topic Proactive Driving in Community Chat

Proactive Driving

Twins Mom — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 14:42:22 GMT

Don’t take things for granted when driving. Turn on your “real” headlights. It’s foggier, hazy, perhaps snowy or drizzly. Maybe your car blends into street or background because of its color. Assume others might have an impairment and help them see you. Don’t forget you want to be seen from the REAR,too. Rather turn on lights before real need. Keep yourself safer by helping others see you. Safe travels, everyone!

Re: Proactive Driving

sidsmom — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 14:52:53 GMT

Re: Proactive Driving

sidsmom — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 14:59:41 GMT

I agree with being a Defensive Driver.

If you sense someone is impaired (weaving, frequent lane change,

not using blinkers, etc), give them a wide berth. If needed,

slow down or pull over to let them pass.

If possible, call 911 to alert authorities.

If someone can not see you due to your ‘car blends into the street or

background because of its color’, that particular driver

needs to be removed from driving permanently.

Driving is depth perception, not color.

Re: Proactive Driving

Eileen in Virginia — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:06:25 GMT

In addition to proactive driving, I’d like pedestrians to be proactive too. So many winter coats are darker colors that become invisible to drivers at night. THINK before you cross the street (and look both ways), especially if you’re on your cell phone. Just because drivers are supposed to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk doesn’t guarantee that they will. No one wants to be in a pedestrian auto accident. Even if you survive, it doesn’t end well. We just need to use good old-fashioned common sense.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Re: Proactive Driving

Twins Mom — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:10:29 GMT

Thank you for informative article. I must, however, respectfully disagree with comment that drivers should be removed from roads if they have difficulty seeing some cars readily on the road. Some colors in those split seconds just blend in, especially the greys and taupes. Last year I was getting on interstate and snow was swirling. The white cars without lights were not readily seen! It’s a matter of understanding there are differences. Thanks for your perspective.

Re: Proactive Driving

sidsmom — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:41:35 GMT

@twins mom wrote:
The white cars without lights were not readily seen! It’s a matter of understanding there are differences. Thanks for your perspective.

It’s the lights, not the color of the car.

(referencing article in post #2)

Re: Proactive Driving

software — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:42:53 GMT

No headlights is one of my pet peeves.

I can't believe the people who don't use their headlights even during dusk. I don't know how they see, much less how I can see them!

I drive over 400 miles per week and I've seen just about everything.

I'm the one screaming in my car TURN ON YOUR LIGHTS!

Re: Proactive Driving

Nightowlz — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:51:31 GMT

Some people think they turn on their headlights so they can see. They don't have a clue they need to turn them on so people can see them. Duh!!! So many people running around with no common sense at all.

Re: Proactive Driving

FrostyBabe1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:54:17 GMT

If you live in a cold, snowy winter climate, CLEAN THE SNOW OFF YOUR CAR! Not only is it dangerous, the person behind you doesn't want all that snow that you couldn't bother to clear from your car thrown back at them! In my community, it's illegal to NOT clean the snow from the car, but it's rarely enforced.

Re: Proactive Driving

mercyMe — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 16:05:39 GMT

@sidsmom wrote:
@twins mom wrote:
The white cars without lights were not readily seen! It’s a matter of understanding there are differences. Thanks for your perspective.
It’s the lights, not the color of the car.
(referencing article in post #2)

@sidsmom
Always the authority, aren't you. Green cars blend in with foliage, etc. Duh.

Re: Proactive Driving

sidsmom — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 16:30:36 GMT

@bittersweet wrote:
@sidsmom wrote:
@twins mom wrote:
The white cars without lights were not readily seen! It’s a matter of understanding there are differences. Thanks for your perspective.
It’s the lights, not the color of the car.
(referencing article in post #2)

@sidsmom
Always the authority, aren't you.

@mercyMe

Thank you for the shout out.

God forbid if one lives,

- near the water (blue),

- where it snows (white),

- by a forested area (green)

- driving at night (black).

Last I saw, the universe was created with many, many different colors/hues/tones of green within that forest of green...and brown...and yellow, etc. Giggle....and to emphasize the point w/ a ‘duh’ just makes it more giggle worthy.

Re: Proactive Driving

cherry — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 16:37:56 GMT

@FrostyBabe1My husband and I were just commenting about drivers that don't clean their windows, the other day.

There was a car in front of us ,that didn't clean any of their windows, except for one small patch on the drivers side windshield

Their mirrors were just useless. We were glad they were in front of us, instead of behind us. We felt safer

Re: Proactive Driving

2blonde — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 16:40:09 GMT

Where I live in Ohio, at least 50% of the cars are black, silver or gray. You wouldn't believe how many times I see people driving in complete darkness without so much as parking lights. In the city, when you start out you are often in areas with many streetlights, so people can see where there going and probably don't even realize they haven't put their lights on. However, it gets really dicey when they then get on the freeway like that.

Re: Proactive Driving

Bri36 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 16:43:21 GMT

I don't think people look when they're backing out of a parking spot anymore either.

Re: Proactive Driving

Plaid Pants2 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:08:23 GMT

I HATE it when someone has their high beams on, and they are behind me.

The light bounces off of my mirrors, and right in to my eyes, blinding me.

Re: Proactive Driving

hckynut — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:15:55 GMT

@Twins Mom

A very good post and I hope it wakes up the closed brain cells that drivers lose when they get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Too many take getting from Point A to Point B as a given. Some never complete that trip.

One would like to think that common sense would tell long time drivers most of the things you have said here in your post, but that seems to be missing in the majority I have seen in my 62 years of accident free driving.

Now with all the electronic gadgets available, even from the manufacturers, multi-tasking is taken to a very dangerous extremes. Some are fortunate and get a second chance while others suffer because of the lack of concern and plain stupidity of others driving on all types of public roads.

Thanks for your post,

hckynut(john)

Re: Proactive Driving

Twins Mom — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:36:03 GMT

I find it puzzling that manufacturers can add all kinds of “gadgets” that are automatic but can’t add headlights when windshield wipers are on. Hello, it stands to reason and is law in some places. New cars are seen just as often as older models without lights on dark days. I think part of problem us unfamiliarity with one’s vehicle. Too much taken for granted. Just like one poster mentioned, we can’t take things for granted, even when a pedestrian. Darker colored winter coats hinder being seen.