[btirthankar]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

@btirthankar: Nice Tips man.

Thanks. I share one article on Cybersteering.com I had written some 7 years back.

click here: Are we perfect drivers?

or paste the link: Cybersteering.com - Feature: Are we perfect drivers? ...No

Here is the text:

ACCIDENTS
Road accidents are common all over the world. We Indians are still at least 100 years back in time when it comes to roads (consider Bihar not the Pune expressway). If the modern world has multiple lane highways, our highways are still single or double lane. The common word remains, "Accidents".

If our highways have head on collisions, they have multiple rear end ones. Just imagine the plight of hitting a mass of mangled and that's not over, many others are following, after your car becomes another junk.

But if most of the modern world have , we rarely have them. But we are not even strapped up even if we have in our vehicles.

Sure humans are careless drivers. But why? Even the skilled Grand Prix drivers can meet his end after devoting a whole lifetime of career to studying techniques of vehicle dynamics and control. So who are the best drivers in the world. Surely Indians! Our taxi and are the best, negotiating overtakes in their hurtling overloaded vehicles. The real fact is that humans are imperfect drivers. The human reflexes are not designed to handle speeds in excess of 30kmph, leave alone 100kmph. To understand the fact we shall have to analyze a bit of human evolution.



REACTION TIME
Human vision is almost 180 degrees form left to right. And 70 degrees vertically. So we have a wide vision capability. Evolution has designed our eyes to search. So we can concentrate on a particular range at a any single point of time. That range is the area of a mere coin held at arms length. Now it takes 1/10th of a sec. To move our focus from that 'coin' area to another point, and another 1/10th to process that information in our brain. The latter is the reflex speed we have and it varies according to what state our body is in.

REACTION TIME = EYEBALL MOVEMENT+ PHYSICAL REFLEX

During nighttime, reflexes capabilities are enhanced (result of evolution). And the opposite happens when we have alcohol in our blood. Alcohol delays acting of the CNS (Central Nervous System) Many of us Indians manage to drive under the influence of alcohol and it is our confidence and God's blessings that have saved us till now.

Anger however does some good to our reflexes. But the brain becomes more physically inclined that mentally, so here we end up acting overconfidently.

Another factor is our reflexes during motion. Human reflexes are designed for walking or running speeds. But do we drive below 30kmph? Accidents do occur even at 20kmph. So when we are getting the adrenaline rush at 80kmph, we are far beyond our reflex limitations.

Reason for all these? Remember humans were designed for hunting and gathering. Evolution is still in process but where it will take us, only a 10000-year period can tell us.

Did you know that cockroaches have reflexes multiple times that of humans. No wonder it is so difficult to stamp them with our feet. There is a catch however. They live in a different dimension of time. What 1 minute may be for us , it is 10 seconds for them. So they have excellent reflexes. If cockroaches were to drive in a grand prix, almost no accidents could occur.

VEHICULAR LIMITATIONS
There are reasons when we are not in the best position to handle emergencies much due to a cars design. Incorrect driving posture, Blind spots, tinted glasses, sound detection, efficiency etc.

Headrests, passengers, tinted glasses are bound to give blind spots to drivers. Rolled up glasses, AC blower noise, music systems, and distracting co-passengers deteriorate our hearing capabilities. Humans are blessed with stereophonic hearing to give us a three dimensional detection of the source of sound.

Imagine a vehicle honking behind you in a highway and all the above stated conditions, how will you locate the vehicle by not leaving sight of the road ahead and looking behind? This situation becomes all the more difficult when it's dark and raining.

Modern cars have power assisted with ABS and traction control. Not all Indian cars have them. These provide assistance to vehicular control but does not completely avoid accidents.

There are also cases where the vehicle does not behave as we expect it to. It is the steering wheel that the driver communicates with all the time. come later. We can brake and still fall into a gorge,skidding. But we can always steer away from the gorge without braking.

When assessing a cars external what one should determine first is braking behaviour on wet roads. That's where everyone gets the surprise accident. First of all the don't hold if they are wet, then the car goes out of control just as the brakes bite.

Are you a moderate non-aggressive driver? (esp. ladies)
Be prepared for emergency situations. Being slower doesn't mean you will be free of accidents. Of the thing you should learn is experience of skidding and emergency getaways. Once in a while you need to hit the pedal hard and flex your driving capabilities because that will let you react in accidental situations.
Practices in empty spaces and try quick reversing too but don't do that elk test. Also be extra careful on wet surfaces.

[COLOR=#cc3300]CAUTION[/COLOR]: I must state that the above should be done with some expert guidance as there is always the risk of overturning your car.

