Are you a good/safe driver?

[totoro]

OK so because I have to drive from about as far north in Idaho as you can get down to about as far south in Arizona as you can get next week, it has me thinking about driving.
I will be driving with my little kitties. husband will be in the other car. I do not like driving.
I am a safe driver, I (knock wood) have not gotten a ticket in SO long. I am a rule follower.
But I have horrible night vision. I have horrible anxiety. And I just can't relax and "enjoy" the drive.
Actually my trip by myself to Glacier was my best trip driving ever, so I have hope I will do OK.

How about you guys???
Safe? Rule breaker? Lead foot? FAST ------>>>>>
Road rager???
Can't even drive anymore due to tickets! LOL

 

[hearts and roses]

{Knock on wood} I haven't gotten a ticket in about 17 years out of the 27 years I've been driving.

I do go fast on the highways, but I seem to have a sixth sense about coppers...I just KNOW when to slow it down.

And at night, I do not go fast because I too have horrible night vision and my cruddy $39 glasses have lots of glare.

Around town, I drive pretty slow, I will admit - usually do the speed limit.

That said, I LOVE driving super fast and I love driving on the highways - road trips are my fave!

 

[donna723]

I must be an OK driver because I've had a drivers license for 48 years and never got a ticket and never had an accident ... unless you want to count the deer that decided to end it all by jumping out of ditch and running in front of my car last February! That was kind of unavoidable and didn't count against me. When I was a kid you could get a restricted license at 14 and I've been driving ever since.

I won't say that I never go over the speed limit but never by more than 5 mph or so. I don't push my luck because I can't afford to pay a ticket or the higher insurance. I've had the same drive to work for 22 years and I know where it's OK and where you have to be careful. And I don't gun it on the Interstate unless everybody else is doing it - they can't get everybody!

I admit though, I don't like to make long trips by myself, though I've done it several times. I like having somebody to talk to. I've driven through Atlanta at rush hour by myself and was almost in tears when I came out on the other end, but I did it. And I don't like driving at night but I've done that too. I can see alright ... until some fool comes towards me or comes up right behind me with their bright lights on, and then I have a real problem, especially if I've been driving a long time and I'm tired!

 

[amazeofgrace]

ummmm boy it would be easy to lie about that one on here wouldn't it? LOL I am an OK driver. Stress doesn't always make me the most "graceful" vehicle operator. Ecspecially on days when difficult child I is slamming water bottles on my dash board and screaming obscentities at me. But over all I am "safe" maybe a tad "speedy", I once got 3 tickets in one day, I am not kidding, by the 3rd time, I was laughing hysterically, and the officer thought I was nuts. Thankfully, I managed to talk myself out of tickets, all 3 times. No accidents though, none that were my fault anyways, except maybe one, but her brake lights were out, but ok, maybe I could benefit form a driver's safety course. But I have no points on my license.!

Oh an I hate HATE being on highways and having a 18 wheeler next to me, worse when I am sandwiched in between 2! I hyperventilate and close my eyes!

 

[meowbunny]

I love to drive. It is one way that I relax. I've driven cross-country several times when I could have flown just for the joy of driving. I've taken several defensive driving courses just so I could feel comfortable in any situation.

I've been pulled over for speeding several times. I've gotten one ticket in 42 years of driving. The comments I get from officers is that I'm not getting a ticket because I don't weave through traffic, I don't tailgate, I don't make people move over for me and I slow down when necessary. So, they let me go and just ask that I slow down a little.

Being a driver who never gets a ticket or never has been in an accident doesn't make someone a good driver. I've seen several accidents caused by these type of drivers although they are totally oblivious to having caused them -- they drive in their lane and never move over, forcing others to go around them. When they do change lanes, they think putting on their signal is enough and are surprised when someone blares their horn at them while slamming on their brakes.

If you have no night vision, you shouldn't be driving at night. It really is that simple. You're putting yourself and anyone else on the road with you at risk. If you're on the freeway, odds are you will drive too slowly for the rest of the traffic and they will be forced to get around you even if you're in the slow lane. It may make your trip a little longer but please consider stopping when it gets dark. It just isn't worth the risk for you and yours and for those in vehicles around you.

