Rate yourself as a driver

obi_waynne

obi_waynne

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How do you rate your driving skills and ability?

General observation, reaction times, car control etc...

Be honest though, we can't all be F1 drivers. How do you think you stack up against the general population.
 
Out of 10? I'd say 8.5/10

There are a few minor things I need to really sort out, but other then that I am a safe driver that still maintains all the nessercary requirements to remain a safe driver, I am not lazy at all and I'll always strive to be a better driver. As you say, the more miles you gather, the more your experience improves!
 
Now, you just knew I wouldn't be able to resist commenting on this one, didn't you? :)

Just because there is a saying doesn't make it true. A watched pot never boils?

Experience doesn't necessarily improve your skill level. If that was the case, why do you all want older drivers to stop driving, they have far more experience than you? :)

Or maybe older drivers' experience has taught them that driving slower is a lot safer?

It doesn't take very long for a confident driver to gain a basic control of their vehicle. However, all further experience does do is hardwire your bad habits (it does this so well you don't even notice), it doesn't teach you good ones. For that you need lessons and who thinks they need those once they have passed the basic, and very easy to pass first time, UK driving test.

Maybe the previous paragraph is rather simplistic. If you are interested in driving, experience will teach you a few survival skills: Leaving a bigger gap between you and the car in front, looking at the body language of drivers waiting to pull out, being aware of blind spots, etc.

However, if you are relying on the number of hours behind the wheel to teach you how to be a better and safer driver then you are deluding yourself.

Of course, this is coming from someone getting close to the age where he should stop driving so is no doubt rubbish, being spouted by a grumpy old git boarding on senility.
 
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Well I think I am quite good and I always try to anticipate the movements of those drivers around me.
At the end of the day, I may not be perfect but I try very hard to be a good driver.
 
I think people don't get the defination of 'Experience'. No it doesn't make you a better driver, it simply implies that you have been on the road longer, and you've 'SEEN' far more then a new driver. I have seen far more accidents, more drivers being stupid and in general just poor driving then a person who has been driving for 2 weeks. The whole aspect is misinterpreted, however, you do learn to anticpate, read the body langauge of drivers and generally being far more aware with experience. This is what experience is to me. Also, people that just pass the test and then just think 'That'll do!' are fools. They're the ones that rely on people thinking experiece is everything, but in reality are the worst drivers.

Now :)

Driving skill I think would be designed on how well you can drive. Not taking stupid risks, knowing how to control a car in every situation more then anything, and knowing how to bloody parallel park! The amount of poeple you see how cannot park is awful.
Keeping within the law. So NOT using your mobile phone!
 
That statement in no way says that experience makes you a better driver.
Re read it. It actually says that I rate myself as a good driver but the more miles covered the more you learn about driving and indeed your own abilities/weak points.
Now please explain where in any of that did I say experience makes you better?
 
turbonutter69 said:
That statement in no way says that experience makes you a better driver.
Re read it. It actually says that I rate myself as a good driver but the more miles covered the more you learn about driving and indeed your own abilities/weak points.
Now please explain where in any of that did I say experience makes you better?
Click to expand...

See! Misinterpreted!

I'm sure OG is only messing with you though! :D
 
"the more miles you drive the more you learn."

I equate learning with improving (as long as you impliment what you have learnt), so I guess that you don't :)
 
Why does learning mean improving?
Just because you learn something new doesn't mean it educates or improves you.
You can teach a monkey to drive a car but that wouldn't make them a safe driver no matter how many years they spend behind the wheel.
I am saying the more miles you cover the more you see in real time, the more you act in real time an so on and so forth. Whether you improve is a matter of opinion.
I was only saying it from my point of view.
I consider myself a good, confident driver. But as the miles rack up the more you see, the more you adjust your driving.
No one is perfect but some have more talent than others.
 
turbonutter69 said:
Why does learning mean improving?
Just because you learn something new doesn't mean it educates or improves you.
You can teach a monkey to drive a car but that wouldn't make them a safe driver no matter how many years they spend behind the wheel.
I am saying the more miles you cover the more you see in real time, the more you act in real time an so on and so forth. Whether you improve is a matter of opinion.
I was only saying it from my point of view.
I consider myself a good, confident driver. But as the miles rack up the more you see, the more you adjust your driving.
No one is perfect but some have more talent than others.
Click to expand...

Thats more or less what I said! :amuse:
 
old-git said:
Now, you just knew I wouldn't be able to resist commenting on this one, didn't you? :)

Just because there is a saying doesn't make it true. A watched pot never boils?

Experience doesn't necessarily improve your skill level. If that was the case, why do you all want older drivers to stop driving, they have far more experience than you? :)

Or maybe older drivers' experience has taught them that driving slower is a lot safer?

It doesn't take very long for a confident driver to gain a basic control of their vehicle. However, all further experience does do is hardwire your bad habits (it does this so well you don't even notice), it doesn't teach you good ones. For that you need lessons and who thinks they need those once they have passed the basic, and very easy to pass first time, UK driving test.

Maybe the previous paragraph is rather simplistic. If you are interested in driving, experience will teach you a few survival skills: Leaving a bigger gap between you and the car in front, looking at the body language of drivers waiting to pull out, being aware of blind spots, etc.

