Ironically, drifting in the snow in an empty parking lot helps you a lot. You get the feel for the car, how it feels like when the car slips, when the car goes sideways, how you can control it.
Like, lots of ppl who drift in not so private places are deemed dangerous, but most of them are better drivers, because they know how the car feels and reacts when out of control
Agreed, I accidentally drifted my 86 out of the dealership parking lot lol. I didn't know the car likes to pull of in 1st gear. Now I just drift around turns for fun.
Well most of this is just driving safely. My driving instructor said: "A good driver is a confident driver. Not like reckless or dangerous but also not constantly on his brakes. He avoids sudden stops and approaches points of potential danger with caution." The point about knowing your car we can agree on. for example my motorcycle has no ABS so when I got my license I drove to a nearby parking lot and practiced braking for about half an hour so I got a feel for it. That just helps you when you need to judge certain situations. Well since I'm from Germany I never heard about hand signals before. Maybe its because we need to learn manual in order to get our drivers license and you need both hands for that. Of course we wave to let someone out of a driveway etc but we don't have official signs by my knowledge. Would seem a bit overwhelming for some drivers to steer, sign and shift at the same time. Generally speaking: Drive defensive, look ahead and be nice to others and you will drive better than about 80% of all road users. And remember: you all share the same road.
@@FriedTurkey Actually I prefer my left leg so I can brake with my right. Cant really go into neutral this way but it stops me from rolling since I live in a mountainous region.
I always thought someone should try comming up with a system that lets you easily send messages and signals to another car. Like if modern cars had a text chat built into a display with some preset messages you could send like, "Bad brakes." "Your signal is on."
"Some countries like Australia do have [hand signals] banned because they're really stupid." As an Australian, I can confirm you're right, but also that the only two signals we use are the wave and the finger 🤣
Same over the ditch in NZ. And not sure what cyclist are like over there but I've just about have had 5 close calls because they sit way too far on the road and we have to give them 1-2 meters and even worse on a blind corner on a mountain road if you are a cyclist please stay as left as possible you cause so many near misses to crashes I know people that have crashed because of a cyclist
I wish more people were like you. Tbh I came here to boost my ego (cause I know I’m a solid competent driver) & I hate bad drivers. But you’ve just inspired me to be more considerate, compassionate & understanding towards others, regardless of the fact that I’m a better driver than 99% of the idiots who piss me tf off on the road. You’ve changed my perspective. Sincerely, thank you.
Maybe about once a month at best I don't see someone being aggressively tailgated, not see someone run a red light because they're too good to wait a rotation, or use excessive speed and harass anyone who gets in their way. Heck, we have a huge percent of people on the roads without a license because it has been taken away and they don't care and keep driving the way that got it taken away in the first place. Its great going on a trip because I get to share the road with people who aren't aggressively stupid.
@@lllllllllllll31lll Yes, it's human nature for negativity to stick. If something is wrong, it's easy to notice - When everything is fine, most people do not appreciate such peace and ignore it.
i love simracing and it saved my life! i was going 120kph in older car. no airbags, no abs. it was raining. horizon came up and right behind that was a firetruck parked on the road. when I braked i locked up my front wheels. instincts kicked in and i released the brakes and used the opposite lane to pass it. no panic, i knew what to do all because i did it the exact thing so many times in the virtual world. driving schools should have a simulator to make people panic and teach em imo
People say simracing don’t work but hell it does. My f-ing reflexes, awareness and sense for limit really improved with it. It ain't exactly the same of course but it teaches good concepts
76mph, man dem rookie numbers lol... about the average speed (wet or dry) for motorway (highway) driving in the UK for most people... Personally I tend to stick between 58-62mph, my car sips fuel at that speed...
@@angelgjr1999 Park in reverse, problem solved. It's easier to do, allows for better maneuvering and sets you up for an easier start facing the road rather than having to back up first.
This half way true, I can turn in parking spots first try all the time, but I still didn’t know my fwd car can slide on water when going 15mph on a turn
The best piece of advice I got for defensive driving came from my dad. He told me when you are on the road, don't think that you're driving only your car, think as if you are driving every car around you. It helps you anticipate what other drivers may do so you can react accordingly.
It’s funny seeing this comment and how it’s stuck with yu and I also find it wholesome that it came from your pops. This is something I always say to people anytime the topic of driving comes up. It wasn’t advice anyone gave me but it just came from me always driving around in many different places that taught me this and it continues to save me every time that I get behind the wheel. Always be vigilant and ready to maneuver for what the people in front, beside, and behind yu are doing!
Better advice would be to treat every other driver on the road around you as being unable to see you. That snaps your attention to the finer details of what they may or may not do in a pinch since it erases a lot of your complacency, and changes a lot of would-be surprises to things you're ready for. Pretending you're driving the cars around you helps with prediction, but it can leave you dumbfounded for that fraction of a second you need to respond if another driver suddenly acts recklessly.
@@delcox8165 I have to agree over time I feel like I do pay attention to small things drivers do bcuz you’re right yu can try to predict all yu want but humans are unpredictable so yu have to be ready for the outcome yu can’t account for
Hey Bladed, have you ever thought about making a 'what not to do around semi-trucks' kind of video? I'm a trucker myself and seems like people nowadays don't know how to act around semis. I feel like it would be a good safety video
What specifically do you want to share with us, is there anything not obvious? I know the "if you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you" thing and to not cut too close in front of them, but what else? I would also like to know why some of you guys think it's okay to overtake another semi going such similar speeds that it takes literal miles to overtake. Most semi drivers don't do this but those that do are annoying.
The only pet peeve i have is the instant breaking when someone cuts me off i can live with the rest tbh. Bladed makes me believe there are still good 4-wheelers out there tho 🥲
When my stepfather was teaching me to drive (50 years ago!), he told me that when you see another driver giving a hand signal, the only thing you know for sure is that they have their hand out the window. Thanks for this video though! Whenever the subject of sharing the road comes up in social media, it astonishes me how many people equate "good driving" with "obeying the speed limit" and nothing else!
My part time job is as a driving instructor. I stress 5 things when learning to drive. In order of importance, they are: 1) Drive like no one else can see you. 2) Anticipate everything. Always look further down the road you are traveling and be prepared for that as well as the thing immediately in front of you. 3) Acceleration and Braking should not be felt by the driver or passenger. Smooth pedal operation helps with maintaining vehicle control. 4) Keep a level head. Road rage never helps either you or other drivers on the road. Your job as a driver is to arrive safely, not to be right about that guy driving the Mercedez down the interstate. 5) If you live in an area that sees heavy snow or rain, go out and drive in it and get stuck, and than get yourself home safely. As Bladed said, it is better to be prepared for an emergency driving situation when you are prepared for it, than to be stuck and you don't know what to expect. Great vid Bladed. It restored my faith in humanity when the car community can acknowledge safe driving habits as well as the more fun stuff, like really cool Corvettes 😎
As somebody who normally drives a light vehicle with a decently good engine meaning good acceleration and breaking ability suddenly switching to a fully loaded van was rather shocking at times and early on I several times almost rear-ended somebody because I underestimated my distance needed to come to a full stop. Learning your normal vehicle shouldn't be hard. Suddenly driving a new one is where it becomes tricky and the only thing to do is to drive really defensively.
I drove a smaller van before I had my golf, I drive pretty straight forward and sometimes a bit too agressive if I have to admit and got to drive my fathers old X5 and that thing almost didnt have brakes compared to my van that took some getting used to lol
Yea, when i was learning i was hesitant to use my aunt’s SUV, let alone the dually, lifted pickup Still hate driving it, but it’s not as bad as i thought
@@randgrithr7387 my dad was a traktorist in the eighties (we're east german so tractor means big red russian beast, that you wouldn't drive without the trailer because you're 100% sure that the brakes on the trailer are working, not so much about the tractor) still drives every car like he's pulling two trailers behind him and he always pulls the handbrake as far as it will go thinking it won't work otherwise.
On point number 1, I usually take my car out to a large EMPTY parking lot on the first major snow fall of the year, and drive a carved out circuit with different speeds, corners and stops. I find it a great refresher after a summer of dry roads. Now, I have my mom doing it too in her car and it's help her winter driving a lot, especially in school areas where people cross the road frequently without warning. Just knowing your car goes a long way. I also have a friend in the car now, that will distract me with a conversations and at their choosing, pull the e.brake or yank the steering wheel and let me try and take back control of my car while keeping in the circuit. It's helped so much with some of the white outs we've had in Toronto, and being able to navigate around other road members and avoid really bad potential accidents. Be safe people, great video as always.
smart, my first experience with driving in snow went relatively well...until I got to a sharp turn, turned in and half way through the front said yea no and steered me towards a lightpost, thankfully my wheels were still slightly turned so when I hit the sidewalk it bounced to the side of the lightpost. i always drive carefully in the snow (I have summer tyre's so....yea...it's required to not crash, and it snows maybe once or twice a year here some years we get an inch or 2 of snow then 3-4 years of nothing) but that was the first time where I was doing maybe 10 and it still almost went wrong. also had a interesting experience with my previous car which had toyo proxie T1R's which are amazing in the dry but sketchy as hell in wet, and it had rained came up to a roundabout turned right, then turned left and then my ass swung by (with a FWD car) causing me to do a 180 degree turn on the 1 lane roundabout without hitting any of the sides...i was impressed and scared shitless as the center is raised so people cannot see my turned around car from the other side, was lucky that it was quiet at the time so I could just take the nearest exit before I was a nasty surprise for someone >.
@@anub1s15Please get winter tyres, or at least all-season tyres. If you live somewhere where you get snow _sometimes_ in winter, you probably also get cold temperatures and a lot more wet weather in winter. Winter tyres have better water handling characteristics (wider, better grooves), and a softer compound that sticks better in the cold (summer tyres get hard in winter, much less grip).
Think you missed some pretty major ones. - Planning ahead. Not leaving your lane changes till the last minute etc. - Paying attention to your surroundings so that there are very little surprises while driving. - Similar to the last point. Look more than one car ahead so that you have extra time to react in an emergency. Especially in traffic.
Your last point is great for interstate travel man so many people get rear ended in interstate jams cause they don’t pay attention to the guy 5 cars ahead slamming on brakes
This ! Looking far ahead is the key. The scariest driver I have ever met was driving while looking at the bumper of the car on front. Every slow-down was basically an emergency brake...
1:55 Here in Germany, most drivers even in small cars move to the right when passing is allowed. It's super courteous and makes passing way easier. Of course I always return the favor back when driving. Some semis even take it a step forward and put on their right turn signal when the road is clear so you pass them.
In the US they like to hug the yellow line and usually road rage if anyone passes them. In the rare situation that I am being passed, I move to the right.
I think it's worth noting that Germany is like the gold standard of driving in Europe, lol. We generally drive well here in the Nordics as well, but definitely not as well as you guys. And the less said about the Italians and the French, the better 😅
When I learned how to drive at 16 I was absolutely terrified of being behind the wheel, but was determined to learn. I was lucky to have a dad who has been a bus driver for over 10 years so he was very strict about the rules of the road. I've had my license for 6 years now and I continue to learn and refine my skills everyday. Once I get comfortable doing something, I pick a new challenge to focus on. I get made fun of when I tell people I still go out of my way to practice driving my dinky little wagon. I test it's limits on all sorts of terrain. I love to see the looks on ppls faces when they watch my little FWD Elantra bumble around their big truck or suv stuck in the snow XD. I think I've improved quite a lot for someone who was too scared to make a left turn at first! I'm unsure how common of a practice this is, but one trick my dad taught me for bad conditions like heavy rain, ice, snow etc was to test the conditions by performing an emergency stop. If possible, if the area is clear with no one around and ample room for if you lose control, from a stop or slow speed, accelerate quickly, and then hammer on the breaks, and see how the car handles. It helps to determine how much grip you have on the road.
better yet, go to an actual track, and try to race a bit in those conditions while also being competitive - competition is the closest we get to the emergency stress, in fact my theory is that's why we are so competitive.
cool and useful steps, but Elantra isn't a toy car or something , it is much powerful than actual small cars like VW Polo(which does good in many conditions despite being a city car)
I wanna add to this list,.. a side point to knowing ur car's ability is knowing the dimensions of it too. The other day I was driving on the highway and there was a semi in front of me on the right lane. As we approach a left turn (it's a highway so the whole thing just moves slightly left) the guy in the semi kept over steering and ended up halfway on my lane. Like dude, look in ur mirrors and notice that u went over the line, then correct ur steering. But nahhhhhh he had to test my concentration xD
Good list. I was a delivery driver for 10 years. You pick up on all the small nuances that make up good driving. Like leaving ample space and not tailgating, or braking earlier and slowing to a stop rather than going 40-0 in the last 100 feet. Or slowing down earlier at red lights so you can coast through when it turns green helps gas mileage.
Braking smoothly is such a big thing. Lots of people ive drive with havent been rear ended ever, amazingly. They always slow down last second, and you get sent forward in your seat all the time. My car has pretty heavy engine braking so i just let it coast to the light and only brake when i need to come to a full stop. Braking so hard like that is unnecessary, and bad for your brakes over time
My father who has been helping me drive (recently gotten my licence) has actually been berating me on slowing down earlier at red lights because I MUST go at the max speed for how long it's possible... ignoring that I had avoided a lot of red lights. I didn't ignore that tho
As for the last one: A couple of years ago, the transmission fluid lines on my first car started leaking on my way home. I lived in a community off of the Trans Canada Highway. Coming from the city, it’s a left-turn across the westbound lane. The speed limit is 90 km/h (55mph). The entrance off of the highway goes into a downward slope. I get into the turning lane and start braking from the speed limit. Westbound traffic forced me to yield, so I had to stop and wait. When I got a chance to go, I tried accelerating, but the car wasn’t going any faster. However, the car had already begun slowly rolling across the oncoming lane. I was rocking back and fourth, as if my weight would have helped move the car faster in the situation, trying to get the car into the downhill slope. I look to the right, and what do I see? A Volvo VNL with a reefer barrelling toward me. My only reaction was “Well, fuck.” The car got to the slope just in time and I rolled it into a nearby lot. My Dad had the car fixed and then it was totalled a year later. It was a 2012 Nissan Versa with a CVT.
@@xarch7208 A funny explicit joke among russians about shitty nissan cars (mostly notorious CVTs) Купил ниссан - ебись с ним сам (Bought a nissan - fuck around with it yourself, rhyme lost in translation)
#7 is 100% true. Happens frequently when, even in free traffic flow, someone merges in front of a car maintaining safe driving distance and staying in that lane. They don't understand they actually cut off that car. It is now forced to have to slow down to create safe driving distance behind that new vehicle.
