Some things, like remakes of old movies come back into our lives. In driving, some things that were one though to be gone also come back. This is the case of Unintended Acceleration.
Unintended acceleration is like someone took control of your car and made believe you were on a dragstrip - full throttle. The causes range from stuck throttle, driver pedal misapplication, too thick floor mats -whatever - the problem is that it seems to be happening more than 10 years ago. Whatever gremlins are the cause, you have to know how to deal with it.
First - Read your owners manual and understand how to turn your car off and how to put it in Neutral. Today's cars, with push buttons to start and computer controlled transmissions may not operate in the ways you are used to.
Second - if you ever get in the position where the engine and car is racing, here is what you do:
1. Step on the brakes
2. Shift into neutral
3. Pull over and turn off the engine.
Things you do every day - but in the panic of the situation, it all goes out the window.
Practice in a parking lot. Drive forward and put the car in neutral. In most cars this means pushing the shift lever one notch toward park. Do not grab the lever, you may put it in park or reverse. Just push the lever with an open hand. Normally the engine will drop down to idle. If the throttle is stuck, the engine will rev up to about 6,000 rpm, where today's engines are mostly computer controlled not to rev any higher.
This used to be taught in drivers education. It should be taught in driver's education. It should be in every owner's manual.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Whose space is it anyway?
A response to a post reminds me of another position occasion.
You are driving down the highway in the RH lane (because you only stay left to pass - right?). You come upon an entrance ramp and you see that 3 cars are looking to merge onto the highway. You also know that you will be right in the merge area when they will. What do you do? You have several options:
1. Slow down or speed up so that they can merge. I don't like either. If you slow down, they wil slow down and you don't change anything, and I hate to accelerate into a situation - you just reduce the time you have to react.
2. Move over into the left hand lane. What - that is the passing lane! Well, what are you doing? You are passing cars that are not yet up to speed. Here you allow the drivers a clear shot to merge.
Now this second choice has problems of it's own. If there is no one in the LH lane you are lucky; however, this is not likely. You are most likely going to have to merge yourself to move over. You should have been watching traffic so you know whether it is moving faster (usually) than you. In this case you will have to speed up. If you don't want to, it gets tricky. You need to slow down to let the car on the left pass you, then move over. At the same time you are slowing down, remember to keep a space so that if you can't get over, you still leave room for people to merge into your lane. Complicated? Yes, but if driving was easy, we should have no accidents and I would not have to write this blog.
Being able to let people in is an art form, and if done right it actually helps traffic move faster and smoother. It comes down to the basic rule - you should respect other people's space and they should respect yours. By trying to help others, you raise the Driving Intelligence of the road, a concept I will explain in the next post.
You are driving down the highway in the RH lane (because you only stay left to pass - right?). You come upon an entrance ramp and you see that 3 cars are looking to merge onto the highway. You also know that you will be right in the merge area when they will. What do you do? You have several options:
1. Slow down or speed up so that they can merge. I don't like either. If you slow down, they wil slow down and you don't change anything, and I hate to accelerate into a situation - you just reduce the time you have to react.
2. Move over into the left hand lane. What - that is the passing lane! Well, what are you doing? You are passing cars that are not yet up to speed. Here you allow the drivers a clear shot to merge.
Now this second choice has problems of it's own. If there is no one in the LH lane you are lucky; however, this is not likely. You are most likely going to have to merge yourself to move over. You should have been watching traffic so you know whether it is moving faster (usually) than you. In this case you will have to speed up. If you don't want to, it gets tricky. You need to slow down to let the car on the left pass you, then move over. At the same time you are slowing down, remember to keep a space so that if you can't get over, you still leave room for people to merge into your lane. Complicated? Yes, but if driving was easy, we should have no accidents and I would not have to write this blog
Being able to let people in is an art form, and if done right it actually helps traffic move faster and smoother. It comes down to the basic rule - you should respect other people's space and they should respect yours. By trying to help others, you raise the Driving Intelligence of the road, a concept I will explain in the next post.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Assume the Position
A few posts back, I mentioned positioning your car so that other drivers would see what you were going to do. Now, listen on how you can help other drivers.
