"Don't judge me":
My tactic on driving is to assume all other drivers have a good reason for what they are doing, but to judge them and shake my fist anyways. The theory is, if they have no reason of drive like an idiot, then maybe the social shame will encourage them to stop (I know it won't), but believing they might have a reason keeps me from being angry, so that I am not an angry driver. For instance if I am doing 15 over and a guy behind me is riding my ass to get by, I think "maybe his wife is in labor in the back seat." I don't know. And wouldn't I feel like a dick if I held them up because I think I control how much people are allowed to speed.
Lane changes:
When you change lanes make sure you have enough room to do so. I am forever cringing on the highway when I see someone get in front of an 18-wheeler with 4 feet of room to spare. You know that truck will kill you right? My brother was a trucker for a while and he complained about this a lot. In the accident the truck will be at fault for not keeping adequate distance, but he said it is impossible to do. As soon as you get enough distance a car changes lanes into that space and you are too close again. This is also dangerous if the truck is in the center lane, the one spot you cannot see while you pass it is the other side of it. I have also seen a lot of near misses as a car from the right and a car from the left attempt to change into the spot in front of a truck because they couldn't see each other. When you are riding my ass in the fast lane, and we are passing a row of traffic, give me time to get over when we reach a gap before flooring it around me on the right. I will not cut off the car on the right so that you can get by faster, but frequently as I go to change lanes I find that you are already there, because you couldn't wait 10 more seconds for me to change lanes safely.
Blind Spots:
I never look behind my shoulder, because it disorients me to whip my head around while I drive. I have only driven one car that had true blind spots. Most people just don't know how to properly adjust and use their mirrors. For one thing you should be looking before you start to change lanes, When you see something is there you should be able to keep driving, not have to jerk back into your lane. That said, if you have any doubt what is there, turn and look, I still do if it is very busy, or I am in an unfamiliar car. Not looking is a great way to kill a biker.
Also be aware of other's blind spots, particularly trucks. If you are going to pass a truck hurry up and do it already, don't just sit there half way back, because after 3 miles he is likely to forget he saw you go in there, and should he have to swerve or change lanes you are crrrrushed.
Traffic Jams:
When driving in slowed traffic there is no need to speed up to the next car and then stop. This makes the traffic jam worse. You may have noticed that when the car in front of you hits it's breaks, you also hit yours.
This has a chain reaction. You know you are going slow, just slowly cruise forward, this helps the traffic behind you flow smoother, helping to clear up the traffic jam quicker.
Boston Driving:
I drove in Boston when I had my licence for only a year. It took the training wheels off. It made me more confident and it re-assured me that I know how big my car is. I think success driving there (or in Manhattan from my experience) is not to be a dick, and break the rules, but to assume that everyone else will, so when your time comes take it, just push on in, cause you have the right of way. People breaking the rules of the right of way and say, forcing their way into an intersection, blocking it when the light changes, is the way city traffic jams are caused, and get worse.
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Topic: Bickering about bicycles, now with occasional tips about motorised vehicles (Read 267987 times)