The problem there usually is that people don't give you enough room to merge properly and there isn't always a way to avoid that. People also have to make sure they give you enough room to go in and they often don't.
You should absolutely do a video about emergency training : brake-locking, weigh transfer, feeling the grip through the steering wheel, etc. Driver's Ed really should teach what to do when losing control instead of assuming that it never happens...
At least in Northern Europe, and other parts that're snowy or mountainous, such training is mandatory. Epoxy mini-track with water sprinklers. Damn good fun, too - at least if you're confident enough driving at that point for it not to freak you out 😂
For me, racing sims like Assetto helped me a lot. Both in case of emergencies (knowing what happens when you brake with maximum pressure) and in case of reaction times and knowing what to do when a car slides off because of lost traction or anything. I know it’s not the cheapest way but definitely the safest and I think health has no price tag.
I'd still recommend trying everything during a driver safety training where they let you try the skid pad. I used to race sim years before I got my drivers license which helped me a lot with confidence. But during the safety training I tried to catch the slide rather than coming to a stop as fast as possible - and failed miserably, because the steering response was not what I was used to from sim racing. I felt like an absolute idiot because all I did was spinning while all teh 'less experienced' drivers managed far better... I'm not saying that a sim isn't a great place to learn performance driving, but on the road different rules apply an what really is safe and the best thing to do. Learning on the sim can teach you some wrong habits which are hard to lose and will catch you when you dont want it.
I have a tremendous advantage over the normal driver. I learn to fly as an early teenager. And as a result have a lot of what if-ing and calmness in emergency procedures ingrained in my thinking. I lost a car on a slippery road a few years ago. I managed to get it back and stopped without rolling or hitting a tree. Also, knowing your vehicle is extremely important.
Training is everything. Here in Europe (at least Northern Europe, not sure about the rest) we're required to go on slip-surface tracks as part of driver's training (it's basically just a mini-track covered in epoxy and with a sprinkler system). So ultimately, everyone should have basic familiarity with handling loss of traction/control. Damned fun, too 😅
Honestly truck drivers, like the big semi ones, deserve so much more respect. Most of them (keyword, most) live their lives alone on the road with nothing but the radio and the path ahead of them. And yet we give them so much shit. They're doing the dirty, long hauls most of us would never even consider. And most of the time they're 10x better than every other normal civilian car on the road, because they have so many miles under their belt. They need more respect
i actually respect them a lot, its those slight indications that they really know what they're doing and despite being in a huge vehicle doesn't endanger anyone,and then there's the other end of the spectrum,soccer moms in their suvs who drive for the sole purpose of pissing people off
One great way to prepare yourself for an emergency is to force the same situation under controllable circumstances. For example, when I had my FC, when it was wet I would always try to induce oversteer at low speeds and see just how much I could control the car and with how little countersteer. I got pretty good at it, so when my Audi started fishtailing on the freeway in the snow, I not only didn't eat the guardrail, I actually kept the car in the same lane, because I knew how to feel the grip and feel where the car was going to go
Not having ABS is another thing that can help one learn how to control a vehicle at the limit. My SA of course doesn't have ABS and you get really good at threshold braking with some practice. Not that you should need to often, but in emergency situations it's a good skill to have. Older cars in general are good for learning handling with since the electronic nannies don't exist.
@@bentracy7463 Absolutely. That FC I mentioned was also critical to teaching me braking. Even today, 2 cars and 2 years later, I still have that instinct. We have an epidemic here in Washington of truckers who don't seem to use their mirrors, so it's been extremely useful
@@bentracy7463 Basically If people can't drive older simpler cars then what's the point of all the tech that's not going to help? And also a bad habit of crazy people is driving fast in city while not paying attention and knowing your car's abilities, see this shit all the time
@@yobrethren For sure. Things like lane assistance and collision avoidance (while beneficial in theory) just means more people on the road that shouldn't be in the first place. If they get in a car without those features, they and the people on the road with them aren't going to have a good day. That's not to say that things like traction control and whatnot are bad. I just don't like the idea of features that allow people to be less aware/attentive while driving, especially when most cars on the road do not have such features.
I fishtail for fun lmao when I get in my FWD car i Ebrake for fun.... when its safe to do so. when oppurtunites arise where I need to use those features Im always able to maintain a cool head.
i love being courteous to other drivers, its the best feeling when someone waves you to go at a stop sign, or slows down so u can make a left turn. especially when ur in a rush. i try to do small things like that :) i like that you mentioned leaving a nice gap in front at the red light, i always try to do that, and if something happens to the car in front of you, or the lane isnt moving, you can easily get out without being sandwiched in by the car behind you
As a driver in Minnesota this is what I tell people is the most important thing to do for winter driving knowing what your vehicle will do in certain situations will save your life and others. As a cyclist you have no idea how much I appreciate the fact that you stuck on that topic for as long as you did. There is no greater skill than you know when your vehicle inside and out thank you again for the fantastic video.
ive been trying study drivers ed stuff since I was 9, I'm 13 now and seriously this stuff justs sounds like common sense but sadly it isnt to some people. since I'm actually taking driving lessons finally this stuff is finaly being put to use and I'm glad that people like you have taught me stuff thats helping me in the long run.
A few years ago I got into the TH-cam dash camera videos of crashes/near misses. I liked them for their entertainment value. I was watching MegaDrivingSchool's channel a lot. After a while I noticed I was actually accurately predicting what would happen in each new clip. At the time, I'd been driving for more than 16 years, and I sincerely believe those videos (which I was watching for fun) sharpened up my situational awareness skills. And now I believe videos like that should be shown in driver's education classes. And to clarify: I'm not referencing videos of fatal accidents. These are sometimes serious, sometimes minor, lots of avoided crashes by headsup drivers, and often informative both in terms of how to drive well, and how not to drive. I wish more people would learn how to drive because it elevates driving from a necessity/chore to a pleasant activity where drivers can feel confident in their ability to protect themselves and enjoy the ride.
The fact that you have the mental maturity to study this stuff at your age tells me you're going to be fine, keep thinking the way you do and you'll be going very far in life
In Europe (For me in Austria) we have 2 perfection-drives where you drive around town with your teacher to see if you are still driving safe, these are done 2 times in 14 Months, with 6 months between the two. We also have a "driving safety training" where you learn everything from braking on dry asphalt, on wet asphalt and on an simulated Icy road, driving around corners, keeping your vehicle on the road and so on. I would say I'm a good driver but i still learnt at the saftey training.
As a motorcyclist I appreciate the mentioning of them. motorcyclists are often more aware of how people drive, even when we get into our cars. For ice driving I went to an empty mall parking lot at night and learned how my car responds to the near zero traction. how to control the uncontrol-able and also helps train the "stead nerves" when you feel a slide (also teaches you to feel those minute slides most don't realize are slides)
1) Turn signals; very true. My rule is activate the turn signal before applying brakes. This alerts anyone behind you before you start braking and good chance they will ease off the accelerator before your braking. I want to merge right or left, signal first, then check all directions (infamous blind spots) then merge. Always in that order. 2) Lane position; very true. My rule is drive just right of lane marking in traffic and move farther to the right when traffic behind you wants to overtake. Let others through. 3) Communication; very true. My rule is the same. 4) Slow traffic; so very true. My rule is the same. I pull a travel trailer and a) I'm never in a hurry. b) I enjoy the open road. 3) Let everyone else through ! 5) Sharing the road; very true and could not say it better than this. Please, consider this rule at roundabouts (traffic circles). 6) Parking; very true and simple enough. My rule is always (99.9%) reverse park. It makes life so simple when you leave. 7) Spacing; very true. My rule for heavy traffic (bumper to bumper) leave as much space as possible and never be in a rush. You wont gain a minute more in the end. 8) Signs; very true. I've found that most people (99.9%) know these signs but understanding the reason for and the why for is another topic. 9) Your car; Oh so very very true ! ! I don't think I've ever seen a video talking about this very aspect. This is one of my biggest rules in driver education and driver training. This young man must be commended. 10) Driver skills; Again so very true ! This video is a breath of fresh air and it nailed the 10 biggest aspects of driving. If anyone can master all 10 points you are well on your way to really enjoying the motoring world.
Not sure how to take this man if it’s a joke or not but times always get better no matter how cheesy it may sound. I’m here to chat anytime you need brotha. You are loved
I bought a 2015 evo this summer and the first day it was icy this year I made sure I understood how it "handled" when losing traction on the ice before I went to work that day. The last thing I wanted was to get in an emergency situation and panic because I wasnt as familiar with this car as I could be. Despite living in canada and having 6+ months of winter lots of people are still terrified when it is icy and while I am still a newer driver I am far more prepared than most in tricky situations because I put myself in these situation. Good video and omg people not parking in between lines is absolutely absurd. I understand in the winter when a layer of ice covers the lines but in the summer no excuse.
I strongly appreciate #5, as I'm someone who rides my bike to work. I can't wait to get my full license! Thank you for spreading this word for cyclists. People don't hear about how you should treat two-wheelers often enough.
I panicked in my first car and overcorrected the turning angle which put me in a ditch. I've learned since then that not immediately panicking will definitely help out a lot.
Very true if you ever want advice tho you can ask me I drive a lot and even could keep up with a professional rally racer down a mountain I spend a lot of time in my car learning every once of handling and breaking SHES capable of I may have a 4000 pound land yatch but I can keep up with sti’s and ford fiestas(tuned one not fully stock) down mountains
@ethanmccoy1680 Thanks for that. Yeah, it'll have been 5 years to the day this Halloween that I had that accident. I'll always credit that charger for being built like a tank and keeping me from getting hurt. Since them I've definitely become a better driver, nowhere close to racing levels, but around mild roads and turns my RT & company can hold against smaller cars.
@@GlobalShockz oh yeah it’s all about knowing your car I’ve kept up with a professional rally racer down a mountain in my Lexus ls430 but I’ve made my fair share of mistakes too I think I had a caliper lock up on me on the highway when I was changing lanes and spun me out sad asf I couldn’t catch it but same as yours she was a tank and kept me safe
depends on the situation, factors, vehicle, and how you handle your vehicle, but yes i agree, using the hand brake should only be attempted in an emergency involving normal brake failure
@@crystalbepis the E-Brake and Hand-Brake are the same thing, interchangeable names. E-Brake can save you at times but you need to know much more advanced driving techniques before you attempt to try it for it to actually be useful. Most of the time any normal NPC driver isn't going to find a scenario where they're using it unless it's involves a lot of slowing down and a hairpin style turn.
I've gotten lines of 20+ cars behind me all because I was doing 30 in a 30 (residential zone, too. right by a school and in a speed trap area) Also about turning signals, I like to signal before I start to slow down. Give them a chance to see the signal and be prepared to slow down.
Knowing your car is why I generally trust people who drive sports cars over people who drive SUVs, trucks and vans. Those kinds of people sure, are more likely to do more crazy stuff on the street but it means over time they gain more skill in controlling the uncontrollable. "Controlled chaos" is what I sometimes refer to it as. Becoming more familiar in dangerous situations where you typically wouldn't find yourself in.
You never notice the good motorcyclists/cyclists because they are following the rules and doing what they are supposed to do. Same with bad Car drivers
I have had so many incidents on the road where something's been there that shouldn't and I've managed to get past it without losing control. It is WORTH it to know how your vehicle handles, brakes, and especially how the tires behave and what their limits are.
side note for the large vehicles one. People in large vehicles, I will __always__ appreciate you hanging to the right. I always try to watch the vehicle in front of the car in front of me, so me in my tiny subcompact will always hang to the left to see around the car in front of me. Trucks that habitually hang to the right are near the top of my good driver list, because I get to see more than their tailgate, which allows me to react far faster than if all I can see is them. The few times someone in something smaller than me are behind me, I try to give them space to see around me as well. Often I try to look through the truck's glass if they aren't giving me space to see past them, usually this is SUVs that don't realize how large they are. Seeing brake lights flash on through the glass has made my life much easier more than once
What I want to add as a driver is this: new drivers should definitely get as much experience driving with an experienced driver as they can, if its possible for them, since they can learn many useful tips and tricks for good driving from them. I had to learn everything myself again after not driving for 3 years, and that wasn't a good first 2 months on the new job... Anyway, very good video, keep it up, man.
Knowing your car is vital. I bought a 1967 mustang, and when I brake it brakes in a straight line. However, that was for casual driving so I tested it in an empty parking lot and slammed the brakes and it jerked to the right so hard if I had to do an emergency stop in traffic, I would’ve slammed to the car next to me. Changed the brake fluid, all set. So yeah, keep up with maintenance too.
9:55 how to learn not panic while driving : grab ur self a racing steering wheel buy beamNG drive drive in a tight mountain area (as fast as u can) good luck
11:00 it's interesting this point. I knew how my first car behaved in heavy braking because my old man insisted I practice. We went to a carpark by a sports field park where there was space to get up to 50km or so (25miles) then he told me to slam on my brakes and just not crash. After two or three times of this I knew exactly the limits and stopping distance of my car. Funny thing though, we got a knock on the door about half an hour later from the patrol cop about "dangerous and hooligan-like skidding in a public carpark". Old man spent the next half hour explaining what he was teaching me to do. Biiiit of a double standard.
I have a trick i picked up a few years ago that has saved me from being rear ended multiple times. Whenever cars are stopped in the road for an unexpected reason, like road work or someone trying to make a left hand turn across a busy road, and I pull up to the line of cars i stop 5-8 car lengths back until the car behind me has also noticed the stopped cars and began slowing down. I've had people come up fast not realizing there would be a line of cars stopped in this spot and have to panic brake not to rearend the last car in line. By leaving this space if the car behind me is going too fast or isn't paying attention it gives me room to pull forward while they're panic braking, which extends their braking zone. This is especially helpful if you're ever stopped on a corner. If the car behind you can see you earlier in the turn they have a better chance of stopping before they get to the actual line of cars.
My company offers a free course for trainees, where I was able to experience extreme situations in a save environment with my own car. It helped me understand both how to react in emergencies and how my car behaves when doing some fancy manouvers. In my opinion it is most important to know how your car reacts to your input and what input you need to give to make the car react in a certain way. Just knowing that you have to avoid an obstacle because you definitely can not slow down in time but then not keeping your car under control afterwards is worth very little when you loose control, start spinning and hit a beautiful tree that had graced the lands for centuries instead of the random van that hit the breaks out of nowhere.
My son is currently coming to the end of his Driver's Ed online course. This mentioned a few things they failed to teach him. I am very glad I stumbled upon this. I have taken him out for a few lessons in a parking lot and I have had him break hard, but I have not had him try the emergency break or over compensation. Thank you for the suggestion.
