Safe Driving

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 61 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #539 in Autos, #42,747 overall

You can drive fast and safe. I'll show you how.

Americans do care about their cars a lot. Americans (on average) do not care about driving their cars. For me this sounds like buying a best TV on the market and not watching it.

At the same time, Americans are obsessed with safety. And they don't want to lift a finger to behave safely. They want technology to make things safe for them. So, they buy Volvo and other nice cars packed with safety features. And then they eat, read, talk on the cell, peek in their coach handbags, watch dvd, do makeup in their cars - all while driving.

If you came to understanding that your safety depends on you, not on your car safety features, but you don't know how to approach this task, I can help.

Defensive Driving 

Defensive driving is not a rocket science. Basically, it is all about minimizing the odds of accident happening. As with many other things in life there is a science part and an art part to this. Things like checking tire pressure definitely go to the science part and can be taught and reproduced easily in no time. On the other hand anticipating other drivers' moves cannot be digitized, and depends heavily on your experience. Still, this is a skill that one can acquire. It just takes some time and dedication, and the time is in the order of years rather than weeks or months.

More on Defensive Driving on Fun and Safe Driving

Defensive Driving Videos 

While driving, do you sit properly?

Most people don't. Check if you do.

Runtime: 4:43
7381 views
7 Comments:

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Speed kills? 

Popular belief seems to be just that - Speed kills! With the meaning - higher than speed limit speed kills. And the popular remedy to road dangers is - Slow down stupid! However, most experts in the field and almost anybody who takes time to seriously think about the issue come to the conclusion that speed per se is not the cause of deadly accidents, i.e. speed does not kill.

How this could be possible? And who is right? Since I did some serious thinking about driving, I came to the conclusion that speed does not kill. Now you are going to prove me wrong with all the examples of horrible high-speed crashes, right? But wait, I can tell you that yes, speed sort of does kill, too.

More on Speed kills? on Fun and Safe Driving.

Gas Saving Tips - and Myths 

With gas prices soaring all over the US, this topic becomes hot in America, too. Finally Americans joined the rest of the world in a desire to save some gas. Here is the most comprehensive list of gas saving tips I was able to come up with. I used my 35 plus years of driving experience and car engine designer knowledge, I expanded the list with Internet info, and then I provided every tip with an explanation of why and how it works or does not work. Yes, there are some false tips circulating around that do not work at all. Some tips work to some extent or under certain conditions. That's why I categorized the list into no-brainers, grey area, and urban myths.

More on Gas Saver Tips on Fun and Safe Driving

Sweet Revenge 

When I was younger, I often got very angry of other drivers, that did not do good to me (or I perceived so). Sometimes, a person cutting in front of me would make me almost lose my mind. Or some oldie sitting in the left lane below speed limit would drive me nuts.

Since I was driving good cars and bikes I was almost always able to take my turn and try and offend the other driver. If he cut in front of me, I would cut in front of him and brake, If he did not let me pass, I would position myself in front of him and gradually slow down way below his original speed. This let me feel much better about initial incident - I paid them off at the end, didn't I?

More on Sweet Revenge on Fun and Safe Driving

Safe speed 

Well, there is no such thing as absolutely safe speed. Nope. None. Nada. Even if your speed is zero, you can still be stricken by meteorite, or a mine can burst under your car, or earthquake can strike, or tsunami can come - pick your choice, or add your own one, the result is the same, regardless. There is no such thing as a safe life for that matter - life's death rate is 100%! With this in mind, we can try to be more realistic with safe speed definition.

More on Safe speed on Fun and Safe Driving

Is it moral to try to get out of a speed ticket? 

Many people rightfully think it is not. And I do understand why, and I generally do agree to the point of view that people should accept the consequences of their deeds (or misdeeds, for that matter). If we had God given laws, I would absolutely agree with this in the case of traffic tickets, too.

Problem is, our laws are written by people, and people are not perfect and have their own agenda. Worth, different countries have different laws, and what is considered unlawful in one of them, could be perfectly OK in another. This makes me thinking that law is not an absolute moral category, and trying to beat speeding ticket is a right thing to do.

More on Is it moral to try to get out of a speed ticket? on Fun and Safe Driving.

Sign my guestbook 

Lensmaster

ChineseKitesforKids wrote...

I feel dc64's pain. We live in SoCal "Land of Traffic" Man, how I long to hit an open road in the country somewhere with the your favorite music blaring. Now that's the American Dream!

ReplyPosted May 03, 2009

Lensmaster

saritajain86 wrote...

Good advice for all new drivers. You have done a good job here.

ReplyPosted March 23, 2009

Lensmaster

steimannbernard wrote...

thanks for sharing some information about driving..
good job..

ReplyPosted January 14, 2009

Lensmaster

rydigga wrote...

This lens should be required reading for all new drivers here in New Jersey. I love to drive so it doesn't get to me at all, I just sit back and cruise. Thanks for the great lens.

ReplyPosted January 04, 2009

Lensmaster

JAV010 wrote...

Thanks for this information about safe driving 5 stars :P

ReplyPosted October 29, 2008

 
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Here are some links to my other publications 

Google and Mapquest Driving Directions
Quick review of most popular driving directions services
Defensive Driving on Hubpages
My article on defensive driving on Hubpages
Five Fuel Saving Tips
A few gas saving tips with link to a comprehensive list
Moscow and Suburbs Driving Directions
Driving Directions service for Moscow Russia.