Why do YOU think you're a good driver?!
Discussion
I've often heard the factoid that 98% of drivers think they're an "above average driver" which means that half of us are deceiving ourselves! So I'm curious, what do YOU think makes you better than others?!
I'll start
I've been driving 11 years (since the age of 17) and have (so far, touch wood, add all caveats and anti bad luck charms!) never had/caused an accident or had to claim on my insurance. Thusly, my basis is that most people I know seem to have less accident-free years than me, so must be worse drivers.
Clearly nearly half of us are talking b*ll*cks, so what's everyone else's excuse?!
Btw, I expect 98% of PH to answer
I'll start
I've been driving 11 years (since the age of 17) and have (so far, touch wood, add all caveats and anti bad luck charms!) never had/caused an accident or had to claim on my insurance. Thusly, my basis is that most people I know seem to have less accident-free years than me, so must be worse drivers. Clearly nearly half of us are talking b*ll*cks, so what's everyone else's excuse?!
Btw, I expect 98% of PH to answer
Because I can drift any corner at will irrespective of the weather and whether there are others on the road or not. For instance, last night, I managed to get my drift-b
h sideways between a Mencap bus and a cyclist in pouring rain round a roundabout while giving the retards a one finger salute.
Blood boiling yet? Just kidding.
I think in order to consider yourself above average a driver you have to be able to observe dangers well in advance and anticipate the actions of road users around you. This may be due to their road position, their signalling, events unfolding or simply the way they may move their body in anticipation of an action. You must also be able to remain calm and controlled when someone carries out an unexpected manoeuvre.
h sideways between a Mencap bus and a cyclist in pouring rain round a roundabout while giving the retards a one finger salute.Blood boiling yet? Just kidding.
I think in order to consider yourself above average a driver you have to be able to observe dangers well in advance and anticipate the actions of road users around you. This may be due to their road position, their signalling, events unfolding or simply the way they may move their body in anticipation of an action. You must also be able to remain calm and controlled when someone carries out an unexpected manoeuvre.
Edited by ShadownINja on Saturday 13th March 22:23
Well, i'm male for a start.
In all honesty i don't think im an above average driver, i don't make many of the mistakes i see many other people doing but i have my good days and my bad days. I only past my test 3 years ago and i've only been driving regularly for just over a year, so i have much to learn. For example this past winter was the first time, since taking my lessons i'd driven in proper snowfall. Learnt a few things about proper control then. After all, driving is like any skill you never stop learning.
In all honesty i don't think im an above average driver, i don't make many of the mistakes i see many other people doing but i have my good days and my bad days. I only past my test 3 years ago and i've only been driving regularly for just over a year, so i have much to learn. For example this past winter was the first time, since taking my lessons i'd driven in proper snowfall. Learnt a few things about proper control then. After all, driving is like any skill you never stop learning.
Specifics - I know how to take a corner, I approach on the right line, I select speed and the correct gear before entering the corner, I hit the apex and apply the correct amount of power at the right time to be quick out of the corner.
To me thats the fundametals of being a good drive. Being able to judge braking distances also makes me/you/us good divers as this allows us to set the corner up in the first place, and local knowledge plays a big part too, I'm a better driver in i.e. Ystrad Mynach than I am in... anywhere I don't know.
EDIT: most of the time in the real world I'm terrible though, forgot I was British for a second then
To me thats the fundametals of being a good drive. Being able to judge braking distances also makes me/you/us good divers as this allows us to set the corner up in the first place, and local knowledge plays a big part too, I'm a better driver in i.e. Ystrad Mynach than I am in... anywhere I don't know.
EDIT: most of the time in the real world I'm terrible though, forgot I was British for a second then
Edited by squareflops on Saturday 13th March 22:34
I make no claim to being a great driver, I have after all had a couple of accidents - not involving other drivers, entirely my own lack of skill to blame there - but I would say that I'm pretty good at assessing when other drivers are going to do something stupid before they do it.
It means that I don't get road rage terribly often because I've accounted for their mistake long beforehand.
It means that I don't get road rage terribly often because I've accounted for their mistake long beforehand.
Concentration, observation, anticipation is all a good driver needs.
25 years accident free, and only 3 points for speeding in a ridiculous 50 zone on a dual carriageway, and because I wasn't concentrating, I didn't notice that there was only me and the scammer van parked on the approaching crest, and hadn't anticipated the basterd being there at lunchtime on a sunny otherwise empty road!
25 years accident free, and only 3 points for speeding in a ridiculous 50 zone on a dual carriageway, and because I wasn't concentrating, I didn't notice that there was only me and the scammer van parked on the approaching crest, and hadn't anticipated the basterd being there at lunchtime on a sunny otherwise empty road!
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