Poll of the Day > What bad driving habits would you not recommend to aspiring drivers?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Obviously, taking your hand off the wheel at a red light would lessen the chances of passing a driver's test. What other habits would you recommend staying away from?

I must have these answers.
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To reduce fear, concentrate on the road far in the distance rather than right in front of you.

Use your dang blinkers, please

Whenever you're going to switch lanes or make a turn, please indicate so to other drivers
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No hard liquor or IPAs, stick with light beer.
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RCtheWSBC posted...

Use your dang blinkers

I need to get into the habit of always remembering to do that, because I I forgot to do so twice in the past two hours.
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RCtheWSBC posted...

Use your dang blinkers, please

Whenever you're going to switch lanes or make a turn, please indicate so to other drivers

Turn signals.

For all we know you could be talking about hazard lights.

Use the proper terminology please. You are only confusing the aspiring drivers.
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NameNotKnown posted...

For all we know you could be talking about hazard lights.

You know I wasn't, because I specified which actions you'd use them for :P

TC got it, too, so nyeh!
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Use your turn signals every time. And actually stop at stop signs. And if you turn in a two lane turn don't act like it's a one lane. Read turn signs. Please. I've been in the second turn lane too many times expecting the other driver to have no clue and been correct.
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Stay off your damn phone.
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RCtheWSBC posted...

NameNotKnown posted...

For all we know you could be talking about hazard lights.

You know I wasn't, because I specified which actions you'd use them for :P

TC got it, too, so nyeh!

TC is not an aspiring driver.
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NameNotKnown posted...

aspiring driver

Yes, I am.
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Daaaamn, you not knowing a lot of shit @NameNotKnown
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I'll reiterate using turn signals. For all turns, lane changes, and even when you're pulling off to/away from the curb and when you're about to parallel park.

Speaking of parallel parking, make sure you actually practice it in the car you're using to take the test. I practiced in a driving instructor's car but took the test in my mom's car and bombed from hitting the curb.

Also, don't forget to check your blind spots when switching or merging lanes.

lol it's a free drivers ed course now.
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RCtheWSBC posted...

Use your dang blinkers, please

Whenever you're going to switch lanes or make a turn, please indicate so to other drivers

Nothing annoys me more than when people don't use their directionals.

But to contribute to the topic, I'd say rubbernecking and tailgating. Rubbernecking is a personal gripe of mine because traffic by me backs up super often as a result. It's not bad to slow down for safety reasons but slowing down to a crawl to stare at an accident is egregious. Tailgating is bad because it limits your ability to react and can make a concientious/aware driver ahead of you overly cautious of slowing down.
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NameNotKnown posted...

RCtheWSBC posted...

Use your dang blinkers, please

Whenever you're going to switch lanes or make a turn, please indicate so to other drivers

Turn signals.

For all we know you could be talking about hazard lights.

Use the proper terminology please. You are only confusing the aspiring drivers.

We call 'em "indicators" down 'ere.
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Learn to use the center turn lane.
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Lots of shoulder checks.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC9CLpD0nG4
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Keep the radio/CD player/etc turned off.
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You can not look at your phone and the road at the same time. Do not do it.
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Mead posted...

You can not look at your phone and the road at the same time. Do not do it.

My brother-in-law cannot learn this lesson for some reason despite being in several accidents because he was doing it....
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Learn to drive a car with a manual transmission. Everyone should. You have to be more attentive to everything and it teaches you how to control your vehicle more carefully.

I know there's a few people who don't follow this but I'm not sure how common it actually is:

Do not use one foot for the gas and the other for the brake.
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Seriously, use the turn signals. Had to suffer a minor accident due to some idiot not indicating he's turning. And that too's exactly on the speed breaker, and yet that guy somehow thought it was my fault.
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jramirez23 posted...

I know there's a few people who don't follow this but I'm not sure how common it actually is:

Do not use one foot for the gas and the other for the brake.

Why?
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Never drink and drive always smoke weed before you drive.
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jedirood posted...

jramirez23 posted...

I know there's a few people who don't follow this but I'm not sure how common it actually is:

Do not use one foot for the gas and the other for the brake.

Why?

For one thing, the driving instructor WILL fail you if you use both feet. Also, if you use one foot for both, you will have to take your foot off the accelerator to push the brake pedal, and thus (hopefully) not rear-end the car ahead of you. Also, if you use the brake while still pushing down on the accelerator, you will wear down the brakes faster.
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Try to simply make blinker use part of your mental "autopilot" if you can. If you are noticing that you have sometimes turned them on at a time you didn't actually need to (such as following a non-splitting driveway that curves sharply at more than 90 degrees at some point), then that is a good sign that it is fairly well ingrained in you, and that you will even remember to use the signals when your mind isn't completely on driving.


Leave distance between you and the next car. When stopped or moving slowly, a general rule of thumb is that you can probably be good as long as you can see the point where the tires of the car in front of you meet the road. When moving on a road, try to keep a couple seconds of distance if traffic permits (i.e. it takes you a couple seconds to reach the point they were at when you start counting).




Also, PLEASE don't become one of those obnoxious, anxious yo-yo drivers who accelerate, then brake, and repeat because they are too impatient to actually go the same speed as the person in front of them.


One more thing. Garlic is good for you. But don't eat it before the driving test.
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Oh, right. And don't forget to come to complete stops at stop signs and such. All things permitting, you can remain completely stopped for less than half a second, but its good habit anyway.

It is also a GREAT way to troll people somehow. I almost never stay stopped for more than a half-second (even with a turbo which has input lag on acceleration), unless there is other traffic at the crossroads that gives me a reason to be stopped longer. And yet, even coming to a complete stop for less then half a second really seems to throw people off sometimes. Hell, even at times when I am likely still moving around 1mph instead of a true stop, it still sometimes seems to cheese people off (people make some interesting expressions in your rear view mirror sometimes).

People seem to just EXPECT you to do a rolling stop when no other cars are coming from the sides.

Its not even a matter of my driving otherwise. I myself follow the bad habit of the "10% rule." i.e. I allow myself to speed by about 10% of the speed limit before worrying too much. Many people go faster, but I am not one of those guys that goes annoyingly slow by any stretch.

Maybe part of it is that I drive a red car. Maybe that throws them off somehow.
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Don't be an asshole. Be aware of other vehicles and pedestrians on the road.
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Oh, remember the left lane is the passing lane, not speeding.

Also, going 5 over is totally fine for anyplace that isn't
a) a government building
b) a specific speed trap (just gotta learn those)
c) a school zone (holy shit go the speed limit there, espically during night)

Go the speed limit until you feel comfortable going like 70 though and it's not a big deal.

I'm probably not what people want me to say, but this is how people drive.

Drive fast. Take chances.

This has always been the well wishing to anyone I know that is driving away.
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Be considerate of other drivers. Get to know who's in the right of way for each circumstance.

In my experience, and from what I saw of others, accidents often happen because people just care for themselves; they have the "Me first!" attitude. And although I understand that yes, we always prefer to go first, there are circumstances wherein it's better to give way.

Also, don't give in to that feeling of being offended on the road. When people choose to be rude and cut you off, it's not worth fighting over. Some drivers I see retaliate by tailgating, flashing headlights and making really sharp turns and swerves in an attempt to intimidate. It's not worth it.
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