Way back when, I was at a race where two drivers where fighting it out for position. Another car had crashed and ended up in the middle of the track. As the two cars approached, the first car waited until the last minute to dart to one side, leaving the second driver no time to react. He swerved and spun down the track, actually going into the pits and hitting another car (not to mention just missing all the mechanics who jumped out of the way). It was a very dangerous situation because the first driver blocked the second from seeing the accident.
It is the same on the road. If a car is making a left turn, if you stay to the left of the lane, you block drivers behind you from seeing him until the last minute. While you might not be involved in an accident, you might be the cause. If a driver is going to turn left, slow down and move right, so that drivers behind you can see PAST you. This is especially critical if you are driving a truck or SUV.
Now, the drivers behind you SHOULD be leaving enough room, but in many cases they do not. Common courtesy works both ways - someday you might be the second car......
This is also very important on congested highways, where stop and go traffic is the norm. By moving to one side or the other you can help prevent the chain reaction crash that is so typical. Giving other drivers as much information as soon as possible helps make the roads safer for everyone.
Way back when, I was at a race where two drivers where fighting it out for position. Another car had crashed and ended up in the middle of the track. As the two cars approached, the first car waited until the last minute to dart to one side, leaving the second driver no time to react. He swerved and spun down the track, actually going into the pits and hitting another car (not to mention just missing all the mechanics who jumped out of the way). It was a very dangerous situation because the first driver blocked the second from seeing the accident.
It is the same on the road. If a car is making a left turn, if you stay to the left of the lane, you block drivers behind you from seeing him until the last minute. While you might not be involved in an accident, you might be the cause. If a driver is going to turn left, slow down and move right, so that drivers behind you can see PAST you. This is especially critical if you are driving a truck or SUV.
Now, the drivers behind you SHOULD be leaving enough room, but in many cases they do not. Common courtesy works both ways - someday you might be the second car......
This is also very important on congested highways, where stop and go traffic is the norm. By moving to one side or the other you can help prevent the chain reaction crash that is so typical. Giving other drivers as much information as soon as possible helps make the roads safer for everyone.
Pot(hole) Luck
For those in the winter areas, the recent warming is a welcome change.
Unfortunately, there is a down side - potholes.
As the ground under the pavement thaws, the subgrade and base wash out and potholes form as cars drive over the weakened road.
With many cars having aluminum wheels and low profile tires, hitting a pothole can run into many hundreds of dollars.
Don't assume that puddle up ahead is not a pothole. Be alert and slow down on side roads. On highways and other high speed roads, leave plenty of room and watch the car in front - if you see him hit a pothole you will have time to slow down or move over slightly to miss it.
Unfortunately, there is a down side - potholes.
As the ground under the pavement thaws, the subgrade and base wash out and potholes form as cars drive over the weakened road.
With many cars having aluminum wheels and low profile tires, hitting a pothole can run into many hundreds of dollars.
Don't assume that puddle up ahead is not a pothole. Be alert and slow down on side roads. On highways and other high speed roads, leave plenty of room and watch the car in front - if you see him hit a pothole you will have time to slow down or move over slightly to miss it.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Myth of Myths
There are many articles concerning old wives tales and conventional wisdom when it comes to car maintenance. One that you often see is that it is a myth to change your oil every 3,000 miles. Well even these new theories can be myths. Let's look at motor oil and how if relates to modern cars.
First, you do need to check your motor oil every 2 weeks or 2 tank fulls whichever comes first. Car manufactures consider 600 miles per quart of oil an acceptable usage, even though many cars go thousands of miles per quart. Since most cars contain about 4 quarts of oil, would you want to drive missing 25% of your oil?
Second, you should change your oil at least 2 times a year. With cars not requiring the same amount of maintenance as in years past, it is not unusual for cars to go years without major repairs. That does not mean that things don't go wrong and preventative maintenance is better than waiting for things to fail. Getting your car in in the early spring and late fall* for an oil change and general look over is a good habit to get into. For someone doing 20,000 miles per year, putting another oil change visit in the summer keeps you up to most auto manufacturer's schedule, although 4 times a year is not expensive and out of line with protecting your investment..