I hope you have a safe and sane trip. Do plan to stop frequently just to relax and get the kinks out of your body. The rest stops were built for that purpose and the stops really do make a difference.

 

[totoro]

We do stop at dusk! I know my limits ( I see things in the dark! LOL)... I go the speed of traffic... on the highways. I can't say I never break the laws. I have just gotten less and less in love with driving as the kids have gotten worse I think.
I have never gotten into an accident, Knock wood again!!!
I guess I am a pretty OK driver I just am a bit paranoid... of everyone else. I am one of those that needs to make sure I have everything and the car is in great shape all of that stuff. I need to know the route I am taking before hand, although I did not so much on this last trip.
husband is the complete opposite.

 

[Sara PA]

I love interstate driving. I use to drive too fast but I've slowed down after being stopped three times in three years resulting in one speeding ticket. One in 41 years of driving. I've slowed down a lot, partly because of being stopped and now because of the price of gas.

I like to drive late into the night. I get in late and I sleep late. I end up at the motel breakfast bar just about the time they start packing up.

I don't mind trips alone, even cross country. I hate following another car or being the leader.

I perfer NPR type talk radio over music. Music makes me sleepy but I listening to discussions keeps me wide awake.

 

[trinityroyal]

I love, love, love driving. Especially when I get to drive by myself.
If I'm taking a long trip, I pick lots of great road music to play on the way there.

I do have a tendency to go too fast, especially on the highways, but I'm disciplined about maintaining my lane, minding other drivers, moving out of the way, not forcing people to move over, etc.

When I was younger, I made a point of only buying little tiny 4-cylinder cars. Not because of fuel economy, but because I could only push the engine so far and there was less risk of a speeding ticket that way.

Now when I'm driving husband's giant truck with the massive engine I have to force myself to go slowly. It's way too tempting to put the hammer down, but with the price of gas not to mention the price of tickets I just can't risk it. I compensate by tuning in the local hard rock station and singing at the top of my lungs.

 

[Andy]

I am a safe driver.

One year we left home on Thanksgiving and headed down the freeway to the Twin Cities (three hours away). It was sprinkling but I thought we would drive out of it. WRONG! By the time we got to the cities, the freeway was ice. I was driving 30 miles per hour at most through the cities past lots of accidents with husband, easy child, and baby difficult child in the vehicle. I would have been a nervous wreck as a passenger so did not let husband take over. When we reached our destination, husband complimented me on my driving.

I have received 2 warnings in 30 years, no speeding tickets. I do tend to go about 5 miles over the limit. One time I did purposely go about 20 miles over because about 1 hour down the road, I noticed I had left my purse at the last rest area. Talk about panic on that one. The caretaker was just leaving and someone had turned in the purse - happy ending. When we got back on the interstate, a cop had someone pulled over - I think maybe I was picked up on radar just before pulling into the rest area and the cops got the wrong person?

The closest I get to road rage would be bonking the horn which puts husband in panic mode, "Don't you know people get shot for that?" He is scared of road rage.

I love to drive.

 

[mrscatinthehat]

Well now, as easy as it would be to tell people what would make me look better I shant.

I can't tell you how many times I have gotten pulled over. It would make your head spin. I remember some of them, well most of them vividly.

The accidents on the other hand I have had a multitude of also. Not always my fault however sometimes yes.

My first accident I was late for church and it was my mom's birthday. I went through a light too quickly after it changed and hit another car. Oof did that make mom mad. I learned what a deductable was on that one. The next accident I had a truck and spun it on a hill into a bluff in the ice storm that I never should have gone out in. Then with same said truck I got backed into with a road greater. Oh that one made me mad as the sherriff's deputy tried to put it on me and it was in no way my fault. The next one was in my mom's car when she was visiting me in Difficult Child. It was raining and the person several cars ahead hit his breaks so we all did however not everyone managed to do so. I got hit from behind and hit the car in front of me.

Then I had a HUGE truck and the breaks went out and I cremated the back end of an insurance mans wife's car. Howdy doody if that was expensive. I lost my license for a year on that one.

