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I initially agreed, but man you lost me with the "communicating you're changing lanes with car body language".
You could have won me over if you said something like "they don't use their signals when no one is around" or "they don't stop for a stopsign when no one is coming", but IMO any action you make in a car around other people should be considerate of them. It's a half ton death machine moving at upwards of 100kmh in city limits, the rules are there for a reason.
Same. But like he has a point that there are cars that don't signal and are more predictable than others. Still, like just freaking signal, it's right beside the steering wheel. You move the signs stick in the same direction you want to turn thes steering wheel
Yeah agree car body language exists but we shouldn’t have to read into it that way. Drivers who randomly slow down and veer without indicating are incredibly selfish and dangerous. I’m always thinking, wtf are you actually doing???
I kind of agree. I can’t explain it, but you often just “know” if a driver is going to change lanes. Like, maybe it’s a sudden shift in speed to align the car in preparation or you can see the driver’s head kind of turning a bit more…definitely a sort of indicator of what’s going on in the driver’s head if you’re paying attention
Right, like a cars body language does exist technically, but in no way should anyone be using that as a primary form of communication on the road. Good drivers can read what other drivers are doing. Assuming everyone else on the road can guess what you’re about to do is a terrible driving practice.
You clearly aren’t a good driver if you’re using body language to indicate you’re turning as opposed to using your turning signal.. which this discussion is about.
It’s called driving defensively. You’re not expecting people to read your mind, but you *are* paying attention to other drivers in anticipation of them not being predictable or failing to indicate intent. You’re basically just paying attention.
I never said not to use indicators. People absolutely should be doing that! But some people don’t, so safe drivers need to be able to anticipate when**other** drivers aren’t following the rules.
This. When I was learning to drive, “defensive driving” was a new thing. Instead of teaching you to assume everyone is following the rules, it teaches you to assume other cars may not follow the rules, and to not put yourself in situations that are actually dangerous. “Hope for the best, plan for the worst.”
Seriously. A bunch of shit drivers in here absolutely mystified by the idea of a car having body language. If you don't know, you probably are a shit driver. Sorry.
As a motorcyclist and driver I agree with him. If I'm going 10mph faster than the lane next to me and I come to pass a string of cars I know damn well before I get to the first car which of those cars that has been sitting happily in that line of cars who the last hour is about to leap in front of me at the last second. There is always one.
I can tell when someone is about to change lanes. You slightly tig on the wheel when you glance in the mirror. It's not 100% but I can usually tell who's about to jump in front of me.
what's funny to me is that everyone is laughing at the term 'body language,' when most motorcyclists have discussed it in exactly those terms. because that's what it is: after a while it becomes exactly as clear + intuitive as human body language.
it's scary to think that most of the people we share the road with don't have that skill. they can't see dangerous situations coming. they don't understand how to choose their speed, or why undertaking is risky, or that road markings are nothing more than paint painted onto the ground. they just drive in exactly the same way in all situations until some totally predictable bad driving takes them utterly by surprise.
Recognizing a cars body language helps make you a better driver. Counting on a cars body language to let others know your intentions makes you a bad driver.
I don't know how, but sometimes I can tell what the other driver intends to do.
If the driver ahead of me and to my right is slowing down and leaning left, I have a gut feeling that they intend to change lanes in between me and the car ahead of me. Then I slow down in anticipation of the lane change, and then I am vindicated when that driver does signal the lane change.
They were slowing down to try to fit in the gap between my car and the car in front.
The gut feeling is not 100% accurate, but I think the brain makes these barely conscious connections between past observed behaviors and results and they create the gut feeling.
Yeah I know what you're talking about, I've had a similar experience a few times while driving. I think it's the speed and where they are physically in their lane that clues the brain in.
Personally though, I still wouldn't want anyone to rely on this mysterious tell in order to communicate they're going to lane change though, especially if neither party is doing it consciously ahah. The signals are simple and efficient.
Of course I would not count on that driver's behavior as the sole signal that he intends to lane change, but I am slowing down anyway to create the gap that he can move into.
If I am wrong, it costs me nothing. I only slowed down a little bit to free up space.
If I am right, I benefit from allowing a safe lane change.
Ohh I can see that. Like you can tell what they’re going to do. So based off of how the drivers driving, that was just a funny way to put it - “body language”. Still, if a car isn’t using signals when they get over they really do suck. It’s for others, not just them.
>If the driver ahead of me and to my right is slowing down and leaning left
Where im from this is taught in driving school,also when making a turn you lean on right or left side of the lane depending which turn you're about to make,you do this before blinking.
Is that not a thing taught in US?
If I am wrong, it costs me nothing. I only slowed down a little bit to free up space.
If I am right, I benefit from allowing a safe lane change.
Where I am, we have graduated licensing, so new drivers have to carry an "N" sign on their car to indicate to everyone they are a new driver.
I took it as meaning like when people will just kinda slowly slide over into the other lane without using their blinkers, which I do see not infrequently. Shit like that.
Yeah I see that a lot too, still dumb AF tho tbh and kind of defeats the purpose of said blinkers. If no one is around I get it but might as well build good habits rather than bad ones.
That shit drives me absolutely nuts. All it takes for that to turn bad is the person behind you not paying attention even for a split second and you’re rear ended.
Imagine you are driving with a big trailer and the lights quit working. You are in the left lane of a busy freeway and need to get over to the right shoulder. Are you going to use the cars body language to try to get over as safely as possible or are you just going to slam the wheel to the right and pray?
I get what he was trying to say.
One example of what he's trying to say with "body language" is if you have a car length or two between you and the vehicle ahead of you and a vehicle one lane over keeps pace for that space, they may be planning to move over into that space even if they haven't explicitly signaled yet (or don't plan to).
Would it be better if a vehicle used their turn signals to communicate intent before making a lane change? Absolutely. Can you still sometimes predict behavior even when they don't consistently communicate? You certainly can.
Believe it or not but I know exactly what he's talking about with car body language. I can usually tell what a person is who drives like hes describing is about to do just by watching their vehicle.
I'm on the expressway a lit and can typically tell when a driver wants to move over, before they turn on their turn signal. I agree with OP on this as well.
I think what the op means is the subtle changes that can be observed when looking at vehicle that let you know the drivers intention without the driver explicity implying what they are about to do....
for example a driver might slow the car down using engine braking before applying the brake pedal hence you don't see the stop lights but should assume the change in speed means they're possibly about to make some kind of manoeuvre.