Third, consider using synthetic oil in your car, especially if you live in areas where it gets very cold in the winter. The synthetic oil will flow easier at low temperatures and put less strain on your starting system and may even extend the life of your battery. Now synthetic oil is only a few dollars more than conventional oil, but may shops try to charge an outrageous premium. If synthetic oil is more than $10 - $15 extra per oil change, consider going somewhere else.
Fourth, always change the filter with the oil change. Some people are particular about what oil filter goes on their engine, although today, virtually all oil filters do a great job. If you do insist on bringing your own filter (and in some cases oil) a shop may balk at first, but sit down and talk to them and they will usually work with you, albeit at about the same total cost to you as if they supplied the parts. Remember, you are not doing this to save money, but to be consistent on the parts used.
Fifth, keep a quart of oil around, but when faced with needing to add oil, it is more important to add the oil than to worry about the brand.
Sixth, oil that looks dirty is not necessarily bad, but oil that gets dirty right after a change is usually a sign that all the oil was not drained or the engine has a lot of dirt built up. Do an oil change earlier the next time, make sure it is done with a hot engine and they let it drain completely.
So do you have to change your oil every 3000 miles? The answer is mileage and time have to be considered. Of course you could do the change yourself and save some money - that will be for another day.
* For those fortunate to live where it is summer all year, twice a year is still a good target for your oil changes- you just have the luxury of scheduling the seasons!
First, you do need to check your motor oil every 2 weeks or 2 tank fulls whichever comes first. Car manufactures consider 600 miles per quart of oil an acceptable usage, even though many cars go thousands of miles per quart. Since most cars contain about 4 quarts of oil, would you want to drive missing 25% of your oil?
Second, you should change your oil at least 2 times a year. With cars not requiring the same amount of maintenance as in years past, it is not unusual for cars to go years without major repairs. That does not mean that things don't go wrong and preventative maintenance is better than waiting for things to fail. Getting your car in in the early spring and late fall* for an oil change and general look over is a good habit to get into. For someone doing 20,000 miles per year, putting another oil change visit in the summer keeps you up to most auto manufacturer's schedule, although 4 times a year is not expensive and out of line with protecting your investment..
Third, consider using synthetic oil in your car, especially if you live in areas where it gets very cold in the winter. The synthetic oil will flow easier at low temperatures and put less strain on your starting system and may even extend the life of your battery. Now synthetic oil is only a few dollars more than conventional oil, but may shops try to charge an outrageous premium. If synthetic oil is more than $10 - $15 extra per oil change, consider going somewhere else.
Fourth, always change the filter with the oil change. Some people are particular about what oil filter goes on their engine, although today, virtually all oil filters do a great job. If you do insist on bringing your own filter (and in some cases oil) a shop may balk at first, but sit down and talk to them and they will usually work with you, albeit at about the same total cost to you as if they supplied the parts. Remember, you are not doing this to save money, but to be consistent on the parts used.
Fifth, keep a quart of oil around, but when faced with needing to add oil, it is more important to add the oil than to worry about the brand.
Sixth, oil that looks dirty is not necessarily bad, but oil that gets dirty right after a change is usually a sign that all the oil was not drained or the engine has a lot of dirt built up. Do an oil change earlier the next time, make sure it is done with a hot engine and they let it drain completely.
So do you have to change your oil every 3000 miles? The answer is mileage and time have to be considered. Of course you could do the change yourself and save some money - that will be for another day.
* For those fortunate to live where it is summer all year, twice a year is still a good target for your oil changes- you just have the luxury of scheduling the seasons!
Sunday, January 09, 2011
What's your position?
Have you ever seen a person make a right turn from the left lane? How about someone trying to cut in to a line of cars while even with you? Both of these are cases of bad positioning. Now before we go any further, there are two ways to communicate with other drivers - signals (both hand and lights) and positioning. There are many instances where both are used together, but today we are just going to focus on positioning.
