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Are you a good driver?

How would you rate your general driving skill?

  • Not quite average

  • Average

  • Better than average

  • Much better than average

  • Mario-friggin-Andretti


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Whaler27

Whaler27

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You guys are a hoot. just the right mix of humor and wisdom. Thanks for participating in this.

When I was first learning to drive my dad told me to remember to “turn into a skid”. I committed that direction to memory without really understanding how to apply it.

As a kid I’d bust my CJ loose in the dirt, fishtail around a bit, and act like I knew what I was doing, but I was really just horsing around and experimenting. I didn’t know how to find or feel the limits, or how to properly recover a skid. Then one winter afternoon in 1977 I was driving my dad’s K5 Blazer on four inches of new snow. I was in a rural area, horsing around, and bumping the gas while turning the wheel to break the rear end loose. Then I lost it. The rear end broke sideways and I couldn’t get it back. I just rode a skid at a 45 degree angle off the road, through a patch of dirt and weeds, and into a big maple tree — with my wheels turned all the way into the skid for the whole ride.... I didn’t learn about controlling vehicle weighting, moderating control input, or ensuring that the wheels continue to rotate until years later.

I wish they offered real driver training in high school... I never had another crash after that first tree, but it wasn’t because of great driving skill. I screwed around a bit less and, mostly, I think God must have been riding on my shoulders.
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InsulinMan

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I'm a great driver. All the near-accidents others have caused that I've evaded and nobody has seen. I just wish I could watch a compilation video of my great driving. I also have a full-blown racing simulator setup on PC and I've always driven hard, well except when I'm driving my Jeep. I'd say anyone that is alert at all times is an above-average driver these days.
 

DrPerez007

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Are you a good driver?

Personally, I don’t consider myself a good or bad driver. But I certainly am a very aware driver. Though from my experience, I have to laugh at people’s perceptions of their driving abilities. First, that experience. Well over one million accident-free and citation-free miles on the road. I have driven everything from school buses to trucks to ambulances to law enforcement vehicles. For the last 35+ years, I have attended EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course) every other year and have attended a number of multi-day vehicle operation courses. Admittedly, I have not taken a Bob Bondurant or any other racing course, as I much prefer courses that emphasize daily driving road challenges, not race track conditions (although there are lots of tips I’m sure could be learned in such a course).

Before I even jump in the driver’s seat, my college-day school bus driver experience kicks in and I inspect my vehicle to ensure everything is where it is supposed to be, every light, turn signal, and horn works, and nothing else is out of the ordinary. Heck, I even check the license plate light. Any vehicle covered in snow or ice is cleared off entirely before it moves. I consider the vehicle limitations of whatever vehicle I am driving, whether it’s my Charger or my Ranger or one of my Jeeps; I drive them with the same principles, but understand the difference in dynamics. It goes without saying, of course, that road conditions are always taken into consideration and constantly re-evaluated as they change. And as odd as this sounds, I take driving very seriously, but enjoy the absolute joy of driving my Jeeps with the wind blowing thru the cabin and sun freely shining on me. My off-road experience is somewhat limited to some trails, fields, and the AZ desert, and I claim no knowledge of running the Rubicon or Moab trails.

From my experience, I would say 5% of drivers have absolutely no business on the road. They should probably have never been issued a drivers license and will be problematic drivers their entire lives. Accidents, citations, injuries; they will account for some disproportionate percentage of all of these. Another 25% of drivers fall between below-average to poor. No situational awareness, no clue to the dynamics of driving, and generally lack common sense behind the wheel. They will be involved in, or be responsible for causing, more than one traffic crash and will also have some number of citations on their records. Some smaller share of this group will have had their drivers license suspended or revoked at least once in their lifetime. This bunch likely includes the overly-aggressive constant lane-changing drivers to the totally unaware, cell phone texting and talking teenagers, among others, and may also include, by default, some very inattentive senior citizens. About 40% of all drivers are average. They will have a couple of traffic crashes and a couple of citations on their records before their driving career is over. Perhaps 20% of drivers would I probably consider above-average. They are cautious, mindful, and understand the importance of driving. They generally will be what states and insurance companies consider “safe drivers.” Likely below average number of crashes and citations, and not too many other drivers will be flipping them off. And the final 10% are your exceptional drivers. Driving is a 100% business to them and they are focused every minute behind the wheel. They observe, calculate, analyze, and anticipate events. They “see” everything. They don’t create problems; but rather avoid putting themselves in situations that lead to crashes, citations, and careless driving and they do not take unnecessary risks. They subscribe to the Greyhound school of driving philosophy, “If you are not there, you can’t have a crash.”

