I would suggest reading "Mind Driving: New Skills for Staying Alive on the Road". I haven't read it (yet), but I suspect it may help you and certainly be an interesting read.
There are loads of factors that affect my driving, I will list some of the most obvious ones:
Caffine - Alcohol could also have a more dramatic effect, but I obviously don't do that!
Distractions - music (style/speed will make a difference), people talking in the car, and also distrations outside, signs, nice views, and (obviously) women etc.
Passengers - usually a smoother ride with passengers
Fear/shock - road rage incidents, very dangerous driving, and near misses
Being late
Tiredness and stress - ability to concentrate
I also find that being a passenger in cars with other drivers can effect my driving significantly. If I am a passenger in a car with somebody who tailgates I may find myself driving a little closer than usual next time I drive. When I do this I feel a little uncomfortable, but have to conciously increase the gap.
As an advanced driver, I generally don't get upset about being stuck behind people. I will sometimes overtake slower vehicles, but only when I feel it is safe to do so, and it is done in a controlled manner. I generally only suffer from 'red mist' when I am scared.
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Thanks for your response. I have a couple of further questions:
I would suggest reading "Mind Driving: New Skills for Staying Alive on the Road". I haven't read it (yet) but I suspect it may help you and certainly be an interesting read.
I'll look it up; it sounds interesting.There are loads of factors that affect my driving I will list some of the most obvious ones: Caffine - Alcohol could also have a more dramatic effect but I obviously don't do that! Distractions - music (style/speed will make a difference) people talking in the car and also distrations outside signs nice views and (obviously) women etc. Passengers - usually a smoother ride with passengers Fear/shock - road rage incidents very dangerous driving and near misses Being late Tiredness and stress - ability to concentrate
Can you give me any examples of the above factors influencing your driving style.
I also find that being a passenger in cars with other drivers can effect my driving significantly. If I am a passenger in a car with somebody who tailgates I may find myself driving a little closer than usual next time I drive. When I do this I feel a little uncomfortable but have to conciously increase the gap.
I wonder why that is? Perhaps you admire the other person, and aim to drive like them?
As an advanced driver I generally don't get upset about being stuck behind people. I will sometimes overtake slower vehicles but only when I feel it is safe to do so and it is done in a controlled manner. I generally only suffer from 'red mist' when I am scared.
Can you tell me when, why, where and how you get scared? Can you give me any examples?
Cheers, Simon
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>> >> There are loads of factors that affect my driving I will list some of the >> most obvious ones: >> Caffine - Alcohol could also have a more dramatic effect but I obviously don't do >> that! >> Distractions - music (style/speed will make a difference) people talking in the car and also >> distrations outside signs nice views and (obviously) women etc. >> Passengers - usually a smoother ride with passengers >> Fear/shock - road rage incidents very dangerous driving and near misses >> Being late >> Tiredness and stress - ability to concentrate Can you give me any examples of the above factors influencing your driving style.
I could do, but I'll let you think some up for yourself, it's pretty obvious how they can effect your driving.
>> I also find that being a passenger in cars with other drivers can effect my >> driving significantly. If I am a passenger in a car with somebody who tailgates I >> may find myself driving a little closer than usual next time I drive. When I >> do this I feel a little uncomfortable but have to conciously increase the gap. I wonder why that is? Perhaps you admire the other person and aim to drive like them?
No. If you're doing Psychology (maybe?) then you're probably the best person to explain this. I think it's a sub-concious thing, I generally don't think about my following distance, it's done subconciously because I have done it so many times I don't need to think about it. My subcouncious will probably relearn what it thinks is normal when I'm a passenger. I suspect this is how some people become tailgaters, they do not conciously think about their following distance and over time they will get closer without reallising it. Going a few years/months without an accident will not make the person question their driving habits. I regularly think of the two second rule to make sure I don't fall into any bad habits.
>> As an advanced driver I generally don't get upset about being stuck behind people. I >> will sometimes overtake slower vehicles but only when I feel it is safe to do >> so and it is done in a controlled manner. I generally only suffer from 'red >> mist' when I am scared. Can you tell me when why where and how you get scared? Can you give me any examples?
Just about any near miss, or serious road rage incident.
A driver was once tailgating me very close, and he then overtook, almost forcing me off the road. I'm not sure whether he was really trying to force me off the road or whether he was just a really bad driver. I was shaking for the rest of the morning though. More minor incidents can also be frightening, any sort of aggressive behavior can be frightening, especailly when you've experienced some extreme behavior from other road users.
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Lud made an interesting observation earlier about people learning from hear-stopping near misses - those who can't being psychopaths.
On the very very rare occasions thankfully when I have had a near miss, mine or someone else's fault, I have usually felt the need to pull in and recover. It is truely frightening to contemplate an accident that came close to happening.
But I fear that quite a significant proportion of drivers are immune from that reaction, perhaps either because they have blithely not noticed the danger, or else because it gives them a shot in the arm and a feeling of immortality.
I have witnessed many time an overtaker who cuts it fine and gets flashed by an oncoming car, but who far from slowing down and keeping in, is immediately out across the road taking out the next car. They obviously have no sense of shock at all.
So assuming that I have correctly identified such types as a danger, perhaps psychotic, then presumably they would be the targets of psychological testing and banning from driving. What would be the consequences of banning perhaps 10% of drivers on that basis? Are they amenable to education and training? Do they perhaps have other necessary qualities that the country needs?