When you are trying to communicate with another driver about what you plan to do, the worst thing you can do is send conflicting signals. The driver who moves left before turning right is one of those. If a driver slows and moves slightly to the right in the lane, they give the impression that he or she is turning right. A driver who wants to merge into a line of cars does not barrel to the front, but picks a logical space in-between cars and signals their intentions. A person looking to parallel part, stops before the space with their blinkers on, waits until the car behind recognizes them and then pulls forward and backs into the space.
The one obvious use of positioning is when making a left turn under a traffic light. If space allows you pull forward and to the left, not entering the other lane but leaving room for cars going straight to move around you on the right. [note: in most states it is legal to pass on the right in this case, but because something is legal, it doesn't make it safe. The passing car should slowly move around the stopped car.] Just staying in line gives the wrong impression to cars behind and I have seen cases where a car illegally tries to pass, on the left, the car waiting to turn left!
In future posts I will talk about other cases where positioning is important to safe driving.
When you are trying to communicate with another driver about what you plan to do, the worst thing you can do is send conflicting signals. The driver who moves left before turning right is one of those. If a driver slows and moves slightly to the right in the lane, they give the impression that he or she is turning right. A driver who wants to merge into a line of cars does not barrel to the front, but picks a logical space in-between cars and signals their intentions. A person looking to parallel part, stops before the space with their blinkers on, waits until the car behind recognizes them and then pulls forward and backs into the space.
The one obvious use of positioning is when making a left turn under a traffic light. If space allows you pull forward and to the left, not entering the other lane but leaving room for cars going straight to move around you on the right. [note: in most states it is legal to pass on the right in this case, but because something is legal, it doesn't make it safe. The passing car should slowly move around the stopped car.] Just staying in line gives the wrong impression to cars behind and I have seen cases where a car illegally tries to pass, on the left, the car waiting to turn left!
In future posts I will talk about other cases where positioning is important to safe driving.
Monday, January 03, 2011
I can see clearly now
One of the things they check when you get your license is your eyesight. If eyesight is so important, then why do you handicap it by driving around with dirty windows? Especially at night, dirty windows can cut down you vision and make it difficult to drive.
In the winter you have the double whammy of dirt on the outside and film on the inside. The outside is obvious, some rain, snow, and mud (at least no bugs when it is cold), but the inside gets dirty too. When you run the defroster you blow moist air over the inside of the windows, and this attracts dirt. The film that accumulates cuts down on your vision and increases the amount of glare you have to deal with. At least on the outside you can run your wipers to try and clear the mess (You do have good windshield wiper blades and windshield wiper fluid?- Right?)
At least once a week, take some glass cleaner and a few paper towels and go over the inside of the windows. Don't forget to get all the rear view mirrors. You will be astonished at the amount of dirt that comes off and how well you can see again.
As to cleaning materials, the latest home window cleaners are not what they used to be. I prefer the special car window cleaners and the type that comes in a pressurized spray can seem to work the best, although you have to store them where it is warm. As far as what to use to wipe, paper towels seem to be the best, although if you hate to waste resources, then a good cloth towel, washed often will also do. One of the best materials to use is blank newspaper, especially the end rolls you can pick up at your local printing location.
For windows really coated with wax, a non-abrasive powder like Bon Ami on a wet towel digs through the grime and actually polishes the glass. Always be careful when using anything that might scratch or dull the windows.
ChrisZ
In the winter you have the double whammy of dirt on the outside and film on the inside. The outside is obvious, some rain, snow, and mud (at least no bugs when it is cold), but the inside gets dirty too. When you run the defroster you blow moist air over the inside of the windows, and this attracts dirt. The film that accumulates cuts down on your vision and increases the amount of glare you have to deal with. At least on the outside you can run your wipers to try and clear the mess (You do have good windshield wiper blades and windshield wiper fluid?- Right?)
At least once a week, take some glass cleaner and a few paper towels and go over the inside of the windows. Don't forget to get all the rear view mirrors. You will be astonished at the amount of dirt that comes off and how well you can see again.
