Easy Techniques That Will Make you a Better Driver
There’s an old saying about how “a good carpenter doesn’t blame his tools,” and the same can be said of drivers—just because you own something eye-catching doesn’t mean that you can pilot it well. You don’t have to spend much time on public roads to realize many of your fellow drivers aren’t doing much to improve car travel’s poor safety record, but a few tips from the guys at Car Throttle might help you be a part of the solution, not the problem.
In their video “10 Techniques That Will Make You A Better Driver” the lads cover ten reasonable, but often overlooked practices that can make all the difference when you hit the road. Some of them are just useful to make sure you’re not inviting an accident, while others are more performance oriented. Check it out:
Drivers Ed all Over Again?
The video begins with some of the more mundane things that, while we probably all know we should do, are easily forgotten in the lull of everyday commuting. Keep your eyes up and pay attention to traffic in front of you in case other drivers slam on the brakes, look ahead in corners, and accelerate up to the speed of traffic when merging on to the freeway. You don’t have to be Mario Andretti to do these things, but they’re easy to forget.
Other good-to-know skills the CT gang brings up are things like practicing the use of reverse—a good tip for those who live in the city and appreciate their lovely, intact bumpers. Parallel parking falls into the same category. Rather than be caught out, why not study up on the proper technique and spend a few hours to avoid a potential accident?
For the Lead Feet in the Crowd
Perhaps beyond the interest of most drivers is CT’s suggestion that folks drive a manual transmission and learn to heal-and-toe downshift. It’s hard to say whether a video or blog post can effectively inspire the slush box-loyal masses to row their own gears, particularly with stick-shift cars becoming increasingly rare in the states. If you’re a good student though, and you do drive a manual, there are few things more rewarding than a well-executed heal-toe.
Similarly, learning to control a slide isn’t something every reader is going to commit to, but if you can master this technique it will probably increase your chances of avoiding an accident, particularly in bad weather.
The Final Word
Of course, the last item on the list is patience, and it’s probably the best one. If we could all just keep calm and drive reasonably, we might not even need to do half of the other things CT shares in this video. Even when exiting a Mustang meetup.
Chime in with your thoughts on the forum!
