Help! My Teens Are Making Killer Turns!! Part I

Dear Mr. Driving Instructor:

I'm having all kinds of trouble getting my son John-Boy to take left turns correctly.

John-Boy has trouble staying out of the oncoming lane when he makes left turns. He always ends up straddling the yellow line and then has to slide back to the right. We've almost had a few head on collisions. Driving with John-Boy makes my hair stand on end! I really dread those left turns of his.

How do I get him to do it right every time?

A Scared and Desperate Dad


Dear Scared and Desperate Dad,

It would be better if I could be in the car with your son before I diagnose his driving problems, however from what you describe it sounds like John-Boy might be suffering from one of the following:

1. He could be initiating his steering too soon. Does he begin to turn the steering wheel for these left turns before your vehicle's front end has entered the intersection? If so he is beginning the turn too early. He ought to wait until his steering wheel is even with the the near curb of the road he is turning into. This ensures that his vehicles nose has entered the intersection and gives him a better angle of approach on that right lane.

2. It could be that John-Boy is approaching the turn at an excessive speed. The target speed for most turns is 10 miles an hour. If he's not slowing down as he approaches the turn, he's probably rushing his steering. (See paragraph above) Make sure he's tapered the car's speed down to 10 mph by the time the front end of your car is even with the cross walk before the intersection you're turning into. (Assuming there is no stop sign, pedestrians or vehicular traffic in his path of travel.)

3. If John-Boy is not guilty of either of the first two infractions, it could be that he is simply over-steering. You can help him cure this by reminding him to turn his head to the left and look into his intended path of travel before he starts moving his hands to steer into it. He's got to be aiming at the right lane before he can take the car there. Remember people tend to steer towards where they are looking. Have him look at the right place and the car will go there. Too many new drivers just fixate on the area directly in front of them by looking exclusively over the hood. Make him move his head and eyes to the left before he moves the steering wheel and that should cure his over-steering problems.

Happy Motoring,

The Driving Instructor

What Do You Do When...Your Engine Overheats?

"We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret and disappointment." ~ Jim Rohn

It's vacation time and you're on the road. You're visiting your sister Anna in beautiful Chicago. It's mid-morning on the third day of your visit and you're both on the Kennedy Expressway enroute to enjoy a Cub's game in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.

It's a beautiful day for a ball game. The sun is shining in a cloudless sky. The temperature is 82 degrees, and the A/C is on keeping you and Anna cool and comfortable. When you began your trip to Wrigleyville the traffic was light and you made good time. But now you're closing in on your destination and the traffic is becoming more congested. You're slowing down. About a quarter of a mile ahead you can see traffic has stopped. Then your pace slows to a crawl.

You are now ensnarled in a traffic jam. But that's OK. You've planned your excursion wisely and you're not worried. There's plenty of time to get there, park and find your seats before the first pitch.

Hey. What's that funny smell? Something sickly sweet is wafting through the air. You vaguely remember that smell from the time your Dad's car overheated on that family trip to Disney World way back in ... '99 wasn't it? Oh! Oh! Something is not right. Oh, No!! The temperature warning light just lit up.

What do you do now? Can you still get to the game? Can you do it without destroying the engine?

Here's what you do:

1. Turn off that air-conditioner immediately! The A/C makes the engine work harder, give it a bit of a break right now.

2. Turn on the heater. Yes, turn it on right away. I know it's going to make you very uncomfortable, but you need to draw the heat away from the engine and this is how you do it. Flip the climate controls to vent, turn the heater all the way up, and turn the fan all the way up. Open all the car windows or you will roast .

The heater in most cars works by using extra heat from the engine to heat the incoming air. (This is why it always takes the heat a few minutes to "come up" in the winter.) So turning the heat on full-blast pulls as much heat as possible off the engine and blows it into the passenger compartment of the car.

3. Turn off your engine, but only if you are sitting in traffic and not moving for more than a minute. Keep a lookout ahead for when the traffic will move and turn your engine on and put it in gear before everything gets moving. (This will help a lot because as soon as your engine turns off the cooling system gets a break.)

