KEN'S KORNER - MAY 2006
SAFE CITY DRIVING TIPS
By Author, Educator
and Big City Driver Ken Skaggs
After almost six years
of writing about traffic jams and road rage, and doing a few disorganized
though informative seminars, I have finally come up with a way to put
it all together in a neat package – an audio book and seminar. Now,
if I can just get all of the truckers out there to read it and take
it to heart, I truly believe it can make a difference.
We all know that
traffic is getting thicker and tempers are flaring on a daily basis,
especially for those in a hurry, like truckers, who have to deal with
it regularly. So, I put together these ten keys, which not only teach
what causes traffic jams and how to prevent them, but it will also show
you how to stay calm under pressure, and even inspire you to be proud
of what you do, knowing that you can make a difference.
1) Understand Traffic
Waves – If you look out the window of a ten-story building when traffic
is a little heavy, you will notice that it flows in waves, with speeds
ranging from 40 mph to complete stops. Keep enough space in front of
you so that you don’t have to stop and you can personally eliminate
these waves.
2) Prevent Traffic
Jams – What causes traffic jams? The simple answer is too many cars
and not enough space. Well, we can’t snap our fingers and make the cars
go away, but we can bring some space to the equation by bringing some
with us, in front of our vehicles. Again, keep enough space in front
of you to keep things rolling. If you are rolling, then by definition,
it is not a traffic jam.
3) Stay Calm – Tailgating
causes stress (as does lane dodging), because you have to stay on your
toes, ready to grab your brakes at any given moment (or be ready to
switch lanes quickly). Keep some space in front of your vehicle, stay
calm (and courteous) and stay in one lane. This will reduce road rage
as well.
4) Do the Math – Since
60 mph is the same thing as one mile per minute, and 59 mph loses one
minute per hour, that means that 59 mph for one minute will only cost
you one second of your time. So the rule is: every mph that you slow
down (below 60 mph) will cost you one second per minute. Example: let’s
say you are cruising along at 60 mph and a truck gets in front of you
going 59 mph. If you were to stay behind him for an entire hour, you
would lose exactly one minute. Divide that by sixty, and you can see
that if you were to stay behind him for one mile, you would only lose
one second. Maybe now you can relax when someone gets in front of you.
5) Be Predictable
– Sudden movements cause accidents. Use signals early and ease over
slowly when switching lanes.
6) Time Traffic Lights
– Most traffic lights are red for 30 seconds, and most traffic lights
are two blocks apart in most cities. It takes exactly 30 seconds to
travel two blocks, going 30 mph. So, if you are two blocks away from
a traffic light when it turns red, go less than 30 mph and you won’t
have to stop, it will turn green before you get to it. Likewise, if
you are two blocks away from a traffic light and it turns green, go
slightly over 30 mph and you will make that green light.
7) Expect the Expected
– Four-wheelers are constantly trying to jam their car into space that
isn’t there. If you expect them to do this and even encourage it by
keeping enough space in front of you, traffic will keep rolling and
you will stay calm.
8) Compensate for
the Ignorant – Of course, most drivers don’t understand that space is
needed to combat traffic jams and road rage. Since you are one of the
lucky ones, with the capacity for thought, it is your responsibility
to sometimes let two or three vehicles in front of you in order to keep
traffic flowing. This is also the reason you need more space in front
of you when you have a tailgater behind (you are compensating for his
ignorance).
9) Teach Others –
Explain to the people you know and work with what causes traffic and
road rage. Get on the CB and educate drivers about space. Peer pressure
can sometimes work both ways.
10) Make Sure an Accident
is Never Your Fault – Two simple rules can help you make absolutely
certain that an accident will never be your fault: stay in your lane
and always be prepared to stop. Repeat these two things over and over
to yourself while driving and you will never have an accident that is
your fault.
The most common objective
I hear is that every time a driver leaves a space cushion in front,
someone takes it. The truth is, they are not really slowing you down.
First, be honest and tell me your usual following distance when traffic
is bumper-to-bumper. Is it thirty feet? Let’s say, for the sake of argument
that you follow at about thirty feet. When the car ahead of you exits,
you now have fifty feet in front of you. Do you stay there and keep
fifty feet or do you close that gap and get back to your usual distance?
I think we all close that gap and get back to our usual following distance.
With that in mind, you can see that if a car were to cut in front of
you, then exit a few miles later, he really wasn’t in your way at all.
So again, the best thing to do is try to keep it rolling, and let each
other merge.
Of course this is
a much abbreviated list. I elaborate on each of these points in a lot
more detail in my new audio book, which is for sale on my website (www.bigcitydriver.com).
Any trucking company that buys a bulk order will get a free seminar
from me, which you may video tape and reuse as needed. Help me to get
the word out – we can make a difference out there!
Copyright
© 2006 10-4 Magazine and Tenfourmagazine.com
PO Box 7377 Huntington Beach, CA, 92615 tel. (714) 378-9990
fax (714) 962-8506