Good Advice for Older Drivers

[sitarro]

I haven’t read all the thread. I’d just like to say this, no matter how good a driver someone may be (or thinks they are), it only takes ONE typical Dumb ass driver to do something stupid and kill you.

Motor on. Or should I say speed on?

That is pretty much the bottom line isn't it Mr. P? None of us have control of the driving environment we are in. It is kind of like motorcycle riding, you can be the world's greatest but the odds are you will end up crashing . . . sooner or later and it is just dumb luck what results from that crash.

Defensive driving and expecting the worst case scenario is really the best way to go about doing it. . . and pray a lot of course.

 

[dmp]

Defensive Driving is part of the problem.

Strategic Driving is the solution.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

My father left us with a Pontiac Montana extended van when he died. I drove it for awhile had a completely different experience from your brother's Town and Country. This van had a 3.4 liter six and had room for seven comfortably. I drove it on numerous trips where I saw rediculous gas mileage for a vehicle that was quite fast and handled like a car. In town and on the highway at any speed it would average 25mpg always. I experimented with the trip computer one night to see what the best mileage I could achieve. On flat grade at 75 mile an hour I was getting 25-26, as I slowed to 65 the mpg increased to 27-30, dropping down to 55 it was getting 29-32. It was empty but I also took it on a few trips with 4 people and lost only a few mpgs.

This does a good job of summing up how much credibility your opinion has on this subject. If you think the Montana was "quite fast and handles like a car" I dunno, you must be driving old Buicks. My dad has a Montana, I want to shoot myself everytime I have to drive it. You're right, I wouldn't go 90 miles an hour or swerving through traffic in that piece of junk. Ick.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

That is pretty much the bottom line isn't it Mr. P? None of us have control of the driving environment we are in. It is kind of like motorcycle riding, you can be the world's greatest but the odds are you will end up crashing . . . sooner or later and it is just dumb luck what results from that crash.

Defensive driving and expecting the worst case scenario is really the best way to go about doing it. . . and pray a lot of course.

I'll take those odds. How much you wanna bet I get into an accident in the next 5 years?

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Defensive Driving is part of the problem.

Strategic Driving is the solution.

Exactly. Defensive driving is reactionary driving. It's why in rush hour traffic becomes accordian like. Defensive driving makes old people feel safe, when in reality it makes them shittier drivers.