Driving a vehicle is a HUGE responsibility - the vehicle you are in command of be it a motorcycle, car, pick up or commercial vehicle IS A WEAPON when not driven with respect and care.
Here are some reminders of some of the MOST BASIC rules of the road....
THE VERY FIRST RULE:
1. Driving is a privilege and not a right
Section 31(a) of the Act states: "The privilege of driving on a highway is granted to, and retained by, only those persons who demonstrate that they are likely to drive safely."
2. Failing to properly signal turns and lane changes
Section 142 of the Highway Traffic Act consists of two directives: each driver shall see if the movement can be made safely before performing the act, and then shall give a "signal plainly visible" to other drivers.
3. Running amber and red traffic lights
Section 144 (16): Every driver must stop for an amber traffic signal if it can be done safely, not speed up to make it through in time. The duration of each amber light is timed so that vehicles travelling at the correct speed will have plenty of time to stop before the light turns to red.
4. Committing improper turns at signalized intersections
Every driver must turn right from the rightmost lane into the right lane of the cross road, or left from the left-turn lane into the left lane of the intersecting road.
5. Failing to drive in the rightmost lane
"Any vehicle travelling upon a roadway at less than normal speed shall, where practicable, be driven in the right-hand lane unless passing."
6. Following too closely - AKA Tailgating
At a speed of 100 km/h, a vehicle will travel about 28 metres each second. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration studies, the average "perception and reaction time" to an emergency driving situation is 1.47 seconds, or about 42 metres of travel at that speed.
Some Common Sense Tips & Reminders...
1. Driving while distracted
This must be the most ignored common sense rule of driving, be it talking on a cellphone, text messaging, conversing with passengers, changing CDs or radio stations or just daydreaming.
If your brain is processing a conversation or which song you want next, it is not processing driving information that can save your life.
2. Being a traffic parent
Many motorists will speed up to prevent another vehicle from merging into their lane in an attempt to make a traffic statement. That space in front of their vehicle is theirs and the invading vehicle should not even attempt to enter that zone.
The other driver will never learn how to be a courteous, safer driver, nor will they learn how to merge properly from traffic parents in another vehicle.
Please do it though if you don't mind dealing with road rage.
3. Knowing when not to drive
There are times when drivers should not be driving. If anyone is impaired by drugs, alcohol or fatigue they obviously should not be behind the wheel. This includes a lot of over-the-counter drugs for colds, etc., that can make you drowsy.
When weather or road conditions are dangerous, stay put and off the roads.
There's no reason to risk your life or that of others on unsafe roads.
4. Impatience
In a typical rush-hour commute of 30 kilometres, if a driver averages 60 km/h it would take 30 minutes to reach a destination. In heavy traffic, even if the driver averaged an extra 5 km/h by changing lanes and rushing, only two minutes of commuting time would be saved.
Do the math. Is saving two minutes of travel time worth the years the stress of this type of behaviour will likely take off of your life?
As always your feed back and input are always welcome - today I invite you to wade in the topic: rules of the road and common sense tips - what are your tips and which rules of the road do you think are most forgotten?
In the news today:
In Ontario a rider is dead following a Thanksgiving Day Crash
Also in Ontario a rider is in hospital following a crash with a vehicle
In Calgary, a lady rider thanks her fellow motorists for being such BAD drivers
Belt Drive Betty
Ride & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
Here are some reminders of some of the MOST BASIC rules of the road....
THE VERY FIRST RULE:
1. Driving is a privilege and not a right
Section 31(a) of the Act states: "The privilege of driving on a highway is granted to, and retained by, only those persons who demonstrate that they are likely to drive safely."
2. Failing to properly signal turns and lane changes
Section 142 of the Highway Traffic Act consists of two directives: each driver shall see if the movement can be made safely before performing the act, and then shall give a "signal plainly visible" to other drivers.
3. Running amber and red traffic lights
Section 144 (16): Every driver must stop for an amber traffic signal if it can be done safely, not speed up to make it through in time. The duration of each amber light is timed so that vehicles travelling at the correct speed will have plenty of time to stop before the light turns to red.
4. Committing improper turns at signalized intersections
Every driver must turn right from the rightmost lane into the right lane of the cross road, or left from the left-turn lane into the left lane of the intersecting road.
5. Failing to drive in the rightmost lane
"Any vehicle travelling upon a roadway at less than normal speed shall, where practicable, be driven in the right-hand lane unless passing."
6. Following too closely - AKA Tailgating
At a speed of 100 km/h, a vehicle will travel about 28 metres each second. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration studies, the average "perception and reaction time" to an emergency driving situation is 1.47 seconds, or about 42 metres of travel at that speed.
Some Common Sense Tips & Reminders...
1. Driving while distracted
This must be the most ignored common sense rule of driving, be it talking on a cellphone, text messaging, conversing with passengers, changing CDs or radio stations or just daydreaming.
If your brain is processing a conversation or which song you want next, it is not processing driving information that can save your life.
2. Being a traffic parent
Many motorists will speed up to prevent another vehicle from merging into their lane in an attempt to make a traffic statement. That space in front of their vehicle is theirs and the invading vehicle should not even attempt to enter that zone.
The other driver will never learn how to be a courteous, safer driver, nor will they learn how to merge properly from traffic parents in another vehicle.
Please do it though if you don't mind dealing with road rage.
3. Knowing when not to drive
There are times when drivers should not be driving. If anyone is impaired by drugs, alcohol or fatigue they obviously should not be behind the wheel. This includes a lot of over-the-counter drugs for colds, etc., that can make you drowsy.
When weather or road conditions are dangerous, stay put and off the roads.
There's no reason to risk your life or that of others on unsafe roads.
4. Impatience
In a typical rush-hour commute of 30 kilometres, if a driver averages 60 km/h it would take 30 minutes to reach a destination. In heavy traffic, even if the driver averaged an extra 5 km/h by changing lanes and rushing, only two minutes of commuting time would be saved.
Do the math. Is saving two minutes of travel time worth the years the stress of this type of behaviour will likely take off of your life?
As always your feed back and input are always welcome - today I invite you to wade in the topic: rules of the road and common sense tips - what are your tips and which rules of the road do you think are most forgotten?
In the news today:
In Ontario a rider is dead following a Thanksgiving Day Crash
Also in Ontario a rider is in hospital following a crash with a vehicle
In Calgary, a lady rider thanks her fellow motorists for being such BAD drivers
Belt Drive Betty
Ride & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
Good post. Everyone on the road needs a reminder. I had a car pull into my lane today, had I not seen him coming and slowed down he would have hit me.
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