Are you a good driver?

Cornucopia

It's something I've been puzzling over for a while... You see dreadfully bad driving on the roads, and yet most people seem to think they are good drivers.

So, where do you see your driving skills, relative to everyone else?

What skills, training and experience do you have that justifies your rating?

GwylimT

I think I'm a good driver, I stick to the rules of the road, I don't speed, I don't drive as slow as a snail and I'm safe. I'm sure many people would disagree with me though, especially the person following me this morning who clearly wasn't very happy about me driving 30 mph in a 30 zone, well, either that or he actually wanted to get into the boot of my car.

I've never had a speeding ticket or caused an accident, but you can be a horrendous driver and say that.

Dunroamin

Average

I think I'm a careful driver who knows her limitations.

arcon5

Depends how you define a good driver. Just because somebody sticks to speed limits etc doesn't necessarily make them a good driver, in the same way as breaking speed limits doesn't necessarily make you a bad driver and visa versa.

It would also depend on how good you are at anticipating what's going on around you, your ability to actually see and of course your ability to be able to react to an incident in a safe manner.
It also depends on your adaptability - road conditions change, weather can be brutal. Driving at 70 in a 60 can be done safely and carefully at certain times and in certain conditions - the next day 50 may be the safest speed point.
Also its easy to become complacent with driving, so how you manage this is important. Have you ever driven on a motorway during a quiet time and thought back and couldn't actually remember driving the last 5 miles? Many have, it's easy to get distraction without realising - especially in modern cars which are often very comfortable.

Although not sure many bad drivers would know they was bad - they'd probably just think everybody else was -

Cornucopia

Cornucopia wrote: »

It's something I've been puzzling over for a while... You see dreadfully bad driving on the roads, and yet most people seem to think they are good drivers.

So, where do you see your driving skills, relative to everyone else?

What skills, training and experience do you have that justifies your rating?

I've rated myself as Good. I have 23 years of driving experience in a wide variety of vehicles (including various vans), with an average mileage of about 15k per year. I've also driven extensively on the Continent.

I have 8 years NCD.

I've not rated myself excellent, because I still find parking an effort, especially since my recent cars invariably seem to be designed so you cannot see any of the corners of the vehicle from the driving seat.

Strider590

I think it has to be comparative......

Compared to 95% of the population, yes. But I'm nowhere near perfect, which doesn't say much for the standards of driving in this country.

Additionally I often come to conflict with clueless drivers, those who don't know how to drive, but who assume they are perfect.

For example, a road near here, 50mph dual carriageway, a road leading onto it has a short slip lane which is normally quite congested by people who stop at the end of it. When I reach the start of the slip lane, I let the lane clear, I don't move any further and I wait for a gap big enough to accelerate into, but this quite often results in people behind using the horn. It's safest and fastest way to enter the DC (because I can get up to 50 on the slip lane), but the people behind would rather go right to the end of the slip lane and enter it from a standing start (which is incredibly dangerous and means waiting for a MUCH bigger gap in the traffic).

photome

We all see bad drivers every day, but in percentage terms the bad drivers are in a minority, they are just the ones that stand out.

I drive 30000 miles a year and see bad drivers every day but then I probably see hundreds/thousands of drivers every day

I see no one has voted excellent yet, I can think of one poster on here who if he is being honest will vote himself in that catergory

hugheskevi

I'd say I was an excellent driver.

The main things I would say help me are having travelled many miles as both a cyclist and a motorcyclist as well as being a car driver. That helps understand in detail the perspective of other road users and understand and anticipate what they are likely to do. Although many say these road users make unpredictable moves, mostly they are entirely predictable if you are reading the road and understand what will be happening 20 seconds from now.

Driving an appropriate vehicle is important too - I live in London and drive a small car but see many tootling round in ridiculous 4x4 and not appreciating they cannot follow small cars through small spaces (eg overtaking cyclists - there are many roads here where it is just about wide enough for a small car to safely pass, but not for big Land Rovers, vans, etc).

Experience matters a lot too. I've never had an accident whilst driving a car, but had a couple on motorbike whilst younger. I wouldn't be involved in those accidents now, due to better road positioning and anticipation. Knowledge of the roads you are driving helps a lot too.

Patience is probably the most important thing. I notice that driving standards noticeably deteriorate in heavy traffic, and particularly when cars are nearly at a standstill. Despite having truly nothing to gain, there are far more dangerous blocking moves by drivers. In contrast, when traffic is light most drivers are much more patient despite there now being a real gain from aggressive overtakes (unlike in heavy traffic). That includes sensible positioning (make it easy for motorbikes to overtake in heavy traffic, for example) as well as courteous driving by letting other drivers enter the road when appropriate. And if another driver decides to do something idiotic/inconsiderate, simply consider him/her a cretin and get on with driving, don't retaliate. Always leave plenty of time for a journey to avoid the temptation to hurry.

Preparation and knowing limits is important too. If I am going to spend a day driving, I'll make sure I get a good night of sleep beforehand, and have appropriate drink and food ready for the journey. If I feel at all sleepy, then pull into services. Similarly, ensure your vehicle is always in decent condiiton, lights work, and you use lights appropriately (especially indicators...) Make sure phone is off/on silent and I know where I'm going so I'm not tempted to make last-minute erratic decisions.

And one of the most important things of all, despite all the above, acknowledge you are entirely capable of making the most atrocious decisions Hopefully not very often, but reflect on them when they do happen, work out why, and don't do it again.

Incidentally, although I'd say my driving was excellent in an urban setting such as London, I'd only rate it as average to good in more rural settings, as I have far less experience driving in such areas in recent years, and when I do my vehicle is not appropriate (far less power than I would like on hills).

Iceweasel

I too have rated myself as 'good'.

The average UK driver does not seem to anticipate the actions of other road-users or look far enough ahead, or even be fully aware of potential hazards. So I think I'm a tad above average.

I drive as fast as I feel appropriate, according to the conditions and/or speed restrictions, and I'm regularly dismayed to see or be overtaken by folks who just don't seem to care for the law - or be aware of road conditions - standing water, fog etc.

I've been driving for over 45 years and have not been involved in an accident for over 20 years - last was a blame free on a roundabout.

I've done advanced courses on skid-pans.
High-Speed Driving Course.
Defensive Driving.
Landrover Off-Road Experience Days
BMW Security Driver Training
BMW Nürburgring Nordschleife Track Training

And I'm still learning - I think it's an on-going whole-life thing.

real1314

Claiming that sticking to the speed limit makes you a good driver is illogical.
Cars and roads can all be driven without accident at greater speed than the limit, depending on conditions. In good conditions you could easily double the limit.

It's a bit like claiming to be a marksman because you can hit an elephant with a rifle from 20 yards. Or like claiming to be a good tennis player, but you're playing in a league many levels below your capability, but you've never lost a game.

The key question really is how you define a "good driver". If you can't safely drive a car at 80mph in good conditions on a motorway, I'd say you're not, but you might be a safe and indeed a wise driver, as you stay within your capabilities.

paulsad

I'd say good; when I drive my company delivery van but when in my own car I seem to have less patience? Maybe is because I know when I'm working I can't afford to lose my rag as I'm in the company van and dressed in company uniform so have to be more "forgiving" shall we say.
I do drive a lot though so see a lot of dreadful driving.
I remember as a kid (long way back) pulled across a junction and temporarily blocked it - a driver was giving it large at me through his window so I casually wound my window down and said "Have you never made a mistake then?" to him - he just went quiet, ... quite proud of that one down the years!