Defensive Driving

All good points but points that are used everyday with the Smith System. I'm surprised no one brought that point up. I drove at a terminal where we had very safe experienced drivers. Some had over 25 years safe driving and that's a huge feat considering they are driving an oversized truck and trailer in the city all day long hauling gasoline. All our lifes changed when the company brought the Smith System in and the drivers were monitored to use the system. Over all in the company the numbers proved the system works. I loved it and taught my son the finer points when he first started to drive. He has fun when he can spot problems before they happened and (knock on wood) he's been driving now for 6 years without one incident. It's a program writen by experienced drivers from years and years of safe driving.

It works but it's best to have the program working all year long. I believe it should be taught at the CDL schools and then taken over to any company you drive for. The optimum program is when there is a SS monitor that can keep track of the driving of any driver. We had the driver trainers do it. Every quarter they would pull each drivers record and ride along for the day. I realize that not every job can do this but it's best when you can keep track. Just my 2¢ from what I've seen work.

 

Ideally, yes. Realistically no. Try leaving room in front of you during rush hour on the turnpike. Slow down to allow that extra space and within seconds the 4wheelers are slipping in filling the gap. So you slow down more and it just keeps happening. I suppose you could go backwards.

 

Speaking to the point of leaving plenty of room in front of you, please tell me how you did that, specifically, when the 4 wheelers make it impossible (at least during rush hour). You backed out of the throttle to get some space? Then when the impatient 4wheeler zips right into that hole you just made, then what? Slow down some more, and repeat the process?

All you can do is be as aware as possible of your front door and make sure you're ready to evade if needed.

Edit: I'm not trying to stir up poop on your thread, I just recall having a very frustrating debate with a trainer on this issue, so it's interesting to hear other drivers perspectives on it. Good thread, wargames.

 

AMEN......

 

Is it considered defensive driving if there's a slower moving vehicle in the hammer lane, you see in your mirror another vehicle quickly approaching in the hammer lane and you back off a bit so when this faster moving vehicle approaches they now can get over into your lane and go around the slower moving vehicle? I seem to do that at least once a day.

 

Oh it's frustrating alright. What to do? Back off some more. When you close that gap to keep more four-wheelers out, you take the chance of not being able to stop in time to avoid a rear-end collision, or may cause a four-wheeler behind you to rear-end your trailer when you have to stop quickly. Either way, you're involved in a preventable accident.

Just plan on it happening... all the time. And back off some more.

 

Thank you. Do I pass the stated experience test? LOL