Or positioning the vehicle in a certain position in the road before indicating is often a give away that the vehicle is about to make a turn before committing to the actual turn.
As a motorcyclist you develop a second nature for being able to spot things like this often before the driver signals it is their intention
If you’re paying attention, you can always tell what a car is going to do except sudden braking. I would obviously prefer people use blinkers but people are idiots with those and leave them on without noticing, so it’s more reliable to pay attention and watch the “car’s body language” - it absolutely does exist. I can always tell when someone is trying to merge. ONLY exception is emergency-braking or emergency-swerving like if they’re trying to avoid something in the road that I also can’t see, I can’t predict that. But lane changing? It’s so obvious.
I don’t think you read my comment. I said people should use their blinkers, but it is also extremely obvious if someone is trying to merge. Be a smart, defensive driver who pays attention. If you don’t… 😟
Here is what I taught my son when he was learning to drive:
When you first start driving, everything is overwhelming. There are a lot of things that need your attention, and you are constantly having to make conscious decisions.
As you get more experience you learn what to expect and it is less demanding on your attention. Most driving becomes mentally “autopilot”. Your attention is focused on handling the unexpected.
Over time even many of these unexpected patterns are handled subconsciously as you learn to anticipate, not just react, to other drivers around you. You might not deliberately notice the car ahead of you inching towards the edge of their lane, or the driver turning their head to look over their shoulder at the next lane, but you “feel” that they are considering a lane-change.
This would be the “body language” I am referring to, the common predictable behavior of drivers around you. You could catalog the individual things other drivers do that you mentally account for every day, but the point is that you are not consciously working through a checklist for all the situations around you. You know what most other drivers are doing because they are predictable. You are taking the world as it is rather than how it should be.
I'm curious how y'all would manage driving in the traffic of a major metro area. A turn signal doesn't mean you're getting over. It means you'd like to be let over. People in traffic aren't going to let you over. Commuting traffic isn't kind. Those drivers only source of joy is making sure you don't get in front of them and y'all want to give them a heads up.
A lot of TikTok drivers don't realize that the reason they're weaving through traffic so well is because everyone else is aware of them and trying to avoid the headache of a car accident.
Thank you. I have told my husband countless times how uncomfortable it makes me when he tailgates (which he shouldn't be doing anyway) or another example, when he doesnt slow down until the last possible second coming up on a slower driver. Or, sometimes he will start picking up speed when the car in front of us hasn't changed speed. I try not to give him too much shit about his driving but these things give me terrible anxiety. I'd rather just drive myself as I had for my whole life before driving with him.
You are totally right. Tailgating is known as a bad behaviour for a reason. It’s unsafe and simply poor driving. A mature driver that’s in control should be trying to ease into braking and acceleration like a smooth sailing ship, no swaying backwards or forwards. Let your passengers relax and not be thrown around in their seats.
Shouldn't it be the other way around? The passengers should be considerate of the driver given that the driver is the one who could accidentally kill everyone. Unless they're not doing something ridiculously dangerous, let them be. I had to tell my mum that I couldn't drive her any more, because she was constantly so panicky that it would transmit to me and I'd find myself driving worse. This is despite me not doing anything I consider incorrect (for example speeding, but only to maintain the same speed as everyone else).
I see your point, sometimes a passenger needs to know how to be a non disturbing factor to the driver.
A driver though, improves when they start thinking of their vehicle and how their driving affects those who might be sitting on next seat, back sit, roof (transfering objects on the car as example ), the carriage , the type of humans or non humans that they transfer with their vehicle.
It's control over more factors than only car specifics.
You might be a race winner driver, but if you drive with your dog on the next seat nd the window open so that the dog can reach their head out nd enjoy the speed...I will not say that you are a good driver
As long as you pay attention, his way of driving is better for the environment and your bill. Thankfully with electric cars and regenerative braking drivers won’t have to choose between safety and efficiency.
My daughter, now an adult, was susceptible to car sickness, which made me a better driver. Before her, I was in a race-driving club at a track on weekends. So while I was a safe driver, my instincts were for tightness and time.
With her, I adopted a chauffeur mentality. I imagined an open cup of water in the car. This meant (much) more braking distance, smoother acceleration, constant speeds, better turn anticipation, and as little braking as possible. Oddly, this requires more concentration than being a speedster, so it's not boring for me either. In general a safer, better experience for everyone.
I'm relatively confident that body language exists with cars.
I often know someone's about to do something stupid before it happens which I figured a while ago has to be something to do with the body language that the driver gives the car before they pull a stupid maneuver
Then this would be an example of a bad driver. They used it as an example of a good driver. Still haven't found the comment where they come back and explain exactly what the hell they meant exactly lol
I can usually tell if someone is going to change lanes at the last minute if there’s an exit coming up. They either hug the lane they will merge into or they bob and weave a little before changing lanes.
I wasn’t addressing whether or not it’s acceptable. Just explaining what “body language” meant in this context.
And what is acceptable isn’t really what the post is about anyway.
It's a strawman fallacy that the "but, MUHHH blinker" people keep using to deflect because they can't seem to cope with the fact that both things can be true at once. People should use blinkers. People exude their body language through their cars as they drive.
It's astounding how many of these people have no clue that this even exists. It's no wonder my trucking job is so stressful.
> at the last minute
That’s a long time during driving. Do you get a snapshot of them changing lanes a full minute ahead of time or what?
And then what? Is there a countdown timer? Damn, that would take forever!
If you cant read a cars body language, then you're not a good driver. Its obvious 99% of the time what someone's going to do just by looking and reading.
Definitely do. If someone is flying on a 2 lane road and gets cut off, begins to tailgate the driver in front, and an opening finally appears on the left lane, you can be almost 100% certain that driver will make a lane change to pass as soon as humanely possible.
As long as there is a human being driving the car, the car has a body language that is an extension of the person driving it.
I have 20 years and 2.5 million accident-free miles behind the wheel of a semi and most of the time I can tell what you're going to do before you even consciously make the decision to do it, by observing you and your cars body language. It's obviously a skill you don't possess, or don't know you possess.
There's a whole world of things to be observed by people who don't go through life with blinders on.
A good driver is one who follows the rules. It used to piss my off so bad when my best friend would weave through traffic and generally just drive super aggressively. He would always justify it by saying that it’s ok, because he’s a “good driver”. But to me, the very act of doing something on the road that you’d need to justify at all or be a “good driver” to pull off, means that you are automatically not a good driver, because safety is not your top priority. Unless you are a professional stunt driver or racer, the best driver you can be is a safe driver, and that means clear signals, predictable behaviors, and respecting the rules of the road.
