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View Poll Results: Rate your skills:
There is no one better then I am!
119
13.65%
I am a good driver, I can hold my own.
603
69.15%
I am alright...
125
14.33%
I need improvement, the gas pedal frightens me.
8
0.92%
I drive like a 90yr old. I love the brake pedal, and use it even when I am pressing the gas.
17
1.95%
Voters: 872. You may not vote on this poll

How good of a driver do you think YOU are?

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Old Nov 27, 2006 | 04:24 PM
  #321  
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I'm probably below average overall simply due to my inexperience (only been driving a year now). Comparing myself to people my age I would say I'm far above average only because I drive how I feel comfortable which usually means safe. I do speed maybe 10-20 above the limit but always keep a large distance between me and the car in front and am very alert. The only defensive driving I've had to do was when I was doing 40 on a residential street and a kid ran out causing the driver in front of me to slam on his brakes and I made a sharp turn onto the adjacent street (it was at an intersection) and stopped about a foot from a parked car where a few little kids were playing. Apparently we both missed the "Deaf Child Drive Slowly" sign.
Old Dec 2, 2006 | 07:27 AM
  #322  
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...goodenough
Old Dec 2, 2006 | 02:36 PM
  #323  
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I'm the greatest driver ever!!!
One night, I decided to take a turn on the freeway at 80mph ... um ya : RWD in the rain with me behind the wheels=FAIL



Old Dec 4, 2006 | 05:29 AM
  #324  
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[QUOTE=hayai240sx]I'm the greatest driver ever!!!
One night, I decided to take a turn on the freeway at 80mph ... um ya : RWD in the rain with me behind the wheels=FAIL
[QUOTE]You gotta explain that one to me. How do you make a "turn" on the freeway? Were you taking an exit or something? Did the interstate itself turn so sharply that you lost control at 80 mph? And by the way, seeing that car like that makes me wanna beat you up!
Old Dec 4, 2006 | 02:58 PM
  #325  
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Originally Posted by Minimalmaxima
You gotta explain that one to me. How do you make a "turn" on the freeway? Were you taking an exit or something? Did the interstate itself turn so sharply that you lost control at 80 mph? And by the way, seeing that car like that makes me wanna beat you up!
It happened on highway 101. It almost looks like a "U" turn before a exit. Had to be my favorite turn to test my suspension ...until I cashed . 80mph on the same turn was cruising speed, but I didn't put the rain into equation . BTW, a 240sx cut in front of me this morning (almost a replica of mine)...made me want to beat myself up .
Old Dec 7, 2006 | 06:25 AM
  #326  
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thats craziness!!!!!wow!
Old Dec 14, 2006 | 10:20 PM
  #327  
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Originally Posted by silvermax2k2
Just curious. We all focus our time any money on upgrading the car, but how good of a driver do you think you are? If you get in a situation where you start to fishtail heavily, do you think you could regain control? If you encounter an emergency situation when impact is eminent, what do you do? Do you just slam on the brakes and hope you don't crash, or do you look for ways out such as changing lanes, or down shifting to try and stop faster, or even hop a curb to avoid hitting some one?

Many times we spend all this money on our cars to make them better, but we don't use our best judgment when driving. I.E. racing on the streets. If you lose control, are you good enough to get it back? I just figured I would make an interesting post for a change.
I've done OK ... Have avoided a few accidents, but commute at night in deer country and have probably hit more than most hunters in the area!



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Old Jan 6, 2007 | 12:33 PM
  #328  
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im the best driver in the world
Old Jan 10, 2007 | 06:30 AM
  #329  
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Alright.

I just got my driving license for half a year.
Old Jan 11, 2007 | 12:01 AM
  #330  
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I believe I am better driver than most, not the best but I love speed and thats the only way I drive on the hwy. so get the F*CK out of the way!
Old Jan 11, 2007 | 05:11 PM
  #331  
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better than ive done