As to cleaning materials, the latest home window cleaners are not what they used to be. I prefer the special car window cleaners and the type that comes in a pressurized spray can seem to work the best, although you have to store them where it is warm. As far as what to use to wipe, paper towels seem to be the best, although if you hate to waste resources, then a good cloth towel, washed often will also do. One of the best materials to use is blank newspaper, especially the end rolls you can pick up at your local printing location.
For windows really coated with wax, a non-abrasive powder like Bon Ami on a wet towel digs through the grime and actually polishes the glass. Always be careful when using anything that might scratch or dull the windows.
ChrisZ
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Too Damn Fast - Driving tip 12-25-2010
In the last 2 weeks at least 8 people have been killed on Connecticut roads. There were young people and old(er) people. They were on highways and side roads. The one thing they had in common is speed. Not always illegal speed, but speed none the less. One thing they don't teach you in driver's ed is that speed is not your friend - it is your enemy. For the one thing you can't fudge are the laws of physics. That says an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by another object. Some great examples are on this web site by Dirk Oden. He did the figures so I didn't have to.
A crash at 45 mph is like jumping out of a 7 story window. In crash at 30 mph your body has a force of over 1200 lbs. Forces go up with the square of the speed. The next time you are driving down the highway at 60 miles an hour, try to imagine hitting a bridge abutment. Seat belts, airbags, etc would be of no use, you would probably die instantly.
"But I see race cars crash at much higher speeds and the driver walks away", you might say. Well several things factor into this. First, the driver has a much higher level of safety gear. At least 4 times the seat belt protection, a full cage around the driver and helmet designed to protect his head. A car designed to fly apart and dissipate the forces. The tracks are designed with tire walls, safer barriers and sand traps, all to reduce the forces on the car. Also drivers know that speed is their enemy and they do everything to get rid of as much speed as possible. Big fat racing tires slow the car down in a hurry, either with brakes or by sliding sideways. Even with all of this, drivers are hurt and killed each year.
So what can you do? It would be hypocritical to say never go over the speed limit. Sometimes that is not practical and will be a discussion for another post. So here is what you can do:
1. Make sure your car is safe for the conditions you are driving under. Low tread tires may be okay on a dry summer day, but could turn deadly on a cold, rainy autumn night.
2. Don't drive when you are tired, sick, under the influence of anything, including cold medicine.
3. Keep a proper distance between your car and the cars around you. Not just the one in front but the ones on the side and in back of you also.
4. If you know the road, expect the unexpected. The ice in the turn when you don't expect it. The kid that runs out to get his ball. The car broken down around the blind corner.
5. And if you don't know the road? Now you should be almost paranoid. One thing I learned from riding motorcycles is don't trust any drivers. This is good advice especially when you are driving in unknown territory. You are already distracted and your reactions slower.
6. Never drive a car thinking you are better than you are. Teenagers drive like they can defy the laws of physics. Adults drive like they own the road and expect people to get out of their way when they are late for an appointment. Older drivers think that experience makes up for loss of reaction time.
7. Take a professional high speed driving school and learn how to handle a car and what to expect.
8. If you really want to go fast - go to a race track or go kart track. Racing on the street will get someone killed - it may not be you, but could you live with that?
ChrisZ
A crash at 45 mph is like jumping out of a 7 story window. In crash at 30 mph your body has a force of over 1200 lbs. Forces go up with the square of the speed. The next time you are driving down the highway at 60 miles an hour, try to imagine hitting a bridge abutment. Seat belts, airbags, etc would be of no use, you would probably die instantly.
"But I see race cars crash at much higher speeds and the driver walks away", you might say. Well several things factor into this. First, the driver has a much higher level of safety gear. At least 4 times the seat belt protection, a full cage around the driver and helmet designed to protect his head. A car designed to fly apart and dissipate the forces. The tracks are designed with tire walls, safer barriers and sand traps, all to reduce the forces on the car. Also drivers know that speed is their enemy and they do everything to get rid of as much speed as possible. Big fat racing tires slow the car down in a hurry, either with brakes or by sliding sideways. Even with all of this, drivers are hurt and killed each year.
