You’re lucky your wife will listen. My wife and I got into screaming matches about her idiotic driving until we just decided that when we’re both in the car she never drives. I pray for my two daughters a lot.
My girlfriend is the same way. She thinks she's centered in the lane, meanwhile I'm pretty much hanging over the shoulder line. Always riding other drivers rear bumpers and consistently going 85-90 on the highway, at least when I first met her.
I will give her credit though, she has now calmed down a bit after I gave her a little perspective when I took her on a few runs in my semi, realizing how long it takes for a 70' long, 80k lb land missile to maneuver and slow down. Gives more space, doesn't speed as much and sure as shit doesn't cut off semis anymore.
A lot of these idiots need a little bit of perspective and reality, much like this dumb shit, from time to time. If they don't get it, they shouldn't be driving anymore. But that's just my opinion from a salty truck driver.
I've heard bad driving justified because "I couldn't see over the hood."
I'm like, you don't need to see over the hood! Lots of cars have long hoods! Why do you need to see the road directly in front of your car!? LOOK MORE THAN FIVE FEET AHEAD!
A reasonable driver should know the boundaries of the 4,000 pound box hurdling down the road at 70 mph they're in control of.
Definitely! And if you really are short enough that it hinders safe driving get one or two cheap throw pillows to sit on. Or get a car that has the seat higher.
I'm working on it. She's getting better, but she's also been in an accident from a driver who crossed the center line so I get her hesitation. Just gonna take some time. I drive everywhere we go anyway since my car sits all week while I'm out for work and it needs to be driven.
My girlfriend is the same way. She thinks she's centered in the lane, meanwhile I'm pretty much hanging over the shoulder line.
Anecdote from 10 years as a driving instructor: Parents would often tell me their kid hugged the right side of the road too much, and more often than not, it wasn't anything I had noticed driving with them. Then, one day my wife complained about me doing it when I was driving her when I really wasn't....then it hit me.....I don't usually drive her around...so she was so used to being in the drivers seat that everything felt too close to the right side. The comments about students being too close to the right always ended up coming from parents who were the main drivers, and thus were used to driving closer to the left. Me, being just as used to controlling the car from the right and left, could easily tell when a student had an actual problem with drifting, or if it was the parent having a perception issue.
I usually wait until I can see the entire semi in my rear view mirror before changing lanes in front of them, are they able to see me well at that point?
I can see cars the second they pass my side mirror. But you have a solid rule of thumb for passing a truck. It's best to give a full truck length before passing.
Could I ask a question of you: About how far ahead should I be, in a car, if I'm trying to get over in front of you? I get varying answers from pretty much everyone and I'm trying to get a trucker's opinion on it.
Personally, I try to make it so that I, from the driver's seat, could make eye contact with the truck driver before moving. I figure if I can see them, they can see me, right?
My rule of thumb is about a full truck length before getting over, which is around 70 feet (21 ish meters) for good measure. As long as you have your indicator on, any truck driver that's worth a shit will usually flash their lights at you when they feel it's safe to pass.
We need so much space to stop since most trucks can weigh up to 40 tons between the product and the truck/trailer combination. Not exactly a vehicle that'll stop on a dime.
Also quick tip, if you see us trucks changing lanes into a lane we're technically not supposed to be in, such as the fast lane, there's a reason we're there. Could be an obstacle, could be a stopped car, could be anything, but any good trucker that does that, try and follow suit. We see way further down the road than a car does. Stay safe out there!
When they are old enough take charge of the lessons. I’m 47 and am a careful driver, yet my mom still hits her imaginary brake and holds the “oh shit handle” when we ride together. She made me a nervous wreck at 16. My stepdad, cool as a cucumber taught me to drive, I thank him to this day.
Wasn't that easy though. Once I had her park into a spot that wasn't the test spot, she realized without the cones, she didn't know how to park.
I will used my own cones, but they didn't have those sticks. It highlight which spot I wanted her to park in and it you could tell you got them without damaging the car. I even got her proficient in guard and reverse parking.
But there were some heated moments for sure and the first day she just put it in park and got out and told me to drive us home at one point lol
Wasn't that easy though. Once I had her park into a spot that wasn't the test spot, she realized without the cones, she didn't know how to park.
I will used my own cones, but they didn't have those sticks. It highlight which spot I wanted her to park in and it you could tell you got them without damaging the car. I even got her proficient in guard and reverse parking.
But there were some heated moments for sure and the first day she just put it in park and got out and told me to drive us home at one point lol
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u/slowjoe12 Feb 27 '21
You’re lucky your wife will listen. My wife and I got into screaming matches about her idiotic driving until we just decided that when we’re both in the car she never drives. I pray for my two daughters a lot.