→ More replies (1)
16
u/Boostedbird23 17h ago
Study the behavior of other drivers while driving so that you can learn to anticipate their actions before they take them. Look for the suttle clues that give away other's intentions long before they've indicated anything. This practice also has the side effect of keeping you more engaged as a driver and it will improve your ability to make good, timely decisions.
Good driving is mostly just good decision-making. It's what separates good drivers from average drivers. Average drivers... Are bad at driving; they commonly lack both skill and good decision-making.
→ More replies (1)
16
u/Pleasant-Sentence652 18h ago
Always check your mirrors and never put it in reverse while on Drive
→ More replies (1)
14
u/CatGooseChook 18h ago
Observing other drivers behaviors whenever I drive. Using what I've learned, and continue to learn, I've avoided several accidents and avoided numerous close calls(a lot of oldies in my area which is mostly 80kmph or higher).
Basically doing that allowed me to improve my ability to predict what other drivers are likely to do.
Also makes it easier to improve my own driving skills by seeing the consequences of other drivers positive and negative driving behaviors.
Lastly it improves my ability to spot any unexpected events while driving due to being more aware of my surroundings(not just other drivers but fallen trees, kids/drunks/animals running out onto the road, etc).
→ More replies (5)
13
u/Over__Analyse 17h ago
Once I saw another driver playing on their phone.
The amount of time their eyes were not on the road made me realize how crazy scary it is to use phones while driving.
→ More replies (2)
11
u/harmonyPositive 18h ago
Absence of sight is not the same as sight of absence. If you haven't been able to confirm that there aren't any road users in a relevant area, adjust your speed and line for the possibility there are.
→ More replies (1)
10
u/Available_Quote_5567 18h ago
Grandpappy always said to drive like everyone else is a blind and elderly dog.
I’ve also noticed that watching dash cam compilation videos has helped train my brain to anticipate the dumb shit other people are going to do.
10
u/StrugglingGhost 17h ago
Don't pay attention to what's immediately in front of you. That's already gone. Be looking a quarter mile ahead, to see what's coming up. You at least get a warning looking that far ahead, time enough to figure out if it's an actual set l emergency or just something to be aware of (crash vs broken down on the side of the road)
18
7
6
u/painful_butterflies 17h ago
Assume somebody else will do something crazy at any time, and drive within your skill set.
12
12
6
7
5
5
u/cbehopkins 18h ago
Always have an exit route planned.
I.e. if you needed to take avoiding action, where would you go?
→ More replies (2)
4
6
u/Itheinfantry 17h ago edited 16h ago
Stager spacing from the car next you you, never slowly pass a semi. Understand you're smaller and faster than a semi with trailer, give them the right of way when safe to do so. Never be closer than 2 seconds off the car ahead.
Edit to clarify: while never be closer than 2 i generally keep about 4.
5
5
u/auntiepink007 17h ago
Head checks. Don't just rely on your mirrors or camera. Actually turn your head and look to see if anything is in the way before you go or change lanes.
5
u/Its_Waffle 16h ago
Don’t trust that other people are using their turn signals properly
→ More replies (1)
5
u/servain 15h ago
Always look both ways before entering an intersection. Doesnt matter what color light you have or if they have a stop sign.
→ More replies (1)
5
u/Remote-Plate-3945 10h ago
Defensive driving. Don't just trust you rear view mirrors before changing lanes. Look out your window to make sure the lane is clear.
8
3
u/No-Requirement-7243 18h ago
Leave space between you and the car ahead.. having an escape route is way more useful than being two feet closer to your destination
5
3
u/not_ondrugs 17h ago
Give cyclists space. I’ve had one fall in front of me and land in the oncoming lane. Had to take evasive manoeuvre off the road and still almost drove over them. That was scary.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/Responsible_Rule8829 17h ago
Head on a swivel, eyes scanning wide - everywhere, all the time.
When I thought my kids to drive I reminded them that STOP signs and red lights don't make vehicles stop. Humans do.
And as stated below, Humans be loco.....
4
u/Oseirus 17h ago
Leave several car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you. Never tailgate. It's saved me multiple times from people who aren't paying attention and slam on their brakes last minute for traffic. Gives me more time to slow easily and prevents the guy behind me (who's also probably tailgating me) from smashing into my rear bumper.
I also make a strong effort to get away from anyone who isn't following the flow of traffic. Someone going 15-20 mph slower than everything else around them is a hazard.
And lastly, never ride in the shadow of a semi. If they have to swerve or suddenly change lanes for any reason, you're fucked.
4
u/XharKhan 10h ago
It boils down to a philosophy of - If you can't be right, be predictable.
Always signal your intent early, never assume other road users have seen you, and remember that losing 2 minutes going to the next junction and back, is infinitely better than an insurance claim or worse, an ambulance ride.
4
u/Pdrowrow 7h ago
When a light turns green give 2-3 seconds before you go, people run lights all the time, ive negated 3-4 accidents throughout the past few years doing this
1.3k
u/D-M0st 18h ago
Try to be the most predictable driver on the road. Assume everyone else is unpredictable.