So what can you do? It would be hypocritical to say never go over the speed limit. Sometimes that is not practical and will be a discussion for another post. So here is what you can do:
1. Make sure your car is safe for the conditions you are driving under. Low tread tires may be okay on a dry summer day, but could turn deadly on a cold, rainy autumn night.
2. Don't drive when you are tired, sick, under the influence of anything, including cold medicine.
3. Keep a proper distance between your car and the cars around you. Not just the one in front but the ones on the side and in back of you also.
4. If you know the road, expect the unexpected. The ice in the turn when you don't expect it. The kid that runs out to get his ball. The car broken down around the blind corner.
5. And if you don't know the road? Now you should be almost paranoid. One thing I learned from riding motorcycles is don't trust any drivers. This is good advice especially when you are driving in unknown territory. You are already distracted and your reactions slower.
6. Never drive a car thinking you are better than you are. Teenagers drive like they can defy the laws of physics. Adults drive like they own the road and expect people to get out of their way when they are late for an appointment. Older drivers think that experience makes up for loss of reaction time.
7. Take a professional high speed driving school and learn how to handle a car and what to expect.
8. If you really want to go fast - go to a race track or go kart track. Racing on the street will get someone killed - it may not be you, but could you live with that?
ChrisZ
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Driving tip 12-18-2010
I am starting a weekly note on driving and car care. I hope this gets me in the habit of writing a short article each week.
If you like this please pass the link over to someone else.
Thanks
ChrisZ
If you like this please pass the link over to someone else.
Thanks
ChrisZ
Monday, July 05, 2010
The Perfect Storm
It was the perfect storm - the accident was inevitable - but it didn't happen. Why?
There were 5 cars in a row - driving about 45 mph. The first car needed to stop and turn left across traffic. Did they signal? Did they slow down early enough to alert those behind? Evidently not, as the resulting accordion effect resulted in the 4th and 5th cars skidding to a stop. I was the fifth car. How did I get sucked in? Wasn't I staying back far enough? Wasn't I watching beyond the car in front?
I made 2 mistakes which almost put me in an accident. And if I can - you can - learn from my mistakes.
First, the road bent slightly to the right. Normally I move back and forth, especially if the car in front is a truck or SUV like this time. But I was cut out of seeing traffic in front of me. Second I was distracted when a gust of wind blew some papers around the passenger compartment. Normally either one of these is no problem as I leave enough room to stop in case of a problem (remember the 2 to 3 second rule?). But together, they were enough to eat up a second or 2 and that left me no cushion.
The person in front of me swerved to the right and I swerved to the left. Tires squealing as they exceeded their friction point as I threshold braked. Whew!
Of course the first person never knew they almost caused a major accident. They stopped in the middle of the road, where there was enough room to get around if they had positioned their car right. They did not slow down soon enough, or if they realized they waited to long, they could have gone past and come back.
So to review:
1. If you can't see past the car in front of you slow down
2. If you get distracted - slow down.
Your car will stay in one piece longer.
There were 5 cars in a row - driving about 45 mph. The first car needed to stop and turn left across traffic. Did they signal? Did they slow down early enough to alert those behind? Evidently not, as the resulting accordion effect resulted in the 4th and 5th cars skidding to a stop. I was the fifth car. How did I get sucked in? Wasn't I staying back far enough? Wasn't I watching beyond the car in front?
I made 2 mistakes which almost put me in an accident. And if I can - you can - learn from my mistakes.
First, the road bent slightly to the right. Normally I move back and forth, especially if the car in front is a truck or SUV like this time. But I was cut out of seeing traffic in front of me. Second I was distracted when a gust of wind blew some papers around the passenger compartment. Normally either one of these is no problem as I leave enough room to stop in case of a problem (remember the 2 to 3 second rule?). But together, they were enough to eat up a second or 2 and that left me no cushion.
The person in front of me swerved to the right and I swerved to the left. Tires squealing as they exceeded their friction point as I threshold braked. Whew!