In the case of an emergency, I don’t plan on using the e-brake. I got one, but I only use that if I’m either parked on an incline, car’s being hauled, or in the rare occasion where I want to burn rubber
@@NeedForSpeed.2004 I've never really understood why it's sometimes called an emergency brake. I just call it a parking brake because that's the far more common use for it. Plus, I think only a really experienced driver could use it in an emergency situation. The average driver would not know how to control a drift. It's not useful for coming to a full stop either; ABS is always much faster.
I’m grateful for how my mom taught me how to drive. She took me out late at night where visibility is shit and into the Washington DC where the roads are all confusing and fucked up. It gave me the muscle memory of always checking blind spot. Relying on how the car feels during certain speeds rather than the speedometer because you want your eyes on the road. How much force to use when braking when you see someone. Not only that but she also taught me how to drive during heavy rainfall. The only thing I had to learn on my own was driving in the snow. But since I learned how my car felt during every little moment, I didn’t panic at all.
@bladed angel thanks for posting this. I am in a situation where within 36 hours this past thanksgiving weekend my GTI was broken into and my iPad pinged the location so I went to go there with the cops. On my way there I was side swiped by a much bigger car, which bounced me into another car, hitting them and spinning me out on the freeway. I was able to grain control and avoid hitting anyone else and avoided hitting the center divider. My baby is considered totaled and this whole time I’ve been thinking if I’m a bad driver. It literally has been eating me up. But this list had me checking off so many “yes” boxes that I’m glad to know, at least in my eyes, I’m a good driver. And your number 10, the emergency one is by far so true. Airbags going off, I’m currently branded on my forearm with the VW insignia, but I managed to regain control, pull over and check on everyone is okay. Thanks for this again and I really needed to hear this.
As winter arrives, at least here in Wisconsin, snow is not far away. I highly advise everyone to do what I do. After the first good snow, I go to a huge empty parking lot to drive in the snow. I fishtail, turn, brake, etc. It's fun for me but I'm also retraining my brain for winter driving. Getting the feel of my vehicle so I know how it handles. Since this week be the first winter in my current vehicle, it's especially important this year. I already know what it can handle, how fast in can accelerate in a pinch, etc, but I've never had the opportunity to drive it in the snow since I've only had it for 3 months. Awesome video, great advice! I never even thought of the pulling to the right for bigger vehicles on dotted yellow lines. I'll be watching for that now. I have driven trucks pulling trailers and never thought of it at the time. Fortunately, it was never a problem as I was on the interstate or slower speed limit roads where I wasn't in the way to begin with. Anyway, good stuff! Thanks for this video!!! 🙂🙂🙂
I always suggest this to my friends too! In a perfect world this could be an additional advanced driving license that could for example lower your insurance rates if passed.
@@roelkomduur8073 I'm sure the tires contribute, but the real reason you have less deaths is that you all drive better, safer, more responsibly. Winter tires are a good addition too, but even they aren't any good without a skilled driver behind the wheel. Just like 4 wheel drive is useless on ice. 🙂
@@bubzilla6137 It's the whole package, proper driving education( Min. 20 professional driving lessons, $2000 min.) well maintained roads, good public transport so that elderly or young don't have to drive. mandetory maintainance checks on cars....
the pro of being passively suicidal is not freaking out in emergencies. my brakes locked up on a rainy fast downhill turn and i kinda just accepted it but still wanted to save the truck. that mindset kept me alive and the truck unharmed so i’m cool with it.
Using the left lane properly At least in my state (3lane) Left = fast, passing Middle =not quite slow enough, cruising or yielding to onramp. Right =slow, you can't go very fast or you just got on. And knowing your car is very important too and I'm glad you put this in here. When I first got my first car which is a 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis I had no idea about the vehicle dynamics. My mom told me that since I was moving from a Ford Explorer to this I would need to relearn the car down to even a sudden stop. I got in my car and drove around my neighborhood practicing evasive and maneuvers, hard brakes, spinouts, turns, anything I could really think of that I might have to use in an everyday environment. When I got my new car and yes I still have the Mercury, my little Mitsubishi break much faster because it didn't have a lot to stop. It was also a lot slower than my Mercury so I knew I would need to give my more myself more space to be able to accelerate on to oncoming. However it's very nimble unlike the boat that the Mercury was and therefore I could conduct evasive maneuvers a lot more better and probably fit in the spaces a lot of people don't really think I could. But even that little bit of doing that when I first got the car and learning it from bottom to the top help me immensely. I remember the situation well where I actually had to apply that to a emergency situation. I was driving home from work and it had rained that afternoon. This car was an early 2000s car where abs and traction control was still kind of new. I knew that because I read the manual and read up on the history of the car. I hit a puddle on a turn going a bit too fast. I spun out luckily no one was sitting there. However when I spun I knew what it felt like and how to regain control. At that point I had already spun $180° and now was facing the light. The moment I felt grass I slammed on the brakes and the car stopped. Just a few feet away from a light pole which would have wrapped around it. Because I knew what to expect in a spin and also practice drifting I knew I had to remain calm and regain control before I did anything else. After that the car was able to pull itself very slowly out of the ditch. The car is still fine and remains a restore project for me to do. There's also an issue with people coming from low power cars and getting into high power cars. Such as a teenager leaving his Honda Civic from 1990 to going into a Ford Mustang 5.0 for 2021. The power difference is are insane when you do that. Not only is the car less nimble or more nimble. There's also the factor of space, traction, traction control, the computer, how the throttle works, breaking distance, breaking weight, weight of the car, weight of whatever you're carrying in the car. Driving is so much more than going in a straight line and turning. It's a science. When you drive whether you realize it or not or you're not a car person you will understand the gearing of your car. You understand it's limits it's breaking habits it's computers habits. The more you get to know the car the more you get to know yourself and the more you get to know the road and the more safer you will be.
Thanks for this one bladed. This helped me review my driving abilities and see where I could improve or change my driving habits and what I already do well.
One thing to add to the knowing your cars breaking point. One great way to get to know your car is to attend and participate in an autocross event. Autocross is a great way for you to find out how your car handles under very tight corners, short brake zones, and will also hone your skills as a driver, and you prolly wont go over 100mph. Every state has a region and every region has an scca group that mets up to do these events. It doesn't cost alot, you dont need a racecar (yes you can take your daily), and you dont have to be a pro to do it. Just make sure your tires have tread, your battery in secure, and your wheel hub bearing are solid. There are plenty of great people there that are more then willing to help. Dont be afraid cause you think youre slow
Forgot this one: Being aware of tractor trailers and people with trailers in general at intersections. Don’t pull all the way up to the white bar and position yourself to the outside so they can make the turn without hopping the curb. Also just giving them space overall since they are bigger and can’t stop as quickly.
At my first workplace as a "1 trip" van driver, (mostly night shifts, simple point A to point B 1-8 hour trips) my co-driver, who was with me as a mentor for the first 3-4 trips, actually told me to drive a bit closer to the right side of the road, because a bunch of ppl drive over the speed limit at night, and this way they could have a better view on the oncomming traffic. Also 10:40 on my first day the mentioned co-driver took me to an industrial road with almost no traffic on it and helped me get used to the van. I accelerated to 110km/h and suddenly hit the brakes, took multiple sharp turns ect. because sooner or later, when you drive ~20 hours a week sadly you are going to experiance emergency situations where knowing your vehicle's abilities can help a lot.
The very first tip kind of cracked me up. Because when I was getting taught in driver's Ed 10 years ago turn signals were legally 50-100 feet. My rule of thumb is signal on before I start slowing down for the turn.
I use "common sense" when using indicators. Don't use them so early it causes confusion: ie, if there are other turns before your intended turn. Or too late: if you don't signal until you actually start turning the steering wheel (it serves no purpose except to piss people off). A good rule of thumb I use: start signaling just before I start slowing down.
I agree with this list a million%. It's WAY too easy to get a driver's license in United States. Everyone takes it for granted and has that selfish "I deserve it because I'm important" attitude here. There are certain suburbs of Minneapolis/ St Paul that I avoid driving in because of impatient/ ignorant drivers. They have tendencies to drive 40-45 mph on two lane highways. These exact same people drive 40-45 mph through residential areas that are clearly posted 20 or 30 mph and small children are playing in yards next to the street. Screaming at them to "slow the fuck down" as they swerve around the basket ball rolling into the street only makes them angry (because they had to take their eyes off of Facebook long enough to swerve). Then they get angry at the ball because it got in their vehicle's way. Driving any vehicle on any public road is a privilege, not a right. If everyone treated it that way we wouldn't have all the problems with most of traffic that we do
@@shieldgenerator7 What? So let’s make the road more dangerous to discourage going fast? How about raising the bar to getting a license so we can get stupid people off the road. Speed is fine, stupid people are not.
@@nathanbedfordforrest9546 i agree, there should be less people on the road. but roads should also be designed to encourage people to drive slower. which road are you likely to go faster on: a wide flat road, or a narrow road with speed bumps?
@@shieldgenerator7 Why would I drive on a road with speed bumps!?! If a road is narrow then I’m driving in the mountains having fun. On a big road it’s mostly the interstate. I go fast regardless! People don’t need to drive slower, that’s a myth perpetrated by people who make money off tickets. It’s been proven both in real life and in stats that increased speed along with a higher driving IQ public is safer all the way around. We need to adopt what several European countries have done and slowly apply it here in America where 80 year old grandmas can get away with driving in the freaking left lane!!!
I would love to see a video of how to practice and be ready for different types of potential car accidents, love your content man keep up the good work 👍
On the topic of activating the turn signal at the wrong time, I often see people initiate their turns/lane change before they start to signal, thereby completely negating the whole point of using their turn signal .
@@flick2flick I was just in NC to visit a military friend, and I didn’t see ANYONE using a turn signal… I’m from Illinois, where turn signal usage is…spotty at best…but I’m one of the good drivers that always uses his, I was sitting at a light waiting to turn left, I was probably the 3rd or 4th car in line, and I noticed that I was the only car with its turn signal on. I thought to myself “Does no one in this state believe in turn signals?? What the hell??”
@@wtlf1026 I absolutely understand where you're coming from 😂 it's crazy to me how the majority don't use turn signals. I'm from NY and when I first moved out to NC I was like wtf??? It's the small things such as signaling that makes driving safer for everyone on the road.
@@flick2flick The ONLY instance of a turn where I don’t see it necessary to use a turn signal is when the road in question ends and can only go in one direction because it intersects with a one way road. I don’t typically use a turn signal at these types of intersections because of common sense, the road only goes one direction, therefore the use of a turn signal is completely pointless. It’s basically a merge but with an extra step (the traffic light). That being said, I do still find myself using a turn signal in this scenario from time to time due to force of habit. Edit: Two more places where I don’t see it necessary to use a turn signal are: 1) When a road widens and a new lane is added out of the blue (no merge-in-its-own-lane ramp) and you wish to enter that lane as soon as it starts. 2) when taking a double-lane exit on the freeway, the outside lane will always be marked as “EXIT ONLY⬇️” and therefore no signaling should be required. The inside lane may also be marked as “⬇️EXIT ONLY” or be marked with a simple “⬇️”. No signal should be required here because you’re only going to slip off the freeway and onto that inside lane only. There is usually a solid white line separating the two lanes for a short distance past the exit that shouldn’t be crossed (acts the same as a double yellow line).
Just a few tips on snow driving from a scandinavian. 1. Do the break tests every day, last week we had over 50cm of snow, yesterday it was +1C and snow was turned into slush and today that turned into ice with a nice coating of snow atop it. The car behaves differently in all these three conditions and breaking distance will vary. 2. The forces on your tires compete for the friction. Breaking almost always wins over turning on snow or ice, I almost had an accident the other day where I began to slow down during a turn on the downhill and my car started to slide forwards. I released the brakes completely and my car started turning again, albeit at uncoumfotably high speed. 3. Pick up trucks behave weirdly... I drive one. Fill your bed with snow to put more weight on the rear axle. I heard about this heresy called rear drive pick up trucks, keep them in Texas. If you live in a snowy place, 4WD will often save your life, or your wallet from the rescue service bill. 4. More light does the opposite in a blizzard or fog. Drive slower with less light, preferably yellow-ish light, high beams only create a fog/blizzard wall right in front of you. EVs with fancy cold white LED lights are disturbingly blinding to the driver, when the snow reflects it. As a last note, this video describes distance in length. My tip is to count in seconds. 3 second behind a car for a comfourtable cruise or during slippery conditions, 2 seconds is OK too. Time scales with your speed.
@@HaloDude557 I guess your reasoning shows the difference in driving conditions that different geographical regions have. I had a nice mixture of rain and snow all day yesterday, with deep sleet laying all over the place. I guess it is not an issue in most of the world.
@@oditeomnes I don't think most people working in construction are about to tow a trailer full of roofing supplies to a job site in black ice then work outside all day. I don't really see a reason for 4x4 unless you're towing snowmobiles up a mountain since a sedan with FWD/AWD will handle most daily driving.
@@HaloDude557 No you are right, construction companies use 6x2 or 6x4 commercial trucks, usually with their own cranes to offload supplies, not cars with a bed that for some reason are called "trucks" in english. And ofcourse the construction work is all year round, otherwise we woul never get built anything in the 2 months that are relatively warm. I guess ther is no argument I could realistically make, however if you did drive on my commute road last Thursday, you would realize both the value of 4WD and the funny feeling of "holy shit, if I stop or slow down too much I will get stuck, but going at speed in turns feels like driving a boat"
@@oditeomnes yea I see the purpose of 4WD if you need to have the utility of a truck at least a few times a year, but don't have the space or funds to have a separate winter daily.
That point about trying out the emergency brake and harsh braking is really really good. Honestly thanks, I'll have to go test out the handbrake at some point.
I started taking driving safety really seriously when I started riding motorcycles full time.. I’d always had one on the side but I’ve ridden exclusively for the past four years or so. When it comes to motorcycles, courtesy is great but I feel like staying safe is on the rider above all else. Whenever I hear “every car wants to kill me” I roll my eyes because it’s completely absurd. Sure there are some shitty drivers out there but being the more vulnerable one(that chose to ride a motorcycle), I feel like it’s my responsibility to account for them.. ride predictably, stay out of blind spots and just leave enough room for people to change lanes without warning… the people with the “every car wants me dead” mentality usually seem to be the ones who constantly weave through traffic going well over the limit.. of course you’re gonna have close calls! Who’s fault are they? On braking.. yes. I’ve actually practiced it extensively. My bike doesn’t have abs and I’ve had one or two instances where I needed everything they had.. While the other driver was technically at fault here, I still recognized where I could have been a better rider and avoided them all together. Driving.. two wheels or four, really is something to take seriously.. especially on a motorcycle. The way I see it, crashing just isn’t an option. Last, I also feel like a manual transmission can make for a better, more anticipative driver.. it puts you much more in control of the vehicle beyond stop and go. You actually plan for the road ahead and shift accordingly when done right. Does it automatically make a better driver? Of course not. But in my observation, manual drivers are usually better when it comes to paying attention to the road. It’s a real shame that three pedal cars are leaving us quickly.. at least in America where actually learning something is generally too much to ask.
