This is something I’ve be thinking about recently - what
kind of driver do I want to be?
I want to be a happy, patient and relaxed driver!
Things I want:
- I want to be a safe
driver.
- I want to be a polite
driver (i.e. if it doesn’t cost me too
much momentum, let people out of turnings when traffic is busy).
- I want to be a patient
driver.
- I want to be a smooth
driver (with an effortlessly flowing ‘flat car’* driving style).
- I’ll overtake if
I have a clear long view and a safe opportunity presents itself.
- I want to make
progress but not at the expense of breaking speed limits and being dangerous!
- I want to give due
respect to...
... things like
tractors (the drivers are just doing a job!)
... cyclists (I
think they are crazy but have every right to be on the road.)
... motorcyclists.
... people who don’t
know where they are going (we’ve all been there, looking for somewhere we’ve
never been to before.)
... all road users.
- I will put into practice IPSGA** (Information Position Speed
Gear Accelerate)
- I want to enjoy
the pleasure of driving, even if it’s busy and I’m not going fast - the feel of the steering; the feel of the
gears; the feel of the seats and the car underneath me; the sensations of
acceleration, cornering, and braking; the sounds (or radio/music), the
sights...
- I want to be a relaxed
driver (a relaxed driver is a safe driver!)
- I want to be a happy
driver
I want to be a happy, patient and relaxed driver!
Things I definitely do not want:
- Don’t want to care if people overtake me.
- Don’t want to care if someone beats me (It’s not and never should be a race on the
public road! You’ve won - big deal!)
- Don’t want to care if I’m in the slower lane.
- Don’t want to be one of those people who get so upset
when 2-lanes merge into one and they’ve been in the slower lane that they
refuse to let someone in. I mean
seriously, it's one place on the road, who gives a damn, grow up and don’t be so
pathetic, what difference does it make?
- Don’t want to be a boy racer.
- Don’t want to care if there is someone slow in front of
me (but I will look out for opportunities
to overtake) - everyone’s speed is their own personal choice, if they choose to
drive 10mph (or more) below the speed limit for whatever reason, that’s fine.
It is very easy to drive slow, just take your foot of the accelerator pedal!
- Don’t want to stress about driving at all (there are so many more important things in
life.)
- Don’t want to stress about car ownership at all (there are so many more important things in
life.)
Image: Drive Safe
and Be Happy!
*To understand ‘flat
car’ read:
F1 driver training... in an Astra
**IPSGA is ‘The
System of Driving’ from Roadcraft (the UK’s police handbook):