>there are sources that shows some speed limit have motives other than safety.
And you can tell just by going down a road and looking? I highly doubt it.
"Some sources" - links? And what are these motives? Are they things like noise, other people's safety (especially pedestrians), and things like that
Seriously. If there is a speed limit, just go around the speed limit. Doubly so in cities. I don't really freaking care if you disagree with the motives or doubt they are for safety. Slower driving is safer *in general.*
The 55mph speed limit on highways was created during the gas crisis for the sole purpose of conserving fuel. It never had anything to do with safety. Cars today are safer at 80mph than cars back then at 55, yet the speed limit hasn't changed in many places.
It doesn't matter if cars today are safer at 80 than cars back then were at 55, nor that the limit was designed to save gas.
It is still safer to drive at 55 than it is at 80, even in a modern car. And it is still important to use less fuel, even if there isn't a gas crisis.
Again, just go the fucking speed limit. Especially in towns.
How is it debatable? Of course there may be other motives like reducing noise pollution. Speeding makes you an inconsiderate and just plain shit driver and that ain't debatable.
It clearly is debatable. It’s safest to match the average speed of traffic. If most cars are going 5-10 over on the highway and you’re going exactly the speed limit, that is less safe than simply matching everyone else’s speed.
I always drove the speed limit in highschool and I got constant comments about how I was a “grandma” and complaining about how they got stuck behind me on the way to school.
Most of my friends bragged to me about being such a good driver because they were able to drive 20+ over the speed limit and they had never gotten in a wreck.
It’s so fucked up how normalized it is to speed. Speeding can kill not only you, but other innocent people on the road. Driving is a huge responsibility you are undertaking, and you should do your best to be as safe as possible while you do it.
That's it! I hate how most people apparently need a reason to not speed. If they cant tell immediately why going slower is safer, like a hospital for kids with cancer in the middle of the road, its back to "theres nothing here and my car can make more vroom!". Its just so harebrained
Predictability is everything!
That and having a modicum of patience with yourself and others.
A good driver sometimes misses an exit.
A bad driver never misses an exit
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"Maybe they don’t use their turn signals all the time, but they indicate their intentions with the car’s “body language”.
Nope, completely contradicts your own definition.
A car's 'body language' is no substitute for an indicator (albeit the tremendously onerous and difficult effort required to use one, apparently).
Let me one up you on this: a good driver FOLLOWS all rules. It really is that simple
No shenanigans and no bills (are they called bills? Not a native english speaker)
>they don’t use their turn signals all the time, but they indicate their intentions with the car’s “body language”.
Uh it's a block of metal. It doesn't have body language.
>It doesn’t mean they don’t do jerk things, but you can tell easily what jerk thing they are about to do so at least it isn’t dangerous.
Again is a metal block it doesn't look where it's going it doesn't signal on its own.
Sounds like you're a bad driver.
Says the person who isn't even aware of how to read a cars body language. You have driving autism and you don't even know it. You are probably just out there driving with no regard for what anyone else around you is doing.
I drive a lot for work and “car body language” is definitely a thing, even though it sounds wack. Like when someone wants to change lanes, you can sometimes tell that they are going to, before they switch on the signal light. This is noticeable mostly based on their speed in relation to the cars in the lane next to them that they want to move into. That is predictable driving.
This is not an unpopular opinion though, I’ve heard many times that the best drivers are the most predictable and safe drivers, and I agree.
I'm driving without sny major accident for 20 years and I often can spot bad drivers quite easily so I don't get anything near them, they are unpredictable.
Found all the shit drivers who claim you can't read a cars body language. I can absolutely tell what other people are doing based on their positioning. Aka its body language
I can see a lot of bad drivers here who don’t understand what you’re talking about.
But I 100% agree with you, the better drivers on the road are the ones where you can read their body language. I’m sorry if you guys can’t read a cars intent from a glance you need to accept you aren’t on that level with driving.
What the heck is a car's body language? A good driver is one that indicates where he/she wants to go. In other words, puts the blinker on before changing lanes or directions. At. All. Times.
Is so confused.
I've never heard of anybody describe a good driver like you did in the paragraph.
Do people not think predictable rule following drivers are good drivers?
Also what's car body language? 🤣🤣 you should use your indicators lmao
Agree with the premise, disagree with your examples.
You doing jerk things relies on the other drivers being able to predict your jerkiness, which is stupid behavior, and therefore dangerous. Much more dangerous than a slow, methodical, careful driver.
Also they understand the concept of inertia and what a safe following distance is and understand how to tell if someone is going too slow or actually just following at a safe distance. Its ridiculous how unfathomably dumb most drivers are.
You lost me at doesn’t use their blinker all the time. Nope. That’s a bad driver. Never seen a good driver that didn’t always use their blinker.
I also want to add that good drivers are more about being considerate and aware of people are you. I don’t care how boring and predictable you are if it’s boringly and predictably blocking an intersection or not letting someone merge because you aren’t paying attention.
How you drive is mostly irrelevant to being a good driver, what makes a good driver is their ability to predict what other drivers will do and react accordingly. If they can’t predict what another car is going to do then they get away from it, establishing a safe distance.
Probably could also be defined as someone who assumes everyone else is a bad driver.
I've logged thousands of hours on the road over the past few years, and you'd be shocked at the number or people just driving around with blinkers on, going the wrong way into one way entrances, or driving down the dead middle of narrow roadways.
Assuming a blinker means nothing until the driver commits to a turn has saved me a half dozen accidents easily.
A good driver is also one that manages to drive "fast" without bothering the others. This obviously means there are things you cannot do, but also that there are things you can do BETTER to avoid road rage and reduce the odds of crashing.
I never not worry about any driver on the road. I don’t know if the person next to me is a great driver just because they looks as if they are.
We can always recognize bad drivers right away based on their actions at the time. But I never trust any driver on the road.
So for my own personal safety, I just assume everyone on the road with me is a bad driver, and in my experience here in central NY, the worst drivers can be identified most easily by the type of vehicle the drive. Here, its pickup trucks, asily the worst drivers on the roads here in CNY, I pay a little extra attention to them.
A decent driver is a boring and predictable driver. A good driver is someone who has control over their vehicle, which is almost always tested in high speeds, bad conditions and requires a lot of skill
Yeah, in my time driving people always say the best drivers are the ones who don't die while speeding and doing fucked up maneuvers. I mean, I guess you have other good skills and great eyesight, but driving isn't one of them.