Are you a rash driver?
Doesn't matter. Well this one can cure you of

Take a test: Lets assume you are driving in the city with traffic lights every odd kilometer. For once drive at a relaxed and moderate speed. Let a seemingly faster car pass you. It should be a car that you would feel offended to give way to. Chances are that you will definitely meet it at the next What you do in addition is that is as soon as you see the cars stopping far away, get into neutral and let the car roll to a stop in neutral gear. That's where you save fuel and brake pad wear (in comparison to your rival car).

In simulation tests it has been found that it never pays to race in city.

FEAR
Rash drivers or moderate drivers, what should be foremost in our minds are that carelessness costs lives and property. We must have some fear in our minds to cultivate responsible driving behavior.

People have to party, then they have to drive back home. Most people will miss a driver at night and many wont have a driver for them at odd hours. Old habits die hard, so my opinion for people who will ever go on drunk driving is that if you are doing it , drive with extra fear to get up to that safety level of action.

During an accident everything happens in a split second. You may never know when your face actually hits the steering and gets smashed. Also just imagine the plight of missing your car for the time it is in the workshop getting accidental repairs.

Many of us Indians must have started driving without a license. But we should always realize that you need to reach a particular level of maturity to get the wheel and drive responsibly, for apart from other lives, your life matters the most.

FUTURE
The future does have innovations like Highway automation following economics of MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit Systems).
Imagine a group of cars traveling on a highway . They are equipped with radar detection sensors and onboard computers. They follow each other in a straight line, maintaining a safe distance between them considering parameters like speed. Each car communicates with all other cars in the group and tell each other when they will depart from the line to catch another lane. That way reduces accidents to the maximum possible and enhancing fuel efficiency. Yet another is planting magnets along the road. Sensors below the car follow the magnets and steer automatically. Drivers here sit back handsfree, reading or snacking throughout the journey.

[Technocrat]

Nice article but as its OT in current thread I have asked the Mods to move it as a new thread\article.

[manziee_crusier]

Seems good one.Hmm but could have been better.What I mean to say is that the article does not cover the heading full spectrum.Your points on rash driving is well taken.

[snaronikar]

Nice article and whatever mentioned there makes sense.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by btirthankar

Human reflexes are designed for walking or running speeds. But do we drive below 30kmph?

So we must not even play cricket! Moreover Do you not drive? Then, What is evolution?

Originally Posted by btirthankar

Did you know that cockroaches have reflexes multiple times that of humans. No wonder it is so difficult to stamp them with our feet. There is a catch however. They live in a different dimension of time. What 1 minute may be for us , it is 10 seconds for them. So they have excellent reflexes. If cockroaches were to drive in a grand prix, almost no accidents could occur.

How is this even connected?

Originally Posted by btirthankar

Imagine a vehicle honking behind you in a highway and all the above stated conditions, how will you locate the vehicle by not leaving sight of the road ahead and looking behind? This situation becomes all the more difficult when it's dark and raining.

Human brain can Multitask/thread. Thats why we build processors that can simulate human brains rather than the other way round. Moreover its an age old suggestion to excercise caution in adverse weather.

Originally Posted by btirthankar

What you do in addition is that is as soon as you see the cars stopping far away, get into neutral and let the car roll to a stop in neutral gear. That's where you save fuel and brake pad wear (in comparison to your rival car).

I beg your pardon? Coasting in Neutral is strongly adviced against even in the countries where the so-called "accident-rates" are minimal.

Originally Posted by btirthankar

In simulation tests it has been found that it never pays to race in city.

It never pays to race anywhere, for that matter it never pays to play anything. Moreover its not about what it pays for. People dont drive fast to reach early, they do it for the sake of it. But recall, not promoting street racing here, just making the pshyche clear.

Originally Posted by btirthankar

FUTURE
The future does have innovations like Highway automation following economics of MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit Systems).
Imagine a group of cars traveling on a highway . They are equipped with radar detection sensors and onboard computers. They follow each other in a straight line, maintaining a safe distance between them considering parameters like speed. Each car communicates with all other cars in the group and tell each other when they will depart from the line to catch another lane. That way reduces accidents to the maximum possible and enhancing fuel efficiency. Yet another is planting magnets along the road. Sensors below the car follow the magnets and steer automatically. Drivers here sit back handsfree, reading or snacking throughout the journey.

Evil!

Overall, reading the article, I kind of make out the point that our roads be safer. Somehow, I read through it! Nice pictures.

[burnt.]

Originally Posted by 1100D

So we must not even play cricket! Moreover Do you not drive? Then, What is evolution?

I think you mean adaptation. I don't see how evolution comes into the picture.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by burnt.

I think you mean adaptation. I don't see how evolution comes into the picture.

Thanks, thats the right word.