Keep a steady, slow pace in stop and go traffic. This beats moving so fast that you catch up to the vehicles ahead and have stop again. This stop and go cycle contributes to the overheating. (Don't worry about people cutting you off. Everyone is stuck in the same situation.)

4. Pull over if you think your car will break down in stop and go traffic. Turn off the engine and wait for the traffic to start moving normally. Once the traffic starts flowing again, it is better for you to drive faster than slower as more air will come in and cool your engine.

If your car does overheat and steam starts to come out from under your hood, you'll have to pull over. You can add coolant (or water if you don't have coolant) to the radiator, but be careful opening it. When you take the cap off, steam will pour out and scald you. Instead, place a towel over the cap and radiator, grip the cap through the towel, twist and pull away quickly. It is better to open the radiator cap while the engine is idling rather than turning it off. Do not turn the engine off to add water. If the cold water you are pouring in comes in contact with the very hot engine it will crack the block and it's then time to replace the engine! It ensures that no steam will pour out when you twist open the radiator cap because hot water is still circulated by the water pump.

If your coolant is leaking somewhere, then you will have to continually replenish it. Pull into locations likely to have a garden hose that they won't mind you using. Churches are usually a good bet.

5. Take your car to a mechanic ASAP.

Sorry you missed the game. Maybe you can go tomorrow.

An Invention That Can Save Lives

"The devil is in the details" ~ German Proverb

You always hear that it's the little things that count. Yes, I know. It's so cliche, but it's so absolutely true. The little things we all take for granted do such a big job of keeping us happy, comfortable and safe - until they malfunction.

That turn signal lever seems so insignificant to many drivers. Some don't even bother to use it. Those that do take advantage of this technological marvel do so unconciously. They flip the switch up for a right turn and the blinker unit makes the tapping noise to acknowledge the driver's action. The designated light bulbs flash to tell the other drivers what their master is planning. Sometimes the lever springs back to the neutral position of its own accord. Sometimes the driver must flip the lever back manually. The tapping noise stops. The lights quit flashing.

What happens when you turn off the turn signal but the tapping refuses to stop? You flip the switch up and down, but the tapping continues. You push the lever forward and backwards - the tapping keeps on relentlessly.

tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap, TAp, TAp, TAp, Tap, TAP TAP TAPTAPTAPTAP!!

Well it's time to get off the road, Amigo. Time to get it fixed before you go insane.

But once you get those turn signals back in operating order don't be afraid to use them. Read why here: An Invention That Can Save Lives.

One Old Driver's Ed Movie

How far back do you think those drivers ed movies go? 1960's? 1950's?

Here's one I found produced back in 1935. Guess what? Maybe Great Grandpa didn't have to deal with as much traffic as we have now, but he had to deal with many of the issues we face today.

Yep, folks in "olden times" still took turns and curves too fast. They drove when drowsy. They even experienced road rage.

I especially enjoyed this film's explanation of momentum and centrifugal force. Taking curves too fast seems to be a problem that we just can't make go away. Maybe Electronic Stability Control will save us when it finally becomes standard in 2012.

Enjoy.

Another Way To Monitor Your Teen Driver

"Never mistake knowledge for wisdom" ~ Sandra Carey

Once your teen has that license it's important to keep tabs on her driving. I mentioned how one father remedied his children's poor driving behavior. James Winfield put his foot down, established rules and guidelines, and monitored his teens' driving both in person and with GPS. He got some good results.

I also noted that Drivecam looked like a good way to keep an eye on your new drivers , but at present that system is available only in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Indiana.

But no fears - for those of us who live outside of those three states there is Tell-My-Mom.com. Here we have a program similar to the trucking industry's "How's My Driving" program.

Tell-My Mom.com was founded by Jay S. Van Zeeland an Emergency Medical Technician with a rescue service in Wisconsin. He had seen first hand many teen accidents and was looking for a way to help reduce these collisions. Studying the program for the trucking industry, he discovered that they had achieved over 20% reductions in accidents and ticketing. The trucking companies found that in most instances, drivers were making proactive changes in their driving, because they did not want to be called to the boss' office to justify their actions. Teens react in much the same fashion.

By placing the How's My Driving sticker on your car, other drivers now have an easy way to provide feedback about your teen's driving. When a report is received, you are contacted via mail or e-mail with information regarding your teen's driving behavior.