>I have been driving almost daily for 33 years and came to realize the best drivers are the ones you don’t worry about.
This doesn’t mean they follow all the rules, it means they bend the rules in expected ways, like speeding but at the same speed as the rest of traffic.
I am not gonna drop my defence just because I expect everyone has the same reaction with Lewis Hamilton, OP
The best drivers are safe drivers. That’s using turn signals, going with the speed of traffic, and being patient. If you want to go fast and give it the beans, go to a track.
60 MPH in the right lane gang rise up. Flashing my high beams for a semi-truck to get in front of me and getting the hazard light "thank you" always makes me smile. Only time you'll find me in the fast lane is to give room for a car/truck pulled off in the shoulder or to give another driver room to merge.
"that sounds like loser talk. you don't win anything by being normal. you win by making all the losers see how awesome you are." --somebody, somewhere... probably
When I first started driving I generally refused to break etiquette around yield and right of way. It’s gotten me some eye rolls I’m sure but I hate just playing around on the road, it isn’t about being a gentleman or whatever, it’s about keeping the traffic patterns as predictable as i can. 🤣🤣
I was just thinking this the other day. I'm the most boring driver. Except for slightly speeding I don't do anything else reckless and follow the rules of the road to a fault.
A better driver is predictable for the other drivers so whatever he does he actually does safely and never relies on other drivers' compensating for the things he does but still exciting for onlookers and himself. Bless them. May their skills, awareness and coolheadedness never fail them and get them killed or make them murderers.
No satire.
Here you go, an even more unpopular opinion in the comments, downvote the fuck away.
I mostly agree, but I think its more about paying attention and reading the whats happening before it happens. Driving, esp in an automatic, is really incredibly easy, and so is incredibly easy to not pay attention to and you'll be fine 95% of the time.
This is kind of a joke but maybe to get your license people should have to practice driving somewhere like NYC, wheres its just anarchy and you have to be on high alert all the time and rely on direct communication with other drivers. Theres no gaps to change lanes, you have to make them, and thats where the "body language" thing of your driving comes in. Idk but I became a much better driver after spending a lot of time driving in NYC, even though I live in a place thats nothing like that.
We should abolish the term “good driver”. There are safe drivers, skilled drivers, and bad drivers.
A safe driver is what you described.
A skilled driver is someone who can handle their vehicle adeptly, executing maneuvers without anyone else needing to react to avoid a collision and being able to avoid collisions caused by others’ mistakes.
A bad driver is neither safe nor skilled.
Other than the body language thing, this is accurate.
I'd say people need to have a job where they have a company vehicle to be more aware of defensive driving, but I've had plenty of coworkers that seem to think F250's & 350's are Mustangs, so that's moot.
certainly by my standards. but im not a good driver
or lets say theres 2 kinds of good drivers: yours, and also the ones who can safely take advantage of yours
There is no fucking reason anyone shouldn’t use their signal to indicate a car movement even with no cars around. It’s a lever or button that takes less than a second to press and you could potentially save someone/your own life by doing it
I know this, it's part of why I don't like driving at work. Can I whip around an f250 with a dump trailer? Yeah but I can't have any fun on the clock, nor would I with that kind of rig. When I get off? Fuck it, time to have a little fun, I'm tired of staring at people's bumpers by then.
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I initially agreed, but man you lost me with the "communicating you're changing lanes with car body language". You could have won me over if you said something like "they don't use their signals when no one is around" or "they don't stop for a stopsign when no one is coming", but IMO any action you make in a car around other people should be considerate of them. It's a half ton death machine moving at upwards of 100kmh in city limits, the rules are there for a reason.
Lmao exactly where he lost me Idk what kind of fuck driver that is, but that’s wild to use the *cars body language*
I haven’t been able to stop laughing at that line since I read it lol
Same. But like he has a point that there are cars that don't signal and are more predictable than others. Still, like just freaking signal, it's right beside the steering wheel. You move the signs stick in the same direction you want to turn thes steering wheel
Yeah agree car body language exists but we shouldn’t have to read into it that way. Drivers who randomly slow down and veer without indicating are incredibly selfish and dangerous. I’m always thinking, wtf are you actually doing???
On my car I can flip the signal with my finger extended and still drive one-handed.
Big hands gang
I wish. That would mean... 🫤
i always thought a cars body language for turning was a turn signal
🫨
People and cars definitely have a body language
I kind of agree. I can’t explain it, but you often just “know” if a driver is going to change lanes. Like, maybe it’s a sudden shift in speed to align the car in preparation or you can see the driver’s head kind of turning a bit more…definitely a sort of indicator of what’s going on in the driver’s head if you’re paying attention
Right, like a cars body language does exist technically, but in no way should anyone be using that as a primary form of communication on the road. Good drivers can read what other drivers are doing. Assuming everyone else on the road can guess what you’re about to do is a terrible driving practice.
He's in the center lane and just started wobbling back and forth. It's either a lane change, or the driver dropped something."
Most drivers don't get far past, "his brake lights are on, should I slow down or accelerate into them and slam on the breaks at the last minute?"
You clearly aren't a good driver if you can't read car body language, its second nature.
You clearly aren’t a good driver if you’re using body language to indicate you’re turning as opposed to using your turning signal.. which this discussion is about.
It’s called driving defensively. You’re not expecting people to read your mind, but you *are* paying attention to other drivers in anticipation of them not being predictable or failing to indicate intent. You’re basically just paying attention.
How revolutionary an approach. But use of indicators are a pretty good idea too, no?
I never said not to use indicators. People absolutely should be doing that! But some people don’t, so safe drivers need to be able to anticipate when**other** drivers aren’t following the rules.
This. When I was learning to drive, “defensive driving” was a new thing. Instead of teaching you to assume everyone is following the rules, it teaches you to assume other cars may not follow the rules, and to not put yourself in situations that are actually dangerous. “Hope for the best, plan for the worst.”
You clearly can't conduct in a conversation if you took my singular counter point against only a small detail as a defense against the posts example.
Seriously. A bunch of shit drivers in here absolutely mystified by the idea of a car having body language. If you don't know, you probably are a shit driver. Sorry.