True. In Asian countries like where I live biking is the norm. And I prefer them over cars. Not only they decongest the traffic better than the cars, you are also automatically responsible with the momentum and speed you have.
Another point that could be included in the last entry on not panicking during an emergency could apply to emergency vehicles. I've seen a lot of people not knowing what to do when an ambulance or fire truck has to respond to an emergency only to be delayed by drivers that are indecisive or stubborn or oblivious.
7:35 - I disagree with that "myth". I think in the right situation at the right time, changing lanes every so often can really benefit you if you know how to read traffic. However, the myth quickly turns true when you misread traffic, go into a slower lane by mistake, then go back into the faster lane, etc etc etc. Anyways, great video. I'm a fairly experienced driver but nice to see this and reinforce what I already do :)
7:00 this one man. I drive an hour and a half everyday in traffic and there are so many people who just push themselves into your lane for that sweet 3 feet of progress
just staying in your own lane actually makes the whole traffic jam much more efficient and faster, but i find almost everybody don't know this fact,switching lanes makes the lane slower since the dude behind you needs to brake then the whole line brakes,but hey,human nature,always gotta one up each other even if it meant we cripple everyone else in the process
I guarantee you that most people in my area would have forgotten about hand signals and you would be honked at for not using blinkers if they were broken.
In Montana it’s a law if you’re on a 1 lane highway and have 4 or more vehicles following you HAVE to use the next turnout. I’ve seen a cop pull over a semi for not following it, super satisfying
here in Massachusetts we have semi drivers try to ego battle one another, get in the left lane to pass and just hold up traffic on two lane highways you can comfortably go 80mph on...
You know there's something wrong in the US, when parking between the lines means you're a good driver, it's literally a must do task in most EU countries drivers test
If you ever have a steer tire blow out while in transit, do not, I repeat, DO NOT slam the brakes. Hitting the brakes causes the car to dip towards the blown tire and you may flip the vehicle. Instead, give the vehicle some throttle enough to keep control until you can safely come to a stop. I pray no one ever has to need this info, but please RESIST SLAMMING THE BRAKES!
As a biker in Australia, I still use hand signals, especially for safety or on bikes that aren’t quite legal. Like if one of my lights breaks on a trail. Most people understand pretty quickly, left hand parallel to the road is turning left, straight up is right, and straight down is caution.
That last one about panicking is the most important one. Ive seen too many videos and heard too many audios of people in emergencies just like letting go of the wheel or not knowing what to do if your brakes fail. I cant explain it, but ive had time where ive just known when ive had enough clearance to brake or whether ive actually had to swerve ever so slightly as to not rear end someone who braked too quickly behind someone who braked too quickly.
I do this, and if I see someone coming in fast I inch foward and tap my brakes a few times so they know. Just in case they aren't paying attention or are on mental autopilot
11. Using eco-driving (as a 'wide' term) - adapting to traffic lights to avoid complete stops not only saves lots of fuel, but also may save you some time if the lane you driving is empty - you learn to become more aware and predict what the heck other drivers are doing in traffic - you learn to use inertia and not to make any brake/accelerator inputs to go to/through that turn/intersection/hill - if you are 'enthusiastic' about preserving as much momemtum as possible you could have some fun going fast (obeying speed limit) in tight corners when it's safe to do so - your brake pads would last very long time, my factory brake pads already went 56000 miles, and I live in hilly region and drive in Caucasus mountains regularly - you clutch will also last longer if you drive a stick shift or a DCT My own personal best fuel economy is 52 mpg on a whole tank of fuel in day-to-day home-work-home suburban-ciity driving. (2014 Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI)
Knowing my car has saved me from a few nasty situations. I don't have ESP, so there's an increased risk of losing traction and aquaplaning. Being mindful about that, reducing speed and being prepared for a loss of traction when the environmental conditions for this were given, kept me from having an accident a few times. I've also been to a driver's safety training where such situations are simulated and you can safely learn the exact limits and breakpoints of your specific vehicle. Driving a manual car can be beneficial, because in cases of aquaplaning, traction can simply be restored by operating the clutch.
2:40, in Australia the only one that's enforced there would be the Turn signal one, the 'Cops Ahead' one, as in order to be street legal on the road you must have front and rear indicators that are 20cm (8~ inches) apart, they must be TMR approved indicators aswell, and depending on the bike, you might need to get a modification plate for it
grateful to be fully confident in each of these points and more in myself. driving is such a dangerous privilege, I really just wish more people didn’t take it for granted and put people at risk
How to know you're a good driver: Knowing it's a parking brake, not an emergency brake... Newer cars have actually removed the lever and replaced it with a button exactly for this reason, to stop people from using it in an emergency. There's a reason why your brakes are biased to your front wheels and not your rear wheels. Locking up your rear wheels is very, very bad in an emergency... The parking brake, or what you call, "emergency" brake, locks up your rear wheels... The "shaking" of your steering wheel when you apply the brakes hard is most likely due to the ABS kicking in. The correct thing to do is to make use of your steering to try to avoid the impact, that's the whole point of ABS, so your wheels don't lock up and you don't lose traction. The parking brake doesn't have any ABS system to protect it from locking up the wheels. Once your wheels are locked up and you lose traction, then steering wheel input would literally do nothing. Again, also very very bad... One tip I would give to people in terms of driving is to get to know the psychology of other drivers. Try to look out for driving behaviors or signs that someone might do something. For example, if you're coming up on a pair of cars on an adjacent lane and you notice the car in the back is tailgating the car in front of it, chances are that person is getting impatient and the chances that driver might switch lanes at any given moment is very high. If your lane is the only clear lane, then know that driver very well might switch lanes in front of you, so prepare for that. Another thing is know that a lot of drivers drive with their egos. What I mean is that they are perfectly fine with driving slow up until you go to pass them, then they will speed up because letting you pass them will hurt their fragile ego. So prepare for the car you were behind to start speeding up when you switch lanes to pass it. If you need to time the pass and there's a car in front of you that's only slightly faster than the car you're trying to pass and you need a few seconds for that car to be ahead enough for you to pass the car to your side, don't accelerate until that space is there. If you accelerate too early, the car you're trying to pass very likely will also accelerate and will close that gap you were waiting to open up...
@@eltigueraso For sure. You know it's really bad when you can't see their headlights and you have a glass hatch :). My rule of thumb is leave enough room to safely be able to exit the lane without backing up. On my primary vehicle this is pretty close because of the tight turning radius, but some cars don't have that luxury. The bottom of the tire method is a good one for most cases.
In New Zealand and Australia we can't use hand signals but we have our own code for using hazards or using high beam light flashes to show what's coming ahead, thank you's and letting people know we see them and are stopping to let them through
I would love a whole video on your last point! I’m 17 and am always trying to get better with my vehicle as I want to be prepared for any scenario. One scenario I’d like to add is when you need to be somewhere fast in the case of emergency and how to do that safely and possibly legally. Thanks for the awesome content!
Wake up earlier. If you have an emergency and need to get there quicker throw on your hazards and use your brights to indicate you are try to get past someone (1 blink = I want/need to pass you). Often times people will be oblivious and your only option is undertaking, which can be dangerous since you won't be able to see whats ahead in alot of cases so you have to do that with some level of caution. If you for whatever reason have to cut through a gap just remember if you make someone react to you (e.g. braking, swerving out of your way, etc) you're not driving safe, you're driving like you're crazy. So plan your line accordingly.
Knowing your vehicle is a must. I learned to drive in a van with a 3 foot long 4 gear stick. I traveled 60 miles one way for my senior year in northern Iowa (ice and snow). Much later i started a business that required me to drive my only car year round for 10 years. That car was a very light 6 gear, RWD sports car. I've never been stuck or in an accident while behind the wheel.
The hardest and scariest thing I ever did was trying to get back into my lane between other cars after failed overtaking attempt while everybody was hard braking and me going about 70 mph. You don't need to panic in situations like this like my wife did. She was screaming like hell and probably wouldn't manage it by herself.
Well you were the idiot in the situation doing an overtake like that. Can't blame the other drivers for panicking when they get overtaken by a madman with cars coming from ahead
@@RocketEightEight well if there is a chance a car can come the opposite direction and make the overtake scary you shouldn't have done it in the first place... I don't know how apprehensive the driving education and tests in your country are, but in Norway that would be classified as a failure, and as stupidity. People have died from people like you, including the innocent people you meet, and possibly you or your wife.
Im acutally surprised of the things I acutally do in this video, especaily the yeild signs. Even if its only a game, I still drive like how a good driver does but still gets honked at for being a good driver
Funny story about the second to last and last point in this video, I drive a 2017 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. From the moment I got it I’ve loved to take it off roading to drift in gravel and snow. This gave me a pretty good feel for the vehicle. Case in point this last year I was driving back up to college at night and there was a huge snow storm hitting me on the highway, could barely see and snow was piling up. I had it in 4 wheel and was going about 70mph when I completely lost all traction and started skidding at that high speed with only a few feet of visibility, but because I knew how to control my car without traction I never spun out and was able to get control of the vehicle. I came to a full stop and I had barely drifted off the white line to my left. I pulled off and collected myself then drove slower the rest of the way. The more you know! Stay safe out there.
yea now all you got to do is make driving second nature to you so you can focus on other drivers and any other factors such as hazards, jaywalkers, etc
the last thing you mentioned at point 3, god yes. people do this so often and then act surprised when you keep standing there instead of going edit: btw, I'm curious what you think of the youtube channel "not just bikes" and his videos on American infrastructure (ussually compared with dutch)
I never do any of these, because I never drove in my entire life
Yo had me in the first half ngl
Just like how no credit is bad credit, that means you’re automatically a bad driver. Shame on you.
Same, but please do the things listed in the vid when u get ur license.
ha you got a looooooooooooonnng way buddy(no seriously you need to no how to drive)
@@albaraabahaddad9939 not if you live outside the US
Ironically, drifting in the snow in an empty parking lot helps you a lot. You get the feel for the car, how it feels like when the car slips, when the car goes sideways, how you can control it.
Like, lots of ppl who drift in not so private places are deemed dangerous, but most of them are better drivers, because they know how the car feels and reacts when out of control
Agreed, I accidentally drifted my 86 out of the dealership parking lot lol. I didn't know the car likes to pull of in 1st gear. Now I just drift around turns for fun.
always fun until security pulls up 🥲
This, but only so long as you actually do it safely.
Forget all of the benefits it yields, it’s just super fun. At the very least it’ll make you happier for a period of time.
Well most of this is just driving safely. My driving instructor said: "A good driver is a confident driver. Not like reckless or dangerous but also not constantly on his brakes. He avoids sudden stops and approaches points of potential danger with caution." The point about knowing your car we can agree on. for example my motorcycle has no ABS so when I got my license I drove to a nearby parking lot and practiced braking for about half an hour so I got a feel for it. That just helps you when you need to judge certain situations. Well since I'm from Germany I never heard about hand signals before. Maybe its because we need to learn manual in order to get our drivers license and you need both hands for that. Of course we wave to let someone out of a driveway etc but we don't have official signs by my knowledge. Would seem a bit overwhelming for some drivers to steer, sign and shift at the same time. Generally speaking: Drive defensive, look ahead and be nice to others and you will drive better than about 80% of all road users. And remember: you all share the same road.
I’m a confident driver, I just have a little bit of a lead foot
I can agree with this statement… about being a lead foot
Lead foot? Germany? 😏
@@FriedTurkey Actually I prefer my left leg so I can brake with my right. Cant really go into neutral this way but it stops me from rolling since I live in a mountainous region.
@@cookiewriter4001 I was typing this while thinking about... Smash Mouth's Hot Highway, so yes, I do prefer being a lead foot than a paper one. :)
imagine if driving had proximity chat lmfao
I'm glad someone said this I was thinking that as well 💀💀
Imagine a CoD lobby
I WISH driving had proximity chat
I always thought someone should try comming up with a system that lets you easily send messages and signals to another car. Like if modern cars had a text chat built into a display with some preset messages you could send like, "Bad brakes." "Your signal is on."
You can always airdrop stuff
"Some countries like Australia do have [hand signals] banned because they're really stupid."
As an Australian, I can confirm you're right, but also that the only two signals we use are the wave and the finger 🤣
I’m an Aussie too. It’s probably a safety hazard to use hand signals out of a car door
@@liamswan1351 from what I hear yall have a lot of safety hazards down there
Bikers still do the cop ahead even if it's illegal, they don't give a shit.
@@Scottsdale_Charlie yep
Same over the ditch in NZ. And not sure what cyclist are like over there but I've just about have had 5 close calls because they sit way too far on the road and we have to give them 1-2 meters and even worse on a blind corner on a mountain road if you are a cyclist please stay as left as possible you cause so many near misses to crashes I know people that have crashed because of a cyclist
You know your stupid when you still don’t know how to defrost a window but you can manual swap a G35
Bruh lol
Ouch
Pour boiling water on a frozen window to experience true pain.
you turn on the heater and scrub it off, its really simple
No window = no freezing
I wish more people were like you. Tbh I came here to boost my ego (cause I know I’m a solid competent driver) & I hate bad drivers.
But you’ve just inspired me to be more considerate, compassionate & understanding towards others, regardless of the fact that I’m a better driver than 99% of the idiots who piss me tf off on the road. You’ve changed my perspective.
Sincerely, thank you.
Fun fact: bad drivers are a very small percentage of the people, u just pay attantion to them more
Lmfao I came for the same reason
@@lllllllllllll31lll Not fun and definitely not a fact. Drive in Houston a while and you'll sing a different tune, little funfact bird
Maybe about once a month at best I don't see someone being aggressively tailgated, not see someone run a red light because they're too good to wait a rotation, or use excessive speed and harass anyone who gets in their way. Heck, we have a huge percent of people on the roads without a license because it has been taken away and they don't care and keep driving the way that got it taken away in the first place. Its great going on a trip because I get to share the road with people who aren't aggressively stupid.
