Community Chat

[cherry]

I read this tip a long time ago ,and have used it ever since

When you see a child playing outside, immediately take your foot off the gas ,and place it over the brake

Just the split second it takes ,to change the position of your foot, could be  the difference between   being able to stop in time, or possibly hitting a child

I have never had a child run out in front of me, but if they should, I feel it makes me better prepared to stop.

[Stormygirl]

@cherry Hi Cherry and always wonderful to read your posts. Good tip and thank you.

I can only offer up one tip: In a time where niceness is scarce, be "polite" on the road of many travelers. NO flipping the bird or road rage....as hard as it can be at times not to do...just be nice. I hope that isnt too trite or general LOL xxxxxxxxxxxx Stormy

[Maudlynn]

Do not keep hard plastic water bottles in the front seat. A friend had one roll onto the drivers side under the brake pedal and she couldn't stop her car. Needless to say the resulting accident wasn't pretty. Lesson learned for her and everyone who knows her.

[cherry]

@Stormygirl  I am so pleased you are doing well enough to join us.  That is a nice tip, but you are a very nice person

[GSPgirl]

Great tip.  Jackie Stewart, the famous race car driver, said in a Shell commercial to always watch the other driver’s head because it will tell you what they are about to do.  Unfortunately,  so many have their heads down reading texts now.  However, I will be more cautious around someone who I think is texting.  

[KathyM23]

I once heard a speech from a highway patrolman.  He had a white board with a coffin drawn in each top corner and between them was the title of the speech "It only takes a second". 

The speech was about safe driving and that it only takes a second for an accident to happen. And the other meaning referring to one of the topics in the speech.  That before starting out from a green light or a stop sign to take a second look in each direction before starting out.  It was a play on words - it only takes a second to look both ways in case someone is running the light or sign.

That was years ago and I still remember that white board and I do look both ways again before starting out.  It could save your life.

[Mustang Shar]

I still remember in Drivers Ed, ALWAYS make sure you have

an " out ", be able to identify a potential accident and get away from that situation.  I do

This is a very good thread, thanks for starting it.

[sidsmom]

In the later hours in the evening, if driving on a 3+lane road,

always drive in the right-hand/slow lane.

Why? Drunk drivers.

If they are driving the wrong way, they will instinctly get in

their ‘right-hand/slow’ lane, which is my correct ‘left-hand/fast’ lane.

[on the bay]

I think I am a good defensive driver thanks to the best drivers ed class in school I think anyone could have (and I don't think all schools have this now).

In addition to all the good tips already mentioned I want to tell you what happened to me today.

There must have been an angel watching over this child today.

I was parked in my slot in our apt parking lot with my car turned on and ready to go. 

I don't know what made me wait and not start out and instead look up and to the side-there was a small child right in front of my right front wheel. If I hadn't looked to the side I would have just started the car and probably hit him. 

He then walked in front of my car and I got out to see where was the mother and was this a child just wandering around?

He went in and out of a few more parked cars and I saw the mother on the sidewalk walking along-her view of her son blocked by the parked cars pretty much,smiling with her young daughter a little ahead of her. She wasn't stopping her toddler son from dashing in and out of cars.

I'm glad I was there and that little guy had an angel for sure.

It will make me look twice and again and under the car too before I start out and not take for granted that a parent is watching her child and that there isn't one in front of me. I didn't see the mother until I got out because she was behind the back of my car on the sidewalk while her son was in front in the drive.

I regret that I didn't talk to the mother and let her know that I almost didn't see her son and to make sure to watch him. Cars go very fast in pour lot sometimes.

I think I was amazed and so grateful that I didn't run over that child!

[dex]

Never trust that the drivers of other vehicles will do what the law requires.I always hesitate before proceeding on a green light just in case someone plans to run the red.