Your Best Defensive Driving Tips?

[AL Cx5]

X2 all the above!

Down here a middle finger means let's stop and fight. I gave a guy the finger many years ago. He tried to run me off the road, tail end him. I stopped, he ran to my car, I took off, he caught up with me. He finally cooled down and sped off. He didn't know the guy in the big truck following me was my friend. He was about 68, and all muscle...

That incident cooled my middle finger!

When someone cuts me off, flies by speeding and so forth, I say to myself, I've done that too. Say to myself, not my circus, not my monkey and smile!

Being transparent, with the T2 ECU tune from DRTuned, this CX5 is like a racehorse, ready to leap. It takes considerable constraint NOT to let her FLY!

 

[BoomerZoomr]

Everyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and everyone driving faster than you is a maniac!
- George Carlin

 

[morgantruce]

Everyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and everyone driving faster than you is a maniac!
- George Carlin

I'd like to watch a video tape of every encounter between George Carlin and a toll-taker.

Gen Z: What's a toll-taker?

 

[Lazy2.5]

I didn't realize that this thread is now active again, nearly a year later!

1. Following distance. More than you think. Aim for at least 6 car lengths at higher speeds. It shouldn't matter if the car in front is going too slow, try your best to maintain it. This is the essence of "adaptability" to road and traffic conditions
2. Be patient. It's much more rewarding to exploit an opening and pass when you've been patient and it's actually safe to do so.
3. Be smooth, predictable and gradual with all of your inputs.
4. Brake early and linearly. Downshift and use engine braking. Try to pay attention to what the cars up ahead are doing, not the one immediately in front of you.

Since we are on the topic of road rage, ignore, avoid, de-escalate, be calm.

 

[SparkYellow]

I have a hard time ignoring left lane cruisers. On my weekend drive via I-5, commercial vehicles take up a good portion of the right lane, so most of us use the left lane to pass. If the driver behind me appears eager, I move back into the right lane as soon as it is safe, even between two semis. Some drivers though, keep a steady speed in the left lane without considering the vehicles around them. Folks who get stuck behind would go crazy when an opening becomes available on the right. Many times I have to make room for them to get out. I believe that drivers who are oblivious to their surroundings should stay in the slow lane.

 

[BoomerZoomr]

Situational awareness is in short supply these days.
People driving while using their phones are doing good to look out the front windshield periodically.
It’s common to have someone walk in front of my moving vehicle in a parking lot, and they’re completely oblivious while glued to their phone.
My policy is… I basically don’t use my phone while driving. I will take a phone call, but no texting.

 

[sm1ke]

Here's a good one: Don't be "nice", be predictable! I've seen a few dashcam clips of people on the highway with the right of way, slowing down to a near stop to let a car at a yield sign merge in. The intention is good, execution is dangerous. They would be better off moving one lane over if clear, or just continuing at speed.

 

[sm1ke]

It’s common to have someone walk in front of my moving vehicle in a parking lot, and they’re completely oblivious while glued to their phone.
My policy is… I basically don’t use my phone while driving. I will take a phone call, but no texting.

My wife is bad for this. She'll hop out of the car and pull her phone out as soon as the door closes, checking for messages or group chat notifications, completely distracted as we walk through the parking lot. It's so important to maintain situational awareness in a parking lot because you have to stay vigilant for other threats in addition to not getting run over.

 

[SparkYellow]

A few times a week I would be in slow moving traffic on 237W when the army of Amazon vans join in from the McCarthy station. It reminds me of some war scenes in LOTR. I always make room for them.

 

[Lazy2.5]

I have a hard time ignoring left lane cruisers. On my weekend drive via I-5, commercial vehicles take up a good portion of the right lane, so most of us use the left lane to pass. If the driver behind me appears eager, I move back into the right lane as soon as it is safe, even between two semis. Some drivers though, keep a steady speed in the left lane without considering the vehicles around them. Folks who get stuck behind would go crazy when an opening becomes available on the right. Many times I have to make room for them to get out. I believe that drivers who are oblivious to their surroundings should stay in the slow lane.