Of course the first person never knew they almost caused a major accident. They stopped in the middle of the road, where there was enough room to get around if they had positioned their car right. They did not slow down soon enough, or if they realized they waited to long, they could have gone past and come back.
So to review:
1. If you can't see past the car in front of you slow down
2. If you get distracted - slow down.
Your car will stay in one piece longer.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Left turns - after you
If you are going to try an make a left turn in today's world, here is as good a description as I can find:
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/content.php?59
Also what can come away from this is positioning your wheels when you are NOT moving.
Always be one step ahead of the other driver. Plan for the unplanned. After a while how and where you place your car, to signal other drivers of your attention and to also protect yourself, will become automatic.
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/content.php?59
Also what can come away from this is positioning your wheels when you are NOT moving.
Always be one step ahead of the other driver. Plan for the unplanned. After a while how and where you place your car, to signal other drivers of your attention and to also protect yourself, will become automatic.
Seat belts
If I was going to look for information on seat belts and accidents, this is a great site I found:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/seatb.html
The question is:
Is it better to be belted in or not?
The answer is:
If you wear a seat belt, statistics say about 20% of drivers will still die in an accident.
If you don't wear a seat belt, about 70% of unbelted drivers die in accidents.
The real question is "'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?"
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/seatb.html
The question is:
Is it better to be belted in or not?
The answer is:
If you wear a seat belt, statistics say about 20% of drivers will still die in an accident.
If you don't wear a seat belt, about 70% of unbelted drivers die in accidents.
The real question is "'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?"
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Do you like to watch people?
You are driving down the road and you notice a person in a gas station, pulling away from the pumps, and stopping just short of the road. You know the person wants to move into traffic, but what else can you learn? First, even though you cannot trust it, does the person have their turn signal on? I will bet most of the time they will not. However, you can still figure out which way the person is going but looking at how they angle the car in the exit and which way they are looking.
You can learn a lot about a driver by watching. Is the driver young or old? Are they on a cell phone (illegal in most states) or arguing with their kids in the back seat? Do they seem attentive or ready to nod off?
How about their car? Is it weaving back in forth? Driving too fast for conditions? Driving slower than conditions - like the driver is trying to find his or her destination and might suddenly make a turn?
Now think of your driving - what signals are you sending to others? Are you telling them what you are going to do or are you sending mixed signals?
See, it is fun to watch people.
You can learn a lot about a driver by watching. Is the driver young or old? Are they on a cell phone (illegal in most states) or arguing with their kids in the back seat? Do they seem attentive or ready to nod off?
How about their car? Is it weaving back in forth? Driving too fast for conditions? Driving slower than conditions - like the driver is trying to find his or her destination and might suddenly make a turn?
Now think of your driving - what signals are you sending to others? Are you telling them what you are going to do or are you sending mixed signals?
See, it is fun to watch people.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Seat Belt use
Having driven race cars for 30+ years, and seeing some major accidents (including some of my own), also having been in 3 accidents during this time on the road, I think the following PSA is one of the best I have seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-8PBx7isoM&feature=player_embedded
I will add more as I find them - they physics is undeniable - you are safer with belts than without.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-8PBx7isoM&feature=player_embedded
I will add more as I find them - they physics is undeniable - you are safer with belts than without.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Winter driving alert!
With winter comes snow and different driving techniques. One of the problems is not going but stopping. One of the tricks was when stopping on slick roads was to move over near the curb and use the sand which washed to the side of the road to help with traction - well, maybe not anymore. With more towns using a sand-free salt mixture to help keep the roads clear, there is no more sand on the side of the road! In fact, since the salt melts the snow and it runs to the side where it refreezes, the old trick may be worse. So the new thought is, go slow, test for traction and stay where it is best. Slow cars on freezing roads will eventually melt the ice due to pressure and heat from the car itself. Don't assume that clear roads are ice free roads.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Left Lane Bandits
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.
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.
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
Friday, December 26, 2008
Road Rage - The Other Guy
So you are driving down the road and some idiot comes out of a side road and cuts you off. "What a jerk!" You lay on the horn and scream at him (or her). "Why that stupid person should not have a license. Blankety Blank, when I catch up with you I will give you a piece of my mind!"
