On a recent trip, one of the things that struck me, was that so many people still don't understand lane discipline.
Let's go over the rules and see how many you really obey.
1. Keep right except to pass - that is always drilled into people; however, there is more to understand than meets the eye. This came into fruition when most highways were 2 lane. On most "parkways"of 2 lanes of traffic in a single direction, this still holds through with some exceptions.
a. If approaching an on or off ramp, if there is no traffic in the left lane, then it is better to give room to people getting on or off the parkway. Just remember to get back in the right lane when it is safe to do so.
b. A new law in many states makes it mandatory to move over a lane when a police or other emergency vehicle (fire, tow truck, etc.) is off the road but next to the highway. This is to give a buffer zone of safety to the emergency personnel.
Now on a 3 lane divided highway, the left lane is the "passing" lane, the middle is the "travel" lane, and the right lane is for people exiting or entering, or for slow traffic. The worst thing you can do is to match your speed to another car in any other lane. This does not give anyone a chance to pass and also cuts down on your options in case you have to make an emergency manuever.
The worst thing you can do is to sit in the left lane, even if you are going faster than the speed limit. THis forces cars to pass you on the right, not a very safe move. That and you tick off people so you end up possibly cuasing more accidents than you think you are preventing by slowing others down.
2. You can ONLY pass on the left. In most states, on a 2 or more lane divided highway, you can pass on the right if you do not cut in and out of lanes. So if you see a left lane bandit, you can first flash your lights to wake him up (he may not see you coming up on him) and if no response - signal, move into the other lane, and carefully pass him and if no traffic - stay in the right lane.
Remember - signal BEFORE you switch lanes - at least 3 seconds to warn other drivers. Check your mirrors AND your blind spot, before changing lanes.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
In Case of Accident
Do you know what to do in case you are in an accident? Many insurance companies give you a little card or package with forms to fill out. Lets break it down into some easy steps:
1. Is anyone hurt? Call 911 and get help immediately on the way.
2. If no one is hurt, are the cars easily movable? If so, in many states you are required to move them to the side of the road, out of more harms way.
3. If there is substantial damage - call the police. This is to document the damage and ascertain if anyone is at fault.
4. If there is minor damage. A dent is not a reason to call police, they have better things to do. Often all you need to do is:
5. Exchange information - this is what is usually in the insurance package. You exchange name, address and phone number, driver's license number and insurance information. If you agree on whose fault it is, and it is a minor amount, you can offer to settle amongst yourselves. If the damage is over a certain threshold (varies by state), you must report it to the police and get the insurance companies involved.
6. Can't agree whose fault it is or not sure - if the police get involved - they may or may not assign blame - it might be shared (two cars backing out in a shopping mall at the same time). Note, 50/50 share will result in a chargeable accident on both insurances. If you think you are not at fault, do not admit to any.
7. Call your insurance company. They may not take immediate action, or they may send you a form to fill out.
8. Keep good records. When you get home, write down exactly what happened. Keep records of all phone calls and copies of all forms and letters.
Sounds like a pain, but by following these steps you will minimize any problems later on.
Here's hoping you never get into any accidents.
1. Is anyone hurt? Call 911 and get help immediately on the way.
2. If no one is hurt, are the cars easily movable? If so, in many states you are required to move them to the side of the road, out of more harms way.
3. If there is substantial damage - call the police. This is to document the damage and ascertain if anyone is at fault.
4. If there is minor damage. A dent is not a reason to call police, they have better things to do. Often all you need to do is:
5. Exchange information - this is what is usually in the insurance package. You exchange name, address and phone number, driver's license number and insurance information. If you agree on whose fault it is, and it is a minor amount, you can offer to settle amongst yourselves. If the damage is over a certain threshold (varies by state), you must report it to the police and get the insurance companies involved.
6. Can't agree whose fault it is or not sure - if the police get involved - they may or may not assign blame - it might be shared (two cars backing out in a shopping mall at the same time). Note, 50/50 share will result in a chargeable accident on both insurances. If you think you are not at fault, do not admit to any.
7. Call your insurance company. They may not take immediate action, or they may send you a form to fill out.
8. Keep good records. When you get home, write down exactly what happened. Keep records of all phone calls and copies of all forms and letters.
Sounds like a pain, but by following these steps you will minimize any problems later on.
Here's hoping you never get into any accidents.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Bad Road Signs
On a recent road trip, I ran across some of the worst traffic signs in recent memory.
It is almost like the engineers never drove the roads that their signs sit on.
So what can you as a driver do? Well, first thing is to know where you are going. With the advent of Internet maps and GPSs, you certainly have an advantage over the past where a old map from the gas station was the best you could do. But other that than - stay alert.
If a sign says merge in 1 mile, start setting up your gap so you can either merge or let someone else merge.
At toll booths, be prepared for lanes to change as you get to the toll both - best way today is to have an "EZ-Pass" but if not, be alert for the proper lane and have cash handy.
The best answer to not missing your exit is to slow down and if you do miss an exit, start thinking about the next one and how to get back. Again, with GPS devices, this has almost become a thing of the past, but remember - they are not infallible either.
Pay attention, slow down, be aware of traffic around you.
It is almost like the engineers never drove the roads that their signs sit on.
So what can you as a driver do? Well, first thing is to know where you are going. With the advent of Internet maps and GPSs, you certainly have an advantage over the past where a old map from the gas station was the best you could do. But other that than - stay alert.
If a sign says merge in 1 mile, start setting up your gap so you can either merge or let someone else merge.
At toll booths, be prepared for lanes to change as you get to the toll both - best way today is to have an "EZ-Pass" but if not, be alert for the proper lane and have cash handy.
The best answer to not missing your exit is to slow down and if you do miss an exit, start thinking about the next one and how to get back. Again, with GPS devices, this has almost become a thing of the past, but remember - they are not infallible either.
Pay attention, slow down, be aware of traffic around you.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
No Certainty - Take nothing for granted
There are no certainty's when driving:
The green light might suddenly turn red skipping yellow,
The motorcyclist may fall off his bike right in front of you,
The car signalling left may change their mind and turn right,
That pedestrian that is looking right at you might still walk right into traffic,
That car that has been side by side with you on the highway for 2 miles, might suddenly change into your lane.,
The car that starts to go in front of you may stop for no reason at all.
Yes the odds of these things are small, but they do happen. A good driver does not take things for granted. He or she prepares and thinks ahead. They get into habit where they subconsciously leave room, watch for signs of non-normal behavior and always do not trust the other guy.
For example - a good driver approaching a green light thinks "how long has it been green?" and rather than speeding up maintains a steady speed or even slows down depending on how long the light has been green. By not coming to a screeching stop, they make it safer for themselves and the drivers following them.
ChrisZ
The green light might suddenly turn red skipping yellow,
The motorcyclist may fall off his bike right in front of you,
The car signalling left may change their mind and turn right,
That pedestrian that is looking right at you might still walk right into traffic,
That car that has been side by side with you on the highway for 2 miles, might suddenly change into your lane.,
The car that starts to go in front of you may stop for no reason at all.
Yes the odds of these things are small, but they do happen. A good driver does not take things for granted. He or she prepares and thinks ahead. They get into habit where they subconsciously leave room, watch for signs of non-normal behavior and always do not trust the other guy.
For example - a good driver approaching a green light thinks "how long has it been green?" and rather than speeding up maintains a steady speed or even slows down depending on how long the light has been green. By not coming to a screeching stop, they make it safer for themselves and the drivers following them.
ChrisZ
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