Then we get to the one that I wish hadn't happened but alas I learned more from than most events in my life. It was a drunk driving accident. Again I lost my license for a year. I did not get a DUI or any other variation. I just got a failure to maintain and no insurance ticket. The scary part was it was in the middle of the afternoon. I had just dropped my daughter off at the mall and I sent three people to the hospital.

I can honestly tell you that since Dec 12, 1999 I am one of the safest drivers you ever wanted to meet. God protected my friends in the car, got my daughter out of it and saved the people from the other car. I don't play around and I don't let others do so. When I got my license back I made a great deal of changes.

So am I a safe driver. Yup. Was I? Uh no. I was one of the stupidest people out there.

Beth

 

[Hound dog]

I'm a safe driver. But husband accuses me of having a lead foot. I guess going 80 + when the speed limit is 55 qualifies as a lead foot. But I don't pass insanely (if you lived around here you'd know what I'm talking about), actually I never pass unless I'm positive it's clear. Nor do I tailgate. If I come up behind someone going the speedlimit I'll slow down. I might not like it, but I'll do it.

I've only been pulled over once. And I chewed the state trooper out. I didn't deny doing 80, but got livid when he had the nerve to accuse me of not wearing my seat belt. I got let off with a warning. lol

husband says the other time I passed a cop he let me go cuz there was no chance in stopping me. (husband was following me in his car)

I've been in too many accidents. Not one my fault. And if it weren't for excellent reflexes, one the kids and I wouldn't have walked away from.

But I swear on my life people in the area I live drive like maniacs. I think they all learned on tractors as little kids and never unlearned bad habits when they started driving cars. Insurance co varified that this county has the highest accident rate in the entire state.

 

[DammitJanet]

I think I am a pretty safe driver. I havent had a ticket since 1990 and an accident since 1997 and that accident wasnt my fault. I have only had one at fault accident and I am not convinced that one was my fault...lol. There was a car stopped in front of me at a stop sign and she had a stick shift car. Now either I slightly rolled into her or she rolled back into me. No damage to either car but she wanted to report it. Fine. They didnt even go to the hospital and I followed them and took pictures of them going shopping at the local Walmart. 10 months later they tried to lay a personal injury claim...it didnt fly.

I have never had a speeding ticket. I did get a ticket for failing to stop completely at a stop sign that was at a railroad track that wasnt in use anymore...lol. I did a california rolling stop. I also got a carseat ticket thanks to Cory when he was a toddler.

I am a defensive driver. I am constantly watching for what others may do wrong. I have saved my butt several times because of that. I do drive right around the speed limit in town and no more than ten over it on the interstate. I try to keep up with the flow of traffic on interstates. I also dont like driving in the dusky dark or rainy conditions. Glare bothers me. My glasses do help that though.

I dont drive as much on long distance trips as I used to. I used to love just getting in the car and going. Now it hurts.

 

[flutterbee]

I am the BEST driver and as far as I'm concerned everyone just needs to get off the road and out of my way.

Ok. I used to be a very aggressive driver when I was younger...tailgating, weaving. I've gotten over that. The lexapro has *really* mellowed that out. I also don't drive near as fast.

I've had 3 speeding tickets. The last one was in 2002 when I was heading into a severe depression and forgot to pay it until I got a notice that my license had been suspended. Of course, I got the ticket out of town so I had to drive down to Xenia, OH to pay the stupid thing. And I went down on 9/11/02 and they were closed in remembrance of 9/11. Probably the only government building in the country that closed. So, I had to go back the next day. I was so annoyed.

I don't know how you guys got away with warnings. The first two times I was nice and sweet and still got a ticket. The last time, I figured I was going to get a ticket anyway so when the cop asked me if I knew why he pulled me over, I responded with, "Cause you wanted a better look at my car?" Bit of a difficult child here, ya think?

When I was about 20 and living in Georgia, I was doing 90+ on I75 and a cop pulled up beside me, shook his finger at me and then kept going. Guess I got lucky.

I've never been in an accident, but there have been a few times where it was just sheer luck that an accident didn't occur. My fault or the other person's fault. It really only does take an instant.

I *love* to drive. It's the ultimate freedom. Unfortunately, with all of my health issues I don't feel safe driving very far.

 

[KTMom91]

I am no longer a negligent driver, according to the State of California. All my speeding tickets have dropped off my record.