Wait....do you know that person? Does that person know you? Were they sitting there waiting for you to come along just to tick you off? Of course not. The why are you taking this personally?
Whenever we are wronged, it is our human nature to take it personally. Maybe it is a defense mechanism in order to generate adrenaline to deal with a dangerous situation. I will leave that to the psychologists and the biophysicists. Right now I want to deal with modern driving.
Imagine 22 players on a football field - all doing what they want without any coordination. That is what driving today is. Now we have some rules to control this, and just by the fact you are one side of the road or another, controls some of your behavior (like being offense or defense to continue the football analogy). However; their is no coach to coordinate the drivers, no director to choreograph the play. Each driver gets to make their own decisions, again, albeit with some rules and regulations.
So if someone does something dumb, makes a mistake in judgement or skill, that only reflects on that person and has nothing to do with anyone else on the road!
The question is how do YOU react when you see or if you are affected by such an act?
First, as stupid as it may have been - it has nothing personal to do with you. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Second, we all make mistakes. If this was just a simple error in judgement, someone pulled out too soon, forgot to put their blinker on, etc., the questions is do you just say "Well, I do that sometimes, I will just ignore it." Most of the time that is the proper response.
Third - did we contribute to the problem? Are we traveling too fast for conditions or the speed limit? Are we driving in the rain without lights or maybe sitting in someone's blind spot? Are we examining our driving to help other people from making these mistakes?
Fourth - If it is really serious is the driver impaired - either by lack of sleep, drugs, alcohol or illness. Should we do something? The best thing is to get the license number and call the police. I have on occasion followed a driver, flashed lights, honked a horn, even pulled up next to someone to talk to them, trying to get their attention or wake them up. The first words out of my mouth are not "Hey stupid", but "Are you okay?" Concern keeps things from escalating and how I would want to be treated if I was suffering from one of the above issues.
So Road Rage needs to be fought, as common and normal an emotion as would be expected.
By realizing and expecting, people to make mistakes on the road, you will get to your destination faster and more relaxed.
Wait....do you know that person? Does that person know you? Were they sitting there waiting for you to come along just to tick you off? Of course not. The why are you taking this personally?
Whenever we are wronged, it is our human nature to take it personally. Maybe it is a defense mechanism in order to generate adrenaline to deal with a dangerous situation. I will leave that to the psychologists and the biophysicists. Right now I want to deal with modern driving.
Imagine 22 players on a football field - all doing what they want without any coordination. That is what driving today is. Now we have some rules to control this, and just by the fact you are one side of the road or another, controls some of your behavior (like being offense or defense to continue the football analogy). However; their is no coach to coordinate the drivers, no director to choreograph the play. Each driver gets to make their own decisions, again, albeit with some rules and regulations.
So if someone does something dumb, makes a mistake in judgement or skill, that only reflects on that person and has nothing to do with anyone else on the road!
The question is how do YOU react when you see or if you are affected by such an act?
First, as stupid as it may have been - it has nothing personal to do with you. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Second, we all make mistakes. If this was just a simple error in judgement, someone pulled out too soon, forgot to put their blinker on, etc., the questions is do you just say "Well, I do that sometimes, I will just ignore it." Most of the time that is the proper response.
Third - did we contribute to the problem? Are we traveling too fast for conditions or the speed limit? Are we driving in the rain without lights or maybe sitting in someone's blind spot? Are we examining our driving to help other people from making these mistakes?
Fourth - If it is really serious is the driver impaired - either by lack of sleep, drugs, alcohol or illness. Should we do something? The best thing is to get the license number and call the police. I have on occasion followed a driver, flashed lights, honked a horn, even pulled up next to someone to talk to them, trying to get their attention or wake them up. The first words out of my mouth are not "Hey stupid", but "Are you okay?" Concern keeps things from escalating and how I would want to be treated if I was suffering from one of the above issues.
So Road Rage needs to be fought, as common and normal an emotion as would be expected.
By realizing and expecting, people to make mistakes on the road, you will get to your destination faster and more relaxed.
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