Defensive driving

[expat1609]

This "engine on, lights on" is more applicable to heavy goods vehicles to alert oncoming cars despite there are global statistics to support the notion that accidents will be reduced if vehicle switch on the lights when engine is on. However this does not applicable globally.. I know for a fact that in few provinces in China, it is illegal to switch on the headlights during daytime and traffic offence summon will be issued.

Where i come from it is proven that it DOES NOT reduce accidents, so the law was reverted after one year.
i still do switch on the light on the highway, coz i like to be seen.

However, what i was refering to was this first step on your light switch.
That illuminates something like a candle at the corner of your car, useless.
If it is dark, light ON (all the way), if in doubt wether it is dark enough, light ON (again all the way)and Fullstop

somebody issues a summon does not mean somebody does that out of brainpower. if it does not APPLY globally, what part of the globe is that, where safety is jeopardized by switching a light on ?

....of course, now it crossed my mind, must be Malaysia.
coz dozens of people seem so irritated, they need to stick out their hands of the window and start waiving, one hand off the steering and eyes on the backview mirror, not on the road - dangerous indeed

[expat1609]

Err buddy AaronOng...during a traffic crawl...it would be easy to GUESS the distance between your car n the one that you are tailing...

At 60km/h...it gets a bit difficult to GUESS the nos. of car lengths...
At 110km/h...your rough GUESS would be inaccurate...thus you have a tendency of getting too close...or too far from the one you are tailing...

However...you did mention "Sufficient distance buys you sufficient time"...
so more or less...you are not looking at it in better perspective...

Orchi says sufficient time buys you sufficient distance...instead.

Example:

1. At 110km/h constant speed...(assuming you are tailing the car in front)...
both cars should be traveling at about the same speed...

110km x 1,000 = 110,000 m / 60 minutes(hour) = 1,833 metres/minute.
1833 m/min. divide by 60 seconds = 30.5 metres per second.

So at that speed...
both cars should be traveling at the speed of 30.5 metres per second.

2. So IF you can count HABITUALLY...(beginning when the front car passes...ANY Stationery Object...along the road...until your car passes the SAME Object.)

One thousand n one...(1 sec.) = 30.5 metres.
Two thousand n one...(2nd sec.) = 61 metres.
Three thousand n one.(3rd sec.) = 91.5 metres.

There would definitely be sufficient distance between your car n the one you are tailing...behind.
It's call the 2 Seconds Rule...which is widely practiced by the WEST...

or Orchi prefers the 3 Seconds Rule...which takes into account of slower reflex reaction time in split seconds...in case of emergency.

It does NOT matter when both cars are traveling...FASTER or slower.
At 150km/h...(make the same calculations as above).
At 80km/h...same calculation.

Maintaining the 2 or 3 Seconds Rule(whichever one prefers)...
there should be SUFFICIENT distance between both cars...

That methode is correct and safe, regardless how ridculous it may sound!!

yes you can stop a modern car within 40 m....from the moment you hit the brake pedal !!!
that is in best case one second after something happens in front of you, and there you go - it makes 70 m already, with 20 m to spare, if you are not the best in terms of reaction.

We actually had learned that in driving school, not so in Malaysia ??

[expat1609]

14. Changing a flat.

If you have to change a flat tyre along a road, pull up at the leftmost side of the road or the emergency lane. Make sure you put up a safety triangle at least 50 meters, or better still, 100 meters, behind your car.

That'll give time for other motorists to avoid you. Don't forget to put on your hazard lights as well.

good point here: hazard lights

18. (see 14.) HAZARD LIGHTS on, remember, the car in 14 is STATIONARY !!!

[shthang]

Where i come from it is proven that it DOES NOT reduce accidents, i do switch on the light on the highway, coz i like to be seen.

However, what i was refering to was this first step on your light switch.
That illuminates something like a candle at the corner of your car, useless.
If it is dark, light ON (all the way), if in doubt wether it is dark enough, light ON and Fullstop

somebody issues a summon does not mean somebody does that out of brainpower. if it does not APPLY globally, what part of the globe is that, where safety is jeopardized by switching a light on ?

....of course, now it crossed my mind, must be Malaysia.
coz dozens of people seem so irritated, they need to stick out their hands of the window and start waiving, one hand off the steering and eyes on the backview mirror, not on the road - dangerous indeed

In Malaysia, you will see many bulk fuel tankers on the road switching ON the headlights during daytime. There is a reason behind this move to reduce road accidents. Over the years, this safety measure has shown positive results. In many countries ie Australia, UK, etc, this ruling is applicable to heavy goods vehicles.

However, this was not welcomed in some parts of China despite the latter has one of the highest road fatalities in the world.

[Naka]

In many countries ie Australia, UK, etc, this ruling is applicable to heavy goods vehicles.

However, this was not welcomed in some parts of China despite the latter has one of the highest road fatalities in the world.

How come i hardly see any of these Road-Trains--some > 20 meters long switching on their head lights.

Which part of Australia are you refering to?

[expat1609]

19.) Bliking the brake lights
i regularly find myself in this situation: driving left lane, approaching a slow vehicle and a fast car coming along the overtaking lane.
the guy in the fast car is so scared that i will cut out, that he slows down and then we do sychronous driving until reaching the lorry - stupid and dangerous situations unavoidable.
in that situation i am blinking the brake light twice (with my left leg, dont even need to go off the gas) as soon as i see the fast car, the guy realises that i have seen him and signalled that i give way. he never slows down, everything moves smooth without any danger.

[expat1609]

20. Make eye contact/give hand signal
look at other drivers, signal with your hand that you give way = avoid misunderstandings.

[shthang]

How come i hardly see any of these Road-Trains--some > 20 meters long switching on their head lights.

Which part of Australia are you refering to?

In OZ, this Daytime Running Light (DRL) is yet to be legislated and there has been many ongoing public discussions to make this DRL mandatory to bring down road accidents.

Few wks ago, i was driving along Pacific Motorways from Brisbane heading to Sydney. I saw many dangerous goods trucks switched on the headlights during daytime. Same goes for the motocycles.

[AaronOng]

21. Use common sense to avert ugly incident.

This is rather general. It's about common sense and not about whether you have the right of way or not. remember we're talking about defensive driving here.

Assume on a narrow 2 lane road separated by a double line.

A car is stopped in front of you, engines idling, blocking the entire lane, driver waiting for someone visiting a shop. You can either:

A. Hoot him continuously or wind down the finger and even give him the finger and shout epithets till he moves, cuz you HAVE the absolute right of way.

B. Without hooting him, slowly and cautiously overtake him, despite the double line, after ensuring no oncoming traffic. No fuss.

If you choose B, Congrats! pass "GO" and collect your 200 for your good common sense.

If you choose A, three guys from your friendly Ah Long company emerges from the shop after a debt collection exercise and together with the driver, approaches you and ask you what do you want making all that noise? Hopefully you'll survive their visit.

This is no joke, my friend had this actual experience before.

[orchipalar]

Using distance is another idea. I usually drive on the highway and find it very convenient to follow cars at 100m intervals because of the markers.

Err buddy...you are assuming all roads are equipped with those markers...
But those markers are normally found on multiple-lanes Expressways mostly...
besides the left lane...or the outer overtaking lane...
Those markers are NOT within your eyes sight...directly.

On trunk roads...or intercity highways...sometimes you see those markers...sometimes not...

During night driving...you won't be able to see these markers easily...

BUT almost always you see dividing lines between the lanes...
so these dividing lines would be good markers to practice the 2 Seconds or 3 Seconds Rule...(irrespective of traveling speed).
n it's easier to see the dividing lines(within your eyes sight ahead)...during night time driving...
whilst you are tailing the car in front...

You are also assuming that ALL motorists should travel like you would do...
at the speed of 100km/h or 110km/h...
BUT in reality...most don't...

So to advise the GENERAL motorists of what driving tips to observe...
you need to apply the relevant tips that's GENERALLY accepted n recommended... by proper guidelines...from accredited authorities...
Certainly not just by personally experience...or preference.

Please carry on...

[AaronOng]

... by proper guidelines...from accredited authorities...
Certainly not just by personally experience...or preference.

Please carry on...

Okay, I'm interested to know what the proper guidelines and accredited authorities has to say about Item #21.

[Sentinel]

To see how much distance you need to space between you and the front car, perhaps you should test yourself with this test....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbo...n_version5.swf

[AaronOng]

21. Use common sense to avert ugly incident.

... wind down the finger and even give him the finger ....

Sorry I mean wind down the window and even...

TYPO.

[CCY]

22. Always shift to low gears while going down a slope and increase your distance from the leading car as your, braking to stop distance, would invariably increase while on a slope.....

[Naka]

In OZ, this Daytime Running Light (DRL) is yet to be legislated and there has been many ongoing public discussions to make this DRL mandatory to bring down road accidents.
.

Quote

'In many countries ie Australia, UK, etc, this ruling is applicable to heavy goods vehicles'

Unquote

I was referring to your statement.