@@lllllllllllll31lll Yes, it's human nature for negativity to stick. If something is wrong, it's easy to notice - When everything is fine, most people do not appreciate such peace and ignore it.
i love simracing and it saved my life! i was going 120kph in older car. no airbags, no abs. it was raining. horizon came up and right behind that was a firetruck parked on the road. when I braked i locked up my front wheels. instincts kicked in and i released the brakes and used the opposite lane to pass it. no panic, i knew what to do all because i did it the exact thing so many times in the virtual world. driving schools should have a simulator to make people panic and teach em imo
People say simracing don’t work but hell it does. My f-ing reflexes, awareness and sense for limit really improved with it. It ain't exactly the same of course but it teaches good concepts
That's awesome.
Absolutely! Sim racing experience has saved me in bad real world driving situations more than once.
Sim racing taught me how to drive a manual not even gonna lie
76mph, man dem rookie numbers lol... about the average speed (wet or dry) for motorway (highway) driving in the UK for most people...
Personally I tend to stick between 58-62mph, my car sips fuel at that speed...
As my brother (trucker, racer, badass) told me: everyone can ride fast. But you have to know your car well to fit into a parking lot on 1st try.
Bruh, I know the turn radius of my car and still fuck up parking spaces cause people never know how to park where I live.
Kind of hard to park cars with long hoods correctly on the first try.
@@angelgjr1999 *cries in American muscle*
@@angelgjr1999 Park in reverse, problem solved. It's easier to do, allows for better maneuvering and sets you up for an easier start facing the road rather than having to back up first.
This half way true, I can turn in parking spots first try all the time, but I still didn’t know my fwd car can slide on water when going 15mph on a turn
The best piece of advice I got for defensive driving came from my dad. He told me when you are on the road, don't think that you're driving only your car, think as if you are driving every car around you. It helps you anticipate what other drivers may do so you can react accordingly.
It’s funny seeing this comment and how it’s stuck with yu and I also find it wholesome that it came from your pops. This is something I always say to people anytime the topic of driving comes up. It wasn’t advice anyone gave me but it just came from me always driving around in many different places that taught me this and it continues to save me every time that I get behind the wheel. Always be vigilant and ready to maneuver for what the people in front, beside, and behind yu are doing!
Better advice would be to treat every other driver on the road around you as being unable to see you. That snaps your attention to the finer details of what they may or may not do in a pinch since it erases a lot of your complacency, and changes a lot of would-be surprises to things you're ready for. Pretending you're driving the cars around you helps with prediction, but it can leave you dumbfounded for that fraction of a second you need to respond if another driver suddenly acts recklessly.
@@delcox8165 Yeah, that was wrapped into that lesson my dad gave me.
@@delcox8165 I have to agree over time I feel like I do pay attention to small things drivers do bcuz you’re right yu can try to predict all yu want but humans are unpredictable so yu have to be ready for the outcome yu can’t account for
@@GeminiKnight76 Your dad is a rare gem of a proper driver.
Hey Bladed, have you ever thought about making a 'what not to do around semi-trucks' kind of video? I'm a trucker myself and seems like people nowadays don't know how to act around semis. I feel like it would be a good safety video
I'd love to know as well
Comment for the algorithms
What specifically do you want to share with us, is there anything not obvious? I know the "if you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you" thing and to not cut too close in front of them, but what else? I would also like to know why some of you guys think it's okay to overtake another semi going such similar speeds that it takes literal miles to overtake. Most semi drivers don't do this but those that do are annoying.
The only pet peeve i have is the instant breaking when someone cuts me off i can live with the rest tbh. Bladed makes me believe there are still good 4-wheelers out there tho 🥲
I'm not a trucker, but I agree with you. It's especially bad in New England and the north east it seems
The last one Jeremy once said - Speed never killed anyone but suddenly becoming stationary thats what gets you
Speed absolutely kills the people outside the car
@@KyrieFortune only if the get in front of the car
Speed never killed anyone uh?
Dumbest shit I ever heard
@@KyrieFortune nah dude speed kills people who take too much of it.
When my stepfather was teaching me to drive (50 years ago!), he told me that when you see another driver giving a hand signal, the only thing you know for sure is that they have their hand out the window.
Thanks for this video though! Whenever the subject of sharing the road comes up in social media, it astonishes me how many people equate "good driving" with "obeying the speed limit" and nothing else!
My part time job is as a driving instructor. I stress 5 things when learning to drive. In order of importance, they are:
1) Drive like no one else can see you.
2) Anticipate everything. Always look further down the road you are traveling and be prepared for that as well as the thing immediately in front of you.
3) Acceleration and Braking should not be felt by the driver or passenger. Smooth pedal operation helps with maintaining vehicle control.
4) Keep a level head. Road rage never helps either you or other drivers on the road. Your job as a driver is to arrive safely, not to be right about that guy driving the Mercedez down the interstate.
5) If you live in an area that sees heavy snow or rain, go out and drive in it and get stuck, and than get yourself home safely. As Bladed said, it is better to be prepared for an emergency driving situation when you are prepared for it, than to be stuck and you don't know what to expect.
Great vid Bladed. It restored my faith in humanity when the car community can acknowledge safe driving habits as well as the more fun stuff, like really cool Corvettes 😎
Ooo….that first one gotta be rephrased cuz what I thought you meant was fast and furious since there’s no one watching😂
I didn't buy a 550 hp Jaguar to not feel the acceleration!
Number 3 is a give or take
@@geomejia8946 LMAO I THOUGHT THAT TOO
agreed with all of these, especially anticipation
As somebody who normally drives a light vehicle with a decently good engine meaning good acceleration and breaking ability suddenly switching to a fully loaded van was rather shocking at times and early on I several times almost rear-ended somebody because I underestimated my distance needed to come to a full stop.
Learning your normal vehicle shouldn't be hard. Suddenly driving a new one is where it becomes tricky and the only thing to do is to drive really defensively.
I moved up from a 1.5-ton Ford Focus to a 40-ton (loaded) Freightliner Cascadia. Driving a tiny car feels foreign to me now.
I drove a smaller van before I had my golf, I drive pretty straight forward and sometimes a bit too agressive if I have to admit and got to drive my fathers old X5 and that thing almost didnt have brakes compared to my van that took some getting used to lol
Yea, when i was learning i was hesitant to use my aunt’s SUV, let alone the dually, lifted pickup
Still hate driving it, but it’s not as bad as i thought
I went from driving trucks and vans, to driving a dodge challenger, so I had the exact opposite system-shock that you did lol
@@randgrithr7387 my dad was a traktorist in the eighties (we're east german so tractor means big red russian beast, that you wouldn't drive without the trailer because you're 100% sure that the brakes on the trailer are working, not so much about the tractor)
still drives every car like he's pulling two trailers behind him and he always pulls the handbrake as far as it will go thinking it won't work otherwise.
On point number 1, I usually take my car out to a large EMPTY parking lot on the first major snow fall of the year, and drive a carved out circuit with different speeds, corners and stops. I find it a great refresher after a summer of dry roads. Now, I have my mom doing it too in her car and it's help her winter driving a lot, especially in school areas where people cross the road frequently without warning. Just knowing your car goes a long way. I also have a friend in the car now, that will distract me with a conversations and at their choosing, pull the e.brake or yank the steering wheel and let me try and take back control of my car while keeping in the circuit. It's helped so much with some of the white outs we've had in Toronto, and being able to navigate around other road members and avoid really bad potential accidents. Be safe people, great video as always.
This is brilliant mate, just don't do it too many days in a row around here or you'll get a fat ticket lol
Man that's next level but you're assuming that people here have friends, which is unlikely. We're on youtube after all x)
@@louisrobitaille5810 so because im on youtube my friends don’t exist? Lmao
smart, my first experience with driving in snow went relatively well...until I got to a sharp turn, turned in and half way through the front said yea no and steered me towards a lightpost, thankfully my wheels were still slightly turned so when I hit the sidewalk it bounced to the side of the lightpost.
i always drive carefully in the snow (I have summer tyre's so....yea...it's required to not crash, and it snows maybe once or twice a year here some years we get an inch or 2 of snow then 3-4 years of nothing) but that was the first time where I was doing maybe 10 and it still almost went wrong.
also had a interesting experience with my previous car which had toyo proxie T1R's which are amazing in the dry but sketchy as hell in wet, and it had rained came up to a roundabout turned right, then turned left and then my ass swung by (with a FWD car) causing me to do a 180 degree turn on the 1 lane roundabout without hitting any of the sides...i was impressed and scared shitless as the center is raised so people cannot see my turned around car from the other side, was lucky that it was quiet at the time so I could just take the nearest exit before I was a nasty surprise for someone >.
@@anub1s15Please get winter tyres, or at least all-season tyres. If you live somewhere where you get snow _sometimes_ in winter, you probably also get cold temperatures and a lot more wet weather in winter. Winter tyres have better water handling characteristics (wider, better grooves), and a softer compound that sticks better in the cold (summer tyres get hard in winter, much less grip).
Think you missed some pretty major ones.
- Planning ahead. Not leaving your lane changes till the last minute etc.
- Paying attention to your surroundings so that there are very little surprises while driving.
- Similar to the last point. Look more than one car ahead so that you have extra time to react in an emergency. Especially in traffic.
The planning ahead one is something I always see people not do
Your last point is great for interstate travel man so many people get rear ended in interstate jams cause they don’t pay attention to the guy 5 cars ahead slamming on brakes
If you aren't looking more than one car ahead already then get a bus pass and sell your car or give it to someone who breathes with their nose.
This !
Looking far ahead is the key.
The scariest driver I have ever met was driving while looking at the bumper of the car on front.
Every slow-down was basically an emergency brake...
That was literally what he said first
1:55 Here in Germany, most drivers even in small cars move to the right when passing is allowed. It's super courteous and makes passing way easier. Of course I always return the favor back when driving. Some semis even take it a step forward and put on their right turn signal when the road is clear so you pass them.
Never trust other wehicles signals. Be sure yourself. Its dangerous especially overtaking.
wait that's actually such a good idea. the ppl in front of you can see better too so it's safer
In the US they like to hug the yellow line and usually road rage if anyone passes them. In the rare situation that I am being passed, I move to the right.
I think it's worth noting that Germany is like the gold standard of driving in Europe, lol. We generally drive well here in the Nordics as well, but definitely not as well as you guys. And the less said about the Italians and the French, the better 😅
When I learned how to drive at 16 I was absolutely terrified of being behind the wheel, but was determined to learn. I was lucky to have a dad who has been a bus driver for over 10 years so he was very strict about the rules of the road. I've had my license for 6 years now and I continue to learn and refine my skills everyday. Once I get comfortable doing something, I pick a new challenge to focus on.
I get made fun of when I tell people I still go out of my way to practice driving my dinky little wagon. I test it's limits on all sorts of terrain. I love to see the looks on ppls faces when they watch my little FWD Elantra bumble around their big truck or suv stuck in the snow XD. I think I've improved quite a lot for someone who was too scared to make a left turn at first!
I'm unsure how common of a practice this is, but one trick my dad taught me for bad conditions like heavy rain, ice, snow etc was to test the conditions by performing an emergency stop. If possible, if the area is clear with no one around and ample room for if you lose control, from a stop or slow speed, accelerate quickly, and then hammer on the breaks, and see how the car handles. It helps to determine how much grip you have on the road.
better yet, go to an actual track, and try to race a bit in those conditions while also being competitive - competition is the closest we get to the emergency stress, in fact my theory is that's why we are so competitive.
cool and useful steps, but Elantra isn't a toy car or something , it is much powerful than actual small cars like VW Polo(which does good in many conditions despite being a city car)
@@rohan_3128 my Elantra literally can't go up hills😂
@@SpookyscarySayge wow? What are it's specifications, I know many cars which are merely 60bhp and still they do well in hilly terrain
@@rohan_3128 we don't have cars like that in the United States at least. Something like an Elantra with 100-120hp is the lowest we get.
I wanna add to this list,.. a side point to knowing ur car's ability is knowing the dimensions of it too.
The other day I was driving on the highway and there was a semi in front of me on the right lane. As we approach a left turn (it's a highway so the whole thing just moves slightly left) the guy in the semi kept over steering and ended up halfway on my lane. Like dude, look in ur mirrors and notice that u went over the line, then correct ur steering. But nahhhhhh he had to test my concentration xD
My friend drives a small car and the moment he switched to a ute he backed into a wall in the first secconds of driving. Know what youre driving.
Moe A, watch the video again. #9 at 9:04, he literally says knowing it's size (and shows an example of dimensions of a vehicle).
@@1jayzed636 I backed my Frontera into a bush, cuting it in half. Car was fine though. I have switched to a smaller car now lmao.
In Switzerland it's mandatory to take classes where they show you how your car would behave in snow and such
hell nah gran turismo licenses irl 😭😭
Good list. I was a delivery driver for 10 years. You pick up on all the small nuances that make up good driving. Like leaving ample space and not tailgating, or braking earlier and slowing to a stop rather than going 40-0 in the last 100 feet. Or slowing down earlier at red lights so you can coast through when it turns green helps gas mileage.
Braking smoothly is such a big thing. Lots of people ive drive with havent been rear ended ever, amazingly. They always slow down last second, and you get sent forward in your seat all the time. My car has pretty heavy engine braking so i just let it coast to the light and only brake when i need to come to a full stop. Braking so hard like that is unnecessary, and bad for your brakes over time
I thought it was pretty terrible cause it's all things you HAVE to do well to get a driving license where I live xD (NL)
I be doing that last one all the time but mostly just to avoid my wonky ass clutch
My father who has been helping me drive (recently gotten my licence) has actually been berating me on slowing down earlier at red lights because I MUST go at the max speed for how long it's possible... ignoring that I had avoided a lot of red lights. I didn't ignore that tho
As for the last one:
A couple of years ago, the transmission fluid lines on my first car started leaking on my way home. I lived in a community off of the Trans Canada Highway. Coming from the city, it’s a left-turn across the westbound lane. The speed limit is 90 km/h (55mph).
The entrance off of the highway goes into a downward slope. I get into the turning lane and start braking from the speed limit. Westbound traffic forced me to yield, so I had to stop and wait.
When I got a chance to go, I tried accelerating, but the car wasn’t going any faster. However, the car had already begun slowly rolling across the oncoming lane. I was rocking back and fourth, as if my weight would have helped move the car faster in the situation, trying to get the car into the downhill slope. I look to the right, and what do I see? A Volvo VNL with a reefer barrelling toward me. My only reaction was “Well, fuck.”
The car got to the slope just in time and I rolled it into a nearby lot.
My Dad had the car fixed and then it was totalled a year later. It was a 2012 Nissan Versa with a CVT.