However, if you are relying on the number of hours behind the wheel to teach you how to be a better and safer driver then you are deluding yourself.

Of course, this is coming from someone getting close to the age where he should stop driving so is no doubt rubbish, being spouted by a grumpy old git boarding on senility.
Click to expand...

Well said OG :D Experience does not always more skillful as most motorists lapse into bad habits that unfortunately rub off onto their children who observe them for 16 years before learning to operate a motor vehicle.
IMHO only a few ever have more advanced training after getting a license which is sad but a golfer will and take on board all of the coaches advice and practice it every time trying to improve BUT a lot motorists on the other hand once licensed will decide that they can drive?? operate a car one handed with elbows on the door and sit in the seat like on their lounge watching TV use mobile phones etc etc I'm sure you get my drift:bigsmile:
 
I wonder if I would actually benefit from one of those advanced driver courses! :blink:

I had an hours lesson with a high speed track instructor at Silverstone once, it was amazing just how much he taught me in such a little time.
 
I would like to do an advanced course in driving. I just have no time to do it! I wonder how much they are? Plus... They drop your insurance down a little
 
Driving in the new millenium is so boringly slow for an old git who rembers when u could overtake on an A road & not get flashed by the "do it by the book " lame brain u just overtook who was doing 30 in a 60 zone , driving in the 70's was pure fun,,BUT i do have fun on empty round abouts, if it says 40, then thats what i do on the round about !!!!! Still, to answer the question, ive only had one crunch that was my fault in 39 yrs, not bad...
 
T9 man said:
I wonder if I would actually benefit from one of those advanced driver courses! :blink:

I had an hours lesson with a high speed track instructor at Silverstone once, it was amazing just how much he taught me in such a little time.
Click to expand...

Maybe it's time for me to come out of the closet( NO NOT THAT ONE :lol:) and reveal that I am a defensive/advanced driving instructor and say that everyone can improve their driving skills by doing a course from a accredited training company BUT NOT EVERYONE WILL AS IT DEPENDS SOLELY ON EACH INDIVIDUALS ATTITUDE as to weather they will take on board what they have been shown and put into practice the various tecniques shown/demonstrated and make the effort to change their rusted on bad habits
 
TCJBOLDIE said:
Maybe it's time for me to come out of the closet( NO NOT THAT ONE :lol:) and reveal that I am a defensive/advanced driving instructor and say that everyone can improve their driving skills by doing a course from a accredited training company BUT NOT EVERYONE WILL AS IT DEPENDS SOLELY ON EACH INDIVIDUALS ATTITUDE as to weather they will take on board what they have been shown and put into practice the various tecniques shown/demonstrated and make the effort to change their rusted on bad habits
Click to expand...


Thanks for the confession buddy, its something I keep thinking about but never seem to get the time to book something up. I will one day that's for sure ;)
 
turbonutter69 said:
Who said anything about experience making you a better driver?
Click to expand...


Me,
Over 50 years now & around 45 years in what would be termed high Performance cars. All youngster think they are the greatest at just about everything :bigsmile: just as i did back in the 1960's. Im not a good driver but can handle a car better than most as ive driven more miles. Im not an advanced driver either they drive me nuts lets see how they get on with a tank slapper at 160mph thats when you see if you can drive. On the road ive avoided hitting things over a long period :blink1:. One accident in those 50 years.
 
That's the thing though. It's how you interpret "experience"
Experience can only make you a better driver if you learn from it.
Alot of people don't learn from their experiences on the road.
For example I know a lad that keep crashing. From cars to vans and now he has a HGV licence no doubt he'll crash that too.
So I disagree. Experience doesn't make you better.
It's what you learn and take in during the time you have on the road. Not how many miles you've covered or how many years you've been driving. They mean nothing to be honest.
My mums been driving for around 20 years. Would I say she's a good driver? No.
She's better than when she first started but she's by no means perfect now. Experience and amount of time on the road mean nothing at all.

MADRod said:
Me,
Over 50 years now & around 45 years in what would be termed high Performance cars. All youngster think they are the greatest at just about everything :bigsmile: just as i did back in the 1960's. Im not a good driver but can handle a car better than most as ive driven more miles. Im not an advanced driver either they drive me nuts lets see how they get on with a tank slapper at 160mph thats when you see if you can drive. On the road ive avoided hitting things over a long period :blink1:. One accident in those 50 years.
Click to expand...
 
turbonutter69 said:
That's the thing though. It's how you interpret "experience"
Experience can only make you a better driver if you learn from it.
Alot of people don't learn from their experiences on the road.
For example I know a lad that keep crashing. From cars to vans and now he has a HGV licence no doubt he'll crash that too.
So I disagree. Experience doesn't make you better.
It's what you learn and take in during the time you have on the road. Not how many miles you've covered or how many years you've been driving. They mean nothing to be honest.
My mums been driving for around 20 years. Would I say she's a good driver? No.
She's better than when she first started but she's by no means perfect now. Experience and amount of time on the road mean nothing at all.
Click to expand...

Well said life is a learning curve in itself I try to learn all the time
not just in the car.
 
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