Even if you have only recently learned how to drive it is actually easier to drive like a pro than you think. Remember that most so-called experienced car drivers have not even mastered the basics, or gotten them right, even after all those years.
Here are 10 very simple techniques that any first time driver can use to drive like a pro. Most of them are tips from serious racing and pro drivers.
1. Be extra observant.
There are always clues and hints on the road that tell you what to expect ahead. Most of us do not even see these small pointers. For instance people waiting for a bus on the other side of the road means that there is a bus coming. Bins left out means that a garbage truck may not be too far off. It may prove to be hard at first but get into the habit and soon it will be almost second nature and folks will wonder long and hard how on earth you manage to do it. Just like a real pro.
2. Always expect and prepare for the very worst
Expect the worst and once in a while it will happen and it will make all the difference. For example slow down instead if speeding past some parked cars because you expect a kid to run out from one of them and onto the road without looking. And that vehicle you are about to overtake, do expect him to suddenly turn into that side road without showing any indication. In other words drive for yourself even as you also drive for the other road users as well.
3. Look where you want to go
Research has clearly proved this. Lose control at high speed and you are looking in the direction of the cliff and chances are high that you will go right over it and at precisely the point you were looking at. Start staring at the flashy car on your right and you will notice that you are drifting towards it. Whether you are in an emergency situation or not just look in the direction where you want to go and it will happen much faster and much more smoothly.
4. Always drive at a speed that will enable you to stop in the distance you can see
This should be your golden rule on the kind of speed you want to drive at. Your pace should always give you enough room to stop within the distance that your eyes can clearly see. Ignore this rule and it is only a matter of time before you are involved in a collision of sorts.
5. Use your car horn more
You really need to also use your horn to alert others of your presence. Most accidents happen because the other driver did not see you until it was too late. If you are worried that others will interpret this as you being too aggressive. Just make sure that yours is a short horn signal and then follow it up with a nice smile and wave of thanks. They should be able to quickly understand that you were simply alerting them.
6. It may sound crazy but do not focus on the car directly in front of you
Instead you need to try and look beyond it, preferably through their windshield. If there are several cars try and look through the spaces that divide them. In this way you will be sending vital information to your brain to enable you to react in good time in the event that there is an oncoming threat out there somewhere.
7. Use your tongue for balance and early warning
Balance is what your car and driving are all about. You lose balance and you have lost control. The technique used to make use of the tongue is to push it against the roof of your mouth. You will instantly be able to sense and “feel” what you vehicle is doing and react appropriately in good time long before you get to a situation where you just have milliseconds to do something. Use those nerve densely packed nerve endings on your tongue to drive like a pro. The pros do it and so should you.
8. Nine and three o’clock is correct and the commonly promoted 10 and 2 are wrong
One of the reasons why placing your hands at 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock has been overtaken by the times is because of the airbag. If your vehicle has an airbag this can be fatal. Besides 9 and 3 has it’s own many advantages. For instance if you by any chance lose control for a few seconds you would want your steering pointing straight ahead as you regain control. All you would have to do in this case is bring your hands back to their resting position which is your 9 and 3.
9. Do not brake with your right foot
By keeping your left foot hovering over the brakes you are dramatically reducing the time you will take to slow down and stop in an emergency. At the kind of speeds used on the highway this can easily translating to stopping 50 feet earlier than another driver unfamiliar with this technique. And that that is a huge difference.
10. Don’t do two things at the same time
Do not steer and brake at the same time. Do not accelerate and steer at the same time. Steering, braking and accelerating are three different things that must be done one at a time.
This article was contributed by Alex who works for sellbike.com. If you are looking to sell your bike make sure to visit us because we buy any motorbike.