Skills

Roundabouts and traffic circles are not new to British Columbia, but if the complaints in my inbox are any indication, they are still totally mystifying to some drivers. Common issues include bulldozing into the circle without yielding, signalling when there is no need, not signalling when there is a need, and yes, going around them in the wrong direction.

Welcome to wet weather season in British Columbia! Some areas are blessed with this situation more often than others, but drivers need to be aware of the perils of wet highways. The well being of you and other road users depend on it.

Mirror, signal, shoulder check, change is the chant that we all know to follow for a successful lane change. We also use our rear view mirrors to give us a better view than our eyes alone when we are backing up. Is this all that mirrors are used for and are these the only times that we use them?

How long has it been since you read the manual that new drivers study to prepare for their first driver's license? Why bother you say? You've been driving for years and have the necessary knowledge. I wish I could say that!

Is it really necessary to make shoulder checks while driving? If you expect to pass a driving exam in British Columbia the answer is a definite yes. However, some driving schools are teaching mirror adjustment techniques to replace shoulder checks.

This video from Young Drivers of Canada shows the safest following distance on the road and how to adjust this distance depending on the road conditions. Maintaining a safe following distance does not appear to be a skill that is practised by a majority of drivers today and the video is a good refresher on a skill that you should be practising without fail whenever you drive.

I watched the driver on either side of me this morning on my way to work. We were stopped waiting for a red light to turn green and I could see that both of them were totally focused on the that light. Neither one of them moved their heads and immediately started off when the light turned green. What a wonderful example of blind faith!

There were some students in my Elder College class last week that were surprised to learn that it was no longer generally acceptable to hold the steering wheel with your hands in the 10 and 2 position. Who would have thought that how to hold your vehicle's steering wheel would change, or that it even mattered?

Do you plan to avoid trouble when you are driving? A defensive driver always tries to maintain a space cushion around all four sides of their vehicle. The habit gives them both time to decide and a place to go if a problem occurs.

Mirror, signal, shoulder check, move. These are the four steps for a successful lane changes. Simple enough one would expect, until you watch what goes on around you in traffic today.