It is annoying indeed, but we can't control them.

The essence of defensive driving is the freedom to control how we adapt to road conditions, and get to our destination safely.

Complaining or reacting adversely to driving habits that we disapprove of, is not part of defensive driving.

 

[SparkYellow]

It is annoying indeed, but we can't control them.

The essence of defensive driving is the freedom to control how we adapt to road conditions, and get to our destination safely.

Complaining or reacting adversely to driving habits that we disapprove of, is not part of defensive driving.

My post was about identifying a behavior that negatively impacts the flow of traffic and how I adapt to stay safe. The fact that you read it as a mere complaint and my reaction as adverse tells me that you do that too.

I do understand that many drivers believe that staying in the left is safer. They treat the fast lane as a queue and defend their position firmly without regard to the traffic condition. I see it now, they are also driving defensively.

 

[BoomerZoomr]

When I leave the house and go out into the World, I make a good effort to insure I don’t inconvenience other people. That could mean pushing a shopping cart in the grocery store, or driving down the highway. On a multi lane highway, I stay to the right except when passing someone. Courtesy extended to other people can put them in a more relaxed and friendly mindset.
Conversely, there is also an epidemic of entitled people today in America. These are the people who drive slowly in the left lane texting, or drive through the intersection while the light is red. They figure if you don’t like it, go around them however you can, or make way for them. These people create dangerous situations, and they don’t care. I choose not to interact with them, and put distance between myself and them.
Also consider… you never know what kind of day someone is having. Maybe they signed divorce papers, or maybe their child passed away. Driving a car is like having a loaded gun. They both require knowledge and respect.

 

[N7turbo]

I know the kinds of people you're talking about. The ones who just walk out in front of you and expect you to stop the car. As if they have no obligations in this scenario, only you.

They think they are the main character and everyone else is an NPC.

 

[sm1ke]

I know the kinds of people you're talking about. The ones who just walk out in front of you and expect you to stop the car. As if they have no obligations in this scenario, only you.

They think they are the main character and everyone else is an NPC.

Came across one of these people recently while driving home from Disneyworld in Orlando. Light turned green while a guy was in the middle of crossing the street. He didn't try to hurry across like a normal person would, instead he continued at his own pace while the car to my right honked a bit. Gave me the nastiest look and started yelling because I guess he thought I was the one that honked, when he was the one in the wrong for crossing late and taking his sweet time.

 

[Lazy2.5]

My post was about identifying a behavior that negatively impacts the flow of traffic and how I adapt to stay safe. The fact that you read it as a mere complaint and my reaction as adverse tells me that you do that too.

I do understand that many drivers believe that staying in the left is safer. They treat the fast lane as a queue and defend their position firmly without regard to the traffic condition. I see it now, they are also driving defensively.

I caused some misunderstanding here. Allow me to clarify.

I by no means deduced your post as merely complaining, and your solution is intellectual, not adverse at all.

There is no shortage of people who complain about other drivers on the road - for the sake of complaining. With no obvious solution. Just yelling, swearing, and creating additional dangers on the road with their impatience. I was pointing out this as it's own issue in itself all together.

Telling someone who drives slowly in the left lane that they should move over will rarely ever yield that result in some lasting way. They either don't see the problem or don't care. That's why I just focus on my own actions. (Stoicism... lol) I don't even bother to point out what they are doing anymore, but of course I still have my moments...

 

[BoomerZoomr]

Came across one of these people recently while driving home from Disneyworld in Orlando. Light turned green while a guy was in the middle of crossing the street. He didn't try to hurry across like a normal person would, instead he continued at his own pace while the car to my right honked a bit. Gave me the nastiest look and started yelling because I guess he thought I was the one that honked, when he was the one in the wrong for crossing late and taking his sweet time.

Thinking of the person you referred to who honked… as I get older, I try to refrain from using my horn as much as possible. I’ve seen videos where someone honked, and the nutjob comes up to the honker's car and wrecks their windshield wiper. I will definitely honk if someone looks like they might hit my car.