I found this on MSN this morning and thought it may be of interest to some. Its advice from a pro about how to improve your driving skills.

http://autos.msn.com/volvo/article.a...tentid=4022456

 

Bisch posted a threaded asking how to remove puke form the back seat of his Mini, sounds like he should have read Jackie's article before taking that ride

"Driving hard throws your passengers around and is uncomfortable," said Stewart. "It is hard on the passengers and hard on the car. Smooth driving can actually be faster driving and at the end of the drive there's no carsickness, no abuse of the car, and the drive seems shorter."

Drive It Like You Stole It!:smile:

 

Ok, I'll give myself a special dispensation for this one (I generally abhor all things MSN, these guys are the microwave burritos of the journalism trade) and read this, but only because Jackie Stewart, three time F1 world champion is the source. Then it's back to the doghouse for those nasty bee-itch writers at MSN.

 

I agree with all of his three C's. I for one would really appreciate more people on the road taking driving seriously (which I think is the common denominator of what Sir Jackie is saying). Keep in mind that there are other drivers on the road.

Couple of specifics I would add:

If someone is coming up behind you quickly, change lanes to let them pass; don't make them go around.

Use your turn signal when changing lanes - but remember that having your blinker on doesn't mean you *get* to change lanes! Look before you leap and keep in mind that someone may be coming up quickly in that lane even if they aren't there yet - don't cut them off!

As far as driving skills, one thing I keep hearing from people who attend driving schools is to look up, concentrate your vision further up the road than you are. I'm trying to do it more, and it helps not just your line around a corner, but also helps you to anticipate what's ahead on the freeway.

I'm sure this is just preaching to the choir given the enthusiastic nature of the people on this site!

 

I find myself concentrating quite a bit while driving my MT cars around... nothing
more enjoyable than perfect shifting and timing everything just right. Sometimes I have good days, some bad....motoring is definitely a sport.

 

Great article sndwave, Jackie Stewart is my favorite all time race driver and I have the utmost respect for him.:smile:

 

Sir Jackie also drove when driver skill was more important in F1,than who has the most money in the car

 

You got that right.

He himself wrote an article a number of years ago titled "The Fastest Man at 35 MPH". It was awesome how he spoke of being able to get to any point in traffic before anyone speeding from light to light by being constant and smooth. I just wish I could remember where I read it.

 

May change my sig to "zooming softly"

 

The man himself piloting a Cooper.

 

Probably just cut the white car off...he's so far off the line.....
At any rate, worth quoting verbatim:
Considerate
Whether on the racetrack or the freeway, a good driver is considerate of both his passengers and other drivers. Passengers don't like being thrown around inside the vehicle. It's uncomfortable and you'll end up hearing about it. As for other drivers, they don't like being cut off or having you slam on the brakes. Give other drivers plenty of room and plenty of warning. Use your signals, change lanes smoothly and unless it is an emergency, avoid sudden maneuvers that could scare other drivers.

 

I recall some years ago reading an article about the 1970 F1 season. The season began with three couples: the Rindts, Stewarts, and Courages all young lions and their wives who were the very best of friends. By season's end there were two widows amongst them (Piers Courage and Jochim Rindt were killed in separate accidents during the season). Incredible reading, it's what started Jackie Stewart to form the F1 Drivers Association and petition the circuits for improvements in the use of Armco and the felling of dangerous trees around the track, the manufacturers for safer cars, the host nations for better medical facilities on site.

While these changes eventually did come about, the tragedies continued, and Jackie withdrewand retired rather than race in his 100th Grand Prix when his teammate Francois Cevert was killed during practice for the 1973 US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.

 

great article.. thanks for sharing

 

I read a article several years ago in Road & Track. The story was on drivers who pull out onto the streets and make the on coming traffic slow down for them.

We all have had other drivers pull out in front of us, where we had to brake to keep from running into the other driver.


But bottom line in the article was if you decide to pull out, and the other driver has to slow down by either braking or even taking thier foot off of the acelarator, you should not have pulled out.