The number one cause of traffic crashes today is distracted driving and over 90% of all traffic crashes can be attributed to driver error. The word “accident” isn’t used because accidents are events that happen by chance or that are without apparent or deliberate cause. Most traffic crashes are avoidable, albeit better driver training and more experience behind the wheel would help reduce these crash statistics. In that regard, Graduated Driver Licensing programs are a good example of the progress being made in improving road safety and reducing traffic crashes and injuries, and particularly helping younger drivers safely obtain experience over a period of time.

Are your friends or relatives afraid to ride with you? Have they made negative comments about your driving? Do they prefer to drive? People will have to revisit these questions and their own driving experience, including crashes and citations, and make candid assessments of where they really fit in the bigger scheme of driving skills. I would like to think as Jeepers we are better drivers and more conscious of the road for a variety of reasons. Don't know how much validity there is to that statement, however.

Be safe, stay healthy, drive as if your life depends on it...
 
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Whaler27

Whaler27

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Are you a good driver?

Personally, I don’t consider myself a good or bad driver. But I certainly am a very aware driver. Though from my experience, I have to laugh at people’s perceptions of their driving abilities. First, that experience. Well over one million accident-free and citation-free miles on the road. I have driven everything from school buses to trucks to ambulances to law enforcement vehicles. For the last 35+ years, I have attended EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course) every other year and have attended a number of multi-day vehicle operation courses. Admittedly, I have not taken a Bob Bondurant or any other racing course, as I much prefer courses that emphasize daily driving road challenges, not race track conditions (although there are lots of tips I’m sure could be learned in such a course).

Before I even jump in the driver’s seat, my college-day school bus driver experience kicks in and I inspect my vehicle to ensure everything is where it is supposed to be, every light, turn signal, and horn works, and nothing else is out of the ordinary. Heck, I even check the license plate light. Any vehicle covered in snow or ice is cleared off entirely before it moves. I consider the vehicle limitations of whatever vehicle I am driving, whether it’s my Charger or my Ranger or one of my Jeeps; I drive them with the same principles, but understand the difference in dynamics. It goes without saying, of course, that road conditions are always taken into consideration and constantly re-evaluated as they change. And as odd as this sounds, I take driving very seriously, but enjoy the absolute joy of driving my Jeeps with the wind blowing thru the cabin and sun freely shining on me. My off-road experience is somewhat limited to some trails, fields, and the AZ desert, and I claim no knowledge of running the Rubicon or Moab trails.

From my experience, I would say 5% of drivers have absolutely no business on the road. They should probably have never been issued a drivers license and will be problematic drivers their entire lives. Accidents, citations, injuries; they will account for some disproportionate percentage of all of these. Another 25% of drivers fall between below-average to poor. No situational awareness, no clue to the dynamics of driving, and generally lack common sense behind the wheel. They will be involved in, or be responsible for causing, more than one traffic crash and will also have some number of citations on their records. Some smaller share of this group will have had their drivers license suspended or revoked at least once in their lifetime. This bunch likely includes the overly-aggressive constant lane-changing drivers to the totally unaware, cell phone texting and talking teenagers, among others, and may also include, by default, some very inattentive senior citizens. About 40% of all drivers are average. They will have a couple of traffic crashes and a couple of citations on their records before their driving career is over. Perhaps 20% of drivers would I probably consider above-average. They are cautious, mindful, and understand the importance of driving. They generally will be what states and insurance companies consider “safe drivers.” Likely below average number of crashes and citations, and not too many other drivers will be flipping them off. And the final 10% are your exceptional drivers. Driving is a 100% business to them and they are focused every minute behind the wheel. They observe, calculate, analyze, and anticipate events. They “see” everything. They don’t create problems; but rather avoid putting themselves in situations that lead to crashes, citations, and careless driving and they do not take unnecessary risks. They subscribe to the Greyhound school of driving philosophy, “If you are not there, you can’t have a crash.”

