slamming on your brakes to avoid wrecks. Really?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Nov 29, 2009
Messages
7,216
Am I the only one who pays attention to whether or not there is a vehicle around them so instead of nailing the brakes when someone stops abruptly, I just change lanes, or hit the brakes and change lanes. I see so many people who hit the brakes as hard as they can narrowly avoiding an accident, when all they really needed to do was move over.
 
You are not alone...so glad my cummute is shorter. It is unbelievable how distracted most people are driving these days. Stay safe.
 
I literally witnessed some one slam on their brakes (smoked the tires) while tailgating in the fast lane...as I drove by in the middle lane she was back looking down at her cell phone...I guess no fight or flight response...not a care in the World.
 
Last edited:
Paying attention to surroundings is obviously the best. I try to keep a proper spacing to the car behind me and try to not drive so there is a car even with me. Some vehicles it is best to stop fast since they could be unstable in a sudden maneuver. I have to be careful to not drop anchor too hard especially if there is someone too close behind me, the stopping distance on a car like mine is a lot shorter than a lot of cars on the road.
 
Lack of situational awareness. Easier to just jam the brakes than try to keep track of what traffic is around them. Many times I've eased up on the gas to make a hole for someone to duck into in front of me because I see a problem coming up, but they still stand on the brakes.
 
Just witnessed a nasty wreck the other day in my rear view mirror, I was on road going up a fairly steep hill with two lanes of traffic on each side and I was in the right lane and noticed a vehicle ahead with flashers on assisting another vehicle stopped and I moved to the left lane and just watched as the car behind me plowed into the stopped vehicle and at least two more cars caught in the wreckage because they turned sideways into both lanes. Speed limits are only 35 but pretty sure we were all going at least 40 that's just the flow of traffic on that hill.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Paying attention to surroundings is obviously the best. I try to keep a proper spacing to the car behind me and try to not drive so there is a car even with me. Some vehicles it is best to stop fast since they could be unstable in a sudden maneuver. I have to be careful to not drop anchor too hard especially if there is someone too close behind me, the stopping distance on a car like mine is a lot shorter than a lot of cars on the road.


That's why I've learned to switch lanes because some guy in a sports car will nail the brakes at the last second to make it into the gas station and my truck can't stop, then of course you leave ample distance in between you and the vehicle in front of you, then all that does is invite people to cut in front.
 
One thing I sense that a lot of drivers do is focus on the traffic in front of them and not the traffic ahead of that traffic. By keeping an eye further up, I can plan my response before most drivers even know what's happening. If I see red tailights in the distance I am already taking my foot off the gas.

Spatial awareness should extend beyond the immediate.
 
Some years ago on a California freeaway with frequent sharp slowdowns, i fell in behind a middle aged woman in a Camry once. (First mistake). When traffic got heavier in front of her, she would full on panic stop her car repeatedly even though the slowdown was still a ways away from her. The rear end of that car jumped up about a foot every time she did it.
She had both hands on the wheel, staring straight ahead. She was really out of her element. To this day I'm convinced she was horked up on drugs and driving impaired.
Ps, it wasn't brake checking to deter tailgating. I stayed 5 car lengths and then 10 car lengths behind her.
 
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Some years ago on a California freeaway with frequent sharp slowdowns, i fell in behind a middle aged woman in a Camry once. (First mistake). When traffic got heavier in front of her, she would full on panic stop her car repeatedly even though the slowdown was still a ways away from her. The rear end of that car jumped up about a foot every time she did it.
She had both hands on the wheel, staring straight ahead. She was really out of her element. To this day I'm convinced she was horked up on drugs and driving impaired.
Ps, it wasn't brake checking to deter tailgating. I stayed 5 car lengths and then 10 car lengths behind her.


I live in a town with a very high level of elderly people. Some of the circumstances that one happens to find oneself in are somewhat unique to that element. Ergo, driving defensively is not just about being aware of everyone around you, it is in this case, being aware of the potentially limited cognitive and physical functions of these people and planning accordingly.

