Was in a multiple car accident. Not my fault, not hurt, but I'm a learner.

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Snapster

Diamond Member
Oct 14, 2001
3,916
0
0
At least you have learned a lesson, with your life intact. You'll be a better driver for it. :)
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
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I've been driving for about a year now, and my tolerance for following distance has gone up a lot. Meaning, I follow a lot closer than I did than my first few months of driving. This is partly because I messed around with my car, and found out how quickly it could come to a stop if I wanted it to. And the other part is because fuck-ups and retards like to cut infront of you if you give them enough space.

Been lucky so far, almost rear-ended a bus once though. I was forced to yield to let him into my lane (by-law), so follow distance was lost, then he pulls over for a stop in the right lane, and suddenly brakes with a quarter of his ass left hanging in my lane. I just cleared him cause I nudged myself all the way to the left of my lane. Going to do my "full" license test in 2 weeks, hope I can get it done first try.
 

us3rnotfound

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2003
5,334
3
81
i personally hover my left foot over break pedal and right foot on gas, a corvette other day that i was tailgating slammed on his breaks full strength and i managed not to hit him it was awesome, then he let me by and tried to slam into the side of me, what ever i only had a 20k$ car at the time so i let him try it (and zoomed off) was very weird but it proved my technique of hovering with your foot over break while driving to close is very good thing to do, i also have over sized breaks and 20" tires seems to help slow me down, guy was a psycho, now if he would have hit a brick wall in front me i doubt i could stop in time (like in your scenario so you kinda have to be looking ahead of the car in front of you,, (why i hate it when suv with tinted windows is in front of me)

Brakes.
 

killster1

Banned
Mar 15, 2007
6,205
475
126
You're the psycho.

hey it was a cool LS7 vette i was just checking it out then he got pissed and slammed on his brakes it was funny as hell,, when he was next to me i waved and smiled and he screamed flipped me off and jerked the wheel trying to run into me.. ya im the psycho? needless to say he was reported to highway patrol and taken off the road for a while, (dont know if he actually got a ticket but they had him on the side the road for a long while)

oo i learned the spelling of brakes today! im not good with english thnx nerd us3rnotfound
 

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,231
118
116
Damn, that sucks man. Glad to hear you are ok though. :)

KT
 

nerp

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,865
105
106
I keep quite a few car lengths in front of me so that I can stop smoothly even if the guy in front of me slamms on his brakes. This also ensures the guy behind me stops in time. Often, the car lengths means I can just take my foot off the gas and not even have to apply the brakes when there is some kind of slowdown in front of me. In the end I get where I'm going sooner and with no stress. Try it sometime. BTW, I travel at the speed of traffic and am not one of those people going below or at a low speed limit. You can zoom along and keep distance. It's simply a driving technique most noobs behind the wheel haven't thought about. I guess my amateur physics obsession has made me think about driving differently in recent years.
 

WHAMPOM

Diamond Member
Feb 28, 2006
7,628
183
106
Always follow far enough behind the car in front of you so that if it were to suddenly stop you could avoid hitting it without issue.

YA! Do that and two cars pass you and insert themselves into that space with a one finger salute. My best advice is to try to keep an eye on what the five cars ahead of you are doing. I was a truck driver and could do that.
 

InflatableBuddha

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2007
7,416
1
0
Ouch. Good to hear you're not hurt dude.

By any chance, was this on Lougheed Highway?

Just a tip as you continue learning to drive: Your brakes are not the only option for an escape. Ideally, you want to stagger your car so you have space in front, beside, and behind (and continually check around you to maintain that space).

Then, when someone brakes suddenly in front of you, you can switch lanes or go on the shoulder temporarily to avoid trouble completely.

Are you taking Young Drivers in addition to driving with your Dad? I'd highly recommend it - the training has saved my ass on a number of occasions.
 

nerp

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,865
105
106
Bah. So what if someone jumps in front of you? If you keep really large distance between you and the car ahead, it's not an issue. They simply speed up and tailgate the guy who was in front of you. Just take your foot off the gas for 5 seconds and suddlenly, viola, you have your space again. Unless your commute includes a jam packed freeway during rush hour, this method works. If it doesn't seem to work for you, your concept of adequate space is off. Add more space. I keep the distance of a semi trailer or more. Of course, I don't maintain this space when there's traffic lights or other factors. But it sure is nice to not have to change lanes when traffic is merging because people actually have room.
 

