Your worst driving habit

obi_waynne

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What is your worst driving habit then? Palm steering, one handed steering, sticking in too high a rev band all the time, playing your music too loudly etc...;)
 
Probably not directly - but I do know that I get so wound up at times that it surely must impact upon my own attention - even though I don't resort to actual rage.

Can't be all that good for blood pressure either.
 
My worst habit is pressing buttons, adjusting things etc when in slow traffic. I realise when I'm doing it and make a concious effort to stop - only to find myself doing something else 15 minutes later.

Really not good, as it'd be so easy to run into the back of somebody. Keep trying to make a concious effort to stop. Problem is, heavy traffic is sooo boring!
 
With me that'll depend on the car I'm driving and more so what idiots are around me!

In the Discovery I'm pretty well laid back and don't really have any habits unless I see a big puddle...................with no pedestrians I might add! :toung:

The MG is another matter, I tend to leave it in first gear when in slow traffic and back off the throttle and listen to it pop and bang :amuse: Also tend to make a few alarms go off too! I know I'm a big kid and should know better.

I suppose the worst habit is allowing myself to wound up due to other road users, mainly those that carve me up in traffic, the ones who cannot be bothered to queue like everyone else and just push their way into your lane further up. I had one yesterday, BMW driver nearly took the front end off, I hit the horn and the cheeky bugger brake-tested me! I then was a whisker away from ramming him! Took me a good half hour to calm down. Not good at all.
 
braking suddenly for elves, fairies and other mythical creatures that only i can see.

no, but if someone does ride on my bumper i often dab the brakes to warn them off, otherwise, i generally get angry at all and sundry, at the moment its people using the racing line on roundabouts thats really ticking me off.

Unreasonable road rage then, is the habit of the month.
 
That's another one - using the racing line on the roundabout when other people want to utilise other lanes.

It boils down to lane discipline and mirror usage.

If it's clear of traffic then you can use as many lanes as you like.
 
I get furious with people who follow too closely. Too furious. I need to overcome this.

I'm sure I've said this before but I'll say it again. You wouldn't want me behind you then....;)

That's another one - using the racing line on the roundabout when other people want to utilise other lanes.

It boils down to lane discipline and mirror usage.

If it's clear of traffic then you can use as many lanes as you like.

I take a racing line on roundabouts but as HDi says only when I know the road is clear.
 
Turbonutter69: I'm sure I've said this before but I'll say it again. You wouldn't want me behind you then.... ;)

In response I can affirm absolutely, far and away beyond the shadows of any doubts you might harbour covertly [or otherwise] that you definitely would not want me in front of you. ;)

I'm not likely to hinder your progress, though, so it's unlikely that this situation will occur. I, too, drive with a view to making swift progress whenever possible.

As for racing lines and roundabouts, then my attitude is exactly as yours is: if the road's yours to sieze then sieze it. The same applies for any cornering or change in direction - position yourself for maximum vision, maximum visibility and maximum stability. Make as much use as possible of the available road space. It's a standard police driving technique and is taught at all levels above basic competence level.
 
I always use all of the roads when it's clear to do so. I do it more in these conditions if possible so I can take the smoothist line through the bends to avoid spinning out.
 
So do I - it makes perfect sense to do so. With the little Seat I'm using at the moment it's all largely academic.

It's pretty sure footed but the chance of getting enough shove from it to de-settle it on a bend is virtually non-existent :-(

If I managed to break traction and slide it into a field I'd expect a medal, not a fixed penalty notice.
 
My Focus doesn't like the snow at all. It's all over the road at times. Can be very good fun mind.;)

It's strange how some cars that we'd think might be very good, such as your Focus (all models are very well balanced and work superbly in 'normal' conditions) can be so disappointing.

My Primera was very good in snow on Goodyear Ventura tyres. The (smashed up now) 406 was pretty easy to direct in bad conditions (Conti Premium C2s) but it's not inconsiderable weight perhaps didn't help ultimately.

Yet the little 14 yr old Seat Ibiza, bereft of any traction or stability management whatsoever, is absolutely superb. Tiny little 175/70 Michelin E3B tyres, a 1.9 litre non turbo diesel engine, no ABS (though it does have powered steering, not that this helps grip).

I've managed to get around over the last 7 days in extremely bad conditions whilst LRD drivers have managed to slide back down hills with a total loss of control.
 
Don't get me wrong i've been able to get about where some other cars can't but I do have to say it has next to no grip and it's on Michellin Primacy's. It's good on wet roads but on slushy snowy roads it can be all over the place.
 
Don't get me wrong i've been able to get about where some other cars can't but I do have to say it has next to no grip and it's on Michellin Primacy's. It's good on wet roads but on slushy snowy roads it can be all over the place.

There really is no pattern. Or, if there is, none of us has identified it yet.

My ancient Montego was good on virgin snow (or, at least, I had no problems at that time - 20 yrs ago).

Is it down to driver perception perhaps? Do our expectations change?
 
You maybe right.
The C3 I borrowed was excellent in the snow and with it being auto it made it so much easier. But it did get boring after abit and my left foot felt left out.:lol:
 
I'd quite like a left footed car to be honest. I'm still struggling with right foot and ankle articulation after my very bad (and only, so far, at least) crash on 24 June 2009.

I suspect that the C3 felt easy on bad roads becuase it was a spineless little torque shy variant with auto transmission and had no torque to destabilise the car. Right back to my point about the 1.9D Seat I'm using for now
 
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Maybe let PSA have a bit of credit for managing to produce a 1.8 small auto that goes quite well. Whether you like it or not is immaterial. I probably wouldn't like it either given your description of the way it drives.
 
one hand driving, getting a bit 'giddy' on twisty roads, lighting fags at motorway speeds.... the list goes on..
 
worst habit would probably be dittin so low you can barely see out the window

though driving with my knees might be up there too

only really do that when i'm muckin about with the sterio tho
 
Palm steering below 10 kph or so, higher speeds have risk of hand slipping as fast turns are reqd.
Slow clutch release.
Revving high in fourth gear, big daddies should take it.
 
Yeah probably one handed driving and road rage.
It really gets my back up when people don't know there road signs. ie. (right of way). For example. The other day was driving down a narrow road with a bridge and because the bridge was quite narrow it had a right of way sign and I had the right of way but this women came straight at me so I beeeeeped but she had the gore to stick too up to me..
 

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