# What Is A Good Driver?



## Berto SE-R (Jul 10, 2003)

Everyone Has Heard About Somebody Being A Good Driver.

but, What Really Makes A Good Driver?​
and​
what Should A Good Driver Do To Be One?​


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## Harris (Nov 11, 2002)

Bad Driver - Gets a lot of tickets, drives recklessly, puts other people's lives at risk including his own, and treats the streets like a dragstrip.


Good Driver - Avoids tickets, drives carefully, respects traffic laws, and takes the challenge to the track. 

To be a good driver, all you have to do is not be a bad one.


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## Spelchy (Jun 24, 1987)

good driver - defensive, not agressive. does not pull up beside you at a light and rev their engine despite the fact that they drive a rusted out '89 cavalier that they bought for $800 when they turned 16. does not run red lights (huge problem around here). does not overuse the horn / bird feature. uses signal lights. drives a vehicle that is in decent mechanical shape (no pluming blue smoke, no flat tire, no dragging muffler, no broken signal/tail lights). within reason, obeys laws and speeds. has no road rage. yields when necessary, and even when unnecessary.

being a good driver is to not be a moron, unless you happen to drive a car that costed you $140, which unfortunately happens to the best of us at times.


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## cls12vg30 (Oct 21, 2003)

A really good driver:
A) takes pride in being a good driver and doesn't want to just get from point A to point B.
B) has enough understanding about the mechanical workings of their vehicle to recognize when things are going wrong so as not to endanger themselves and others.
C) does not play music so loud that it prevents them from hearing events around them and rattles other drivers' windows.
D) Assumes at all times that every other car on the road is driven by an angry, drunken chimpanzee and plans accordingly.


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## Rain-Xx (Jul 29, 2002)

Yes, good drivers assume everyone else is an idiot, and thus they take it upon themeselves not to be agressive and such.

I think good drivers follow the flow of traffic, unless it's rediculously fast (90 in a 50 zone) but maintain good distance, and if someone "cuts you off" or moves into your space infront of you, you just slow down a bit to give yourself that space back. .. without flipping them the bird above the steering wheel.  

I don't believe that "good" drivers, or even "safe" drivers are slow drivers. You should know you car, as cls said. You should be relaxed and comfortable with your car, and if you don't feel safe driving in heavy traffic, then overcome that or else take a less traveled route because you're likely to become a hazard in traffic.

I think the biggest thing is confidence. If you're not confident, you're going to hit something while trying to avoid something else. And good drivers LOOK before they back up. I had someone back straight into me in a parking lot... some people, eh?


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

a good driver knows when to separate emotions when behind the wheel. this allows for better focus and understanding of current surroundings. also looks ahead to develop plans and escape plans when needed.


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## BikerFry (Jul 31, 2003)

You know you're a good driver when you can put your passengers to sleep...


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## a_stupid_box (Nov 16, 2003)

Same things that make a person good at sex make them a good driver.

Patience
Understanding others
Ability to feel established rythm/tempo/flow
Understanding yourself and abilities

... and finally ...

HAVING THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB! Sorry, had to throw it in.


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## Slayer2003 (Jun 4, 2003)

.....all that is great, but most people consider themselves better than average drivers


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## a_stupid_box (Nov 16, 2003)

Slayer2003 said:


> .....all that is great, but most people consider themselves better than average drivers


That's where 3rd party objective opinion comes into play, and crushes the pride of most.


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## James (Apr 29, 2002)

BikerFry said:


> You know you're a good driver when you can put your passengers to sleep...


No that just means you are so boring your bad driving can't even keep them awake!  

I think a good driver is simply someone who doesn't think they own the road or is the best driver on the road.


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## FadedKM83 (Jan 27, 2003)

cls12vg30 said:


> D) Assumes at all times that every other car on the road is driven by an angry, drunken chimpanzee and plans accordingly.


haha so true..


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## halfshaft (Nov 2, 2003)

A good driver knows when to have fun on the street, and knows when too much fun is too much. He may speed from time to time, and he may play in the twisties, but he is always courtious and aware of every other driver on the road. Its not you you need to worry about, its the coked up wackjob next to you in his slammed civic. On the track, he glides from corner to corner, and instead of treating every turn as a seperate unit to set up and drive through, he understands that the track should be treated as one big corner, and to use the slightest and smoothest steering imputs possible to get around the course.


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## Berto SE-R (Jul 10, 2003)

Use the signal light definitely. I get irritated when someone doesn't use it.


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## Greg200SE-R (Feb 5, 2003)

When you say being a "good" driver, do you mean being a responsible driver? Or did you mean someone who can pilot a car effectively? 

Of course, everything everyone said so far is correct. Those attributes make a responsible and safe driver, definitely. This is the kind of driver we should all strive to be.

In addition to being a responsible driver, one can be an effective driver by knowing the capabilities and limits of their car, as well as their own abilities. Someone who understands the technical aspects and physics involved in accelerating, decelerating and taking corners can get the most out of their car. They can also react in the correct way when things go wrong.

Know the traction circle concept and how it applies to your car. Safely practicing driving in low-traction conditions (like in a wet empty parking lot) goes a long way. See how control inputs (gas/brake, steering and handbrake) affects a front-drive in low traction... feeling a car lose traction going 25-30mph in a wet slippery parking lot is surprisingly similar to how it would react at higher speeds in dry conditions.

Oh yeah, as you can tell, my opinions apply mostly to cornering. I think someone who understands cornering at the limits of traction makes the "best" driver - drifters and rally drivers are true artists in my book.


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