Main > Automotive > Driving
Drive defensively. There are a lot of unsafe drivers on the road. There are people who are very old and can hardly see; there are young people just learning to drive, and people who are ill, very tired, or emotionally unstable. There are people driving defective cars, with poor brakes and bald tires. And there are visitors who are sight-seeing, or who don't know where they are going, and who are used to driving on the other side of the road. There are people fiddling with electronic gadgets. Keep all this in mind, and drive accordingly!
[guest]
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Main > Automotive > Driving > Safety
Statistically, the safest place to be in a road crash is in the back left seat. It's least likely to be affected in a head-on smash, which often predominantly affects the right-side of the vehicle in countries that drive on the left. Also, the back of the car acts as a natural rollcage. People in the back seat have walked away largely unharmed from crashes that killed people in the front. I have seen this happen "up close and personal" with my own eyes and saw on the news that the two people in the front later died and the girl in the back right broke her femur. The guy in the back left who also was the only guy to have a seatbelt on, simply walked away with a bloody nose, and told me he would never ride with them again (how true that was!).
myxlfidian (150)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Leave as much space as you can between you and the vehicle in front. It will make your drive much more pleasant and relaxed, as well as being much safer. It is also better for fuel economy, since you will be less likely to be continually speeding up and slowing down. Most people drive much to close to each other, unnecessarily.
[guest]
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Main > Automotive > Driving > Safety
GPS: It's handy to have a Global Positioning System in your car (they're not that expensive nowadays) for a number of reasons:
There's nothing more dangerous than not knowing where you're going, or trying to read maps while you're driving.
If you or someone else breaks down, or has an accident, or needs medical attention, it will have a function which tells you exactly where you are, making it easy to report your exact location over the phone.
Some GPS units can warn you if you're driving too fast, or are near a school.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Don't drive either drunk or tired. If you do, you are guaranteed to come to grief.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Take "40 winks" for fifteen minutes or so if you are feeling tired. It will make a world of difference. Not only will you avoid having an accident, but you will enjoy your driving more once you are rested.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Don't speed. The small amount of time you will save will be far outweighed by the increased chance of an accident. It doesn't matter how good a driver you are because not everyone on the road is a good driver, and they will be more likely to run into you.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Don't fiddle with electronic devices, such as GPSs or phones, while driving. Pull over and do what you have to do, before you continue driving.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Use a GPS unit if you are unfamiliar with the roads. They are a lot safer than using a folding map.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Keep your eyes on the distance to see what is coming up, and anticipate any problems or actions you will need to take. You should be able to see close objects using your peripheral vision.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Wear your seat belt. You don't want to be thrown through the windshield.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Drive more slowly in bad weather or when the road surface is poor. The speed limits don't apply when conditions are bad.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Brakes and tires. Make sure they are in good condition. If your tires have a low pressure then you will have poor handling, and fast braking is important in an emergency.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Listening to music might be relaxing, but research suggests that it decreases your reaction times.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
If you get stuck in mud, sand, or snow don't use a tow rope or recovery rope or strap unless you really need to, because they are dangerous, even for those who are trained in how to use them. It's best to use a professional towing company. But if you have to use a rope, then:
- Don't use a tow rope for vehicle recovery (ie, pulling a car out of mud, sand, or a hole). Tow ropes are not designed to stretch much, and so are not designed for this job. Only specially designed recovery straps are suitable for such tasks. Tow ropes are only designed for pulling cars along normal surfaces. Tow ropes have dangerous hooks on the end, and if they come loose, they can, and do kill people.
- Move everyone who doesn't need to be there well away from the area because people have been killed when hooks on the ends of the rope go flying at very high speed.
- Use a rope of the correct strength for the vehicle you are pulling
- Attach the ends to the appropriate strong points on the chassis of the vehicle
- Hooks should be attached so that the strong part of the hook is engaged, and so it is less likely to fall off.
- Don't attempt to attach the rope to a tow ball. It's not strong enough, and nor is it designed for the purpose. The rope can fly off, or the tow ball itself can go flying.
- A person needs to be driving the vehicle being towed. If being towed, turn the ignition key to the accessory position to turn off the steering lock. Also, turn off the handbrake, and put the transmission in neutral. [Or if being recovered out of a hole, you will trying to drive out in first gear.]
- If the power steering is not working, it's best not to attempt to tow the vehicle, as driving it can be dangerous.
- Don't tow a car backwards. Both cars must be going forwards.
- Go easy when you pull, starting very slowly, and don't go fast.
- When being pulled, the rope must always be taut. The vehicle being towed should carefully brake at the same time as the towing vehicle.
- Don't pull the vehicle any further than you have to.
- If towing a vehicle along a road, you should place a sign on the back of the vehicle being towed, saying "On tow".
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Driving in fog:
- Use low beam. Using high beam will only light up the fog in front of the car, making it more difficult to see.
- Drive more slowly.
- Open the windows slightly, and listen for traffic.
- Use the line on the side of the road to guide you. Do not use the center line.
- Yellow-tinted sunglasses, used during the day (not at night), may help to increase contrast, and help you to see the line on the side of the road.
thesource (378)
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Main > Automotive > Driving
Always turn the overdrive off on the gearshift in an automatic when driving under 70km/h. It saves your gearbox and helps to grip the road better at lower speeds.
myxlfidian (150)
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