Learn to drive...

[Colin_T]

Funny thing about those big yellow buses, their crumple zone is your vehicle.

LOL love it

People can't see a giant yellow bus because they are stupid and don't look where they are going.

I drove a white van and people would pull out into that. You stop and get out, walk over to them and ask if they are ok. They say "Yes, I'm ok".
I then respond with "How the fuplie can you not see a big white van in front of you?"

Some people really shouldn't be allowed on the road and they should be sterilised to stop them passing on their dumb genes.

 

[OliveFish05]

I’m going to start driving this year, after I turn 16. Hope nothing this crazy happens to me...

I get my permit this June. I will hopefully get my license a year later (as long as I do well of course) I am so nervous, and reading this thread just made it worse.

Every time you get behind the wheel, have some respect for the machinery you’re operating. The lives of everyone around you depend on it.

My dad always tells me that when I start driving to "drive defensively', and not to expect others to follow all the rules of the road. My older brother was in a wreck because a car pulled out in front of him without warning, and not leaving enough room for him to stop. Everyone was alright thankfully.

First rule of driving, be patient, don't rush and just be careful.

Second rule, expect everyone else to be a complete and utter fupliehead. That way when someone does the right thing, you will be pleasantly surprised. But when everyone else is being a fupliehead, you won't be surprised.

Give yourself plenty of space between you and the car in front of you. Most countries say you should be 2 or 3 or 4 car lengths behind at x speed. Double that and give yourself space and time to react. Morons will cut in front of you and squeeze into the gap, that is fine, just let them be idiots. But have plenty of space in front of you so you can sit back and watch what happens up the road. If it's raining, snowing, night time, or just bad weather conditions or a bad road, slow down and leave more space between you and the vehicle in front of you. Normally you double the distance when conditions are bad.
Drive to the conditions, not the maximum allowable speed.

Don't just watch the car in front of you. Monitor what is happening behind you, next to you and in front of you, including several miles up the road. Look for pedestrians on the side of the road, cars coming out of driveways, trucks that have slowed down or stopped 10 or 20 cars up in front of you. Watch the traffic lights up ahead. If you see someone a few cars up apply their brakes, you can slow down and be ready to stop if necessary and there will be less chance of you running into the back of someone.

Don't get egged on by mates saying do it, do it, do it. If someone in the car is being an idiot, tell them to shut up or get out. Don't do stupid things to impress your mates or other road users. Just be a careful driver and leave the burnouts for the race track or PlayStation.

If you have a dark coloured car, have your headlights on during the day and night so the vehicle is easier to see on the black roads. Use your headlights when it's raining or overcast too. A good rule to follow is if the street lights are on, your headlights are on. Don't forget to turn the lights off when you park otherwise you get a flat battery.

Do an advanced driving course and learn what not to do when it's wet and you are going around a corner. Drive to survive and be safe. Have lots of space around you and be aware of everything that is going on around you. Expect people to be idiots and do the wrong thing, and you should be fine.

Sounds like some good advice!

Don't forget to turn the lights off when you park otherwise you get a flat battery.

My mom reminds my siblings and I to turn off the lights every time we get out of the car, at this point it feels like there is no way I could forget (although I likely will at some point)

On Friday morning, I was stopped at a red light. Above fifty feet behind me and to my right were a couple police cruisers that had pulled over another vehicle.

As I was scanning the current traffic conditions, and paying attention to the road and traffic lights ahead of me, I was rather violently rear-ended by a big work van.

official diagnosis was some muscle strain to the neck, and a mild concussion. So for that, I’m counting myself lucky. it could’ve been so much worse.

Oh no! Glad it wasn't worse and that you are alright! My mom was rear ended by someone going full speed, they didn't see the red light or my mothers car. She got a concussion and had to do 7 months of therapy, and still has some of the effects from the damage it did (nothing serious anymore, it actually helped them diagnose other health issues (again, nothing too serious))

It would be kind of hard to carry that brand new 110g fish tank to my house, on a motorcycle.

Ha! I had trouble even fitting my 55 in my dad's car!

 

[Krib32]

I have had numerous encounters of people pulling out in front of me while riding my bike. I don't really blame them though as I ride faster than your average rider and kind of zip up on them faster than expected. I also noticed people stop more at cross walks when I ware my gopro. There are not many car crashes involving other cars in my town just lots cars hitting moose which usually always ends up totalling their car.

 

[OliveFish05]

I have had numerous encounters of people pulling out in front of me while riding my bike. I don't really blame them though as I ride faster than your average rider and kind of zip up on them faster than expected. I also noticed people stop more at cross walks when I ware my gopro. There are not many car crashes involving other cars in my town just lots cars hitting moose which usually always ends up totalling their car.

Oh my! Hitting a moose must be awful... we hit a small deer when I was like 7, and I thought it was bad, I can’t imagine hitting something as large a moose.?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I get my permit this June, 6 months before I turn 16. I will hopefully get my license a year later (as long as I do well of course) I am so nervous, and reading this thread just made it worse.

My dad always tells me that when I start driving to "drive defensively', and not to expect others to follow all the rules of the road. My older brother was in a wreck because a car pulled out in front of him without warning, and not leaving enough room for him to stop. Everyone was alright thankfully.

Sounds like some good advice!

My mom reminds my siblings and I to turn off the lights every time we get out of the car, at this point it feels like there is no way I could forget (although I likely will at some point)


Oh no! Glad it wasn't worse and that you are alright! My mom was rear ended by someone going full speed, they didn't see the red light or my mothers car. She got a concussion and had to do 7 months of therapy, and still has some of the effects from the damage it did (nothing serious anymore, it actually helped them diagnose other health issues (again, nothing too serious))

Ha! I had trouble even fitting my 55 in my dad's car!

I get my permit in June as well - I can’t wait!

 

[OliveFish05]

I get my permit in June as well - I can’t wait!

Wow! That's so funny we will both be getting them in June! I am excited, but sooooooo nervous

 

[Colin_T]

My dad always tells me that when I start driving to "drive defensively', and not to expect others to follow all the rules of the road.

You Dad is a smart man.

 

[OliveFish05]

You Dad is a smart man.

He definitely is

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Wow! That's so funny we will both be getting them in June! I am excited, but sooooooo nervous

Oh yes. I’m very excited but also nervous.

I was able to fly a plane with the CAP (because I am a member) for about an hour today. Don’t see how I can fly a plane but not drive a car?

 

[Krib32]

Oh my! Hitting a moose must be awful... we hit a small deer when I was like 7, and I thought it was bad, I can’t imagine hitting something as large a moose.?

One day this winter there was 4 moose hit in town. There is a roadkill list and the police call people on the list and give them the moose so nothing is wasted, my family was one of the lucky few to get a moose that day.
We had quite a bit of people looking at us chopping a moose up on the bike path at 1AM.

 

[Colin_T]

Don’t see how I can fly a plane but not drive a car?

The plane is in the air with very little traffic around it. Vs the car on a road with lots of idiots all over the place and most aren't focusing on what they are doing.

 

[OliveFish05]

I was able to fly a plane with the CAP (because I am a member) for about an hour today. Don’t see how I can fly a plane but not drive a car?

That is AWESOME. I would be terrified?

One day this winter there was 4 moose hit in town. There is a roadkill list and the police call people on the list and give them the moose so nothing is wasted, my family was one of the lucky few to get a moose that day.
We had quite a bit of people looking at us chopping a moose up on the bike path at 1AM.

That is so nice they don't let them go to waste!