well i have paid for a couple of tickets but have gotten out of alot, rolled one car round a 35 mph corner doing 100..almost made it..i have had 4 speeding ticket at one time in different counties deferred in the same month...but i have to say your a lucky sum'*****...
Old Jan 16, 2007 | 07:49 AM
  #332  
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I think I'm a fairly good driver. I always use my signals, don't speed too much, I don't double-park (I hate those people). I will admit though that I have a tendency to follow too close to the person in front of me and wait too long to break.
Old Jan 18, 2007 | 03:43 PM
  #333  
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I like to think that i'm pretty good, but who knows for sure.
Old Jan 18, 2007 | 04:06 PM
  #334  
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Im a fair driver, or so I am told by my father who used to drag race and his brother who used to road race (1970's Datsun 240 Z). Also by my friends. I used to live in the mountains of WV and had my uncle and father in the car teaching me how to launch, down shift properly, double clutch (although not needed), brake and gas at the same time, hitting the apex correctly, correcting slides, etc... also living in the mountains, you learn very quick to drive in the snow. Where I need improvement is city driving.
Old Jan 19, 2007 | 04:59 AM
  #335  
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Originally Posted by Max_Out
double clutch (although not needed)
Double-clutching is not necessary, but rev-matching is a very good thing.
Old Jan 23, 2007 | 02:44 PM
  #336  
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I'm alright.
Old Jan 28, 2007 | 10:26 AM
  #337  
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I'm awesome. I played GT3 and GT4, so that automatically makes me awesome [/ end sarcasm]

Take a few high speed courses, skid recovery courses, and a few track day. I'm sure, even with just the track days, people would improve.
Old Jan 28, 2007 | 12:11 PM
  #338  
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Let's see. Been racing since I was 4 yrs old...Im not a good driver I am a good Racer.
[IMG][/IMG]
Old Feb 4, 2007 | 06:59 PM
  #339  
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Originally Posted by Daily Driver2k2
Driving without any accidents or not getting any speeding tickets doesn't make you a good driver, it just meens your a cautious one....

Good driver to me is one that can contol his car and push it to the limit! Hit corners at insane speeds, knowing how to shift properly, knowing the proper shift points in his car, contoling his car when it gets squirly.

Bottom line, having complete contol and driving the car, not letting the car drive you!

Learned from the best ... two guys who raced formula fords that work here at my job! Had the most difficult time understanding how to drive my 89 turbo Z fast, kept spinning out in it. They taught me the dynamics of early braking, gasing out of a turn and maintaing speed through a turn with a rear wheel drive car, never letting off because it can be disatrous as i always found out before i learned what to do. They had a saying ," Gas will save your ***" when going fast on turns. Never letting fully off the accelerator..and certainly never over throttiling it either...both causing the rear end to come back to smack ya in the face!

They taught me things where i had confidence in driving a rear wheel drive car again, where before i was scared to push my Z to the limit and that is crappy feeling not being able to push your car hard on turns, just strait aways..

From there i went to a more powerful rwd car a ttz, but the skills applied to that car to...

I highly recomend everybody spending a few bucks and learning, i was affortunate to have some very cool work mates who spent a Saturday afternoon with me in a empty parking lot teaching me the basics.
I think that people need to learn how to make a line in the road. whenever I race somebody they usually almost eat s*** because they're trying to stay in between the lines of the lane and keep up. Street racing is very stupid/dangerous but I'll do it for fun up to a certain degree, if someone is getting way to crazy and out of control, my car and my life mean more to me than crashing over following some moron. Honestly I think racing on the street is more safe at night as long as you know the roads because you can use both lanes here and there and you'll be able to see headlights from other cars coming.
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 03:09 AM
  #340  
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when it comes to driving i think im a pretty decent driver. i never get pulled over for anything unless the cops are "suspicious" about something.i tend to stay quite a few car lenghts behind other drivers since some people have the habit of braking late and to avoid a rear end.i normally dont change in 3 lane roads unless there is no one beside me. some people dont even shoulder check so they end up side swiping each other. been in 2 accidents by whole life. one was my fault and the other was some dumb ***** that tried turning right from the left lane.. LOL.
Old Mar 1, 2007 | 08:07 AM
  #341  
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am i a good driver? well i'm ok. now that i have my 99 max and want to take care of it. i dont speed everywhere anymore. i drive like a granny 80% of the time(dont forget driving too slow can cause problems also), the rest is highway terror.