Well dear, you learn the hard way.
moral of the story: don't buy a car with a CVT
@@Chimera6297 more like don't buy a Nissan
@@xarch7208 A funny explicit joke among russians about shitty nissan cars (mostly notorious CVTs)
Купил ниссан - ебись с ним сам (Bought a nissan - fuck around with it yourself, rhyme lost in translation)
this is what happens when you buy a cvt
#7 is 100% true. Happens frequently when, even in free traffic flow, someone merges in front of a car maintaining safe driving distance and staying in that lane. They don't understand they actually cut off that car. It is now forced to have to slow down to create safe driving distance behind that new vehicle.
The problem there usually is that people don't give you enough room to merge properly and there isn't always a way to avoid that. People also have to make sure they give you enough room to go in and they often don't.
You should absolutely do a video about emergency training : brake-locking, weigh transfer, feeling the grip through the steering wheel, etc. Driver's Ed really should teach what to do when losing control instead of assuming that it never happens...
At least in Northern Europe, and other parts that're snowy or mountainous, such training is mandatory. Epoxy mini-track with water sprinklers. Damn good fun, too - at least if you're confident enough driving at that point for it not to freak you out 😂
@@mnxs THIS! It should be standard practice worldwide.
For me, racing sims like Assetto helped me a lot. Both in case of emergencies (knowing what happens when you brake with maximum pressure) and in case of reaction times and knowing what to do when a car slides off because of lost traction or anything. I know it’s not the cheapest way but definitely the safest and I think health has no price tag.
I'd still recommend trying everything during a driver safety training where they let you try the skid pad. I used to race sim years before I got my drivers license which helped me a lot with confidence. But during the safety training I tried to catch the slide rather than coming to a stop as fast as possible - and failed miserably, because the steering response was not what I was used to from sim racing. I felt like an absolute idiot because all I did was spinning while all teh 'less experienced' drivers managed far better... I'm not saying that a sim isn't a great place to learn performance driving, but on the road different rules apply an what really is safe and the best thing to do. Learning on the sim can teach you some wrong habits which are hard to lose and will catch you when you dont want it.
ETS 2 also helped
Idk I cut on the highway so I am multitasking
As my flight instructor told me, simulators are good for learning procedure, not the feel of the aircraft.
Yes racing sims helped me a lot too!! Glad I’m not alone.
I have a tremendous advantage over the normal driver. I learn to fly as an early teenager. And as a result have a lot of what if-ing and calmness in emergency procedures ingrained in my thinking. I lost a car on a slippery road a few years ago. I managed to get it back and stopped without rolling or hitting a tree. Also, knowing your vehicle is extremely important.
Same here. Flew gliders for few years
Training is everything. Here in Europe (at least Northern Europe, not sure about the rest) we're required to go on slip-surface tracks as part of driver's training (it's basically just a mini-track covered in epoxy and with a sprinkler system).
So ultimately, everyone should have basic familiarity with handling loss of traction/control. Damned fun, too 😅
Yeah na flying won't help you control a car.
Honestly truck drivers, like the big semi ones, deserve so much more respect. Most of them (keyword, most) live their lives alone on the road with nothing but the radio and the path ahead of them. And yet we give them so much shit. They're doing the dirty, long hauls most of us would never even consider. And most of the time they're 10x better than every other normal civilian car on the road, because they have so many miles under their belt. They need more respect
i actually respect them a lot, its those slight indications that they really know what they're doing and despite being in a huge vehicle doesn't endanger anyone,and then there's the other end of the spectrum,soccer moms in their suvs who drive for the sole purpose of pissing people off
One great way to prepare yourself for an emergency is to force the same situation under controllable circumstances. For example, when I had my FC, when it was wet I would always try to induce oversteer at low speeds and see just how much I could control the car and with how little countersteer. I got pretty good at it, so when my Audi started fishtailing on the freeway in the snow, I not only didn't eat the guardrail, I actually kept the car in the same lane, because I knew how to feel the grip and feel where the car was going to go
Not having ABS is another thing that can help one learn how to control a vehicle at the limit. My SA of course doesn't have ABS and you get really good at threshold braking with some practice. Not that you should need to often, but in emergency situations it's a good skill to have. Older cars in general are good for learning handling with since the electronic nannies don't exist.
@@bentracy7463 Absolutely. That FC I mentioned was also critical to teaching me braking. Even today, 2 cars and 2 years later, I still have that instinct. We have an epidemic here in Washington of truckers who don't seem to use their mirrors, so it's been extremely useful
@@bentracy7463 Basically
If people can't drive older simpler cars then what's the point of all the tech that's not going to help? And also a bad habit of crazy people is driving fast in city while not paying attention and knowing your car's abilities, see this shit all the time
@@yobrethren For sure. Things like lane assistance and collision avoidance (while beneficial in theory) just means more people on the road that shouldn't be in the first place. If they get in a car without those features, they and the people on the road with them aren't going to have a good day.
That's not to say that things like traction control and whatnot are bad. I just don't like the idea of features that allow people to be less aware/attentive while driving, especially when most cars on the road do not have such features.
I fishtail for fun lmao when I get in my FWD car i Ebrake for fun.... when its safe to do so. when oppurtunites arise where I need to use those features Im always able to maintain a cool head.
i love being courteous to other drivers, its the best feeling when someone waves you to go at a stop sign, or slows down so u can make a left turn. especially when ur in a rush. i try to do small things like that :) i like that you mentioned leaving a nice gap in front at the red light, i always try to do that, and if something happens to the car in front of you, or the lane isnt moving, you can easily get out without being sandwiched in by the car behind you
As a driver in Minnesota this is what I tell people is the most important thing to do for winter driving knowing what your vehicle will do in certain situations will save your life and others. As a cyclist you have no idea how much I appreciate the fact that you stuck on that topic for as long as you did. There is no greater skill than you know when your vehicle inside and out thank you again for the fantastic video.
As a person who is new to driving, I appreciate this video very much
ive been trying study drivers ed stuff since I was 9, I'm 13 now and seriously this stuff justs sounds like common sense but sadly it isnt to some people. since I'm actually taking driving lessons finally this stuff is finaly being put to use and I'm glad that people like you have taught me stuff thats helping me in the long run.
A few years ago I got into the TH-cam dash camera videos of crashes/near misses. I liked them for their entertainment value. I was watching MegaDrivingSchool's channel a lot. After a while I noticed I was actually accurately predicting what would happen in each new clip. At the time, I'd been driving for more than 16 years, and I sincerely believe those videos (which I was watching for fun) sharpened up my situational awareness skills. And now I believe videos like that should be shown in driver's education classes.
And to clarify: I'm not referencing videos of fatal accidents. These are sometimes serious, sometimes minor, lots of avoided crashes by headsup drivers, and often informative both in terms of how to drive well, and how not to drive.
I wish more people would learn how to drive because it elevates driving from a necessity/chore to a pleasant activity where drivers can feel confident in their ability to protect themselves and enjoy the ride.
The fact that you have the mental maturity to study this stuff at your age tells me you're going to be fine, keep thinking the way you do and you'll be going very far in life
In Europe (For me in Austria) we have 2 perfection-drives where you drive around town with your teacher to see if you are still driving safe, these are done 2 times in 14 Months, with 6 months between the two. We also have a "driving safety training" where you learn everything from braking on dry asphalt, on wet asphalt and on an simulated Icy road, driving around corners, keeping your vehicle on the road and so on. I would say I'm a good driver but i still learnt at the saftey training.
Learning to drive in Austria is much more comprehensive than here in Australia. Here you can pass a driving test easier than you can pass wind.
As a motorcyclist I appreciate the mentioning of them. motorcyclists are often more aware of how people drive, even when we get into our cars.
For ice driving I went to an empty mall parking lot at night and learned how my car responds to the near zero traction. how to control the uncontrol-able and also helps train the "stead nerves" when you feel a slide (also teaches you to feel those minute slides most don't realize are slides)
1) Turn signals; very true. My rule is activate the turn signal before applying brakes. This alerts anyone behind you before you start braking and good chance they will ease off the accelerator before your braking. I want to merge right or left, signal first, then check all directions (infamous blind spots) then merge. Always in that order.
2) Lane position; very true. My rule is drive just right of lane marking in traffic and move farther to the right when traffic behind you wants to overtake. Let others through.
3) Communication; very true. My rule is the same.
4) Slow traffic; so very true. My rule is the same. I pull a travel trailer and a) I'm never in a hurry. b) I enjoy the open road. 3) Let everyone else through !
5) Sharing the road; very true and could not say it better than this. Please, consider this rule at roundabouts (traffic circles).
6) Parking; very true and simple enough. My rule is always (99.9%) reverse park. It makes life so simple when you leave.
7) Spacing; very true. My rule for heavy traffic (bumper to bumper) leave as much space as possible and never be in a rush. You wont gain a minute more in the end.
8) Signs; very true. I've found that most people (99.9%) know these signs but understanding the reason for and the why for is another topic.
9) Your car; Oh so very very true ! ! I don't think I've ever seen a video talking about this very aspect. This is one of my biggest rules in driver education and driver training. This young man must be commended.
10) Driver skills; Again so very true !
This video is a breath of fresh air and it nailed the 10 biggest aspects of driving. If anyone can master all 10 points you are well on your way to really enjoying the motoring world.
Your videos are what keeps some of us going brother, thank you ♥️
Proud of you dude
Not sure how to take this man if it’s a joke or not but times always get better no matter how cheesy it may sound. I’m here to chat anytime you need brotha. You are loved
im so reading reading this rn with the same mindset and lucky charms in my mouth
im so reading reading this rn with the same mindset and lucky charms in my mouth
@melon e we love you man, never give up
I bought a 2015 evo this summer and the first day it was icy this year I made sure I understood how it "handled" when losing traction on the ice before I went to work that day. The last thing I wanted was to get in an emergency situation and panic because I wasnt as familiar with this car as I could be. Despite living in canada and having 6+ months of winter lots of people are still terrified when it is icy and while I am still a newer driver I am far more prepared than most in tricky situations because I put myself in these situation. Good video and omg people not parking in between lines is absolutely absurd. I understand in the winter when a layer of ice covers the lines but in the summer no excuse.
I strongly appreciate #5, as I'm someone who rides my bike to work. I can't wait to get my full license!
Thank you for spreading this word for cyclists. People don't hear about how you should treat two-wheelers often enough.
I panicked in my first car and overcorrected the turning angle which put me in a ditch. I've learned since then that not immediately panicking will definitely help out a lot.
Very true if you ever want advice tho you can ask me I drive a lot and even could keep up with a professional rally racer down a mountain I spend a lot of time in my car learning every once of handling and breaking SHES capable of I may have a 4000 pound land yatch but I can keep up with sti’s and ford fiestas(tuned one not fully stock) down mountains
@ethanmccoy1680 Thanks for that. Yeah, it'll have been 5 years to the day this Halloween that I had that accident. I'll always credit that charger for being built like a tank and keeping me from getting hurt. Since them I've definitely become a better driver, nowhere close to racing levels, but around mild roads and turns my RT & company can hold against smaller cars.
@@GlobalShockz oh yeah it’s all about knowing your car I’ve kept up with a professional rally racer down a mountain in my Lexus ls430 but I’ve made my fair share of mistakes too I think I had a caliper lock up on me on the highway when I was changing lanes and spun me out sad asf I couldn’t catch it but same as yours she was a tank and kept me safe
11:26 "use your hand brake in emergency braking"
absolutely don't do that. it disables ABS and almost always does more harm than it does good.
depends on the situation, factors, vehicle, and how you handle your vehicle, but yes i agree, using the hand brake should only be attempted in an emergency involving normal brake failure
You're totally correct about why not to use it, but for the record he said "use your hand brake AND your emergency brake", just so you know.
There are times, especially in the snow, where grabbing the handbrake to skid 180° so as to reverse directions is handy, even safer.
@@crystalbepis the E-Brake and Hand-Brake are the same thing, interchangeable names. E-Brake can save you at times but you need to know much more advanced driving techniques before you attempt to try it for it to actually be useful. Most of the time any normal NPC driver isn't going to find a scenario where they're using it unless it's involves a lot of slowing down and a hairpin style turn.
@@commonstragedy Idk what type of f*cked scenario would make skidding 180° in the snow a "safer" alternative
I've gotten lines of 20+ cars behind me all because I was doing 30 in a 30 (residential zone, too. right by a school and in a speed trap area)
Also about turning signals, I like to signal before I start to slow down. Give them a chance to see the signal and be prepared to slow down.
Knowing your car is why I generally trust people who drive sports cars over people who drive SUVs, trucks and vans. Those kinds of people sure, are more likely to do more crazy stuff on the street but it means over time they gain more skill in controlling the uncontrollable. "Controlled chaos" is what I sometimes refer to it as. Becoming more familiar in dangerous situations where you typically wouldn't find yourself in.
You never notice the good motorcyclists/cyclists because they are following the rules and doing what they are supposed to do. Same with bad Car drivers
I have had so many incidents on the road where something's been there that shouldn't and I've managed to get past it without losing control. It is WORTH it to know how your vehicle handles, brakes, and especially how the tires behave and what their limits are.
side note for the large vehicles one. People in large vehicles, I will __always__ appreciate you hanging to the right. I always try to watch the vehicle in front of the car in front of me, so me in my tiny subcompact will always hang to the left to see around the car in front of me. Trucks that habitually hang to the right are near the top of my good driver list, because I get to see more than their tailgate, which allows me to react far faster than if all I can see is them. The few times someone in something smaller than me are behind me, I try to give them space to see around me as well. Often I try to look through the truck's glass if they aren't giving me space to see past them, usually this is SUVs that don't realize how large they are. Seeing brake lights flash on through the glass has made my life much easier more than once
What I want to add as a driver is this: new drivers should definitely get as much experience driving with an experienced driver as they can, if its possible for them, since they can learn many useful tips and tricks for good driving from them. I had to learn everything myself again after not driving for 3 years, and that wasn't a good first 2 months on the new job...
Anyway, very good video, keep it up, man.
Knowing your car is vital. I bought a 1967 mustang, and when I brake it brakes in a straight line. However, that was for casual driving so I tested it in an empty parking lot and slammed the brakes and it jerked to the right so hard if I had to do an emergency stop in traffic, I would’ve slammed to the car next to me. Changed the brake fluid, all set. So yeah, keep up with maintenance too.
That’s got to be a beautiful car, and a blast to drive?!
9:55 how to learn not panic while driving :
grab ur self a racing steering wheel
buy beamNG drive
drive in a tight mountain area (as fast as u can)
good luck
Give me racing steering wheel and I will buy you BeamNG Drive and all the other games you need
11:00 it's interesting this point. I knew how my first car behaved in heavy braking because my old man insisted I practice. We went to a carpark by a sports field park where there was space to get up to 50km or so (25miles) then he told me to slam on my brakes and just not crash. After two or three times of this I knew exactly the limits and stopping distance of my car.