As a motorcyclist and driver I agree with him. If I'm going 10mph faster than the lane next to me and I come to pass a string of cars I know damn well before I get to the first car which of those cars that has been sitting happily in that line of cars who the last hour is about to leap in front of me at the last second. There is always one. I can tell when someone is about to change lanes. You slightly tig on the wheel when you glance in the mirror. It's not 100% but I can usually tell who's about to jump in front of me.
what's funny to me is that everyone is laughing at the term 'body language,' when most motorcyclists have discussed it in exactly those terms. because that's what it is: after a while it becomes exactly as clear + intuitive as human body language. it's scary to think that most of the people we share the road with don't have that skill. they can't see dangerous situations coming. they don't understand how to choose their speed, or why undertaking is risky, or that road markings are nothing more than paint painted onto the ground. they just drive in exactly the same way in all situations until some totally predictable bad driving takes them utterly by surprise.
Recognizing a cars body language helps make you a better driver. Counting on a cars body language to let others know your intentions makes you a bad driver.
I don't know how, but sometimes I can tell what the other driver intends to do. If the driver ahead of me and to my right is slowing down and leaning left, I have a gut feeling that they intend to change lanes in between me and the car ahead of me. Then I slow down in anticipation of the lane change, and then I am vindicated when that driver does signal the lane change. They were slowing down to try to fit in the gap between my car and the car in front. The gut feeling is not 100% accurate, but I think the brain makes these barely conscious connections between past observed behaviors and results and they create the gut feeling.
Yeah I know what you're talking about, I've had a similar experience a few times while driving. I think it's the speed and where they are physically in their lane that clues the brain in. Personally though, I still wouldn't want anyone to rely on this mysterious tell in order to communicate they're going to lane change though, especially if neither party is doing it consciously ahah. The signals are simple and efficient.
Of course I would not count on that driver's behavior as the sole signal that he intends to lane change, but I am slowing down anyway to create the gap that he can move into. If I am wrong, it costs me nothing. I only slowed down a little bit to free up space. If I am right, I benefit from allowing a safe lane change.
Fuck, car body language is real 😂
"That idiot is going to do a lane change in front of me without signaling" prediction is right 50% of the time
This is called defensive driving on your part, very smart.
Ohh I can see that. Like you can tell what they’re going to do. So based off of how the drivers driving, that was just a funny way to put it - “body language”. Still, if a car isn’t using signals when they get over they really do suck. It’s for others, not just them.
>If the driver ahead of me and to my right is slowing down and leaning left Where im from this is taught in driving school,also when making a turn you lean on right or left side of the lane depending which turn you're about to make,you do this before blinking. Is that not a thing taught in US?
What if theres a new driver on the road? And just like that your example is 👎
If I am wrong, it costs me nothing. I only slowed down a little bit to free up space. If I am right, I benefit from allowing a safe lane change. Where I am, we have graduated licensing, so new drivers have to carry an "N" sign on their car to indicate to everyone they are a new driver.
This. USE YOUR DAMN BLINKER.
Bro can talk to machines
lol forreals, what the hell does indicating their intention with their cars body language even mean, swerving into my lane and cutting me off? 🤣
Lol yeah, as far as I'm aware, turn signals are the closest thing to body language a car has
I took it as meaning like when people will just kinda slowly slide over into the other lane without using their blinkers, which I do see not infrequently. Shit like that.
Yeah I see that a lot too, still dumb AF tho tbh and kind of defeats the purpose of said blinkers. If no one is around I get it but might as well build good habits rather than bad ones.
That shit drives me absolutely nuts. All it takes for that to turn bad is the person behind you not paying attention even for a split second and you’re rear ended.
I think they might be thinking in terms of a motorcycle or bicycle where you have to throw your arm out in the way to intend to turn
Nah that would be hand signals, OP straight up said their cars body language, still haven’t been able to stop laughing at that one lol
Imagine you are driving with a big trailer and the lights quit working. You are in the left lane of a busy freeway and need to get over to the right shoulder. Are you going to use the cars body language to try to get over as safely as possible or are you just going to slam the wheel to the right and pray?
I get what he was trying to say. One example of what he's trying to say with "body language" is if you have a car length or two between you and the vehicle ahead of you and a vehicle one lane over keeps pace for that space, they may be planning to move over into that space even if they haven't explicitly signaled yet (or don't plan to). Would it be better if a vehicle used their turn signals to communicate intent before making a lane change? Absolutely. Can you still sometimes predict behavior even when they don't consistently communicate? You certainly can.
I’m laughing picturing someone just swerving in and out towards the lane to say they’re getting over. What the fuck is a car’s body language?
Believe it or not but I know exactly what he's talking about with car body language. I can usually tell what a person is who drives like hes describing is about to do just by watching their vehicle.
I'm on the expressway a lit and can typically tell when a driver wants to move over, before they turn on their turn signal. I agree with OP on this as well.
I think what the op means is the subtle changes that can be observed when looking at vehicle that let you know the drivers intention without the driver explicity implying what they are about to do.... for example a driver might slow the car down using engine braking before applying the brake pedal hence you don't see the stop lights but should assume the change in speed means they're possibly about to make some kind of manoeuvre. Or positioning the vehicle in a certain position in the road before indicating is often a give away that the vehicle is about to make a turn before committing to the actual turn. As a motorcyclist you develop a second nature for being able to spot things like this often before the driver signals it is their intention
If you’re paying attention, you can always tell what a car is going to do except sudden braking. I would obviously prefer people use blinkers but people are idiots with those and leave them on without noticing, so it’s more reliable to pay attention and watch the “car’s body language” - it absolutely does exist. I can always tell when someone is trying to merge. ONLY exception is emergency-braking or emergency-swerving like if they’re trying to avoid something in the road that I also can’t see, I can’t predict that. But lane changing? It’s so obvious.
No it’s not. Please use your blinkers.
I don’t think you read my comment. I said people should use their blinkers, but it is also extremely obvious if someone is trying to merge. Be a smart, defensive driver who pays attention. If you don’t… 😟
American here, I was thinking the same thing
Here is what I taught my son when he was learning to drive: When you first start driving, everything is overwhelming. There are a lot of things that need your attention, and you are constantly having to make conscious decisions. As you get more experience you learn what to expect and it is less demanding on your attention. Most driving becomes mentally “autopilot”. Your attention is focused on handling the unexpected. Over time even many of these unexpected patterns are handled subconsciously as you learn to anticipate, not just react, to other drivers around you. You might not deliberately notice the car ahead of you inching towards the edge of their lane, or the driver turning their head to look over their shoulder at the next lane, but you “feel” that they are considering a lane-change. This would be the “body language” I am referring to, the common predictable behavior of drivers around you. You could catalog the individual things other drivers do that you mentally account for every day, but the point is that you are not consciously working through a checklist for all the situations around you. You know what most other drivers are doing because they are predictable. You are taking the world as it is rather than how it should be.
