How Good A Driver Are You?

-Chris-

Simple question - How good a driver do you think you are?

Harder question - Why did you give the answer you gave?



P.S. To get the ball rolling, I've voted Pretty Damn Good...

I'm not brilliant, I know I need to work on some aspects.

I've got good observance skills and I'm actively trying to be a better driver.

I disobey speed limits, but I consider myself to be quick, rather than too fast (if you know what I mean).

I'm relatively kind to my cars, mechanically - I try to be smooth.

I do get caught out with overconfidence every so often, although I have very few "near misses".

dr.bollocko

I am a crap driver.
Because everyone who posts under here will doubtless tell me why.

Frank Spencer

I'll let you judge..... I'm posting this on my laptop while driving (slowly) through Phibsboro.

How good am I?

L-M

I voted myself pretty dam good because it's the only thing between being average and brilliant. The only thing i lack what everyone else does, and will never have enough of, experience.

superjosh9

What's with all the polls?!

I once won a cup for go-karting! Therefore, obviously I'm better than Schumacher, right?!?

biko

Good driver.

Since I started driving in the 90s - never been in a collision (was bumped into from behind once when I was a passenger). Never been off the road. Never scraped the car.

*fingers crossed it stays this way*

-Chris-

superjosh9 wrote: »

What's with all the polls?!

Dunno, I just saw a few polls that didn't descend into squabbling, they seem to help people stay on topic and get some good debate going - the bit I like about boards. So I thought I'd ask everyone else some questions that I ask myself fairly often - to see what the consensus was!

cabrwab

Im not going to say i'am amazing, so ill put myself down as average.
Im not a bad driver either, but when i think of amazing i think f1 drivers or the german one that appears on top gear. So average is the best place for me. Can always learn more!

superjosh9

AudiChris wrote: »

Dunno, I just saw a few polls that didn't descend into squabbling, they seem to help people stay on topic and get some good debate going - the bit I like about boards. So I thought I'd ask everyone else some questions that I ask myself fairly often - to see what the consensus was!

dinnay worry - twas a rhetorical question!

jacool

I'm not brilliant.

I've got excellent observation skills (ex-biker).

I disobey speed limits,and just got done !

I never use the phone or do girlie things like look at someone when I talk to them (this scares me !!)

Never in an accident, never even close ! (Oh, I've to drive home now !)

superjosh9

actually - that is one thing I never ever do - I never talk on the phone.

Biro

superjosh9 wrote: »

actually - that is one thing I never ever do - I never talk on the phone.

Ever? Or just while driving?

Gary ITR

I put myself down as pretty dman good. I do a lot of driving for work and see some crazy things. I feel I am good at reading things and can spot the idiot before he/she does something stupid.

I'd like to hear the reason the 4 people (so far) have put themselves down as brilliant

ergonomics

I went with average as I just passed my test a month ago. I passed with only 2 marks though.

I never disobey speed limits. I have very good observations skills and am good at anticipating what someone is going to do. Don't talk on the phone or look at someone while I'm driving. I still could do with gaining experience though, I know that but I'm confident with most things except overtaking!

Volvoboy

Honest:o

I'm bordering on dangerious/crap.

I speed.
I tailgate.
Get distracted with shop windows / Hoochie mama's with greyhound skirts.
Get road rage.
Use a I-pod while driving.
Seldom indicate.

1 peno point for making a illegal left turn

One good point i dont use a phone:cool:

And i've never crashed, well did bounce a car off a kerb for looking at hochie mama's with the skirts, only thing was two blown tyres and a damaged ego.

I've been driving for about 2 1/2 years

Oh ya i'm a taxi driver too:D

peasant

Put myself down as pretty damn good for the following reasons:

Have licences and experience for bikes & trucks as well, which gives you a totally different outlook on driving and better road and traffic "reading skills".

Haven't had an accident in 18 years and generally manage not to get myself into hairy situations

I'm far from brilliant though ...I'd be diabolical on a racecourse or rallying and I still do get very impatient with dawdlers.

bwardrop

Like some of the others I put myself down as 'pretty damn good' because I think I am better than average, but far from brilliant. What pops to mind re: my driving:

- No points on my license
- Try not to break the speed limit by more than 10% these days, but...
- ...I have been in court for speeding (before points were introduced)
- Have been in court for 2 other really minor offenses (ignoring (not seeing) a 'no left turn' sign & subsequently turning left!)
- I get frustrated at other drivers from time to time
- Never been in a crash / accident (touch wood)
- Never had what I would consider a close call - that was my fault!
- Will pull in for a kip if I feel drowsy
- Think I have good observational skills

I should point out that I was a terrible (immature) driver for years. Had this poll been around back then I would have said I was the greatest driver the country had seen... Don't know what has changed - the court appearances were a wake up call I guess, but I think it is just general maturity.

