How Do You Drive During Low-Traffic Hours?

fonzo179 · 09-06-2013, 01:00 PM

Does anyone else use the low-traffic hours to practice good, patient driving? Kinda like a mock driver's ed exam or something? (Yeah I know, I'm nerdy

)

While driving home last night, I noticed there were hardly any cars on the road, so I figured I would get some precision safe driving in. Times like that, I like to test myself: approaching slowly before entering the turn bay, see how long I can hold the speedometer at exactly 3mph under the speed limit, stop just before the front tires touch the stop line, patient lane changes, accellerate gently from the stop light, 5mph in the parking lot, blah, blah, blah.

Late at night and early in the morning when the roads are practically empty, I take the time to practice safe/defensive driving because It's easy when the distractions are significantly limited (tailgaters, bicyclists, j-walkers sprinting across the road when the crosswalk is 50 feet away, etc.).

kenchan · 09-06-2013, 01:06 PM

fonzo- you need more hobbies...

fonzo179 · 09-06-2013, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

fonzo- you need more hobbies...

Hahahahaha! I know!
.........yeah. Aww, now I'm sad

ElVee · 09-06-2013, 01:18 PM

I guess I'm exactly the opposite. I practice safe driving when other people are around. And I guess I don't so much as practice it as I just do it since I'm completely practiced, I guess.

When no one is around, I'll go faster and do slightly more hooligany things, but certainly nothing that will plant me into a curb. I'll also avoid doing so at night when police-to-civilian car ratios are higher and I can't identify anyone at a distance (let alone see objects, deer, animals, people quickly).

(Ok, I usually don't accelerate gently from a stoplight. Maybe only when there's a much badder car next to me...)

But hey, whatever helps your zen/mental state is what I think you should do when the road is clearer.

6spd · 09-06-2013, 01:19 PM

I drive like a F*ing maniac all the time

Mt Tam I am · 09-06-2013, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fonzo179

Does anyone else use the low-traffic hours to practice good, patient driving? Kinda like a mock driver's ed exam or something? (Yeah I know, I'm nerdy

)

While driving home last night, I noticed there were hardly any cars on the road, so I figured I would get some precision safe driving in. Times like that, I like to test myself: approaching slowly before entering the turn bay, see how long I can hold the speedometer at exactly 3mph under the speed limit, stop just before the front tires touch the stop line, patient lane changes, accellerate gently from the stop light, 5mph in the parking lot, blah, blah, blah.

Late at night and early in the morning when the roads are practically empty, I take the time to practice safe/defensive driving because It's easy when the distractions are significantly limited (tailgaters, bicyclists, j-walkers sprinting across the road when the crosswalk is 50 feet away, etc.).

This is what I practice when I'm in traffic. What I do without traffic is not a subject I can talk about on this forum.

Elan · 09-06-2013, 02:22 PM

The only thing I do is when braking, I try to come to a stop without even feeling it.

6MT · 09-06-2013, 02:24 PM

Like I stole it!!!!!

kenchan · 09-06-2013, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elan

The only thing I do is when braking, I try to come to a stop without even feeling it.

this actually causes vertigo kind of feeling to your passenger.

wat i like to do is when im stopped next to some old folk, slowly roll backwards and watch grandma in a state of panic telling grandpa he's creeping forward.

jk

coolvans1988 · 09-06-2013, 02:27 PM

Pretty chill, don't want to get caught on a speed trap.

ElVee · 09-06-2013, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elan

The only thing I do is when braking, I try to come to a stop without even feeling it.

I do this as well. I actually will judge people's driving on how suddenly they finish their stop and rock their car/minivan. It's weird, I know.

fonzo179 · 09-06-2013, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElVee

I do this as well. I actually will judge people's driving on how suddenly they finish their stop and rock their car/minivan. It's weird, I know.

Not as weird as you think, friend. I do the same thing. When I see a Honda Odessey pull up at the light, braking so hard it looks like the driver's giving himself a concussion on the headrest, I just sigh.

dtul · 09-06-2013, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fonzo179

Not as weird as you think, friend. I do the same thing. When I see a Honda Odessey pull up at the light, braking so hard it looks like the driver's giving himself a concussion on the headrest, I just sigh.

