Changing Lanes

[svxthc]

I know this sounds a little dumb, but do you use your side mirrors, rear view,or do you look over your shoulder when changing lanes on the freeway, or do all? I Say this because I'm learning to drive and what a better car to learn in than the svx! Gimme all of the tips you guys can, there are some blind spots in the car, actually not too bad for a sports car, but I tend to veer when I'm turned around changing lanes.

[Earthworm]

I look first, signal, look again then finally change lanes.

[NikFu S.]

I constantly survey the road. If I know nobody is around I just change and don't even use a signal.
If traffic is moderately dense I use all mirrors and turn to glance in my blind spot.

Sometimes people hide there on purpose so they can beep at you and make you look like a jackass.

[RojoRocket]

I'll chime in with a few comments and suggestions if I may. First, as a new driver you have the advantage of NO BAD HABITS!! Along those lines I recently read about a suggested mirror set up that, if I had learned its use long ago, would have prevented many near-misses.
First, assume your driving position and adjust the center mirror to your liking.
Second, adjust the outside mirrors so that, instead of seeing the rear corners of your car (as most of us learned), the inside boundaries of coverage on both mirrors pick up where your view out the center one ends. When adjusted correctly this gives you much wider coverage and eliminates most of your blind spots.

Another, in this case lifelong, habit is to remember to keep your eyes moving constantly (most important in traffic obviously!), checking all mirrors regularly so you more easily track the cars around you and avoid any nasty surprises. Big Picture driving will let you see things developing ahead in time to make early adjustments. Many drivers fixate on the car(s) directly in front of them, contributing to lots of rear-enders. Probably starting to sound like your Dad at this point, so I'll stop and let someone else pick this up!

Glenn

[svxthc]

That's good stuff RedRocket! That mirror trick must really improve blind spots! Keep it coming.

[MNYPNNY]

I think one of the most important things to learn when driving, and I think this takes mucho experience to learn, is to be fully aware of your position in traffic and your possible escape routes if necessary. I realize that this is not always possible, but I know that I drive, looking around, making certain of where I might be able to go in a situation that would minimize damage.
And I also make sure that I watch not only my situation, but that of others. I saw a narrowly-missed accident just the other morning which could have involved me had I not been paying attention. A camaro in the other lane was not paying attention and just missed rearending the car in front of them by swerving over into my lane at the last minute. Had I not been watching, I might have been sideswiped by that camaro.
Bottom line.... great driving comes with experience, but good driving is learned. Just make sure that you're very careful and diligent about traffic laws.

[ensteele]

Originally Posted by RojoRocket

First, assume your driving position and adjust the center mirror to your liking.
Second, adjust the outside mirrors so that, instead of seeing the rear corners of your car (as most of us learned), the inside boundaries of coverage on both mirrors pick up where your view out the center one ends. When adjusted correctly this gives you much wider coverage and eliminates most of your blind spots.

Glenn

Glenn

I have my mirrors adjusted like that too. At first, it was a little strange, but now if they are not adjusted that way, it drives me crazy!

One other thing to remember is that you need to recognize things that COULD happen. That is defensive driving. Be ready for the unseen to happen. I have had passengers ask how I knew that somethinng was going to happen when it did. I had already started to respond before the driver did what they did. I would respond, I didn't, but thought that they might. Try to read what they might do, and you will be ready for it.

[NapaBavarian]

Just do it, if smeone is there they'll moove

Hmmmmmmmm, someone actually did that to me

[Jnthn_Sctt]

It is very tempting to say, "If you drive fast enough, you won't need the rear view mirrors."

However, since you have the good sense to ask first, keep in mind that, EVERY OTHER DRIVER ON THE ROAD IS AN IDIOT AND DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE. It's not actually true, but if you act like it is, it will keep you prepared for things that might pop up, as has been mentioned previously.

Congratulations on having an SVX as a first car.

Jonathan

PS: Keeping all four wheels on the ground is a GOOD thing.

[NikFu S.]

Originally Posted by ensteele

One other thing to remember is that you need to recognize things that COULD happen. That is defensive driving. Be ready for the unseen to happen. I have had passengers ask how I knew that somethinng was going to happen when it did. I had already started to respond before the driver did what they did. I would respond, I didn't, but thought that they might. Try to read what they might do, and you will be ready for it.

^^^
I'm can predict with about 90% accuracy what every other car on the road is going to do.
Given enough time watching other drivers you will see that most people are like a herd of sheep just moving from point A to B, not really aware of everything that is going on.
But there are some people that take the road very seriously.

It pays to be one of those people.

[UberRoo]

95% of the time I can get away with just using my mirrors, but that still leaves 5%, and that's more than enough to ruin your day. Dialing in your mirrors very carefully does help. RojoRocket's system is the same one I've been using for years. It's a very good system, but it's not perfect - motorcycles can still be invisible.

Also, if you keep track of all the cars around you, you'll know when one is missing. It's a bit of work keeping your eyes on all of them, and it's especially difficult on multi-lane highways with lots of traffic. Sometimes it just can't be done.

When you crank your neck around to have a glance beside you, there is a tendency to veer. With practice that problem goes away. I tend to spend a lot of time staring into my mirrors, so much time in fact, that I sometimes forget about what's going on in front of me! Over time you can learn to check all of your mirrors very quickly without losing track of anything else around you.

[NikFu S.]

There were a few times I actually swiveled my rear view mirror around rather than turning my head. Kinda hard to get used to but works in a pinch and you can keep your eyes forward.

[Earthworm]

I actually find that my passenger side mirror can't adjust as far out as I'd like

[NikFu S.]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

I actually find that my passenger side mirror can't adjust as far out as I'd like

Now that I think about it my driver's side won't move out. I toggle the little switch and it moves a little then it clicks back to where it was. :/
I think I ended up just shoving it in place.

[Uncamitzi]

Keep your head an eyes moving the entire time you are driving. Maintain the BIG PICTURE
Know what's going on ... like who's on the cell phone next to you (don' t be on your's unless you have a headset) IF the car in front of you stops suddenly... which way will you be able to swerve.. what's your escape route... Is that parked car going to back out in front of you.... If you expect the unexpected you could escape the almost inevitable first accident... It happens to 99.9 percent of all 16-18 year old drivers... That's why your insurance rates are so high... "Watch out for the other guy" is what my driving instructor from 36 years ago said... I think that's the best advice I ever got about driving...

ok mitch... climb down off that soapbox before you hurt yourself