What driving habit improved your skills the most?
Discussion
I've been thinking about how small changes in driving habits can make a big difference over time. Some people say learning better observation techniques completely changed how they drive, while others mention smoother braking, better mirror use, or improving hazard perception.
If you had to choose just one habit or technique that noticeably improved your driving, what would it be?
For me, planning further ahead and constantly scanning the road seems to reduce stress and make driving much smoother. I also think maintaining a proper following distance gives you much more time to react to unexpected situations.
I'm interested in hearing what experienced drivers here consider the most valuable skill for everyday driving, whether it's something you learned through experience, advanced driver training, or simply years behind the wheel.
If you had to choose just one habit or technique that noticeably improved your driving, what would it be?
For me, planning further ahead and constantly scanning the road seems to reduce stress and make driving much smoother. I also think maintaining a proper following distance gives you much more time to react to unexpected situations.
I'm interested in hearing what experienced drivers here consider the most valuable skill for everyday driving, whether it's something you learned through experience, advanced driver training, or simply years behind the wheel.
It's hard to pick just one. Your mention of planning further ahead is obviously high up on the list of mental habits.
But with physical habits, it's push-pull steering. When I'd just passed my test I watched a Class One Police driver and immediately noticed his hands never went "across the top" or, as some would say, past the 12 o'clock position.
That's how I steer now. In a modern car I just can't understand why anyone would put their arm across the airbag!
Looking in the mirror I can usually judge the standard of the driver behind me by the position of their hand(s) on the wheel.
So often the wrong hand is there, such as the right hand at the top left (left hand probably on the gear lever) or the left hand at the top right, with the right arm on the window ledge, propping up the head.
But with physical habits, it's push-pull steering. When I'd just passed my test I watched a Class One Police driver and immediately noticed his hands never went "across the top" or, as some would say, past the 12 o'clock position.
That's how I steer now. In a modern car I just can't understand why anyone would put their arm across the airbag!
Looking in the mirror I can usually judge the standard of the driver behind me by the position of their hand(s) on the wheel.
So often the wrong hand is there, such as the right hand at the top left (left hand probably on the gear lever) or the left hand at the top right, with the right arm on the window ledge, propping up the head.
2 for me. Slow down. Just do the speed limit. Speeding in 20/30/40 zones achieves zilch most of the time and your luck with traffic lights and traffic is the deciding factor on your journey.
Ride a motorbike. You feel a lot more vulnerable when there's only half an inch of sponge and your trousers between you and traffic. It'll heighten your senses, make you look out more for cyclists and motorcyclists, and you're more likely to let things go instead of barging in because it's your priority in some situations.
Ride a motorbike. You feel a lot more vulnerable when there's only half an inch of sponge and your trousers between you and traffic. It'll heighten your senses, make you look out more for cyclists and motorcyclists, and you're more likely to let things go instead of barging in because it's your priority in some situations.
RazerSauber said:
2 for me. Slow down. Just do the speed limit. Speeding in 20/30/40 zones achieves zilch most of the time and your luck with traffic lights and traffic is the deciding factor on your journey.
Ride a motorbike. You feel a lot more vulnerable when there's only half an inch of sponge and your trousers between you and traffic. It'll heighten your senses, make you look out more for cyclists and motorcyclists, and you're more likely to let things go instead of barging in because it's your priority in some situations.
I firmly believe that if every car driver was forced to spend a day or so on a 125, we would have much better overall roads mannersRide a motorbike. You feel a lot more vulnerable when there's only half an inch of sponge and your trousers between you and traffic. It'll heighten your senses, make you look out more for cyclists and motorcyclists, and you're more likely to let things go instead of barging in because it's your priority in some situations.
iqradriving said:
For me, planning further ahead and constantly scanning the road seems to reduce stress and make driving much smoother.
For me it's the above.A by-product is that it significantly reduces irritation/anger/road rage. If you're doing "observation" properly then 95 times out of 100 you can identify the morons and predict what they might do and then plan accordingly.
Maybe not improving my own driving skills as such but...
I drive with the mindset that I'm invisible to everyone else.
That way I allow for other driver's lack of observation / anticipation.
One particular friend of mine drives quite aggressively and quite fast.
His trust in other drivers to notice him and not move into his path is quite frightening.
I drive with the mindset that I'm invisible to everyone else.
