Illustration by Albert Rodriguez
I learned how to drive from my brother. He learned how to drive from my Dad. My Dad learned how to drive from his Dad. One holds the steering wheel on the top part, while the other holds it with one hand, but both are clutch drivers.
Unfortunately for us, driving is not part of the school curriculum. So there is no standard way of learning how to drive.
I’m nowhere near the “good driver” territory because I have all these old habits I can’t seem to shake off.
This gets amplified by the fact that I’m married to a road safety instructor, and therefore get a commentary every day (nagging) every time I get behind the wheel.
So what are the common mistakes that I make? I listed them down in hopes that it might help you correct your own bad habits.
- How you hold
the steering wheel
Most people use one hand when driving, thinking they are all homies of P. Diddy. Actually, it’s because the right hand is busy texting, holding some other’s hand, or searching for something in the bag.
This hand position is problematic because if someone suddenly crosses your path, your natural reaction is to jerk your left hand to the left, and you probably would end up hitting the light post.
During all the road safety courses we took all over the world, we were advised to hold the steering wheel at 9 and 3 p.m. This allows you more leverage in emergency situations.
It takes a lot of effort to get used to this, and you have to consciously mind your driving (which is what you are supposed to do anyway).
- How you sit in the
driver’s seat
Some people adjust their position in the driver’s seat so as to be comfortable for sleeping, not driving.
The correct seating position should allow you to see more around your car, so please take note of the following:
Your left heel must lie flat on the dead pedal. This will make sure that you can depress the brake pedal with force when needed.
Adjust your seat height to the maximum. For tall people, the maximum height can be measured when you put your fist between the car ceiling and the top of your head. For those shorter, it is the maximum your chair can raise you.
The lower part of the shoulder must be resting on the backrest, while head rest must be aligned to your eye level.
- How your side mirrors are positioned
Some people like to leave a part of the side of their car in view on their side mirrors. This is so wrong because this limits their view.
When driving, you should adjust your mirrors to take in the widest possible angle, thus eliminating blind spots.
When backing up, it’s a different story. This is when you need to see the side of your car and the rear wheel. Take time to adjust your mirrors to make sure you don’t get a fender dent.
- How you use your clutch
Most people use their clutch wrongly. My brother told me that I needed to step on the clutch if I were going to step on the brakes or needed to turn.
This is so wrong. This actually puts your car in freewheeling mode, and therefore you lose control.
You only use your clutch when you want your car to move forward, and therefore engage the transmission; or when you’re bringing the car to a complete stop, or when you want to change gears.
You don’t actually need to master the “art” of balancing how you step on the clutch while releasing the gas pedal, or vise versa. Doing this burns the clutch lining.
- How fast you drive
Most people don’t drive within speed limits because they are not always aware of this.
Although speed limits vary from city to city, the recommended maximum speed for the expressways (SLEX or NLEX) is 100 kph.
On national roads, it’s about 80 kph. Within the city, it’s 50 kph.
Use this as a benchmark when driving, and when you don’t see any signs. Of course, you need to adjust if the area is heavily populated or has heavy traffic.
The first step to change is acceptance. So if you think you are guilty of some of these bad habits, don’t be in denial.
There will always be room for improvement for those who seek it.
Some will need more time to master these driving tips, but in the end, it is all worth it.
Correcting some of your bad habits is a good way to spend those hours inside the car when caught in traffic.
For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at [email protected]; follow @chicdriven on Instagram or Twitter, or like the page on Facebook/chicdriven.
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