Ask me/Tell me ABout Driving

I pride myself on being an outstanding driver. I've only gotten 2 speeding tickets and both were in 1998/1999 when I was new to driving.
Here are some things I've learned:
>If you're speeding, try not to go more than 5 mph because cops usually wont bother you for that much.
>Use your mirrors constantly.
>Be familiar with the road your traveling.
>If you're approaching an off ramp, look behind you because sometimes cops wait there.
>If you're approaching an overpass from a road beneath it, check it because cops sometimes wait there.
>Be careful when cresting a hill or rounding a sharp turn because those are popular speed trap areas.
>If a car is approaching behind you quickly, assume it's a cop and slow down until it passes.
>If a car is driving faster than you and suddenly slows down, take note. Maybe they have a radar detected or saw something you didn't.
>If you see a car with several antenna it could be a CB radio enthusiast or a cop.
>NEVER speed in a residential neighborhood or residential back roads because kids or pets can appear out of nowhere very quickly.

If you're getting sleepy...
>5 hour energy shots work best for me for short periods.
>Carry a voice recorder and compose music or come up with the theme for a story or just ramble.
>Play angry music on high volume.

I treat all drivers as if they're my spiritual brothers and sisters, meaning I am extremely polite at all times. And just because someone behaves rudely to me, I give them the benefit of the doubt and don't act in kind (maybe their dog died or their kid is in the hospital).
I also drive for myself and everyone else on the road. I take note of their behavior. If someone is swerving, for instance, I don't want to be caught beside them.

If you're driving the speed limit or slower, stay in the slow lane (in the US that's the right hand lane). BUT, if a big rig (18 wheeler) is coming up on you quickly and you can merge into the fast lane, do so. It's easier for cars to merge than the bigger beasts.

Some things I've noticed from driving a 40 foot long RV with a 20 foot car trailer in tow:
>If you're in the fast lane, trying to merge in front of a big rig and he flashes his lights at you, he's giving you the "All's clear".
>If you let a big rig pass you and his brake lights flash, he's saying "thank you".
>If a car insistently flashes their blinker but doesn't turn, check your own blinker. You might have forgotten to turn it off.
>If a car flashes their headlights at you, they're likely telling you to turn on your own lights lol


So, what all have you learned?
BTW, most of these tips are for interstate driving. In WV, interstate speed is 70 mph while RR speed is anywhere from 50-65 mph.

Mine are, if you have to speed, make sure there is a car close enough to your tail that a cop can't sneak in between you and pull you over.

When you pass someone at high speed, take a quick look at the driver. An undercover will have a normal car, but by law, they have to be in uniform.

If something happened around a blind turn, you're going away from it, and you see a car coming the other way. Flash your headlights so that they know to expect something.

If you see one deer, there are three that you're not seeing so slow the fuck down.

All in all, how hard is it to get the hang of driving? I turned 18 just recently, so I get to go for my driver's license now (in b4 LOLATNOTBEINGAUSRESIDENTANDDRIVINGAT16), but I have yet to actually start any lessons, being right in the middle of a very busy period of school and having final exams coming up in about a month and a half. After that I think I'll go straight for it though, but I've never driven a car before (nor a mopad or anything really).

WOOHOO Thanks for the tips :D heres mine
-Sometimes copes disguise them selfs as land things or whatever. (You know those people who measure land with those ray gun looking things. well cops replace those with speed guns, and then when a speeder is found the cops will radio to a cop down the road.
(This happened to a friend of mine in Florida)

-Give as much respect as you can to big rigs. Driving a 30 ft straight dump truck (not even a semi yet) has taught me that it takes forever to accelerate, and even longer to stop. Passing too close in front of a truck is the worst possible thing you can do, 'cuz that driver will just about shit himself trying to slow down. If every person saw what a truck driver sees, they'd shit themselves, too.

-Farm vehicles are going as fast as they can. A 4630 (an older medium-sized tractor) going 15mi/hr with a buggy on the back is flying down the road. Don't pass him unless you're positive that there's nothing coming the other way. I've witnessed 3 near-crashes from cell phone drivers trying to pass me.

-Farmers can't hear you honk. That diesel engine on the front is a loud piece of machinery at road speeds.

-If you have a rear-driven vehicle in the winter, put weight in the back. You will benefit so much from the extra traction.

lol Ninja re deer. How TRUE!!!

Old Nonposter made me think of another one:
>If you're approaching a turn and there's a big rig or an RV in front of you in the left hand lane and they have their right blinker on, let them turn first. I've almost side swiped several vehicles because they weren't paying attention to or didn't care that I was turning. Bigger vehicles need more room to make some turns.
>Also, if a big rig or RV is stopped in the middle of the road and it has on a blinker, don't get up its rear because it's likely they're trying to back in somewhere.

Tweak, driving is simple. I was nervous because I was about 23 years old when I got my permit and I learned how to drive on the back roads of West Virginia (all twists and turns lol) I drove to school every day to get my GED but that was about the extent of my driving experience until I met my hubby a year later.
While we were in New Orleans for him to take continuing education courses, he bought an RV on a whim. He drove it for about an hour and showed me how to work everything then handed the wheel over to me. Talk about nervous!!! lol After about an hour, he went to bed in the back and I drove the rest of the way to WV.
I LOVE driving the RV but it's always what triggered my extreme anxiety which I eventually saw a doctor about.
I drove this baby (the RV I currently live in) all the way to Nevada across the Hover Dam (NOT fun lol) and another time I drove it from Estes Park Colorado to WV in 24 hours (it was an awesome trip).
I recommend RV's to everyone who can afford them. It's freat traveling with your own bathroom lol

Oh yeah, another couple of tips:
>If it's snowing or raining hard be careful not to become "hypnotized". Don't concentrate on each drop that hits the windshield and shift your focus to things inside the car from time to time.
>And even though hubby disagrees with me on this one: It truly is better to use low beams during heavy snow or fog. The high beams just bounce the light back at you.
>Especially during thick fog, distance yourself from other drivers in front of you to take advantage of their light as well as your own.
>And ALWAYS use your turning signals, but NEVER trust the turning signals of other cars (think of them as something that is likely to happen but not guaranteed). I've seen many people almost get into accidents because someone had on their signal but didn't turn.

hehee... another one or two:
>I've found that flashing my lights at deer seem to break most of them out of their paralysis and they get out of the road before I get too close to them (I still slow WAY down)
>If you're in an absolute hurry and there's a slowpoke in front of you, flash your lights urgently at them and most people will pull over the first chance they have to let you by. The same is true of Farm vehicles. When they see there are people behind them, they will usually pull over and let everyone pass as soon as they're able to.

Great tips everyone!

Oh. Do not let a cop look inside of your car. If they ask to, ask them to get a warrant. A friend of mine let a cop look through his car, the cop planted cocaine in it. Luckily my friend was one of the best runners in the country and had taken tons of drug tests for the NCAA. The school's lawyers ruined that cop.

Just to add to the above; cops cannot legally search your vehicle without your explicit consent (in the US). If a cop wants to search your vehicle and you do not want him to, say "I'm sorry, officer, but I would not be comfortable with that." Be respectful but firm.

However, they can have your vehicle impounded if they have "reasonable suspicion" that you have some sort of contraband in the vehicle. For example, if you deny consent but a drug dog is barking at your car, you will be impounded.

For more information, see:
http://www.flexyourrights.org/freque...sked_questions