The number one cause of traffic crashes today is distracted driving and over 90% of all traffic crashes can be attributed to driver error. The word “accident” isn’t used because accidents are events that happen by chance or that are without apparent or deliberate cause. Most traffic crashes are avoidable, albeit better driver training and more experience behind the wheel would help reduce these crash statistics. In that regard, Graduated Driver Licensing programs are a good example of the progress being made in improving road safety and reducing traffic crashes and injuries, and particularly helping younger drivers safely obtain experience over a period of time.

Are your friends or relatives afraid to ride with you? Have they made negative comments about your driving? Do they prefer to drive? People will have to revisit these questions and their own driving experience, including crashes and citations, and make candid assessments of where they really fit in the bigger scheme of driving skills. I would like to think as Jeepers we are better drivers and more conscious of the road for a variety of reasons. Don't know how much validity there is to that statement, however.

Be safe, stay healthy, drive as if your life depends on it...
Like you, most of my useful driver training has been EVOC.

I’m old now too, so I’m more cautious and probably more easily frightened than I used to be when I was a bullet-proof kid.

I still love speed and horsepower, but I don’t need either in a Jeep or a tractor.

I’d love to do a Bob Bondurant type driving school, though I’m probably in the old-dog-new-tricks category.
 

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Am I a good driver...hmm.

Well, what's a good driver?..... Someone with gifted hand eye foot skills who can win a race on a closed track, or a safe good driver, or even an adequate driver who knows that they are not more than an adequate driver and therefore drives with speed and cushion from others that compensates for their mere adequacy.

I've seen really good drivers who take more changes than their abilities should allow, get into accidents, and by definition become "not so good drivers."
 

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  • Of course I ranked myself above average!! Ha!
 

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I put above average due to yearly evoc training. The training is with SUV's, so somewhat similar though the wrangler 392 has more horses, torque, sits higher and has worse tires for high horsepower lol.
Have you seen the Michigan State Police testing of the 400 HP Ford Explorer? It’s the fastest vehicle they tested... Faster to 60 and 100 than the Hemi-powered Charger and, most surprisingly, it was much better in the corners.

If not for the small fuel tank, persistent quality control and durability problems, and risk to young cops, it would be a great police patrol vehicle for rural departments.
 

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Have you seen the Michigan State Police testing of the 400 HP Ford Explorer? It’s the fastest vehicle they tested... Faster to 60 and 100 than the Hemi-powered Charger and, most surprisingly, it was much better in the corners.

If not for the small fuel tank, persistent quality control and durability problems, and risk to young cops, it would be a great police patrol vehicle for rural departments.
Well I drive the Charger and we have the 400 HP Explorers. They are quite the vehicle though the brakes are twitchier than the previous Explorer and the Charger. Durability and Quality have always been less on a police vehicle and sometimes it is hard to say whether that is production or the way they are driven day in and day out. The crown vic was not good in many things other than it was a tank and big enough.
 

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If not for the small fuel tank, persistent quality control and durability problems, and risk to young cops, it would be a great police patrol vehicle for rural departments.
Risk to young policemen?
 

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Dunning-Kruger is strong with this one...
 
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Whaler27

Whaler27

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Risk to young policemen?
Yes. There’s a prevailing management belief that the risk-benefit analysis of having young cops in 400 hp vehicles isn’t good, because they‘re more likely to use all of that horsepower, and cops don’t tend to survive 150 mph crashes.
 

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Yes. There’s a prevailing management belief that the risk-benefit analysis of having young cops in 400 hp vehicles isn’t good, because they‘re more likely to use all of that horsepower, and cops don’t tend to survive 150 mph crashes.
OK. I had guessed, correctly, that this was your intended meaning. Framing it as "management belief" and "risk-benefit analysis" makes perfect sense.

I wonder how many veteran LEOs still miss the Crown Vics.
 

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OK. I had guessed, correctly, that this was your intended meaning. Framing it as "management belief" and "risk-benefit analysis" makes perfect sense.

I wonder how many veteran LEOs still miss the Crown Vics.
FYI Crown vic's are still in service in many major metropolitan police depts. Last built in 2011. Best POS ever made... End of an era. :crying:
 

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Nope on the Crown Vic. It was a very old platform and motor when it was finally let go of. I'll take the Explorer, Durango (though never in one) and Tahoe any day over it. It did last forever because it was a very good platform for many years. Best POS ever is very aptly put.
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