Tipsy Mac

Driving 7 years no crashes given or received .

Wishbone Ash

I'd say I'm average (even though I have a full unrestricted licence in A, A1, B, BE, C, C1, CE, C1E, D, D1, DE, D1E, M and W).

Driving over 20 years with no accidents that were my fault - (rear ended twice)!

I have 2 points on my licence though .

Good drivers are a very rare breed indeed!

-Chris-

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Good drivers are a very rare breed indeed!

Indeed! I'd hope to be a Good Driver some day. I've been intending to do an IAM or ROSPA course for ages, but keep "having better things to do". I'd love to get to a proper, trained, advanced level.

ianobrien

I voted 2 stars - not great because:

1. I've given up being polite on the roads as nobody else seems to be.
2. I can't stand the fast lane hogs, especially when travelling under the speed limit (so I'll take the left lane, and keep at the limit)
3. As soon as the lights go green, I'm off. So watch out those who break the red light in the other direction, as I'm coming, and not stopping (if there's an accident, it's your fault, as you broke the red light)
4. I drive at the speed limit everywhere (except outside schools and in estates after school closing time, and all day in estates in the summer) and I hate those who brake for every corner. The car will take the corner!

Despite that, if the poll was about the person's technical ability to control a car, I'd say fairly good, due to all the time spend driving as hard as I could down Farmer's lanes, private roads, Forest tracks and in fields in car's I didn't care about. I've spent a while driving an AX GT, and on wet & slippy roads and gravel lanes, it's bloody good fun (and most of the time is spent looking out the side window to see where you're going).

Ah, the joy's of a French Hot Hatch, Lift off oversteer, gravel roads and left foot braking.......

Webmonkey

said Id put myself down for ***** Stars - Sorry but ever since I crashed a few years ago (thread on it) I became obsessed with safety and I don't trust other drivers what so ever on the road. If I ever crashed my new car I would die - so thats another reason.

Plug

I can't drive and Im a mechanic:(

Hotwheels

You forgot Foglights

Volvoboy wrote: »

Honest:o

I'm bordering on dangerious/crap.

I speed.
I tailgate.
Get distracted with shop windows / Hoochie mama's with greyhound skirts.
Get road rage.
Use a I-pod while driving.
Seldom indicate.

1 peno point for making a illegal left turn

One good point i dont use a phone:cool:

And i've never crashed, well did bounce a car off a kerb for looking at hochie mama's with the skirts, only thing was two blown tyres and a damaged ego.

I've been driving for about 2 1/2 years

Oh ya i'm a taxi driver too:D

Volvoboy

Hotwheels wrote: »

You forgot Foglights

oeb

I put myself down as crap.


Because you are only as good a driver as the dumb asshole that's sharing the road with you.

Ferris

I put down average, because I've crap observation and am really impatient. I also think that i'm still learning.

On the upside I feel that I can control a car pretty well especially when in adverse situations. When I finally see something my reactions are good. Also I can parallel park with a trailer.

Most importantly I have finished Gran Turismo 4 so I must be ok:D

L1011

Probably utterly ****. I habitually speed, for one thing... I've *read* Roadcraft but never got around to trying to actually do the IAM training/test.

pburns

I think I'm a reasonably good road driver - and am considered as such. Good observation, confident, can make good progress etc.

The galling thing is though that I have a couple of friends who drive like old grannies on the road. One is a nervy as feck, forever stomping on brakes, really jerky. But put 'em in go-karts and they're like Alonso & Hamilton (without the hissy-fits). They shed their inhibitions once on a track whereas I'm the opposite - it takes me a while to get into a groove and be confident in a different driving environment. In time I'd probably grind 'em down but I've only done karting 3 or 4 times.

There are some great stories of F1 drivers on the road. Gilles Villeneuve was a maniac, he used to time himself across Europe to his home in Monaco in a 308 GTB. Senna used to nonchantly opposite-lock his 500SEC around roundabouts in Surrey with one arm hanging out the window taxi-driver style. And Mika Hakkinen, when just over from Finland in his pre-F1 days followed his boss' instruction to go 'straight-through' the next roundabout by flooring his hire-car straight OVER said obstacle flat-out without batting an eyelid...

RobAMerc

I read an article recently that said about 70% of drivers consider themsleves above average....funny I have yet to meet one person I feel would be classed above average.

Anyway - I consider myself to be average at best - I have driven everything from competitive go carts to Porsches but there is still a millioin things I need to learn and probably a million times per journey when I have missed something due playing with the stereo or rowing with the boss lady.

Max_Damage

Not great to be honest.

At times though, I tend to piss off other drivers, either for fun or 'revenge' i.e. If there is someone tailgating me, I will go on the brakes. I don't indicate changing lands on a motorway or at quite alot of junctions. I drive fast through residential areas aswell. And to be honest, I don't care really!