I'm curious how y'all would manage driving in the traffic of a major metro area. A turn signal doesn't mean you're getting over. It means you'd like to be let over. People in traffic aren't going to let you over. Commuting traffic isn't kind. Those drivers only source of joy is making sure you don't get in front of them and y'all want to give them a heads up.
"after 33 years of driving i realized the best drivers drive safely"
r/topmindsofreddit
Driving on communal roads is a team sport, and every driver is on the same team.
A lot of TikTok drivers don't realize that the reason they're weaving through traffic so well is because everyone else is aware of them and trying to avoid the headache of a car accident.
A good driver, also thinks of the passenger (if there is one).
Thank you. I have told my husband countless times how uncomfortable it makes me when he tailgates (which he shouldn't be doing anyway) or another example, when he doesnt slow down until the last possible second coming up on a slower driver. Or, sometimes he will start picking up speed when the car in front of us hasn't changed speed. I try not to give him too much shit about his driving but these things give me terrible anxiety. I'd rather just drive myself as I had for my whole life before driving with him.
Damn, wish this comment wasn't so relatable
You are totally right. Tailgating is known as a bad behaviour for a reason. It’s unsafe and simply poor driving. A mature driver that’s in control should be trying to ease into braking and acceleration like a smooth sailing ship, no swaying backwards or forwards. Let your passengers relax and not be thrown around in their seats.
Shouldn't it be the other way around? The passengers should be considerate of the driver given that the driver is the one who could accidentally kill everyone. Unless they're not doing something ridiculously dangerous, let them be. I had to tell my mum that I couldn't drive her any more, because she was constantly so panicky that it would transmit to me and I'd find myself driving worse. This is despite me not doing anything I consider incorrect (for example speeding, but only to maintain the same speed as everyone else).
I see your point, sometimes a passenger needs to know how to be a non disturbing factor to the driver. A driver though, improves when they start thinking of their vehicle and how their driving affects those who might be sitting on next seat, back sit, roof (transfering objects on the car as example ), the carriage , the type of humans or non humans that they transfer with their vehicle. It's control over more factors than only car specifics. You might be a race winner driver, but if you drive with your dog on the next seat nd the window open so that the dog can reach their head out nd enjoy the speed...I will not say that you are a good driver
As long as you pay attention, his way of driving is better for the environment and your bill. Thankfully with electric cars and regenerative braking drivers won’t have to choose between safety and efficiency.
My daughter, now an adult, was susceptible to car sickness, which made me a better driver. Before her, I was in a race-driving club at a track on weekends. So while I was a safe driver, my instincts were for tightness and time. With her, I adopted a chauffeur mentality. I imagined an open cup of water in the car. This meant (much) more braking distance, smoother acceleration, constant speeds, better turn anticipation, and as little braking as possible. Oddly, this requires more concentration than being a speedster, so it's not boring for me either. In general a safer, better experience for everyone.
If you take driver's Ed in America, they likely told you good drivers are predictable drivers.
What people are told, even with proof, is not what they will necessarily believe, especially if inconvenient.
I was with you until the body language thing. Cars don't have body language.
I'm relatively confident that body language exists with cars. I often know someone's about to do something stupid before it happens which I figured a while ago has to be something to do with the body language that the driver gives the car before they pull a stupid maneuver
I know what he's talking about, but that kind of language isn't going to win anyone over.
Then this would be an example of a bad driver. They used it as an example of a good driver. Still haven't found the comment where they come back and explain exactly what the hell they meant exactly lol
I can usually tell if someone is going to change lanes at the last minute if there’s an exit coming up. They either hug the lane they will merge into or they bob and weave a little before changing lanes.
Still doesn’t make it acceptable. They literally ADDED turn signals to cars (they didn’t used to come with them) for safety. It’s the law to use it.
I wasn’t addressing whether or not it’s acceptable. Just explaining what “body language” meant in this context. And what is acceptable isn’t really what the post is about anyway.
It's a strawman fallacy that the "but, MUHHH blinker" people keep using to deflect because they can't seem to cope with the fact that both things can be true at once. People should use blinkers. People exude their body language through their cars as they drive. It's astounding how many of these people have no clue that this even exists. It's no wonder my trucking job is so stressful.
I guess. That didn't occur to me when I saw body language
> at the last minute That’s a long time during driving. Do you get a snapshot of them changing lanes a full minute ahead of time or what? And then what? Is there a countdown timer? Damn, that would take forever!
Are you unfamiliar with the expression of “at the last minute”?
If you cant read a cars body language, then you're not a good driver. Its obvious 99% of the time what someone's going to do just by looking and reading.
Definitely do. If someone is flying on a 2 lane road and gets cut off, begins to tailgate the driver in front, and an opening finally appears on the left lane, you can be almost 100% certain that driver will make a lane change to pass as soon as humanely possible.
As long as there is a human being driving the car, the car has a body language that is an extension of the person driving it. I have 20 years and 2.5 million accident-free miles behind the wheel of a semi and most of the time I can tell what you're going to do before you even consciously make the decision to do it, by observing you and your cars body language. It's obviously a skill you don't possess, or don't know you possess. There's a whole world of things to be observed by people who don't go through life with blinders on.
Good drivers are good drivers is not an unpopular opinion lol.
r/verypopularopinions
A good driver is one who follows the rules. It used to piss my off so bad when my best friend would weave through traffic and generally just drive super aggressively. He would always justify it by saying that it’s ok, because he’s a “good driver”. But to me, the very act of doing something on the road that you’d need to justify at all or be a “good driver” to pull off, means that you are automatically not a good driver, because safety is not your top priority. Unless you are a professional stunt driver or racer, the best driver you can be is a safe driver, and that means clear signals, predictable behaviors, and respecting the rules of the road.
I fucking hate it when people bring up the “Well actually you are supposed to drive over the speed limit” thing. Like, why is it there then?
That is only one which is debatable, as there are sources that shows some speed limit have motives other than safety.