Now you can use the entire driving population as your eyes and ears. Check out Mr. Van Zeelands program. You just might save your child's life.

Do You Think This Driver Is Really On The Ball?

These young ladies are having a great time just cruise'n around. I wonder what prompts the "photo-op" Just hope they're doing it at a red light.

Stability Control Standard by 2012

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Announces A Substantial Life Saving Technology For All New Passenger Vehicles

In a move that could ultimately save up to 10,000 lives each year on U.S. roadways, the nation's top transportation official today announced plans to make new crash prevention technology standard equipment on every new passenger vehicle sold in America by 2012. U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters and National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Nicole R. Nason announced the final rule to require the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on all new passenger vehicles during a tour with auto makers at the New York International Auto Show today.

ESC uses automatic computer controlled braking to keep drivers from losing control on slippery roads or in emergency maneuvers, in many cases preventing deadly rollovers from occurring.“This technology will save thousands of lives. Like airbags and seat belts, ten years down the road we will look back at the new ESC technology and wonder how we ever drove a car without it.”

Secretary Peters said.“ESC technology will put the brakes on crashes and help drivers keep control of their cars in critical situations,” Administer Nason said. “ESC works, it will save lives, and it can give American drivers and passengers the peace of mind that comes from knowing their vehicles have some of the most technologically advanced safety equipment available.” The final rule will require all manufacturers to begin equipping passenger vehicles with ESC starting with model year 2009, and to have the feature available as standard equipment on all new passenger vehicles by the 2012 model year (September 2011).

Hang in there drivers, only a few more years and Electronic Stability Controls will be standard on all new passenger vehicles. Until then we'll continue to rely on the older and increasingly obsolescent DARC system. DARC (Driver Awareness of Roadway Conditions) requires the driver to focus on driving the vehicle and actually scan ahead to identify curves and turns that might require a reduction of speed before entering those parts of the roadway. Once the driver identifies these requirements the DARC system prompts him to use his foot to brake and avoid skidding and turnovers.

Recently DARC has been rendered ineffective by increasing demands on its sensor and processing capabilities caused by the use of extra peripherals (such as telephones and PDA's) that slow it's processing and reaction time.

This problem can be fixed by activating the SAAD (Stay Alert and Drive) feature of the DARC. SAAD disconnects the peripherals and reboots the DARC on its original parameters.

Should the SAAD fail, a DrivRR (Driver Responsible for Results) patch can be downloaded to remedy this problem.

Hey Kids : The Secret to Making Your Parents More Mellow on Training Drives

"Fear makes strangers of people who would be friends." Shirley MacLaine

"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper." ~ Robert Frost

Does it make you nervous when Mom's right foot presses on that imaginary brake pedal on the passenger side of the car?

Maybe you're tired of hearing your parents scream: "STOP! BRAKE!! BRAKE HARDER!!!"

Well I have the secret that will turn your folks from terrified onlookers to friendly partners. In fact I have several secrets. Here check them out:

Secret #1 - When your parents start acting jittery, it's probably because you're closing in on traffic to your front way too rapidly. Try this little experiment. Next time you're approaching an intersection where traffic is backed up, make note of how quickly those little cars in the distance start getting bigger and bigger in your windshield. The faster they grow the more shrilly your parents will scream.

Secret #2 - If you tried the experiment mentioned above you'll see what I mean. Wasn't that fun? Only problem is those old kill joys won't let you drive for another week now. Bummer. You're going to have to find a way to calm the folks down. That means approaching other vehicles and objects on the road more slowly. You gotta learn to be more gentle with your parents and the brake. They can only take so much punishment.

Secret#3 - If you haven't already, learn to use your right heel as a pivot point. Plant it on the floor board between the brake and the gas pedal (aka the accelerator). The ball of your foot should be able to reach either one of these pedals easily. I know it seems awkward and unnatural to some of you, but you have to master this because it makes it easier and faster for you to swing over to the brake when you need it. If you have to pick up your entire right foot all the time it makes you tired and less likely to have your foot on (or even near) the brake at critical times.

