Good driver?

[matthew]

An experiment inspired in part by the mobile/driving thread: how would you rate yourself as a driver?

[englishangel]

Better than average in parts, worse in others. the offspring prefer driving with me as I drive more 'gently' than my husband e.g I don't fling the car into corners so everyone slides to the side, and I brake and accelerate more gently, I get much higher mpg than he does, but he is probably more observant than I am. If some thing unexpected occurs, e.g in traffic the idiot in front indicating right and braking at the last minute he will react more quickly.

[jhopgood]

I have always considered myself an average driver as I have no idea what qualifies as a good driver, but feel there are many worse drivers on the road.
My father learned to drive in the 1950's when he was a policeman. One of the things they had to do to pass the police test was drive for half an hour, I think, giving a running commentary on everything he could see in front or behind, that could present a hazard to driving.
Hence parked vehicles ahead could hide pedestrians coming out, children playing with a ball on the side of the road, motorcyclists coming up fast behind etc. You get the idea.
The point is, he had to be alert to everything and talk at the same time, not unrelated to talking on a hands free mobile phone. OK, so he was talking and concentrating on things on the road, but I doubt that the reaction time is drastically diminished if you are talking about something else.
I know Gerald Ford was reputed to be unable to walk and chew gum at the same time, but that doesn't condemn the rest of us.

[J.R.]

As a retired Grade VI driving instructor, and a retired part-time instructor at Brands Hatch, I feel I can honestly answer 'Above Average'.

[marty]

I'm bemused by those signs on the back of lorries that say 'How am I driving?"

Slightly worrying that someone in charge of such a heavy vehicle hadn't worked out how he was doing it....

[J.R.]

.......... and 'Baby On Board' !

Does that mean you ram their car slightly less hard ?

[marty]

.......... and 'Baby On Board' !

Does that mean you ram their car slightly less hard ?

Cliff knows! There are so many of these bl**dy signs like "show dogs in transit" or "I brake for horses" (why not say "I brake for the back wall of my garage?") Such signs are, I assume, meant to encourage people to be more considerate, whereas their actual effect is to make everybody hate them for being overly pompous, condescending and smug.

[englishangel]

I did an advanced driving session at work thing and had to do the running commentary thing. Four of us did it and the only comment the instructor had on mine was to ask me if I normally drove an automatic car, I do, about 95% of my driving is in an automatic. He then said I should take my advanced test. Later he rang the office while I was out with the name of a local advanced instructor, leaving a message with one of the others. When I returned they asked why I needed an instructor, and apparently I was the only one he had suggested do it. It really put the others out, they were all female and between 10 and 20 years younger than I was.

I still haven't taken it and this was 6 years ago.

[jhopgood]

I had to take anti kidnap driving course once, which was great fun.
We rented the local race circuit for the afternoon and rented a car, and then proceeded to do lots of hand brake turns, falling out of the car and running off, reversing as fast as you dare, (with me not very fast), and generally doing all the things you see in car chase movies.
A colleague said we should practice every six months to keep our hand in, but before we could get Head Office permission, I was transferred to Buenos Aires, which is far more exciting to drive in, as everyone thinks he is Fangio.
Not sure whether all that would improve my driving skills, but I feel I am more experienced than most local drivers.

[Mid A 15]

I voted average.

I think their passengers should vote rather than drivers themselves though really.

I've done 25,000 plus miles for 25 years and two people have driven into the back of me in that time whilst I've been stationary. in other words neither crash was my fault.

I have witnessed some truly appalling driving from others in my time and on a couple of occasions only narrowly managed to avoid a serious incident.

Touchwood I'll carry on managing to avoid real trouble.

[Jo]

.......... and 'Baby On Board' !

Does that mean you ram their car slightly less hard ?

Oooooh, no - I feel another rant coming on. I'm turning into a right grumpy old woman. I'd always heard (surprised you don't know this as an ex-policeman, JR - unless it's an urban myth) that the Baby on Board signs are to alert the emergency services if the car is involved in a serious accident and no-one realises there might be a small baby tucked away in a corner somewhere. That makes much more sense to me than the idea that people seriously think I should drive more carefully behind them because they have a baby in the car.

The corollary to that is, of course, that people should remove the signs when they actually don't have a baby in the car. But no, it's more important that the rest of the world knows they have a baby, than that the emergency services might be risking their lives unnecessarily looking for a baby that isn't there.

I think Jasper Carrott had it about right when he said it was sad inadequates just wanting to boast that their b*llocks worked. That still doesn't explain the peculiarly disturbing "little princess/naughty person/grandchild on board". I mean, just how desperate do you have to be.......?????

[englishangel]

I have nothing to distract me in the car, no "we have seen the Lions of Longleat", or anything (well I haven't anyway so I wouldn't would I?), except argumentative kids. I even prefer to drive in silence, no radio or anything, which my daughter feels is a character fault.

I was conveying said offspring last night and my son switched from "Friday night is Music night" to a CD.

"And what are you listening to in your car Mrs Faulkner?"

"the CD in the deck at the moment is Barry Manilow Gold, it came free with the Mail on Sunday. But I didn't put it in , that was my heavy metal, Goth grunger son aged 22!!!"

they didn't think it was funny for some reason.

[J.R.]

.......... and 'Baby On Board' !

Does that mean you ram their car slightly less hard ?

Oooooh, no - I feel another rant coming on. I'm turning into a right grumpy old woman. I'd always heard (surprised you don't know this as an ex-policeman, JR - unless it's an urban myth) that the Baby on Board signs are to alert the emergency services if the car is involved in a serious accident and no-one realises there might be a small baby tucked away in a corner somewhere. That makes much more sense to me than the idea that people seriously think I should drive more carefully behind them because they have a baby in the car.

Police are trained to search a crashed car, irrespective of any signs posted in the window. If the above is true, then it should become law that if NO baby is being carried in the car, then the sign should be removed.

[Jo]

.......... and 'Baby On Board' !

Does that mean you ram their car slightly less hard ?

Oooooh, no - I feel another rant coming on. I'm turning into a right grumpy old woman. I'd always heard (surprised you don't know this as an ex-policeman, JR - unless it's an urban myth) that the Baby on Board signs are to alert the emergency services if the car is involved in a serious accident and no-one realises there might be a small baby tucked away in a corner somewhere. That makes much more sense to me than the idea that people seriously think I should drive more carefully behind them because they have a baby in the car.

Police are trained to search a crashed car, irrespective of any signs posted in the window. If the above is true, then it should become law that if NO baby is being carried in the car, then the sign should be removed.

I couldn't agree more, JR

[blondie95]

I have been driving for 18mths now and i would say i was a good driver. sometimes a bit heavy on the breaks around bends (according to the bf-but at least i use breaks round bends and dont make my passenger smash their face against side window!!!).

I am still no good at judging distance which alsways makes parking fun, i think i have less room than i have-i normally get out the car and realise there is still another 2feet between me and car behind!