Jaisin

What makes a person a good driver? A lot of people say age, but that confuses me. I've almost had my 8 for a year, and I'll be 17 in August. I have put 17K miles on my car since October. I have a friend who is older than me, but he has driven less miles than me over a 2 year period. What do you think of age vs. miles?

NomisR

Experience, awareness of the surrounding environments, quick reaction, and most importantly of all, treat other drivers with respect like how you would like to be treated.

All this is simply for street driving, but it'll make you a good and safe driver.

To be a skill driver, you have to know, feel and understand the dynamics of your car.

khtm

Miles can be important, but what if they're all highway miles and then you get into a big city and freak out because you can't handle the density of cars?

Some factors that make a good driver that I can think of:
- age (maturity...ability NOT to street race when someone revs their engine at you)
- miles, years driven (if you get your license when you're 50 years old, you'll still be a bad driver)
- ability to DRIVE and only drive, not talk on a cell phone, not yell at your kids, etc.
- respectfulness of other drivers
- always paying attention to everything around you, always checking your review mirror
- shoulder checking
- always using your turn signal
- not driving in the left lane EVER unless you're passing or turning
- not braking excessively (ie. on a little hill)
- going with the flow of traffic (ie. if the limit is 50 and everyone else is doing 55, don't be a stubborn SOB and stick to 50)

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

a good driver is one that can keep his/her car, as well as other cars around him/her, out of harms way.

seems simple, but not so simple once you realize all kinds of stuff that are happening when you're driving on the road

Tigster

Good drivers do all the things listed above.

If you want to see if you are a skilled driver than go to a autoX event and see how you do against everyone else.

JonsToy

Sorry Jaisin, but you've got this coming. Flying around a curve, losing control and smashing a curb doesn't qualify you as a good driver. If you can remain incident free (accident and traffic citation) for three years, though some insurance companies insist on six, you can attain the designation of 'good driver'. Gives you something to shoot for, huh?

Matt RX8

For racing

Smoothness + Consistency = Fast driver

Smoothness + Consistency + Fearlessness= Very Fast Driver


If you want to become a better driver, consider a car control clinic, autocross or driving school.

Trouble is most people here in the USA receive very little instruction (mostly poor) at a young age just so they can pass a trivial driving exam when they are 16 and then they never attempt to improve their skills.

About 7 years ago I moved to the UK after having driven in the USA for about 11 years. I took driving lessons in order to learn the British way to drive in order to obtain my UK license. In the UK they have a comprehensive 45 minute driving exam instead of the trivial 10 minute one that we have in the States. I found that the refresher lessons were very useful and would be good for most people to do. Continuous improvement is important to becoming a good driver.

Jaisin

I'll never get that because I have bad luck. I've only had two accidents. The second was not my fault, and the other driver had to pay for the two cars he did damage to including mine.

Glyphon

that doesn't work in atlanta. there is simply too much volume.

Whitey

IMO the # 1 thing that makes a good driver is being aware of EVERYTHING going on around you, and also knowing all rules of the road. It kills me how many people don't know who has to yield at an on-ramp.......or who has the right of way at an intersection.

As for awareness, I see too many people that have no clue that there is a car behind them. Regardless of how fast you're going, if another car needs to pass you.....GET OVER! Obviously they're in a bigger hurry........and you probably shouldn't be in the left lane anyway because you're not passing! A lot of people don't respect truck drivers either........they don't realize that a truck driver usually picks up speed going downhill so that they can make it up the next hill at a decent pace......stay out of their way! Oh and staying in a trucks blindspot is just asking for it. If you've ever seen a tire blow out on an 18 wheeler going down the interstate........you won't drive behind many more.

Ok so maybe my post wasn't exactly about "what makes a good driver" so much as it was just a list of my pet peeves.

Jaisin

I hardly ever use the highway. I don't like the flow of traffic thing though. Today I was driving home and everyone was going so fast. They were mostly going 80+ including this large truck. I don't like to go over 60Mph too long because it uses a lot of gas. 60Mph in 6th gear comes out to be 300Rpm and that is what I like.

Glyphon

again...doesn't apply in atlanta. the other night i was driving home, in the 3rd from right lane (5 lane road), when a van comes flying up on me. both adjacent lanes were empty, and the guy continued to stay about 5 ft off me for about 2 miles. i figured he wasn't in that big of a hurry or else he would changed lanes into one of the other empty lanes. so i just let him stay there. he was obviously enjoying himself.

Glyphon

keep it off the secondary ports and you'll still manage decent fuel economy. that gives you up to 74mph

Jaisin

I forgot about that. I really never thought about that. I still like to do 60, but I always feel pressured to speed up a bit when people are wizzing by.

Glyphon

definately don't drive faster than you are comfortable with

DreamWarrior

Everyone keeps saying that and I've done tanks of gas at 80+ and still managed 20/21 MPG.

Glyphon

its 1 of many factors that affect fuel economy.

khtm

You know what I meant.

khtm

Classic bad driver comment, "I just want to save gas". I guess you just answered your question for yourself.

khtm

Most accidents happen because people go SLOWER than the average speed of cars around them, not FASTER.

http://www.sense.bc.ca/research.htm

How long until Jaisin's 3rd accident? Tick tock tick tock.

NomisR

Volume flow is decreased by lane campers in the left lane

JonsToy

Slowing down to 70 mph might get you 23/24 mpg. Worth a try!

NomisR

Unfortunately, people are so brainwashed into the speed kills phenominon that it's hard to get them off of it. I blame the media .. :D

FoxTypeR

I abhor speed limits in all but school zones, where the primary concern is pedestrians rather than other drivers. I normally drive 50-55 on city streets, depending on the surface condition, weather, and traffic. Is this speed unsafe because it is 10 to 15 miles an hour above the posted speed limit? Is driving 80 to 85 on an open interstate highway with no crossovers and no pedestrians unsafe? Not really, what is unsafe is the man alone in the 4 door Cummins Turbo Diesel who cannot stay in one lane because his truck is too wide and the woman in front of him in her Expedition putting on her make-up and talking on her cell phone while trying to make her exit that's 3 lanes and 1/4 mile away.

People that drive over the speed limit (yet within the handling limits of their car and driving abilities, with respect to road conditions) are not the problem, people not paying attention to themselves and others are the problem. People who do not drive with respect for themselves and others are the problem. People that "think" they're good drivers are the problem.

khtm

Well said.