I was stopped, for speeding of course, I think I was about 20, and when the officer asked if there was any reason I was going so fast, I smiled sweetly and said, "No, sir, I just like to go fast!" He told me he appreciated my honesty, and to keep it under 70 for the rest of the trip. No ticket.

Another time, years later, I had Miss KT with me, and the officer's opening line was, "How fast were you going when you saw me?" "I'm not sure, I was singing with the Barney tape." Ticket.

And the last time I was stopped was when I was on my way to see my grandmother before she died. I told the officer I had to get to Redding, he checked the directions I had scribbled down, found out they were really to the hospital, and wished me luck. No ticket. I really appreciated his kindness.

To answer the question...I am a good driver. I am also a very fast driver.

 

[Abbey]

I am a nerotic safe driver. I NEVER speed. It drives my friends nuts as it is routinte to go a good 20 mph over the speed limit here.

I've only had one ticket in my life (other than evading a cop when I was about 20...long story, but I was successful...I knew the back roads better than him), and that ticket was for speeding through a school zone. I THOUGHT I was out, but couldn't read the sign. Bring on the glasses.

Abbey

 

[donna723]

The ones that drive me nuts here are the ones that tailgate, which includes just about everybody but me! I NEVER do that ... it's just so dangerous, especially around here where there's more deer than people!

Part of my drive to work is a 20-mile stretch on a busy 2-lane state road that is full of twists and turns and blind spots, and you never know when a deer might jump out in front of you. You have to be constantly on the lookout for them. There are very few straight stretches where you can pass at all. I do the speed limit or a little above - anything more on that road is just too dangerous. But every morning there will always be at least one fool who gets so close that they're practically tapping my back bumper! They will ride along like that until they get to where they can pass, go around, then come up behind the next one and tailgate them! I saw one the other day who really took his chances passing me where he shouldn't have (double yellow), then several other vehicles - and I watched him - he turned on to the interstate approx. three seconds before I did ... so I guess saving all that time and endangering himself and everybody else on the road was worth it to him! He must have had big plans for that three seconds he gained!

 

[Lothlorien]

I became a good driver when my car insurance soared to almost $5,000 a year because I slipped in ice and hit a sign. Even then, it really wasn't because of bad driving. That was in 1991. NJ car insurance is the highest in the country. I haven't had an accident or ticket since then, until a few weeks ago when I was in a parking lot and didn't look properly (using my mirror instead of turning my head) and I pulled out and hit another car. I was mortified. The guy was super nice. He was my dad's age. He had a daughter my age who also had children that were my kid's ages. No one was hurt and my kids weren't in the car, fortunately. I had some very minor bumper damage and he will probably have to replace the wrinkled door.

I'm still hoping that my insurance doesn't go up. Now, we pay about $1,200 for three vehicles....one of which does not have collision.

 

[Wiped Out]

I'm a good driver even though I tapped a car while pulling out of a parallel parking spot on my driver's test!!!!!!!!!!!!

Knock on wood-I've never gotten a ticket.

I have been in three accidents, two snow related and one rear ended by a semi but at a very low speed!

 

[muttmeister]

People who ride with me tell me that I am a good driver.
The only ticket I have ever gotten (I've been driving for 45 years) was when difficult child#2 unbuckled his car seat and got out of it right in front of the highway patrolman. I really don't know what I could have done to prevent that but I guess that doesn't matter.
I love to drive, especially when I'm by myself, and when I was younger I seriously thought about becoming a semi driver.
I like sports cars (my current car is a 2002 Camaro with T-tops) and if my cruise control broke I'd probably have to be towed. I never speed but I do like to go the limit and my pet peeve is people who drive about 5 miles under the limit on 2 lane roads. Some days it takes a lot of cursing to keep my car on the road.
I always enjoyed road trips and driving someplace was a way to relax. I feel badly that, with the price of gas, this is one more pleasure that we can no longer have.

 

[DammitJanet]

OMG Mutt!!!! That is exactly what Cory did to get me the car seat ticket...lol. The little turd unbuckled himself right after I had pulled into the gas station to rebuckle him after he had done it before and then stood up and waved to the cop!