That way I allow for other driver's lack of observation / anticipation.
One particular friend of mine drives quite aggressively and quite fast.
His trust in other drivers to notice him and not move into his path is quite frightening.
Edited by Martin350 on Wednesday 5th August 23:53
Uncle boshy said:
a summer job driving 7.5t lorries on the motorway.
taught me a lot about anticipation and also awareness as a car driver about visibility, manoeuvrability and speed that lorries really have
This......taught me a lot about anticipation and also awareness as a car driver about visibility, manoeuvrability and speed that lorries really have
Get used to not having a rear view mirror, and be grateful when you're back in a car and can see more. Get used to not being able to accelerate and your top speed is the same as those you'd like to overtake. So many aspects of this will improve observation, anticipation, consideration, reversing and so much more.
To add to it - try driving an armoured vehicle - closed down......
When I was young I was a proper boy-racer so Advanced driving courses completely transformed my driving:
- leaving space between myself and other cars, if someone slots in then I just pull back and leave the space again;
- looking further ahead so don't accelerate and brake so much, especially if you have a junction ahead where there are cars queuing, so you might as well just cruise up to the traffic
- leaving plenty of space in front for an overtake to get better vision of further ahead
Nowadays, in motorway traffic, I will either pull ahead or slow my cruising speed to avoid a queue of cars trying to get by a lorry. Instead, I would sit back and chill while everyone else is nose to tail risking a multiple car accident.
- leaving space between myself and other cars, if someone slots in then I just pull back and leave the space again;
- looking further ahead so don't accelerate and brake so much, especially if you have a junction ahead where there are cars queuing, so you might as well just cruise up to the traffic
- leaving plenty of space in front for an overtake to get better vision of further ahead
Nowadays, in motorway traffic, I will either pull ahead or slow my cruising speed to avoid a queue of cars trying to get by a lorry. Instead, I would sit back and chill while everyone else is nose to tail risking a multiple car accident.
Empathy; use the roads using varied modes of transport (including feet!). Motorbikes & 7.5t trucks have been mentioned already. Having been clipped by wing mirrors several times running on country lanes, I suspect those drivers would improve their skill, if we swapped places for an hour or two!
My Uncle was a class 1 police driver. After I passed my test we spend hours with me giving a running commentary of what I saw ahead of and around me as they do in their training. I still do it in my head often 40 years later. Easily the most effective thing I’ve ever done for driving.
As per other comments - taking driving lessons.
After having been driving for 15+ years in the early 1990s, I thought I was not bad.
Too long a story to put here but I then ended up in a car with an ex-Police class 1 instructor and understood I knew very little about driving.
Been taking lessons on and off ever since.
Most of a day course with someone I knew who worked for an Advanced driving school (lucky guy had a police class 1 instructor father) did improve my driving a little, but by the time it was finished I was a LOT more aware of what was going on around me.
Half day course with an ex-F1 driver, who taught me pretty much nothing about driving fast.
The first thing he taught me was how to brake properly and most of the rest of the time was spent discussing/practising what was going on at the tyre/road interface.
Inquired about ROSPA training and did go on a first drive, but the nearest group is a two hour drive from me, so every lesson would take a whole day.
If they ever open a group near me, I'll be there looking to learn some more.
After having been driving for 15+ years in the early 1990s, I thought I was not bad.
Too long a story to put here but I then ended up in a car with an ex-Police class 1 instructor and understood I knew very little about driving.
Been taking lessons on and off ever since.
Most of a day course with someone I knew who worked for an Advanced driving school (lucky guy had a police class 1 instructor father) did improve my driving a little, but by the time it was finished I was a LOT more aware of what was going on around me.
Half day course with an ex-F1 driver, who taught me pretty much nothing about driving fast.
The first thing he taught me was how to brake properly and most of the rest of the time was spent discussing/practising what was going on at the tyre/road interface.
Inquired about ROSPA training and did go on a first drive, but the nearest group is a two hour drive from me, so every lesson would take a whole day.
If they ever open a group near me, I'll be there looking to learn some more.
sjc said:
On long journeys, doing 74-75 on cruise rather than a load more barely affects your arrival time by more than a few minutes yet reduces your stress levels significantly.
This makes a big difference as you don't spend your time scanning for Police, it also means you can take more notice of what's actually happening on the road. Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff