Driving question

I have a little ongoing dispute with a non-cop friend about what the safest driving style is... Assuming dry pavement of course.

I was always taught that when you turn right onto a busy street, not only should you always stay in the right lane and not cross lanes (which some people do to make the turn "softer"), but you should also make the turn quickly and accelerate briskly, but not enough to squeak the tires.

The thinking behind this is that it gets you out of the way in case for some reason you misjudge the speed of a car you're turning in front of, or you didn't even see them. This not only gets you up to speed and out of the way faster to lessen the chance of them impacting your rear, but also by staying in the right lane, it gives oncoming cars a free zone to swerve into.

My contention also is that when turning off the busy road, you should make the turn fairly fast, again to avoid getting hit in the rear.

My friend, on the other hand, says that slowness is always safer - So you should not accelerate briskly, and perhaps even cross lanes to make the turn "softer" instead of a sharp 90 degree turn into the right lane. He also slows down to about 10 MPH before turning off of a major road - i.e., he drives like an old grandma.

All this came about because he says I scare the Hell out of him when I'm driving - Just because I take turns fairly sharp (not sharp enough to slide or squeal the tires, though), and I don't cross lanes when turning right, which increases his G-forces and thus his "white knuckle" count.

Honestly, this is just the way I've always driven - It was taught to me early that if you're going slower than traffic behind you, just get the Hell out of the way as quickly as possible. I've gone almost 40 years not having anyone rear-end me because of that, I think. Same thing at 4-way stops: Once you see that the other cars are stopping, get the hell through the intersection before they change their mind - I've seen too many of them stop, then automatically start up again as someone else is going through.

You're both right, about separate points.

Turning from the right-most lane, you should end in the right-most lane of the roadway. Most States actually have laws that prohibit lane changes within a certain radius of an intersection, and most also require turning vehicles to begin and end in the appropriate lane of a turn: left lane for left turn, and right lane for right. The only exceptions here are when there are two turning lanes allotted, and then the turning vehicles should remain in the lanes provided, respectively. The purpose is to allow free and unhindered flow of traffic without conflicts from lane-overlap.

On your second point, he's correct. Turning maneuvers should be made in a cautious and vigilant manner, not hastily proceeded through. Over-maneuvering and over-acceleration are to be guarded against in any turn, as well as 'rushing' through the turn. The reasons here are simple - when approaching an intersection and turning, you are broadening the possibility of conflicts with oncoming vehicles, and widening the area that you must visually 'clear' before entering it with your vehicle. Moving too quickly in a turn shortens the length of time in which you can percieve possible hazards, and shortens reactionary time for both you and others present in, or approaching the intersection. Accelerating abruptly following the turning maneuver to avoid being rear-ended by an oncoming vehicle is definitely not preferential to ensuring that there are no other conflicts which require evasion prior to entering the intersection and negotiating the turn.

Hope this helps.

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My friend, on the other hand, says that slowness is always safer - So you should not accelerate briskly, and perhaps even cross lanes to make the turn "softer" instead of a sharp 90 degree turn into the right lane. He also slows down to about 10 MPH before turning off of a major road - i.e., he drives like an old grandma.

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Just for the record ,I hate your friend.:mad:I cannot stand people that feel the need to come to a complete(almost) stop,in order to make a turn.It should be a simple,fluid,move,reducing speed to the safest level,but not crawling.I feel that slow drivers cause way more accidents than speeders.It seeems they want to look for a parking place BEFORE pulling into the lot:doh:

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Originally Posted by mavriktu

Just for the record ,I hate your friend.:mad:I cannot stand people that feel the need to come to a complete(almost) stop,in order to make a turn.It should be a simple,fluid,move,reducing speed to the safest level,but not crawling.I feel that slow drivers cause way more accidents than speeders.It seeems they want to look for a parking place BEFORE pulling into the lot:doh:

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I with you on that one Mav. We have idiots here that come to a complete stop on a busy highway before turning onto a service road. :doh:

CB's got it (as usual). Stay in your lane, and accelerate in a way that merges you with the existing traffic smoothly and safely with minimum disruption to it.

There's a happy medium on turns; you shouldn't be going so slow that the cars on the road behind you have to stop to avoid you, or so fast that riding with you counts as an E-ticket ride. When you enter the road way, you shouldn't create a traffic hazard for the vehicles already on the road, either. Sounds like maybe you're a little on the aggressive side, Charlie...

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Originally Posted by Captain America

I with you on that one Mav. We have idiots here that come to a complete stop on a busy highway before turning onto a service road. :doh:

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Especially when there is a paved shoulder thats as wide as a lane:doh:gimmie a freakin break.I literally slapped my (than) teen daughter upside her head when she did that,her excuse:confused:My driving instructor(all 2 weeks before she dropped the class:mad:),told her it was illegal to drive on the shoulder.:doh:Hullloooooooo,dr ive yes,merge NO!;)
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.Oh and before any comments about slapping her upside the head,I REALLY didnt do it that often,only when she really needed it,but I understand there are bone reconstructurists now that may be able to fix it.:o:D

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Originally Posted by Jks9199

Sounds like maybe you're a little on the aggressive side, Charlie...

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Yep... I do like the accelerator :biggrin1:

Darn I thought you should just reduce enough speed to not turn over the vehicle :doh:

Here is another question, two way road, two lanes each direction, two vehicles approach the intersection to make a left turn, where should each car be situated, should they turn in front of or behind the other vehicle? Not a trick question, it is just no one here does it the way Traffic Safety recommends. (which is behind)

Here's one my Chief dinged me on:

I was behind a car at a stop sign.

The other car had crossed the line before he stopped, and I was behind the line.

Traffic clear, so the other car and I start up at the same time, and I go right through without stopping again.

My chief, who was riding with me at the time, almost had a brain aneurysm because he said I ran the stop sign - But I contend that I stopped in the correct place, and started when the traffic was clear - end of story.

I told him I was going to give the other driver a ticket for stopping beyond the line, and he says he's gonna write ME a ticket if I try that. :D

Then I joked around about it, thinking HE was joking - But he wasn't joking - We seemed to have that misunderstanding a LOT. I swear, I thought he was going to have a heart attack right there, and I was thinking, "Damn, I didn't know the way to the hospital" (which was in another town 20 miles away). :doh:

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Originally Posted by TXCharlie

Here's one my Chief dinged me on:

I was behind a car at a stop sign.

The other car had crossed the line before he stopped, and I was behind the line.

Traffic clear, so the other car and I start up at the same time, and I go right through without stopping again.

My chief, who was riding with me at the time, almost had a brain aneurysm because he said I ran the stop sign - But I contend that I stopped in the correct place, and started when the traffic was clear - end of story.

I told him I was going to give the other driver a ticket for stopping beyond the line, and he says he's gonna write ME a ticket if I try that. :D

Then I joked around about it, thinking HE was joking - But he wasn't joking - We seemed to have that misunderstanding a LOT. I swear, I thought he was going to have a heart attack right there, and I was thinking, "Damn, I didn't know the way to the hospital" (which was in another town 20 miles away). :doh:

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I think you mean *FORMER* Chief. And with examples like the above, I can see why.

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Originally Posted by Dirk

I think you mean *FORMER* Chief. And with examples like the above, I can see why.

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Yeah, former one, not the current one :biggrin1:

I have to laugh about it so I won't cry.

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Originally Posted by TXCharlie

Yep... I do like the accelerator :biggrin1:

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And we know you don't worry about things like tree branches...

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Originally Posted by 2 Blue 4 U

Here is another question, two way road, two lanes each direction, two vehicles approach the intersection to make a left turn, where should each car be situated, should they turn in front of or behind the other vehicle? Not a trick question, it is just no one here does it the way Traffic Safety recommends. (which is behind)

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Hmm, looking at the Nebraska driver's manual they say "Traffic in lane nearest curb should turn into the traffic lane nearest the curb. The second lane from the curb should follow the lane line into the nearest lane as indicated by the lane line."

On the original question, our manual states. "A right turn shall be made as close as practical to the right side of the road or street." Of course there's a lot of driver interpretation expressed in their view of practical.

Our manual doesn't address a right of way I deal with daily. (Seems a strange oversight) Intersection with highway, stop signs on crossroad. Is right of way determined :
A) By order of stop. One car from each facing side of crossroad at a time - right of way switching back and forth from north to south
B) All cars making a right hand turn have right away. Left hand turn cars yield to cross over traffic and right turn cars until intersection is clear
C) A mix depending on traffic. Right turning cars may jump the right of way que if traffic prevents left turning and crossing cars from taking their turn.

I was taught it was A, C seems the practical real world application of A, but after too many close calls and people waving their arms (and more) like lunatics, I've settled for B as the safe option. I realize the manual is mostly a Cliff's Notes for cramming on the driving exam. Close to the specific statues as drivers get until they look for ways to fight a ticket though.

Also, what is the proper response to someone at a four way stop who isn't paying attention enough to determine right of way (usually on a cellphone) and just sit there waving people through? I don't flip others off, so its between a dirty look and a palm-up hand in the air to signify "do you have any clue?".

[quote=TXCharlie;467685]I have a little ongoing dispute with a non-cop friend about what the safest driving style is... Assuming dry pavement of course.

I was always taught that when you turn right onto a busy street, not only should you always stay in the right lane and not cross lanes (which some people do to make the turn "softer"), but you should also make the turn quickly and accelerate briskly, but not enough to squeak the tires....

A couple things I'll add to this: SIGNALING the proper distance prior to the turn should reduce your risk of getting assended prior to the turn. By you making the turn at just-under-squealing-speed it may increase your risk of two collisions after making the turn: At that speed can you clearly see no one is coming on the roadway you are about to turn onto? And, at that speed are you able to make sure there is no obstruction (person, vehicle, etc) on the roadway ahead after making the turn. I'm not sayin you gotta creep along, but you are responsible for making sure you proceed on the roadway only when safe to do so.