Defensive Driving Techniques.

Dear Friends,

As u all might be aware that I am yet learning my driving lessons , & yet to be fully conversant with driving ,
I drive half hour regularly on 1.3MJD , with no accident / damage till now LoL !!!

Since few days back I was thinking abt idea to start a new topic related to defensive driving techniques , so that it would be indeed helpful to newbies , as these Driving school doesn't teaches u anything theoratically / technically correct , It is us who have to learn from our mistakes.

I request to all Experts on this forum to give some Important inputs related to driving Defensively .

Atul

 

Point 0 : Dont be too defensive, all others are aggressive drivers, you will not be able to drive at all.

 

@Pran.. LOL

Atul,
Not sure by what you meant by defensive driving, but i guess a few pointers always help.

1.Check your speed. If you feel uncomfortable about it, slow down. If you feel that you cannot brake in time, slow down.
2.If you feel that you cannot squeeze through the gap, wait for others to go.
3.Dont hog the right lane. This is the most common mistake done my newbies. They prefer the safety of the median and stick to it. Unfortunately, they dont realize the fact that the right lane is the fast lane.
4.Dont honk.use dipper as much as possible. If you feel you have to warn someone, dont stand on the horn button. We generally tend to honk to make way.Instead, I wait till enuf space is available and then move on. Most people on road realize that there's a car behind them which needs to go past.
5.Leave early for your destination. Dont do things in the last minute. i.e Plan your trip well,even if its just your daily commute to work.
6. Know your roads. Know where the roads are uneven, where there are potholes and which stretch is safe to speed. Simple observations like these can get you much faster to your destination.
7.Look ahead. look as far ahead as possible. See, observe, analyze and anticipate every move of every vehicle on road. A careful observation can prevent a lot of accidents.Just knowing that the cab in front will not indicate and might take a u-turn will prevent you from trying to overtake it without catching the attention of the driver.
8.Use mirrors. all 3 of them. The wing mirrors are there for a purpose. And the purpose is not to keep them folded!
9.Be aware of the blind spots. Make sure you keep an eye out for the blind spot before you make any changes in direction etc.
10.Dont worry too much about accidents. They happen. You cant help. I have been hit by a auto which tried to run away from a cop, hit a rock, lost control and fell on my car. Make sure you have a good insurance. The baby is built like a tank.Rest assured that you will be safe.

Cheers
Happy & Safe driving

 

spartan
Defensive Driving is a term used in US , It means that how to protect ourselves from other drivers mistake .
BTW thanks for ur inputs. thanks pran too.

 

I specifically mentioned Point 0 because I met my friend last weekend who came on vacation from UK and he just stands on top of the brake at each and every "illegal" move from others. Oh GOD, these people behave as if they were born NRIs.

 

Pran, They say if you can drive in India, you can drive anywhere in the world, but if you drive like an Indian, you cannot drive anywhere else in the world, especially the west European countries.

The most important point about defensive driving in India is to be alert always. Be alert on what is going on in front and around you. That will help you in anticipating the moves of others and allow you to proceed accommodating their moves.

 

Most of it has been covered already but I guess I can add a bit - before taking the car on the roads, help to understand her first...how she behaves, the dimensions, the braking measures, the clutch travel, equipmentments within the car and other things...spend time gettting through these pieces... my bullet mechanic (50yrs +) and a veteran driver of bullet/cars just gave me a piece of advice..."always anticipate and don't take anyting for granted when you are on road until you reach your destination". Drive safe n always wear the seat belts !


OT - Since this is your first car (just like me) you'll have trouble driving other cars..you would definitely say "is this a car!" when u get hold of other cars at least I did say that to my colleagues....except for the C & D segment sedans ! That's what FIAT can do to you

 

Look on all 4 sides before you proceed in a 4 corner Signal. Nowadays we dont know which Idiot is jumping the Red signal. This happens on highways where there are signals.

 

Y'day I had a opportunity to travel 350 Kms. in my punto, driven by a X'pert driver , with 29 yrs. driving experience for VIP's, including 8 yrs. in Saudi , who used to drive BMW's , Merc & other imported cars .
The experience was Awesome ,
1) Not a Single Jerk during gearshift , Gearshift in Half clutch mode ,with perfect clutch & gear sync. for smooth gearshift ,
2) perfect consistent speed @ 80kmpl ,with RPM in range of 2000-2200 , for max. FE
3) Very minimal braking ( only during big bumps & potholes ), he controls the car by Gear control , & Throttle only.
4) Mantains a safe distance of 15-20 ft in front on highways ,
5) Gear shift by just 2 fingers ,
6) no sudden lane changes

He says if u follow this way of VIP driving , the chances of accident are very minimal + maximum comfort + Excellent engine & car Life.

I've decided to learn Advance driving lessons from him on weekends.

BTW , He appreciated Punto for features, dynamics , handling & comfort

Atul

 

This is good to hear.. please continue to post the tips you learn.