Today's example:
I was headed home and turned off a main 4-lane onto a relatively busy 2-lane that is skirted by a very generous bike lane on the eastern side. Two blocks up a light goes red and I'm the second car at it. Watching my rearview, there's a Cadillac driving in the bike lane, then back into the main lane, then back into the bike line. This immediately causes concern and I cut my wheels to the left to potentially go around the car in front of me (light is red, there's no oncoming) as he hastily approaches with no sign of slowdown. As he sails up my rear side I stab the gas and maneuver out of the way, however my abrupt movement must have jarred some fizzled out brain cells back to life as he slams on the brakes, stopping about two feet into the space my vehicle had occupied only a moment earlier. Watching in the rearview, the look on his face is one of astonishment, confusion and indignation. He obviously shouldn't be driving, and he probably knows that deep down in there somewhere.

And this would be far from the first episode where I've had a senior sailing up behind me. Sometimes tapping your brakes to flash the lights gets them to clue in, other times evasive action is necessary and sometimes they hit you. Shortly after we got the Expedition we were rear-ended by an elderly couple while we were stopped behind a city bus. They came sailing through the lights into a line of stopped traffic that you'd have to be entirely blind not to see. He hit the brakes half-way through the intersection, probably 20ft from my bumper. That was the saving grace. It caused the front of his van to dive and he buried his hood into my hitch receiver assembly, rather than the bumper. He wasn't so lucky, as the guy that was following him ended up in the back of the van.
 
Every time I drive, "everybody is a idiot" coming at me, beside me, or behind me. Thought all my kids and 1 GrandKid same thing. I'd ask them if they saw me driving toward them what I was....."An idiot". Perfect.
grin.gif
 
It's how we were trained in Driver Ed in school; always have an "out", such as an open space in adjacent lanes.

If not available, maneuver to a location in your lane that offers the out, or increase your following distance, or take some other appropriate step to increase your accident avoidance margin.

Don't school Driver Ed programs still teach this?

Note: I didn't take Drivers' Ed in school, my Dad taught me to drive, but the above concept was taught to me by my father and when talking to friends who were in the program, they indicated they were taught the same thing. I did, however, take the Motorcycle Safety Course, which expands on the concept.

One of the moments I remember with my Dad while I was driving was his insistance that I drive closer to the centre line, and to this day I drive closer to the yellow than most drivers, although I always stay completely in my lane. I can still hear him "those guys [meaning oncoming traffic] can get out of the way" [versus parked vehicles and people opening doors, etc].
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Just witnessed a nasty wreck the other day in my rear view mirror, I was on road going up a fairly steep hill with two lanes of traffic on each side and I was in the right lane and noticed a vehicle ahead with flashers on assisting another vehicle stopped and I moved to the left lane and just watched as the car behind me plowed into the stopped vehicle and at least two more cars caught in the wreckage because they turned sideways into both lanes. Speed limits are only 35 but pretty sure we were all going at least 40 that's just the flow of traffic on that hill.


The lesson here is when a good samaritan is stopping to assist a diabled vehcile, it is important to always leave a large space between the two vehicles to serve as a "cushion" for when some distracted driver smashes into the good samaritans vehicle.
I always cringe when I see a guy on the pavement working on a disabled vehicle with or without a second vehicle parked behind with flashers on. In this day & age, I would call roadside assistance even though I am capable of making many repairs. I instill this in all of our kids and grandkids as well. Roadside Assistance.

The numerous videos of police cruisers with full emergency lights flashing getting rear ended by distracted or drunk drivers is beyond belief.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL


I live in a town with a very high level of elderly people. Some of the circumstances that one happens to find oneself in are somewhat unique to that element. Ergo, driving defensively is not just about being aware of everyone around you, it is in this case, being aware of the potentially limited cognitive and physical functions of these people and planning accordingly.