Secret #4 - When you see a situation ahead that appears to call for a slow down but you are uncertain, take your foot off the gas pedal and pivot it so that it hovers over (or even rests on)the brake pedal. Your classroom instructor may have told you about this trick. It's called covering the brake.

Covering the brake will save you valuable time and space if you end up needing to slow down or stop. Remember - merely lightening up on the accelerator is not good enough. When you're trying to figure things out, your automatic reaction must be to immediately pivot to and cover that brake. At 40 mph this will give you an additional 40 feet of braking distance since you've saved the time needed to move your foot over from the gas to the brake.

Secret # 5 - The car is not going to come to a screeching and immediate halt the very second you put any pressure on it. That only happens in cartoons. After you've decided to stop in a non-emergency situation immediately apply enough pressure on the brake so that you can feel the brake pedal push back. That's right. Get rid of all the slack. You should be able to feel a slight slowdown.

As you get closer to the point where you must be stopped - press harder. The closer you get, the slower your car has got be going. Focus your eyes on where you want the car to stop.

Secret #6 - If there's a vehicle in front of you, plan your stop so that you'll be far enough behind it to see its back tires touching the ground. I'll say it again. Focus your eyes on where you want the car to be stopped.

If you learn and actually use the secrets above, your stops will be much smoother and safer - and your parents will be less tempted to raise their voices.

Bonus Secret - Don't accelerate towards red lights.

I Don't Care If It's April: You Still Have To Clean the Snow Off Your Car!

"Idleness is sweet, and its consequences are cruel" ~ John Quincy Adams

Global Warming indeed! Is that why we had snow in Cleveland on Sunday and snow in Chicago today?

Anyway, the Global Warming has really snarled traffic here in Chicagoland. Seems everyone has forgotten how to drive in it. The snow is that wet, heavy kind that can give you a heart attack if you try to shovel it off your driveway too energetically. I guess that's why so many folks forgo cleaning the snow off their vehicles. They're merely trying to avoid cardiac arrests. Some people are in such bad shape they don't even bother to clear it off their windshields.

I can see moving mounds of snow on our roads - vans in snow camouflage! The drivers are guiding their vehicles by looking through tiny slits. What are they doing? They're totally blind - cut off from all knowledge of what the traffic is doing around them.

Others have taken a little trouble - they've at least cleaned off their windows. But the snow remains on the roof and hood. The snow on top flys back on the vehicles behind when these guys accelerate. It slides forward and down the windshield when they brake. The snow on the hood blows onto the windshield during acceleration, thus negating the initial cleaning effort.

People, it's not that hard to take a brush and a scraper to the car. Come on. Clean the snow off before you move out.

After all, we're not trying to avoid detection like the troops on the Russian Front back in the 1940's. We actually have a better chance of survival if we're plainly visible these days.

See and be seen.

Should You Teach Your Kid to Pump The Brake Pedal During Emergency Stops?

"The wise man avoids evil by anticipating it." ~ Publius Syrus (Roman Author, 1st Century B.C.)

The answer to that question is:

It depends...

It depends on the vehicle you're driving. Is it equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) or the old disc and drum brake combo.

The ABS does the brake pumping for you. It monitors each wheel's speed and keeps them rotating very rapidly, changing the pressure in the vehicle's brake lines to maintain maximum braking just short of locking up the wheels. This means you can steer out of trouble while braking. You can take evasive action at the same time you are slowing down.

The older disc and drum brakes that we old-timers grew up with required skillful cadenced braking during emergency stop situations in order to maintain steering control. Wasn't that fun... press the brakes until just before tire lock up, then back off a little and then deploy pressure again until near lock up, then let up slightly, then press down again, then...etc.

Geez, I'm glad they invented ABS. I get tired just writing about pumping the brakes. Anyway, if you try that with ABS you'll reduce its effectiveness.

Most newer cars have the full, four wheeled ABS package. If this is what you are driving then you'll want to teach your kid to keep that right foot firmly pressed on the brake pedal, without pumping, to let the system work for her.

Make sure she's ready for the sound, feel, and braking results as well. When she presses hard on those anti-lock brakes maybe she's going to feel a weird pulsing/vibration sensation. Or maybe the pedal will suddenly drop. Or perhaps the clicking and grinding noise will freak her out. Tell her that these things mean the system is at work. Tell her not to back off the brake until she gets down to the speed she needs to avoid the collision.