[srh]

[/quote]
Are you a rash driver?
Doesn't matter. Well this one can cure you of

Take a test: Lets assume you are driving in the city with traffic lights every odd kilometer. For once drive at a relaxed and moderate speed. Let a seemingly faster car pass you. It should be a car that you would feel offended to give way to. Chances are that you will definitely meet it at the next What you do in addition is that is as soon as you see the cars stopping far away, get into neutral and let the car roll to a stop in neutral gear. That's where you save fuel and brake pad wear (in comparison to your rival car).

In simulation tests it has been found that it never pays to race in city.
[/quote]
I don't really agree. From personal experience, I prefer to be a fast driver. I see many people m[FONT='Times New Roman']eandering at speeds of below 30kph and then easily getting distracted by trivial things. When you drive fast, the concentration level is much higher which leads to better control. Maybe [/FONT]

[Xehaust]

Nice article Tirthankar,
i do feel the topic is open for healthy debate though
And this has already began

I particularly liked the rash driving test. To drive all chilled out and let some car going fast overtake you and make you feel offended. What you do after that decides the type of driver you are...

I have recently been trying this and even though i dont drive rash, i realised that i do get offended by other rash and/or fast drivers. A good example would be when recently a 3 series went zooming past me and shook up my entire car while i was cruising and saw ahead that he was driving like a nut, cutting lanes and what not.

I got this strong feeling to follow suit as i knew he wouldnt get anywhere in the moderate traffic and all the red lights and then teach him a lesson or just plain yell at him. Then i realised that it is not going to make any difference to him but rather i would be driving like him in following him and then what does that make me???

I believe this has made me a much calmer person while driving and strangely a HAPPIER person while driving. In fact i say this is a good techique to control road rage as well.

[raul]

I think we are victims of our circumstances, our alertness and stress levels when driving are probably very high hence most people are irritable.

I travel though some of the most dense traffic zones in Pune to work and back and the first few days I was highly irritable and stressed and inevitably reached work in a very worked up condition, but then I decided to adopt a different strategy, the buddha stance of not reacting or responding to anything, giving way, being patient and well behaved and smiling so I am peaceful and calmer now.

If I expect better behavior that I should be able to do the same. Of course because I give way I can be stuck for longer periods of time, irritate impatient folks behind me and often wonder whether it works because nobody gives way for me, even when they know its going to cause a jam. That's stupid and irritating but I haven't wavered yet and I think its the best way. Of course on some rare occasion I come across others like me and it brings the nicest smile to my face. That's really thrilling and heartwarming for me. My reward so to speak.

Still when we drive we have to be very alert especially because of irresponsible 2 wheelers and rickshaws who conveniently put responsibility for their safety on 4 wheelers. But that how it goes, when they get cars they will realize what it means.

It's not nearly as stressful in other countries but then they have lower populations, fewer 2 wheelers and their city-centres can be equally stressful.

[Pal-leo]

I wonder at times.. are all the best drivers in this world are here (t-bhp) in this forum, time and again People here have narrated stories like they were driving perfect . blah blah blah ... and it was the other persons mistake that caused accident..

BTW good one..

[Xehaust]

We think similar Raul Just as in my post before yours

[btirthankar]

Fellow Members and Distinguished Bhpians,

As I admitted beforehand, This article was written some 7 years back when I was just a teenager. Somehow I wanted to post the actual text. Some views and opinions herein may be inapplicable to present times and some require elaboration.

Please pour out your driving experiences and opinions and will reveal how we fellow Team-bhpians Drive.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by btirthankar

As I admitted beforehand, This article was written some 7 years back when I was just a teenager.

According to your profile you were 22 then, definitely not a teenager.

But I agree your views may have changed since then. Since you reposted without modifications, it will cause some confusion.

[btirthankar]

Are you a rash driver?
Doesn't matter. Well this one can cure you of

Take a test: Lets assume you are driving in the city with traffic lights every odd kilometer. For once drive at a relaxed and moderate speed. Let a seemingly faster car pass you. It should be a car that you would feel offended to give way to. Chances are that you will definitely meet it at the next What you do in addition is that is as soon as you see the cars stopping far away, get into neutral and let the car roll to a stop in neutral gear. That's where you save fuel and brake pad wear (in comparison to your rival car).

In simulation tests it has been found that it never pays to race in city.
[/quote]
I don't really agree. From personal experience, I prefer to be a fast driver. I see many people m[FONT='Times New Roman']eandering at speeds of below 30kph and then easily getting distracted by trivial things. When you drive fast, the concentration level is much higher which leads to better control. Maybe [/FONT][/quote]

I agree to the fact that when we drive at higher speeds our concertration is naturally higher.

Fast or Slow - It just makes sense for us to drive in a manner which makes us require lesser braking, like using engine braking whenever a slowdown is anticipated (instead of pressing the clutch (I was incorrect then, I admit))