..as for the whole high speed cornering. to me it varries on several conditions.. vehicle power/fwd vs. rwd/speed/weather/traffic for example.

now i take the drifter approach myself. sliding is good if you know how to do it right (nothing but rwd's 'til my saturn and now my max). otherwise i look for the 'race line' (potholes pending..)
Old Mar 3, 2007 | 11:57 AM
  #342  
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I would like to think i am a good driver.
Old Apr 1, 2007 | 12:58 AM
  #343  
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Lol, tough question to ask if you expect a realistic response. I remember reading an article about active investing for one of my accounting classes that, while explaining how most suffer from overconfidence, stated that 80% of all motorists will say they are in the top 33% of drivers on the road. Go figure.
Old Apr 7, 2007 | 01:32 PM
  #344  
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BMW driving performance school over in europe and i've been on the nurburgring a few times, raced in auto x, and to start my whole driving career, my dad taught me to drive in the snow and would pull the ebrake and tell me to regain control thank god the car was a beater car
Old Apr 11, 2007 | 09:04 PM
  #345  
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PUSSIES ....... too short, Sorry - NOT - PUSSIES!
Old Apr 27, 2007 | 03:55 PM
  #346  
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Im passive aggresive............I tend pass very aggresively. I credit all my skills to growing up in NY city with a Iroc Z28. I even taught my wife same methods I use, my biggest caution I use is to try to know every cars position, in case of...... If im speeding I read the traffic to see where the next hole will be, and if im not I like to know at least 3-5 cars ahead how conditions are so if I need to brake....I put hazards on in the event there is a slow down past a horizon to let cars behind me know to slow down. Overall I think Im pretty good, no accidents no tickets.
Old May 9, 2007 | 05:07 AM
  #347  
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i'm the best. period. this thread is stupid. lock ftw...
Old May 9, 2007 | 09:10 AM
  #348  
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Originally Posted by KickerMax02
I believe I am better driver than most, not the best but I love speed and thats the only way I drive on the hwy. so get the F*CK out of the way!
people like you cause accidents. and raise my insurance rates. one word: MATURITY
Old May 9, 2007 | 10:40 AM
  #349  
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The best drivers are the ones you don't notice, have never noticed, and will never notice for more than a glance in your mirror. If everyone that sees you on the road instantly forgets you once you're out of sight, you're a good driver.

If you get rememberred, it's because either you're doing something stupid, causing yourself to nearly get into an accident, or causing someone else to nearly get into an accident.
Old May 12, 2007 | 05:24 PM
  #350  
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Originally Posted by Metal Maxima
No speeding tickets, no accidents...EVER (knock on wood)

So I must be doing something right!

Give it time, I've got socks older than you.
Old May 13, 2007 | 06:51 AM
  #351  
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My opinion about being a good driver, (0 Points, 1 Accident, 10 Almost Accidents). Simply be aware... first you must learn to control your car, which is the easy part, but people who claim they have been hit 5 times never their fault.... still could have been avoided... now yes, some can't be, and sometimes an accident will occur, but still the accident can be a safer one then a worse one... I was coming to a stop on a 50 MPH road hit an oil slick, came to a sliding stop and an SUV was behind me and I could have either pushed the gas to avoid the accident, or put my brakes on and had the car hit me... well I just hit oil, so figured my tires had oil on them, I was right near an intersection so to drive through (green light) and maybe still have been hit would have been insane, or to have not gotten on the gas intime, no brake on to then be hurdled into oncoming traffic.. I decided being hit was the best option for the most lives saved... I have always been told, driving is 10% skill and 90% awareness. On the roads today, if you are not aware of your surroundings you will be hit... most accidents are avoidable, even if you were not deemed at fault by the insurance company, you could have still attempted to avoid the accident just by being aware... my 2 cents ,I may be young but I have taken driving classes and my father taught me everything he knew about being safe on the roads.

*Look in your blind spot, don't trust side mirrors
*Know where all cars are around you, no matter what
*Always look at the car 2 infront of you, sooner you know something is coming, better off you are.
*Using an onramp to the highway / freeway, if behind a truck give yourself enough room to merge at a safe speed.
*Never make sudden movements in a car on anything (brake, pedal, steering wheel)
*Always stay calm
*When changing lanes, do it as fast as you can while remaining safe
*Always flow with traffic
*3 second behind a car rule

