Driver’s Ed: smooth, safe braking

Sep 2, 2008 by Craig Burton

As a society we are so wrapped up in the licensing procedure, how to negotiate intersections, parallel park, and maintain the speed limit, that we miss out on the very fundamentals of driving. Traction control, weight transfer, and smooth and efficient use of the controls are rarely taught in the rush to get a new driver on the road.

Driving is one of those things that we all do, but few of us do well. You may be able to get through life only able to draw stick men and not painting fine art, but the consequences of not driving well could mean that the last image you leave is a long red smear on the asphalt.

A few weeks ago in Trail I had stopped for a yellow light at an intersection on the highway. As I was sitting there in my car a large moving van was racing up from behind. I quickly moved the car into another lane and the moving van sped across the path where I’d removed myself from just moments before. The driver of the moving van went through the red light without even touching his brakes. Had I stayed there I’m sure I would now be “canned goods.”

We’ve all been in a car with a driver who skids to a stop at every light only to lunge forward the second the light turns green. Not a very relaxing drive is it? The desire to kiss the ground upon arrival is not a feeling you should instil in your passengers. Being smooth is not only going to prevent you from smacking your friends face on the dashboard, but it’s safer too. Before you start braking, check your side and rear view mirrors to make sure the driver behind you is aware of what you’re doing and not lighting a joint, cleaning deer meat out of his teeth or rushing to the hospital mid-aneurism. They could be about to perform automotive proctology on your car and you should find a way get out of Dodge. What about trying to make that stop imperceptible to your passengers? Rolling through a stop, taxi style, will only get you three points on your licence, plus the cash for the fine. So make the full stop before you proceed.

Look left, right and left again before you continue through the intersection. The reason you check left twice is because the cars traveling in the left lane are the ones that could slam in to your door first. Your passenger will act as a buffer for the cars hitting the right side of your vehicle, should it happen. When your car is in motion and you have cleared the intersection, check your mirrors again to keep tabs on the next group of yahoos behind you.