On the other hand, if she's lucky enough to be sitting behind the wheel of a 1966 Mustang or a 1956 T-Bird, then go ahead and teach her the old, cadenced braking technique.

You're going to have to teach her to work with whatever you're driving. Caution her about the other type of braking system.

Excellent Source of Studies Concerning ABS
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=2006

Random Musings Of A Driving Instructor

"Patience is passion tamed." ~ Lyman Abbott

Every now and then I get compliments such as:

"You must be a very brave to take people you don't even know out on these roads and teach them to drive. That's so dangerous. I'd never do that!"

"How can you be so calm? You just steered him back on course and told him how to do it right - just like nothing ever happened! He almost killed us!"

"You're so patient."

I won't deceive you with any false modesty. Here's the deal. I'm not that brave. I just manage the situation to reduce risks, stay alert and take whatever action is necessary to survive. Plus I have that instructor's brake pedal on my side of the cockpit.

Yes, I am blessed with an extra bit of patience, but I'm not a saint. There are a few things that push my patience to the limits. The two big things that get to me are:

1. Impatient drivers who lay down on their horns at my students who are taking turns too slowly, thus upsetting my students' concentration and performance.
2. Teenagers who single out the driving school car for gratuitous and dangerous harassment.

The impatient drivers offend my sense of fairness and compassion. Seemingly they've never had difficulty learning anything new and feel no one else should have that problem either. Instead of helping the new guy or at least cutting him some slack, they get angry and pressure him.

There's not really too much I can do to stop that behavior, so I just suck it up and help the kid drive on safely. If you've ever seen the mini-series Lonesome Dove you may recall what Woodrow Call did to the cavalry scout who hit Newt with the riding crop.

That's what I'd like to do. And I'd finish up with Woodrow's answer to the funny looks from the ladies who passed by afterwards:

"I can't abide rudeness in a man."

As for the the newly licensed drivers who want to haze my students by tailgating us, then racing around to our front to cut us off with only inches to spare, they're threatening our lives and that really bothers me. Fortunately for them (and me) I don't carry a Winchester Model 97. I'd use all 5 rounds if I had one handy. Instead I just have my fledglings pull over to the curb and then the game is no longer any fun for the harasser.

If the troublemakers don't clear out before I can get their plate number, a call to the cops is the next step.

So you can see I'm no saint. I just keep a lid on my emotions and get the job done.

By the way - I scored a 22 on this Driving Personality Quiz. That means I'm one cool, calm, and collected guy even if I do curse under my breath and tap the horn to get inattentive drivers to move when the light turns green. How did you do?

Teaching Your Teen To Drive: Objective #2 - Starting and Stopping

"Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand." ~ Chinese Proverb

Once you and your young driver have worked out a pre-driving routine, it's time to get the car moving. Right? Well, not quite. There are still a few key points you'll want to cover before you get rolling.

You should review some of the things he has learned in the classroom - for instance, the fact that one can start the car only if the gear shift selector lever is set on Park (P) or Neutral (N). The ability to start the car in Neutral comes in pretty handy should it ever stall in traffic.

You'll want to review all the warning lights, switches, knobs, and gauges on the dashboard. The windshield wiper switch, the headlight switch, and emergency flashers/warning lights should get special attention. When you need these three, you REALLY need them.

Before he ever inserts key into the ignition switch, remind him to let it go once he hears the sound of the engine. Otherwise you get the buzz-saw sound and your starter motor is one step closer to the junk yard.

Now we're ready to get moving.

Before letting your teen move the car for the first time take it to an off-street area, such as an empty or sparsely populated parking lot. If you can't find one that fits the bill, a straight stretch of level street (about 500 feet) in a quiet neighborhood will suffice.

Have your teen start the engine and shut it off a couple times before moving the car.

Have him drive in a straight line without using the accelerator. I've met so many kids that think the car can't move without help from the accelerator. I suppose old habits developed on the little "Bob the Builder" Jeep die hard. This is where he should learn that he doesn't have to hit the gas to obtain motion.