list goes on... but I do follow all those rules every time I drive.
Old May 13, 2007 | 12:49 PM
  #352  
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I follow the rules of the road 90% of the time but it does get boring. Sometimes I feel I have to take my max out of its normal routine and actually DRIVE it. 60+ in a 25 zone is pretty intense especially with a lot of bumps and turns but I get the job done (no suspension upgrades...yet). All in all, I own Rhode Island country roads.
Old May 14, 2007 | 12:24 PM
  #353  
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[QUOTE=
*Look in your blind spot, don't trust side mirrors
*Know where all cars are around you, no matter what
*Always look at the car 2 infront of you, sooner you know something is coming, better off you are.
*Using an onramp to the highway / freeway, if behind a truck give yourself enough room to merge at a safe speed.
*Never make sudden movements in a car on anything (brake, pedal, steering wheel)
*Always stay calm
*When changing lanes, do it as fast as you can while remaining safe
*Always flow with traffic
*3 second behind a car rule

list goes on... but I do follow all those rules every time I drive.[/QUOTE]

Man I didnt know they had written these rules down, I thought I made them up as I got wiser, check out my post almost same thoughts, and I agree with everything else you said.
Old May 19, 2007 | 10:50 PM
  #354  
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I've been complimented on my driving skills by old people, young people, and dumb people. I drive to make the passenger comfortable, and I'm good at it. When I'm alone or with a buddy that can hang, I'm a very good driver, got better than average eyesight, great motor skill, great coordination, and a decade of driving experience in downtown LA. Plus I drive through a mountain pass everyday to and fom work, love my commute.
Old May 20, 2007 | 06:34 PM
  #355  
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I am pretty good considering im 16, i can handle a nice curvy road @ about 60-80 w/ good control. No i'm not here to impress anybody with my age, just making that very clear, not all 16yo are bad drivers. I just happen to be a car fanatic and speed lover
Old May 20, 2007 | 08:20 PM
  #356  
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I drove a skyline before out in australia. most fun i ever had in my life. i figured if i can hadle that, i can take on alot.
Old May 21, 2007 | 01:03 PM
  #357  
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I think the problem with this thread is the word "good" is open to interpretation. Are you a "good" driver? If by good you mean considerate then an "average" driver follows the laws as best he or she can and does a reasonably good job of it. A "good" driver probably anticipates the shortcomings of other drivers and actually serves to reduce problems on the road.

If by "good" you mean skilled in how to handle a car then I think there are very few "good" drivers out there. Face it, 99% of us have only ever driven on flat, city streets where we're corralled by traffic laws. Little signs tell us how fast to go, when to stop, where to turn and when. Once in a while when there's nobody around you dig into a turn or mash the gas a bit. It doesn't make you a racecar driver. Case in point: ever see somebody racing down the freeway and swerve into another lane thinking he's dale earnhardt? 90% of the time you'll see him overshoot the lane and straddle the shoulder because he misjudged when to pull himself into the lane he wanted to be in and mishandled his car because he has no idea what he's doing. You can be sure in his own mind, however, he's a legend.

Am I a good driver? Probably nothing great. Decent maybe. I don't have any training and little to no track time. Only thing I know how to do well is keep a 1/4 mile car strait in a burnout and bite down when I need to.
Old May 28, 2007 | 07:57 PM
  #358  
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I like to think I'm a pretty good driver. I've got a decent understanding of how my car handles on different tractions. I know it's strenuous on my car, but I'm a handbrake turn junkie on gravel, so I try to understand the forces at work. Generally, I have pretty quick reflexes, and I know most of the roads I normally tool around on. I need some more experience pushing a RWD, but all in all, I'm at very least above average.
Old Jun 19, 2007 | 11:54 AM
  #359  
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Originally Posted by Rydicule
The best drivers are the ones you don't notice, have never noticed, and will never notice for more than a glance in your mirror. If everyone that sees you on the road instantly forgets you once you're out of sight, you're a good driver.

If you get rememberred, it's because either you're doing something stupid, causing yourself to nearly get into an accident, or causing someone else to nearly get into an accident.

I agree whole heartedly, also stating that best drivers are not noticed by the passengers in the car also.
Old Jun 21, 2007 | 03:12 PM
  #360  
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I honestly thinks it takes a good banging or two in the aluminum coffin in order to learn how to drive really well. Until you've been hit at least once and understand what could happen to you in a car, you learn to appreciate how dangerous it is and when you're doing 100+ you learn real well how to avoid killing yourself.

Yeah I got tickets, but not in my Max. I got other kinds like unsafe lane changes and unsafe driving. Never convicted on any.



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