As a follow on to the thread about defensive driving, we all know there is a fine line between progressive and aggresive driving.
What do you do you do to practice progressive driving and where is the line drawn before it becomes aggresive?
I always try and keep moving when entering a roundabout by observing the traffic joining at the entry before mine and altering my speed to avoid stopping, however if that entails bullying my way up the outside lane of the slip road and narrowly missing the traffic on the nearside, then it becomes aggresive.
Pat
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If I think it would look aggressive to a magistrate (better than the man on the Clapham omnibus) then it's aggressive.
Most magistrates probably aren't speedy drivers....
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Progressive... adjusting your speed gently to slot into a gap between two cars on a roundabout.
Agressive... accelerating hard in 2nd to slide through a gap between two cars causing one or both to potentially brake
Mimsing... The act of converting a progressive driver into an agressive one through taking 45mph gentle bends at less than 25mph because you don't have a clue then dawdling along at 35 in a 60 limit because you can see cars coming in the opposite direction on a long straight.
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This is quite difficult to put into words but some might know what I mean. I try to drive in such a way that others would maybe not remember having seen me. What I mean is to try not to cause anyone else to have to alter course or speed while making as efficient progress as possible. Does that make sense?
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Agree entirely.
Put another way, if someone causes me to brake, I regard their driving as poor.
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I know exactly what you mean.
Being self employed my car is like an advertising hoarding and carries my home phone number. When I was getting it done they asked if I wanted my mobile number on the car. Er no, hopefully I wont P anyone off but the last thing I want is to give someone a direct number to the driver.
I like to go about my business quietly and effectively, cant remember the last time someone flashed their lights or visibily swore at me.
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"Mimsing... The act of converting a progressive driver into an agressive one"
Got trapped behind one of these yesterday and man did I get angry. He actually slowed down approaching a green light in the fast lane of a very, very fast dual carriageway - timing it so that he was at a stand still before the lights had gone amber.
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When doing bike training, I was told that it was all about riding such that one didn't cause any alarm or cause other road users to have to have to react defensively or take avoiding action such as swerving or braking. I try to drive like that as well.
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BBD, you got off lightly. Here, having forced you to stop, they then roar off, leaving you stranded on amber. That is a real blood-boiler. Had just that happen to me only a couple of days ago, on a clear-visibility inetersection.
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KG, I'd hardly say that was a Mimser, an idiot , perhaps?!
Edited by Webmaster on 08/12/2008 at 00:39
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Agressive... Overtaking on a short section 100 yard of dual carriageway, without seeing that there was a 40' arctic coming around the roundabout ahead, so needing to slam on your brakes. Then realising you are in the wrong (right turn only) lane as the car you have overtaken has now arrived at the roundabout, so go screaming off the line, kerbing the offside rear wheel on the roundabout and fishtailing off down the road.
Progressive... Catching up with them again 10 miles further down the road at the traffic jam that is there every morning.
That was Friday's drive to work.
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....was a 40' arctic coming...
Cripes, knew it had been cold, but arctic conditions?
Think the OP could have articulated his point a little better. :)
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Progressive driving is all about not making ripples and blending in with the movements of those around you while still aiming to get to your destination at the optimum pace possible. I also think it involves cooperation so if you can let someone through just by slowing down so neither of you have to stop then that is into progressive driving territory.
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Very good working definition of progressive (as opposed to aggressive) driving, from Oscar Wilde: "The type of driving which would neither startle the horses nor upset your sister".
Or maybe it was Groucho Marx...
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