After he comes to this new understanding, you can have him cross the lot again (or drive down another straight stretch) with the gas pedal slightly depressed, going maybe 10-15 mph, so he can judge the relationship between pedal pressure and acceleration. Have him keep this up while changing the accelerator pressure until he's slowing down and speeding up smoothly.

Then you can teach him to control his speed with the brake. He can practice going forward and backward using only the brake pedal. Have him increase the speed incrementally and then work on slowing down from the higher speeds.

This is where emphasizing keeping that right heel on the floor will pay off. He has to pivot from the accelerator to the brake to do this properly.

You both might be a little nervous at the start of this session. Just stay calm and keep on practicing. Stop when either one of you begins to tire or loose patience.

What's Your Driving Personality?

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may we are never able to fully know ourselves as we are, especially the evil side of us" ~ Mohandas Gandhi

How does your personality shine through when you get behind the wheel? Are you the Dudley Do-Right of the the roadway who strictly obeys every rule in the book? Or did they base the movie Anger Management on your driving record?

Here's a nifty 60 question test to help you find your spot on the spectrum. Parents, this might help you see yourself through your teen's eyes. Remember, he's learning every little thing from you. You might want to see what you've been teaching him all these years.

Don't Let The Gadgets Replace Good Driving Technique

"Why is it drug addicts and computer aficionados are both called users? ~ Clifford Stoll

It's always good to have back-up systems to keep you safe. Volvo's City Safety system for preventing rear-end collisions and it's Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) for helping the driver detect vehicles in his blind spot are outstanding safety innovations. Lane Departure Warning Systems are great too. Technology is a wonderful thing. It helps make life easier.

These systems produce impressive results. Prime, Inc, a North American refrigerated, flatbed and tanker carrier, has achieved an 85 percent decrease rate in run-off-road and rollover accidents since deploying Iteris' Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system.

Technology is a wonderful thing. It makes life safer.

But it is not meant to be used as a crutch. Theses gadgets were never designed to replace safe driving techniques or common sense. They were designed to aid the driver during occasional goofs.

Drivers still have to maintain adequate following distance. The gadget is meant to back you up when you when you're not on the ball. Drivers still need to make head checks to detect objects in their vehicles' blind spots. The BLIS is meant to back you up when you slip up. The LDW saves lives, but that doesn't mean you can sleep behind the wheel and still get home in one piece.

Drivers, if you're going to drive then drive. Even with the gizmos the car can't drive itself.

What About Blind Spots?

"More and more people are buying bigger and bigger, ... and the bigger the vehicle the bigger the blind spot" ~ Consumer Reports

When are you going to teach your teen driver about blind spots? And how are you going to approach blind spots so the kid remembers that they're important - even vital?

The time to address the subject is when you're establishing that pre-driving routine - just about the point you're explaining how to adjust the mirrors. By the way you'll want to do this on a nice day, if it's raining you will get wet. Do this in your driveway or an empty section of a parking lot to be safe.

Here's what you're going to do. Remember the side-view mirrors have to be adjusted so that in his regular seated driving position, your teen can see a only sliver of the vehicle in each mirror.

1. After the mirrors are properly adjusted, stand outside the car several feet away from the driver's side mirror. Your teen should be able to see your reflection.


2. Slowly, step straight backward while your teen watches you "disappear" from the side-view mirror.


3. Continue moving backwards until he reacquires you in the rear-view mirror.


4. Repeat several times on each side of the car until he knows where each blind spot begins and ends.

Now that the kid knows the meaning of blind spots and where they are, you'll have to teach him how to deal with them. While he's still behind the wheel of a non-moving car have him pretend that he is preparing to change lanes. Have him follow this sequence for a lane change to the left:

1. Check the rear-view mirror.


2. Check the left side exterior mirror.


3. Glance back over the left shoulder to ensure there is no vehicle in this blind spot.


4. If all is clear, activate left turn signal and steer left.

Repeat this procedure for both left and right sides. Repetition is the Mother of Learning. Build this procedure into his muscle memory. Checking blind spots has got to become automatic.

This will be his introduction to blind spots. There are some lessons you'll use to reinforce this knowledge, but this where he finds out that mirrors don't show everything and that he's got to move his head around to get the complete picture.