Funny thing though, we got a knock on the door about half an hour later from the patrol cop about "dangerous and hooligan-like skidding in a public carpark". Old man spent the next half hour explaining what he was teaching me to do.
Biiiit of a double standard.
I have a trick i picked up a few years ago that has saved me from being rear ended multiple times.
Whenever cars are stopped in the road for an unexpected reason, like road work or someone trying to make a left hand turn across a busy road, and I pull up to the line of cars i stop 5-8 car lengths back until the car behind me has also noticed the stopped cars and began slowing down. I've had people come up fast not realizing there would be a line of cars stopped in this spot and have to panic brake not to rearend the last car in line. By leaving this space if the car behind me is going too fast or isn't paying attention it gives me room to pull forward while they're panic braking, which extends their braking zone. This is especially helpful if you're ever stopped on a corner. If the car behind you can see you earlier in the turn they have a better chance of stopping before they get to the actual line of cars.
My company offers a free course for trainees, where I was able to experience extreme situations in a save environment with my own car.
It helped me understand both how to react in emergencies and how my car behaves when doing some fancy manouvers.
In my opinion it is most important to know how your car reacts to your input and what input you need to give to make the car react in a certain way.
Just knowing that you have to avoid an obstacle because you definitely can not slow down in time but then not keeping your car under control afterwards is worth very little when you loose control, start spinning and hit a beautiful tree that had graced the lands for centuries instead of the random van that hit the breaks out of nowhere.
My son is currently coming to the end of his Driver's Ed online course. This mentioned a few things they failed to teach him. I am very glad I stumbled upon this. I have taken him out for a few lessons in a parking lot and I have had him break hard, but I have not had him try the emergency break or over compensation. Thank you for the suggestion.
In the case of an emergency, I don’t plan on using the e-brake. I got one, but I only use that if I’m either parked on an incline, car’s being hauled, or in the rare occasion where I want to burn rubber
@@NeedForSpeed.2004 I've never really understood why it's sometimes called an emergency brake. I just call it a parking brake because that's the far more common use for it. Plus, I think only a really experienced driver could use it in an emergency situation. The average driver would not know how to control a drift. It's not useful for coming to a full stop either; ABS is always much faster.
@@PJM257 yeah I don’t know why it’s called an e brake either.
I’m grateful for how my mom taught me how to drive. She took me out late at night where visibility is shit and into the Washington DC where the roads are all confusing and fucked up. It gave me the muscle memory of always checking blind spot. Relying on how the car feels during certain speeds rather than the speedometer because you want your eyes on the road. How much force to use when braking when you see someone. Not only that but she also taught me how to drive during heavy rainfall. The only thing I had to learn on my own was driving in the snow. But since I learned how my car felt during every little moment, I didn’t panic at all.
@bladed angel thanks for posting this. I am in a situation where within 36 hours this past thanksgiving weekend my GTI was broken into and my iPad pinged the location so I went to go there with the cops. On my way there I was side swiped by a much bigger car, which bounced me into another car, hitting them and spinning me out on the freeway. I was able to grain control and avoid hitting anyone else and avoided hitting the center divider. My baby is considered totaled and this whole time I’ve been thinking if I’m a bad driver. It literally has been eating me up. But this list had me checking off so many “yes” boxes that I’m glad to know, at least in my eyes, I’m a good driver. And your number 10, the emergency one is by far so true. Airbags going off, I’m currently branded on my forearm with the VW insignia, but I managed to regain control, pull over and check on everyone is okay. Thanks for this again and I really needed to hear this.
With all that luck have you ever thought about buying a lotto ticket?
@@RealAnthonyJones I did. I went the night of the wreck and just as I went to pay I got robbed at gunpoint. :C
As winter arrives, at least here in Wisconsin, snow is not far away. I highly advise everyone to do what I do. After the first good snow, I go to a huge empty parking lot to drive in the snow. I fishtail, turn, brake, etc. It's fun for me but I'm also retraining my brain for winter driving. Getting the feel of my vehicle so I know how it handles. Since this week be the first winter in my current vehicle, it's especially important this year. I already know what it can handle, how fast in can accelerate in a pinch, etc, but I've never had the opportunity to drive it in the snow since I've only had it for 3 months.
Awesome video, great advice! I never even thought of the pulling to the right for bigger vehicles on dotted yellow lines. I'll be watching for that now. I have driven trucks pulling trailers and never thought of it at the time. Fortunately, it was never a problem as I was on the interstate or slower speed limit roads where I wasn't in the way to begin with. Anyway, good stuff! Thanks for this video!!! 🙂🙂🙂
I always suggest this to my friends too!
In a perfect world this could be an additional advanced driving license that could for example lower your insurance rates if passed.
@@zekifloyd That would be awesome! 🙂🙂🙂
Maybee you should buy wintertires...Here in most parts of Alpine Europe mandetory( that's why we have less deaths on our roads).
@@roelkomduur8073 I'm sure the tires contribute, but the real reason you have less deaths is that you all drive better, safer, more responsibly. Winter tires are a good addition too, but even they aren't any good without a skilled driver behind the wheel. Just like 4 wheel drive is useless on ice. 🙂
@@bubzilla6137 It's the whole package, proper driving education( Min. 20 professional driving lessons, $2000 min.) well maintained roads, good public transport so that elderly or young don't have to drive. mandetory maintainance checks on cars....
the pro of being passively suicidal is not freaking out in emergencies. my brakes locked up on a rainy fast downhill turn and i kinda just accepted it but still wanted to save the truck. that mindset kept me alive and the truck unharmed so i’m cool with it.
Real
Using the left lane properly
At least in my state
(3lane)
Left = fast, passing
Middle =not quite slow enough, cruising or yielding to onramp.
Right =slow, you can't go very fast or you just got on.
And knowing your car is very important too and I'm glad you put this in here. When I first got my first car which is a 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis I had no idea about the vehicle dynamics. My mom told me that since I was moving from a Ford Explorer to this I would need to relearn the car down to even a sudden stop. I got in my car and drove around my neighborhood practicing evasive and maneuvers, hard brakes, spinouts, turns, anything I could really think of that I might have to use in an everyday environment. When I got my new car and yes I still have the Mercury, my little Mitsubishi break much faster because it didn't have a lot to stop. It was also a lot slower than my Mercury so I knew I would need to give my more myself more space to be able to accelerate on to oncoming. However it's very nimble unlike the boat that the Mercury was and therefore I could conduct evasive maneuvers a lot more better and probably fit in the spaces a lot of people don't really think I could. But even that little bit of doing that when I first got the car and learning it from bottom to the top help me immensely. I remember the situation well where I actually had to apply that to a emergency situation. I was driving home from work and it had rained that afternoon. This car was an early 2000s car where abs and traction control was still kind of new. I knew that because I read the manual and read up on the history of the car. I hit a puddle on a turn going a bit too fast. I spun out luckily no one was sitting there. However when I spun I knew what it felt like and how to regain control. At that point I had already spun $180° and now was facing the light. The moment I felt grass I slammed on the brakes and the car stopped. Just a few feet away from a light pole which would have wrapped around it. Because I knew what to expect in a spin and also practice drifting I knew I had to remain calm and regain control before I did anything else. After that the car was able to pull itself very slowly out of the ditch. The car is still fine and remains a restore project for me to do.
There's also an issue with people coming from low power cars and getting into high power cars. Such as a teenager leaving his Honda Civic from 1990 to going into a Ford Mustang 5.0 for 2021. The power difference is are insane when you do that. Not only is the car less nimble or more nimble. There's also the factor of space, traction, traction control, the computer, how the throttle works, breaking distance, breaking weight, weight of the car, weight of whatever you're carrying in the car. Driving is so much more than going in a straight line and turning. It's a science. When you drive whether you realize it or not or you're not a car person you will understand the gearing of your car. You understand it's limits it's breaking habits it's computers habits. The more you get to know the car the more you get to know yourself and the more you get to know the road and the more safer you will be.
Thanks for this one bladed. This helped me review my driving abilities and see where I could improve or change my driving habits and what I already do well.
One thing to add to the knowing your cars breaking point. One great way to get to know your car is to attend and participate in an autocross event. Autocross is a great way for you to find out how your car handles under very tight corners, short brake zones, and will also hone your skills as a driver, and you prolly wont go over 100mph. Every state has a region and every region has an scca group that mets up to do these events. It doesn't cost alot, you dont need a racecar (yes you can take your daily), and you dont have to be a pro to do it. Just make sure your tires have tread, your battery in secure, and your wheel hub bearing are solid. There are plenty of great people there that are more then willing to help. Dont be afraid cause you think youre slow
Been looking for something like that.
Forgot this one: Being aware of tractor trailers and people with trailers in general at intersections. Don’t pull all the way up to the white bar and position yourself to the outside so they can make the turn without hopping the curb. Also just giving them space overall since they are bigger and can’t stop as quickly.
At my first workplace as a "1 trip" van driver, (mostly night shifts, simple point A to point B 1-8 hour trips) my co-driver, who was with me as a mentor for the first 3-4 trips, actually told me to drive a bit closer to the right side of the road, because a bunch of ppl drive over the speed limit at night, and this way they could have a better view on the oncomming traffic.
Also 10:40 on my first day the mentioned co-driver took me to an industrial road with almost no traffic on it and helped me get used to the van. I accelerated to 110km/h and suddenly hit the brakes, took multiple sharp turns ect. because sooner or later, when you drive ~20 hours a week sadly you are going to experiance emergency situations where knowing your vehicle's abilities can help a lot.
The very first tip kind of cracked me up. Because when I was getting taught in driver's Ed 10 years ago turn signals were legally 50-100 feet. My rule of thumb is signal on before I start slowing down for the turn.
I was taught to turn on my turn signal about 2 telephone poles away from the intersection.
I use "common sense" when using indicators. Don't use them so early it causes confusion: ie, if there are other turns before your intended turn. Or too late: if you don't signal until you actually start turning the steering wheel (it serves no purpose except to piss people off).
A good rule of thumb I use: start signaling just before I start slowing down.
I agree with this list a million%. It's WAY too easy to get a driver's license in United States. Everyone takes it for granted and has that selfish "I deserve it because I'm important" attitude here.
There are certain suburbs of Minneapolis/ St Paul that I avoid driving in because of impatient/ ignorant drivers. They have tendencies to drive 40-45 mph on two lane highways. These exact same people drive 40-45 mph through residential areas that are clearly posted 20 or 30 mph and small children are playing in yards next to the street. Screaming at them to "slow the fuck down" as they swerve around the basket ball rolling into the street only makes them angry (because they had to take their eyes off of Facebook long enough to swerve). Then they get angry at the ball because it got in their vehicle's way.
Driving any vehicle on any public road is a privilege, not a right. If everyone treated it that way we wouldn't have all the problems with most of traffic that we do
They also hog the left lane and get mad when you pass them on the left.
part of the problem is that the road design makes it easy to speed. streets that kids play on should be narrower to encourage people to slow down
@@shieldgenerator7 What? So let’s make the road more dangerous to discourage going fast? How about raising the bar to getting a license so we can get stupid people off the road. Speed is fine, stupid people are not.
@@nathanbedfordforrest9546 i agree, there should be less people on the road.
but roads should also be designed to encourage people to drive slower. which road are you likely to go faster on: a wide flat road, or a narrow road with speed bumps?
@@shieldgenerator7 Why would I drive on a road with speed bumps!?! If a road is narrow then I’m driving in the mountains having fun. On a big road it’s mostly the interstate. I go fast regardless! People don’t need to drive slower, that’s a myth perpetrated by people who make money off tickets. It’s been proven both in real life and in stats that increased speed along with a higher driving IQ public is safer all the way around. We need to adopt what several European countries have done and slowly apply it here in America where 80 year old grandmas can get away with driving in the freaking left lane!!!
I would love to see a video of how to practice and be ready for different types of potential car accidents, love your content man keep up the good work 👍
1:16 out of all the towing photos on the internet, I wouldn't expect to see one with my car.
On the topic of activating the turn signal at the wrong time, I often see people initiate their turns/lane change before they start to signal, thereby completely negating the whole point of using their turn signal .
THIS!!!
In NC I see this all the time.
@@flick2flick
I was just in NC to visit a military friend, and I didn’t see ANYONE using a turn signal… I’m from Illinois, where turn signal usage is…spotty at best…but I’m one of the good drivers that always uses his, I was sitting at a light waiting to turn left, I was probably the 3rd or 4th car in line, and I noticed that I was the only car with its turn signal on. I thought to myself “Does no one in this state believe in turn signals?? What the hell??”
@@wtlf1026 I absolutely understand where you're coming from 😂 it's crazy to me how the majority don't use turn signals. I'm from NY and when I first moved out to NC I was like wtf??? It's the small things such as signaling that makes driving safer for everyone on the road.
@@flick2flick
The ONLY instance of a turn where I don’t see it necessary to use a turn signal is when the road in question ends and can only go in one direction because it intersects with a one way road. I don’t typically use a turn signal at these types of intersections because of common sense, the road only goes one direction, therefore the use of a turn signal is completely pointless. It’s basically a merge but with an extra step (the traffic light). That being said, I do still find myself using a turn signal in this scenario from time to time due to force of habit.
Edit:
Two more places where I don’t see it necessary to use a turn signal are:
1) When a road widens and a new lane is added out of the blue (no merge-in-its-own-lane ramp) and you wish to enter that lane as soon as it starts.
2) when taking a double-lane exit on the freeway, the outside lane will always be marked as “EXIT ONLY⬇️” and therefore no signaling should be required. The inside lane may also be marked as “⬇️EXIT ONLY” or be marked with a simple “⬇️”. No signal should be required here because you’re only going to slip off the freeway and onto that inside lane only. There is usually a solid white line separating the two lanes for a short distance past the exit that shouldn’t be crossed (acts the same as a double yellow line).
Just a few tips on snow driving from a scandinavian.
1. Do the break tests every day, last week we had over 50cm of snow, yesterday it was +1C and snow was turned into slush and today that turned into ice with a nice coating of snow atop it. The car behaves differently in all these three conditions and breaking distance will vary.
2. The forces on your tires compete for the friction. Breaking almost always wins over turning on snow or ice, I almost had an accident the other day where I began to slow down during a turn on the downhill and my car started to slide forwards. I released the brakes completely and my car started turning again, albeit at uncoumfotably high speed.