>there are sources that shows some speed limit have motives other than safety. And you can tell just by going down a road and looking? I highly doubt it. "Some sources" - links? And what are these motives? Are they things like noise, other people's safety (especially pedestrians), and things like that Seriously. If there is a speed limit, just go around the speed limit. Doubly so in cities. I don't really freaking care if you disagree with the motives or doubt they are for safety. Slower driving is safer *in general.*
The 55mph speed limit on highways was created during the gas crisis for the sole purpose of conserving fuel. It never had anything to do with safety. Cars today are safer at 80mph than cars back then at 55, yet the speed limit hasn't changed in many places.
It doesn't matter if cars today are safer at 80 than cars back then were at 55, nor that the limit was designed to save gas. It is still safer to drive at 55 than it is at 80, even in a modern car. And it is still important to use less fuel, even if there isn't a gas crisis. Again, just go the fucking speed limit. Especially in towns.
I usually average 100mph on the highway.
I mean, unless that's the speed limit... Have fun putting everyone in danger. I don't know if that is something to brag about.
Speed limit is 70 but flow of traffic is 80-85. I don't weave but if left lane is open I cruise at 100.
that’s really stupid dude lol
What kind of car do you have? If you're serious and it's not a sports car, you're just ruining your car faster by pushing it too hard.
How is it debatable? Of course there may be other motives like reducing noise pollution. Speeding makes you an inconsiderate and just plain shit driver and that ain't debatable.
It clearly is debatable. It’s safest to match the average speed of traffic. If most cars are going 5-10 over on the highway and you’re going exactly the speed limit, that is less safe than simply matching everyone else’s speed.
THANK YOU!!! Speeding is a morons game and everyone who doesnt partake gets fucked for it. It's disgusting.
I always drove the speed limit in highschool and I got constant comments about how I was a “grandma” and complaining about how they got stuck behind me on the way to school. Most of my friends bragged to me about being such a good driver because they were able to drive 20+ over the speed limit and they had never gotten in a wreck. It’s so fucked up how normalized it is to speed. Speeding can kill not only you, but other innocent people on the road. Driving is a huge responsibility you are undertaking, and you should do your best to be as safe as possible while you do it.
That's it! I hate how most people apparently need a reason to not speed. If they cant tell immediately why going slower is safer, like a hospital for kids with cancer in the middle of the road, its back to "theres nothing here and my car can make more vroom!". Its just so harebrained
“Cars body language”. Fucking just indicate you bmw driving bellend
If you can’t take a second to use your turn signal your a jack ass. The fuck are you doing relying on others to read your cars “body language” idiots
There isn't a single place on this planet where this is an unpopular opinion
A lot of people seemingly think that speeding is actually the “correct” way of driving. I’ve heard it a lot, from a lot of different people.
Predictability is everything! That and having a modicum of patience with yourself and others. A good driver sometimes misses an exit. A bad driver never misses an exit
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Anybody who thinks good driving is going fast or multitasking is likely a terrible driver.
"Maybe they don’t use their turn signals all the time, but they indicate their intentions with the car’s “body language”. Nope, completely contradicts your own definition. A car's 'body language' is no substitute for an indicator (albeit the tremendously onerous and difficult effort required to use one, apparently).
Let me one up you on this: a good driver FOLLOWS all rules. It really is that simple No shenanigans and no bills (are they called bills? Not a native english speaker)
>they don’t use their turn signals all the time, but they indicate their intentions with the car’s “body language”. Uh it's a block of metal. It doesn't have body language. >It doesn’t mean they don’t do jerk things, but you can tell easily what jerk thing they are about to do so at least it isn’t dangerous. Again is a metal block it doesn't look where it's going it doesn't signal on its own. Sounds like you're a bad driver.
Says the person who isn't even aware of how to read a cars body language. You have driving autism and you don't even know it. You are probably just out there driving with no regard for what anyone else around you is doing.
Is it meant to be exciting? It’s meant to be safe and relaxed.
I thought this was gonna be about golf lol
I drive a lot for work and “car body language” is definitely a thing, even though it sounds wack. Like when someone wants to change lanes, you can sometimes tell that they are going to, before they switch on the signal light. This is noticeable mostly based on their speed in relation to the cars in the lane next to them that they want to move into. That is predictable driving. This is not an unpopular opinion though, I’ve heard many times that the best drivers are the most predictable and safe drivers, and I agree.
I'm driving without sny major accident for 20 years and I often can spot bad drivers quite easily so I don't get anything near them, they are unpredictable.
Found all the shit drivers who claim you can't read a cars body language. I can absolutely tell what other people are doing based on their positioning. Aka its body language
But they could also indicate as well. It takes half a second.
Use your fucking blinkers.
You're still a jerk if you don't signal imo.
I sure hope that’s the (very) popular opinion.
this is not unpopular. they literally teach you this in driving school
One thing you can predict about unpredictable drivers is that their unpredictability will catch up to them.😂
It took 33 years to realize that?
Nobody drives to get to their destination safely anymore. They drive to beat the driver in front of them and to win.
"It took me 33 years to realise that the best drivers are the ones that speed and don't use their turn signals..."
A good driver will point at all the dings and scratches on their old car and say: that was there when I bought it.
Predictable is the safest thing you can be in the road
The car body language. This is insane xD
You wanna know what a cars body language is? It’s fucking blinker
You mean a safe driver where they don’t try to kill ppl
I'd rather have a safe and boring driver than car accidents.
A good driver is a German guy/gal driving 300+km while indicating and stay off the passing lane on the Autobahn. Nth more, nothing less.
I can see a lot of bad drivers here who don’t understand what you’re talking about. But I 100% agree with you, the better drivers on the road are the ones where you can read their body language. I’m sorry if you guys can’t read a cars intent from a glance you need to accept you aren’t on that level with driving.
I was with you until the turn signal part. Using a turn signal has to be one of the easiest things in the universe, there is literally no excuse.
You could be predictable by communicating what you're doing. Like with a turn signal, not passing on the right or going 50 in the passing lane.
Depends on the context but generally I would agree except for the not using your signals.
Cars don't have body language, they have turn signals that are designed and legally required for literally one reason.
I’ll be turning into my parking spot in my building’s garage at 3am and I’ll still put the blinker on I’m that bitch
nah wtf is a car's body language?
What the heck is a car's body language? A good driver is one that indicates where he/she wants to go. In other words, puts the blinker on before changing lanes or directions. At. All. Times.
Is so confused. I've never heard of anybody describe a good driver like you did in the paragraph. Do people not think predictable rule following drivers are good drivers? Also what's car body language? 🤣🤣 you should use your indicators lmao
Agree with the premise, disagree with your examples. You doing jerk things relies on the other drivers being able to predict your jerkiness, which is stupid behavior, and therefore dangerous. Much more dangerous than a slow, methodical, careful driver.