As to the OP's specific question, I would include:
When you personally own the car and have to bear the costs of any damage
When you have passengers
When distracted by conversation, radio or music
When you are unsure of an unfamiliar route
When you do your own maintenance and repairs, and know that some component is a bit dodgy
When you have a family, either in the car or at home waiting for you
When concentrating on other matters - worry, etc.
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Cliff,
As to the OP's specific question I would include: When you personally own the car and have to bear the costs of any damage
Do you drive more passively when you own the car? Do you drive aggressively when you don't? Can you give me any examples?
When you have passengers
Do you moderate your driving style with all passengers? Why? Can you give me any examples?
When distracted by conversation radio or music
Does being distracted make you ease off? Is there any kind of music that makes you drive faster? Can you give me any examples?
When you are unsure of an unfamiliar route
Does this make you drive more slowly? What if you get hopelessly lost in a road environment where it is impossible to pull over to consult a map - for example in a big strange city? Do you ever 'blow a fuse' and just go mad? I do. I absolutely can't stand getting lost, and can end up going round and round in circles getting increasingly worked up, and driving increasingly agressively. Stupid - I know.
When you do your own maintenance and repairs and know that some component is a bit dodgy
I guess this makes you ease off again? What about if you'd just repaired the car, or even made a performance enhancing modification? Would you need to go fast to test it out? Any examples?
When concentrating on other matters - worry etc.
Are you less focussed on the driving task when you are thinking about other things? Does this make you slow down? Again, any examples?
Cheers, Simon
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The likelihood of starting a dodgy overtake for me increases with:
-the length of time I anticipate being behind the slower driver
-my knowledge of the road ahead, if I know there'll be no more chances for X miles I'll go now
-just how wilfully slow the driver in front seems - only recently realised lorry speed limit is 40mph on single carriageway A roads, so used to class any lorry doing 40 as
-the number of miles I do in a week, if I have a few days off from driving I'm much more patient
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When I'm on familar roads I tend to speed more than I should, especially the M66 and parts of the M60.
When Im in the company car (Audi A4) I drive faster than in my own and seem to care less about the car knowing it isn't mine, i.e. I take more risks in the company vehicle.
the time of day also makes a difference, for some reason I drive more aggressively at night time?
My mood has plenty to do with it I suppose, nice sunny day, stress free day at work. I'll cruise home being very cuorteous to other motorists. Stressful day, not to happy, drive faster and nobody is being let out etc.
Lee
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Long thread which i haven't read any responses yet but 1 thing sticks out for me here. My driving style changes depending on the safety.
If i am in traffic traveling to and from work i keep plenty of distance in front and behind, easy on the breaks do no1 shunts me and keep speed realistic for the conditions. When i'm around at the weekend and especially driving down country roads there is more scope for fun and bit of exciting acceleration. But to put a boring slant on things, speed only when safe and to maintain the ability to brake given your visible distance.
So ultimately my driving style changes depending on the traffic and road conditions.
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Long thread which i haven't read any responses yet but 1 thing sticks out for me here. My driving style changes depending on the safety. If i am in traffic traveling to and from work i keep plenty of distance in front and behind easy on the breaks do no1 shunts me and keep speed realistic for the conditions. When i'm around at the weekend and especially driving down country roads there is more scope for fun and bit of exciting acceleration. But to put a boring slant on things speed only when safe and to maintain the ability to brake given your visible distance. So ultimately my driving style changes depending on the traffic and road conditions.
Thanks for your response - I hear what you're saying - I sit at 60mph on the motorway / dual carriageway but give me a bit of single carriageway (A-road is okay but B-road is best) where I can 'get in the flow' and I'll turn off the stereo and drive. I just love to immerse myself in the experience. I love finding the limit when safe to do so; just a little twitch from the back - that's nice.
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I agree with what others have said, about it depending on what and with whom I'm driving. Most of the time now, I'm either commuting in traffic or have the kids in the back, so tend to drive very conservatively.
The hardest I've ever driven on the road, for the longest period of time was when returning from the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2003. I was in a Peugeot 306XSi and my mate was in his Celica 190. We observed all speed limits through the towns and villages, but adopted an "anything goes" mentality everywhere else. No kids in tow, no speedo-watching SWMBO's, just a like-minded passenger each.
Despite the speeds being covered, I don't recall ever having a "moment" where I thought I'd lost control or something unplanned happened. Overtakes were well planned, and silliness on corners, of which there was a heck of a lot, was only done when the view through and out the other side was clear. I was, as some others have mentioned, in the flow. There was no stereo on, and no chat with the passenger. Just lots of concentration, and a deep enjoyment of one of the best handling FWD cars ever produced (if not THE best).
When we got to the other end, we both got out with broad grins on our faces, but feeling very, very tired. As the cars sat ticking and pinging to themselves, there was no bravado or "did you see such and such?" Just that great, satisfying glow you get when you've really, really enjoyed yourself. I have never done this again since, or felt this way after getting out of a car.
What helped I think in this case was that both cars and drivers were quite evenly matched in terms of cross country speed, and risk-taking judgements. This avoided the situation where a full on "race" occurred where one driver pushes himself or his car above their comfort zone, and risks having a major accident. Certainly I have been in situations, particularly on group rideouts on the bike, where a significantly more skilful rider disappears off, and you have to verbally tell yourself to stop being a prat and trying to catch him. Group driving / riding can be very dangerous unless you are very disciplined.
Even typing this, I don't recognise this person compared to the diesel / MPV driving sensible dad today, but I would hope in a similar situation today, I wouldn't be too "old" to do the same again. That said, the last time I properly lift off oversteered a car was about 2 yrs ago!
Cheers
DP
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