Today's example:
I was headed home and turned off a main 4-lane onto a relatively busy 2-lane that is skirted by a very generous bike lane on the eastern side. Two blocks up a light goes red and I'm the second car at it. Watching my rearview, there's a Cadillac driving in the bike lane, then back into the main lane, then back into the bike line. This immediately causes concern and I cut my wheels to the left to potentially go around the car in front of me (light is red, there's no oncoming) as he hastily approaches with no sign of slowdown. As he sails up my rear side I stab the gas and maneuver out of the way, however my abrupt movement must have jarred some fizzled out brain cells back to life as he slams on the brakes, stopping about two feet into the space my vehicle had occupied only a moment earlier. Watching in the rearview, the look on his face is one of astonishment, confusion and indignation. He obviously shouldn't be driving, and he probably knows that deep down in there somewhere.

And this would be far from the first episode where I've had a senior sailing up behind me. Sometimes tapping your brakes to flash the lights gets them to clue in, other times evasive action is necessary and sometimes they hit you. Shortly after we got the Expedition we were rear-ended by an elderly couple while we were stopped behind a city bus. They came sailing through the lights into a line of stopped traffic that you'd have to be entirely blind not to see. He hit the brakes half-way through the intersection, probably 20ft from my bumper. That was the saving grace. It caused the front of his van to dive and he buried his hood into my hitch receiver assembly, rather than the bumper. He wasn't so lucky, as the guy that was following him ended up in the back of the van.


0500 yesterday morning along a 4-lane thoroughfare, I am stopped at a red light. There is only one other vehicle on the road in any direction and he is approaching from behind in my same lane of traffic. I give it minimal attention since we are literally the only two cars on the road. Seconds later there is a sound of tires screeching on pavement directly behind me. The guy had nearly rear-ended my large white truck. At the green, I pulled into the left lane and allowed him to pass and he did not want to. He eventually passed and I followed at a comfortable distance of maybe 4-5 car lengths and thie driver was all over the road.

Must have been coming home from the bars.

Sure, old people can be a concern but so can drunks of any age and kids with electronic devices.

I want to purchase some of those highly reflective multi-colored chevrons found on work vehicles. Suggestions on where to source them?
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Am I the only one who pays attention to whether or not there is a vehicle around them so instead of nailing the brakes when someone stops abruptly, I just change lanes, or hit the brakes and change lanes. I see so many people who hit the brakes as hard as they can narrowly avoiding an accident, when all they really needed to do was move over.


Texting and driving is my bet. Around here every time you go on the Southern State Parkway or the LIE you take your life in your hands.
 
One of my friends was fond of maintaining speed when there was a slowdown ahead on a multi-lane road until he was a just a few feet from the slowdown at which time he would change lanes.

He did this for years until if finally caught up with him. He cut it too close, rammed the stopped car in front of him and totaled his car but good. Fortunately no one was hurt.

This is the way of a number of drivers. I am still amazed when driving at 75 MPH or so on the LIE (posted limit of 55 MPH)about how close behind me some drivers tail gate waiting for an opening to merge and pass me. Sometimes it is less than 10 feet.
 
I get the impression that most people think of using the brakes as a first resort in any unexpected situation. Steering only comes into play if brakes don't work AND they still have presence of mind at that point. Acceleration comes into play almost never -- people are terrified of the gas pedal unless they're angry or reckless. You rarely see people showing situational awareness and making proactive moves to maintain safety for everyone.

It'd be great if we had real driver training in this country, including accident avoidance and car control. Proactive rather than reactive driving.
 
While I am commuting, my goal is to use my brakes as little as possible. I try to drive by throttle and steering wheel alone through leaving reasonable distances and watching the cars around me closely so as to try to predict their behavior. Of course, I don't let my little game interfere with being safe and brake when I need to without getting really close to anybody. I just don't get it when the cars in front of me charge up a hill just a few feet apart from each other and slam on their brakes when somebody goes to turn while I follow just a bit behind and let the slope slow me down after I actually look ahead and see brake lights and (maybe) a turn signal telling me that things are going to change for our little column very soon. Is it really that shocking that somebody is turning off onto a sidestreet?
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top