This is a take off from where lifeoxygen1 left.
I have been driving cars/motorbikes/scooters since I was 16 yrs old. By laying down a few simple rules for myself, I have been able to keep away from major and minor mishaps. I love mobikes, but in my youth I was a damn good safe driver.
Okay, follow these simple rules.
City driving:
You know the regular route you drive on in your city. Mentally, or on a piece of paper, jot down the accident prone spots, road conditions, blind spots, road dividers, potholes and your own assessment of safe speed limits for various stretches.
Example for Mumbaikars: Marine Drive. This stretch is dangerous during night times because of light traffic, speeding vehicles and safe speed should never exceed 60 kmph.
Always drive at a Safe Speed.
4. SAFE SPEED is that speed where YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR VEHICLE UNDER ANY EXIGENCIES! Safe speed is determined by assessing your own driving capabilities, the overall condition of your vehicle, the road condition, traffic density, and most importantly allowing for mistakes made by other drivers. Remember, you may be right the other driver wrong, but the wrong guy can send you to Heaven at no extra costs. If not heaven, he can cause damage to your vehicle. There are plenty of bad wicked drivers on the Indian roads.
5. Always keep clear of 2/3 car lengths from the next ahead, to allow for sudden breaking by the next ahead. The more the speed, the greater should be the safe distance to be maintained.
- On Highways, lay down simple rules for yourself. For instance, OVERTAKING. I make it a rule that should I see an approaching vehicle, no matter what the distance, I do not overtake. Most accidents/deaths on highways are caused by overtaking miscalculations. Similarly, should you see a vehicle overtaking ahead of you and approaching you, SLOW DOWN please and give sufficient room! The relative speeds of approach IS ADDED. That is, if you are doing 80, the approaching vehicle is doing 90, the relative speed of closing is 80+90= 170 kmph!
7. My policy is never to drive on highways after sunset, except in an emergency. The opposing traffic headlights blind us all momentarily and this is another major cause of accidents. Should it be inevitable to drive on highways at night, I follow a fast tourist bus and the bus tail lights act as a navigation reference point. I keep clear say 3 bus lengths distance. The bus ahead also ensures that I do not get blinded by opposing headlights and my car/bike is also protected from a collision with opposing vehicles.
If you have had 3 drinks, reduce your safe driving speed by 33 percent, minimum! Best not to drive at all.
Make full use of the 3rd gear. This gear is your POWER AND CONTROL GEAR.
Hey remember just coz u gotta Merc or some fancy bike that can do 200 kmph, does not mean that you can drive at that speed. Each driver is limited by his own capabilities. Find out what your limitations are! Remember Princess Diana?
Mickey Stewart, Formula 1 racing legend of the early Nineteen Seveties said:
’ I feel very safe driving F1 races because all other F1 drivers are experts at driving at all speeds. All F1 drivers drive at safe speeds during the race. What scares me to death is when I drive my Mercedes on Auto Bans/Expressways and Highways, because 90 percent of the drivers do not drive at safe speeds and are not properly trained to drive!’
Happy Driving.
Comments welcome from all for others to read and follow. Am sure many have tips to give to allow for safe driving and avoid accidents/deaths/what not.
Life is precious. Don’t drive it away.