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
i personally hover my left foot over break pedal and right foot on gas, a corvette other day that i was tailgating slammed on his breaks full strength and i managed not to hit him it was awesome, then he let me by and tried to slam into the side of me, what ever i only had a 20k$ car at the time so i let him try it (and zoomed off) was very weird but it proved my technique of hovering with your foot over break while driving to close is very good thing to do, i also have over sized breaks and 20" tires seems to help slow me down, guy was a psycho, now if he would have hit a brick wall in front me i doubt i could stop in time (like in your scenario so you kinda have to be looking ahead of the car in front of you,, (why i hate it when suv with tinted windows is in front of me)

Isn't it considered pretty bad form to drive with both feet. That is you are supposed to use one foot and swivel between brake and gas.
 

arcenite

Lifer
Dec 9, 2001
10,660
7
81
Glad you are okay. That is the only thing in life that matters. Anyone that says otherwise needs to get a better grip on reality.
 

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
Ouch. Good to hear you're not hurt dude.

By any chance, was this on Lougheed Highway?

Just a tip as you continue learning to drive: Your brakes are not the only option for an escape. Ideally, you want to stagger your car so you have space in front, beside, and behind (and continually check around you to maintain that space).

Then, when someone brakes suddenly in front of you, you can switch lanes or go on the shoulder temporarily to avoid trouble completely.

Are you taking Young Drivers in addition to driving with your Dad? I'd highly recommend it - the training has saved my ass on a number of occasions.

I took 5 or 6 lessons with a teacher which was very helpful but no I did not actually take the Y.D. course(s). I've picked most things up pretty damn quickly actually considering it's only been 3 weeks but my reaction time needs to get better. The reason I was involved in this was not so much that I was following too close, I wasn't really, but that I reacted to late to the sudden stop and perhaps was going too fast for the road conditions (though still under the limit). Bad combo when added to the fact I'm a n00b.

As for making sure you have clearance margins and an "escape" route, yeah that's something I'll be working on thanks.

Yes it was on Lougheed Highway :), right next to the hospital before the Coquitlam Centre. I guess it's an easy street to get going a little fast for the conditions.
 

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
Update:

Well we had a meeting with the ICBC insurance guys. The guy asked us our description of what happened. Said that the 2 cars in front had not reported in yet and exactly what would happen to whose insurance would depend on what they said. Basically if the guy in front say he felt 2 bump (crashes) then that would confirm what we said, that the guy in front hit him first then we hit him causing him to hit the 1st car again. If he says something else then things might change a bit. However on taking a look at my fathers insurance he said that he has been such a good "customer" that no matter what happens it's not likely to cost more than an increase of about 50 or 60 bucks over 3 years. He's a very good driver luckily and has racked up a lot of road star points.

Update: OK good the guys in front have reported in and basically what they said is the same as what we said. The estimate on the cost of repairs is $7500, which is higher than we thought but shouldn't affect things much. All and all not a bad outcome.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
184
106
YA! Do that and two cars pass you and insert themselves into that space with a one finger salute. My best advice is to try to keep an eye on what the five cars ahead of you are doing. I was a truck driver and could do that.

Exactly why I hate SUVs, minivans and white work vans who cut in front (city driving at least). At least if it's an 18-wheeler I know it will pave a nice clear path for me.
 

killster1

Banned
Mar 15, 2007
6,205
475
126
Isn't it considered pretty bad form to drive with both feet. That is you are supposed to use one foot and swivel between brake and gas.

nope who told you that? i guess you wouldnt know since you got in car wreak and you dont even have a license, ive been driving for hmm 17 years? ive never got in a wreak with me driving but have been in tons with others driving, ask anyone that races if they drive with two feet
 

Colt45

Lifer
Apr 18, 2001
19,720
1
0
You always have to assume the driver in front of you has an IQ of 43 and just drank a quart of vodka. Stupid can strike at any moment.
 

Colt45

Lifer
Apr 18, 2001
19,720
1
0
nope who told you that? i guess you wouldnt know since you got in car wreak and you dont even have a license, ive been driving for hmm 17 years? ive never got in a wreak with me driving but have been in tons with others driving, ask anyone that races if they drive with two feet

They drive with two feet because they have 3 pedals.

Two footing an automatic = autofail, unless you're Sammy Hagar, even then it's pretty fail.
 

guyver01

Lifer
Sep 25, 2000
22,135
5
61
Two footing an automatic = autofail, unless you're Sammy Hagar, even then it's pretty fail.

Two-footing only is viable if all the tires are properly inflated to maximum sidewall pressure, otherwise two-footing has no advantage.
 

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
nope who told you that? i guess you wouldnt know since you got in car wreak and you dont even have a license, ive been driving for hmm 17 years? ive never got in a wreak with me driving but have been in tons with others driving, ask anyone that races if they drive with two feet

For an automatic? One foot on gas the other foot on break? Not sure why you get all defencive. Not like I was insulting you or anything.
 

MJinZ

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2009
8,192
0
0
Two feet driving of an Automatic is an advanced technique that is often not feasible at all if the car's pedals and ergonomics don't allow it.

Automatics are NOT designed to be driven with two feet, but if you're good enough (and probably, if your feet are small enough) you can drive fairly substantially better, all assuming you have the necessary brain capability and coordination to use both feet skillfully.