I generally try and do this too. I generally take off from the light and tend to speed quite a bit though, so braking smoothly is really the only good driving I do.

And at night I tend to drive a little faster than normal. During traffic I drive fast, but people around here love to take all three lanes and drive side by side at the same speed, so most of the time I find myself stuck behind other cars. I don't worry about cops just because I know their spots and the police around here are pretty lenient on speeders anyway.

onzedge · 09-06-2013, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mt Tam I am

This is what I practice when I'm in traffic. What I do without traffic is not a subject I can talk about on this forum.

onzedge · 09-06-2013, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

fonzo- you need more hobbies...

09-06-2013, 01:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
fonzo179 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2012 Location: A Fantasy World Posts: 1,707 Drives: 2014 Audi Q5 3.0T Rep Power: 19	How Do You Drive During Low-Traffic Hours? Does anyone else use the low-traffic hours to practice good, patient driving? Kinda like a mock driver's ed exam or something? (Yeah I know, I'm nerdy ) While driving home last night, I noticed there were hardly any cars on the road, so I figured I would get some precision safe driving in. Times like that, I like to test myself: approaching slowly before entering the turn bay, see how long I can hold the speedometer at exactly 3mph under the speed limit, stop just before the front tires touch the stop line, patient lane changes, accellerate gently from the stop light, 5mph in the parking lot, blah, blah, blah. Late at night and early in the morning when the roads are practically empty, I take the time to practice safe/defensive driving because It's easy when the distractions are significantly limited (tailgaters, bicyclists, j-walkers sprinting across the road when the crosswalk is 50 feet away, etc.). Fountainhead likes this. __________________ You want a motorcycle, but can't drive a manual? Please tell me you're joking...

09-06-2013, 01:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	fonzo- you need more hobbies... Trips, 6spd, onzedge and 5 others like this.

09-06-2013, 01:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
ElVee Track Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Iowa Posts: 750 Drives: 13 370z 7at t+s grey Rep Power: 16	I guess I'm exactly the opposite. I practice safe driving when other people are around. And I guess I don't so much as practice it as I just do it since I'm completely practiced, I guess. When no one is around, I'll go faster and do slightly more hooligany things, but certainly nothing that will plant me into a curb. I'll also avoid doing so at night when police-to-civilian car ratios are higher and I can't identify anyone at a distance (let alone see objects, deer, animals, people quickly). (Ok, I usually don't accelerate gently from a stoplight. Maybe only when there's a much badder car next to me...) But hey, whatever helps your zen/mental state is what I think you should do when the road is clearer. SouthArk370Z and fonzo179 like this.

09-06-2013, 01:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
6spd A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,001 Drives: Q50RS Rep Power: 24	I drive like a Fing maniac all the time kfull, jburke26, fonzo179 and 1 others like this. __________________ -Jay-* jonathanjamesphotographer.com

09-06-2013, 02:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
Elan Track Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Alpharetta, GA Posts: 906 Drives: Airplanes Rep Power: 15	The only thing I do is when braking, I try to come to a stop without even feeling it. fonzo179, Haboob, Pitch and 1 others like this. __________________ 2009 370Z NISMO #477 \| AAM Competition Short Tails \| AAM Competition HFCs \| K&N Typhoon CAI \| Kenwood DPX300U \| Rockford Fosgate PRIME R300-4 \| Rockford Fosgate Punch P165 \| Rockford Fosgate Punch P300-12 \| Polk Audio db1001 \| 15% Tints \| GTR Start Button \|

09-06-2013, 02:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
6MT A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2009 Location: ITU Zone 2 Posts: 22,459 Drives: Reliant Robin Rep Power: 1789	Like I stole it!!!!! loiro370z likes this. __________________ Andrew 2009 370Z Sport/Touring 6MT sold 2013 Honda Civic Si coupe D/D

09-06-2013, 02:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
coolvans1988 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: San Fernando Valley, CA Posts: 402 Drives: 2013 370z PW A/T Rep Power: 12	Pretty chill, don't want to get caught on a speed trap.

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