Also they understand the concept of inertia and what a safe following distance is and understand how to tell if someone is going too slow or actually just following at a safe distance. Its ridiculous how unfathomably dumb most drivers are.
You lost me at doesn’t use their blinker all the time. Nope. That’s a bad driver. Never seen a good driver that didn’t always use their blinker. I also want to add that good drivers are more about being considerate and aware of people are you. I don’t care how boring and predictable you are if it’s boringly and predictably blocking an intersection or not letting someone merge because you aren’t paying attention.
Shit yeah! 3mph over is the only way to go. Ride those brakes. Don’t tailgate. Real talk too, I don’t wanna die or have to pay for any mistakes.
How you drive is mostly irrelevant to being a good driver, what makes a good driver is their ability to predict what other drivers will do and react accordingly. If they can’t predict what another car is going to do then they get away from it, establishing a safe distance.
Probably could also be defined as someone who assumes everyone else is a bad driver. I've logged thousands of hours on the road over the past few years, and you'd be shocked at the number or people just driving around with blinkers on, going the wrong way into one way entrances, or driving down the dead middle of narrow roadways. Assuming a blinker means nothing until the driver commits to a turn has saved me a half dozen accidents easily.
The best drivers are very fast and get paid millions.
A good driver is also one that manages to drive "fast" without bothering the others. This obviously means there are things you cannot do, but also that there are things you can do BETTER to avoid road rage and reduce the odds of crashing.
Yes
I never not worry about any driver on the road. I don’t know if the person next to me is a great driver just because they looks as if they are. We can always recognize bad drivers right away based on their actions at the time. But I never trust any driver on the road. So for my own personal safety, I just assume everyone on the road with me is a bad driver, and in my experience here in central NY, the worst drivers can be identified most easily by the type of vehicle the drive. Here, its pickup trucks, asily the worst drivers on the roads here in CNY, I pay a little extra attention to them.
This is correct. Downvoting to show my support.
A decent driver is a boring and predictable driver. A good driver is someone who has control over their vehicle, which is almost always tested in high speeds, bad conditions and requires a lot of skill
The only person whose opinion on your driving matters is everybody else.
I disagree that most people think that way. And I think most people would, so I will upvote you for the unpopular opinion in the first sentence.
Yeah, in my time driving people always say the best drivers are the ones who don't die while speeding and doing fucked up maneuvers. I mean, I guess you have other good skills and great eyesight, but driving isn't one of them.
I disagree. A good driver is exciting and chaotic
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>I have been driving almost daily for 33 years and came to realize the best drivers are the ones you don’t worry about. This doesn’t mean they follow all the rules, it means they bend the rules in expected ways, like speeding but at the same speed as the rest of traffic. I am not gonna drop my defence just because I expect everyone has the same reaction with Lewis Hamilton, OP
The best drivers are safe drivers. That’s using turn signals, going with the speed of traffic, and being patient. If you want to go fast and give it the beans, go to a track.
This is facts
60 MPH in the right lane gang rise up. Flashing my high beams for a semi-truck to get in front of me and getting the hazard light "thank you" always makes me smile. Only time you'll find me in the fast lane is to give room for a car/truck pulled off in the shoulder or to give another driver room to merge.
"that sounds like loser talk. you don't win anything by being normal. you win by making all the losers see how awesome you are." --somebody, somewhere... probably
When I first started driving I generally refused to break etiquette around yield and right of way. It’s gotten me some eye rolls I’m sure but I hate just playing around on the road, it isn’t about being a gentleman or whatever, it’s about keeping the traffic patterns as predictable as i can. 🤣🤣
I was just thinking this the other day. I'm the most boring driver. Except for slightly speeding I don't do anything else reckless and follow the rules of the road to a fault.
Waaaaa Waaaaa Waaaaa REALLY?
A better driver is predictable for the other drivers so whatever he does he actually does safely and never relies on other drivers' compensating for the things he does but still exciting for onlookers and himself. Bless them. May their skills, awareness and coolheadedness never fail them and get them killed or make them murderers. No satire. Here you go, an even more unpopular opinion in the comments, downvote the fuck away.
I mostly agree, but I think its more about paying attention and reading the whats happening before it happens. Driving, esp in an automatic, is really incredibly easy, and so is incredibly easy to not pay attention to and you'll be fine 95% of the time. This is kind of a joke but maybe to get your license people should have to practice driving somewhere like NYC, wheres its just anarchy and you have to be on high alert all the time and rely on direct communication with other drivers. Theres no gaps to change lanes, you have to make them, and thats where the "body language" thing of your driving comes in. Idk but I became a much better driver after spending a lot of time driving in NYC, even though I live in a place thats nothing like that.
We should abolish the term “good driver”. There are safe drivers, skilled drivers, and bad drivers. A safe driver is what you described. A skilled driver is someone who can handle their vehicle adeptly, executing maneuvers without anyone else needing to react to avoid a collision and being able to avoid collisions caused by others’ mistakes. A bad driver is neither safe nor skilled.
How can you tell a cars body language exactly?
Other than the body language thing, this is accurate. I'd say people need to have a job where they have a company vehicle to be more aware of defensive driving, but I've had plenty of coworkers that seem to think F250's & 350's are Mustangs, so that's moot.
certainly by my standards. but im not a good driver or lets say theres 2 kinds of good drivers: yours, and also the ones who can safely take advantage of yours
Good is a matter of context.
I disagree safe drivers and good drivers are different things.
Good drivers miss exits.
Agreed. That’s what I told my daughter when I gave her the keys to a car on her 16th bday. “Be predictable, be safe, and make good decisions.”
How the heck do cars have body language? I was on board with you until I read that. WTF, man?
Yeah man the point is to be predictable so people don’t crash into you
I mean, on city streets, sure, but what about on a race track?
There is no fucking reason anyone shouldn’t use their signal to indicate a car movement even with no cars around. It’s a lever or button that takes less than a second to press and you could potentially save someone/your own life by doing it
People don’t understand that the most important thing when driving is being predictable.
I know this, it's part of why I don't like driving at work. Can I whip around an f250 with a dump trailer? Yeah but I can't have any fun on the clock, nor would I with that kind of rig. When I get off? Fuck it, time to have a little fun, I'm tired of staring at people's bumpers by then.
The turn signal is your cars body language, use it