3. Pick up trucks behave weirdly... I drive one. Fill your bed with snow to put more weight on the rear axle. I heard about this heresy called rear drive pick up trucks, keep them in Texas. If you live in a snowy place, 4WD will often save your life, or your wallet from the rescue service bill.
4. More light does the opposite in a blizzard or fog. Drive slower with less light, preferably yellow-ish light, high beams only create a fog/blizzard wall right in front of you. EVs with fancy cold white LED lights are disturbingly blinding to the driver, when the snow reflects it.
As a last note, this video describes distance in length. My tip is to count in seconds. 3 second behind a car for a comfourtable cruise or during slippery conditions, 2 seconds is OK too. Time scales with your speed.
RWD pickups are for towing. It’s more economical because most people don’t need AWD
@@HaloDude557 I guess your reasoning shows the difference in driving conditions that different geographical regions have. I had a nice mixture of rain and snow all day yesterday, with deep sleet laying all over the place. I guess it is not an issue in most of the world.
@@oditeomnes I don't think most people working in construction are about to tow a trailer full of roofing supplies to a job site in black ice then work outside all day. I don't really see a reason for 4x4 unless you're towing snowmobiles up a mountain since a sedan with FWD/AWD will handle most daily driving.
@@HaloDude557 No you are right, construction companies use 6x2 or 6x4 commercial trucks, usually with their own cranes to offload supplies, not cars with a bed that for some reason are called "trucks" in english. And ofcourse the construction work is all year round, otherwise we woul never get built anything in the 2 months that are relatively warm. I guess ther is no argument I could realistically make, however if you did drive on my commute road last Thursday, you would realize both the value of 4WD and the funny feeling of "holy shit, if I stop or slow down too much I will get stuck, but going at speed in turns feels like driving a boat"
@@oditeomnes yea I see the purpose of 4WD if you need to have the utility of a truck at least a few times a year, but don't have the space or funds to have a separate winter daily.
That point about trying out the emergency brake and harsh braking is really really good. Honestly thanks, I'll have to go test out the handbrake at some point.
I started taking driving safety really seriously when I started riding motorcycles full time.. I’d always had one on the side but I’ve ridden exclusively for the past four years or so.
When it comes to motorcycles, courtesy is great but I feel like staying safe is on the rider above all else. Whenever I hear “every car wants to kill me” I roll my eyes because it’s completely absurd. Sure there are some shitty drivers out there but being the more vulnerable one(that chose to ride a motorcycle), I feel like it’s my responsibility to account for them.. ride predictably, stay out of blind spots and just leave enough room for people to change lanes without warning… the people with the “every car wants me dead” mentality usually seem to be the ones who constantly weave through traffic going well over the limit.. of course you’re gonna have close calls! Who’s fault are they?
On braking.. yes. I’ve actually practiced it extensively. My bike doesn’t have abs and I’ve had one or two instances where I needed everything they had.. While the other driver was technically at fault here, I still recognized where I could have been a better rider and avoided them all together.
Driving.. two wheels or four, really is something to take seriously.. especially on a motorcycle. The way I see it, crashing just isn’t an option.
Last, I also feel like a manual transmission can make for a better, more anticipative driver.. it puts you much more in control of the vehicle beyond stop and go. You actually plan for the road ahead and shift accordingly when done right. Does it automatically make a better driver? Of course not. But in my observation, manual drivers are usually better when it comes to paying attention to the road. It’s a real shame that three pedal cars are leaving us quickly.. at least in America where actually learning something is generally too much to ask.
True. In Asian countries like where I live biking is the norm. And I prefer them over cars. Not only they decongest the traffic better than the cars, you are also automatically responsible with the momentum and speed you have.
Another point that could be included in the last entry on not panicking during an emergency could apply to emergency vehicles. I've seen a lot of people not knowing what to do when an ambulance or fire truck has to respond to an emergency only to be delayed by drivers that are indecisive or stubborn or oblivious.
7:35 - I disagree with that "myth". I think in the right situation at the right time, changing lanes every so often can really benefit you if you know how to read traffic. However, the myth quickly turns true when you misread traffic, go into a slower lane by mistake, then go back into the faster lane, etc etc etc. Anyways, great video. I'm a fairly experienced driver but nice to see this and reinforce what I already do :)
7:00 this one man. I drive an hour and a half everyday in traffic and there are so many people who just push themselves into your lane for that sweet 3 feet of progress
just staying in your own lane actually makes the whole traffic jam much more efficient and faster, but i find almost everybody don't know this fact,switching lanes makes the lane slower since the dude behind you needs to brake then the whole line brakes,but hey,human nature,always gotta one up each other even if it meant we cripple everyone else in the process
I guarantee you that most people in my area would have forgotten about hand signals and you would be honked at for not using blinkers if they were broken.
In Montana it’s a law if you’re on a 1 lane highway and have 4 or more vehicles following you HAVE to use the next turnout. I’ve seen a cop pull over a semi for not following it, super satisfying
here in Massachusetts we have semi drivers try to ego battle one another, get in the left lane to pass and just hold up traffic on two lane highways you can comfortably go 80mph on...
You know there's something wrong in the US, when parking between the lines means you're a good driver, it's literally a must do task in most EU countries drivers test
That will mess with your test out here too, people are just super lazy.
Things in your driver's test are usually forgotten by the 15-20 year mark, unless you use them often
You do have to park decently for your driver's test but they make it pretty easy and my instructor only spent about 15 minutes on parking
well even in germany a lot of people dont do it
It's like how turbocharged engines are supposed to outperform NA equivalents in fuel economy, and they do, _on the government tests._ (when they do)
I got my driving licence in france and they don't teach you hand signals so I literally learned them with this video
If you ever have a steer tire blow out while in transit, do not, I repeat, DO NOT slam the brakes. Hitting the brakes causes the car to dip towards the blown tire and you may flip the vehicle. Instead, give the vehicle some throttle enough to keep control until you can safely come to a stop. I pray no one ever has to need this info, but please RESIST SLAMMING THE BRAKES!
As a biker in Australia, I still use hand signals, especially for safety or on bikes that aren’t quite legal.
Like if one of my lights breaks on a trail.
Most people understand pretty quickly, left hand parallel to the road is turning left, straight up is right, and straight down is caution.
In czech republic, people like to slam the brakes out of nowhere, almost getting rear-ended, and AFTER that they use turn signals.
Same with literally all of my relatives in Serbia with a license
That last one about panicking is the most important one. Ive seen too many videos and heard too many audios of people in emergencies just like letting go of the wheel or not knowing what to do if your brakes fail.
I cant explain it, but ive had time where ive just known when ive had enough clearance to brake or whether ive actually had to swerve ever so slightly as to not rear end someone who braked too quickly behind someone who braked too quickly.
The other good reason for leaving a gap when pulled up at a traffic light is if they break down you can get around them
I do this, and if I see someone coming in fast I inch foward and tap my brakes a few times so they know. Just in case they aren't paying attention or are on mental autopilot
11. Using eco-driving (as a 'wide' term)
- adapting to traffic lights to avoid complete stops not only saves lots of fuel, but also may save you some time if the lane you driving is empty
- you learn to become more aware and predict what the heck other drivers are doing in traffic
- you learn to use inertia and not to make any brake/accelerator inputs to go to/through that turn/intersection/hill
- if you are 'enthusiastic' about preserving as much momemtum as possible you could have some fun going fast (obeying speed limit) in tight corners when it's safe to do so
- your brake pads would last very long time, my factory brake pads already went 56000 miles, and I live in hilly region and drive in Caucasus mountains regularly
- you clutch will also last longer if you drive a stick shift or a DCT
My own personal best fuel economy is 52 mpg on a whole tank of fuel in day-to-day home-work-home suburban-ciity driving. (2014 Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI)
Knowing my car has saved me from a few nasty situations. I don't have ESP, so there's an increased risk of losing traction and aquaplaning. Being mindful about that, reducing speed and being prepared for a loss of traction when the environmental conditions for this were given, kept me from having an accident a few times. I've also been to a driver's safety training where such situations are simulated and you can safely learn the exact limits and breakpoints of your specific vehicle. Driving a manual car can be beneficial, because in cases of aquaplaning, traction can simply be restored by operating the clutch.
2:40, in Australia the only one that's enforced there would be the Turn signal one, the 'Cops Ahead' one, as in order to be street legal on the road you must have front and rear indicators that are 20cm (8~ inches) apart, they must be TMR approved indicators aswell, and depending on the bike, you might need to get a modification plate for it
grateful to be fully confident in each of these points and more in myself. driving is such a dangerous privilege, I really just wish more people didn’t take it for granted and put people at risk
How to know you're a good driver: Knowing it's a parking brake, not an emergency brake... Newer cars have actually removed the lever and replaced it with a button exactly for this reason, to stop people from using it in an emergency. There's a reason why your brakes are biased to your front wheels and not your rear wheels. Locking up your rear wheels is very, very bad in an emergency... The parking brake, or what you call, "emergency" brake, locks up your rear wheels... The "shaking" of your steering wheel when you apply the brakes hard is most likely due to the ABS kicking in. The correct thing to do is to make use of your steering to try to avoid the impact, that's the whole point of ABS, so your wheels don't lock up and you don't lose traction. The parking brake doesn't have any ABS system to protect it from locking up the wheels. Once your wheels are locked up and you lose traction, then steering wheel input would literally do nothing. Again, also very very bad...
One tip I would give to people in terms of driving is to get to know the psychology of other drivers. Try to look out for driving behaviors or signs that someone might do something. For example, if you're coming up on a pair of cars on an adjacent lane and you notice the car in the back is tailgating the car in front of it, chances are that person is getting impatient and the chances that driver might switch lanes at any given moment is very high. If your lane is the only clear lane, then know that driver very well might switch lanes in front of you, so prepare for that. Another thing is know that a lot of drivers drive with their egos. What I mean is that they are perfectly fine with driving slow up until you go to pass them, then they will speed up because letting you pass them will hurt their fragile ego. So prepare for the car you were behind to start speeding up when you switch lanes to pass it. If you need to time the pass and there's a car in front of you that's only slightly faster than the car you're trying to pass and you need a few seconds for that car to be ahead enough for you to pass the car to your side, don't accelerate until that space is there. If you accelerate too early, the car you're trying to pass very likely will also accelerate and will close that gap you were waiting to open up...
2:00 where I live they do the exact opposite 90% of the time. No traffic means the whole road ist theirs.
#7 A good rule of thumb is you should be able to see the bottom of the wheels of the car in front of you and then some road.
Yea I fucking hate it when ppl ride up my ass on a traffic light. You know it’s bad when you can’t see their lights
@@eltigueraso For sure. You know it's really bad when you can't see their headlights and you have a glass hatch :).
My rule of thumb is leave enough room to safely be able to exit the lane without backing up. On my primary vehicle this is pretty close because of the tight turning radius, but some cars don't have that luxury. The bottom of the tire method is a good one for most cases.
In New Zealand and Australia we can't use hand signals but we have our own code for using hazards or using high beam light flashes to show what's coming ahead, thank you's and letting people know we see them and are stopping to let them through
Turn Signal Gang >>>
You want me to report your comment??
I would love a whole video on your last point! I’m 17 and am always trying to get better with my vehicle as I want to be prepared for any scenario. One scenario I’d like to add is when you need to be somewhere fast in the case of emergency and how to do that safely and possibly legally. Thanks for the awesome content!
Wake up earlier. If you have an emergency and need to get there quicker throw on your hazards and use your brights to indicate you are try to get past someone (1 blink = I want/need to pass you). Often times people will be oblivious and your only option is undertaking, which can be dangerous since you won't be able to see whats ahead in alot of cases so you have to do that with some level of caution.
If you for whatever reason have to cut through a gap just remember if you make someone react to you (e.g. braking, swerving out of your way, etc) you're not driving safe, you're driving like you're crazy. So plan your line accordingly.
Knowing your vehicle is a must. I learned to drive in a van with a 3 foot long 4 gear stick. I traveled 60 miles one way for my senior year in northern Iowa (ice and snow).
Much later i started a business that required me to drive my only car year round for 10 years. That car was a very light 6 gear, RWD sports car.
I've never been stuck or in an accident while behind the wheel.
Hey bladed
Does factory five have license for shelby cobra?
Yeah, their kits are legal reproductions. Carroll Shelby even signed a few and added them to the registry.
@@BladedAngel good because i want an mk4 roadster
The hardest and scariest thing I ever did was trying to get back into my lane between other cars after failed overtaking attempt while everybody was hard braking and me going about 70 mph. You don't need to panic in situations like this like my wife did. She was screaming like hell and probably wouldn't manage it by herself.
Well you were the idiot in the situation doing an overtake like that.
Can't blame the other drivers for panicking when they get overtaken by a madman with cars coming from ahead
@@tollevkvendbo where were no cars ahead, sorry I can't predict the future
@@RocketEightEight well if there is a chance a car can come the opposite direction and make the overtake scary you shouldn't have done it in the first place...
I don't know how apprehensive the driving education and tests in your country are, but in Norway that would be classified as a failure, and as stupidity.
People have died from people like you, including the innocent people you meet, and possibly you or your wife.
0:35 Thanks for addressing that. I almost got T-boned in a situation like that.
Im acutally surprised of the things I acutally do in this video, especaily the yeild signs. Even if its only a game, I still drive like how a good driver does but still gets honked at for being a good driver
Most people who play rp driving games don't know the rules that well or they want you to rush
Most people who play rp driving games don't know the rules that well or they want you to rush
Most people who play rp driving games don't know the rules that well or they want you to rush
Funny story about the second to last and last point in this video, I drive a 2017 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. From the moment I got it I’ve loved to take it off roading to drift in gravel and snow. This gave me a pretty good feel for the vehicle. Case in point this last year I was driving back up to college at night and there was a huge snow storm hitting me on the highway, could barely see and snow was piling up. I had it in 4 wheel and was going about 70mph when I completely lost all traction and started skidding at that high speed with only a few feet of visibility, but because I knew how to control my car without traction I never spun out and was able to get control of the vehicle. I came to a full stop and I had barely drifted off the white line to my left. I pulled off and collected myself then drove slower the rest of the way. The more you know! Stay safe out there.
All Ive learned from this video is that Im already somehow good at driving when Ive only been doing it for about 6 months
yea now all you got to do is make driving second nature to you so you can focus on other drivers and any other factors such as hazards, jaywalkers, etc
Because new drivers actually have not built the bad habits of more seasoned drivers, especially if they already drive alone.
the last thing you mentioned at point 3, god yes. people do this so often and then act surprised when you keep standing there instead of going
edit: btw, I'm curious what you think of the youtube channel "not just bikes" and his videos on American infrastructure (ussually compared with dutch)